The development of a formative scenario-based computer assisted assessment tool in psychology for teachers: The PePCAA project

Formative computer assisted assessment has become increasingly attractive in Higher Education where providing useful feedback to large numbers of students can be difficult. However, the nature of such assessments has often been limited to objective questions such as multiple-choice. This paper reports on the development and initial trialling of a more innovative, formative use of computer assisted assessment in a Higher Education context. The European funded PePCAA (Pedagogical Psychology Computer Assisted Assessment) project developed a series of scenario-based computer-delivered formative assessments of pedagogical psychology for teachers and trainee teachers, using a range of software features, including the addition of confidence measurement. The project had a two-fold aim: to provide a tool to improve understanding of pedagogical psychology and to explore the potential of more innovative techniques of computer assisted assessment to motivate students and to assess deeper learning. The combination of computer-delivered formative assessment with innovative question styles and confidence ratings is believed to be unique for pedagogical psychology. Scenarios were based on realistic classroom situations and focused on problem solving or on utilising best practice. The PePCAA Learning Assessment Circle (PLAC) provided a framework for indexing the kinds of processes required of users. In the UK, small scale trialling involved a total of 23 teacher trainees such that each assessment was attempted by about seven participants. Participants completed evaluation questionnaires after each assessment. Responses from learners indicated that the UK scenarios were generally very well received and had at least partly achieved the aim of stimulating deeper learning. Transfer of assessments between countries proved more difficult than expected. The next stage of development should be to conduct a larger pilot, thus allowing full investigation of the reliability and validity of the assessments. There is also scope for further development of the PePCAA approach and for its application in other subjects.     

From access to usage: The divide of self-reported digital skills among adolescents

Based on the PISA data in 2003 and 2006, this paper develops a hierarchical linear model to identify multi-level explanatory variables of the divide of adolescents’ self-reported digital skills. At the country-level, the study finds a generally negative relationship between the ICT penetration rate of a country and adolescents’ digital skills, implying that increased ICT penetration rate does not guarantee that adolescents have more chance to learn and use ICTs. Educational expenditure on secondary education is positively related to digital skills in 2006, but not in 2003. At the school-level, whether the school is public or private does not elicit impact on adolescents’ self-reported digital skills; school ICT access is positively related to students’ self-reported digital skills. At the individual-level, self-reported digital skills is affected by home ICT access, adolescents’ Socio-Economic Status, gender and their history of using ICTs. The cross-level interaction effect of ICT penetration rate and home ICT access on self-reported digital skills is significant in the 2003 model, but not significant in the 2006 model. The cross-level interaction effect of ICT penetration rate and school ICT access is significant in the 2006 model. The interaction effect of school ICT access and home ICT access is not supported by the dataset of either year.     

Exploring the relationship between Internet ethics in university students and the big five model of personality

The widespread use of the Internet and the convenient mechanism it provides, such as easy access, easy downloads, and easy copy and paste functions have made many types of unethical behaviors easier, particularly those involving students in academic settings. Among the issues in ethics within the academic environment that can be triggered by the Internet are fraudulence, plagiarism, falsification, delinquency, unauthorized help, and facility misuse. Given these issues, the study seeks to investigate the extent to which students at a public university in Malaysia engage in such unethical behavior and their relationship with the big five personality model. This study was conducted using a survey method of 252 students in three different academic faculties. The results of factor analyses confirm and refine the reliability of the scales for both big five personality variables and unethical Internet behaviors as conceptualized through Internet triggered academic dishonesty (ITADS). The findings indicate that personality traits such as (1) agreeableness, (2) conscientiousness and (3) emotional stability are significantly and negatively correlated with unethical Internet behavior in university students. Significant differences in facility misuse are also observed between the three academic faculties investigated. This research should provide significant contributions to educators in designing the computer ethics curriculum and in allowing for educational institutions as well as other organizations in developing relevant policies and guidelines on matters pertaining to academic conduct, utilization of computers and Internet, and recruitment exercises.     

Exploring students’ learning experience in an international online research seminar in the Synchronous Cyber Classroom

The development of computer-mediated communication enables teaching and learning to take place across geographical boundaries. An online synchronous learning environment with cyber face-to-face features affords students the sense of learning together online. This study reports a novel design of organizing a 16-week seminar for doctoral students across Canada, Italy, New Zealand, and Taiwan in the Synchronous Cyber Classroom, an online synchronous learning environment. Students’ learning experiences were explored from the perspective of students’ interactions with students, instructors, and the content, based on which the perception of being in a learning community was formed. This article reports how this international online research seminar was organized, how students’ learning experience was analyzed, and what we learned about students’ learning in this international online research seminar.     

The implications of cross-regional differences for the design of In-vehicle Information Systems: a comparison of Australian and Chinese drivers

The increasing global distribution of automobiles necessitates that the design of In-vehicle Information Systems (IVIS) is appropriate for the regions to which they are being exported. Differences between regions such as culture, environment and traffic context can influence the needs, usability and acceptance of IVIS. This paper describes two studies aimed at identifying regional differences in IVIS design needs and preferences across drivers from Australia and China to determine the impact of any differences on IVIS design. Using a questionnaire and interaction clinics, the influence of cultural values and driving patterns on drivers' preferences for, and comprehension of, surface- and interaction-level aspects of IVIS interfaces was explored. Similarities and differences were found between the two regional groups in terms of preferences for IVIS input control types and labels and in the comprehension of IVIS functions. Specifically, Chinese drivers preferred symbols and Chinese characters over English words and were less successful (compared to Australians) at comprehending English abbreviations, particularly for complex IVIS functions. Implications in terms of the current trend to introduce Western-styled interfaces into other regions with little or no adaptation are discussed.     

