This research explores the ways in which Information Technology (IT) teachers experience the use of online communities of practice (CoP) in teaching a computer course called Computer Skills 2 (WRCO2). This course is the second of two computer skills courses in the Work Readiness Program (WRP) running at a Higher Education Institution in the Middle…

There is evidence that video games can promote an inquiry-based and dynamic form of lifelong learning. For example, video games have been shown to support problem-solving processes, developing critical thinking skills, and foster the communication skills necessary for civic engagement. This study examined how scholarship is informed through…

In this article, I explain how I used my interdisciplinary expertise in a TESOL classroom. The class consisted of 24 high-intermediate students ages 25 to 35, with a 65/35% male-to-female ratio. Of the students, 75% were Spanish speaking, while the remainder consisted of Farsi, Arabic, Hindi, Russian, Mandarin, Korean, and German speakers. The…

Although virtual worlds offer teachers the potential to enhance the K-12 curriculum in novel ways, there have been few systematic attempts to instruct teachers about virtual worlds, research their reactions, or track their explorations of these three-dimensional environments. Therefore, this study was designed to respond to the call to help…

The purpose of the study was to examine pre-service teachers' sense of community, perception of collaborative learning, and perceived learning. Fifty pre-service teachers from two undergraduate ICT courses which incorporated blogs participated in this study. The data were obtained via three online questionnaires (Collaborative Learning scale,…

The development of digital information literacy (DIL) has been slow in comparison to changes in information communication technologies, and this remains an issue for the higher education sector. Competency in such skills is essential to full participation in society and work. In addition, these skills are regarded as underpinning the ability to…

Based on findings that poorer schools tend to use computers mainly for drill work, while richer ones often use them for other purposes, such as supporting research and creativity, this project aimed to increase the understanding of how to best support teachers in inner-city schools. The project worked intensively with teachers from two inner-city…

Several strategies are presented that have been used in computer-literacy courses and been found to be successful for reducing computer anxiety and increasing computer confidence in preservice teachers: (1) give them an overview; (2) speak in their language; (3) find the friendliest computer system; (4) have them play; (5) make the computer fit…

For the twenty-seventh year, the Research and Theory Division of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) is sponsoring the publication of these Proceedings. Papers published in this volume were presented at the National AECT Convention in Chicago, Illinois. The Proceedings of AECT's Convention are published in two…