A web conference "adds value by generating discussion among a diverse student group" (Skinner, 2004a, p. 12). Or does it? A significant concern is the extent to which learners construct knowledge and develop a learning community through online discussion. Critics argue that genuine knowledge construction is difficult to achieve. This study…

As the sophistication of technology has increased, so has public demand for quality. This expectation of quality has occurred across a broad range of products and systems, including education. To meet the demand for quality, many products and systems (including educational ones) have become increasingly complex. Within education there are also…

Academia has traditionally avoided adopting the fast-paced, profit-oriented operational style that accompanies corporate culture. However, a business model can be successfully adapted to the unique needs of an academic institution, discipline, faculty, and students through the selective adoption of business principles. A classic marketing mix…

This article is a socio-historical account of the development of the Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) diagnosis and methylphenidate treatment in America, attending particularly to the political and institutional contexts that have supported this development. Historical developments in early-mid-twentieth-century America frame a…

Although materials informing parents about children's mental health (CMH) problems can improve outcomes, we know relatively little about the design factors that might influence their utilization of available resources. We used a discrete choice conjoint experiment to model the information preferences of parents seeking mental health services for 6…

Improving professional learning for educators is a crucial step in transforming schools and improving academic achievement. To meet federal requirements and public expectations for school and student performance, the nation needs to bolster teacher skills and knowledge to ensure that every teacher is able to teach increasingly diverse learners,…

At least 60% of children with disabilities have multiple disabilities including visual impairments (VI). Because the visual system is neurologically based, any problems of the neurological system will also likely affect vision. The estimated number of students with VI and additional disabilities has increased significantly over the years. Since…

Exemplary Middle Grades Research: Evidence-Based Studies Linking Theory to Practice features research published throughout 2009 in MGRJ that has been identified by the Information Age Publishing's review board as the most useful in terms of assisting educators with making practical applications from evidence-based studies to classroom and school…

This paper reports on some of the important considerations that characterize historical study in the field of educational technology. Intellectual history is the history of thought or some specific aspect of thought, and is divided into three primary areas of study: (1) biography--studies focusing on the thoughts, work, and lives of single…

This fact sheet offers general information about traumatic brain injury. Information includes a definition, incidence, individual characteristics, and educational implications. The fact sheet notes that the designation of traumatic brain injury as a separate category of disability signals that schools should provide children and youth with access…

This digest describes types of education programs for gifted and talented children and considers educational acceleration for this population. It reviews such acceleration alternatives as having a child skip a grade, having a child take advanced courses with older students in particular subjects, and having the child tutored and advanced in given…

Recent research indicates that public information campaigns and promotional programs can have an impact on the extent to which citizens involve themselves in crime prevention. Subgroups such as the elderly may especially benefit from efforts more carefully tailored to their own needs and circumstances. The design of successful programs requires…

The paper reviews the history and considers future aspects of providing education to intellectually gifted children in Australia. The period of 1960-1975 is seen as one of limited interest in gifted education, while the years 1976-80 are classified as times of greater experimentation on a state by state basis. The third and current phase is…

Fifteen author-contributed papers focus on the learning disabled adolescent and young adult. The first section provides a general overview while subsequent sections address educational and social techniques, steps to employment, and programs for adolescents. The following titles and authors are included: "Prevention: Primary, Secondary, or…

The essential components of self-paced systems are frequently prohibitive in cost for implementation for all students. Selection of students who can profit most from individualized programs can be made by choosing students in upper and lower extremes in mental ability who possess certain elements in their cognitive styles. (Author)