The researchers examined responses from 862 faculty members at 38 institutions nationwide using the blackboard Learning Management System (LMS) to supplement their face-to-face instruction. The four research questions addressed the primary uses that faculty make of blackboard, perceptions that faculty have of how certain blackboard features enhance or elevate (or might enhance or elevate) their...

In light of Supreme Court decisions limiting diversity-related admissions processes, a growing body of research has been conducted to ascertain academic benefits that come from cross-racial interactions (CRIs) that can occur only when there is diversity in the student body. The majority of this research has focused on student CRIs that occur outside of the classroom. Few studies have focused on...

In recent discussions regarding concerns about the academic achievement of US students, educational policy makers have suggested the implementation of certain teacher policies. To address the limited empirical research on the putative educational impact of such policies, this study used multilevel structural equation models to investigate the longitudinal associations between teacher evaluation...

Scientists regularly evaluate alternative explanations of phenomena and solutions to problems. Students should similarly engage in critical evaluation when learning about scientific and engineering topics. However, students do not often demonstrate sophisticated evaluation skills in the classroom. The purpose of the present study was to investigate middle school students’ evaluations when confr...

Legislation that applies to UK SRE currently advocates inclusive provision. Given the nonstatutory status of SRE, however, it is unclear how teachers incorporate sexual inclusivity, especially as research has shown that teachers' discursive practices can promote a heteronormative SRE climate (Renn, 2010). Using a discursive psychological approach to analyze interview data, this study examined h...

There is great potential to design digital simulation games as part of professional training settings. However, there is little research on how a large group in a classroom or seminar can all play at the same time. In this paper we describe the design and first in-the-wild deployment of the 4Decades game, which involves up to 30 players simultaneously in a simulation of global climate economics...

This paper considers the potential of Virtual Learning Environments in schools focusing on 2 distinct user groups. Firstly, the children and teachers engaged in the learning situation, and secondly, the stakeholders, that is the policy makers and educational authorities. Several VLEs are reviewed identifying high user acceptance and interest. The paper then considers educational policy and appr...