The preferences toward constructivist Internet-based learning environments among university students in Taiwan

Numerous educators have proposed the development of constructivist Internet-based learning environments for students. When creating the constructivist Internet-based learning environments, it is important for researchers to be aware of students’ preferences toward these environments. Through gathering data from 659 university students in Taiwan, this study developed a questionnaire to assess students’ preferences toward constructivist Internet-based learning environments. The questionnaire, with adequate validity and reliability, included 34 items on the following seven scales: relevance, multiple sources (and interpretations), challenge, student negotiation, cognitive apprenticeship, reflective thinking and epistemological awareness. The questionnaire responses revealed that male students tended to prefer the Internet-based learning environments where they could solve challenging problems, acquire cognitive apprenticeship and guidance from experts, and promote epistemological development than did female students. The findings also suggested that, if educators intend to develop Internet-based learning environments for more academically advanced students, such as graduate students, care should be taken to create more opportunities for them to negotiate ideas, obtain proper guidance, reflect their own thoughts, and explore epistemological issues. Finally, students with more Internet experiences tended to demand more on many features of the constructivist Internet-based learning environments than those with less Internet experiences.     

Preferences toward the constructivist Internet-based learning environments among high school students in Taiwan

This paper explored students' preferences toward the constructivist Internet-based learning environments. A Constructivist Internet-based Learning Environment Survey (CILES) was developed. The CILES consisted of six scales, including student negotiation, inquiry learning, reflective thinking, relevance, ease of use and challenge. Questionnaire responses gathered from more than 700 high school students in Taiwan suggested that the survey showed adequate reliability in assessing students' preferences. Students showed stronger preferences for the learning environments, which were easy to use or navigate and integrate complex real-life problems with relevant knowledge in a meaningful way. In addition, males and females shared similar preferences toward the Internet-based learning environments. Students having moderate Internet experiences seemed to be more critical to the preferences of the Internet-based learning environments, in which they may have demanded authentic and facilitated Internet-based learning environments, while their inquiry and reflective thinking should be promoted.     

Students’ perceptions of collaboration, self-regulated learning, and information seeking in the context of Internet-based learning and traditional learning

This study aims to investigate students’ perceptions of three aspects of learning - collaboration, self-regulated learning (SRL), and information seeking (IS) in both Internet-based and traditional face-to-face learning contexts. A multi-dimensional questionnaire was designed to evaluate each aspect in terms of perceived capability, experience, and interest. The analyses explore (1) potential differences of students’ perceptions between Internet-based and face-to-face learning environments and (2) potential differences in the three aspects in relation to learners’ attributes and the use of the Internet and enrollment in online courses. This study surveyed students in a higher education institute who had had experiences with Internet-based and face-to-face learning. The results showed that students perceived higher levels of collaboration (capability only), SRL (capability and experience) and IS (capability, interest, and experience) in Internet-based learning than in traditional learning environments. In terms of students’ education level, graduate students perceived higher levels of capabilities and interests in some of the aspects, than undergraduate students. In addition, for Internet-based learning, significant differences in collaboration and SRL were found derived from time spent on the Internet related to learning; and students’ perceptions of collaboration, SRL, and IS were all positively correlated to students’ online course-taking experience. Implications for online learning practices and instructor’s facilitation are discussed.     

Information commitments: evaluative standards and information searching strategies in web-based learning environments

Abstract 'Information commitments' include both a set of evaluative standards that Web users utilize to assess the accuracy and usefulness of information in Web-based learning environments (implicit component), and the information searching strategies that Web users use on the Internet (explicit component). An 'Information Commitment Survey' (ICS), consisting of aforementioned components, was developed. The participants of this study were 610 university students, coming from four universities in Taiwan, and their information commitments were surveyed. Through a series of structural equation modelling (SEM) analyses with Linear Structure RELationships (LISREL), this study confirmed the reliability and validity of ICS. More importantly, the causal relationships between the two components of ICS were also examined. The findings showed that learners' evaluative standards on Web materials (implicit component) had significant effects on their information searching strategies in Web-based learning environments (explicit component). For example, learners who utilized an advanced evaluative standard, such as using multiple sources to judge the accuracy of Web materials, were significantly more oriented toward using a sophisticated information searching strategy, such as carefully exploring and elaborating information in Web-based learning environments. In other words, learners' evaluative standards for Web materials should be viewed as important predictors for their searching strategies in Web-based learning environments.     

