This qualitative case study explored librarians' and social workers' experiences in an online scenario-game-based training program for Responsive Librarianship, a model for the delivery of personalised library services in response to a health or wellness concern. Analysis was conducted using the Community of Asynchronous Interprofessional Learning Model to determine how participants' responses to course design and activities related to community of practice characteristics. Findings from this study explain how an online training program influences the development of professional identity among librarians and social workers in an interprofessional community of practice learning to provide Responsive Librarianship.

As Virtual Reality (VR) technologies have become affordable, portable, and realistic, the use of VR for education is becoming a reality. However, while VR environments are novel and interesting, this project studies if learning medical concepts in a VR environment truly improves the retention, comprehension, and motivation of medical school students. This paper presents the key results of a literature review of the current corpus of studies on these topics. The review revealed a modest number of peer-reviewed studies that assessed the retention, comprehension, and motivation of adult learners using VR in medical education. However, these studies presented several insights summarized in this paper. Additional research needs to be done on this topic to prove the efficacy and validity of this new medium for medical training and instruction. This paper also presents avenues for future research and describes a study that the researchers plan to conduct following this literature review.

This exploratory project, called Climate Change Narrative Game Education (CHANGE), has helped high school students learn complex Global Climate Change (GCC) science by making it personally relevant and understandable. CHANGE created a prototype curriculum, integrated it into elective Marine Sciences high school courses, and tested its efficacy. CHANGE used: (a) scientifically realistic text narratives (a web-based science fiction novel with computer games) about future Florida residents (text stories with local Florida characters, 50-100 years in the future based on GCC) and (b) hands-on science laboratory activities, based local, place-based approach grounded in west-central Florida Gulf Coast using scientific data. The project has worked with four teachers in three high schools, but will be expanded to work with 27 high school Marine Science teachers in 25 schools in Hillsborough County, Florida. The current paper discusses: (a) two pilot studies on two curricular units, and (b) also the complex process of managing the inter-disciplinary team needed for this type "intermedia" approach.

This paper reports on the development and validation of a science inquiry skills assessment for Earth science (iSA–Earth Science) in middle schools that classroom teachers can use to assess and monitor their students' science inquiry skills. An assessment framework with six primary inquiry skills, each with three to six subskills, was developed based on a comprehensive review of the literature and following the recommendations of the National Science Education Standards (NSES; NRC, 1996) and A Framework for K–12 Science Education (FSE; NRC, 2012). The six primary skills are: (1) identify questions for scientific investigations, (2) design scientific investigations, (3) use tools and techniques to gather data, (4) analyze and describe data, (5) explain results and draw conclusions, and (6) recognize alternative explanations and predictions. The assessment development and validation process followed guidelines from the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing (American Educational Research Association [AERA], American Psychological Association [APA], and National Council of Measurement in Education [NCME], 1999). Psychometric analysis using both classical test statistics and Item Response Theory showed the instrument was internally consistent, reliable, and did not function differentially for male and female students. Implications for science education practice and research are discussed.

This study investigated the impact of discussion forum design and facilitative strategies on student participation and cognitive levels of student dialogue. A multiple-case study design was used. Three online classes taught by the same instructor participated (n = 55). Data were collected from observations, discussion transcripts, and teacher interviews. Results from content analysis of the discussion transcripts showed that the teacher’s role in online discussions is influential in student participation and learning. Instructional strategies such as participation requirements and question design were related to an increase in participation and cognitive levels of student dialogue.

This mixed methodology study was designed to examine the factors and the process by which mainstream university faculty members adopt and implement technology in teaching and learning. Data were collected through a survey administered to faculty from 3 academic colleges ( N = 117) and interviews of selected survey respondents ( N = 9). Path analysis of survey data resulted in path coefficients indicating relationships between variables and significant direct effects to variables. Interview data were analyzed through constant comparative analyses. Patterns of perceptions and usage among participants emerged, providing rich data that triangulates with survey and path analysis findings. The results suggest that peer interactions and collegiality are significant direct effects in helping faculty members learn new innovations and strategies. The findings have important implications for informing the design of professional development for faculty adoption of technology.

This study describes the nature and structure of an introductory educational psychology course in a distance education (DE) medium. Our aims were twofold: to minimize the common problem of isolation among DE students and to restructure the course content from a set of discrete topics to one that attempted to unify the content. To minimize feelings of isolation, students were exposed to structured group activities where they were required on a weekly basis to communicate with one another about the content. Moreover, they were presented with a Ship metaphor that functioned as a means of bonding the students. To help students reconceptualize and personalize course content, we used a series of "Big Ideas" that prompted them to synthesize topics across the domain. Our findings showed that student interactions online involved personal, administrative, and higher-level intellectual exchanges on issues in the field. Moreover, they readily adopted the Ship as their own, giving it a name, and taking on roles for themselves that would help the entire crew. Through structured tasks and online conferences, students assisted one another both within and across groups in discussing ideas and relating them to one another. Recommendations for DE course design and implementation best practices are offered. Cette étude décrit la nature et la structure d'un cours d'introduction sur la psychologie éducative, dispensé par le biais de l'éducation à distance (ED). Nos objectifs étaient de deux ordres: minimiser le problème commun d'isolement chez les étudiants d'ED et de restructurer le contenu du cours à partir d'un ensemble de sujets séparés vers un seul sujet qui tente d'unifier le contenu. Afin de minimiser le sentiment d'isolement, les étudiants ont été exposés à des activités de groupe structurées pour lesquelles ils devaient chaque semaine communiquer ensemble et échanger sur le contenu. De plus, la métaphore d'un navire a été utilisée comme un moyen de créer des liens entre les étudiants. Afin d'aider les étudiants à conceptualiser à nouveau et à personnaliser le contenu du cours, nous avons utilisé une série de «Grandes Idées» qui les ont incité à synthétiser les sujets à travers le champ d'étude. Nos résultats de recherche ont montré que les interactions en ligne des étudiants occasionnent des échanges personnels, administratifs et de haut niveau intellectuel sur des questions relatives au domaine. En outre, ils ont rapidement fait de ce navire le leur, lui donnant un nom et se donnant eux-mêmes des fonctions qui pourraient venir en aide à l'ensemble de l'équipage. Par le biais de tâches structurées et de conférences en ligne, les étudiants se sont aidés les uns les autres, à la fois à l'intérieur et entre groupes, en discutant des idées et en les reliant ensemble. Des recommandations pour le design de cours d'éducation à distance et au sujet des meilleures pratiques d'implantation sont présentées.

This meta-analysis employs a theoretical framework in quantitatively synthesizing empirical studies that investigate the effects of distance education (DE) versus classroom instruction on undergraduate student achievement. Analyses of 218 findings from 103 studies were conducted according to how media were used to support DE pedagogy. The results indicate that the effect sizes far synchronous instructor-directed DE were consistent and not significantly different from zero; in asynchronous DE, media only supporting independent learning was generally less effective than media supporting collaborative discussion among students, although both subsets were significantly heterogeneous. Follow-up analysis of asynchronous DE findings was framed in terms of three patterns of interaction—student-content, student-instructor and student-student.