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This two-phase study was designed as a quasi-experiment to learn about the impacts of the interactive early literacy software and the library of digital books and stories on primary students’ reading abilities and reading instruction in Kenyan schools. For more than a term 1899 students from 48 classes learnt to read with the software. A standardized test detected significantly higher reading gains for the experimental students’ than for the control group. Experimental students also outperformed control students on the end-of-year exams. The system of training and support coupled with the software implementation yielded some positive albeit modest shifts in reading instruction. Building the capacity of schools and teachers will enable students to benefit from the inputs of the software after the research ceases.

The pilot research presented here explores the classroom use of Emerging Literacy in Mathematics (ELM) software, a research-based bilingual interactive multimedia instructional tool, and its potential to develop emerging numeracy skills. At the time of the study, a central theme of early mathematics curricula, Number Concept, was fully developed. It was broken down into five mathematical concepts including counting, comparing, adding, subtracting and decomposing. Each of these was further subdivided yielding 22 online activities, each building in a level of complexity and abstraction. In total, 234 grade one students from 12 classes participated in the two-group post-test study that lasted about seven weeks and for which students in the experimental group used ELM for about 30 minutes weekly. The results for the final sample of 186 students showed that ELM students scored higher on the standardized math test (Canadian Achievement Test, 2008) and reported less boredom and lower anxiety as measured on the Academic Emotions Questionnaire than their peers in the control group. This short duration pilot study of one ELM theme holds great promise for ELM’s continued development.

Critical thinking (CT) is purposeful, self-regulatory judgment that results in interpretation, analysis, evaluation, and inference, as well as explanations of the considerations on which that judgment is based. This article summarizes the available empirical evidence on the impact of instruction on the development and enhancement of critical thinking skills and dispositions and student achievement. The review includes 341 effects sizes drawn from quasi- or true-experimental studies that used standardized measures of CT as outcome variables. The weighted random effects mean effect size ( g+) was 0.30 ( p < .001). The collection was heterogeneous ( p < .001). Results demonstrate that there are effective strategies for teaching CT skills, both generic and content specific, and CT dispositions, at all educational levels and across all disciplinary areas. Notably, the opportunity for dialogue, the exposure of students to authentic or situated problems and examples, and mentoring had positive effects on CT skills.

The research explores the impact of interactive, multimedia literacy software (ABRA) on the reading skills of early elementary students in Kenya. Twelve grade two English teachers and their students from six schools were randomly divided in half: an experimental group (N?=?180) where ABRA was part of their English Language instruction and a control group (N?=?174) where regular instruction was used. After the pre-test student data were collected, a three-day initial training and planning session were held for the experimental teachers on how to use ABRA to teach literacy. Every week each experimental class was bussed to a computer lab with full access to ABRA for one 90-min lesson. Teacher support included the alignment of ABRA lesson plans with the Kenyan English Language norms, weekly web conferences with the trainer, as well as technical and pedagogical help from staff at the lab site. After the 13-week intervention, significant and substantial gains in reading comprehension were found for ABRA students as measured by GRADE, a standardized test of literacy. In addition, ABRA students outperformed their peers in control classes on the core end-of-year subject exams including English, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies.

This article introduces an electronic portfolio, ePEARL, and how it has been used in classrooms to promote 21st century literacies. Using NCTE’s 21st Century Literacies framework, the authors provide examples of student work and classroom assignments to demonstrate how an electronic portfolio can support teachers integrating this framework and developing these skills in pedagogically meaningful ways.

The mixed vehicle routing problem with backhauls is investigated using ant system heuristic. This distribution problem seems to suffer from a lack of published work even though it has immense practical applicability especially within logistic systems. Some enhancements to the basic ant system algorithm are embedded into the search. In particular a focus is on the choice in the placement of ants, the use of site-dependent candidate list, the introduction of a look ahead-based visibility, and appropriate strategies for updating local and global trails. Encouraging computational results are reported when tested on benchmark data sets.

This article presents the findings of a study on the use of an electronic portfolio (EP) in 16 elementary classrooms across Canada. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected to understand how teachers used EPs in their classrooms, to what extent they integrated the EP into their practice, and the factors influencing their use. Using expectancy theory, findings indicate that low implementers experienced significant technical obstacles and/or were reluctant to change their established practices, whereas high implementers reported feeling supported by their administration, experiencing growth in their teaching practice, and using more pedagogical practices that support self-regulated learning as a result of the scaffolding provided by the software.

This paper reports the findings of a Stage I meta-analysis exploring the achievement effects of computer-based technology use in higher education classrooms (non-distance education). An extensive literature search revealed more than 6,000 potentially relevant primary empirical studies. Analysis of a representative sample of 231 studies (k = 310) yielded a weighted average effect size of 0.28 surrounded by wide variability. A mixed effects model was adopted to explore coded moderators of effect size. Research design was found to be not significant across true, quasi- and pre-experimental designs, so the designs were combined. The variable “degree of technology use” (i.e., low, medium, and high) was found to be significant, with low and medium use performing significantly higher than high use. For the variable “type of use” (i.e., cognitive support tools, presentational tools, and multiple uses), cognitive support (g+ = 0.40) was greater than presentational and multiple uses.

A new version of the vehicle routing problem with backhauls is presented. In this new problem backhauls are not restricted to be visited once all linehaul customers have been served, neither are backhaul customers fully mixed with linehaul customers. In this problem the user based on his or her experience, the vehicle capacity, the type of products and the type of vehicle used, can define the position along a route from which the first backhaul customer may be visited. An insertion-type heuristic is put forward for this class of problems. An analysis of the improvement in route cost obtained by allowing a relaxation in the restriction of the mix of linehaul and backhaul customers is reported.

