Advances in both cognitive psychology and computing have affected the educational arena. The emergence of these two disciplines is increasing at a fast pace and affecting academia and professional practice in many ways. Technological advancements such as simulations, virtual reality, multi-agents systems and learning management systems have created both opportunities and areas of serious concerns. This volume addresses the challenges of research methods in e-learning systems. Traditionally quantitative methods have been the base for research in several disciplines and fields. Qualitative methods have emerged as a credible alternative and have been sustained over the years. More recently there has been a convergence between the two research approaches: mixed-methods approaches have been considered as a viable way to perform research and provide cross validation of results. However, as innovative e-learning systems are rapidly changing, research methodologies struggle to keep up with these technological developments. Therefore, it is argued that adequate research methodologies are required to address these new challenges. The book addresses quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods research approaches describing its main aspects and techniques for e-learning systems. It devotes a section to presenting significant case studies that illustrate how to design, assess, and analyze e-learning systems.

Table of Contents:
Preface (Pedro Isaias, Dirk Ifenthaler, Kinshuk, Demetrios G. Sampson, & J. Michael Spector).- Is Web 3.0 changing Learning and Instruction? Introduction (Dirk Ifenthaler).- Part I - Student-centered Learning.- Chapter 1 -- Facilitating learning through dynamic student modelling of learning styles -- an architecture and its application for providing adaptivity (Sabine Graf, Kinshuk, Qingsheng Zhang, Paul Maguire, & Victoria Shtern).- Chapter 2 - SQAR: an annotation-based study process to enhance the learner's personal learning (Belkacem Mostefai, Faical Azouaou, & Amar Balla).- Chapter 3 - Online formative assessment in a medical PBL-curriculum - building a didactic metadata layer (Stefan P. Minder, Felix M. Schmitz, & Sissel Guttormsen Schar).- Chapter 4 -- The effect of project based Web 2.0 -- Learning on students' outcomes (Bahaaeldin Mohamed & Thomas Koehler).- Part II - Collaborative Learning.- Chapter 5 -- Collaborative language learning as a device independent application (Razia Sultana, Markus Feisst, & Andreas Christ).- Chapter 6 - Collaborative Learning tools in higher education and life-long Learning (Cosmin Porumb, Sanda Porumb, Bogdan Orza, & Aurel Vlaicu).- Part III - Technology, Learning And Expertise.- Chapter 7 -- Technologies and the assessment of higher order oucomes: a snapshot of academic practice in curriculum alignment (Margot Mcneill, Maree Gosper, & John Hedberg).- Chapter 8 -- Visual algorithm simulation exercises with authentic data sets (Ville Karavirta & Ari Korhonen).- Chapter 9 - E-mentoring in vocational teacher education (David Lord & Nele Coninx).- Chapter 10 - The IPTEACES elearning framework -- success indicators, the impact on student social demographic characteristics and the assessment of of effectiveness (Nuno Pena & Pedro Isaias).- Part IV - Toward Web 3.0 in Education.- Chapter 11 -- Key-roles in VLEs: a metric based on social network analysis (Paola Pasqualino, Maria Assunta Barchiesi, Elisa Battistoni, & Gianluca Murgia).- Chapter 12 -- First on the list: search engine optimization contests as authentic learning (Mark Frydenberg & John S. Miko).- Chapter 13 - Teachers' training in exploiting 3D virtual worlds for teaching and learning (Demetrios G Sampson & Pavlos Kallonis).- Chapter 14 -- Individual differences in different level mental rotation tasks: an eye movement study (Sacide Guzin Mazman & Arif Altun) .- Part V - Exploratory Technologies.- Chapter 15 -- Supporting motivation based educational games through Web 3.0 (Ioana Ghergulescu & Cristina Hava Muntean).- Chapter 16 -- Learning from incorrect answers on multiple choice testes: implications for a New Teaching Paradigm (Jay C. Powell, James Bernauer, & Vishnuteerth Agnihotri).- Chapter 17 -- Learning potentials in number blocks (Gunver Majgaard, Morten Misfeldt, & Jacob Nielsen).- Chapter 18 -- Toward Child-friendly fabrication devices: the StringPrinter and other possibilities (Michael Eisenberg Kyle Ludwig, & Nwanua Elumeze).