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Computational thinking (CT) and design thinking (DT) are critical tools for students to improve their problem-solving abilities. CT is most commonly used in science and technology fields such as computer science and mathematics, whereas DT is more commonly used in the design field. This study evaluates the impact of art programming education on college art students using both methods of thinking to identify the relationship between CT and DT. In total, 27 junior students from an art programming course for a digital media class were chosen as the study's participants. According to the study's findings, the art programming course was shown to improve students' programming attitude (PA) in terms of both DT and CT. Although the correlation analysis found no significant difference between DT and CT, the data showed that both were related to student grades. The findings of this study confirm the efficacy of programming in improving students' abilities in DT and CT. It also confirms the importance of the two distinct types of thinking, DT and CT, in the problem-solving process, which serves as the foundation for creative design.

Homework completion is associated with learning achievement, but students' challenges revolve around meeting deadlines and preventing procrastination. Promoting students' self-regulated learning (SRL) can overcome these challenges. We explored the role of SRL (forethought and learning strategies) on the timeliness of homework submissions performed by undergraduate female students in quantitative courses. Data were collected from a survey and Learning Management System log. A structural equation modeling analysis indicated that the forethought components had a direct effect on the learning strategies. The use of learning strategies significantly influenced homework timeliness, which then significantly affected course achievement. Discussion regarding mixed results and strategies for scaffolding SRL through homework assignments are included. A suggestion on guiding students to execute suitable learning strategies for mastering quantitative topics is presented.

Inquiry-based learning as an instructional approach has been popular amongst STEM (i.e. science, technology, engineering, mathematics) disciplines, but the practice specifically in engineering education deserves further exploration. Employing a case-study approach, the present study was aimed to explore POGIL (Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning) as an instructional strategy in an engineering course that included inquiry-based group activities. Using a questionnaire, students were then asked to report how they perceived their experience. The instructor's perception was garnered through an interview. Findings suggested that most students were in favour of the inquiry-based activities, but challenges in the implementation coexisted especially because it was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pedagogical recommendations were provided to shed light on future implementation.

This design case shares how personas were utilized to create an online career resource center intended to help instructional design students in making informed career decisions. The outcome of this project has helped identify instructional opportunities to improve services currently provided to instructional design students and graduate student members of the Association for Education Communications and Technology (AECT). By evaluating the mechanisms and supports already in place and contrasting those with the needs of the students who are seeking career guidance, the intent of the project was to bridge the gap between graduate student members' career needs and the resources available to them within a professional association. We discuss how we gathered information through a needs assessment for the creation of a Career Resource Center to further educate and inform instructional design students of resources for career decision-making.

Guided notes were introduced decades ago, but there is still debate over their efficacy in improving student outcomes. The purpose of this study is to examine peer-reviewed research on guided notes for adult learners in general populations since 2009, understanding the effects of guided notes on student learning, the knowledge and content areas supported by guided notes, and the impact of modality. Results of the 22 included studies indicate that students perceive guided notes in a positive light, and guided notes improve results in certain knowledge domains especially with complex content. However, modality does not influence the efficacy of guided notes. Implications for practice in teaching and learning and recommendations for research were provided.

Emerging practices of social media for professional purposes in higher education merit further attention. Reddit, a social media platform, is under-studied despite its significant presence. This study explores participation patterns on Reddit for two summer periods during 2019-2020, before and during COVID-19. We collected a total of 82,494 contributions from two subreddits, r/highereducation and r/Professors. Results show changes in contributions and interactions, with more consistent growth in r/Professors. Major topics discussed in both subreddits during summer 2020 had shifted from 2019, largely related to COVID-19. Findings are discussed with a community of practice lens, noting changes in participation and adjustment to the crisis. Additionally, we present implications for supporting and sustaining higher education professionals through Reddit during and after massive disruptions like those experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Research suggested that community college students struggle to find time to commit to classes and often lack learning strategies to balance school amidst conflicting life needs. This study explored the use of metacognitive monitoring training in a Success and Study Skills class. Learners who participated in the training described the process of study skills selection by incorporating terms common to established self-regulation models. Learning performance increased in both the control and experimental group. Still, relative and absolute calibration accuracy (measured as the difference between judgments of learning and actual performance) showed similar results in both the control and experimental group. These findings contradict prior research indicating that general training in metacognitive strategies, may lead to improvement in calibration.

