Guiding the use of collective feedback displayed on heatmaps to reduce group conformity and improve learning in Peer Instruction

Peer Instruction is an active learning method widely used in higher education, whereby students answer a series of questions twice, once before and once after peer discussion. There is an ongoing debate as to whether a collective feedback should be given after the students' initial answer, and if so, how the frequently observed group conformity can be avoided. This study examined whether guiding on the use of this feedback can reduce group conformity and improve learning using an interactive learning environment to administer a new type of quiz using graphics, and delivering collective feedback to the whole class in a novel heatmap format. In the experimental group, the teacher told the students that the answer indicated by the heatmap was not necessarily the correct one; this information was not given to students in the control group. Results revealed that guided students were less likely to adopt the (incorrect) majority answer than the non-guided students, and consequently, they were more likely to improve their learning by reaching an agreement about the correct answer through discussion with their peers. These findings suggest that guiding students in their use of collective feedback may have a crucial role in Peer Instruction.     

Effects of the ARCS-V-based motivational strategies on online learners' academic performance,motivation, volition,and course interest

This exploratory experimental study investigates the impact of motivational strategies based on the Attention, Relevance, Confidence, Satisfaction, and Volition (ARCS-V) model on online learners' academic performance, motivation, volition, and course interest. The research was conducted over an 11-week semester with 122 undergraduate online learners within two groups. One group received a traditional e-course, while the other group was offered the course with extra motivational strategies derived from the ARCS-V model. The results revealed that the group who used motivational strategies showed significantly higher gains in motivation, academic performance, and course interest scores. However, there were no significant differences between the groups regarding the volition. Furthermore, the motivation and interest variables were measured with Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction subscales of the ARCS-V model. In terms of interest variable, there was only a statistically significant difference on the Attention subscale. Regarding motivation variable, the results also showed a statistically significant difference on the attention, confidence, and satisfaction subsections of the ARCS-V model. The findings of the present study offer insights into ARCSV model-based research by examining the effects of the model as a valid and reliable framework for online learning environments. The implications and directions for future research are then discussed.     

An efficient iconic indexing strategy for image rotation and reflection in image databases

Spatial relationships are important issues for similarity-based retrieval in many image database applications. With the popularity of digital cameras and the related image processing software, a sequence of images are often rotated or flipped. That is, those images are transformed in the rotation orientation or the reflection direction. However, many iconic indexing strategies based on symbolic projection are sensitive to rotation or reflection. Therefore, these strategies may miss the qualified images, when the query is issued in the orientation different from the orientation of the database images. To solve this problem, some researchers proposed a function to map the spatial relationship to its transformed one. However, this mapping consists of several conditional statements, which is time-consuming. Thus, in this paper, we propose an efficient iconic indexing strategy, in which we carefully assign a unique bit pattern to each spatial relationship and record the spatial information based on the bit patterns in a matrix. Without generating the rotated or flipped image, we can directly derive the index of the rotated or flipped image from the index of the original one by bit operations and matrix manipulation. In our performance study, we analyze the time complexity of our proposed strategy and show the efficiency of our proposed strategy according to the simulation results. Moreover, we implement a prototype to validate our proposed strategy.     

在线投资组合选择的半指数梯度策略及实证分析

针对传统投资组合策略的高频资产配置调整产生高额交易成本从而导致最终收益不佳这一问题，提出基于机器学习与在线学习理论的半指数梯度投资组合（SEG）策略。该策略对投资期进行划分，通过控制投资期内的交易量来降低交易成本。首先，基于仅在每段分割的初始期调整投资组合而其余时间不进行交易这一投资方式来建立SEG策略模型，并结合收益损失构造目标函数；其次，利用因子图算法求解投资组合迭代更新的闭式解，并证明该策略累积资产收益的损失上界，从理论上保证算法的收益性能。在纽约交易所等多个数据集上进行的仿真实验表明，该策略在交易成本存在时仍然能够保持较高的收益，证实了该策略对于交易成本的不敏感性。     

Effects of an online learning community on active and reflective learners’ learning performance and attitudes in a face-to-face undergraduate course

