Enhancement of student learning performance using personalized diagnosis and remedial learning system

Although conventional student assessments are extremely convenient for calculating student scores, they do not conceptualize how students organize their knowledge. Therefore, teachers and students rarely understand how to improve their future learning progress. The limitations of conventional testing methods indicate the importance of accurately assessing and representing student knowledge structures. The personalized diagnosis and remedial learning system (PDRLS) proposed in this study enhances the effectiveness of the Pathfinder network by providing remedial learning paths for individual learners based on their knowledge structure. The sample was 145 students enrolled in introductory JAVA programming language courses at a Central Taiwan technology university. The experimental results demonstrate that learners who received personalized remedial learning guidance via PDRLS achieved improved learning performance, self-efficacy, and PDRLS use intention. The experimental results also indicated that students with lower knowledge level gain more benefits from the PDRLS than those with higher level of knowledge and that field dependence (FD) students obtain a greater benefit from PDRLS than field independence (FI) students do.     

Development of a diagnostic system using a testing-based approach for strengthening student prior knowledge

Students learn new instructions well by building on relevant prior knowledge, as it affects how instructors and students interact with the learning materials. Moreover, studies have found that good prior knowledge can enable students to attain better learning motivation, comprehension, and performance. This suggests it is important to assist students in obtaining the relevant prior knowledge, as this can enable them to engage meaningfully with the learning materials. Tests are often used to help instructors assess students’ prior knowledge. Nevertheless, conventional testing approaches usually assign only a score to each student, and this may mean that students are unable to realize their own individual weaknesses. To address this problem, instructors can diagnose the test results to provide more detailed information to each student, but this is obviously a time-consuming process. Therefore, this study proposes a testing-based diagnosis system to assist instructors and students in diagnosing and strengthening prior knowledge before new instruction is undertaken. Furthermore, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed approach in an interdisciplinary course, since several studies have indicated that students learn more and better in such courses when applying relevant prior knowledge to what they are learning. The experimental results show that the developed system is able to effectively diagnose students’ prior knowledge and enhance their learning motivation and performance on an interdisciplinary course. In addition, two diagnostic evaluations were also conducted to assess whether the diagnoses given by the system were consistent with the decisions of experts. The results demonstrate that the proposed system can effectively assist instructors and students in diagnosing and strengthening prior knowledge before new instruction is undertaken, since the diagnoses produced by the system were broadly consistent with those of experts.     

A problem solving oriented intelligent tutoring system to improve students' acquisition of basic computer skills

Personalization and intelligent tutor are two key factors in the research on learning environment. Intelligent tutoring system (ITS), which can imitate the human teachers' actions to implement one-to-one personalized teaching to some extent, is an effective tool for training the ability of problem solving. This research firstly discusses the concepts and methods of designing problem solving oriented ITS, and then develops the current iTutor based on the extended model of ITS. At last, the research adopts a quasi-experimental design to investigate the effectiveness of iTutor in skills acquisition. The results indicate that students in iTutor group experience better learning effectiveness than those in the control group. iTutor is found to be effective in improving the learning effectiveness of students with low-level prior knowledge.     

The values of college students in business simulation game: A means-end chain approach

Business simulation games (BSGs) enable students to practice making decisions in a virtual environment, accumulate experience in application of strategies, and train themselves in modes of decision-making. This study examines the value sought by players of BSG. In this study, a means-end chain (MEC) model was adopted as the basis, and ladder method soft laddering was used to conduct in-depth interviews with students who had experience in using BSGs. The chain concept of “attribute-consequence-value” was used to understand students’ value cognition structures. Content analysis was used to analyze the attributes-consequences-values for BSGs players, then converted into a Hierarchical Value Map (HVM). The results showed that students consider teamwork and market diversity as the most important attributes, and the consequences of a cooperative approach and market diversity are emotional exchange and multi-thinking, with the ultimate value brought to users by exchanges between teams and constant thinking being interpersonal relationships and a sense of accomplishment.     

The use of ICT to support the development of practical music skills through acquiring keyboard skills: a classroom based study

This paper concerns the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in music classrooms, with the focus on the secondary school music curriculum in the United Kingdom. In particular, it reports on a study of learners in a UK school using software designed to support practical music skills. The paper begins by briefly raising and summarising some key issues for the use of ICT in the UK music curriculum arising from current research and practice in music education. In this context the study is described, which was carried out in a British secondary school with 36 pupils in year 8 (aged ≈13). This study investigated whether a commercial CD-ROM entitled Teach Me Piano Deluxe, which was designed to teach music practical skills was able to support pupils’ acquisition of music keyboard skills.The results showed that there was a significant improvement in reading music (staff) notation and rhythm skills. The study suggests that this is one of the ways in which ICT may be useful for learning practical music skills in the music classrooms. Such potential improvement in practical skills may, in turn, enable pupils to approach music-based activities such as: composing, performing or listening in the classrooms, with greater confidence, a deeper level of understanding, and appreciation.     

