The effects of augmented virtual science laboratories on middle school students' understanding of gas properties

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) emphasize authentic scientific practices such as developing models and constructing explanations of phenomena. However, research documents how students struggle to explain observable phenomena with molecular-level behaviors with current classroom experiences. For example, physical laboratory experiences in science enable students to interact with observable scientific phenomena, but students often fail to make connections to underlying molecular-level behaviors. Virtual laboratory experiences and computer-based visualizations enable students to interact with unobservable scientific concepts, but students can have difficulties connecting to actual instantiations of the observed phenomenon. This paper investigates how combining physical and virtual experiences into augmented virtual science laboratories can help students build upon intuitive ideas and develop molecular-level explanations of macroscopic phenomena. Specifically, this study uses the Frame, a sensor-augmented virtual lab that uses sensors as physical inputs to control scientific simulations. Eighth-grade students (N = 45) engaged in a Frame lab focused on the properties of gas. Results demonstrate that students using the Frame lab made progress developing molecular-level explanations of gas behavior and refining alternative and partial ideas into normative ideas about gases. This study offers insights for how augmented virtual labs can be designed to enhance science learning and encourage scientific practices as called for in the NGSS.     

Potential pedagogical benefits and drawbacks of multimedia use in the English language classroom equipped with interactive whiteboard technology

This paper analyses the process of multimedia integration in English language classrooms equipped with interactive whiteboard (IWB) technology, and offers insights into the theoretical underpinnings of multimedia use in language learning from the perspective of cognitive learning theory. The data discussed here are drawn from a study carried out as part of a PhD research programme at Lancaster University (UK). The study was conducted within an interpretative research paradigm, and data were collected and analysed according to a qualitative approach. In the first part, the paper discusses some perceived pedagogical benefits of adopting a multimedia-oriented approach in the IWB-based classroom. Secondly, it discusses a variety of potential problems related to the use of multimedia resources in the language classroom in question. Finally, the paper draws upon the literature on multimedia learning to address the potential pedagogical implications of these research findings.     

The impact of online video lecture recordings and automated feedback on student performance

To what extent a blended learning configuration of face-to-face lectures, online on-demand video recordings of the face-to-face lectures and the offering of online quizzes with appropriate feedback has an additional positive impact on the performance of these students compared to the traditional face-to-face course approach? In a between-subjects design in which students were randomly assigned to a group having access to the online lectures including multiple choice quizzes and appropriate feedback or to a group having access to the online lectures only, 474 students (161 men and 313 women) of a course on European Law agreed to participate in the experiment. By using regression analysis we found that the course grade of the students was predicted by their grade point average, their study discipline, their grade goal for the course, the expected difficulty-level of the course, the number of online lectures they viewed, the number of lectures the students attended in person and the interaction between the lectures they viewed online and attended in person. Students who attended few lectures had more benefit from viewing online lectures than students who attended many lectures. In contrast to our expectations, the regression analysis did not show a significant effect of automated feedback on student performance. Offering recordings of face-to-face lectures is an easy extension of a traditional course and is of practical importance, because it enables students who are often absent from the regular face-to-face lectures to be able to improve their course grade by viewing the lectures online.     

The effects of UZWEBMAT on the probability unit achievement of Turkish eleventh grade students and the reasons for such effects

This study aimed at determining the effects of UZWEBMAT (Turkish abbreviation of Adaptive and INtelligent WEB based MAThematics teaching–learning system) on the probability unit academic achievement of students and the underlying reasons for these effects. The study was conducted in an Anatolian High School located in a district of Trabzon province, Turkey in the fall semester of the academic year 2011–2012. The research sample consisted of 106 eleventh grade students and 2 mathematics teachers. Semi-experimental method was used in the study. Pre-Probability Unit Achievement Test (pre-PUAT), Post-Probability Unit Achievement Test (post-PUAT), Scale for Evaluation of the UZWEBMAT by Students (SEUS), Student Interview Form (SIF), and Teacher Interview Form (TIF) were used for collecting data. Research results indicated that there was a statistically significant difference in favor of the experimental group (EG) students between the academic achievement of the EG students and that of the control group (CG) students. In addition, male EG students were found to be more successful than female EG students. However, no statistically significant relationship was found between the learning styles and the academic achievements of the EG students with different learning styles (visual–auditory–kinesthetic). In addition, no statistically significant relationship was detected between the genders and the academic achievements of the EG students having different learning styles. It was concluded that the higher achievement of the EG students resulted from the fact that they received education in accordance with their learning styles via UZWEBMAT, the learning objects included in UZWEBMAT had appropriate structural characteristics, students enjoyed learning in that environment, and students had continuous interest in the lesson.     