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Compiled by Anne Wade

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This column identifies a sample of web-based sources on professional development. It is by no means a comprehensive listing. Sites were retrieved from the databases of Hotbot, Altavista, Fast Search and Northernlight search engines using thefollowing search strategies: ("staffdevelopment" OR "professional development" OR "lifelong learning" OR training) AND (librarians OR library technicians). For some searches, the results were restricted to "education libraries". (...)

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At the Centre for the Study of Learning and Performance we have developed, tested, and disseminated to schools without charge, an Electronic Portfolio Encouraging Active and Reflective Learning (ePEARL). ePEARL is designed to be faithful to predominant models of self-regulation, scaffolding and supporting learners and their educators from grade one (level one) through grade twelve and beyond (level four). ePEARL encourages learners to engage in the cyclical phases and sub-phases of forethought, performance, and self-reflection. In a series of studies, including two longitudinal quasi-experiments, we have explored the positive impacts of ePEARL on the enhancement of students’ self-regulated learning skills, their literacy skills and changes in teaching, while simultaneously researching classroom implementation fidelity and teacher professional development. This chapter briefly explains the development of ePEARL, our research program, and issues in the scalability and sustainability of knowledge tools.

At the Centre for the Study of Learning and Performance (CSLP) in Montréal, the authors have developed, tested, and disseminated to schools in the Canadian provinces of Québec and Alberta, without charge, an Electronic Portfolio Encouraging Active and Reflective Learning (ePEARL). ePEARL is designed to be faithful to predominant models of self-regulated learning (SRL; e.g., Zimmerman, 2008; Zimmerman & Schunk, 2011), scaffolding and supporting learners and their educators from grade one through grade twelve and beyond. In a series of empirical studies, the authors have explored the impact of ePEARL on the development of students’ SRL skills and their literacy skills, also researching classroom implementation fidelity and teacher professional development. The case study presented herein briefly explains the development of ePEARL, the authors’ research program, and issues in the scalability and sustainability of knowledge tools in secondary schools. Using triangulated data sources from teachers and learners, this case study presents three vignettes and discusses the design and implementation of ePEARL in scholastic settings across the Canadian provinces of Québec and Alberta. The discussion case provides in-depth analysis of learners’ portfolios in ePEARL, as well as teacher perceptions related to integration of electronic portfolios in classrooms.

This systematic review builds upon the work of Authors (2006) and McGreal and Anderson (2007). It seeks to provide a synthesis and discussion of publicly available government policy documents with regard to e-learning in Canada. There is general consensus, both in public opinion and in the research literature, that the educational practices associated with rapidly advancing computer information technologies are gaining popularity and are expected to be increasingly effective in enhancing learning. The purpose of this review is to uncover and describe areas of commonality and inconsistency in e-learning policy documents dated from 2000 to 2010, and to determine where discussions about e-learning are lacking. In total, 138 policy documents from Canadian provinces and territories and several federal agencies were retrieved and analyzed using prescriptive and emergent coding approaches. The review confirmed that Canadian policy makers view technology as offering potential benefits to learners, but also revealed a troubling lack of specific details, consistency and coordination in facilitating the development of e-learning to fulfill these optimistic expectations.

In this chapter the authors summarize the design, development, testing, and dissemination of the Learning Toolkit—currently a suite of three highly interactive, multimedia tools for learning. ABRACADABRA is early literacy software designed to encourage the development of reading and writing skills of emerging readers, especially students at-risk of school failure. The authors highlight the important modular design considerations underlying ABRACADABRA; how it scaffolds and supports both teachers and students; the evidence on which it is based; the results of field experiments done to date; and directions for future research, development, and applications. They also present ePEARL and explain how it can be used with ABRACADABRA to promote self-regulation, comprehension and writing. They briefly discuss ISIS-21 the prototype of a tool designed to enhance student inquiry skills and promote information literacy. As an evidence-based toolkit available without charge to educators, the authors believe the suite of tools comprising the Learning Toolkit breaks new ground in bringing research evidence to practice in ways that promote wide scale and sustainable changes in teaching and learning using technology.

The current investigation was an exploration of the first year of a multi-year project designed to provide every Grade 3 to Grade 11 student throughout an English school board in Quebec with a laptop computer. Data were collected from 403 elementary and 270 secondary students from the experimental school board and also from 330 students in the control school board. In addition, questionnaire data were collected from 60 elementary school teachers and 51 secondary school teachers. Finally, interviews were conducted with 72 students and 20 teachers. Potentially the most interesting finding was the difference in achievement scores between the experimental and control boards. Secondary students from the experimental board had higher scores on the CAT-3 reading test and indicated making six times more frequent use of computer technology in their English classes, suggesting a possible treatment effect. In contrast, math scores were higher at the control board where neither board indicated high levels of computer use. Nevertheless, these findings must be interpreted with some caution until the threats to validity of selection bias are more clearly overcome.

n this paper, we provide a description of a CSLP research project that looked at portfolio use within a middle school, the web-based e-portfolio software we have developed within the context of the Quebec educational system, our plans for further development of the tool, and our research plans related to the use of portfolios to support learning. Our aim is to combine research evidence on portfolio use with practical feedback from the field in an attempt to develop easy-to-use, powerful software designed to support active self-regulated student learning in schools.

Ant system algorithms have been used successfully to solve many hard combinatorial problems. In this paper we introduce an ant system method to solve the mixed vehicle routing problem with backhauls. Some enhancements to the general characteristics of ant system algorithms are proposed. We concentrate on the way the candidate list is constructed, a look ahead scheme to incorporate into the visibility function and efficient rules to deal with local as well as global updating. Computational results on test problems are reported and compared to known results.