Integration into mathematics classrooms of an adaptive and intelligent individualized e-learning environment: Implementation and evaluation of UZWEBMAT

The purpose of this study is to design an adaptive and intelligent individualized e-learning environment based on learning style and expert system named UZWEBMAT and to evaluate its effects on students’ learning of the unit of probability. In the study, initially, learning objects were prepared in three different ways in relation to Visual–Auditory–Kinesthetic (VAK) learning style for each subject of the probability unit. These were appropriate for secondary school mathematics curricula. Then, they were transferred into the digital environment. Each student may follow a different course, and the solution supports s/he will get may also differ highlighting the individual learning. The sample of the study consists of 81 10th grade students from two high schools in Trabzon, Turkey. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected from students to answer research questions. Quantitative data were given as frequency distribution and percentages. Qualitative data were analyzed using qualitative data analysis methods. Results of the study indicated that opinions regarding UZWEBMAT are rather positive. Aiming at individual learning, UZWEBMAT provides the most appropriate environment for students. In addition, UZWEBMAT can be used as well to reinforce traditional classroom education.     

Using a hybrid rule-based approach in developing an intelligent tutoring system with knowledge acquisition and update capabilities

In this paper, we present the architecture and describe the functionality of an Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS), which uses an expert system to make decisions during the teaching process. The expert system uses neurules for knowledge representation of the pedagogical knowledge. Neurules are a type of hybrid rules integrating symbolic rules with neurocomputing. The expert system consists of three components: the user modelling unit, the pedagogical unit and the inference system. The pedagogical knowledge is distributed in a number of neurule bases within the user modelling and the pedagogical unit. Another important component of the ITS, for both its development and maintenance, is its knowledge management unit, which provides knowledge acquisition and knowledge update capabilities to the system, that is, offers expert knowledge authoring capabilities to the system.     

Enhanced recognition of written words and enjoyment of reading in struggling beginner readers through whole-word multimedia software

The effectiveness of a reading intervention using the whole-word multimedia software ‘Oxford Reading Tree (ORT) for Clicker’ was compared to a reading intervention using traditional ORT Big Books. Developing literacy skills and attitudes towards learning to read were assessed in a group of 17 struggling beginner readers aged 5–6 years. Each child was given each of the two interventions, and the order of intervention was counterbalanced across the group. Each intervention was integrated into the literacy hour over five consecutive days. Measures of written word recognition, written word naming, phonological awareness and attitudes towards computers were taken before and after each intervention. Significant gains in performance were found following both interventions for all of the literacy measures, but significantly greater gains in written word recognition and enjoyment of instruction were found following the Clicker than Big Book intervention. These results suggest that whole-word multimedia software could be a useful classroom aid for supporting early literacy skills in children who are struggling with learning to read.     

Let us read together: Development and evaluation of a computer-assisted reciprocal early English reading system

This study attempts to implement a cooperative reading environment for EFL early reading using a mobile-device-supported computer-assisted reciprocal early English reading (CAREER) system, and to evaluate its effect on the early reading skills and learning behaviors of elementary EFL learners. The design rationale of CAREER is based on the three essential components of effective reading instructions: balanced reading structure, immediate and specific feedback, and reciprocal learning scenario. Analytical results indicate that the CAREER system reduces the problems experienced by students in a conventional cooperative learning environment and effectively helps elementary EFL learners orchestrate their learning while completing individual reading tasks and pursuing group goals. The results also demonstrate that CAREER appears to be able to benefit elementary EFL learners in developing reading skills. In sum, with the support of CAREER, the early reading skills of elementary students are benefited by cooperating with each other.     

Audio-visual training in children with reading disabilities

This study tested the effectiveness of audio-visual training in the discrimination of the phonetic feature of voicing on the recognition of written words by young children deemed to at risk of dyslexia (experiment 1) as well as on dyslexic children’s phonological skills (experiment 2). In addition, the third experiment studied the effectiveness of this word recognition training in dyslexic children who regularly used a computer at home. A traditional pre-test, training, post-test design including comparison groups (experimental vs. control) provided a base-line for assessing the training effects. In the three experiments the intervention group showed higher increases performances in phonological skills and phonological recoding than the control group did. Beyond providing evidence for the effectiveness of this audio-visual training, these results contribute to an understanding of the nature of reading difficulties and successful training. Globally, the results show the impact of the audio-visual training about voicing on performances of reading-disabled children. A such type of training leads children to connect print and phonology. Phonological representations could be specified by training which involves both phonological and orthographic units. The mapping between these two units could be easier in a computerized remedial program.     