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of an Online Learning Community (OLC) on active and reflective learners’ learning performance and attitude in a face-to-face undergraduate digital design course. 814 freshmen in an introductory digital design course were randomly assigned to one of two treatments: one offered students an OLC, which required students to discuss their assignments and readings online and participate in certain online learning activities; the other one did not offer the OLC (NC: no online learning community), but required involving students in face-to-face discussion. Individual students’ learning styles were measured using Felder and Solomon’s Index of Learning Styles Questionnaire. Results indicated that both active and reflective learners in the OLC intervention performed significantly better than those who were in the NC intervention. Results also indicated that active learners performed significantly better than reflective learners in the NC intervention; however, reflective learners performed significantly better than active learners in the OLC intervention. No significant difference between active and reflective learners’ attitudes was found. These findings indicated that OLC might be an effective means for improving both active and reflective learners’ learning performance and attitudes; however, its effects on active learners might not be as great as on reflective learners.     

Students' engagement characteristics predict success and completion of online courses

This study examined students' engagement characteristics in online courses and their impact on academic achievements, trying to distinguish between course completers and noncompleters. Moreover, this research is intended to differentiate between those who pass the final exam and those who do not. Four online courses were examined with a similar pedagogical model (N_students = 646) using learning analytics methods. The results revealed significant differences between students who completed the courses and students who did not, in all 13 variables. Completers' learning activities were more than twice as high, except for writing in the forums. Course subject and ongoing task and assignment submissions predicted course completion, whereas, in addition to these variables, engagement with course materials and reading the forums predicted final exam success, as well. Thus, the prediction of success in final exam emphasized the significant importance of engagement in various activities in the online course.     

Effects of teaching and learning styles on students’ reflection levels for ubiquitous learning

Ubiquitous learning (u-learning), in conjunction with supports from the digital world, is recognized as an effective approach for situating students in real-world learning environments. Earlier studies concerning u-learning have mainly focused on investigating the learning attitudes and learning achievements of students, while the causations such as learning style and teaching style were usually ignored. This study aims to investigate the effects of teaching styles and learning styles on reflection levels of students within the context of u-learning. In particular, we investigated the teaching styles at the dimensions of brainstorming and instruction and recall and the learning styles at the dimensions of active and reflective learning. The experiment was conducted with 39 fifth grader students at an elementary school in southern Taiwan. A u-learning environment was established at a butterfly ecology garden to conduct experiments for natural science courses. The experimental results of one-way ANCOVA show that those students who received a matching teaching–learning style presented a significant improvement in their reflection level. That is, matching the learning styles of students with the appropriate teaching styles can significantly improve students’ reflection levels in a u-learning environment.     

University students' attainment and perceptions of computer delivered assessment; a comparison between computer‐based and traditional tests in a ‘high‐stakes’ examination

This study compared higher education dental undergraduate student performance in online assessments with performance in traditional paper‐based tests and investigated students' perceptions of the fairness and acceptability of online tests, and showed performance to be comparable. The project design involved two parallel cross‐over trials, one in Year 3 (n = 132) of the dental curriculum, one in Year 5 (n = 134). A total of 266 students undertook related tests of the same knowledge base in both online and traditional paper formats. Order of presentation of the test form was randomized. One hundred and thirty‐two students in Year 3 additionally completed questions concerning their perceptions of the acceptability and fairness of the online examination process. Focus group discussions were held with groups of students (n = 30) from both Year 3 and 5 to explore their perceptions of the online format. The online tests were created using the commercial software package MaxExam (Bristol, UK). The results were analysed using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) with the order of presentation being entered as a variable in the analysis. The results of the study showed that for both Years 3 and 5 students there was a high degree of consistency in performance between the two versions of the tests, although a minority of students performed better in the online version of the test. Over 70% of students rated the online test as acceptable, and 90% felt that the online format did not disadvantage them even in a ‘high‐stakes’ situation. From these results, we conclude that online assessment does not confer any disadvantage to students. Students perceive such assessment to be both fair and acceptable, and to have some advantages over the traditional paper‐based methods of assessment.     

