This manuscript begins with a synthesis of research on communities, communities of practice (CoPs), and the potential for their development in online forums, while specifically discussing the value of virtual CoPs for educational professionals in higher education. Working within constructivist and sociocultural frameworks, this manuscript…

The pervasive financial difficulties that have besieged thousands of schools and universities for several budget cycles have forced administrators to look deeper and harder for places where they can find savings and minimize the damage done to educational quality. Many of the steps schools and universities have taken in the past to trim expenses…

In spite of the fact that web 2.0-enabled tools and services are supposed to be easy to set up and simple to use, some faculty in higher education never got that memo. They don't know a tweet from a tag, identify Ning as a four-letter word for "river in China", and would probably guess that Squidoo is a friend of SpongeBob and Patrick. This guide…

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in education has made significant progress in China in the last two decades and this paper provides an overall presentation of its prevalence and usage. In this paper, a literature review has been conducted based on the research in the field of ICT in education. Eleven major issues have been…

As online learning continues to grow, so do the free or nearly free Web 2.0 and emerging online learning technologies available to faculty and students. This chapter explores the implementation process and corresponding considerations of adapting such tools for teaching and learning. Issues addressed include copyright, intellectual property,…

The use of online technology in community colleges has exploded over the past two decades, changing the manner in which services need to be delivered to students. This chapter examines online student services at the community college, beginning with a brief historical overview of the growth of online student services. The authors then explore…

The study reported examined the level of integration of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) into whole-class teaching, and considered the teachers' attempts to align technology use with their pedagogical approach and lesson objectives. The purpose was to explore the link between the integration level, teacher attitudes, and subsequent…

This paper presents the concept and results of the research project "Engineer Your Sound!" (2008-2009). It aimed at exploring whether interdisciplinary, innovative teaching/learning settings in the fields of technology and digital media can be used to give pupils the opportunities to experiment and discover their technical potential, skills,…

There's no doubt laptop programs remain important to many institutions, particularly to those that consider social equity an important value in their technology programs. Now, the transition to mobile computing, which puts smaller and often more versatile portable devices in the marketplace, has inspired college and university administrators to…

There is a need to integrate into classroom learning the out-of-school technologies that students interact with every day. We know that reader response approaches to the study of literature engage learners, and we also know that both students and teachers have mixed attitudes about the study of poetry. In this article, a response activity with…

Wilhelm is a vocal advocate for the substantive integration of technology into language arts classes in ways that support the "critical" use of technologies and the learning of new concepts and procedures for reading and composing. He makes the case that no one can be considered fully literate without a familiarity with and appreciation for our…

Since students are continually influenced by the visual culture surrounding them, content teachers should take steps to capitalize on the potential of instructional and communication technologies (ICT) to enhance their effectiveness. The article discusses the importance of integrating visual literacy and identifies the teaching environment needed…

For the fortieth time, 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 annual AECT Convention in Jacksonville, Florida. The Proceedings of AECT's Convention are published in two volumes.…

This theoretical review addresses the construct of beliefs in education and English as a foreign language, and their impact when integrating technology. A thorough definition and categorization of teachers' beliefs will be provided. In addition, studies conducted in various educational settings examining the effects of teachers' beliefs and the…

Technology Enhanced Learning and Teaching (TELT) is a ubiquitous feature of the learning and teaching landscape at the University of Tasmania (UTAS), supported and guided by a university-wide TELT action plan. This paper reports on the most recent stage of an ongoing investigation into the use of ePortfolio learning technology to improve students'…