Antecedences to continued intentions of adopting e-learning system in blended learning instruction: A contingency framework based on models of information system success and task-technology fit

The objective of this study is to propose a research framework that investigates the relation between perceived fit and system factors that can motivate learners in continuing utilizing an e-learning system in blended learning instruction. As learners have the face-to-face learning opportunity in interacting with lecturers, the study aims at investigating the critical features the e-learning system can provide in assisting learning. Both quantitative (survey) and qualitative (focus group interview) methods are applied in this paper. Results reveal that the information quality and task-technology fit influence the confirmation of system acceptance. Perceived usefulness and system satisfaction have major impacts on continuance intentions. Notions from contingency theory are used to interpret these findings.     

The implementation and evaluation of a mobile self- and peer-assessment system

Recently, more and more researchers have been exploring uses of mobile technology that support new instructional strategies. Based on research findings related to peer and self assessment, this study developed a Mobile Assessment Participation System (MAPS) using Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) as the platform. In addition, the study proposes an implementation model of the MAPS that should facilitate the effectiveness of self- and peer-assessment in classrooms. The researcher argues that teachers and students can benefit from MAPS in various regards including more flexible assessment arrangement, more efficient use of time, and more opportunities for student reflection on learning and assessment. Thirty-seven students taking teacher-education courses with the researcher participated in this study, and these students employed the MAPS to conduct two-round assessment activities that would help these students assess both their own and one another’s final projects. Both the students’ valid responses in a survey herein and scores obtained from the assessment activities confirmed the benefits of the MAPS and its implementation model. Yet, the students voiced such concerns as the objectivity of peer-assessment and the difficulty of providing constructive feedback, and the correlation analysis indicated a lack of consistency between teacher-grading and student-grading.     

Designing an adaptive web-based learning system based on students’ cognitive styles identified online

This study developed an adaptive web-based learning system focusing on students’ cognitive styles. The system is composed of a student model and an adaptation model. It collected students’ browsing behaviors to update the student model for unobtrusively identifying student cognitive styles through a multi-layer feed-forward neural network (MLFF). The MLFF was adopted because of its ability on imprecise or incompletely understood data, ability to generalize and learn from specific examples, ability to be quickly updated with extra parameters, and speed in execution making them ideal for real time applications. The system then adaptively recommended learning content presented with a variety of content and interactive components through the adaptation model based on the student cognitive style identified in the student model. The adaptive web interfaces were designed by investigating the relationships between students’ cognitive styles and browsing patterns of content and interactive components. Training of the MLFF and an experiment were conducted to examine the accuracy of identifying students’ cognitive styles during browsing with the proposed MLFF and the impact of the proposed adaptive web-based system on students’ engagement in learning. The training results of the MLFF showed that the proposed system could identify students’ cognitive styles with high accuracy and the temporal effects should be considered while identifying students’ cognitive styles during browsing. Two factors, the acknowledgment of students’ cognitive styles while browsing and the existence of adaptive web interfaces, were used to assign three classes of college freshmen into three groups. The experimental results revealed that the proposed system could have significant impacts on temporal effects on students’ engagement in learning, not only for students with cognitive styles known before browsing, but also for students with cognitive styles identified during browsing. The results provide evidence of the effectiveness of the adaptive web-based learning system with students’ cognitive styles dynamically identified during browsing, thus validating the research purposes of this study.     

Performing a course material enhancement process with asynchronous interactive online system

Online systems have come to be heavily used in education, particularly for online learning and collecting information not otherwise readily available. Most e-learning systems, including interactive learning systems, have been designed to “push” course materials to students but rarely to “collect” or “pull” ideas from them. The interactive mechanisms in proposed instructional design models, however, prevent many potential designers from improving course quality, even though some believe that the learning experience and the comments of students are important for enhancing course materials. As well, students could actually contribute to instructional design.This paper presents a course material enhancement process that elicits ideas from students by encouraging students to modify course materials. This process had been tested on different higher education programs, both graduate and undergraduate. It aims to understand which programs’ students have a higher willingness to participate in this work and if they can benefit from this process. To facilitate this research, an asynchronous interaction system, teacher digital assistant (TDA), was designed for teachers to receive responses, recommendations, and modified materials from students at any time. The major advantage of this process is that it could embed students’ thoughts into the course material to improve the curriculum, which can benefit future students.     

