Abstract
Tele-media-art is a web-based asynchronous e-learning platform, enabling blind students to have dance and theatre classes remotely, using low-cost motion tracking technology feasible for home use. Teachers and students submit dance recordings augmented with sound synthesis of their motions. Sound synthesis is generated by processing Kinect motion capture data, enabling blind students to compare the audio feedback of their motions with the audio generated by the teacher's motions. To study the feasibility of this approach, the authors present data on early testing of the prototype, performed with blindfolded users.

Abstract
This chapter presents how multimodal narratives were employed as a self-reflection tool within an online professional development program for in-service teacher training at Universidade Aberta, Portugal during two editions of a pedagogic practice course. The chapter includes the aspects that raised issues and those that trainees performed correctly. This is done in three stages: beforehand, upon initial contact with multimodal narratives, and after providing feedback to trainees. The most relevant issues were in aspects directly required to enrich the narrative. Aspects related to multimodal narrative structure and features were completed successfully. It is recommended that future attempts to employ multimodal narratives in this context adapt learning resources and pedagogic support practices by employing formative feedback and continual support during the trainees' process of exploring and exploiting multimodal narratives. © 2019, IGI Global.

Abstract
Higher education students exhibit difficulties in learning computer programming, particularly transitioning from initial programming to advanced programming, so it’s necessary to develop effective teaching strategies. We developed the SimProgramming approach to help students overcome learning difficulties transitioning from entry-level to advanced computer programming, by developing appropriate learning strategies. The students perform a specific set of tasks in a learning environment that simulates business operations, developing a problem-based learning assignment. One of those tasks is filling biweekly individual self-reflection and co-reflection forms. This approach was implemented at the University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (Portugal), in a 4th semester course of two bachelor programmes: Informatics Engineering and ICT. The students provided 37 biweekly forms, on which we conducted thematic analysis to identify their strategies for co-regulation of learning during the assignment. Students are adopting different strategies in each phase of the approach. Early phases are devoted to organization, planning, and transformation of information, and later phases focus on applying theoretical knowledge and hands-on programming. We recommend including this type of pedagogical task (biwekly self-reflection and co-reflection forms) in educational practices, in view of their contribution to improving self- and co-regulation learning strategies. © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019.

Abstract

Abstract
This paper presents the perspectives of the immersive learning research network community on the relevance of various challenges to the adoption of immersive learning technology, along three dimensions: access, content production, and deployment. Using a previously validated questionnaire, we surveyed this community of 622 researchers and practitioners during the summer of 2018, attaining 54 responses. By ranking the challenges individually and within each dimension, the results point towards higher relevance being placed on aspects that link immersive environments with learning management systems and pedagogical tasks, alongside aspects that empower non-technical users (educational actors) to produce interactive stories, objects, and characters.

Abstract
Computer-supported online 3-D virtual world environments have been waxed and waned in interest and representativeness for supporting collaborative- and simulation-based practices. In a post-modern societal framework that requires inexpensive solutions for high-risk situations, research efforts in virtual worlds have developed a basis for understanding the use of virtual reality for multidisciplinary scenarios such as distance learning, training, therapy treatments, and social interaction. Complex relationships can be established simultaneously between several students functioning as integrated learning units using different media, and interacting with their physical environment in the context of real-world settings. In this sense, a recurrently updated research agenda for virtual worlds can characterize the current needs at a systematic way. This paper presents a meta-analysis of 35 publications to identify gaps and opportunities for research in collaborative three-dimensional environments based on content analysis. At a general perspective, there is a lack of established approaches to measure the influence and research potential of sociocultural factors in virtual worlds’ usage, autism spectrum and other healthcare-related settings, learning outcomes, content characteristics, task support for groups and crowds, and online data collection.