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Background: Research on cognitive effects of educational games in general shows promising results. However, there are large variations in learning outcomes between individual educational games. Research on the design process and different design elements of educational games has led to some interesting directions, but some design aspects remain unclear. Objectives: We examined how an educational game designed on the basis of intrinsic integration theory, based on a strong alignment between game and learning goals, supports the learning of Newtonian mechanics. Methods: This study applied a mixed‐methods approach (N = 223). A pre‐ and post‐test design was used to examine possible learning and transfer effects fostered by playing the educational game, Newton's Race. To examine how players played the game, log data for each player were digitally recorded during gameplay. Results and Conclusions: Our findings demonstrated a significant positive learning effect of Newton's Race (p = 0.003, d = 0.201). This can be explained through the acquired log data. Log data show that players' gameplay mostly matched expected learning during the game, with physically correct game settings occurring more and more as gameplay progressed. The ability to transfer learned knowledge to other situations was shown to be limited to situations closely resembling the game environment. Implications: Similarly, designed intrinsically integrated games on different (physics) subjects could also foster learning in a relative short time. To foster transfer to other situations we propose embedding the game within other instructional activities. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic?: Research on cognitive effects of educational games in general shows promising results.There are large variations in learning outcomes between individual educational games.Some design aspects remain unclear on the design process and different design elements of educational games.Attempting to integrate learning with gameplay, without affecting the enjoyability of the game, is not easily achieved. What this paper adds?: The current study fits within the research body that emphasizes the importance of aligning gameplay with learning in educational games (i.e., intrinsic integration).Evidence for intrinsic integration as a key element in the design process, found by examining players' log data.A better understanding of how an intrinsically integrated game supports the learning of Newtonian mechanics. Implications for practice and/or policy: Similarly, designed intrinsically integrated games on different (physics) subjects could also foster learning in a relative short time.To foster transfer to other situations we propose embedding the game within other instructional activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Online and blended learning need an appropriate assessment strategy which ensures academic integrity. During the pandemic, many universities have chosen for online proctoring. Although some earlier examples suggest that online proctoring may reduce cheating, the potential side‐effects of proctoring are largely unknown. Objectives: Therefore, this study aims to identify the effects of proctoring on students' self‐reported temptation to cheat and potentially undesirable side‐effects, including test anxiety, perceived exam difficulty, and performance. In addition, we examine which contextual and student characteristics affect test anxiety during online exams. Methods: For this, we collected four waves of survey data throughout a year of teaching during the pandemic at one faculty of a Dutch university, resulting in a total sample of 1760 students within 105 courses. Results and Conclusions: Multi‐level analyses showed that while proctoring had no effect on the temptation to cheat, exam difficulty or performance, students reported higher levels of test anxiety. Some learning strategies, internet literacy, access to a reliable technology and a dedicated study space as well as gender and financial stress affect their test anxiety. To conclude, the decision to use online proctoring needs to consider the undesirable side‐effect on test anxiety. We discuss practical implications for university administrators, educational designers and teachers to reduce test anxiety. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Proctoring is often used to ensure academic integrity in online exams.Some evidence shows that proctoring reduces cheating.Little is known about the potential negative side‐effects of proctoring. What this paper adds: The use of proctoring has no effect on the temptation to cheat.The use of proctoring results in increased test anxiety.Several student characteristics and contextual factors reduce text anxiety. Implications for practice: Consider potential negative side‐effects when choosing for proctoring.Time management and internet literacy training might reduce test anxiety.Simulating the exam environment might be used to reduce test anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Noticing and interpreting classroom events (professional vision) is an important element of preservice teachers' (PSTs) interpersonal competence. This paper presents a mixed‐method study about a classroom simulation using 360‐degree videos combined with theoretical lectures in teacher education, intended to improve PSTs' interpretations of noticed events. Furthermore, this study examined how PSTs evaluate technological and educational affordances of 360‐degree videos. Results indicate that participating PSTs improved in noticing classroom events and in applying a more theory‐based terminology to describe these events. PSTs perceived