Supporting middle school students' online reading of scientific resources: moving beyond cursory,fragmented, and opportunistic reading

The abundant scientific resources on the Web provide great opportunities for students to expand their science learning, yet easy access to information does not ensure learning. Prior research has found that middle school students tend to read Web‐based scientific resources in a shallow, superficial manner. A software tool was designed to support middle school students in reading online scientific resources through three key strategies: making explicit a skim–read–summarize structure for online reading, using prompts to guide students' reading and foster articulation of thinking, and connecting reading to learning purposes. This study examined the differences between regular and guided online reading performed by eight pairs of sixth graders in a science inquiry project. The students' online reading processes and conversations were captured by a screen‐recording programme. Analysis of 60 h of screen videos showed that the students' online reading in the regular condition was cursory, fragmented, and opportunistic, while the structured online reading was more deliberate, thorough, and purposeful. Overall, the results suggest that middle school students' online reading of scientific resources needs to be guided.     

Designing a technology‐enhanced flipped learning system to facilitate students' self‐regulation and performance

In recent years, the flipped classroom has become prevalent in many educational settings. Flipped classroom adopts a pedagogical model in which short video lectures are viewed by students at home before class so that the teacher can lead students to participate in activities, problem‐solving, and discussions. Yet the design or use of technology that employs planned instructional strategies with sustainable support of self‐regulation is scant. We propose a technology‐enhanced flipped language learning system (Flip2Learn) that provides facilitation and guidance for learning performance and self‐regulation. A quasi‐experimental study was carried out to examine whether Flip2Learn could enhance college students' self‐regulatory skills and later contribute to the learning performance in the flipped classrooms. The results showed that Flip2Learn not only better prepared students for flipped classrooms but also better promoted learning performance compared to the conventional flipped classrooms. The results of this research advanced our understanding of the dynamics of flipped classrooms and represented a revolutionary new approach to the technology‐enhanced learning for flipped classrooms.     

Mobile‐Based micro‐Learning and Assessment: Impact on learning performance and motivation of high school students

Mobile‐based micro‐learning has gained a lot of attention lately, especially for work‐based and corporate training. It combines features of mobile learning and micro‐learning to deliver small learning units and short‐term learning activities. The current study uses the lens of the Self‐Determination Theory of motivation and proposes a series of Mobile‐Based micro‐Learning and Assessment (MBmLA) homework activities to improve high school students' motivation and learning performance in science. An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. One hundred and eight students of a senior‐level high school in Europe were randomly assigned into either a control condition (conventional paper‐based homework approach) or an experimental (MBmLA approach) condition. The study carried out for a period of 5 weeks. From the experimental results, it was found that, in comparison to the conventional paper‐based approach, the proposed MBmLA approach enhanced students' basic psychological needs of self‐perceived autonomy, competence, and relatedness and improved students' exam performance in terms of factual knowledge. Moreover, students self‐reported greater learning satisfaction with the mobile‐based microassessment and micro‐learning homework tasks. Implications on educational practices as well as future research are discussed.     

Using multimedia for e‐learning

This paper reviews 12 research‐based principles for how to design computer‐based multimedia instructional materials to promote academic learning, starting with the multimedia principle (yielding a median effect size of d = 1.67 based on five experimental comparisons), which holds that people learn better from computer‐based instruction containing words and graphics rather than words alone. Principles aimed at reducing extraneous processing (i.e., cognitive processing that is unrelated to the instructional objective) include coherence (d = 0.70), signalling (d = 0.46), redundancy (d = 0.87), spatial contiguity (d = 0.79) and temporal contiguity (d = 1.30). Principles for managing essential processing (i.e., mentally representing the essential material) include segmenting (d = 0.70), pre‐training (d = 0.46) and modality (d = 0.72). Principles for fostering generative processing (i.e., cognitive processing aimed at making sense of the material) include personalization (d = 0.79), voice (d = 0.74) and embodiment (d = 0.36). Some principles have boundary conditions, such as being stronger for low‐ rather than high‐knowledge learners.     

High school students' perceptions of affect and collaboration during virtual science inquiry learning

This study examined affect during high school students' face‐to‐face collaborative inquiry learning in science, supported by the web‐based software Virtual Baltic Sea Explorer. Self‐reported affective states during the inquiry process in peer groups were related to evaluations of a group's collaboration and performance in three phases of interdisciplinary science inquiry (biology and chemistry). Results indicate that despite high cognitive demands, positive affect prevailed whereas negative affect was infrequent. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse the significance of affect on collaboration and group performance. The relationship between affect, collaboration, and the groups' productive outcome revealed that self‐assurance had a significant effect on collaboration and support, intertwined with scientific understanding and group performance. Furthermore, a cross‐lagged analysis showed a reciprocal relation between positive affect, scientific understanding, collaboration, and support. These outcomes contribute to the scarce literature on the nature and importance of affect in the process of face‐to‐face computer‐supported collaborative inquiry and learning in science.     