Using a voting system in conjunction with interactive whiteboard technology to enhance learning in the English language classroom

This study discusses the pedagogical potential of an interactive voting system used in conjunction with interactive whiteboard technology. The data discussed here are drawn from a qualitative study, carried out in the context of a British university pre-sessional programme in English for Academic Purposes and Study Skills for international students in the summers of 2003 and 2004. Research data were collected via a variety of ethnographic research instruments, namely classroom observations and feedback from critical colleagues, teacher’s field notes, video recording of classes, semi-structured interviews with students, and pre- and post-course student questionnaires. The findings indicate that the electronic voting system was seen to increase considerably the scope of interactivity during the lessons by helping students to enhance their development into active participants. However, the data have also indicated that the levels of interactivity in the approaches adopted in the context investigated could still be considered relatively “shallow”, and some suggestions have been provided to improve this aspect of technology use.     

Developing and integrating courseware for oral presentations into ESP learning contexts

This study reports on the development of ESP (English for Specific Purposes) multimedia courseware on oral presentations, and its integration into self-study learning and elective courses for students with different English proficiencies, as one solution to problems in ESP courses in Taiwan. The courseware design is based on Mayer’s multimedia learning cognitive theory, and the language learning focus draws on Chapelle’s suggested criteria for development of multimedia CALL. Evaluation of student performance with two different formats for courseware integration is based upon data from pre- and post-tests for preparing speech texts, and a questionnaire survey. The courseware provides authentic materials with a logical situational layout and a friendly interface design for learning ESP for oral presentations in international business and technical settings and offers rich and flexible learning activities with corresponding on-line self-evaluation so that students actively engage in cognitive processing. Students with different English proficiencies have different concerns about giving a presentation. Meanwhile, after students’ self-study for six weeks, regardless of level of proficiency, students’ learning effectiveness and satisfaction with the courseware integration were significantly improved, by qualitative and quantitative analysis. Such students’ improvement suggests success of the courseware design and learning effectiveness with its integration.     

WISEngineering: Supporting precollege engineering design and mathematical understanding

Introducing engineering into precollege classroom settings has the potential to facilitate learning of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) concepts and to increase interest in STEM careers. Successful engineering design projects in secondary schools require extensive support for both teachers and students. Computer-based learning environments can support both teachers and students to implement and learn from engineering design projects. However, there is a dearth of empirical research on how engineering approaches can augment learning in authentic K-12 settings. This paper presents research on the development and pilot testing of WISEngineering, a new web-based engineering design learning environment. Three middle school units were developed using a knowledge integration learning perspective and a scaffolded, informed engineering approach with the goal of improving understanding of standards-based mathematical concepts and engineering ideas. Seventh grade math students from two teachers in a socioeconomically diverse and low-performing district participated in three WISEngineering units over the course of a semester. Students significantly improved their mathematical scores from pretest to posttest for all three projects and on state standardized tests. Student, teacher, and administrator interviews reveal that WISEngineering projects promoted collaboration, tolerance, and development of pro-social skills among at-risk youth. Results demonstrate that informed engineering design projects facilitated through the WISEngineering computer-based environment can help students learn Common Core mathematical concepts and principles. Additionally, results suggest that WISEngineering projects can be particularly beneficial for at-risk and diverse student populations.     

Programmed instruction versus meaningful learning theory in teaching basic structured query language (SQL) in computer lesson

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of two different methods on primary school teacher candidates’ academic achievements and attitudes toward computer-based education, and to define their views on these methods. Both the first experimental group, programmed instruction (PI), and the second experimental group, meaningful learning (ML), included 36 students separately. While a significant difference was found between the groups regarding academic achievements, no significant difference was found between the groups’ attitude scores. There was no significant difference between the academic achievements of the students according to their genders in both groups. In addition, while there was no significant difference between the pre-test and post-test attitudes of students in the PI group, a significant difference was determined in the ML group. Generally, in the PI group, students considered the method effective but boring. Besides, students in the ML group had positive views on the method.     

Expectations and reality: Evaluating patterns of learning behaviour using audit trails

Developers of educational multimedia programs have expectations about the way in which they will be used. These expectations can be broadly categorised as either functional (primarily related to the interface) or educational (related to learning designs, processes and outcomes). However, student users will not always engage with educational multimedia in the ways developers envisage and the adoption of a particular learning design, however well implemented, does not guarantee particular learning processes or outcomes. We investigated the relationship between intended and actual user behaviour by analysing detailed electronic records of user activities (audit trails) within a multimedia program in which medical students adopt the role of a doctor in a simulated clinical interview. Audit trails of 294 users across three years were analysed, focussing on two critical learning activities (interviewing and note taking). Cluster and χ² analyses revealed four distinct types of users: ‘confused or strategic’ (12.9%), ‘disengaged’ (40.8%), ‘expected’ (26.5%) and ‘diligent’ (19.7%). Our work in the future will focus on using audit trails in investigations of students learning processes and outcomes in educational multimedia environments.     

