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Focus and Scope
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AIMS & SCOPE of the Journal
Every issue of this truly interdisciplinary, rigorously refereed Journal contains a wealth of information: articles of value and interest to you, the educator, researcher, scientist.
Designed to convey the latest in research reports and critical analyses to both theorists and practitioners, the Journal addresses four primary areas of concern:
The outcome effects of educational computing applications, featuring findings from a variety of disciplinary perspectives which include the social, behavioral, and physical sciences;
The design and development of innovative computer hardware and software for use in educational environments;
The interpretation and implications of research in educational computing fields;
The theoretical and historical foundations of computer-based education.
The term "education" is viewed in its broadest sense by the Journal's editors. The use of computer-based technologies at all levels of the formal education system, business and industry, home-schooling, lifelong learning and unintentional learning environments, are examined.
The wide variety of areas that the Journal explores is reflected in its distinguished Editorial Board, which includes prominent educational researchers, social and behavioral scientists, and computer and information experts.
This single Journal provides an international forum for interdisciplinary communication on an increasingly significant subject: research into the applications, effects, and implications of computer-based education.
Section Policies
Articles
Editors- Robert Seidman
 Open Submissions |
Indexed |
Peer Reviewed |
Peer Review Process
All manuscripts accepted by the Executive Editor for review are sent out to two anonymous peer reviewers.
An editorial decision on whether or not to accept a manuscript for review can take up to two weeks. Peer review can take up to six weeks. A decision based upon peer reviews can take up to 2 weeks.
Upon receipt of an accepted revised manuscript, publication can take up to 9 months. However, a pdf of the manuscript could be posted to the publisher's web site sooner for purchase.
Publication Frequency
This Journal is published 8 times each calendar year over two volumes with 4 issues per volume. Subscriptions: Baywood Publishing Company
Open Access Policy
Access to publilshed articles can be obtained from: Baywood Publishing Company
Additional Information
The Journal is published in 2 volumes (4 issues each) every calendar year by Baywood Publishing Company. Issues available in print and online. Separate articles can be accessed as pdf files from Baywood Publishing Company
Special Issues Call for Papers
Internet addictions: Implications for education
Along with the huge growth in internet usage over the past 15 years, a large body of literature has built up concerning observations that some people experience problems through over-engaging in internet-related activities. Although a number of terms have been used to describe this phenomenon (see e.g., Morahan-Martin, 2008), for the sake of brevity here we use the term “internet addiction.” Indeed, much of the work has centered upon what the most accurate name for the phenomenon is, how it should be defined, whether it should be classified as a psychiatric condition and if so how it should classified. Other work has considered whether it is reasonable to conceive of it as a unitary phenomenon, the prevalence of the phenomenon, its etiology, and its relationships with various demographic and psychological variables.
The combination of flexible study hours, the ready availability of the relevant technology within educational environments, and psychological and developmental factors associated with adolescence and young adulthood are all likely to make students particularly prone to internet-related addictions (Moore, 1995; Kandell, 1998). Additionally, because computers are increasingly used within scheduled teaching sessions, there is a risk of students engaging in the online activities to which they are addicted and failing to benefit from sessions (Castiglione, 2008). Educationally-oriented empirical studies of internet addiction have shown relationships between addiction and both lower educational performance (e.g. Kubey, Lavin & Barrows, 2001) and poorer adjustment when leaving home and entering the college environment (Lanthier & Windham, 2004). It is usually assumed that addiction affects educational performance because time spent using computers and/or the internet detracts from time spent studying. However, the possibility of causality in the opposite direction should not be discounted. Thus, for example, it has been suggested that students who are failing in their education might seek to immerse themselves in virtual environments as a way of coping with this realization (Castiglione, 2008).
The literature notwithstanding, in general there is a shortage of published educationally-oriented studies of internet addiction (Morgan & Cotten, 2003; Castiglione, 2008). The special issue of the Journal of Educational Computing Research, focusing upon educational aspects of internet addiction, aims to address this shortage.
Focus of the special issue
This special issue will include, but not be limited to, studies of: (a) the extent to which, and ways in which, addictions to different internet-related activities impact upon educational performance (or vice versa; longitudinal studies would be particularly welcome); (b) whether the presence of computers in educational environments is likely to cause addictions; (c) whether it is possible to educate people to use computers and/or the internet in a non-addictive manner; and (d) the effectiveness of counseling and other interventions for internet addictions conducted within educational environments.
