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This paper makes a case for academic research and writing that looks beyond the learning potential of technology and, instead, seeks to develop social scientific accounts of the often compromised and constrained realities of education technology use "on the ground". The paper discusses how this "critical" approach differs from the ways that educational technology scholarship has tended to be pursued to date. These differences include viewing technology as being socially constructed and negotiated rather than imbued with pre-determined characteristics; developing objective and realistic accounts of technology use "in situ"; and producing "context rich" analyses of the social conflicts and politics that underpin the use of technology in educational settings. The paper concludes by encouraging academic researchers and writers to show greater interest in the issues of democracy and social justice that surround educational technology.

Background: Social annotation has emerged as a promising educational technology that fosters collaborative reading and discussion of digital resources among learners. While the positive impact of social annotation on students' learning process and performance is widely acknowledged, students' behavioural patterns in social annotation are underexplored. Objectives: This study investigated patterns in students' use of annotation and response behaviours in social annotation activities. We also explored how students' performance in the behavioural, cognitive, emotional, and social dimensions varied based on their behavioural patterns. Methods: We recruited 93 undergraduates who were enrolled in an elective course at a large North American University. Students were tasked with collaboratively annotating the class readings uploaded to Perusall, a social annotation platform, over 7 weeks. We used metaclustering to determine the optimal number of clusters pertaining to student behaviours. We compared the differences among clusters across multiple performance dimensions. Results and Conclusions: Two distinct clusters were identified and defined as initiators and responders. We found that responders had significantly longer active reading time and exhibited greater social annotation effort compared to initiators. However, initiators received more peer acknowledgement, as evidenced by higher upvotes. No significant difference was found in cognitive insight between initiators and responders, but responders demonstrated significantly higher cognitive discrepancy. Additionally, there were no significant differences in positive and negative tones between initiators and responders; however, responders displayed higher levels of prosocial behaviours than initiators. This study has significant practical implications regarding promoting students' collaborative learning experience in social annotation. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Annotation and response behaviours are two primary actions in social annotation.Understanding how students navigate through annotations and respond to their peers' contributions is essential for optimizing their learning experience.Social annotation outcomes can be assessed in the behavioural, cognitive, emotional, and social dimensions. What this paper adds: This paper revealed students' behavioural patterns in social annotation activities.This study offered a comprehensive understanding of the various dimensions of performance among students with different behavioural tendencies. Implications for practice and/or policy: The two student clusters, initiators and responders, revealed distinct engagement patterns in social annotation and informed the design of targeted scaffoldings.Responders were not passive learners since they demonstrated significantly longer active reading time, greater social annotation effort, and higher level of prosocial behaviours.Educators might not need to place significant emphasis on monitoring participants' emotional expressions in social annotation.Social annotation platforms should incorporate features that encourage and reward both initiation and response behaviours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This research paper presents a cross‐sectional study that examinefs the preferences of students for hybrid teaching and learning scenarios. Unlike previous studies that merely describe hybrid scenarios, this research prioritizes them, offering evidence‐based findings for informed policy decisions. Methods: The data collection method involved eight choice‐based tasks using the conjoint analysis technique conducted with 'Sawtooth' software. The study surveyed students at a mid‐sized university across four departments in Central Switzerland. The sample analysed in this article comprised 319 respondents from the Lucerne School of Business. Results and Conclusions: Our survey found that students' own location during a teaching session played a significant role in determining participation preferences, followed by that of the lecturer. Factors that influenced students' preferences whether to attend onsite or online include workload, didactical format, perceived level of difficulty, student residence, and semester. Forms of hybrid collaboration and student–student interaction did not significantly influence student preferences. Takeaways: The value of this study lies in its evidence‐based findings for specific hybrid scenarios, which can provide useful insights for policymakers in degree programs and faculty in hybrid classrooms. This study is one of only a few to use conjoint analysis with such a high respondent rate to determine student preferences for hybrid attendance. Lay Description: What is currently known about this topic?: Student demand for hybrid teaching scenarios remains high, while many faculty find the scenario technically challenging.Opinions as to the precise features of 'hybrid' vary widely.No clear understanding of the conditions under which students will decide to attend any given class.Demand for additional exchange among online students is recommended in the literature, but often not implemented. What does this paper add?: The study uses conjoint analysis to simulate how students make attendance decisions.The study shows empirically which factors are most important to determine students' attendance.Two‐thirds of the students surveyed prefer an online option.Group composition and informal exchange do not significantly impact students' attendance preferences. Implications for practice/or policy: Students appreciate the flexibility of online learning but expect lecturers to be onsite.Difficult subjects are more likely to be attended onsite.Student residence, workload, degree program, and semester impact students' attendance preferences.No additional infrastructure is needed to encourage exchange among students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The potential of learning analytics dashboards in virtual reality simulation‐based training environments to influence occupational self‐efficacy via self‐reflection phase processes in the Chemical industry is still not fully understood. Learning analytics dashboards provide feedback on learner performance and offer points of comparison (i.e., comparison with one's own past performance or comparison with peer performance) to help learners make sense of their feedback. Objectives: We present a theoretical framework for describing learning analytics reference frames and investigate the impact of feedback delivered through dashboards with different reference frames on occupational self‐efficacy, while controlling for workplace self‐reflection. Methods: This experimental study engaged 42 chemical operator employees, aged between 18 and 55 years, each with at least one year of experience. We utilised a two‐group design to ask two research question each with three competing hypotheses related to changes in occupational self‐efficacy, employing Bayesian informative hypothesis evaluation. Results and Conclusions: Results for the primary research question suggest that dashboards with progress reference frames do not elicit greater change to self‐efficacy than those with social reference frames, however, they may elicit equal change. Furthermore, dashboards with social reference frames may elicit greater change to self‐efficacy than those with progress reference frames. Exploratory results found that dashboards with progress reference frames may elicit greater positive directional change than those with social reference frames and that they may elicit equal directional change. These findings contribute to the understanding of self‐efficacy beliefs within the Chemical industry, with potential impacts on skill development. The research may inform the design of targeted interventions and training programs to influence self‐efficacy. From a practical perspective, this research suggests that careful consideration is needed when choosing reference frames in learning analytics dashboards due to their potential consequences on the formation of learner self‐efficacy. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic?: Learning analytics dashboards often aim to stimulate self‐regulated learning by providing feedback.Feedback plays a crucial role in simulation‐based learning and learning analytics dashboards can be a valuable tool to deliver feedback and facilitate the learning process by providing learners with insights into their performance and progress.Previous research has highlighted the importance of reference frames as critical design features of learning analytics dashboards, as they assist learners in making sense of learning analytics feedback.Self‐efficacy is a powerful determine factor of workplace performance and is influenced by mastery experiences and social modelling information. What the paper adds?: A theoretical framework describes the mediating role self‐reflection phase processes of the self‐regulated learning cycle plays in the formation of occupational self‐efficacy.This paper introduces the concept of three learning analytics reference frame components which include the performance outcome component, point of comparison component and score delta component.The paper indicates that learning analytics dashboards designed with a progress reference frame does not elicit greater change to occupational self‐efficacy than the social reference frame.Exploratory results suggest dashboards with progress reference frames might produce greater positive directional change compared to social reference frames or elicit equal change. Implications for practice?: Learning analytics system designers who use reference frames to help learners make sense of their feedback should carefully consider which reference frames they use as these decisions likely have consequences on the formation of learner self‐efficacy beliefs.For LAD designers and stakeholders, recognising the absolute change and directional shift in self‐efficacy is crucial, as LAD designs significantly influence these dynamics and guide the tailoring of effective tools.In industries like the chemical sector, where overconfidence can result in severe consequences, understanding the nuance of self‐efficacy changes is especially pertinent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There are only few guidelines on how instructional videos should be designed to optimize learning. Recently, the effects of social cues on attention allocation and learning in instructional videos have been investigated. Due to inconsistent results, it has been suggested that the visual complexity of a video influences the effect of social cues on learning. Objectives: Therefore, this study compared the effects of social cues (i.e., gaze & gesture) in low and high visual complexity videos on attention, perceived cognitive load, and learning outcomes. Methods: Participants (N = 71) were allocated to a social cue or no social cue condition and watched both a low and a high visual complexity video. After each video, participants completed a knowledge test. Results and Conclusions: Results showed that participants looked faster at referenced information and had higher learning outcomes in the low visual complexity condition. Social cues did not affect any of the dependent variables, except when including prior knowledge in the analysis: In this exploratory analysis, the inclusion of gaze and gesture cues in the videos did lead to better learning outcomes. Takeaways: Our results show that the visual complexity of instructional videos and prior knowledge are important to take into account in future research on attention and learning from instructional videos. Lay Description: What is already known about the topic: Instructional videos are widely used in education.Learners need to timely attend to relevant content to learn successfully.Learners' attention might be guided towards relevant content with social cues (gaze and gesture of a presenter or instructor) but findings regarding learning outcomes are inconclusive. What does this paper add: This paper is the first to examine the role of the visual complexity of an instructional video in the interplay between social cues (gaze and gesture), learners' attention allocation, and learning outcomes. Implications for practice: The results show that visual complexity influences the learners' attention allocation and learning outcomes.Social cues (i.e., gaze & gesture) improved learning outcomes when controlling for learners' prior knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: During the COVID‐19 period, academics and higher education institutions have shown deep concern about academic integrity related to measurement and evaluation issues that have arisen in online education. Objectives: To address this concern, this paper examined the prevalence of cheating behaviour among university students before and during the pandemic by comparing self‐reported cheating behaviours of students and academics' perceived levels of cheating behaviours of their students. Methods: A correlational design was employed aligned with study objectives. Results and Conclusions: The results indicate that although both groups reported a significant increase in cheating incidents in online education, instructors' perceived frequency of student cheating is remarkably greater than students' self‐report cheating incidents. Contrary to the perceptions of instructors and stakeholders in education, students did not report a very drastic cheating increase in online education during the pandemic. The strongest predictive power for online cheating behaviours was the cheating behaviours in face‐to‐face education. Whereas the sensitivity of institutions and course instructors toward cheating behaviour was negatively associated with cheating behaviours in face‐to‐face education, this situational factor did not show a significant effect in distance education. Regarding individual factors, we found a significant relationship between cheating behaviours and gender, discipline, whereas no significant relationship was found in terms of student GPA. Consequently, in order to minimize the threats to the validity of scores associated with cheating, faculty should be supported through faculty development programs and resources so that they can develop authentic assessment strategies for measuring higher‐order thinking skills. