Interest in virtual laboratory simulations as a pedagogical tool continues to grow, given the advantages of flexibility, scalability, technology integration, and interactive visualizations. We developed a laboratory model that integrates virtual lab simulations (VLS) and traditional in-person (IP) lab experiences for targeted skill development. In…

Engaging students and developing interest can be challenging--and not always successful on the first couple of tries. With the help of Elon University's Information Technology team, the Office of the Registrar created a technology solution to give faculty more data about the students registered for their classes in the upcoming term. Using…

The future of the workforce requires post-secondary education and the ability to effectively use technology. Technology has become an integral part of education, business, and daily life. Yet, there remains a digital divide for many individuals. Increasingly, community colleges are using technology in the classroom and as part of the processes…

This article uses a difference-in-differences strategy to evaluate the impact of a one-to-one laptop program. Teaching practices changed with the introduction of the program, and the district worked to make wireless Internet more accessible in the community. We find that while short-term impacts of the program were statistically insignificant,…

The article examines how a high school teacher designed an honors precalculus blended-learning class in North Carolina. By making videos of precalculus lectures where she had students watch during their days off from the class, the teacher was able to have her students work on problem solving and inquiry-based activities in groups when in-class.…

It has been said that education is the key to success, and today's youth are tomorrow's human resources. This is the 21 century; and students, who will be the human resources of tomorrow, are being prepared for jobs that may not even exist today. Legislators, policy makers, and researchers have encouraged methods to ensure teachers deliver high…

School districts across the United States have increasingly adopted information and communications technology (ICT) in an attempt to improve student achievement across a wide range of educational settings. This paper examines the impacts of Achieve3000, an early literacy program that differentiates non-fiction reading passages based on individual…

School districts are increasingly adopting technology-based resources in an attempt to improve student achievement. This paper reports the two-year results from randomized control trial of Achieve3000 in the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) in Raleigh, North Carolina. Achieve3000 is an early literacy program that differentiates non-fiction…

The purpose of this collaborative project is to incorporate Open Educational Resources (OER) and Virtual Reality (VR) into college courses to promote student engagement and flexible learning opportunities. This project will assist teachers in the K-12 and higher education environment to better identify lesson strategies for the implementation of…

Khan Academy is a large and popular open educational resource (OER) with little empirical study into its impact on student achievement in mathematics when used in schools. In this study, we examined the use of Khan Academy as a mathematics intervention among seventh grade students over a 4-week period versus a control group. We also compared…

This article describes a project that helped fourth-grade students connect personally with and bring North Carolina history to life. Over the months of this project, students asked questions, investigated topics of interest that they chose, conducted in-depth research that included interviewing experts, learned to use a video editor to combine…

With an increasing number of students experiencing blended instruction, understanding how instructors blend their face-to-face and online teaching is important. This study explores current practice in blending instruction through a researcher-developed survey, which was administered to educators who work in North Carolina's public pre-kindergarten…

Elementary students find themselves engaged and learning at a digital writing camp. The authors find that such elementary students usually have limited access to technology at home and school, and posit that teachers should do all they can to give them more access to and experience in digital composing. Students were motivated and learned to use…

Collaborative inquiry among faculty focused on common teaching and learning questions can result in a rich array of outcomes. This paper reports on Digital Literacies, a collaborative inquiry project focused on infusing the use of computers and collaborative on-line writing environments into our college writing program. Participants were members…

This study examined the effectiveness of using laptops to teach and deliver instruction to students. The meta-analytic approach was employed to compare the means of End-of Course Test scores from North Carolina one-to-one high schools during the traditional teaching period and the laptop teaching period in order to determine if there are…