E-learning 2.0 is expected to address some of the problems which characterized the first generation of E-learning implementations. Wikis are among the most promising E-learning 2.0 tools because they require active student engagement which facilitates constructivist learning. The present article focuses on the use of wikis in a university…

Increasingly, there is a shared understanding that the educational approach driving the development of Personal Learning Environments (PLEs) is one of learner empowerment and facilitation of the efforts of self-directed learners. This approach fits well with concepts of social constructivism, constructionism, and the development and execution of…

This article examines the degrees of collaborative language learning that were supported in cyber face-to-face interaction. The concept of "cyber face-to-face" is used here to encapsulate the kind of environment in which a combination of real-time oral/aural, visual, and text-based interaction happens simultaneously via the various…

The constructivist learning environment was designed on three perspectives: pedagogical, social and technological. A group of 24 trainee teachers used the environment and participated in the formative evaluation. Results showed that the trainee teachers liked the design specifications and perceived the learning environment to be useful. The…

Critical thinking and knowledge construction have become essential competencies for people in the new information age. In this study, we designed an interactive learning environment involving three forms of interaction: individual reflections, group collaboration and, class discussions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to…

The objective of this study was to determine whether there was a quantifiable improvement in learning outcomes by integrating course materials in a 4-year baccalaureate program, utilizing a knowledge repository with a conceptual map that spans a discipline. Two new models were developed to provide the framework for this knowledge repository. A…

Discusses the need to initiate intrinsic motivation in Japanese students in online higher education. Presents an overview of the online education process with constructivist learning theory, including various learning interactions; and describes sub-types of personal intrinsic motivation including challenge, fantasy, and curiosity. (Contains 62…

Three-dimensional virtual worlds are an emerging medium currently being used in both traditional classrooms and for distance education. Three-dimensional (3D) virtual worlds are a combination of desk-top interactive Virtual Reality within a chat environment. This analysis provides an overview of Active Worlds Educational Universe and Adobe…

Web-based technologies are the medium of choice for most universities as they move their offerings off campus and online. As we continue to move our own programs online we are challenged to consider what elements of our traditional experiences to preserve online, and which ones to modify, and to recognize the impact of the tools we use on our…

Describes the Instructional Software Design Project conducted in a LOGO-based learning environment in a Boston inner-city public school with fourth graders engaged in the design and production of educational software to teach fractions. Constructionist views of computers in education are discussed, and learning processes are examined. (Contains 58…

This paper outlines and discusses a self-contained multimedia-training program on psychological diagnostics. The program aims to play an intermediate role between theory and working practice, while offering students a simulated environment to prepare for practical work with real humans. The program simulates the entire diagnostic cycle in…