Despite the popularity of metacognitive research, and the inclusion of similar concepts in professional guidelines, librarians have not incorporated metacognitive tools into their assessment strategies. This systematic literature review found (1) metacognitive assessments can act as a learning aide in encouraging higher-order thinking; (2) metacognitive assessments can be effective measurements under proper conditions with experienced learners; and (3) librarians have limited options when selecting assessment tools even as the demand for demonstrating the library's value to stakeholders is increasing. The paper concludes with gaps in the literature and areas for future directions.

Online learning is increasingly being used in K-12 learning environments. A concomitant trend is found towards learning becoming "authentic" as students learn with tasks that are connected to real world occupations. In this study, 48 pre-service teachers use an online environment to engage in authentic practice as they developed online learning experiences for their future students. Using a design-based research methodology, the researchers were involved in planning, designing, implementing, and evaluating the higher education class across two macro cycles. An authentic learning framework was utilized in the development of the class. Findings explicate the design of the course and how it aligned to the authentic learning framework. It appears that web-based tools were beneficial as the pre-service teachers designed their own K-12 online classes. Findings show that the pre-service teachers' comfort increased when using the using online web building applications in the authentic environment. Furthermore, a high level of engagement in reflective and collaborative learning was uncovered during the activities. This research acts as a springboard for educators who are interested in designing online higher education courses incorporating authentic learning experiences.

This study identifies factors that influence undergraduate students' selection of a source of help. Learners engage in intentional decisions to seek help from human and non-human sources to resolve gaps in knowledge. Previous research in academic help-seeking assumed learners sought only human sources of assistance, resulting in a narrow understanding of how learners resolve knowledge gaps. Methodological trends in help-seeking research consistently favor quantitative, survey-based tools with pre-defined options. As a result, the factors that influence the selection of a source in a real-world setting with both human and online sources remain unexplored. The findings support including online sources in help-seeking models. Furthermore, the findings demonstrate the importance of relationships and underscore the need for an integrated framework of help-seeking. A new theory of source selection emerged which integrates academic help-seeking and information-searching behavior.

Studies in learning analytics (LA) have garnered positive findings on learning improvement and advantages for informing course design. However, little is known about instructional designers' perception and their current state of LA-related adoption. This qualitative study explores the perception of instructional designers in higher education regarding factors influencing their intent and actual practice of LA approach in course design practice, based on analysis of multiple strategies such as focus group, individual, and email interviews. Most instructional designers admitted LA had great potential, but adoption was limited. Their perception, intention, and the current state of adoption are affected by individual differences, system characteristics, social influence, and facilitating conditions. Findings have imperative implications for promoting effective implementation of LA approach in higher education.

Aim/Purpose: The current literature discusses the use and benefits of learner-generated videos (LGVs). However, it rarely addresses any correlation between the types of subjects that are best suited for using these videos or what techniques should accompany the use of LGVs. Background: This systematic review synthesizes current literature to identify patterns and implications that develop from the use of LGVs so that their future use can be both consistent and effective. This paper also reviews the studies to establish the most consistent educational benefits that emerge from this activity. Methodology: Employing the Preferred-Reporting of Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) technique, this systematic review cumulated 39 eligible studies published between 2008 to 2020. A set of eligibility criteria guided us in the article selection process, such as the use of LGVs as an assignment, educational settings, publication time frame, and empirical studies. We conducted further steps by searching the articles in major databases, screening, analyzing, and synthesizing the articles. Contribution: This study expands the literature regarding LGVs-related topics in both research and practical aspects. We have discovered research gaps, suggesting the directions of future studies. Additionally, we provide suggestions for practitioners interested in adopting LGVs. Findings: Findings reveal that the use of LGVs may result in reduced cognitive load, increased creativity, increased cross-curricular competencies, learner independence, and the ability to apply knowledge in a meaningful way. Recommendations for Practitioners: Most of the studies that we reviewed recommended strategies for implementing LGVs into a curriculum to optimize the benefits of LGVs: (1) articulating the learning objectives and aligning the LGV activities with the learning objectives emerges as an important strategy; (2) instructors may guide students to commence the LGV project early and stay organized with the tasks required to complete the project, as this type of guidance may help students overcome time-related challenges; and (3) providing several options for the students to create different designs or formats and select the type of media would promote their creativity. Recommendation for Researchers: Other scholars may consider exploring group differences in their learning performance by employing an experimental study (e.g., providing specific production rules versus not), including investigating the impact on the learning achievement. Future Research: Future studies may focus on investigating the impact on cognitive load when students produce LGVs with instructional guidance. Other important variables, such as self-confidence and self-efficacy, that may have played a role in the process of producing LGVs deserve further attention.

