Synchronous Distance Learning (SDL) is becoming more and more popular in the academic environment, but comparisons of the effects of this type of learning with those of traditional face-to-face have often been limited to academic performance and satisfaction. The aim of this study is to compare the effects of these two learning modalities on…

Active learning in mathematics can lead to deeper understanding than passively listening to a lecture, yet recent studies indicate that didactic teaching dominates online tutorials. This study investigated student participation in three types of activity: solving mathematical problems via polling, on-screen activities on a shared whiteboard and…

Australian tertiary institutions offer online units to provide flexibility for students unable to attend classes on campus due to the constraints of distance and scheduling. While lecture materials and discussions can be accessed asynchronously, a synchronous element allows lecturers and students to interact in real time. Blackboard Collaborate,…

Student retention and success are key performance indicators within higher education. One of the key opportunities to address both of these lies with the support offered to students who fail a module but are entitled to resubmit. This study investigates the value of implementing a resubmission intervention to improve the quantity and quality of…

This study examines online distance learning (ODL) as applied in music and music education programmes at different educational levels with a special focus on the digital tools employed in such programmes. It aims to provide an up-to-date snapshot of the current online courses focusing on the potential benefits and drawbacks of ODL from the…

This paper challenges traditional dichotomies that identify temporal and spatial restrains as relevant defining properties of learning environments. We present a critique of the current dominant computer-supported cooperative work (CSCW) taxonomy. Although we believe that the taxonomy does provide useful information, we question whether the axis…

Universities are increasingly using advanced video-conferencing environments to interact for teaching and research purposes at a distance and in situations that combine distant participants with those face-to-face. Those who use these technologies expect professional development support to do so but we do not yet have a comprehensive research…

This case study reports on patterns of participation in a virtual collaboratory organised around goals associated with the involvement of graduate students in research and writing projects. Traditionally, distance learning classrooms have been devoted to teaching content matter (in a virtual context) yet this case study reports on the use of…

The aim of this paper is to investigate the pedagogical suitability of using cell phones to enhance learning through social interaction in distance education. Social interaction was used as a conceptual framework to explore the potential for using "MXit"--a cell-phone instant messaging system--to support and enhance learning for distance…