0360-1315/$ see front matter 2009 Elsevier Ltd. A doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2009.01.010 Abbreviation: SL, Second Life. * Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 512 232 3302; fax E-mail addresses: [email protected] (L. J [email protected] (A. Trivedi). While many reports espouse the potential impact that 3-D virtual worlds are expected to have on teaching and learning in higher education in a few...

Welcome to the International Journal of Game-Based Learning (IJGBL). In this issue, researchers investigate several aspects of successful models for the design and integration of GBL. They take a look at user-centered solutions, considering how learning styles (Mehigan and Pitt) and player types (Radem-acher) can be accounted for a more enjoyable experience. Articles featured in this issue also...

Workers in the Knowledge Society need to think creatively, solve problems, and make decisions as a team. Therefore, the development and enhancement of skills for teamwork through collaborative learning is one of the main goals of nowadays education. The term “collaborative learning" refers to an instructional approach in which students work together in groups toward a common goal. The present r...

The use of visuals (e.g., videos, animations) to promote learning has been of great interest to researchers and educators. A key challenge is to determine the extent to which cognitively-based, instructional supports (e.g., prompts, feedback) can promote deeper understanding when students learn with visual materials. In this research, we explored the effects of deep vs. shallow questions on ind...

BACKGROUND Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) causing neurogenic claudication is a leading cause of pain, disability and loss of independence in older adults. The prevalence of lumbar spinal stenosis is growing rapidly due to an aging population. The dominant limitation in LSS is walking ability. Postural, physical and psychosocial factors can impact symptoms and functional ability. LSS is the most c...

introduction: laryngeal dysfunction may be divided into three categories; organic, neurologic and functional disorders. dysphonia and hoarseness are the most common symptoms and, in some cases, the only signs of laryngeal dysfunction. in differential diagnosis of any type of chronic hoarseness, a neoplastic process must be considered and, thus continuous light video laryngoscopy can provide imp...

One of the greatest challenges in designing applications for developing communities is that potential users may have little or no education. We investigate how limited education correlates with cognitive skills for conceptual abstraction, as required for transfer of learning in video-based skills training. Through a controlled experiment we compared 56 participants from low-income communities i...

Background: Teaching online is a different experience from that of teaching in a face-to-face setting. Knowledge and skills developed for teaching face-to-face classes are not adequate preparation for teaching online. It is even more challenging to teach science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) courses completely online because these courses usually require more hands-on activities and ...