Accreditation is important for ensuring and sustaining the quality of an educational program, but the process can be challenging. Higher education institutions are open systems that rely on multiple entities, such as faculty members, to assist with the accreditation process. However, there is sometimes a lack of buy-in and involvement from faculty when assisting with accreditation-related tasks. This paper describes a cause-analysis study that was grounded in systems thinking and conducted at an engineering department at a large, diverse public university in the U.S. The study was aimed to reveal interrelated factors influencing the engineering faculty's buy-in and involvement in conducting departmental accreditation tasks. Findings indicate a need to improve the environmental factors, such as provisions of clear communication and suitable resources, as a prioritized intervention to promote faculty's buy-in and involvement. Recommended interventions, possible challenges of implementing them, and implications on managing changes are also discussed.

In recent years, professional learning networks (PLNs) and online learning communities of practices (CoPs) enabled by social media have emerged as a conduit and communal space for faculty members to engage in professional learning. This systematic review provides a current synthesis of research surrounding social media and professional development in higher education. Articles published in peer-reviewed journals between 2009 and 2019 were reviewed and 23 articles that met our selection criteria were included for further analysis and synthesis in this review. Findings suggest that research and practice on social media-supported professional learning is still in its infancy stage. Despite that social media-supported PLNs and CoPs show potential for contributing to faculty professional learning, challenges exist in sustaining faculty participation and engagement, as well as effectively navigating the social media space, especially for novice social media users. Practical implications and future research recommendations are discussed.

The factors that influence and impact graduate students in the context of their career decision-making within an instructional design graduate program remain unexplored. This mixed methods study captured actual career-related difficulties of graduate instructional design students through a conceptual framework based on Bandura (1986) and Lent et al. ("Journal of Vocational Behavior," 45(1), 79-122, 1994) social cognitive career theory, emphasizing the importance of interactions with key factors such as career readiness, access to career information and consistent and reliable career information. Participants recorded their levels of career decision-making difficulty through an online survey, the Career Decision Making Questionnaire (CDDQ) (Gati et al. "Journal of Counseling Psychology," 43(4), 510-526, 1996). The CDDQ was used to measure: (1) lack of readiness, (2) lack of information and (3) inconsistent information. This study indicates that the current level of support for graduate students in instructional design may not be robust enough to support their needs. The results demonstrate that graduate students have specific career needs and experience career decision-making difficulty regardless of country of origin, primarily in the pre-decision making phase and in working through internal and external sources of conflict.

Open Educational Resources (OER) are becoming a significant, mission-driven trend within educational literature. To help address rising costs, instructors and designers are looking to OER to effectively replace traditional instructional content, which requires more than just identify and replace. Drawing from 51 OER studies conducted in countries across the five continents, this systematic literature review explored the empirical themes evident in the current research on a global scale. This review found (1) discoverability, sustainability, and remixing are significant barriers that stand in the way of OER disrupting traditional textbook models; (2) there is no significant difference in learning outcomes when instructors incorporate OER; and (3) implementation of OER as instructional strategies is challenging but can be effective in supporting positive learning outcomes when properly designed. The paper concludes with a discussion of gaps in the literature, considerations for implementation and further directions for future research.

This study was conducted to investigate concept mapping as an instructional technique to help student designers tackle complex issues in instructional design. Specifically, this study focuses on three dimensions: perceived learning, collaborative learning, and usability. We examined how student designers perceived the use of Cacoo as a concept mapping tool in three different instructional design courses and how a concept mapping approach facilitated or constrained students' design process. The study participants were 24 graduate students enrolled in three different courses over the span of a year. Through quantitative descriptive analysis and qualitative coding, our data revealed students' overall positive perception toward Cacoo and demonstrated various means in which student designers successfully utilized the concept mapping approach to create external representations. We also provided implications for practitioners and recommendations for future researchers.

