I am just noting here a reference I found to a recent book similar to the paper by De Cort which Graham cites in his recent entry...

I stumbled on this one the other day in a book I helped edit (can't find the book on line - must put it there but related papers can be found here) . Interestingly it was developed for work based learning - and pre-dates the advent of e-learning. Nevertheless I think it stands up pretty well in the e-learning age.

Aha! I have also just added a connotea shared bookmark for De Corte et al 2003. I had been frustrated trying to use the connotea bookmarklet from the Elsevier entry, but there must be a connotea plugin for Amazon - I got a nice citation from there. I'll try to remember that Amazon is the place to go to 'connotea-ise' any book. I may alter my ecto plugins to reflect this... what a rich and wonderful world this web is becoming :o).

Amazon link for Powerful Learning Environments

POWERFUL LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

Unravelling Basic Components and Dimensions

Elsevier link for Powerful Learning Environments

Buy online with a credit card in the Elsevier Science & Technology Bookstore: http://books.elsevier.com/elsevier/?isbn=0080442757

Edited by E. De Corte, Department of Educational Sciences, University of Leuven, Belgium, Email: erik.decorte@ped.kuleuven.ac.be L. Verschaffel, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Belgium, Email: lieven.verschaffel@ped.kuleuven.ac.be N. Entwistle, Moray House, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, UK, Email: noel_entwistle@education.ed.ac.uk J. van Merriënboer, Open University, Heerlen, The Netherlands, Email: jeroen.vanmerrienboer@ou.nl

Included in series Advances in Learning and Instruction,

Description Over the past ten to fifteen years the international scene of research on learning and instruction has witnessed the emergence of important and promising developments. New theoretical frameworks, design principles, and research methodologies focusing on the construction, implementation, and evaluation of powerful learning environments have been put forward, coming from three intersecting subdomains within the broader field of research on learning and instruction - namely instructional psychology, instructional technology, and instructional design. Although it is obvious that the developments in those three subdomains are characterized by similarities and convergencies, there are still important differences. Therefore, there is a great need for scientific debate and attempts to integrate, or justify, the contrasting theoretical frameworks, methodological approaches, and empirical outcomes.

A European research network, coordinated by the Center for Instructional Psychology and Technology of the University of Leuven, has been set up to work towards this end. The present volume is the first collective output of this European research network, and focuses on unravelling and identifying basic component and dimensions of powerful learning environments. It is based on the presentations and discussions that constituted the "piece de resistance" of a first meeting of the research network.

Contents General Perspectives on Components and Dimensions of Powerful Learning Environments. Identifying and Measuring Components and Dimensions of Powerful Learning Environments: Experiences and Reflections. Design and Application of Technological Tools to Support Learning in Powerful Learning Environments. The Role of Peer Tutoring and Collaboration for Promoting Conceptual Change and Intentional Learning in Different Content Domains.

Bibliographic & ordering Information Hardbound, ISBN: 0-08-044275-7, 266 pages, publication date: 2003 Imprint: PERGAMON Price: Order form USD 85 EUR 85 GBP 56.50