observing other teachers teach as an educational affordance for mastering theory and for developing insights about interpersonal teacher behaviour. Concerning technological affordances, mainly physical discomforts and technical hindrances, was reported by PSTs. The results of this study imply that 360‐degree videos can be useful for teacher education to improve PSTs' interpretation of noticed events. Practitioner Notes: What is already known: Professional interpersonal vision is considered an important element of preservice teachers' (PSTs) interpersonal competence.Interpersonal competence can be practiced using computer‐based classroom simulations.One type of content in simulations is video, which can provide PSTs authentic cases.Recent technological developments enable enrichment of video simulations using 360‐degree cameras. What this paper adds: Findings indicate that classroom simulations using 360‐degree videos added with theoretical lectures can improve PSTs' level of interpretations of noticed classroom events as part of their professional interpersonal vision.Technological and educational affordances of classroom simulation using 360‐degree videos evaluated by PSTs. Implications for practitioners: Classroom simulations using 360‐degree are a useful method to prepare PSTs for educational practice.Classroom simulations using 360‐degree videos help PSTs learn theory about interpersonal teacher behaviour.Classroom simulations using 360‐degree videos help PSTs develop insights about teaching styles that influence teacher–student relationships.This study advises good quality VR‐environments to improve the immersive experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learners, particularly lifelong learners, often find it difficult to determine the scope of their expertise. Formative feedback could help them do so. To use this feedback productively, it is essential to then suggest to them the remedial actions they need to overcome the gaps in their knowledge. This paper presents the design considerations of a support tool that aims at providing formative feedback on textual assignments. It does so by facilitating comparisons between learner's input texts and group input texts with respect to the intended learning outcomes. Using language technologies, the tool automatically extracts the concepts and relations of input texts; it then creates visual representations that can be put side by side to identify conceptual overlaps and missing concepts. The paper first introduces the theoretical underpinnings of the tool - specifically those concerning expertise development, knowledge creation and assessment of knowledge. It then draws up design considerations and clarifies how the tool should work. Next, it discusses the results of an initial study in which word clouds and concept maps have been applied to generate graphical visual representations. These help learners identify overlapping and missing core concepts, both in individual texts and in a compiled group text. Finally, the paper provides conclusions and directions for future work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assist higher education institutions in meeting the challenge of limited student engagement in the implementation of Learning Analytics services, the Questionnaire for Student Expectations of Learning Analytics (SELAQ) was developed. This instrument contains 12 items, which are explained by a purported two‐factor structure of "Ethical and Privacy Expectations" and "Service Feature Expectations." As it stands, however, the SELAQ has only been validated with students from UK university, which is problematic on account of the interest in Learning Analytics extending beyond this context. Thus, the aim of the current work was to assess whether the translated SELAQ can be validated in three contexts (an Estonian, a Spanish, and a Dutch University). The findings show that the model provided acceptable fits in both the Spanish and Dutch samples, but was not supported in the Estonian student sample. In addition, an assessment of local fit is undertaken for each sample, which provides important points that need to be considered in future work. Finally, a general comparison of expectations across contexts is undertaken, which are discussed in relation to the General Data Protection Regulation (2018). Lay Description: What is currently known about the subject matter: Accounting for student expectations allows for a service that is meaningful.SELAQ measures student expectations towards Learning Analytics services.The 12 items of the SELAQ can be explained by a two‐factor structure (Ethical and Privacy Expectations and Service Feature Expectations). What their paper adds to this: Validation of the SELAQ in three contextsA discussion of localized sources of strainAn assessment of measurement quality in each contextA general comparison of student expectations across contexts The implications of study findings for practitioners: SELAQ can be used with Spanish and Dutch students.SELAQ responses provide a much needed input from end‐users in Learning Analytics implementations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, almost everyone uses the World Wide Web (WWW) to search for information of any kind. In education, students frequently use the WWW for selecting information to accomplish assignments such as writing an essay or preparing a presentation. The evaluation of sources and information is an important sub-skill in this process. But many students have not yet optimally developed this skill. On the basis of verbal reports, eye-tracking data and navigation logs, this study investigated how novices in the domain of psychology evaluate Internet sources as compared