Extant literature on social media in education highlights the importance of improving social media-supported learning environments. This study adds to the literature by examining students' perception and participation for three types of Twitter-based instrumental activities--backchanneling, exploring hashtags, and topics discussion--in two unique undergraduate classrooms (education vs. communication) over the period of a 14-week semester. By employing a comparative case study research design, this study revealed insights into how students may respond to the same Twitter classroom integration activities to a varying degree according to their differences in pre-class perceptions and behavioral patterns. We found that both classes manifested an overall positive attitude toward the integration of Twitter in class along with active participation. However, the communication students manifested a more favorable pre-perception of Twitter and showed a higher participation pattern in class. We also provide pedagogical implications and recommendations for instructors intending to apply or replicate the three instructional activities employed in this study.

Aim/Purpose: This systematic literature review investigates the underlying factors that influence the gap between the popularity of online learning and its completion rate. The review scope within this paper includes an observation of possible causal aspects within the non-ideal completion rates in online learning environments and an identification of recommended strategies to increase retention rates. Background: While online learning is increasingly popular, and the number of online students is steadily growing, student retention rates are significantly lower than those in the traditional environment. Despite the multitude of studies, many institutions are still searching for solutions for this matter. Methodology: A systematic literature review was conducted on 40 studies published between 2010 and 2018. We established a set of criteria to guide the selection of eligible articles including topic relevance (aligned with the research questions), empirical studies, and publication time frame. Further steps were performed through a major database searching, abstract screening, full-text analysis, and synthesis process. Contribution: This study adds to expanding literature regarding student retention and strategies in online learning environments within the higher education setting. Findings: Revealed factors include institutional support, the level difficulty of the programs, promotion of a sense of belonging, facilitation of learning, course design, student behavioral characteristics, and demographic variables along with other personal variables. The recommended strategies identified for improving student retention are early interventions, at-all-times supports for students, effective communication, support for faculty teaching online classes, high-quality instructional feedback and strategies, guidance to foster positive behavioral characteristics, and collaboration among stakeholders to support online students. Recommendations for Practitioners: Since factors within the open systems of online learning are interrelated, we recommend a collective effort from multiple stakeholders when addressing retention issues in online learning. Recommendations for Researchers: We recommend that fellow scholars consider focusing on each influential factor and recommendation in regard to student retention in online learning environments as synthesized in this study. Findings will further enrich the literature on student retention in online learning environments. Future Research: Future research may investigate various data-mining and analytics techniques pertaining to detection and prediction of at-risk students, the efficacy of student support and faculty support programs, and ways to encourage struggling students to adopt effective strategies that potentially engender positive learning behaviors.

This study sought to understand student participation and engagement in a microblogging-supported college-level hybrid course. Using a case study design, the researchers examined how students participated and engaged in a variety of microblogging-supported instructional activities, including backchanneling, exploration, discussion, and live chat activities. Students were asked to report their perception of their learning experience. Our study suggested that students participated actively in the microblogging-based activities, while challenges remained as well. The degree of participation and engagement varied considerably depending on the type of instructional activity. Despite that students perceived all activities positively, our analyses of student tweets showed that sustained participation and engagement with a high-level of interactivity was rarely achieved among the data.

The purpose of this study was to further our understanding of the use of Twitter for promoting reflective learning. Specifically, this study investigated how students participate in Twitter-supported activities, what type of knowledge are manifested when Twitter is used to reflect on the course readings, and how students perceive the Twitter-supported activities. The data showed that Twitter was successful in keeping the learners engaged in the reflective discussion activities for a prolonged period compared to Blackboard. Students overall had a positive perception towards the integration of Twitter to support reflection and discussion along with active participation. Twitter was effective in increasing perceived learner-content and learner-learner interactivity along with engagement. We also provide recommendations for educational practitioners and direction for future research.

