Dialectical thinking is a way of discussing and analyzing things from different viewpoints to reach a solution. It is often taught in language courses by conducting argumentation activities. However, without providing effective strategies or tools, learners generally encounter difficulties in structuring their viewpoints during the argumentation…

As an emerging learning method, mobile technologies allow students to gain knowledge via both formal and informal learning. In spite of the advantages mobile technologies bring to education, its adoption for learning purposes has not been encouraging. Existing research on mobile learning acceptance has been mainly focused on technological and use…

Current literature indicates an increased pedagogical value of technology integration in university coursework. One form of technology that encourages collaborative, online teaching and learning is a "wiki," an online application that allows participants to partner and direct a website. This article describes the design and formative evaluation of…

This study employed a case study design (Yin, "Case study research, design and methods," 2009) to investigate the processes used by 5th graders to design and develop computer games within the context of their environmental science unit, using the theoretical framework of "constructionism." Ten fifth graders designed computer games using "Scratch"…

Although providing an invigorating foundation for instructional design and technology theory and research, the postmodern agenda would benefit from clearer articulation and further refinement of ontological, epistemological, and methodological positions. Consequently, we reveal possible weaknesses in the radically constructivist-inspired position…

The Studio curriculum in the Learning, Design, and Technology (formerly Instructional Technology) program at a large research-extensive university in the southeastern U.S. represents a deliberate application of contemporary theory of how adults learn complex information in ill-structured domains. The Studio curriculum, part of a graduate program…

This design-based research study is aimed at two goals: (1) developing a feasible case-based instructional model that could enhance college students' ill-structured problem solving abilities, while (2) implementing the model to improve teacher education students' real-world problem solving abilities to deal with dilemmas faced by practicing…

Discusses educational technology as a form of technical rationality and considers the conflict between practitioners' epistemological position as constructivists and technical rationality. Topics include cybernetics; autonomous systems theory; enactive constructivism; representation versus effective action; mind and memory; enaction in artificial…

In this article, the authors comment on Eric Fox's description of functional contextualism which makes several contributions to instructional design and technology (IDT). They agree that functional contextualism does indeed provide some "theoretical clarity and philosophical cohesion," not just for constructivism, but also for understanding…

In this article, the author describes how Eric Fox presents an interesting case for applying functional contextualism (FC) constructs and principles to learning and instruction. He draws several well-debated issues related to the instructional design and technology (IDT) field's shifting philosophical-epistemological roots and pedagogical…

This article proposes a model that integrates the traditionally conflicting objectivist and constructivist approaches to instructional design. I argue that these two approaches are complementary rather than oppositional. I present and analyze two learning programs in order to show how learning events can contain both objectivist and constructivist…

Argues that consideration of constructivism's epistemological implications suggests that educational technologists need to convince learners of a problem's authenticity rather than to promote environments that deliver "preauthenticated" problems. Proposes guidelines to assist developers of educational technologies in accommodating the essentially…

Investigates collaborative knowledge building in a graduate level course designed to incorporate specific constructivist learning principles. Results indicated the instructional strategies promoted collaborative knowledge building and the acquisition of key concepts through self-directed learning strategies. Results also indicated types of…