In 1991, Denis Hlynka and John Belland released Paradigms Regained, a well received reader for graduate students in the field of educational technology. The Role of Criticism in Understanding Problem Solving updates some of those ideas initially proposed in Paradigms Regained, and extends the conversation into the contemporary discourse regarding problem based learning (PBL). Paradigms proposed the idea of criticism as a third method for the conduction of educational research, the first two being qualitative and qualitative. The concept of criticism as a tool for research is not well established in educational technology, although it is well established in other educational research traditions such as Curriculum Studies. Unfortunately, it is not always clear how criticism can be applied. This book views criticism as a way to step back and look at an educational intervention within educational technology through a particular critical lens. Criticism is viewed as a valuable approach to guiding meta analyses and theoretical studies, serving to prevent the proverbial "spinning of the wheels" that often happens in educational research. By indicating new potential research questions and directions, criticism approaches can invigorate educational research. This book revisits the ideals of criticism in order to establish their usefulness for studying educational technology interventions to support problem based learning. First, a few foundational chapters set the stage for the conversations on criticism. Then, the role criticism can play in enhancing analysis and interpretation of the PBL literature is explored. Finally, case studies addressing the central concepts of the text are presented and dissected. This book represents a complete overhaul and rethinking of the use of criticism as a method for understanding and furthering the research area of PBL within the field of Educational technology.

A comprehensive introduction to the latest research and theory on learning and instruction with computer games. This book offers a comprehensive introduction to the latest research on learning and instruction with computer games. Unlike other books on the topic, which emphasize game development or best practices, Handbook of Game-Based Learning is based on empirical findings and grounded in psychological and learning sciences theory. The contributors, all leading researchers in the field, offer a range of perspectives, including cognitive, motivational, affective, and sociocultural. They explore research on whether (and how) computer games can help students learn educational content and academic skills; which game features (including feedback, incentives, adaptivity, narrative theme, and game mechanics) can improve the instructional effectiveness of these games; and applications, including games for learning in STEM disciplines, for training cognitive skills, for workforce learning, and for assessment. The Handbook offers an indispensable reference both for readers with practical interests in designing or selecting effective game-based learning environments and for scholars who conduct or evaluate research in the field. It can also be used in courses related to play, cognition, motivation, affect, instruction, and technology. Contributors Roger Azevedo, Ryan S. Baker, Daphne Bavelier, Amanda E. Bradbury, Ruth C. Clark, Michele D. Dickey, Hamadi Henderson, Bruce D. Homer, Fengfeng Ke, Younsu Kim, Charles E. Kinzer, Eric Klopfer, James C. Lester, Kristina Loderer, Richard E. Mayer, Bradford W. Mott, Nicholas V. Mudrick, Brian Nelson, Frank Nguyen, V. Elizabeth Owen, Shashank Pawar, Reinhard Pekrun, Jan L. Plass, Charles Raffale, Jonathon Reinhardt, C. Scott Rigby, Jonathan P. Rowe, Richard M. Ryan, Ruth N. Schwartz, Quinnipiac Valerie J. Shute, Randall D. Spain, Constance Steinkuehler, Frankie Tam, Michelle Taub, Meredith Thompson, Steven L. Thorne, A. M. Tsaasan

The Instructional Design Trainer’s Guide provides foundational concepts and actionable strategies for training and mentoring instructional design and educational technology students to be effective across contexts. ID faculty are charged with bridging the gap between research and practice preparing graduate students for the real-world workforce. This book provides trainers and university programs with authentic learning experiences that better articulate the practices of and demands on design and technology professionals in the field. Through this enhanced perspective, learners will be better positioned to confidently embrace constraints, work among changing project expectations, interact with multiple stakeholders, and convey to employers the skills and competencies gleaned from their formal preparation.

Like previous editions, this volume shows how to increase analytical thinking and problem-solving skills, leading to improved performance on tests, academic courses, and in jobs requiring analytic and problem-solving skills.

Presents a unique study of Integrative Problem-Solving (IPS). The consideration of 'Decadence' is essential in the scientific study of environmental and other problems and their rigorous solution, because the broad context within which the problems emerge can affect their solution. Stochastic reasoning underlines the conceptual and methodological framework of IPS, and its formulation has a mathematical life of its own that accounts for the multidisciplinarity of real world problems, the multisourced uncertainties characterizing their solution, and the different thinking modes of the people involved. Only by interpolating between the full range of disciplines (including stochastic mathematics, physical science, neuropsychology, philosophy, and sociology) and the associated thinking modes can scientists arrive at a satisfactory account of problem-solving, and be able to distinguish between a technically complete problem-solution, and a solution that has social impact.