Using a web-enabled video system to support student–teachers’ self-reflection in teaching practice

With the goal of promoting student–teachers to reflect on their teaching performance, a web-enabled video system was developed to permit them to record their classroom performance and then retrieve online videos of their teaching for self-reflection. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of online videos in facilitating self-reflection amongst student–teachers. Eight student–teachers from four disciplines were invited to use the video system to reflect on their teaching in two lessons. A content analysis was conducted to compare the reflective notes made by the student–teachers before and after browsing the videos of their teaching. The results indicated that video browsing prompted student–teachers to generate an additional 50 per cent of reflective notes and stimulated them to significantly increase the depth of their reflective thoughts in the areas of discipline and classroom management, and professional knowledge on teaching. Building on the gains achieved in this way, student–teachers can subsequently engage in in-depth professional dialogue with their teacher supervisors.     

Motivating the learning of science topics in secondary school: A constructivist edutainment setting for studying Chaos

In this paper, we present an Edutainment (education plus entertainment) secondary school setting based on the construction of artifacts and manipulation of virtual contents (images, sound, and music) connected to Chaos.     

What influences college students to continue using business simulation games? The Taiwan experience

Previous studies have pointed out that computer games could improve students’ motivation to learn, but these studies have mostly targeted teachers or students in elementary and secondary education and are without user adoption models. Because business and management institutions in higher education have been increasingly using educational simulation games in recent years, factors influencing the continuing use of business simulation games by higher-education students are worth probing into. This research adopted the technology acceptance model, expectation confirmation theory, and agency theory as its theoretical base. Moreover, learning motivation and classroom climate from the perspective of learning, as well as perceived attractiveness and perceived playfulness from the perspective of playfulness and attractiveness were also added to the final research model. A total of 185 valid student respondents in Taiwan’s higher education who have used business simulation games in their classes participated in the survey. The results show that perceived playfulness and learning performance positively influence students’ satisfaction, which further influence the intention to use computer simulation games. Furthermore, perceived ease of use and perceived attraction play a critical role in determining perceived playfulness. Perceived ease of use was also positively influenced by perceived attraction. The research results on the students’ perspective provide a strong support for the teachers to adopt or continue using computer simulation games in classrooms. However, the agency theory failed to be sustained as a useful tool in motivating students’ learning activities, which is worthy of further research.     

Learning science via animated movies: Its effect on students’ thinking and motivation

Some researchers claim that animations may hinder students’ meaningful learning or evoke misunderstandings. In order to examine these assertions, our study investigated the effect of animated movies on students’ learning outcomes and motivation to learn. Applying the quantitative methodology, two pre- and post-questionnaires were administered: Science thinking skills and Motivation to learn science. Students’ overall achievement in science was examined by their report card scores. The research population (N = 1335) was divided into experimental (N = 926) and control (N = 409) groups from 11 elementary schools. Findings indicated that the use of animated movies promoted students’ explanation ability and their understanding of scientific concepts. Findings also indicated that students who studied science with the use of animated movies developed higher motivation to learn science, in terms of: self-efficacy, interest and enjoyment, connection to daily life, and importance to their future, compared to the control students. Following the definition of multimedia, the students who study with the use of animated movies, applied all three learning styles: visual, auditory and kinesthetic. The use of multimedia and the fact that the students were engaged in exploring new concepts, that were relevant to their daily life experiences, can explain the positive results.     

Courseware development for semiconductor technology and its application into instruction

This study reports on the development of ESP (English for specific purposes) courseware for semiconductor technology and its integration as a “silent partner” into instruction. This kind of team-teaching could help overcome current problems encountered in developing ESP in Taiwan. The content of the material under discussion includes general knowledge about fundamental theories, process technologies and applications within the semiconductor industry. In the design of the whole courseware, five skills for learning English (listening, speaking, reading, writing, and translation) have been considered and a 3D multimedia technique has been used to promote learning interest, student engagement, and efficiency. The design of the courseware endeavors to mainly follow principles by [Mayer, R. E. (2001). Multimedia learning. New York: Cambridge University Press]. Students report they have benefited from the courseware implementation. Initial evaluations suggest that students are satisfied with practices for learning professional knowledge and English skills provided by the courseware. They report that the multimedia-assisted environment of the courseware promotes learning effectiveness. Students with higher achievement on the posttest showed better participation and motivation, made greater use of the multimedia and had a better understanding of the English content so that they are more competent to function in a professional and learner-centered ESP course using the courseware.     