Cognitive–metacognitive and content-technical aspects of constructivist Internet-based learning environments: a LISREL analysis

Through a LISREL analysis, this study validated the Constructivist Internet-based Learning Environment Survey (CILES). CILES consisted of six scales, sorted by two aspects. The first aspect, the cognitive–metacognitive aspect, included the scales of student negotiation, inquiry learning, and reflective thinking, whereas the second aspect, the content-technical aspect, involved the scales of Relevance, Ease of Use, and Challenge. A LISREL structural model was also proposed to examine the relationships between students' responses across these two aspects. Survey responses gathered from 483 high school students in Taiwan were the research data for this study. The results from the LISREL confirmatory analysis showed that CILES had highly satisfactory validity and reliability to assess students' preferences for constructivist Internet-based learning environments. Moreover, the structural model indicated that the Internet learning environments that challenged students' existing concepts could facilitate their preferences for student negotiation, inquiry learning and reflective thinking activities. It is proposed that the Internet can have rich connections with numerous resources and a variety of perspectives, thus constructing appropriate learning environments to provide different kinds of challenges for learners.     

Multi-level analysis of peer support,Internet self-efficacy and e-learning outcomes – The contextual effects of collectivism and group potency

The present study intends to explore the role of collectivism and group potency at group level in predicting individual Internet self-efficacy (ISE) and individual e-learning outcomes for people aged over 45. Group learning has been widely discussed in the research into online formats. However, less study has been carried out about how collectivism and collective group potency affect individual learning decisions, especially using the technique of Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) for cross-level analysis, which provides the solution of case dependency between group members. This study examines the mediation effects of ISE between peer support and e-learning outcomes. It also explores the contextual effects of group potency, and the moderation effects of collectivism and group potency at an individual level. The results show that ISE fully mediates the relationship between peer support and learners’ persistence in e-learning, and partially mediates learners’ perceived learning and satisfaction. It is noteworthy that the findings do not support direct group-level contextual effects of group potency. Instead, the results suggest that group potency moderates ISE-perceived learning and ISE-satisfaction relationships. On the other hand, collectivism also moderates the relationship between peer support and ISE. This study highlights the group-level effects of group potency, and suggests that adult educators design and deliver e-learning courses with an emphasis on facilitating group processes.     

Measuring critical components of digital literacy and their relationships with learning

The growing prominence of the Internet, and other digital environments, as educational tools requires research regarding learners' digital literacy. We argue that two critical aspects of digital literacy are the ability to effectively plan and monitor the efficacy of strategies used to search and manage the wealth of information available online, and the knowledge to appropriately vet and integrate those information sources. Therefore, digital literacy requires effective self-regulated learning (SRL) skills, and availing epistemic cognition (EC). Although numerous researchers and scholars have examined the role of SRL in online learning (e.g., Efklides, 2011; Lee and Tsai, 2010, Williams and Hellman, 2004, Winters et al., 2008), there is a need for additional empirical research on how SRL and EC interact, and relate to learning in digital environments. In this study, we used a powerful, but little-used data collection methodology, think-aloud protocol (TAP) analysis, to investigate the relations among SRL, EC, and learning gains with 20 college students who studied vitamins on the Internet. We also contributed to the literature by exploring alternative techniques for preparing, analyzing, and representing these data, accounting for the strengths and challenges of TAPs. We found that, on average, participants did increase their understanding as a result of learning with the Internet, and that a data-driven approach to understanding relations among SRL, EC, and learning yielded the most powerful representation of these phenomena. Our study has implications for future research on digital literacy using TAPs, as well as the relative contribution of SRL and EC, as aspects of digital literacy, to online learning.     