Explaining Creativity is a comprehensive and authoritative overview of scientific studies on creativity and innovation. Sawyer discusses not only arts like painting and writing, but also science, stage performance, business innovation, and creativity in everyday life. Sawyer's approach is interdisciplinary. In addition to examining psychological studies on creativity, he draws on anthropologists' research on creativity in non-Western cultures, sociologists' research on the situations, contexts, and networks of creative activity, and cognitive neuroscientists' studies of the brain.

A major theme of this book is the use of computers for supporting collaborative learning. This is not surprising since computer-supported collaborative learning has become both a widespread educational practice and a main domain of research. Moreover, collaborative learning has deep roots in Asian educational traditions. Given the large number of researchers within this field, its scope has become very broad. Under this umbrella, one finds a variety of more specific topics such as: interaction analysis, collaboration scripts (e.g. the Jigsaw script), communities of practice, sociocognitive conflict resolution, cognitive apprenticeship, various tools for argumentation, online discussion or collaborative drawing tools (whiteboards), collaborative writing and the role of facilitators. Most research work on collaborative learning focuses on interactions rather than on the contents of environments, which had been the focus in the previous decades of learning technology research. However, there is no reason to focus on one aspect to the detriment of the other. The editors are pleased that the selected papers also cover multiple issues related to the storage, representation and retrieval of knowledge: ontologies for learning environments and the semantic web, knowledge bases and data mining, meta-data and content management systems, and so forth. This publication also reveals a growing interest for non-verbal educational material, namely pictures and video materials, which are already central to new popular web-based applications. This book includes contributions that bridge both research tracks, the one focusing on interactions and the other on contents: the pedagogical use of digital portfolios, both for promoting individual reflections and for scaffolding group interactions.

The first anthology devoted to the theory and practice of all forms of public philosophy A Companion to Public Philosophy brings together in a single volume the diverse practices, modalities, and perspectives of this rapidly growing field. Forty-two chapters written by established practitioners and newer voices alike consider questions ranging from the definition of public philosophy to the value of public philosophy to both society and philosophy itself. Throughout the book, philosophers offer insights into the different publics they have engaged, the topics they have explored, the methods they have used and the lessons they have learned from these engagements. The Companion explores important philosophical issues concerning the practice of philosophy in the public sphere, how public philosophy relates to advocacy, philosophical collaborations with political activists, locations where public philosophy can be done, and more. Many essays highlight underserved topics such as effective altruism, fat activism, trans activism, indigenous traditions, and Africana philosophy, while other essays set the stage for rigorous debates about the boundaries of public philosophy and its value as a legitimate way to do philosophy. Discusses the range of approaches that professional philosophers can use to engage with non-academic audiences Explores the history and impact of public philosophy from the time of Socrates to the modern era Highlights the work of public philosophers concerning issues of equity, social justice, environmentalism, and medical ethics Covers the modalities used by contemporary public philosophers, including film and television, podcasting, internet memes, and community-engaged teaching Includes essays by those who bring philosophy to corporations, government policy, consulting, American prisons, and activist groups across the political spectrum A Companion to Public Philosophy is essential reading for philosophers from all walks of life who are invested in and curious about the ways that philosophy can impact the public and how the public can impact philosophy. It is also an excellent text for undergraduate and graduate courses on the theory and practice of public philosophy as well as broader courses on philosophy, normative ethics, and comparative and world philosophy.

The articles in this special issue represent the findings of researchers working in classroom settings to explore key issues in learning through problem solving. Although they vary in the domains being studied, the age of students, and the methods they employ, there are numerous common themes that can inform both theory and practice. The authors have grappled with the complex task of putting problem-based curricula into practice. They report here the difficulties they faced, the factors contributing to their successes, and the lessons they have learned.

Biblical criticism faces increasing hostility on two fronts: from biblical conservatives, who claim it is inherently positivistic and religiously skeptical, and from postmodernists, who see it as driven by the falsities of objectivity and neutrality. In this magisterial overview of the key factors and developments in biblical studies, John Barton demonstrates that these evaluations of biblical criticism fail to do justice to the work that has been done by critical scholars over many generations. Traditional biblical criticism has had as its central concern a semantic interest: a desire to establish the "plain sense" of the biblical text, which in itself requires sensitivity to many literary aspects of texts. Therefore, he argues, biblical criticism already includes many of the methodological approaches now being recommended as alternatives to it and, further, the agenda of biblical studies is far less fragmented than often thought.