Guidelines for submission
The length of each manuscript is limited to twenty five double-spaced pages (about 8,000 words) including abstract, figures and references. Manuscripts should be written in Microsoft Word or RTF format and follow the guidelines described in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). Manuscripts can be submitted via email, on disk or on CD. Submitted manuscripts will be subject to an editorial and peer-review process, as is standard for the Journal of Educational Computing Research. To be considered for publication, manuscripts should be received no later than September 12, 2010.
Questions concerning this special issue, manuscripts for submission, and requests for a copyright release form (which should be submitted with manuscripts) should be directed to:
Dr. John P. Charlton
School of Health & Social Sciences
University of Bolton
Deane Road
Bolton
BL3 5AB
England
Email: J.Charlton@bolton.ac.uk [please include “JECR manuscript” in subject line of emails]
Guest Editors: John P. Charlton Ph.D., University of Bolton, England
Janet Morahan-Martin Ph.D., Bryant University, USA
References
Castiglione, J. (2008). Internet abuse and possible addiction among undergraduates: A developing concern for library and university administrators. Library Review, 57(5), 358-371.
Kandell, J.J. (1998). Internet addiction on campus: The vulnerability of college students. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 1(1), 11-17.
Kubey, R.W., Lavin, M.J., & Barrows, J.R. (2001). Internet use and collegiate academic performance decrements: Early findings. Journal of Communication, 51, 366-382.
Lanthier, R.P., & Windham, R.C. (2004). Internet use and college adjustment: The moderating role of gender. Computers in Human Behavior, 20, 591-606.
Moore, D.W. (1995). The emperor’s virtual clothes: The naked truth about the internet culture. Chapel Hill, NC: Alonquin.
Morahan-Martin, J. (2008). Internet abuse: Emerging trends and lingering questions. In A. Barak (Ed.) Psychological aspects of cyberspace: Theory, research, applications (pp.32-69). New York: Cambridge University Press.
Morgan, C. & Cotten, S.R. (2003). The relationship between activities and depressive symptoms in a sample of college freshmen. Cyberpsychology and Behavior, 6(2), 133-142.
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21st Century Skills in Games and Immersive Environments
Researchers have hotly debated, proposed, and persuaded the educational community that there exists a necessary set of skills that students require to be successful citizens in the 21st century. These skills include both complex higher order abilities such as problem solving, comprehension, critical evaluation, and integration of information across sources as well advanced technological knowledge including navigation, programming and data mining. Concomitant with this call has been the discussion over the educative merits of gaming as a felicitous environment for cultivating 21st century learning skills. While informal and formal gaming environments like MUVES, MMOGS, and other immersive spaces (Dieterle & Clarke, 2009; Gee, 2003) have been widely espoused for their educative properties (Squire, 2006), there is a paucity of empirical studies that examine learning in game environments (Schrader, Lawless, & McCreery, 2009). It follows that there is a similar dearth of research on the potential for games to promote the 21st century skills that are necessary for productive citizenship. However, understanding the nature of these skills, how they develop, and how they are applied in contemporary informational spaces provides valuable insight into development of instructional settings that are aligned with what students will need to do in their future.
As a result, this special issue of the Journal of Educational Computing Research will focus on ‘games’ as learning environments to promote 21st century skills. For this issue, ‘games’ refers broadly to formal or informal environments in which learning occurs. Environments may include MMOGs, MUVEs, virtual worlds, and other highly interactive spaces. This call applies to empirical studies conducted with game environments that report data (quantitative, qualitative, or mixed) and examine students’ cognitive or affective outcomes in relation to content standards and 21st century skills. Manuscripts may address (but are not limited to) problem solving, collaboration, navigation, motivation, feedback, authorship, and multiple representations of meaning as they relate to the educative potential of games. Manuscripts articulating issues associated with the assessment are also welcome. Authors are encouraged to consider games as contexts in which cognitive interactions may occur, rather than delivery mechanisms for information (Jonassen, Campbell, & Davidson, 1994; Salomon, Perkins, & Globerson, 1991; Schrader, 2008).