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: The COVID‐19 period created an abrupt shift in learning conditions and measurement processes.Educational administrators and teachers have also shown deep concern about academic integrity related to measurement and evaluation issues that have arisen in distance education during the pandemic period.Previous studies investigating the factors affecting students' academic dishonesty in traditional cheating behaviours have primarily focused on individual and situational factors. What this paper adds: The online education process caused an increase in cheating behaviour scores.There is a substantial range between students and instructors' responses about online cheating during the pandemic.Cheating behaviour in face‐to‐face education significantly explains cheating behaviour in online education. Cheaters in face‐to‐face education are also cheaters in online education.The sensitivity shown by university and course instructors toward cheating yielded a mixed result in online and face‐to‐face education.In online and face‐to‐face education settings, cheating behaviour scores of female students are lower than male students.Students with lower GPA scores generally have higher cheating behaviours. Implications for practice and/or policy: Individual and contextual factors are major determinants of cheating behaviours.In order to minimize the threats on validity of scores associated with cheating, faculty should be supported through faculty development programs and resources so that they can develop authentic assessment strategies for measuring higher‐order thinking skills.This study fills an important gap in the available literature on cheating before and during COVID‐19.The study has a potential to guide higher education institutions for planning and initiating strategies to address cheating in short and long term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In scientific inquiry learning, students often have difficulties conducting hypothetical reasoning with multiple intertwined variables. Concept maps have a potential to facilitate complex thinking and reasoning. However, there is little investigation into the content of student‐constructed concept maps and its association with inquiry task performance. Objectives: This study explored students' concept mapping style and its association with task performance in computer‐based inquiry learning. Methods: An exploratory study was conducted with 80 Grade 11 students, who collaboratively constructed concept maps in a free style to support inquiry learning with a virtual ecosystem. Student‐constructed concept maps was analysed by firstly identifying different types of propositions formed in the maps and then determining the style of each concept map based on the dominant type of propositions in the map. Finally, the association between the concept map style and inquiry task performance was explored. Results and Conclusions: Two major concept map styles were identified: (1) knowledge‐oriented concept maps (KCMs) mainly representing problem‐related subject knowledge as a set of concepts and their relationships, and (2) problem‐oriented concept maps (PCMs) mainly representing problem situation as a sequence of changes and their causal relationships. Compared with those constructing KCMs, the students constructing PCMs formed higher‐quality propositions in their maps and performed better in hypothesising, reasoning, and drawing conclusions in the inquiry task. Implications: Besides KCMs, students in inquiry learning can be encouraged to construct PCMs to foster effective thinking and reasoning; that is, constructing a concept map to represent the problem situation as a sequence of changes and the causal relationships between the changes. Lay Description: What is currently known about the subject matter: Concept maps (CMs) can facilitate complex thinking and reasoning in inquiry learning.There is little investigation into the content of student‐constructed CMs.It is unknown how CM content might associate with inquiry task performance. What this paper adds: Students constructed two major styles of CMs in computer‐based inquiry learning.The two styles of CMs are problem‐oriented and knowledge‐oriented CMs.Students constructing problem‐oriented CMs performed better in the inquiry task. Implications for practitioners: Analysing student‐constructed CMs helps understand student thinking in inquiry.Students are encouraged to build problem‐oriented CMs in inquiry learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Most students have exhibited low motivation to engage in traditional learning methods. Additionally, students have difficulty concentrating on the course content, being easily distracted by their smartphones. Objectives: Therefore, we adopted an online 3D gamification problem‐based learning (PBL) model to motivate students and improve their learning satisfaction and achievement on a human resource development course. Methods: We followed the ADDIE instructional design model and used four essential topics to formulate our teaching activities in the three‐dimensional sandbox game, Creativerse. Moreover, this paper conducted an explorative study by using ANCOVA and partial least squares structural equation modelling to test student learning achievement and analyse the relationships between components such as performance expectancy (PE), effort expectancy (EE), social influence (SI), and facilitating conditions (FC). Results and conclusions: Our online 3D gamification PBL model enhanced learning achievement on the courses; moreover, FC is the most critical factor influencing learning satisfaction. This study provided suggestions for operating an online 3D gamification PBL teaching approach. Implications: The current paper also explained how students' learning satisfaction relates to these significant factors. Moreover, this study's findings will help instructional designers and instructors to develop online 3D gamification learning environments. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Gamified learning can effectively enhance learners' learning motivation.The fun and learning content of the game requires good planning.Gamification can help students become more involved and learn independently. What this paper adds: We designed the instruction that integrated 3D sandbox computer games and problem‐based learning (PBL) into a human resource development course.We conducted a pre‐experiment to test students' learning outcomes by using an ANCOVA and obtaining favourable results.Developing a questionnaire and utilizing PLS‐SEM analysis to explore what significant factors influence students' learning satisfaction. Implications for practice and/or policy: The results indicated that this teaching approach promoted students' active participation and had a learning achievement and satisfaction.This article offered suggestions for practicing a 3D gamification PBL teaching approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Haptic feedback has been shown to be an effective facilitator of the learning of scientific concepts in a series of studies. However, little is known about the underlying salient learning mechanisms, which are activated when learning from haptic feedback. Objectives: We investigate the learning mechanism in a higher chemistry education setting, in which the students learned about the abstract concept of potential energy in a quantum chemical context. Methods: In this work, we present a mixed‐methods problem‐solving prior to instruction (PS‐I) study with chemistry bachelor students. In an interactive quantum chemistry learning environment, the students explored the energetic profiles of nucleophilic substitution reactions and the corresponding activation barriers experienced as repulsion and attraction. We measured cognitive and affective mechanisms which have been shown to be activated in PS‐I designs, such as knowledge gap awareness, state curiosity, and positive affect as well as the learning outcome quantitatively and the learning trajectories qualitatively. Results and Conclusions: Planned contrasts revealed a small hindering effect of the haptic feedback on the learning outcome. Thematic analysis of the qualitative data lets us attribute this effect to the lack of scaffolding of the haptic feedback and the spontaneous atomic movements in the simulation, which may be interpreted as a visual representation of force in itself. This work highlights the importance of accurate mappings of the haptic feedback unto the target domain and further delivers insight into the prior conceptions of chemistry undergraduate students. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Haptic feedback can facilitate learning by grounding abstract concepts in sensory experiences.While previous studies have reported positive affective results, the cognitive results are ambiguous.Moreover, it was frequently reported that the learning of potential energy in a (quantum) chemical context is particularly difficult due to (i) the lack of grounding opportunities and (ii) the diverse previous conceptions. What this paper adds: A learning environment to interact with molecular systems in real‐time is proposed.The concept of activation energy is grounded in sensory experience of pushing and being pulled.The mixed‐methods design allows to explore cognitive and affective variables as well as the specific prior conceptions activated by the environment. Implications for practice and/or policy: We found a small negative effect of the haptic feedback on the learning outcome, potentially due to insufficient introduction of it to the students.The spontaneous movement of the atoms was identified as a more suitable external representation of the force.Future studies should investigate, if explicit introduction of the embodied metaphor can reverse this effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Artificial Intelligence (AI) literacy is a crucial part of digital literacy that all individuals should possess in today's technologically advanced world. Despite the potential benefits that AI education offers, little research has been done on how to teach AI literacy to children. Objectives: This study aimed to fill that gap by investigating how children were engaged in AI literacy activities that are supported by intelligent agents. These activities were implemented in a Hong Kong kindergarten with a class of six 5‐year‐olds (Mage = 62.83 months, SD = 2.91) over a 6‐week period. Methods: The study gathered data from multiple sources, including classroom observations, teacher interviews, and documents/artefacts. Results and Conclusions: The results showed that children could learn about AI through interaction with intelligent agents in embodied learning contexts. The findings of this study have implications for the broader field of digital technology education, particularly in the context of early childhood education. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Artificial Intelligence (AI) literacy is essential in today's world.Little research exists on engaging young children in learning AI literacy. What this paper adds: Technology‐enhanced embodied learning approach affords multimodality in enabling young children's learning with AI‐related agents.Project‐based learning and real‐life examples can enhance children's learning. Implications for practice and/or policy: Early exposure to AI can help children navigate the increasingly digital world.Practical approaches, such as embodied and multimodal learning, seem to be effective.Teachers can enhance children's digital learning by using pedagogical strategies like project‐based learning and real‐life examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The global introduction of complex measures directed at the containment of the COVID‐19 spread has spurred a massive shift to distance learning among educational institutions. As far as such a learning mode is rather forced and, probably, only a few establishments faced no difficulties with it, the matter of assuring teaching activities' effectiveness in the practice of e‐learning is relevant. Objectives: The main purpose of this article was to assess the efficiency of online‐based tools and technologies in the context of distance education and develop a set of recommendations aimed at improving the effectiveness of online teaching. Methods: The research methodology was based on an empirical approach presupposing an exploratory questionnaire survey addressed to university students. As for the e‐learning platform used, the focus was set on Microsoft Teams. Results and Conclusions: In general, the conducted investigation unveiled that the perception of the role of the instructor differs among Western and Chinese students in terms of willingness to accept psychological help and the feeling of safety during online lessons. Given this, it is reasonable to pay more attention to the psychological well‐being of international students. The comprehensive analysis of survey outcomes allowed the development of a set of recommendations able to enhance the effectiveness of teaching in online settings. These encompass, for example, giving preference to small student group formations, setting greater emphasis on means increasing students' motivation to learn, involvement of instructors in the development and delivery of video lectures, the introduction of automated student assessment, use of multimedia information, and informing students about possible ways of interaction. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: The comprehensive analysis of survey outcomes allowed developing a set of recommendations able to enhance the effectiveness of teaching in online settings.The most convenient digital features during e‐learning implementation were instant access to information and the availability of a shared chat room.Pre‐pandemic electronic learning was often criticized for insufficient student engagement and social interaction, leading to the need to increase student engagement through interactive online activities, virtual group projects, online discussion forums, and accessibility. What this paper adds: In general, the conducted investigation unveiled that perception of the role of instructor differs among Western and Chinese students in terms of willingness to accept psychological help and the feeling of safety during online lessons.It appeared that international students are more exposed to stress factors and are less likely to trust an educator to the degree allowing them to ask for help.It was possible to develop a set of recommendations aimed at improving the effectiveness of teaching activities during e‐learning through an in‐depth analysis of survey results. Implications for practice and/or policy: Several implications for future investigations can be identified, namely: conducting further studies on the psychological well‐being of international students in online learning, examining cross‐cultural differences, exploring the effectiveness of teaching practices, and addressing broader social issues and consequences.Further research should focus on institutions across China to generalize the results obtained and formulate more reliable inferences.Another limitation is related to the instructors themselves. This variation in specialization among participants could have had an impact on the study's results, but it was not possible to address this issue within the constraints of the current research design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mobile‐assisted language learning (MALL) has long been advocated to promote students' language study outcomes. However, little is known about how using instant messaging applications (an example of MALL) affect student motivation, language anxiety, and actual achievement. Objectives: To help close this gap, we have conducted a quasi‐experimental study, in which we have used self‐determination theory to test a mediational process model, in an effort to understand the psychological mechanisms that underlie the effect of instant messaging applications on student outcomes. Methods: Two groups of Saudi undergraduate students (N = 447) were recruited to participate in the study. Participants under the experimental condition were invited to engage in language‐related tasks with their teacher outside of class through the WhatsApp application, whereas participants under the control condition received standard teaching. We applied partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS‐SEM) to test our model. Results and Conclusions: The results of the PLS‐SEM showed that the total effects of using instant messaging applications on autonomous motivation and L2 achievement were significant but that language anxiety was influenced only indirectly and negatively through language achievement. Also, the PLS‐SEM showed that our results have strong predcitive power indicating support for external validity. Implications: Our results show that instant messaging applications can be used to facilitate interest and achievement and to decrease anxiety. Furthermore, we are contributing to L2 methodological literature by using applications of PLS‐SEM in experimental designs that can help researchers and practitioners of motivational processes. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Using WhatsApp and more broadly instant messaging applications are conceived to be motivating in language teaching contextStudies indicate students are inclined toward using these applications in language learningResearch shows that using WhatsApp is easy to apply for language teaching purposes What this paper adds: The study examined the effect of using WhatsApp on language learners' motivation, achievement, and language anxietyA pre‐ and post‐test approach with experimental and control condition has been used to evaluate the effect more accuratelyThe study employs Self‐determination Theory as a theoretical framework for testing a motivational process modelResults show that using WhatsApp predicted the outcomes directly and indirectly Implications for practice and/or policy: WhatsApp can significantly encourage university students to better learning of the language skills especially in times where face‐to‐face communication is limitedWhatsApp is conditioned by the guidance of instructors, their ongoing formative and summative assessmentWhatsApp appears to allow students enjoy their learning process due to the opportunities for collaborative work and constant exchange of content [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Formative assessments are vital for supporting learning and performance but are also considered to increase the workload of teachers. As self‐assessments in higher education are increasingly facilitated via digital learning environments allowing to offer direct feedback and tracking students' digital learning behaviour these constraints might be reduced. Yet, learning analytics do not make sufficient use of data on assessments. Aims: This exploratory case study uses learning analytics methods for investigating students' engagement with self‐assessments and how this relates to performance in the final exam and self‐reported self‐testing strategies. Materials & Methods: The research study has been conducted at a European university in a twelve‐weeks course of a Bachelor's program in Economic and Business Education including nenroll = 159 participants. During the semester, students were offered nine self‐assessments each including three to eight tasks plus one mid‐term and one exam‐preparation self‐assessment including all prior self‐assessments tasks. The self‐assessment interaction data for each student included: the results of the last self‐assessment attempt, the number of processed self‐assessment tasks, and the time spent on the last self‐assessment attempt, the total self‐assessment attempts, and the first as well as last access of each self‐assessment. Data analytics included unsupervised machine learning and process mining approaches. Results: Findings indicate that students use the self‐assessments predominantly before summative assessments. Two distinct clusters based on engagement with self‐assessments could be identified and engagement was positively related to performance in the final exam. The findings from learning analytics data were also indicated by students' self‐reported use of self‐testing strategies. Discussion: With the help of multiple data from self‐reports, formal exams, and a learning analytics system, the findings provided multiple perspectives on the use of self‐assessments and their relationships with course performance. These findings call for applying assessment analytics and related frameworks in learning analytics as well as providing learners with related adaptive feedback. Conclusion: Future research might investigate different (self‐report) variables for clustering, other student cohorts or self‐assessment forms. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Formative assessments are vital for supporting learning and performance.Learning analytics do not make sufficient use of data on assessments. What this paper adds: Students use the self‐assessments predominantly prior to summative assessments.Engagement with self‐assessments was positively related to performance in the final exam. Implications for practice and/or policy: Findings call for applying assessment analytics and implementing related learning analytics frameworks for supporting learning processes and performance.Pedagogically oriented assessment analytics may provide multiple benefits for learners, teachers, schools, and other involved stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The use of crowdsourcing in a pedagogically supported form to partner with learners in developing novel content is emerging as a viable approach for engaging students in higher‐order learning at scale. However, how students behave in this form of crowdsourcing, referred to as learnersourcing, is still insufficiently explored. Objectives: To contribute to filling this gap, this study explores how students engage with learnersourcing tasks across a range of course and assessment designs. Methods: We conducted an exploratory study on trace data of 1279 students across three courses, originating from the use of a learnersourcing environment under different assessment designs. We employed a new methodology from the learning analytics (LA) field that aims to represent students' behaviour through two theoretically‐derived latent constructs: learning tactics and the learning strategies built upon them. Results: The study's results demonstrate students use different tactics and strategies, highlight the association of learnersourcing contexts with the identified learning tactics and strategies, indicate a significant association between the strategies and performance and contribute to the employed method's generalisability by applying it to a new context. Implications: This study provides an example of how learning analytics methods can be employed towards the development of effective learnersourcing systems and, more broadly, technological educational solutions that support learner‐centred and data‐driven learning at scale. Findings should inform best practices for integrating learnersourcing activities into course design and shed light on the relevance of tactics and strategies to support teachers in making informed pedagogical decisions. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Engaging students in learnersourcing activities is on the riseLearning tactics and strategies have emerged as a viable method for interpreting student behaviour What this paper adds: Identifying common tactics and strategies students use in learnersourcing activitiesBroadening the use of the learning tactics and strategies method by applying it in a new context Implications for practice and/or policy: Findings inform best practices for integrating learnersourcing activities into course designMaking the tactics and strategies available to instructors can support teachers in making informed pedagogical decisions [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual reality is widely recognized as offering the potential for fully immersive environments. This paper introduces a framework that guides the creation and analysis of immersive environments that are pedagogically structured to support situated and experiential education. The "situated experiential education environment" framework described in this paper is used to examine the impact that a virtual environment can have on the user experience of participants in a virtual space. The analysis of a virtual environment implemented to support learner exploration of issues of tourism development and the related impacts, suggest that this type of experience is capable of providing participants with a holistic experience of real‐world environments that are otherwise too expensive, impractical, or unethical for large groups of people to visit in person. The pedagogical value of such experiences is enabled through immersion in a reality‐based environment, engagement with complex and ambiguous situations and information, and interaction with the space, other students, and teachers. The results demonstrate that complex immersive learning environments are readily achievable but that high levels of interactivity remain a challenge. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Virtual reality (VR) technology is developing rapidly with interest from practitioners and researchers increasing concurrently.Although VR headsets are extensively researched in a gaming context, there is insufficient research examining the user‐experience of VR headsets in the context of education.What this paper adds: Users reported a multitude of positive features of the VR headsets in the context of experiential learning that is situated in a meaningful context, such as a Pacific island when learning about sustainable development.In particular, a strong sense of immersion was reported by users of the VR headsets.Additionally, the complexity of the material studied, an important feature of situated experiential learning, was also reported to high.Implications for practice and/or policy: VR headsets provide significant opportunities to foster situated experiential learning in a virtual environmentParticularly the immersive experience and the complexity of the material studied were reported to be effective with the VR headsets. However, the interaction with other learners and teachers could not be examined in depth, although interaction is also an important feature of situated experiential learning [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The idea of computational thinking is underpinned by the belief that anyone can learn and use the underlying concepts of computer science to solve everyday problems. However, most studies on the topic have investigated the development of computational thinking through programming activities, which are cognitively demanding. There is a dearth of evidence on how computational thinking augments everyday problem solving when it is decontextualized from programming. Objectives: In this study, we examined how computational thinking, when untangled from the haze of programming, is demonstrated in everyday problem solving, and investigated the features of such solvable problems. Methods: Using a multiple case study approach, we tracked how seven university students used computational thinking to solve the everyday problem of a route planning task as part of an 8‐week‐long Python programming course. Results and Conclusions: Computational thinking practices are latent in everyday problems, and intentionally structuring everyday problems is valuable for discovering the applicability of computational thinking. Decomposition and abstraction are prominent computational thinking components used to simplify everyday problem solving. Implications: It is important to strike a balance between the correctness of algorithms and simplification of the process of everyday problem solving. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Computational thinking is a problem solving skill.Computational thinking is different from programming.There is dearth of evidence on how computational thinking augments everyday problem solving. What this paper adds: Computational thinking practices are latent in everyday problem solving.Intentional restructuring of problems is required to uncover how computational thinking applies in solving them. Implications for practices: Decomposition and abstraction are critical in solving everyday problems.Computational thinking should be taught explicitly through everyday problems.Finding balance between the correctness of algorithm and simplification of the problem solving process is important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The transition from teacher‐centred towards student‐centred approaches in English language teaching, accompanied by developments in educational technology, has attracted researchers' attention to reverse teaching or flipped class. The related literature asserts that this mode of instruction might influence instructors' and students' participation in the class. Objectives: To shed more light on the role of flipped class in affecting language learning strategies and skills, this study applied a sequential explanatory mixed‐methods approach to explore the impact of flipped class on English as a foreign language (EFL) learners' writing metacognitive strategies and writing skills. Methods: Forty‐six intermediate EFL learners with an age range of 21–27, studying at a private language institute, were randomly divided into two groups of 23 learners. The two groups were randomly assigned to a flipped class, which received writing metacognitive strategies and writing skills through video clips before the class time, and a non‐flipped class, which received writing metacognitive strategies and writing skills in a conventional way during the class time. Results and Conclusions: The results revealed that both flipped and non‐flipped classes improved the EFL learners' writing metacognitive strategies, writing performance, writing content, and writing organisation. Furthermore, one‐way ANCOVA analyses indicated that the flipped class outperformed the non‐flipped class in writing metacognitive strategies, writing performance, writing content, and writing organisation. Thematic analyses, which were used to help analyse individual semi‐structured interviews, uncovered a number of categories and themes, signifying the flipped learners' positive perceptions towards the flipped class, such as enhancing motivation, self‐confidence, and writing collaboration. Implications: Pedagogical implications were discussed for flipping writing metacognitive strategies and writing skills. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic?: Metacognitive strategies, including planning, monitoring, and evaluation strategies, help English language learners become more successful writers.Writing skills, including writing content, writing organisation, and language use, help learners deal with collaborative writing activities effectively.Flipped class has been shown to be an effective mode of instruction to improve English language learners' language learning strategies and skills. What this paper adds?: Flipped class improves English language learners' writing metacognitive strategies, writing performance, writing content, and writing organisation.Flipped class is more effective than non‐flipped class in improving English language learners' writing metacognitive strategies and writing skills.English language learners' motivation, self‐confidence, and writing collaboration are increased as a result of the flipped writing course. Pedagogical implications: Writing metacognitive strategies and writing skills need to be flipped in English language contexts in order to free up time for more effective in‐class collaborative writing activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: During the COVID‐19 lockdown in 2020, teachers had to shift their teaching and assessment to online. Formative assessment (FA) can help teachers to engage, guide and monitor students' (online) learning. However, more knowledge is needed of how teachers could use the full FA process online. Methods: In this study data from 50 secondary school teachers, who taught different grade levels and subjects and joined a FA learning network that started before and continued during the lockdown, were collected. The study investigates how they used online FA practices differently than face‐to‐face FA, what challenges and opportunities they experienced in online FA and what lessons they learned and intended to keep. This mixed methods study used data from a questionnaire, interviews and webinars that were segmented, coded and analysed. Results: Results showed that many teachers implemented new FA strategies and adopted, more often than in their face‐to‐face practice, all the five phases of the FA process in an aligned matter in online FA. Teachers indicated opportunities in stimulating student engagement and guiding and monitoring student learning more at an individual level in the online FA process, but also experienced challenges, mainly in lack of interaction online. Discussion: The sudden and necessary shift to online FA, due to the COVID‐19 lockdown, challenged teachers to more fundamentally reconsider their assessment practices and assumptions. Teachers intended to make use of these learned lessons to improve their future (blended) FA practice. Lay Description: Known about the subject matter: Online formative assessment (FA) can help teachers to engage, guide and monitor online learning.Most earlier research of online FA looked at parts of the FA process or tools.Teachers' former knowledge and skills in FA influences the online implementation.Online FA offers opportunities to promote learning, but is also challenging. What their paper adds to this: Experienced teachers were able to implement complete FA processes online.Teachers experienced that online FA could stimulate student engagement.Teachers made more time for individual help and feedback during online FA.Teachers intended to maintain these lessons learned in their future (blended) FA practice. The implications of study findings for practitioners: Combining online FA activities with face‐to‐face activities creates opportunities for future blended FA.The five phases of the FA cycle help teachers to implement FA online or in blended forms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Learners in a given massive open online course (MOOC) are usually provided with the same learning materials, guided by the same syllabus, and assessed in the same format. This "one‐size‐fits‐all" approach constrains learners' ability to reap the optimal benefits from online learning. Objectives: This study aims to characterize learners' differences in MOOC learning. Specifically, it examines how learners might vary in their enrolment motivation and the development of continuance intention to learn in a MOOC because of their gender and employment status. Methods: Data were collected via a questionnaire survey. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used to analyse data from 664 learners in a Chinese MOOC. Results and Conclusion: The research revealed significant differences in learners' enrolment motivation across groups defined by employment status, but not for gender groups. Learner groups defined by gender and employment status experienced variant psychological processes when deciding to continue to learn in the MOOC. Major Takeaways: Working adults stressed the instrumental values derived from MOOC learning; therefore, it is vital to design and integrate additional features into the MOOC to satisfy their needs. Besides, it would be critical to understand female learners' and working adults' expectations of MOOC learning, as they are more sensitive to confirmation in determining their attitudes toward learning in a MOOC. A short pre‐course survey of learners' expectations would serve the purpose. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic?: Gender and employment status are associated with varied learning outcomes in MOOCs.Motivation and continuance intention are two critical psychological mechanisms.Confirmation, satisfaction, and attitude are determinants of continuance intention. What this paper adds?: Students' enrolment motivation is significantly different from that of working adults.No significant difference was found in motivation across gender.Working adults' and female learners' attitudes were more determined by confirmation.Students and male learners depended more on satisfaction in forming their attitudes. Implications for practitioners: Working adults stressed the instrumental value derived from MOOC learning.Extra features should be integrated into MOOCs to satisfy working adults' needs.It is critical to understand female learners' and working adults' expectations.A short pre‐course survey could shed light on learners' expectations [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple external representations (MERs) play an important role in the learning field of mathematics. Whereas the cognitive theory of multimedia learning and the integrative text and picture comprehension model assume that the heterogeneous combination of symbolic and analogous representations fosters learning; the design, functions, and tasks framework holds that learning benefits depend on the specific functions of MERs. The current paper describes a conceptual replication study of one of the few studies comparing single representations, heterogeneous, and homogeneous MERs in the context of mathematics learning. In a balanced incomplete block design, the participants were provided single representations (a graphic, text, or formula) or a heterogeneous (e.g., text + graphic) or homogeneous (text + formula) combination of these to solve linear system of equations problems. In accordance with previous research, performance was superior in conditions providing MERs compared to single‐representation conditions. Moreover, heterogeneous MERs led to time savings over homogeneous MERs which triggered an increase in cognitive load. Contrary to previous research, text was the least fixated representation whereas the graphical representation proved to be most beneficial. With regard to practical implications, experts should be fostered through more challenging homogeneous MERs whereas novices should be supported through the accessible graphic contained in heterogeneous MERs. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Providing multiple instead of single representations can foster mathematics learning.However, some combinations of representations hamper the performance of novice learners.The classical multimedia view explains the positive effect of combining text with picture.Recent research suggests the combination of multiple symbolic representations (text and formula). What this paper adds: The study replicated the effect of multiple symbolic representations for equation solving.In contrast to former research, each representation (text, formula, and graphic) was functionally equivalent.Tasks with differently coded representations were solved faster and with less mental effort.Gaze behavior indicated that students mostly used the graphical representation. Implications for practice and/or policy: Beginners should be supported with a graphic when solving equations.Experts should be challenged with a combination of symbolic representations to benefit the most. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous research has shown that teachers hold misconceptions about multimedia learning (e.g., multimedia instruction needs to be adapted to students' learning styles), which may be at odds with evidence‐based teaching. Objectives: Refutation texts are a classical method to reduce misconceptions and thus to stimulate conceptual change. We wanted to know whether making use of a computer algorithm to personalize refutation texts would best initiate teachers' conceptual change. Methods: We designed an online experiment, in which N = 129 in‐service teachers read either (1) expository texts (without direct refutation), (2) common refutation texts, or (3) personalized refutation texts. The teachers filled in a misconception questionnaire pre and post to assess their conceptual change. Results and Conclusions: Statistical analyses revealed that personalized refutation texts initiated the strongest conceptual change, which was driven by increased feelings of guilt and shame. Common refutation texts did not foster teachers' conceptual change as compared to expository texts. These findings indicate that refutation texts should be personalized for experienced practitioners such as teachers. Takeaways: Personalized refutation seems to be promising in the context of online teacher training programs. Further research should test to which extent the present findings also apply to other groups of experienced learners or practitioners. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic?: Teachers hold misconceptions about multimedia learning (e.g., learning materials should be adapted to students' individual learning styles, such as visualizers or verbalizers).Refutation texts, naming a commonly held misconception, disproving it and introducing a scientific explanation, are a common means to reduce misconceptions.Personalization fosters learning by drawing the learner's attention toward the discrepancy between their own beliefs and the learning material, further creating an impasse experience.Said impasse experience may trigger teachers' conceptual change, as, for teachers' conceptual change, a certain degree of discomfort is required. Yet, anger, caused by lessoning teachers on their topic may cause repulse and hamper learning. What this paper adds?: With a computer algorithm, we can efficiently personalize refutation texts by automatically matching them to teachers' answers in a pre‐test. Such a personalized refutation instruction may especially foster conceptual change.Within a randomized experiment, the personalized refutation instruction worked best compared to common refutation texts and expository texts.Feelings of guilt and shame moderated the effect of a personalized refutation, as teachers felt more addressed in their misconceptions and thus experienced the required impasse experience.Feelings of anger did not play an important role within our experiment. The implications of study findings for practitioners: Computer algorithms enable efficient personalization of instruction to better deal with heterogeneous groups of learners (e.g., with big differences in prior knowledge or experience, such as in the case of in‐service teachers).Refutation texts work better for teachers when they are personalized. Common refutation texts do not work better than expository texts.An advantage of digital instruction is the use of algorithms to efficiently personalize instructions even for larger groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Immersive VR is still rarely used as an intervention for meeting the affective end goals of student learning despite its positive impact on affection. Also, studies regarding the use of immersive VR as an intervention for affective achievement in broader educational contexts are still lacking. Objectives: This study aimed to examine the effect of immersive VR and perspective‐taking on presence and empathy. Methods: A total of 148 pre‐service teachers participated in experiments, using either a head‐mounted display or a flat screen device to view two VR videos with different perspective‐taking affordances. This study used a mixed design with one between‐subject variable of immersion level and one within‐subject variable of perspective‐taking to explore how immersive VR experiences influenced participants' perceived level of presence and empathy. Results and Conclusions: The results showed that the level of immersion affects perceived presence, but it was the type of perspective‐taking that affects empathetic reactions. We also found an interaction effect between immersion levels and perspective‐taking. The direct embodiment in VR combined with high immersion produced stronger empathy than with low immersion, while the perspective of an observer was better in evoking empathy when experienced with low immersion. Implications: This study gives a guidance on how to take advantage of this new technology in educational settings, and apply it to instructional activities to enhance students' empathy. In addition, it could serve as a reference when developing or introducing educational contents with respect to the types of contents that are more effective in educational settings. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: The use of immersive virtual reality (VR) has gained increasing attention for its potential to increase students' engagement, interest, and motivation in education.The use of head‐mounted displays (HMDs) increases the level of perceived presence.Perspective‐taking promotes the development of empathy.The importance of empathy has been recently emphasized more in education. What this paper adds: The high immersive VR with an HMD increased the level of perceived presence among pre‐service teachers.The type of perspective‐taking provided in VR content affects the level of empathic reactions.The direct embodiment in VR combined with high immersion produced stronger empathy than with low immersionThe perspective of an observer was better in evoking empathy when experienced with the low immersive VR. Implications for practice and/or policy: Immersive VR when integrated into instructional practices would help students to develop empathy.It is important to select appropriate VR devices and content for designing interventions and maximizing educational benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABRACADABRA (ABRA) is an evidence‐based suite of interactive multimedia that engages learners in the development of core reading skills. This meta‐analysis presents an update of the research evidence about the effectiveness of ABRA for elementary students. It reports 91 effect sizes in six reading‐related outcomes for a sample of 7,388 students. Regardless of context and measurement type, the studies yielded positive effects of ABRA, ranging in magnitude from g+ = 0.080 for Vocabulary Knowledge to g+ = 0.378 for Phonemic Awareness and reaching statistical significance in four outcome categories. This meta‐analysis adds to our understanding of the effectiveness of ABRA‐based reading instruction by exploring factors of research design, ABRA design and implementation contexts, and various student characteristics and offers implications for instructional practice. Lay Description: What is known about the subject matterIf well‐designed and ‐implemented, computer‐based instruction can have positive effects on learning.Early literacy instruction could substantially benefit from technology use.Among offline and online computer applications targeting literacy, ABRA is a top‐rated software.17 field studies of ABRA were completed in the UK, China, Hong Kong, Canada, Australia and Kenya.What paper addsThis paper summarizes 91 effect sizes in 6 reading‐related outcomes based on a sample of 7,388 students.Independent of design, context and measurement type, the studies yielded positive effects in 6 outcomes.The highest effects were for Phonics, Phonemic Awareness, Reading and Listening Comprehension.ABRA effects are consistent across different student categories implications of study.Findings for practitionersIn authentic classrooms where ABRA is in the hands of teachers, fidelity of implementation is critical.Quality implementation means teaching literacy in a balanced way with attention to decoding and comprehension.ABRA instruction is student‐centered where students interact with the tool individually, in pairs or small groups.Ideas on ABRA literacy instruction are at https://grover.concordia.ca/resources/abra/teacher/en/index.p [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to explore time management strategies followed by students in a flipped classroom through the analysis of trace data. Specifically, an exploratory study was conducted on the dataset collected in three consecutive offerings of an undergraduate computer engineering course (N = 1,134). Trace data about activities were initially coded for the timeliness of activity completion. Such data were then analysed using agglomerative hierarchical clustering based on Ward's algorithm, first order Markov chains, and inferential statistics to (a) detect time management tactics and strategies from students' learning activities and (b) analyse the effects of personalized analytics‐based feedback on time management. The results indicate that meaningful and theoretically relevant time management patterns can be detected from trace data as manifestations of students' tactics and strategies. The study also showed that time management tactics had significant associations with academic performance and were associated with different interventions in personalized analytics‐based feedback. Lay Description: What is currently known about the subject matter: Effective time management behaviour is a vital element for self‐regulation as well as a strong predictor of academic success.The state of the art in time management research is mainly based on self‐reports.External feedback in educational research is one of the most powerful intervention strategies to optimize student learning progress and performance.The advantage of analytics approaches is in their reliance on trace data that can be captured without significant interference with the actual learning process and with low risk of bias that traditional data collection methods are often susceptible to. What our paper adds to this: We detected time management tactics and strategies adopted by students in online component of a flipped classroom through a combined use of trace data and analytics techniques.We identified the association between time management strategy groups (made up from a set of enacted tactics) identified in an online component of a flipped classroom course and their course performance.We analysed the effects of personalized analytics‐based feedback on time management. The implications of study findings for practitioners: From a research perspective, this study proposed methodology that could help both researchers and practitioners improve the interpretation of their results related to time management behaviour.From an instructor perspective, this study makes a step forward to translate time management into actionable feedback to promote better learning engagement.The study also suggests that for instructors to promote effective time management strategies, they can provide personalized analytics‐based feedback to the students in the first half of a semester on a weekly basis rather than providing the feedback throughout the entire duration of a course.From a learner perspective, this study could offer practical guidelines for making necessary adaption and adjustment of their timing of engagement based on a different set of time management tactics, to effectively regulate their learning time, especially during the preparation for face‐to‐face sessions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Several attitude scales have been developed to measure students' attitudes toward computer programming, including the prominent one developed by Cetin and Ozden. The development of these scales stemmed from the elusive nature of attitude and the lack of specific constructs to measure attitude. These instruments measure students' attitudes based on one‐dimensional perspective, thus, making it difficult to interpret the meaning of some attitude evaluations such as the meaning of neutral points in a 10‐point scale (for example). Objectives: The computer programming attitude scale was modified to measure ambivalence. The study also investigate attitude differences across demographic variables and used these