Digital game-based learning: Impact of instructions and feedback on motivation and learning effectiveness

Although many studies have investigated the effects of digital game-based learning (DGBL) on learning and motivation, its benefits have never been systematically demonstrated. In our first experiment, we sought to identify the conditions under which DGBL is most effective, by analyzing the effects of two different types of instructions (learning instruction vs. entertainment instruction). Results showed that the learning instruction elicited deeper learning than the entertainment one, without impacting negatively on motivation. In our second experiment, we showed that if learners are given regular feedback about their performance, the entertainment instruction results in deep learning. These two experiments demonstrate that a serious game environment can promote learning and motivation, providing it includes features that prompt learners to actively process the educational content.     

Exploring the relation between learning style models and preferred multimedia types

There are many adaptive learning systems that adapt learning materials to student properties, preferences, and activities. This study is focused on designing such a learning system by relating combinations of different learning styles to preferred types of multimedia materials. We explore a decision model aimed at proposing learning material of an appropriate multimedia type. This study includes 272 student participants. The resulting decision model shows that students prefer well-structured learning texts with color discrimination, and that the hemispheric learning style model is the most important criterion in deciding student preferences for different multimedia learning materials. To provide a more accurate and reliable model for recommending different multimedia types more learning style models must be combined. Kolb's classification and the VAK classification allow us to learn if students prefer an active role in the learning process, and what multimedia type they prefer.     

The influence of collaboration styles to children’s cognitive performance in digital problem-solving game “William Adventure”: A comparative case study

Since a large variety of digital games have been used in many fields for educational purposes, their real functions in learning have caught much attention as well. This study first defines learning characteristics of problem-solving digital games and their corresponding cognitive levels, then designs and develops a problem-solving game in accordance to the criteria. Tasks in the game context are inter-related to each other so that players need to critically and creatively think about problem solutions. Learners’ task analyses are performed to observe four elementary learners’ gaming paths, behaviors and cognitive activities, individually and collaboratively. System documentation, video recording, researcher observation, and interviews are conducted to analyze learners’ learning strategies and their cognitive performance during the gaming process.     

Exploring the behavioral patterns of learners in an educational massively multiple online role-playing game (MMORPG)

Massively multiple online role-playing games (MMORPGs) are very popular among students. Educational MMORPGs, however, are very rare, as are studies on gamers’ behavioral patterns during such games. The current study is an empirical observation and analysis of the behavioral patterns of 100 gamers participating in an educational MMORPG called Talking Island^©. In our study, we recorded and summarized the gaming behaviors demonstrated by these participants over 335 days of observation from December 2009 to October 2010. We coded the recorded behaviors and conducted a frequency analysis, sequential analysis and cluster analysis to explore the behavioral distributions, behavioral-frequency transition and behavior-cluster patterns in the MMORPG. Gender differences in behavioral patterns were also compared and discussed. Based on the results, we discuss the potential and limitations of the game and provide suggestions for future research on and the development of educational MMORPGs.     

Students’ perceptions about the use of video games in the classroom

Video games are often regarded as promising teaching and learning tools for the 21st century. One of the main arguments is that video games are appealing to contemporary students. However, there are indications that video game acceptance cannot be taken for granted. In this study, a path model to examine and predict student acceptance of video games is proposed, and empirically tested by involving 858 secondary school students. The results show that students’ preference for using video games in the classroom is affected directly by a number of factors: the perceptions of students regarding the usefulness, ease of use, learning opportunities, and personal experience with video games in general. Gender effects are found as well, but appear to be mediated by experience and ease of use.     

A case study on using prediction markets as a rich environment for active learning

In this paper, prediction markets are presented as an innovative pedagogical tool which can be used to create a Rich Environment for Active Learning (REAL). Prediction markets are designed to make forecasts about specific future events by using a market mechanism to aggregate the information held by a large group of traders about that event into a single value. Prediction markets can be used to create decision scenarios which are linked to real-world events. The advantages of this approach in the cognitive and affective domains of learning are examined. The unique ability of prediction markets to enable active learning in large group teaching environments is explored. Building on this theoretical work, a detailed case study is presented describing how a prediction market can be deployed as a pedagogical tool in practice. Empirical evidence is presented exploring the effect prediction market participation has on learners in the cognitive domain.