Using 3D printing technology with experiential learning strategies to improve preengineering students' comprehension of abstract scientific concepts and hands‐on ability

This study combined 3D printing technology with experiential learning strategies (ELS) to design a hands‐on curriculum for preengineering students. The participants learned interdisciplinary knowledge and abstract scientific concepts through the curriculum. The study implemented a quasi‐experimental design to examine whether the students who learned using the 3D printing technology with ELS demonstrated better learning performances regarding the comprehension of abstract scientific concepts and hands‐on ability. This study selected 184 10th‐grade students from five classes, which were divided into three groups. The experimental process was conducted over a period of 11 weeks (for a total duration of 960 min). It was found that all of the preengineering students improved their comprehension of abstract scientific concepts. The students who learned using the 3D printing technology understood abstract scientific concepts better than those who learned using the traditional hands‐on tools, and the students who learned using the 3D printing technology with ELS demonstrated better hands‐on ability than the other two groups. Using 3D printing technology with ELS resulted in significant positive effects on the participants' handmade processes, in which the students reinforced the connection between knowledge and handmade products, resulting in better comprehension of abstract scientific concepts and hands‐on ability.     

Distributing RePast agent‐based simulations with HLA

Large, experimental multi‐agent system (MAS) simulations are highly demanding tasks, both computationally and developmentally. Agent toolkits provide reliable templates for the design of even the largest MAS simulations, without offering a solution to computational limitations. Conversely, distributed simulation architectures offer performance benefits, but the introduction of parallel logic can complicate the design process significantly. The motivations of distribution are not limited to this question of processing power. True interoperation of sequential agent‐simulation platforms would allow agents designed using different toolkits to transparently interact in common abstract domains. This paper discusses the design and implementation of a system capable of harnessing the computational power of a distributed simulation infrastructure with the design efficiency of an agent toolkit. The system permits integration, through a higher‐level architecture (HLA) federation, of multiple instances of the Java‐based lightweight agent‐simulation toolkit RePast. This paper defines abstractly the engineering process necessary in creating such middleware, and reports on the experience in the specific case of the RePast toolkit. The paper also presents performance results that illustrate that significant speedup can be achieved through the integration of RePast with HLA. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Inventing motivates and prepares student teachers for computer‐based learning

A brief, problem‐oriented phase such as an inventing activity is one potential instructional method for preparing learners not only cognitively but also motivationally for learning. Student teachers often need to overcome motivational barriers in order to use computer‐based learning opportunities. In a preliminary experiment, we found that student teachers who were given paper‐based course material spent more time on follow‐up coursework than teachers who were given a well‐developed computer‐based learning environment (CBLE), leading to higher learning outcomes. Thus, we tested inventing as an instructional method that may help overcome motivational barriers of teachers' use of computer‐supported tools or learning environments in our main experimental study (N = 44). As a computer‐based environment, we used the ‘Assessment of Learning strategies in Learning journals’. The inventing group produced ideas about criteria to evaluate learning strategies based on student cases prior to the learning phase. The control condition read a text containing possible answers to the inventing problem. The inventing activity enhanced motivation prior to the learning phase and assessment skills as assessed by transfer problems. Hence, the inventing activity prepared student teachers to learn from a CBLE in a motivational as well as cognitive way.     

Level of intrinsic motivation of distance education students in e‐learning environments

According to researches, motivation that initiates and sustains behaviour is one of the most significant components of learning in any environment. Accordingly, level of intrinsic motivation triggers and sustains the interest of the open and distance education students when it comes to learning on their own in e‐learning environments. Despite a comprehensive literature regarding the motivation of those learning in traditional learning environments, the number of studies addressing the motivation of open and distance education students in e‐learning environments is not sufficient. In this context, this study aims at determining the level of intrinsic motivation of open and distance education students. Thus, data were collected from 1,639 distance education students in 22 programmes, through Intrinsic Motivation in e‐Learning Questionnaire developed and validated to that end. Analyses carried out indicate that the level of intrinsic motivation of open and distance education students is high in e‐learning environments, but there is not a statistically significant difference by gender, programme structure (graduate/undergraduate), instruction type (distance–blended), and academic disciplines.     