variables to predict ambivalence. Methods: The study was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, the instrument was validated using exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. In the second phase, the revised scale was administered to another 547 students in four research universities for empirical investigation. Results: Results show that the instrument is valid and suitable for measuring students' programming attitudes. Participants' attitudes skewed toward the negative attitude dimension. Lastly, we found that both attitude and ambivalence are factors of programming experience. Conclusions: We discussed the findings, recommend the instrument to programming tutors, and strongly emphasise the evaluation of students' ambivalent attitudes. Lay Description: What is currently known: There are numerous scales developed to measure students' attitude toward computer programming, such as the computer programming attitude scale (CPAS).The development of these inventories stemmed from the elusive nature of attitude and the lack of specific construct to measure attitude.These instruments measure students' attitude based on one dimensional perspective, thus, making it difficult to interpret the meaning of some attitude evaluations such as the meaning of neutral points in a 10‐point scale (for example). What this paper adds: The present research brings a novel approach to instrument development by acknowledging the presence of attitude toward computer programming.This novel approach advances the knowledge of instrument development in the field of attitude measurement by introducing a paradigm shift from conventional attitude evaluation to a more diverse approach.The study has introduced new items to the existing CPAS, and subsequently, indicates the possibility of validating an attitude inventory using data obtained from ambivalence evaluation.By using this instrument, students' attitude is measured accurately rather than adopting the conventional measures that ignored the presence of negative and positive evaluations. Implication to practitioners: Through the findings of the study, computer science and programming educators would come to know that many positive and negative attitude elements are occasionally subsumed toward an attitude object, thereby leading to an ambivalence attitude.The instrument can be used by the practitioners to accurately measure students' positive and negative attitude toward programming across all levels of education.Using the instrument, practitioners can predict the identified attitude using wide range of variables such as gender, age, computational thinking skills, programming proficiency levels, among others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Measurement of students' self‐regulation skills is an active topic in education research, as effective assessment helps devising support interventions to foster academic achievement. Measures based on event tracing usually require large amounts of data (e.g., MOOCs and large courses), while aptitude measures are often qualitative and need careful interpretation. Precise and interpretable evaluation of self‐regulation skills in a normal K‐12 classroom thus poses a challenge. Objectives: The present study proposes and explores a learning analytics method of combining aptitude and event measures to evaluate student's self‐regulation skills. Methods: An explorative learning analytics study was conducted in a junior high school mathematics class (N=20 students), using a three‐lesson intervention with digital learning materials. Students first assessed their self‐regulation skills with a self‐report questionnaire, after which trace logs and observations of student behaviour were collected. Learning sessions were extracted from trace logs, clustered, and linked to learning strategies. Students were clustered by the self‐report results and learning behaviour profiles. Session clusters, student behaviour clusters and assignment grades were also tested for association. Results and Conclusions: The detected session and student behaviour types were linked to learning tactics and strategies found in prior studies. Additionally, association was found between self‐reported self‐regulation skills and the student behaviour obtained from trace logs. Implications: The results demonstrate the feasibility of concurrently using aptitude and event measures on a classroom scale, providing teachers with a tool to evaluate and support self‐regulated learning. Combined with further measures like predictive learning analytics, teachers can obtain an early and highly interpretable picture of at‐risk students in their classes. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Active monitoring of self‐regulated learning skills is primarily standard in large courses and MOOCs.Aptitude measures for self‐regulated learning are commonplace but considered subjective.Event measures for self‐regulated learning are precise but require additional interpretation to link behaviour to learning.Prior studies demonstrated approaches to analysing student behaviour from trace logs. What this paper adds: Both measure types can be used to monitor student behaviour in a classroom actively over a low number of sessions.Event and aptitude measures complement each other by exposing discrepancies between students' behaviours and actions.Measuring self‐regulated learning actively in class can yield valuable information to select appropriate interventions. Implications for practice: Integrating aptitude and event measures in digital learning materials gives teachers quickly actionable information about student behaviour.Approaches to integrating learning analytics for self‐regulated learning in digital learning materials should be further developed.Data‐informed choice of self‐regulated learning interventions should be explored further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Medical students use a variety of self‐regulated learning (SRL) strategies in different medical reasoning (MR) processes to solve patient cases of varying complexity. However, the interplay between SRL and MR processes is still unclear. Objectives: This study investigates how self‐regulated learning (SRL) and medical reasoning (MR) occurred concurrently in medical students while completing a diagnostic task in an intelligent tutoring system. This study aims to provide new insights into performance differences between high‐ and low‐achieving students in tasks of varying complexity. Methods: Thirty‐one medical students (67.6% female) from a large North American university were tasked with solving two virtual patient cases in an intelligent tutoring system, BioWorld. BioWorld was designed for medical students to practice clinical reasoning skills deliberately. We collected students' think‐aloud protocols, based on which we coded their use of SRL behaviours and medical reasoning activities. We analysed the co‐occurrences of SRL behaviours and medical reasoning activities using the epistemic network analysis (ENA) method. Results: The SRL behaviour self‐reflection and MR activity lines of reasoning co‐occurred more frequently in a difficult task than in an easy task. In both tasks, high performers demonstrated more co‐occurrences of self‐reflection and lines of reasoning than low performers. Moreover, the MR activity conceptual operations co‐occurred more frequently with the SRL activities of monitoring and evaluation among high performers compared to low performers in an easy task. Implications: The co‐occurrences of SRL behaviours and MR processes account for students' performance differences. The design of computer‐based learning environments for clinical reasoning should promote the acquisition of both SRL and medical reasoning abilities. Moreover, medical educators should consider task complexity when scaffolding. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Self‐regulated learning (SRL) and medical reasoning skills are both crucial for diagnosing patients.Medical students can practice clinical reasoning with computer simulations. What this paper adds: Students solved virtual patients of varying complexity in an intelligent tutoring systemWe examined the co‐occurrences of SRL behaviours and medical reasoning process.Epistemic network analysis was used to analyse the interplay of SRL and medical reasoning.High performers show more co‐occurrences of reflection and higher‐order reasoning. Implications for practice and/or policy: Task complexity has impact on students' learning and reasoning co‐occurrences.Intelligent tutoring systems should foster regulation and reasoning acquisition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Knowledge of the structure and function of the human heart is fundamental to accurately understanding human physiology. As a complex biological system, naïve conceptions abound regarding cardiac anatomy and physiology for K‐12 learners and medical students alike. Objective: Textbooks and lectures, as well models and simulations, have had limited success in aiding learners in constructing accurate and cohesive knowledge of the human heart. Three dimensional (3D) modelling, haptic‐enabled (HE) feedback, and interactive virtual reality (VR) experiences aid tertiary learners, yet it is unknown if secondary learners benefit from learning with these technologies. Methods: An exploratory study examined secondary student knowledge of cardiac anatomy and physiology after participation in an interactive lesson on cardiac structure and function using a 3D, HE, VR technology system. Students from sixth grade (11–12 years old; n = 75) and ninth grade (14–15 years old; n = 76) completed a pre‐ and post‐assessment on cardiac knowledge, anatomy, and physiology punctuated by technology‐delivered instruction on the human heart. Results and Conclusions: Significant gains were found in knowledge from both groups in cardiac anatomy and blood circulation within the chambers of the heart; however, only ninth grade students demonstrated significant knowledge gains in pulmonary circulation. Takeaways: Results suggest that 3D HE VR technologies provide learners robust representations of and student‐driven interactions with complex biological systems that are innovative instructionally for strong conceptual and systematic learning. This study offers insight on technology‐assisted science visualizations for the promotion of knowledge acquisition and systems thinking of the human heart among secondary science students. Lay Description: What is already known: An ongoing challenge for science and medical educators alike is teaching their students about the human heart—its form, function, and how the heart is integrated into a larger body system for homeostasis.Three‐dimensional (3D), haptic‐enabled (HE) and virtual reality (VR) technologies (emerging technologies) provide robust visualizations to help improve learning among tertiary‐level learners, like undergraduate, graduate, and medical students.To what extent, if any, do younger secondary science learners (like students in the sixth and ninth grades) receive similar benefits when learning with emerging technologies. What this paper adds: Significant gains were found in cardiac knowledge from both sixth and ninth grade students in cardiac anatomy and blood circulation within the chambers of the heart.Sampled ninth grade students had significant knowledge gains in knowledge of pulmonary circulation, whereas the sixth graders did not.This study suggests that secondary students, like their tertiary level counterparts, are able to learn complex ideas about the human heart using emerging technologies for science learning, albeit those affordances in learning increase with age. Implications for practice: Secondary science learners benefit from visual and haptic stimuli, provided by emerging technologies, to acquire robust knowledge of the human heart.Middle school aged learners, more so than high school aged learners, may lack prior knowledge to connect their newly acquired knowledge of the human heart to the larger body system; additional scaffolding and teaching is needed for younger learners.Emerging technologies of 3D, haptics, and VR may provide new and robust means for teachers to aid secondary science students' learning of complex biological systems (like the human heart). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: When interpreting medical images such as dental panoramic radiographs (Orthopanthomogram, OPT), errors are frequent. Previous research has shown that eye movement modelling examples (EMME) are a supportive training method for medical image interpretation to reduce errors. To date, EMME support for OPTs has not been verified. Objectives: We investigated whether a training with EMME and verbal explanations supports dental students in evaluating OPTs. Methods: Dental students were randomly assigned to an intervention (N = 42) or a control group (N = 41). The intervention group received the EMME between pre‐ and post‐test. In a laboratory study, we measured students' gaze behaviour during evaluating OPTs and the detection rate of anomalies. Results and conclusions: The training led to fewer, shorter, and later fixations on anomalies and no difference in visual coverage of the OPT. The detection rate of anomalies did not improve. We replicated the latter finding in an online study (N = 31). Students may not have been able to apply the information from the EMME to detect anomalies. The image reading processes changed to more efficient rather than deeper visual search. Major takeaways: This study evaluated a training method with EMME for anomaly detection of OPTs. EMMEs did not improve the anomaly detection of dental students and changed their visual search process toward a more efficient rather than a deeper search. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Dental students and dentists commit many errors when interpreting radiographs.Validated interventions to support radiograph interpretations are lacking.Eye movement modelling examples (EMME) consist of videos showing an expert's gaze behaviour while performing a visual task.EMME improve processing of visual information in other domains (e.g., multimedia learning, chest x‐rays). What this paper adds: We investigated whether EMME improved detection of anomalies and gaze behaviour for dental students.Three EMME videos of dental experts explaining their behaviour and observations were presented to students.Studying the EMME videos did not improve the detection of anomalies.The gaze behaviour changed to a more efficient visual search. Implications for practice and/or policy: EMME do not seem to be effective as a short‐term intervention to improve anomaly detection for dental students.Further research is needed to develop effective training methods that could be applied in university teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the increasing pervasiveness of today's digital society, mobile devices are changing the face of education. Students can interact with mobile devices in context‐aware environment. This paper presents a mobile application based on expert system (Plant‐E) for students to acquire knowledge about plant classification by answering decision‐making questions. In order to study effectiveness of Plant‐E and cognitive load of students who experience different kinds of interaction in learning process, another mobile application (Plant‐G) only providing information pages of plants was developed. A quasi‐experiment was conducted with three classes of 137 seventh graders. The three classes, Class A with 46 students using Plant‐E in campus, Class B with 44 students using Plant‐G in campus, and Class C with 47 students using Plant‐G in a traditional classroom, constitute three groups with different interaction complexity. The research conducted pretest, posttest, and delayed test to evaluate learning performance of students in three classes and used a questionnaire to investigate their perceptions and attitudes towards proposed system. Results show that interaction complexity has an impact on students' learning performance and mental effort in mobile learning; the higher the interaction complexity is, the higher mental effort and the better learning performance in mobile learning will be. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Mobile devices can be used to meet the urgency of learning need and can provide guidance and clues for learners in context‐aware environment.During mobile learning in context‐aware environment, students need to interact with mobile devices and environment.Mental effort reflects cognitive load related to interaction complexity, and it can affect learning performance.Self‐efficacy affects the degree of mental effort by affecting the firmness of performance goal.Cognitive load and learning performance are the main concerns that need to be considered when evaluating the effectiveness of mobile learning. What this paper adds: Interaction complexity has an impact on students' learning performance and mental effort in mobile learning.In terms of the three levels of interaction complexity in this study, the higher the interaction complexity is, the better the results that students will get in mobile learning.The higher the interaction complexity is, the higher the mental effort that students invested into in mobile learning would be.The medium self‐efficacy group invested the most mental effort and got the best grades, rather than the high or low group.Rule‐based mobile learning expert system is feasible and effective for students to learn by interacting with learning objects in context‐aware environment. Implications for practice and/or policy: Efforts should be made to make mobile learning systems more interactive; for example, learners can learn more effectively by interacting with mobile system, which can improve the frequency of observing learning objects.Rule‐based mobile learning expert system can give learners more opportunities to know how experts do when solving problems and can provide a potential method for students to learn in context‐aware environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID‐19 outbreak came with an unprecedented opportunity to investigate how the new reality of social distancing and limited international travel will affect the organization of academic conferences. Objectives: Drawing on conceptualization of academic conferences as professional learning spaces, in this study, we examine the factors associated with the perceived value of purely virtual academic conferences and how such perceptions differ between participants from different research fields. The aim was to gain knowledge about factors that should be considered when designing a virtual conference. Methods: Survey data from participants of three different virtual conferences were collected (N = 311). Kendall's rank correlation and χ2‐analyses were performed. Results and Conclusion: Results show satisfaction with social interaction, the extent to which presentations met participants' topics of interest and the perceived importance of learning and getting an overview on the research topic to be related to the value rating. Researchers from different research fields differ significantly in their opinion about the most appropriate conference format regarding getting an overview on the research topic. For some researchers, virtual participation might be a valuable alternative to attending a conference in person. The study serves as a first attempt to understand how and for which target groups virtual conferences serve as a valuable learning event. Further research on this conference format is needed. Lay Description: What is already known about the topic: Prior to the pandemic only a few academic conferences were held purely virtual, thus scientific knowledge about this event format was rather scarce.Research on face‐to‐face conferences identified these events as platforms for networking and learning with a focus on social interaction.Mainly informal social interaction and networking is limited in the virtual space. What this paper adds: First insights how and for which target groups virtual conferences serve as a valuable learning event.Perceptions about the most appropriate conference format regarding certain conference aspects among researchers from different fields. Implications for practice: Formal interaction opportunities should be considered when designing a virtual conference.Virtual conferences are valuable events especially for those people, who focus on learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates a video game's effects on implicit and explicit attitudes towards depicted historical events in the short‐ and long‐term on a sample of 148 young adults. We used, as an intervention tool, a serious game Czechoslovakia 38–89: Borderlands that deals with the expulsion of the Sudeten Germans from the former Czechoslovakia after the WWII. Results showed more negative pretest‐posttest explicit attitude changes towards the expulsion on a general level (d = −0.34) and a specific level (d = −0.53) compared to the control group. Over the long‐term, group differences in attitude change remained significant for the specific level (d = −0.44), but not for general one (d = −0.16). Exploratory analysis on the item level indicated that especially attitudes towards the expulsion's (un)fairness were affected by the game. However, no significant changes were found in implicit attitudes in the experimental group. This study is the first of such scale to empirically investigate video games' effects on a society's historical awareness. Lay Description: What is currently known about the subject matter: No studies address video games' long‐term effects on both explicit and implicit attitudes.The research of video games' effects on short‐ and long‐term attitudes is generally limited.Video games can change short‐term explicit attitudes under certain circumstances.So far, the effect of video games on implicit attitudes has not been confirmed.There are no studies dealing with the effect of historical video games on attitudes. What our paper adds to this: The study is the first to combine long‐term explicit and implicit attitude measurements related to games.Our video game intervention affected explicit attitudes over the short term and partly over the long term.We have not confirmed the effect of our video game intervention on implicit attitude change.Based on our results, historical video games can affect short‐ and long‐term explicit attitudes. The implications of study findings for practitioners: Our study confirms that perspective‐taking can change players' explicit attitudes.We demonstrate that exploratory DIF‐C analysis can provide deeper understanding of the explicit attitude changes on the item level.Our results confirm that video games can affect a society's historical awareness.Our results suggest video games have an important role in our understanding of historical and social realities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhancing student engagement plays a critical role in reducing student drop‐out rate in online learning as students usually feel isolated and disconnected in this learning environment. This requires a clear conceptualization of the student engagement construct and its underlying structure. However, the conceptual understanding of the student engagement construct has long been impeded by the inconsistency in its multidimensional structure and the conceptual ambiguity among its components. This study aims to examine the underlying structure of student engagement in online learning based on the bi‐factor exploratory structure equation modelling framework (B‐ESEM). Four competing models representing the underlying structure of student engagement in online learning were compared based on their degree of fit to survey data from 363 students in an online undergraduate program. Students' responses to the online learning engagement questionnaire were best represented by a B‐ESEM model that provided simultaneous assessment of a global engagement factor and specific factors of behavioural, cognitive, affective and social engagement while controlling for item cross‐loadings. However, behavioural engagement only retained limited specificity once the global engagement factor was taken into account. The study findings offer a solution to reconcile the inconsistency in the multidimensional structure of student engagement and reduce the conceptual ambiguity among its components, thus contribute to better measuring student engagement in online learning. Lay Description: What is currently known about the subject matter?: Student engagement is an important indicator of online learning outcomes and an early sign of student disengagement and dropout.Understanding student engagement in online learning is a critical endeavour that requires adequate conceptualization and operationalization of the construct.The conceptual understanding of student engagement is impeded by the inconsistency in its dimensional structure and the conceptual ambiguity among its components. What does this paper add to the existing body of research?: We adopt a bi‐factor exploratory structural equation modelling approach to examine the underlying structure of student engagement in online learning.Students' responses to the online student engagement questionnaire were best represented by a bi‐factor model.The global factor of student engagement and specific components of behavioural, cognitive, affective and social engagement can be simultaneously assessed. Implications of study findings for practitioners: The bi‐factor exploratory structural equation model has potential to address concerns about the inconsistency in the multidimensional structure of student engagement in online learning and the conceptual ambiguity among its components.Self‐report items might not be appropriate for the assessment of behavioural engagement as they better represent the global engagement factor.Self‐report items are more suitable for assessing internal psychological processes associated with cognitive, affective and social engagement components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary writing is a useful instructional tool for learning. However, summary writing is a challenge to many students. This mixed‐method study examined the potential of the Student Mental Model Analyzer for Research and Teaching (SMART) system to help students produce summaries that reflect key concepts and relations in a text. SMART uses the students' summary to generate a multi‐dimensional 3S (surface, structure, semantic) evaluation of the students' mental model. This model is then used to drive feedback to help students revise their summary. The current study is an initial investigation examining whether writing and revising in SMART improves students' summary quality. Students (n = 38) in a graduate‐level online course used SMART for seven reading assignments. The 38 students submitted a total of 357 summaries in response to the seven