The length of each manuscript is limited to twenty double-spaced pages (about 6,700 words) including figures and references. Manuscripts should be written in Microsoft Word or RTF format and follow the guidelines described in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). Manuscripts can be submitted on disk, CD, or via email. Submitted manuscripts will be subject to an editorial and peer-review process, as is standard for the Journal of Educational Computing Research. To be considered for publication, manuscripts should be received no later than July 22, 2010.
Questions concerning this special issue and manuscripts for submission can be directed to the Guest Editors:
P. G. Schrader, Ph.D.
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
4505 Maryland Pkwy.
Curriculum & Instruction, M.S. 3005
Las Vegas, NV 89154-3005
Email: pg.schrader@unlv.edu [please include JECR manuscript in subject line of emails]
Or
Kimberly A. Lawless, Ph.D
University of Illinois at Chicago
Department of Educational Psychology
1040 West Harrison Street, UMC 64
Chicago, IL 60607
Email: klawless@uic.edu [please include JECR manuscript in subject line of emails]
References
Dieterle, E., & Clarke, J. (2009). Multi-user virtual environments for teaching and learning. In M. Pagani (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Multimedia Technology and Networking (2nd ed), Vol II (pp. 1033-1041). Hershey, PA: Information Science Reference.
Gee, J. P. (2003). What video games have to teach us about learning and literacy. NY: Palgrave/St. Martin's.
Jonassen, D.H., Campbell, J.P., & Davidson, M.E. (1994). Learning with media: Restructuring the debate. Educational Technology Research and Development, 42(2), 31-39.
Salomon, G., Perkins, D.N., & Globerson, T. (1991). Partners in cognition: Extending human intelligence with intelligent technologies. Educational Researcher, 20, 2-9.
Schrader, P.G. (2008). Learning in technology: Reconceptualizing immersive environments. AACE Journal, 16(4) 457-475.
Schrader, P. G., Lawless, K. A., & McCreery, M. (2009). Intertextuality in massively multiplayer online games. In R. E. Ferdig (ed.), Handbook of Research on Effective Electronic Gaming in Education, Vol III (pp. 791-807). Hershey, PA: Information Science Reference.
Squire, K. D. (2006). From content to context: Videogames as designed experience. Educational Researcher, 35 (8), 19-29.
Youth, Social Media, and Learning
IMPORTANT DATES
Abstracts due: September 15, 2009
Submit manuscript: December 1, 2009
Decision Notification: January 15, 2010
Revised Final Paper Due: March 15, 2010
ISSUE FOCUS
This special issue of the Journal of Educational Computing Research will focus on young people’s learning with social media, where learning is defined as formal, informal or non-formal learning within or across a range of disciplines. Although there is much speculation about the technology-using practices and preferences of today’s so-called ‘digital natives,’ ‘cyberkids,’ or ‘net generation,’ many popular accounts fail to portray the diversity of young people’s experiences or substantiate their claims with research-based evidence. Therefore, this special issue will give priority to papers which make the experiences of young people (e.g., children ages 10 and up, including teenagers and young people under 25) a central focus. The issue will provide a forum for researchers to: (a) present empirical studies on young people’s learning (or lack thereof) within social networking sites, (b) present design studies on environments that incorporate social networking technologies, (c) critically review theoretical frameworks for examining these issues, and (c) discuss the methodologies or methodological issues for examining learning within social media/social network sites.
In the last 10 years, Internet access, the nature of the Web and contexts for learning have transformed, along with the emergence of desired competencies for learners, teachers, and administrators. Such shifts have impacted constructs for learning, instruction, and paths for future research (Greenhow, Robelia, & Hughes, 2009a, 2009b). Internet-connectivity in schools, homes, neighborhoods, and communities has become increasingly pervasive, enabling expanded sites for formal, informal, and non-formal learning. Moreover, technological advancements have contributed to the emergence of social media, a term often used interchangeably with Web 2.0 to define online applications which promote users, their interconnections, and user-generated content. Some speculate that social media are shifting how people discover, read and share news, information and content. Among young people, ninety percent of school-aged youth now use the Internet regularly, with the majority of adolescents aged 12 to 17 using social media (DeBell & Chapman, 2006; Lenhart, Arafeh, Smith, & Macgill, 2008; Lenhart, Madden, & Hitlin, 2005).
