The demand for assessments of competencies that require complex human interaction is steadily growing as we move toward a focus on twenty-first century skills. As assessment designers aim to address this demand, we argue for the importance of a common language to understand and attend to the key challenges implicated in designing task situations…

Virtual reality (VR) is not only attracting the attention of the information and computer technology (ICT) industry (Shirer & Torchia, 2017), especially in the production of consumer VR hardware, but also that of educators. One of the important features of VR is immersion, which enhances the situated experience of users. The sensation of being…

This paper presents "Home game," a multimodal interactive educational game that supports training in independent living for children with cognitive disabilities. It is intended to be used under the supervision of educators in a rehabilitation center. The game features a variety of exercises that incorporate multimedia, virtual…

Teacher educators understand that the preparation of teachers needs to be rooted in the practice of teaching. This understanding, paired with the advancement in digital technologies capable of delivering practice based teaching experiences, requires that those charged with preparing teachers consider how to best to position these technologies…

Simulations that combine real world components with interactive digital media provide a rich setting for students with the potential to assist knowledge building and understanding of complex physical processes. This paper addresses the problem of modeling the effects of multiple students' simultaneous interactions on the complex and exploratory…

This paper examines the use of Virtual Reality (VR) at Swiss secondary schools. Despite many years of research, no well-founded data are available on the effects of the technology on children's learning success. It is assumed that VR is compatible with the learning theory of constructivism through the possibility of immersion, interaction, 3D…

My daughter has always been drawn to the frightening and the spooky, with a special interest in zombies. When she was four years old, she and I played a zombie video game together which instigated a series of zombie-related events. This article is a collection of metonymic moments rendered in comics and writing, that revisits these events as…

Understanding metabolism and metabolic pathways constitutes one of the central aims for students of biological sciences. Learning metabolic pathways should be focused on the understanding of general concepts and core principles. New technologies such Augmented Reality (AR) have shown potential to improve assimilation of biochemistry abstract…

This article presents three types of (inter)active learning pedagogical tools to better prepare future administrators for complex, real-world tasks. We propose a framework of narrative linearity and responsiveness to examine digital cases, digital simulations, and clinical simulations as bridging pedagogies from abstract class-based methods to…

Every November, the University of Calgary iGEM (international Genetically Engineered Machines) team presents their synthetic biology project to the world. Weekly team meetings are a microcosm of the iGEM experience of bringing ideas to fruition. The peer teaching, mentoring, and consultations that occur at these meetings are triggers for deeper…

The computer game sensation "Minecraft" has become a mainstay amongst school students of all ages. Anecdotally, at Geoscience Australia, we have observed that "Minecrafters" often draw comparisons between their Minecraft experiences and the real world. For some students, the line between reality and fantasy is blurred. At the…

Honors graduates have much to learn when transitioning into their first position after college. For instance, workplaces have an entirely different culture and set of expectations from undergraduate honors classrooms. Furthermore, the skills they need to become successful employees or graduate students are different from those required of…

While learning can happen anywhere and everywhere, most educational practices in K-12 are confined within the walls of a classroom and the school; such practices narrowly define learning and exclude the opportunities that an expanded and digitally mediated definition of learning can offer. Augmented reality (AR) technologies offer exciting new…

Biochemistry and molecular techniques are used for the development of the scientific practice of students. To improve both the teaching and learning quality and promote the students' motivation, this article outlines an interactive "Virtual Simulation and Actual Operation Combined" approach by using a tailored virtual practice-learning…

The authors provide information and research on virtual learning environments and how they can support teacher preparation programs.