When people attribute human characteristics to nonhuman objects they are amenable to anthropomorphism. For example, human faces or the insertion of personalized labels are found to trigger anthropomorphism. Two studies examine the effects of these features when included in decorative pictures in multimedia learning materials. In a first…

Instruction can be made relevant to students when it draws upon and utilizes their interests, experiences, and "funds of knowledge" in productive ways to support classroom learning. This approach has been referred to as "context personalization." In this paper, we discuss the cognitive basis of personalization interventions,…

The present article reports the results of a study performed to investigate and examine the characteristics of a teachers' professional development program (Teachers' Professional Development Program for Differentiated Instruction [PDD]) specially designed to support teachers in the design and application of differentiated instruction. Considering…

Due to the importance of applying differentiated instruction to meet the student needs, this study was conducted to make a descriptive analysis of the influence of interactive strategies on understanding the knowledge based on the abilities and the needs of each learner. Another aim was to describe the level of implementation of differentiated…

School improvement efforts to increase student performance are sought by states throughout the nation. One Midwestern state implemented a statewide initiative to do just that. The purpose of the initiative was to improve instruction and learning for students with disabilities as well as other at-risk learners through a districtwide state…

Based on the premise that instruction should be designed from the outset to reduce barriers, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) guidelines provide a set of flexible options and scaffolds to ensure access for all learners. Using the UDL framework, teachers and researchers can systematically adapt effective practices that have been established by…

This paper reports on implementing learning plans at an Australian university and their perceived use in supporting doctoral candidates' professional and academic development. The implementation of individualised learning plans for doctoral candidates was the outcome of university-wide discussions regarding coursework in the PhD. Based on a review…

It is without question that technology in schools is here to stay. Educators have always been interested in the extent to which technology can be used to transform education and enhance student learning; however, the degree to which it is utilized in teacher preparation programs for pre-service teachers in terms of Web 2.0 use with future students…

Context personalization--the incorporation of students' out-of-school interests into learning tasks--has recently been shown to positively affect students' situational interest and their performance and learning in mathematics. However, few studies have shown effects on both interest and achievement, drawing into question whether context…

The paper examines how computational thinking can be taught to young children with the use of educational robotics using the kit LEGO WeDo. Computational thinking was measured in terms of four sub-skills, namely, sequencing, correspondence between actions and instructions, debugging, and flow of control. Students were assigned to an experimental…

When second language learners are identified as having learning disabilities, their need for instruction in English language development and the benefits of instruction in their native language are essential for academic success. This could become a challenge for special education students and teachers when the magnet school is a dual language…

There's unprecedented opportunity for state and local educators to invest in digital tools and professional development to transform teaching and learning. Rapidly evolving technology has provided new ways for all students, including those with disabilities to learn and for educators, students, and their families to interact. At the same time, the…

The increasing amount of available subjective text data in internet such as product reviews, movie critiques and social media comments provides golden opportunities for information retrieval researchers to extract useful information out of such datasets. Topic modeling and sentiment analysis are two widely researched fields that separately try to…

Technology continues to form an important part of the educational landscape, although the value of portable devices as learning tools is still being explored and debated. In light of the technology-based teaching methods suddenly brought into effect in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the deliberate use of technology for learning is increasingly…

This "Success Gaps Rubric: Addressing Equity, Inclusion, and Opportunity" is designed to help any school district or school identify the root causes for success gaps, which are gaps in performance between groups of children in a district or school. The rubric uses the term children because, although the children may range in age from…