How family support and Internet self-efficacy influence the effects of e-learning among higher aged adults – Analyses of gender and age differences

Gender and age differences in the effects of e-learning, including students’ satisfaction and Internet self-efficacy, have been supported in prior research. What is less understood is how these differences are shaped, especially for higher aged adults. This article examines the utility of family support (tangible and emotional) and Internet self-efficacy (general and communication) in predicting middle aged (aged 50–64) and older adults’ (over the age of 65) perceived effects of e-learning. A total of 290 adult participants aged over 50 who were registered in community college and senior learning center courses completed the measure of perceived family support, Internet self-efficacy and the effects of e-learning. By using structural equation modeling (SEM) and model invariance analysis, the results indicate that emotional family support plays a main role in predicting the effects of e-learning, mediated by general and communication Internet self-efficacy. Emotional family support has both direct and indirect influences on adults’ perceived effects of e-learning. Tangible support significantly predicts adults’ perceived effects of e-learning, mediated by Internet self-efficacy. Compared to male adult learners, female adults rely more on tangible family support for increasing their Internet self-efficacy. Similar patterns were presented by older participants. The similarities between women and older adults imply that the gender issue is not specifically related to sex itself, but relates to the complexity of the social context of these disadvantaged learners. The findings provide researchers, adult education practitioners and e-learning program planners with a direction towards understanding e-learning for middle and older aged adults.     

Further evidence on the validity of web-based research on associative learning: Augmentation in a predictive learning task

Most demonstrations of the validity of Internet-based research methods are based on replications of well-known experimental phenomena on the Internet. However, in order to test whether the lack of control over the experimental conditions usually found in Internet studies has an effect on the quality of data, it would be more interesting to show that the Internet cannot only be used to replicate common and well-documented effects, but also less-known experimental findings or elusive phenomena that tend to occur only in very specific conditions. The present experiment explores one such effect, namely augmentation in associative learning, and shows that it can be readily found in the laboratory and on the Internet.     

Developing a survey for assessing preferences in constructivist context‐aware ubiquitous learning environments

This study developed a survey to explore students' preferences in constructivist context‐aware ubiquitous learning environments. A constructivist context‐aware ubiquitous learning (u‐learning) environment survey (CULES) was developed, consisting of eight scales, including ease of use, continuity, relevance, adaptive content, multiple sources, timely guidance, student negotiation, and inquiry learning. The survey responses were gathered from 215 university students from five universities in Taiwan. The students all had actual experience of using u‐learning systems in u‐learning environments. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses showed that the CULES had high reliability and validity. The structural model revealed that the provision of realistic and close‐to‐real‐life information could enhance students' preferences for timely guidance, student negotiation, and inquiry‐learning activities. In addition, the attainment of inquiry learning is quite challenging when designing u‐learning activities, as it involves the enhancement of the other CULES scales.     

Investigating the mediating role of online learning motivation in the COVID-19 pandemic situation in Bangladesh

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the mediating role of online learning motivation (OLM) in the COVID-19 pandemic situation in Bangladesh by observing and comparing direct lectures (DL), instructor–learner interaction (ILI), learner–learner interaction (LLI), and internet self-efficacy (ISE) as predictors of OLM and online learning satisfaction (OLS). Data were collected from 442 undergraduate and graduate students from more than 35 universities in Bangladesh. To test the hypotheses, the PLS-SEM approach was applied using SmartPLS 3.0. The study shows a significant mediating role of OLM between the independent variables and learning satisfaction. In addition, DL, ILI, and ISE are shown to be significant predictors of student satisfaction. The findings have a number of valuable implications for education policy makers, universities, instructors, and students. Moreover, the study suggests some new research perspectives to overcome the limitations of this research and to gain precise knowledge on students' learning motivation and satisfaction regarding other online classes for different categories of students (e.g., high school and college, professional, and PhD).     

基于Multi-Agent的协作学习系统

针对当前的协作学习系统很少考虑到学习者知识水平、认知特性、兴趣等个性化属性，提出了一个基于学习者知识水平的分层多Agent学习系统模型，该模型结合智能代理技术，通过对学习者知识水平的界定实现系统的分层结构，较好地解决了现有学习系统中普遍存在而又尚未解决的无序和混乱、群体互动效果、个性化以及系统通讯开销等问题。     

The effect of SDLR and self‐efficacy in preschool teachers by using WS learning

This study examined whether self‐directed learning readiness (SDLR) moderates the association between Internet self‐efficacy and approaches to learning by web searching (ALWS). A total of 329 valid questionnaires were used for the correlation and path analysis. The results revealed that preschool teachers' SDLR significantly moderated the influence of Internet self‐efficacy and ALWS. Thus, this result suggests that spending more time on SDLR may increase preschool teachers' ALWS, which may enhance their teaching practice via web‐based professional development. Findings from this study may have implications for preschool teachers who aim to improve their teaching practice by targeting web‐searching environment and approaches to learning. The findings suggest that the positive mediation role of SDLR between Internet self‐efficacy and ALWS, especially effective learning, active learning and independent learning of SDLR. Because SDLR has the great influence on the online learning domain, preparing teacher's self‐directed learning ability is important for educational authorities to facilitate teachers' better performance when learning online.     