Child–robot interaction across cultures: How does playing a game with a social robot compare to playing a game alone or with a friend?

The present study investigates how children from two different cultural backgrounds (Pakistani, Dutch) and two different age groups (8 and 12 year olds) experience interacting with a social robot (iCat) during collaborative game play. We propose a new method to evaluate children’s interaction with such a robot, by asking whether playing a game with a state-of-the-art social robot like the iCat is more similar to playing this game alone or with a friend. A combination of self-report scores, perception test results and behavioral analyses indicate that child–robot interaction in game playing situations is highly appreciated by children, although more by Pakistani and younger children than by Dutch and older children. Results also suggest that children enjoyed playing with the robot more than playing alone, but enjoyed playing with a friend even more. In a similar vein, we found that children were more expressive in their non-verbal behavior when playing with the robot than when they were playing alone, but less expressive than when playing with a friend. Our results not only stress the importance of using new benchmarks for evaluating child–robot interaction but also highlight the significance of cultural differences for the design of social robots.     

Consumer segmentation based on situational appropriateness ratings: Partial replication and extension

Perceived situational appropriateness crucially informs decisions about what to eat and drink, and this contextual-cognitive factor of food choice helps to understand why in certain situations, despite high acceptability, a non-consumption decision is made. Being shaped primarily by accumulated experience and familiarity, appropriateness is influenced by culture, but inter-individual variability within populations also exists. Consumer segmentation based on appropriateness ratings was recently reported in work with Australian consumers, with segment differences relating to how adaptive or conforming consumers’ perceptions were of appropriateness for a range of foods and beverages (F&B) for use in daily main eating occasions [Jaeger et al.; Fd. Qual. Pref., 2019, e103701]. Believing in the strength and value of cumulative evidence, the present research was informed by the broad paradigm of replication and extension. This directed that empirical execution, data analysis and reporting strategy directly and extensively defined this work. In two studies with consumers from Denmark (n = 780) and New Zealand (NZ, n = 448), partial replication was achieved for situationally Adaptive and Conforming consumer segments in regard to breakfast, lunch and dinner (morning, midday and evening meals, respectively). Extending to three different eating occasions in NZ, partial replication of Adaptive and Conforming consumer segments was obtained. It appeared that these segments exist for some but not all eating occasions and that cultural differences are also at play. The present research also replicated the relationship between perceived appropriateness and F&B liking/disliking, whereby liked products can be both appropriate and inappropriate, depending on the eating occasions. Consumer segments based on appropriateness ratings had similar profiles, which also replicated Jaeger et al. (2019).     

Reusable,lifelike virtual humans for mentoring and role-playing

Lifelike, interactive digital characters, serving as mentors and role-playing actors, have been shown to significantly improve learner motivation and retention. However, the cost of modeling such characters, authoring and editing their interactions, and delivering them over limited-bandwidth connections can be prohibitive. This paper describes a framework, authoring tools, and Web-based run-time environment that support the creation of training scenarios using digital virtual humans and other reusable 3D components. By conforming to the Humanoid Animation (H-Anim), Extensible 3D, and ADL Shareable Content Object Reference Model specifications, these 3D components are designed to promote reuse and interoperability at several levels. Recently, these software tools were used to develop prototype lessons in foreign language and cultural familiarization for use at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center. These lessons include simulations in which the student, taking the role of a US soldier, interacts with the local population of a foreign culture in authentic situations, using both English and the local dialect. Digital virtual humans are used to represent not only the soldier, and the role-playing actors; but also a mentor who reviews language and cultural learning points, and provides remediation. Using these prototype lessons as examples, we review the potential advantages of the technology in other training applications.     

Intention to purchase on social commerce websites across cultures: A cross-regional study

This study investigates the moderating effect of culture and the mediating effect of trust in a social network community on the relationship between social interactions and purchase intention. Trust transference theory, social interactions, and Hofstede's cultural dimensions are considered. The findings from the research support the moderating effect of culture and the mediating role of trust in a social network community on the relationship between social interactions (in terms of closeness and familiarity) and intention to purchase in social commerce environments. In addition, the mediating effect of trust in a social network community is conditional on culture. The findings also suggest that trust in a social network community may be attributed to the closeness and familiarity developed among its members resulting from social interactions. The results presented herein are in line with the trust transference theory. The empirical study results also suggest that social commerce market penetration in East Asia may have relatively fewer barriers to overcome and be more likely to succeed than in the Latin America region.     

What do they say about “Friends”? A cross-cultural study on Internet discussion forum

This exploratory study is to analyze the communication differences among viewers of US TV program Friends on Internet discussion forum in the US, Japan, and Taiwan. It intends to establish whether exposure to foreign TV could lead to similar communication content in the context of the virtual community between exporting and importing societies. Content analysis was used in this cross-cultural study, with the aim of understanding the ways in which dialogues posted on various discussion forums differed among the United States, Japan, and Taiwan. The results of this exploratory study support the notion that the process of cultural value influence is more complex than cultural imperialism advocates propose. Audiences respond actively rather than passively to foreign TV programs. Prior information structure of the audience is affecting the interpretation of subsequent information.