A cross‐cultural study of the effect of a graph‐oriented computer‐assisted project‐based learning environment on middle school students' science knowledge and argumentation skills

The purpose of this mixed‐methods study was to explore how seventh graders in a suburban school in the United States and sixth graders in an urban school in Taiwan developed argumentation skills and science knowledge in a project‐based learning environment that incorporated a graph‐oriented, computer‐assisted application (GOCAA). A total of 42 students comprised the treatment condition and were engaged in a project‐based learning environment that incorporated a GOCAA. Of these 42 students, 21 were located in the United States and 21 were located in Taiwan. A total of 26 students comprised the control condition and were engaged in a project‐based learning environment without the GOCAA. Of these 26 students, 15 were in the United States and 11 were in Taiwan. In each country, verbal collaborative argumentation was recorded and the students' post‐essays were collected. A one‐way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted for each measure of science knowledge about alternative energies. The results showed a significant treatment effect for the outcome of scientific explanation among U.S. students, while among Taiwanese students, a significant treatment effect on scientific facts was observed. A one‐way ANOVA was additionally conducted for each measure of argumentation skills and a significant treatment effect on counterarguments and rebuttals was observed among the U.S. students, while in Taiwan, a significant treatment effect on reasoning and rebuttals was observed. A qualitative analysis was conducted to examine how the GOCAA supported students' development of argumentation skills in different countries. This study found distinct argumentation patterns between the U.S. and Taiwanese intervention teams. Additionally, a distinct gender difference in the use of evidence and division of labour was noted when the Taiwanese teams were compared with the U.S. teams, which may be explained by cultural differences. This study concluded that, in both the United States and Taiwan, a project‐based learning environment incorporating a GOCAA was effective in improving students' science knowledge and developing their scientific argumentation skills.     

Learning loops – interactions between guided reflection and experience‐based learning in a serious game activity

In a study on experience‐based learning in serious games, 45 players were tested for topic comprehension by a questionnaire administered before and after playing the single‐player serious game Peacemaker (Impact Games 2007). Players were divided into two activity conditions: 20 played a 1‐h game with a 3‐min half‐time break to complete an affect self‐report form while 25 also participated in a 20‐min reflective group discussion during their half‐time break. During the discussion, they were asked by an experimenter to reflect on a set of topics related to the game. We present the analysis of the questionnaires, which illustrates that contrary to our expectations the reflection period had a negative effect on the learning of the players as judged by their performance on closed‐form questions at levels 1–5 (out of 6) on the Bloom taxonomy of learning outcomes. The questionnaire also included a few open questions which gave the players a possibility to display deep (level 6) learning. The players did not differ significantly between conditions regarding the questions measuring deep learning.     

Retracted: Examining students' learning,perceived learning and motivation in social annotation-based translation activities

This study was conducted to examine how a collaborative social annotation tool can be used to support collaborative learning in translation instruction for EFL students. Participants were 100 undergraduate students who were English majors in a southeast university in China. An experiment with crossover design was carried out to examine the participants' learning and motivation in the social annotation-supported condition and the traditional instruction condition. The results showed that students received higher scores on their translation work and rated their perceived learning higher when they completed the translation assignments in the social annotation-support condition than in the traditional instruction condition. In addition, participants reported that they were more motivated when they completed the translation assignments in the social annotation-supported condition, though participants with different levels of language proficiency might be motivated by different reasons.     

Interplay of prior knowledge,self‐regulation and motivation in complex multimedia learning environments

This study examined the direct and indirect effects of medical clerkship students' prior knowledge, self‐regulation and motivation on learning performance in complex multimedia learning environments. The data from 386 medical clerkship students from six medical schools were analysed using structural equation modeling. The structural model revealed that medical students' prior knowledge directly positively affected their learning outcome, self‐efficacy and performance approach goal orientation. The learners' self‐regulation had a significant positive direct effect on learning outcome. The learners' mastery goal orientation directly affected their learning outcome. Interestingly, inconsistent with our hypothesis, the learners' performance approach goal orientation showed a significant negative direct effect on learning outcome, and performance avoidance goal orientation had a significant positive effect on learning outcome. These findings help develop a more comprehensive understanding of the role of individual characteristics on learning performance of complex tasks in multimedia learning environments.     

内部动机驱动的机器人未知环境在线自主学习

针对目前智能移动机器人在未知环境中学习遇到的如学习主动性、实时性差,无法在线积累学习的知识和经验等问题,受心理学中内部动机的启发,提出一种内部动机驱动的移动机器人未知环境在线自主学习方法,在一定程度上弥补目前该领域存在的一些问题。该方法通过在移动机器人Q学习的框架下,将奖励机制用基于心理学启发的内部动机取代,提高其对于未知环境的学习主动性,同时,采用增量自组织神经网络代替经典Q学习中的查找表,实现输入输出空间的映射,使得机器人能够在线增量地学习未知环境。实验结果表明,通过内部动机驱动的方法,移动机器人对于未知环境的学习主动性得到了提高,智能程度有了明显改进。     

A study to explore the effects of self‐regulated learning environment for hearing‐impaired students

Although computer‐ and Internet‐aided learning for hearing‐impaired students has been a trend in the modern days, a few studies were done to examine their effectiveness in strengthening learning motivation and, in turn, enhancing learning efficiency. This study attempts to establish an interactive self‐regulated learning environment and employs Attention, Relevance, Confidence, Satisfaction motivation model, hyperlink technology, modular concepts and online learning community to design teaching contents and presentation of teaching materials. An empirical study was conducted to examine the effects of hearing‐impaired students learning motivation and cognitive attitude of learning environment. The results showed that interactive and self‐regulated learning environment could effectively strengthen learning motivation and promote positive learning behaviour in hearing‐impaired students.     

