Interaction plays an important role to the success of distance learning. As most distance learning environments utilize mainly asynchronous ComputerMediated Communication (CMC) systems, interaction research that focuses on synchronous CMC is largely ignored. This study scrutinize the patterns of learnerlearner interaction in a distance-learning environment. Student interactions in synchronous a...

Learning technologies offer new opportunities to meet the rapidly growing demand for new, constructivist ways of learning (such as competency-based, collaborative or adaptive learning). They have the potential to act as catalysts for more effective exchange and reuse of learning objects to enable personalised learning. This article examines the extent to which current learning technology specif...

This study aims to assess the impact of hypermedia designing as a cognitive tool on knowledge acquisition and retention in comparison to traditional instruction. A pretest-posttest control group design was used. The study included 48 second-year preservice computer teachers who enrolled in “Instructional Technology and Material Preparation” course at one of the universities in Turkey. The subje...

In this paper we introduce a rubric for assessing quality of open educational resources and open courseware based on our socio-constructivist quality model (QORE) that includes 70 criteria grouped in four categories related with content, instructional design, technology, and courseware evaluation. Quality is assessed from an educational point of view, i.e. how useful are such resources for vari...

Instructional Design, the technique typically used to design Computer Based Education software, including Intelligent Tutoring Systems, relies on a set of correctness metrics called Instructional Integrity. Hereby, pedagogical curricula should describe, in unambiguous, predictable, and measurable terms, what the student must do to demonstrate an understanding of course material. Computer Tutor ...

Science education reform emphasizes innovative and constructivist views of science teaching and learning that promotes active learning environments, dynamic instructions, and authentic science experiments. Technology-based and hands-on instructional designs are among innovative science teaching and learning methods. Research shows that these two types of instructional methods designed with cons...

Constructivist learning theory predicts that knowledge encoded from data by learners themselves will be more flexible, transferable, and useful than knowledge encoded for them by experts and transmitted to them by an instructor or other delivery agent. If this prediction is correct, then learners should be modeled as scientists and use the reasoning and technologies of scientists to construct t...

In this paper we discuss the potentialities of 3D virtual worlds in education. We argue that assignments in virtual worlds and a constructivist approach go hand in hand. We identify the aspects of virtual worlds (such as ActiveWorlds and SecondLife) that make them useful for education and research, as well as aspects that do not. We found that intertwining real life instructional courses with v...

This paper reports on the design and learning effects of an awareness mechanism integrated into an anchored discussion system. Drawing on social constructivist literature, the design aims to attract, retain, and if necessary reacquire students’ attention on instructional materials’ central principles in documentbased asynchronous online discussions. To form a holistic picture, we operationalize...