Aim/Purpose: This study investigates the variations in student participation patterns across different types of instructional activities, learning modes, and with different instructional guidance approaches. In the current study, different variables, modes of learning (guided versus unguided), and types of guidance (social versus cognitive) were manipulated in a series of microblogging-supported collaborative learning tasks to examine to what extent and in which aspects instructional guidance affects the effectiveness and student perception of microblogging-supported learning. Background: Despite the overwhelming agreement on the importance of instructional guidance in microblogging-supported learning environments, very few studies have been done to examine the specificity of guidance, such as how to structure and support microblogging activities, as well as what types of guidance are appropriate in what learning contexts. Methodology: This semester-long study utilized a case-study research design via a multi-dimensional approach in a hybrid classroom with both face-to-face and online environments. Tweets were collected from four types of activities and coded based on content within their contextual setting. Twenty-four college students participated in the study. Contribution: In response to the call to improve social media learning environments under-scored in contemporary education, the current case study took an initial step aiming at deepening the understanding of the role of instructional guidance in microblogging-supported learning environments. Findings: This study showcases that with instructor facilitation, students succeeded in being engaged in a highly participatory and interactive learning experience across a variety of tasks and activities. This study indicates that students' perspectives of social media tools rely heavily on what instructors do with the tool and how the instructional activities are structured and supported. Instructors' scaffolding and support is instrumental in keeping students on task and engaging students with meaningful events, thus ensuring the success of microblogging-based learning activities. Meanwhile, students' perception of usefulness of instructional guidance is closely related to their own pre-perception and experience. Recommendations for Practitioners: When incorporating social media tools, it is important to examine learner's prior knowledge and comfort level with these tools and tailor the design of instructional activities to their attributes. It is also vital to monitor student progress, adjust the type and amount of guidance and scaffolding provided as they progress, and eventually remove the scaffolding until students can demonstrate that they can perform the task successfully without assistance. Recommendation for Researchers: Due to many other potential factors in place that could potentially influence student learning, no conclusive remarks can be made regarding the superiority of either one type of guidance approach. Future researchers should continue to develop robust research methodologies to seek ways to better operationalize this variable and strive to understand its effect. Future Research: Future replication studies in other settings, with a larger sample size, and different populations will certainly provide further insights on the effects of instructional guidance in microblogging-based learning. Alternative coding methods may also shed light on differences in student interaction in terms of content diversity and depth of learning when analyzing the tweets. Advanced data collection techniques may be explored to ascertain the completeness of data collection.

This systematic review provides a summary of studies on teaching, social, and cognitive presences in the community of inquiry (CoI) model using the CoI instrument in a higher education setting since its development in 2008 by Arbaugh et al. A total of 24 peer-reviewed studies on the CoI instrument from 2008-2017 were selected and analyzed explore the types of research on the instrument in higher education settings have been published, ways the instrument has been used for learning and teaching, and the implications the instrument poses for online instructors and instructional designers. It is organized into 4 themes: testing the instrument for validity and reliability, measuring CoI presence in different environments, examining causal relationships among the elements, and exploring potential revisions to the model.

As faculty members in an instructional design and technology (IDT) program, we wanted to help our graduate students better understand and experience how designers design in the real world. We aimed to design a reflective and collaborative learning environment where we sparked students to engage in reflection, ideation, and the iterative process of problem-solving. For an assignment in a graduate IDT class, we piloted using Cacoo, an online diagramming and mapping tool, to provide and simulate an authentic learning environment to create external representations. For a distance education time machine design assignment, our pilot focused on the ways in which an external representation environment was used to stimulate students' reflective conversations with design drafts. We share our pilot story by presenting the literature that grounded our pilot, a description of the participants and design assignment, our choice to use Cacoo, the design process, the design assessments, and the pilot's significance and next steps.

This study presents two cases in which undergraduates were introduced to Twitter in their teacher preparation program as a means of developing a personal learning network. Twitter live chats are synchronous discussions that allow education stakeholders to discuss issues and share resources, engaging on potentially a global scale via the social networking platform. This study examines how students participated in these live chats, perceived benefits and challenges and how prior experience and preconceived perceptions of Twitter influenced the live chat experience and intentions for continued participation. Pre-activity reflections, student tweets and post-activity reflections were analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. While familiarity with Twitter varied, no participants had previously participated in a professional Twitter live chat; the majority of participants indicated a positive perception and intensions to continue participating in Twitter live chats. Plans for introducing, scaffolding and reflecting on initial Twitter live chat experiences are detailed and considerations and implications are discussed.