The effects of social messaging on students' learning and intrinsic motivation in peer assessment

This study aims to gain a better understanding of how the newly arisen social messaging may impact the practice of peer assessment. Seventy-nine ESL (English as second language) students reviewed each other's English essays in three peer assessment groups: a three-member group using wiki (wiki group), a three-member group using social messaging (small messaging group), and a six-member group using social messaging (big messaging group). Data analysis suggested that peer assessment facilitated by social messaging can be at least of the same effectiveness as wiki-facilitated peer assessment on ESL students' writing skills and intrinsic motivation. In addition, the findings indicated that students in the small messaging group outperformed students in the big messaging group on essay writing and reported a significantly higher rating on perceived competence, a positive indicator of the behavioural measures of intrinsic motivation, than students in the big messaging group.     

Improving the effectiveness of English vocabulary review by integrating ARCS with mobile game‐based learning

Memorizing English vocabulary is often considered uninteresting, and a lack of motivation exists during learning activities. Moreover, most vocabulary practice systems automatically select words from articles and do not provide integrated model methods for students. Therefore, this study constructed a mobile game‐based English vocabulary practice system, which imitates the popular block elimination game and combines test items of article, difficulty, and teacher model in accordance with curriculum objectives and demands. The participants were first‐year students and classified into traditional group (Group T) and game‐based group (Group G), and learning effectiveness and motivation were analysed in this study. According to statistical analysis results, students who used the game‐based vocabulary practice system, which could captivate their attention and interest, had higher learning effectiveness and provided positive feedback of learning motivation. Furthermore, English teachers could select teaching materials that are consistent with the features, knowledge, and cultural background of learners to improve the relevance dimension of learning motivation.     

Mathematics motivation and achievement as predictors of high school students' guessing and help‐seeking with instructional software

The study was conducted to investigate the relation of adolescent students' mathematics motivation and achievement to their appropriate help‐seeking and inappropriate guessing behaviour while using instructional software. High school students (n = 90) completed brief assessments of mathematics motivation and then worked with software for geometry instruction. Students' actions with the software were machine‐classified to identify instances of appropriate help‐seeking and inappropriate guessing. Mathematics teachers provided information about students' achievement (high, average or at risk of failing math class). Results indicated that students with low math self‐concept were most likely to engage in inappropriate guessing behaviour. Students with low math achievement were most likely to engage in appropriate help‐seeking while working with the software.     

The development of SCORM‐conformant learning content based on the learning cycle using participatory design

This study incorporates the 5E learning cycle strategy to design and develop Sharable Content Object Reference Model‐conformant materials for elementary science education. The 5E learning cycle that supports the constructivist approach has been widely applied in science education. The strategy consists of five phases: engagement, exploration, explanation, elaboration and evaluation. It has potential value for creating effective science e‐learning materials. This study implemented the participatory design (PD) method to investigate the possibility of applying the 5E model to science e‐learning materials. PD is an approach that understands knowledge by doing and focuses on collaborating with the intended users rather than designing ‘for’ them. In this study, researchers, designers and elementary science teachers cooperated at all stages of the design process (including explanation, analysis and decision making). The issues to be dealt with in this study included instructional designs based on the 5E model, techniques or specifications of e‐learning, learning objects, metadata and procedures. The results of this study provided concrete recommendations for how to incorporate the 5E learning cycle and how to develop effective e‐learning materials for elementary science instruction.     

Engaging middle school students in scientific practice with a collaborative mobile game

Previous research using collaborative mobile augmented reality games in science education revealed that such games can be used to promote learner engagement and have found that engagement in such mobile games is related to flow. This study investigated whether player's flow experience differed by achievement track, gender, or gender composition of working groups. In an urban school district, 202 students from two eighth‐grade science classes participated in a collaborative mobile science game. Data included a self‐report survey collected after the game that measured player's flow experience. Using a regression model, the relationship of flow experience with achievement track and gender was explored while controlling for group composition and teacher effects. The study found that gender was related to flow experience; specifically, girls reported higher flow experience scores (d = 0.30). Flow experience did not have a statistically significant relationship with achievement track showing that the activity engaged all observed students similarly.