Examples of social media include social network sites like MySpace, Facebook, and Ning; media sharing like YouTube and Flickr; social bookmarking such as Delicious and CiteULike; collaborative knowledge development through wikis; creative works like blogs and microblogging (e.g., Twitter, Blogger); content aggregation and organization, such as RSS feeds and tagging tools; and re-mixing or mash-ups of content from different content providers into new forms. Conceptually, social media seem to embody social constructivist views of ‘knowledge’ as decentralized, accessible, and co-constructed by and among a broad base of users.
It may be that social media, when used by young people in certain contexts, enable new forms of inquiry, communication, collaboration, knowledge development, peer support and review, and/or have cognitive, social, and emotional benefits. Currently, there is little published empirical work, and educators are unclear about whether such applications can support or inhibit learning and, if so, how and under what conditions.
To address these issues and advance the accumulation of research from which educators, researchers and students can draw, this special issue will focus on young people’s learning with social media.
By no means exhaustive, papers might address the following types of questions:
• What is the nature and depth of individual and distributed learning through these social media spaces?
• What learning paradigms and theories should we borrow, or build upon, to understand learning with social media?
• How do learners engage with others through the artifact creation and sharing processes, and what is the nature of their interconnections? Do communities of practice form, and if so, how?
• How and why do learners participate and create digital content within various learning spaces (e.g., formal learning settings and informal learning settings)?
• What are the barriers or enablers to learning using social media (e.g., skills, knowledge, and attitudes needed; tools and services used)?
• How do different groups of learners experience learning with social media?
Papers reporting findings from diverse and under-represented social backgrounds are especially welcome.
GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSION
Potential authors should submit a preliminary proposal of 500 to 750 words by September 15, 2009 to the guest editor Christine Greenhow (greenhow@umn.edu). Please put "JECR Manuscript" in the subject line.
Proposals should include the central research question, the theoretical and/or empirical basis for the paper and preliminary findings, interpretations or insights.
Authors whose proposals are accepted will be invited to submit for review a full paper of roughly 7, 000 words by December 1, 2009.
The length of each manuscript is limited to 20 pages (about 7,000 words) including figures and references. Manuscripts should be written in Microsoft Word following the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.). Final submissions should be emailed to the guest editor, Christine Greenhow at greenhow@umn.edu. Again, please put "JECR Manuscript" in the subject line.
JECR is an interdisciplinary journal. Authors should plan for papers that will be accessible to non-specialists and try to make their paper relevant to this audience. More information about JECR can be found at: http://www.baywood.com/journals/PreviewJournals.asp?Id=0735-6331
Anticipated publication date for the issue is mid-2010 time frame.
Questions concerning this special issue and manuscripts for submission can be directed to:
Dr. Christine M. Greenhow
University of Minnesota
Institute for New Media/ C & I Dept
159 Pillsbury Drive SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Email: greenhow@umn.edu [please include "JECR manuscript" in subject line of email]
References
DeBell, M., & Chapman, C. (2006). Computer and Internet use by students in 2003 (NCES 2006–065). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics.
Greenhow, C., Robelia, E., & Hughes, J. (2009a). Research on learning and teaching with Web 2.0: Bridging conversations. Educational Researcher, 38(4), 280-283. Retrieved May 31, 2009, from http://www.aera.net/uploadedFiles/Publications/Journals/Educational_Researcher/3804/280-283_05EDR09.pdf
Greenhow, C., Robelia, E., & Hughes, J. (2009b). Web 2.0 and educational research: What path do we take now? Educational Researcher, 38(4), 246-259. Retrieved May 31, 2009, from http://www.aera.net/uploadedFiles/Publications/Journals/Educational_Researcher/3804/246-259_05EDR09.pdf
Lenhart, A., Arafeh, S., Smith, A., & Macgill, A. R. (2008). Writing, technology, and teens. Washington, DC: Pew Charitable Trusts. Retrieved September 29, 2008, from http://pewinternet.org/pdfs/
PIP_Writing_Report_FINAL3.pdf
Lenhart, A., Madden, M., & Hitlin, P. (2005). Teens and technology. Washington, DC: Pew Charitable Trusts. Retrieved September 29, 2008, from http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Teens_Tech
_July2005web.pdf
Guest Editor: Christine Greenhow, University of Minnesota
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BAYWOOD PUBLISHING COMPANY: Journal of Educational Computing Research