Discusses the application of the theory of contingent tutoring to the design of a computer-based system for algebra. Considers help seeking and analyzes interactions between secondary school students and the computer-based tutoring system to explore the relations between individual differences in learner-tutor interaction, learner's prior…

Presents the results of a study that elucidates children's developing powers of explanation as they relate to global warming and ozone depletion. Discusses the results using charts and provides questions from the questionnaire used in the study. (DDR)

Presents the Integrated Thematic Instruction Model for translating brain research into practical applications in the classroom and school. Describes the specific neurotransmitters involved in learning. Discusses the key role of emotion and the importance of prior experience in the learning process. Recommends the types of sensory input needed for…

Examined the effect of background knowledge and second language proficiency in relation to two sets of specific reading materials. One came from an IELTS reading module related to science and technology; the other was from a highly-specific popular science text. Results showed that both language proficiency and background knowledge predicted…

Analyzes the differential skills and competencies required of faculty teaching distance education courses via the World Wide Web. The faculty perceptions of needed skills and competencies varied greatly and were found to be primarily influenced by their prior knowledge of instructional design strategies and distance education theories. Survey…

Performance of 142 sixth graders in modular technology education using multimedia was significantly predicted by quantitative and verbal ability and prior knowledge. Cognitive style and intrinsic motivation had less significant relationships with performance. Identification of low verbal ability and lack of prior knowledge could improve students'…

Introduction: Academic writing for publication is competitive and demanding for researchers. For the novice English-as-a-second-language (ESL) researcher, the pressure to publish compounds the difficulties of mastering the English language. Very few studies have used ESL graduate and post-graduate students as academic writing research subjects.…

In this study the assumption was tested experimentally, whether prompting for reflection will enhance hypermedia learning and transfer. Students of the experimental group were prompted at each navigation step in a hypermedia system to say the reasons why they chose this specific information node out loud whereas the students of the control group…

Science educators face constant tradeoffs between allocating time to important topics and including more topics in the curriculum. We study 3,000 students experiencing 4 increasingly streamlined versions of a computer-enhanced middle school thermodynamics curriculum to investigate the impact of instructional time on knowledge integration.…

The present study investigated the effects of question prompts in scaffolding novice instructional designers solving ill-structured, instructional design problems in a Web-based learning environment. The effects of question prompts were studied under different prompting conditions (Question-Elaboration vs. Question-Guidance), taking into…

Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) is now an established but relatively under used process in higher education (HE). In our review article, we argue that this is because APEL not only challenges the traditional university monopoly of knowledge but also challenges other established processes and social constructions. Work-Based…

This study considered true beginners and false beginners in first-semester university French and Spanish classes to: (a) determine whether true beginners and false beginners differ in anxiety, grades, and plans to continue language study; and (b) identify classroom factors that foster anxiety or comfort. Students completed a questionnaire that…

"How" do adults learn from self-paced, technology-based corporate training, which they select based on its relevance to their current employment responsibilities? Specifically, "how" do adults use the following learning strategies: prior experience, reflection, metacognition, conversations, generative learning strategies, and authentic…

This paper describes a two-week cross-cultural immersion experience in the United States for preservice teachers attending a small liberal arts college in the Southeast. This immersion occurs early in their teacher training and is designed to positively affect preservice teachers' attitudes toward Latino students who do not speak English well. As…

This article contributes to current debates about professional doctorates from a lifelong learning perspective, focusing on those who choose to undertake a doctoral programme in mid- or late career and their responses to the challenge of demonstrating their "doctorateness" as evidenced in their previous and continuing professional work.…