In this study, the authors examined the "Journal of Technology and Teacher Education" to determine research trends from the past decade (2001-2010). Topical (via EBSCO subject term analysis), article types, and authorship trends were all analyzed. A few of "JTATE"'s seminal articles were also identified using "Publish or Perish." Findings were…

One of the key trends currently affecting the practices of teaching, learning, and creative inquiry, as mentioned in "The 2011 Horizon Report," is that learners prefer flexibility and mobility. Mobile learning is gaining popularity as an emerging trend facilitating the process of teaching and learning in the 21st Century. Research indicates…

Many studies have been conducted on the topics of tools, computers, and technology designed to promote student learning. However, researchers have rarely raised the critical issue of the lack of consensus on conceptualizing "cognitive tools" or the possible challenges associated with previous definitions. By examining the limitations on research…

A survey was administered to look at required textbooks used in Instructional Design and Technology graduate programs during the 2009-2010 academic year. There were 91 U.S. programs and 20 international programs that had at least one faculty response. Based on the findings, there were various changes and trends in the types of textbooks that are…

The diffusion of innovation is critical to societal progression. In the field of education, such diffusion takes on added significance because of the many stakeholders and accountabilities involved. This article presents the argument that efforts at diffusion which are designed from a top-down perspective are not sustainable over the long term…

In this study, the authors examined the "Journal of Research on Technology in Education (JRTE)" to discover trends from 2001-2010 in the topics covered in the articles, article types (including research methods used), authorship, and citation frequency. Articles from the journal dealt mostly with PK-12 settings and focused on technology…

This article is the second in a series (see Willis, 2011) that looks at the current status of instructional design scholarship and theory. In this concluding article, the focus is on two cultures of ID work, one based on constructivist and interpretivist theory and the other based on critical theory and critical pedagogy. There are distinct…

The authors stand by this prediction: Within five years "every" child in "every" grade in "every" K-12 classroom in America will be using a mobile learning device (MLD), 24/7. And a corollary already being seen in MLD-using classrooms: Student achievement will increase "significantly", since time-on-task increases "significantly" when students use…

This article presents the concept of facilitative theorizing as an alternative to prescriptive and descriptive theory in educational technology. The authors contend that these traditional forms of theory do not offer sufficient assistance to practitioners as they go about everyday design work. Facilitative theorizing, as an alternative, is…

China is a huge country with a large population. Providing equitable and quality "e-education" or use of ICT (information and communications technologies) for teaching and learning in elementary and secondary schools across the country is a national priority. This article briefly sketches the context in China and the challenges relating to quality…

Critical thinking, viewed as rational and analytic thinking, is crucial for participation in a knowledge economy and society. This article provides a brief presentation of the importance of teaching critical thinking in a knowledge economy; suggests a conceptual model for teaching thinking; examines research on the historical role of teachers in…

Best practices involving 21st Century Skills have been analyzed and debated in "Educational Technology" and in other publications; yet, the fidelity of implementation in the overwhelming majority of school systems nationwide has been fragmented at best. This article proposes strategies for assessing 21st Century Skills or H.E.A.T. (Higher-order…

There are at least three powerful insights for educational technology researchers and designers from recent neuroscience studies of the brain and from cognitive science research findings: First, our brains learn and process two very different types of knowledge; non-conscious, automated, procedural, or implicit knowledge, and conscious,…

The author presents his views on the teaching of information design. The starting point includes some general aspects of teaching and learning. The multidisciplinary structure and content of information design as well as the combined practical and theoretical components influence studies of the discipline. Experiences from working with a model for…

Technology has been shown to positively influence student learning when students explore technology-rich tasks that simultaneously require them to use higher-order thinking skills (HOTS), such as analyzing or evaluating information or creating new representations of knowledge. Educational technology researchers have posited that in order for…