Critical Thinking and Computer Conferencing: A Model and Tool to Assess Cognitive Presence

The adoption of computer-mediated communication (CMC) in higher education has far out-paced our understanding of how this medium should be used so as to best promote higher-order learning. This medium is substantively different, in several important ways, from face-to-face classroom teaching. A number of other scholars are now trying to remedy this deficiency in our understanding by studying various aspects of the use of CMC in this educational environment. --
DR Garrison, T Anderson, W Archer, T Context - American Journal of Distance Education, 2001

On the Concepts of Knowledge and Learning...

A research paper about the diversity of concepts of learning and knowledge and the variety of ideas about definitions. It studies the meaning of Socratic methods in the knowledge society and analyses some examples of knowledge creation from Plato and Dewey as it focuses on the seven arts of reasoning and rhetoric of inquiry from the point of view of learning and knowledge.

Michigan Considers Requiring High-School Students to Take at Least One Online Course

The Michigan State Board of Education is set to approve a new graduation requirement today that would make every high-school student in the state take at least one online course before receiving a diploma.

International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences Announced the Winners for 2005

On May 1st, the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences announced the winners of the eighth annual Webby Awards. http://www.webbyawards.com/ . I encourage you to look at these sites and see how instructional design methods, format and layout were used in development.

Many of these winners used interaction methods to convey a message, information and promote education for their audiences. The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences is dedicated to the creative, technical, and professional progress of the Internet and evolving forms of interactive media for effective transference of information and learning. The Webby Awards is the leading international honors for web sites. Nominees are judged on their content, structure and navigation, visual design, functionality, interactivity, and overall experience.

This Years Educational Winners are:

Education Webby Award Winner: Knowing Poe http://knowingpoe.thinkingport.org/

PeopleÂ’s Voice Winner: Monterey Bay Aquarium http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/

Other Educational Nominees are:

· BBC Worldwide Interactive Learning http://www.open2.net/

· 24 Hour Museum http://www.show.me.uk/

· Traditions of the Sun: Chaco Culture National Historical Park http://www.traditionsofthesun.org/

And Last Year's Winner for Education include:

· Webby Award Winner BBC-Human Body http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody

· People's Voice Winner NationalGeographic.com Education www.nationalgeographic.com/education

Other Education Nominees were:

· BBC - Human Body http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody

· Halifax Explosion http://www.cbc.ca/halifaxexplosion

· NationalGeographic.com Education http://www.nationalgeographic.com/education

· Newseum - The Interactive Museum of News http://www.newseum.org

· Shakespeare: Subject to Change http://www.ciconline.org/bdp1/

Other - Honorable Mention Winners were:

Two of the world's leading public broadcasting networks won multiple awards.

· PBS.org won for Best Television and its P.O.V. Borders won for Best Broadband. http://www.pbs.org/pov/borders/index_flash.html

· BBC-affiliated web sites received three awards: BBC Human Body (Best Education)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody

· BBC News (Best News) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news

· BBC Sport (Best Sports) http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport

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A taxonomy for instructional design: Levels of teaching

The presenters will focus on a pragmatic and effective taxonomy to inform the selection of educational methods and guide instructional design and the use of technology. Levels of the taxonomy are defined by how questions are used.

Animated Pedagogical Agent to Assist Learners

This paper examines the use of a pedagogical agent to help learners develop their electronic portfolio. Contribution to the current literature is twofold. First, the rising use of electronic portfolios demands tools to support and motivate learners. Second, the use of pedagogical agents may prove beneficial in the development of electronic portfolios, but has not yet been exploited.