Aim/Purpose: The purpose of the study is to provide foundational research to exemplify how knowledge construction takes place in microblogging-based learning environments, to understand learner interaction representing the knowledge construction process, and to analyze learner perception, thereby suggesting a model of delivery for microblogging. Background: Up-and-coming digital native learners crave the real-time, multimedia, global-interconnectedness of microblogging, yet there has been limited research that specifically proposes a working model of Twitter's classroom integration for designers and practitioners without bundling it in with other social media tools. Methodology: This semester-long study utilized a case-study research design via a multidimensional approach in a hybrid classroom with both face-to-face and online environments. Tweets were collected from four types of activities and coded based on content within their contextual setting. Twenty-four college students participated in the study. Contribution: The findings shed light on the process of knowledge construction in microblogging and reveal key types of knowledge manifested during learning activities. The study also proposes a model for delivering microblogging to formal learning environments applicable to various contexts for designers and practitioners. Findings: There are distinct learner interaction patterns representing the process of knowledge construction in microblogging activities ranging from low-order to high-order cognitive tasks. Students generally were in favor of the Twitter integration in this study. Recommendations for Practitioners: The three central activities (exploring hashtags, discussion topics, and participating in live chats) along with the backchannel activity formulate a working model that represents the sequential process of Twitter integration into classrooms. Impact on Society: Microblogging allows learners omnichannel access while hashtags can filter the global noise down to meaningful bytes of information to target formal and informal learning. When shared amongst global users for participatory communication, it gives access to collaborative knowledge. This study gives practitioners and designers a working model to leverage microblogging and connect to their tech-savvy learners for more connected learning. Future Research: Future research may include experiments of this proposed model for delivering microblogging in--prolonged studies; compared to other microblogging methodologies; in non-hybrid delivery models such as asynchronous-only; in other academic or professional disciplines; or in other educational age ranges.

Aim/Purpose: The goal of this project was to determine what effects exposure to online K-12 teaching and learning activities had on teacher candidates' perceptions of K-12 online learning, how the exposure allowed teacher candidates to reach greater understanding of online pedagogy, and what effect such exposure had on teacher candidates' aspirations to complete virtual field experiences. Background: With an increasing number of K-12 students learning online within full-time online schools and in blended learning environments, universities must prepare future educators to teach in virtual environments including clinical practice. Before engaging in online field placement, preservice teachers must be oriented to online K-12 teaching and learning. Methodology: Using a design-based, mixed-method research methodology, this study drew samples from four sections of a hybrid technology integration course. Preservice teachers' papers detailing their perceptions, focus groups, and surveys were used to gauge changes in perceptions of online learning after participating in online teaching and learning activities. Contribution: The study demonstrated that an exposure to online K-12 classrooms stimulated preservice teachers' interest in online teaching as they began to feel that online education could be equivalent to traditional education. Findings: Students' perceptions positively improved the equivalency of online learning to traditional schooling, the possibility of positive relationships between teachers and students, and the ability to create interactive learning. Students also reported being more knowledgeable and showed increased interest in participating in virtual field experiences. Future Research: Future research may continue to examine if the exposure course, combined with a short-term clinical experiences and long-term online apprenticeships may serve to prepare graduates with the skills necessary to teach in classrooms of the future.

The purpose of this paper is to understand student interaction and learning in microblogging-based peer feedback sessions. The researcher examined through a case study how students interacted and provided peer feedback for each other when Twitter was enabled as a backchannel; students were also asked to report how they perceived their experience. The findings suggested that students participated actively in the microblogging-based peer feedback sessions. Although Twitter supported cognitive and corrective feedback, affective feedback was dominant. Student interaction on Twitter tended to be brief and involve low-level cognitive thinking in unguided, naturalistic learning contexts. Overall, students had a positive attitude towards using Twitter for peer feedback. Problems such as distraction and information overload were also identified.

