A cross-country drive from California to North Carolina in the dead of winter might seem like a burden to some, but not to Ben Erlandson. He sets off on his life-changing journey after losing his job and breaking up with his fiancée, knowing that he can no longer afford the high cost of living in San Francisco. The trip gives him the perfect opportunity to explore and take pictures of the southern portion of the United States, and he relishes the dramatic scenery of California, Nevada, Ari...

Design for Learning in Virtual Worlds, the first book focused specifically on how to design virtual worlds for educational purposes, explores:• the history and evolution of virtual worlds• the theories behind the use of virtual worlds for learning• the design of curricula in virtual worlds• design guidelines for elements experienced in virtual worlds that support learning• design guidelines for learning quests and activities in virtual world...

A free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere: this is the goal of the Khan Academy, a passion project that grew from an ex-engineer and hedge funder's online tutoring sessions with his niece, who was struggling with algebra, into a worldwide phenomenon. Today millions of students, parents, and teachers use the Khan Academy's free videos and software, which have expanded to encompass nearly every conceivable subject; and Academy techniques are being employed with exciting results in a...

Teaching in Blended Leaning Environments provides a coherent framework in which to explore the transformative concept of blended learning. Blended learning can be defined as the organic integration of thoughtfully selected and complementary face-to-face and online approaches and technologies. A direct result of the transformative innovation of virtual communication and online learning communities, blended learning environments have created new ways for teachers and students to eng...

A one-stop knowledge resource, Emerging Technologies in Distance Education showcases the international work of research scholars and innovative distance education practitioners who use emerging interactive technologies for teaching and learning at a distance. This widely anticipated book harnesses the dispersed knowledge of international experts who highlight pedagogical, organizational, cultural, social, and economic factors that influence the adoption and integration of emerging technolo...

Best Practices for Flipping the College Classroom provides a comprehensive overview and systematic assessment of the flipped classroom methodology in higher education. The book:Reviews various pedagogical theories that inform flipped classroom practice and provides a brief history from its inception in K–12 to its implementation in higher education.Offers well-developed and instructive case studies chronicling the implementation of flipp...

AECT Design & Development Outstanding Book Award for 2008!Design and Development Research thoroughly discusses methods and strategies appropriate for conducting design and development research. Rich with examples and explanations, the book describes actual strategies that researchers have used to conduct two major types of design and development research: 1) product and tool research and 2) model research. Common challenges confronted by researchers in the...

Connected by a computer telecommunications network, ninth-graders from eight high schools scattered thousands of miles across Alaska work together, building a robot submarine to gather samples from the floor of Prince William Sound.This is high school science as some teachers and educational reformers today envision it -- centered on student projects that encourage learning by doing...supported by modern technology...enriched by collaboration among students and teachers, both face ...

In recent years, the use of technology for the purposes of improving and enriching traditional instructional practices has received a great deal of attention. However, few works have explicitly examined cognitive, psychological, and educational principles on which technology-supported learning environments are based. This volume attempts to cover the need for a thorough theoretical analysis and discussion of the principles of system design that underlie the construction of technology-enhan...

Using Games and Simulations for Teaching and Assessment: Key Issues comprises a multidisciplinary investigation into the issues that arise when using games and simulations for educational purposes. Using both theoretical and empirical analyses, this collection examines cognitive, motivational, and psychometric issues with a focus on STEM content. Unlike other research-based volumes that focus solely on game design or the theoretical basis behind gaming, this book unites previously...

This book focuses on how technology may create new learning environments and enhance basic learning processes. The book identifies and informs some of the strategic decisions involved in designing and implementing new technology to enhance learning. It also examines specific learning applications of TEL in order to understand the context of different learning environments, as well as some of the critical lessons learned in designing these environments. Mixing both conceptual perspectives a...

While current educational technologies have the potential to fundamentally enhance literacy education, many of these tools remain unknown to or unused by today’s practitioners due to a lack of access and support. Adaptive Educational Technologies for Literacy Instruction presents actionable information to educators, administrators, and researchers about available educational technologies that provide adaptive, personalized literacy instruction to students of all ages. These access...