A computer game as a context for non-routine mathematical problem solving: The effects of type of question prompt and level of prior knowledge

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of type of question prompt and level of prior knowledge on non-routine mathematical problem solving. A computer game was blended within the pattern reasoning tasks, along with question prompts, in order to demonstrate and enhance the connections between viable problem-solving strategies and the content knowledge in a visible manner. Seventy-eight 9th graders from two classes in a public junior high school participated in the 6-week experimental instruction. Participants were randomly assigned to the specific-prompt group and the general-prompt group to receive the one-hour weekly treatment. The results revealed that (a) the interaction of question prompts and prior knowledge was not significant, and (b) for the problem-solving performances, the specific-prompt group outperformed the general-prompt group and the high prior-knowledge group outperformed the low prior-knowledge group. Further, students receiving specific prompts outperformed those receiving general prompts in the problem-solving performance: reasoning for two variables. Students with high prior knowledge outperformed those with low prior knowledge in the two problem-solving performances: reasoning for one variable and reasoning for two variables. It was also found that prior knowledge and comprehensive mathematical ability were important predictors for the two problem-solving performances: reasoning for one variable and reasoning for two variables. However question prompts and mathematics attitude were not significant predictors for predicting the problem-solving performance of reasoning for one variable. Lastly, implications for these results and recommendations for future research were discussed.     

Collaborative knowledge construction in the web supported by the KnowCat system

This paper presents a research study carried out to support and structure virtual interaction among university students that may trigger collaborative knowledge construction in the Web, supported by a CSCL system called KnowCat. Three characteristics of the KnowCat system are relevant to our educational purpose: firstly, students can share and consult their documents, enabling them to find out how their classmates have accomplished a specific task; secondly, students can express their opinion about any document in the system. These opinions have been used in our study as explicit assistance, or scaffold, which one student gives another in order to improve his/her work. Thirdly, the KnowCat system supports students with coordinating their perspectives on specific knowledge through a mechanism called Knowledge Crystallisation, which organises community knowledge as a result of their participants’ interactions.     

Use of instructional technology to improve teacher candidate knowledge of vocabulary instruction

Teacher educators play an influential role in the chain of improvement needed to address gaps in vocabulary knowledge and performance for some children. If created in careful accordance to design principles, multimedia can serve as a tool to improve preservice teacher knowledge in this domain. The present experimental study investigated a multimedia-based intervention, which pairs a modeling video with a Content Acquisition Podcast (i.e., video plus CAP), to teach preservice teachers (n = 101) about an effective vocabulary intervention for students at risk for or with learning disabilities. Preservice teachers were randomly assigned to either watch a video plus CAP or read a practitioner-friendly reading on vocabulary instruction. Those who watched the video plus CAP significantly outperformed the comparison group on a posttest and maintenance test of knowledge.     

Ontology based approach to Bayesian student model design

Probabilistic student model based on Bayesian network enables making conclusions about the state of student’s knowledge and further learning and teaching process depends on these conclusions. To implement the Bayesian network into a student model, it is necessary to determine “a priori” probability of the root nodes, as well as, the conditional probabilities of all other nodes. In our approach, we enable non-empirical mathematical determination of conditional probabilities, while “a priory” probabilities are empirically determined based on the knowledge test results. The concepts that are believed to have been learned or not learned represent the evidence. Based on the evidence, it is concluded which concepts need to be re-learned, and which not. The study described in this paper has examined 15 ontologically based Bayesian student models. In each model, special attention has been devoted to defining “a priori” probabilities, conditional probabilities and the way the evidences are set in order to test the successfulness of student knowledge prediction. Finally, the obtained results are analyzed and the guidelines for ontology based Bayesian student model design are presented.     

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.     

Investigating the impact of an integrated approach to the development of preservice teachers' technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK)

The purpose of this study is to describe an integrated pedagogical approach, aimed at advancing preservice teachers' learning on the use of technology and investigate its impact on participants' knowledge (i.e., TPACK) and practice. The integrated approach juxtaposes an educational technology course with methods courses and field experience through careful instructional design. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected. Quantitative data were collected through a pre-post administration of the Survey of Preservice Teachers' Knowledge of Teaching and Technology. Qualitative data were collected through open-ended survey responses and preservice teacher case narratives reporting on the design and implementation of technology-integrated lessons in a field placement. Finding revealed that participants experienced significant gains in all TPACK constructs. Further, findings indicated that participants applied their knowledge in practice though there was variability in the ways in which knowledge domains were represented in participants' narratives. Findings have implications for teacher education programs and for researchers interested in the development and assessment of preservice teacher knowledge of teaching with technology.