This paper reports on an exploratory study that employed Twitter and blogs as instructional Web 2.0 tools to support student learning in an undergraduate-level class. Case study methodology entailing a usage survey, an exit survey, and 12 in-depth semi-structured interviews was sought to examine patterns and characteristics of students' usage of social media and to elicit their perceptions on how the incorporation of Twitter and blogs facilitated their learning. Findings demonstrate that as advanced users of social media, the students highly embraced the incorporation of Twitter and blogs in the class. Not only were the students motivated to utilize social media, but they also employed a high degree of self-discipline and self-exploration in using those social tools for learning. Overall they perceived the incorporation positively, but critically pointed out the perceived challenges. Discrepancies in their usage patterns and learners' characteristics indicate that instructors should distinguish advanced users from novice users and develop strategies accordingly when introducing social media in varying educational settings.

Research on haptic feedback has demonstrated limited empirical evidence of its positive learning effects. This research contrasts supportive anecdotal evidence and reports of increased motivation. In an attempt to unify these contrasting results we attempted to identify empirical evidence supporting haptic feedback's effect on learning by isolating the factual and conceptual learning domains. We found little evidence of learning gains even at this granular level of assessment. Our findings raise questions about the validity of invoking dual-coding theory as a rationale for supporting the use of haptic feedback while conjecturing that neutral or negative effects may be attributable to increases in cognitive load. Further, we suggest that learning benefits attributable to haptic feedback may occur in a decontextualized scenario with less emphasis on haptics as a reinforcing sensory mechanism. (Contains 3 figures.)

This study critically analyzed the current body of published research on microblogging in education (MIE) to build a deep and comprehensive understanding of this increasingly popular phenomenon. Twenty-one studies on MIE in 2008-2011 were selected based on the selection criteria and analyzed to answer the following questions: What types of research have been published on MIE? How was microblogging used for teaching and learning in these studies? What educational benefits did microblogging have on teaching and learning? What suggestions and implications did the current research have for future MIE research and practices? The analysis suggests that microblogging has a potential to encourage participation, engagement, reflective thinking as well as collaborative learning under different learning settings. The quality of research, however, varies greatly, suggesting a need for rigorous research on MIE. The analysis has implications for MIE practices as well as research and development efforts. (Contains 7 tables and 1 figure.)

Microblogging tools such as Twitter have been frequently adopted in educational settings to facilitate learning in recent years. Although the original purpose of microblogging tools is to connect with others in a wide network and instantly share what is happening to them with the rest of the world, educators have vigorously attempted to repurpose the utilization of the tool and integrate it into various educational settings to promote student learning. The purpose of this study is to examine student learning experience under a set of structured microblogging-based activities and to identify the affordances and constraints of the technology. Students participated in the structured microblogging-supported collaborative and reflective activities during the class and reported their learning experience afterward. The analysis of in-class discussion transcripts, microblogging posts, pre- and post-survey results, and the after-class blog posts suggested that the structure provided by the instructor in these microblogging activities, allowed students to focus on the learning content and participate in an effective manner. The students' in-class participation and engagement were elevated by the microblogging-based activities, and they had an increased positive attitude towards the educational use of microblogging after the class activities. This research suggests that providing structure to microblogging activities is critical to maximize the affordances and minimize the constraints of microblogging tools in a classroom setting. Specific structuring strategies employed in this study, such as presetting a code of conduct for tweeting, providing scaffolding to each tweeting activity, and setting a limited time frame, are worth considering for a successful microblogging application. (Contains 1 figure and 2 tables.)

Instructional designers perform informal formative evaluation in design practice. An evaluation may be used to locate errors in alignment of instructional objectives or to increase the quality or effectiveness of a design. An instructional design review is similar to peer reviews in higher education which are often structured, and tools are provided to contribute to the review. A study was performed to identify the support structures and tools that contribute to building a community of feedback within the practice of instructional design reviews. Six instructional designers and design managers were interviewed to gather the processes they use in design reviews and to understand their perceptions of the practice. There was an alignment between manager support and an environment that promotes a supportive review. The designers described a "culture of feedback" when there was structure and there were supports provided for reviews. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As online learners are increasingly diverse, making online learning more inclusive becomes an urgent need. Universal design has been perceived as a viable framework to reach the widest possible range of learners. However, applying universal design to online education has been a challenge to instructors due to different barriers. It is also unclear what evidence-based strategies can be infused into online education. In this systematic review, we selected and analyzed relevant studies and synthesized their designs and findings to explore the trends, strategies, impacts, challenges, and instructors' and students' attitudes toward applying universal design in online environments. We discuss implications for research and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]