to domain experts. In addition, two different verbal reporting techniques, namely thinking aloud and cued retrospective reporting, were compared in order to examine students' evaluation behaviour. Results revealed that domain expertise has an impact on individuals' evaluation behaviour during Web search, such that domain experts showed a more sophisticated use of evaluation criteria to judge the reliability of sources and information and selected more reliable information than domain novices. Furthermore, the different verbal reporting techniques did not lead to different conclusions on criteria use in relation to domain expertise, although in general more utterances concerning evaluation of sources and information were expressed during cued retrospective reporting. Lay Description What is already known about this topic: When searching the Web, students assess the reliability of information and sources in a spontaneous manner., Students tend to use superficial criteria when judging the trustworthiness of web-based information and sources., Little is known about the differences between domain experts and novices in terms of the ways they spontaneously evaluate web-based information and sources., What this paper adds: Domain knowledge influences evaluation behaviour, with greater domain knowledge leading to more reliable selection of sources., A comparison of techniques for measuring evaluation behaviour when searching the Web for information reveals that different techniques, such as thinking aloud and cued retrospective reporting, have different pros and cons whose implications depend on the research questions being addressed., Implications for practice and/or policy: In formal education, more attention should be paid to equipping students with the requisite skills in searching for and evaluating web-based information. Embedded process-oriented instructional designs are needed that foster the appropriate evaluation behaviours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study addressed the effectiveness of an educational math game for improving proportional reasoning in prevocational education, and examined the added value of support in the form of reflection. The study compared four conditions: the game with reflection prompts, the game with reflection prompts plus procedural information, the game with procedural information only and the game without additional support. It was found that students' proportional reasoning skill improved after playing the game. The game managed to target prevocational students with low prior knowledge, a group that has the potential to understand proportional reasoning but has not yet encountered the right learning situation to live up to their potential. However, it was also found that students need to be computational fluent to profit from the game. Furthermore, no added value of the support was found. The way the support was structured may have been too demanding for most of the students. The fact that the prevocational students (and specifically those with low prior knowledge) improved by playing the game is noteworthy, because the topic of proportional reasoning is demanding for this group of students who often have lower abilities as well as in some cases a high resistance to learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports on the effects of the combined use of an interactive whiteboard ( IWB) and a virtual learning environment ( VLE) on mathematics performance and motivation. Lessons taught with an IWB were made available on the VLE, so that they could be consulted regardless of time and place. Students' mathematics performance was monitored during one school year and their motivation for mathematics was followed for 3 years. There was no relation between frequency of being taught with an IWB and mathematics performance. However, students' motivation for mathematics appeared to be positively related to the combination of lessons made for the IWB and availability of these lessons on the VLE. This availability was also the main reason for students' appreciation of the VLE. Students appeared to use the VLE mostly to prepare for tests and examinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increased affordances of synchronous communication tools, more opportunities for online learning to resemble face-to-face settings have recently become available. However, synchronous communication does not afford as much time for reflection as asynchronous communication. Therefore, a combination of synchronous and asynchronous communication in e-learning would seem desirable to optimally support learner engagement and the quality of student learning. It is still an open question though, how to best design online learning with a blend of synchronous and asynchronous communication opportunities over time. Few studies have investigated the relationship between learners' actual use of synchronous and asynchronous communication over time. Therefore, this study addressed that relationship in an online course ( N = 110), taking into account student motivation, and employing a dynamic inter-temporal perspective. In line with our assumptions, we found some support for the expected association between autonomous motivation and engagement in asynchronous and synchronous communication, be it restricted primarily to the first course period. Also, positive relations between engagement in synchronous and asynchronous communication were found, with the strongest influence from using asynchronous to synchronous communication. This study adds to the knowledge base needed to develop guidelines on how synchronous communication can be combined with asynchronous learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]