Internet-based e-shopping and consumer attitudes: an empirical study

This paper analyses consumer attitudes towards Internet-based e-shopping. It aims to provide a theoretically and empirically grounded initial reference position, against which later research can explore and interpret the effects of changes in variables representing consumer preferences and shifts in these preferences on the success or failure of B2C e-commerce over the Internet. Because of the opportunity to sample at the outset and of ceteris paribus conditions following from the tendency for other factors such as e-transactions cost to remain small and constant, Singapore data were employed. Regression analysis shows that the life content of products, transactions security, price, vendor quality, IT education and Internet usage significantly affect the initial willingness of Singaporeans to e-shop on the Internet. Generalising, we suggest that Internet-based B2C e-commerce can profitably be introduced or promoted along similar dimensions in socio-geographically and technologically similar situations.     

Designing multimedia learning environments using animated pedagogical agents: factors and issues

Animated pedagogical agents (APAs) are known to possess great potential in supporting learning because of their ability to simulate a real classroom learning environment. But research in this area has produced mixed results. The reason for this remains puzzling. This paper is written with two purposes: (1) to examine some recent research and organize the findings in terms of classroom characteristics, and (2) to discuss and reveal any uncovered issues pertaining to the findings and provide input whenever possible. A framework formed by using APA characteristics, APA presentation, and learners' characteristics is used to analyse past research findings. The findings from the analysis reveal that because APAs are regarded as social members similar to humans, they are more effective in engaging learners in environments that require social communication and interactions. They therefore produce more definitive results in terms of affective gain and group learning. But such conditions also impose greater demand on designers to create more complex learning environments that can provide interactions with several agents and yet maintain a mode of communication that is pedagogically effective. The challenges for creating such environment include using an agent's gestures to duplicate its speech in instruction, which is usually uncommon in human practice, overcoming the needs to use input–output interface for communication and taking into consideration the possible influence of the learners' characteristics such as their sensory preference. This paper suggests that APAs' application in instruction should be seen in the light of affordances and be designed within its own practical limits.     

Towards learner-constructed e-learning environments for effective personal learning experiences

Whilst a lot of research has been carried out on designing learning environments to meet the needs of learners, much of such research has focused on producing less flexible ready-made environments for learners to interact with. However, e-learning design and development could benefit from the lessons of the interaction of users with mobile devices, where users interact by selecting applications (Apps) they are interested in and hence engage with the device in an addictive way. By transposing the same interaction idea to the e-learning environment, if given the opportunity, learners will construct an environment that meets their needs with the tools that are available and hence will be motivated to engage more with such environment, possibly leading to improved performance. This article proposes FAUCLE (Flexible and Accessible User Constructed Learning Environment), a learner-centred model for a learner-constructed learning environment. It is hoped that this paper will encourage research interest on innovative ways of designing learner-centred learning environments that encourage active and inclusive learning.     

Examining the integrated influence of fairness and quality on learners' satisfaction and Web-based learning continuance intention

Abstract.  As with any other information system (IS), the success of Web-based learning depends largely on user satisfaction and other factors that eventually increase users' intentions to continue using the service (continuance intention). This research integrates the IS success model and fairness theory to construct a model for investigating the motivations behind learners' intentions to continue using Web-based learning. Our model theorizes that the three dimensions of quality (i.e. information, system and service) and the three dimensions of fairness (i.e. distributive, procedural and interactional) affect learners' satisfaction. We also argue that satisfaction and the three dimensions of fairness will influence learners' intention to continue using Web-based learning. The hypothesized model is validated empirically using data collected from 289 learners of a Web-based learning service. The results show that information quality, system quality, system use, distributive fairness and interactional fairness exhibit significant positive effects on satisfaction. Also, procedural fairness and satisfaction play significant roles in shaping learners' intention to continue using Web-based learning.