Focussing on a specific higher education online learning environment (OLE), this study aims to investigate and analyse instructional designs that employ Positive Interdependence, Individual Accountability, Teaching Presence, Authenticity and Group Skills Development as educational strategies to mitigate group work issues and subsequently encourage…

Online professional development (PD) can support broader accessibility than traditional face-to-face PD. However online delivery presents challenges for characteristics of high-quality PD, such as collaborative knowledge building and community development, that have proven positive outcomes in face-to-face modes. A few comparative studies have…

Online courses are growing in higher education, resulting from an increased access to information and communication technologies. While such courses allow time and/or space flexibility for both students and instructors, they also promote active learning and require more autonomy from the students. In this paper, we present the main design features…

This paper explores ways in which virtual learning can facilitate improved access to information, promote openness, and encourage flexibility in an open and distance learning university. It reports on experiences and perceptions of students at an open and distance learning university, who study through virtual learning. The study considered two…

Herein, we describe our experience transitioning two multi-instructor, multisection courses in both general and organic chemistry online during the COVID-19 pandemic from face-to-face instruction methods to an online content delivery format. Beyond the challenges of common assessments, we also had to coordinate discussion sections hosted by…

This study aimed to investigate the impact of a flipped classroom on the self-regulated learning (SRL) and academic achievement of seventh-grade junior high school students. A quantitative approach was used to compare the traditional and flipped classroom approaches. The data were obtained using the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire…

This paper reports on a study that integrated two instant messaging applications (Moya Messenger App and WhatsApp) and a myUnisa's online discussion forum (ODF), and utilised them as tools to support student learning at an open and distance e-learning university in South Africa. The participants in this study were 41 undergraduate education…

This study aimed to investigate the impact of electronic synchronous and asynchronous interaction patterns, in a learning environment based on collaborative learning and instructional anchors, on developing instructional design skills and achievement motivation. A quasi-experimental design was used to develop a theoretical framework and research…

Purpose: Psychological counseling, supervision, peer supervision, and consultation in the online setting have become widespread. This study aimed to examine the experiences and opinions of psychological counselors regarding online supervision and peer supervision. Research Methods: This qualitative study included six psychological counselors as…

Almost immediately after schools closed due to the coronavirus outbreak in spring 2020, we began to see anecdotal evidence that charter schools were reacting quickly and serving students well. This paper offers evidence that smaller networks and schools that represent over 65% of the charter school landscape were able to respond quickly and take…

This article provides guidance for including students with disabilities (SWDs) in online learning. Federal special education law and research are currently outpaced by practice as students with disabilities participate in K-12 online learning in increasing numbers. While online learning has the flexibility to present content in multiple ways and…

English language development is a critical component for young children's school readiness. In this study, we examined the effect of "Read it again-Pre-K!" (Justice and McGinty in Read it again!-Prek: a preschool curriculum supplement to promote language and literacy foundations, Crane Center for Early Childhood Research and Policy,…

The nature of this research study examines the relationship between text-talking and writing skills used by American Sign Language (ASL) and English speakers. When given ample opportunity to text-talk in academic settings, it is likely that students will improve their expressive communication and writing skills. The main research question asks:…

An extensive amount of research has been performed in recent years into the widespread practice of text messaging in youth. As part of this broad area of research, the associations between youth texting and literacy have been investigated in a variety of contexts. A comprehensive, semi-systematic review of the literature into texting and literacy…

Supporting productive peer-to-peer interaction is a central challenge in online courses. Although cooperative learning is a well-established method for eliciting productive interaction (Johnson & Johnson, 1989), online modes of cooperative learning have provided mixed results. To explore the factors underlying these mixed results, we used a…