Critical issues for e‐learning delivery: what may seem obvious is not always put into practice

Abstract The successful adoption of information and communication technology to enhance learning can be very challenging, requiring a complex blend of technological, pedagogical and organizational components, which may at times require the resolution of contradictory demands and conflicting needs. The research reported in this paper investigated and analysed critical success factors (CSFs) that are required to deliver e‐learning within higher education (HE) courses and programmes. The research design adopted a critical research approach, instantiated by focus group discussions with e‐learning experts drawn from administrative, educational, technology and research domains. The findings revealed that staffing issues, pedagogically sound delivery models and training of both tutors and students cannot be treated as trivial issues and are critical to the success of e‐learning. Furthermore, this research also shows that there is a strong relationship between these factors and inspirational institutional leadership. The findings also suggest that in order to assure the success of e‐learning, this leadership should guarantee the presence of institutional enablers. It is hoped that the CSFs, described and discussed in depth in this paper, will provide a suitable theoretical foundation to underpin the successful delivery of e‐learning within HE.     

The questionable promise of social media for education: connective learning and the commercial imperative

Facebook and other social media have been hailed as delivering the promise of new, socially engaged educational experiences for students in undergraduate, self‐directed, and other educational sectors. A theoretical and historical analysis of these media in the light of earlier media transformations, however, helps to situate and qualify this promise. Specifically, the analysis of dominant social media presented here questions whether social media platforms satisfy a crucial component of learning – fostering the capacity for debate and disagreement. By using the analytical frame of media theorist Raymond Williams, with its emphasis on the influence of advertising in the content and form of television, we weigh the conditions of dominant social networking sites as constraints for debate and therefore learning. Accordingly, we propose an update to Williams' erudite work that is in keeping with our findings. Williams' critique focuses on the structural characteristics of sequence, rhythm, and flow of television as a cultural form. Our critique proposes the terms information design, architecture, and above all algorithm, as structural characteristics that similarly apply to the related but contemporary cultural form of social networking services. Illustrating the ongoing salience of media theory and history for research in e‐learning, the article updates Williams' work while leveraging it in a critical discussion of the suitability of commercial social media for education.     

学习分析技术下的高职扩招学生在线课程深度学习诊断与干预研究

Learning analysis technology is a new technology widely used to promote learning. It can perform quantitative structuralanalysis on learning data, combine artificial intelligence, expert system and teacher system structure, build a bridge between the datastructure and meaning understanding, enrich the application of data information, and effectively carry out analysis and understand-ing. This article firstly describes the connotations, connections, and characteristics of learning analysis technology and deep learn-ing; then puts forward the exploration and research on deep learning strategies for higher vocational expansion students under thebackground of learning analysis technology and combining deep learning related theories.     

依托行业,突出专业特色,共谋计算机教育发展之路——高职计算机专业发展战略研究

高职学院计算机专业在高校扩招形成的热潮过后,如何发展至关重要。文章提出了各学校应该结合自身特点和优势,加强与相关行业结合,借传统行业信息化改造之机,开设具有计算机技术与行业技能结合的复合型专业的思路。并以计算机网络技术与煤炭行业结合为例,研究了如何依托行业办专业,实施工学结合人才培养模式,构建具有行业特色的课程体系。     

Leaderboards in a virtual classroom: A test of stereotype threat and social comparison explanations for women's math performance

Gamification includes the use of gaming features, such as points or leaderboards, in non-gaming contexts, and is a frequently-discussed trend in education. One way of gamifying the classroom is to introduce leaderboards. Leaderboards allow students to see how they are performing relative to others in the same class. Little empirical research has investigated the impact of leaderboards on academic performance. In this study, 80 female undergraduates took a math test in a virtual representation of a classroom after being exposed to one of three leaderboard conditions: a leaderboard where men held the majority of the top positions, a leaderboard where women held the majority of top positions, and a no leaderboard condition. Participants in the female majority leaderboard condition performed more poorly on the math test than those in the male leaderboard condition, yet demonstrated a higher level of academic identification than those in the male and control conditions. The authors conclude with a discussion of the implications that this study's findings may have for the use of leaderboards within educational environments.