readings. In 47 cases, students produced both an initial draft and a modified revision. These 47 cases were selected for analysis. In the quantitative phase, MANOVA results indicated that students' summaries improved along the 3S dimensions from initial draft to revision. In the qualitative phase, inspection of exemplar cases revealed how students' mental models changed towards more robust and cohesive knowledge structure for texts. Lay Description: Lay DescriptionWhat is already known about this topicTexts are the main means of acquiring new information.Writing a summary is frequently used as a tool for learning from text.Even proficient readers often struggle to learn from text due to insufficient support.Automated summary evaluation (ASE) can help students revise their summaries.What this paper addsWe introduce the Student Mental Model Analyzer for Research and Teaching (SMART) system.SMART uses a written summary to evaluate the quality of the learner's mental models.SMART analyses a student's mental model in surface, structural and semantic dimensions.SMART helps students improve content‐coverage and overall quality of their summaries.Implications for practiceSMART can be a supplement in classrooms to help students learn from complex texts.Teachers can use SMART to provide real‐time, personalized, formative feedback at a scale.Students can use SMART to comprehend the text to prepare for meaningful class discussion.Scholars can use SMART to investigate expertise development in summary via instruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The overarching goal of this research project is to develop a set of theoretical and empirical based design principles to support student engagement in flipped mathematics learning. We used a design‐based research approach in which a series of studies was conducted in a secondary school. First, an analysis of practical problems was performed via exploratory studies (Studies 1A and 1B), randomized experiments (Studies 2A and 2B), and a literature review (Study 3). Second, a basic flipped lesson prototype was developed based on our empirical findings and relevant theoretical work of student engagement and self‐determination theory. Third, we refined and evaluated our practice with two empirical studies (Studies 4 and 5). Finally, we reflected on each stage of our research project to produce a set of design principles for future practice. This study thus contributes to our knowledge of methods to support student engagement in flipped mathematics learning. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Flipped learning can increase student achievement in mathematics education.After flipping, studies reported non‐significant or even negative results in terms of student engagement.Little work has been done to support student engagement in flipped learning. What this paper adds: This study investigated methods to support student engagement in flipped mathematics learning.A 2‐year design‐based research was conducted consisting of a series of five studies.Theoretical work of student engagement and self‐determination theory were drawn. Implications for practice and/or policy: The use of group competitions increased student engagement in flipped mathematics learning.Peer interaction inside the classroom fostered students' cognitive engagement.Design principles are proposed to support student engagement in future practice.The principles cover five major instructional activities of flipped learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 'research‐teaching nexus' means integrating disciplined‐based research into course content to develop students' research ability. Though such integration has been investigated in various higher education content areas, no previous CALL teacher education research seems to have addressed it. This study explored how research should be integrated into a graduate CALL course and how such integration influences students' research awareness and skills. The content‐focused and process‐focused forms of the research‐teaching nexus were integrated into a graduate CALL course taught in a language teacher education programme at an Arab university. The course was taught to a group of female MA student teachers for a 15‐week academic term. Qualitative data was collected using observation and an open‐end questionnaire within an action research framework. The students reported positive evaluation of research integration into the CALL course. Meanwhile, the observational data indicates that research integration has fostered their CALL research awareness and enabled them to learn how to craft some key research elements, namely developing research titles and questions, and selecting the research method. The results generally imply that developing students' CALL research skills through the process‐focused teaching forms is a more complicated task than enhancing their research awareness via the content‐focused ones. Lay Description: There is a need for the studies showing how to integrate research into CALL course content.The study explored how research integration into a graduate CALL course influenced students' research awareness and skills.The students' evaluation of research integration into the CALL course was very positive.Developing students' CALL research skills is a more challenging task than enhancing their research awareness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retrieval practice promotes retention more than restudying (i.e., the testing effect) and is applied to many educational settings. However, little research has investigated means to enhance this effect in educational settings. Theoretical accounts assume retrieval practice to be the most effective whenever retrieval is difficult but successful. Therefore, we developed a novel retrieval practice procedure, which adapts to learners' abilities and can be applied irrespective of learning content. This adaptive procedure aims to make retrieval gradually easier whenever students provide an incorrect answer. In a field experiment, students read book chapters as part of a weekly university course. In three consecutive weeks, they then practiced reading assignments by (a) adaptive testing, (b) non‐adaptive testing and (c) restudy. In Week 4, a surprise criterial test took place. Restudy outperformed both testing conditions, whereas adaptive testing performed equally well as non‐adaptive testing. However, exploratory analyses revealed that with increasing retention intervals, the superiority of restudy disappeared. Furthermore, whenever participants fully read the assignments and retention intervals increased, adaptive testing outperformed non‐adaptive testing. In sum, adaptive retrieval practice did not prove to be generally superior, but retention interval and students' preparation for class might be conditions rendering adaptive retrieval useful in educational settings. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Testing is a commonly used technique to assess progress in computer‐assisted learning environmentsStudents often benefit from the testing effect, that is practicing retrieval of information (testing) from memory benefits long‐term retention compared to restudyingCurrently, empirical evidence how to enhance the benefits of this technique in educational contexts is scarce What this paper adds: We propose a new approach to increase the benefit of the testing effect: For each question in retrieval practice the individual ability to retrieve this information from memory is consideredTo do so, cue informativeness of retrieval cues adapts to the individual ability level and thus makes the tests cognitively effortful but solvableThis adaptive approach is put to test in a higher education context and by using multiple‐choice questionsIn sum, adaptive retrieval practice did not prove to be generally superior to non‐adaptive retrieval practice or restudy However, retention interval and students' preparation for class might be conditions rendering adaptive retrieval useful in educational settings Implications for practice and/or policy: Findings can be implemented in educational contexts when multiple‐choice questions are used to enhance learningLearning can be optimized in computer‐assisted learning environments that allow adaptive testingWe advise adaptive retrieval only when students are well prepared for practice and when time between practice and final assessment exceeds two weeks [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The term Classroom Proxemics refers to how teachers and students use classroom space, and the impact of this and the spatial design on learning and teaching. This study addresses the divide between, on the one hand, substantial work on proxemics based on classroom observations and, on the other hand, emerging work to design automated feedback that helps teachers identify salient patterns in their use of the classroom space. This study documents how digital analytics were designed in service of a senior teacher's practice‐based inquiry into classroom proxemics. Indoor positioning data from four teachers were analysed, visualized and used as evidence to compare three distinct learning designs enacted in a physics classroom. This study demonstrates how teachers can make effective use of such visualizations, to gain insight into their classroom practice. This is evidenced by (a) documenting teachers' reflections on visualizations of positioning data, both their own and that of peers and (b) identifying the types of indicator (operationalized as analytical metrics) that foreground the most useful information for teachers to gain insight into their practice. Lay Description: What is already known about this topicThe term "Classroom Proxemics" refers to how teachers and students use the classroom space, and its impact on learning.A large number of teachers, particularly in higher education, receive no pedagogical training or feedback on classroom proxemics.Little is known about how to create interfaces to enhance teachers' awareness, using automatic position tracking.What this paper addsIndoor positioning data from four teachers in a physics classroom are analysed.Teachers' reflections on visual representations of teachers' positioning are documented.Analytics of teachers' proxemics are identified from teachers' reflections.Emerging themes included classroom territoriality, classroom space use according to the learning design, differences between teaching behaviours and temporality.Implications for practitionersThe learning design and differences among teachers play a critical role in making sense of teachers' positioning data.Analytics of classroom proxemics can create new opportunities to support professional development.The use of positioning sensors in the classroom can provide evidence for teachers to reflect on improvement and how they approach students over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the effects of readymade versus self‐generated graphic organizers (GOs) on learning, comparing the performances of undergraduates (N = 81) tasked with learning a multimedia document. This document was either presented on its own (control group), with a readymade GO, or with a blank GO that students had to fill in either before or during the learning of the document. In line with previous research, adding a readymade GO increased students' memorization and transfer scores, compared with controls. By displaying the main ideas in the text and their hierarchical relations, GOs act as visual aids to learning. Results showed that self‐generating a GO was no more beneficial than viewing a readymade GO when students were placed in a dual‐task situation (generation + learning). However, when the students' information processing was guided by sequencing these tasks (generation then learning), they outperformed the control and readymade groups on memorization and comprehension. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Graphic organizers (GOs) consist in visual displays showing the main ideas of a text and their interrelations.Adding GOs to pedagogical document have been shown to improve students' learning.However, self‐generating GOs has been proven to be detrimental for learning in several studies. What this paper adds: In previous studies, self‐generation of graphic organizers (GOs) have often been carried out while learning, however this task should be separated from the learning task.In the present study, students' learning performances increased when the self‐generated task was separated from the learning task compared to a condition with a readymade GO.These benefits on learning were not observed when the self‐generated activity was not guided. Implications for practitioners: Graphic organizers gathering all the key elements of a multimedia document and highlighting the structure of this document should be used in order to increase students' learning.Students should not be placed in double‐task situation when learning from a pedagogical document.In‐task guidance should be provided when self‐generative tasks are performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple studies have revealed the beneficial effects of emotional design on affective or motivational factors but not often on learning outcomes. We, therefore, tested one important boundary condition: the duration of the learning episode. For the implementation of emotional design, we used the video format of sketched explanation videos, which is particularly popular on online video platforms. We tested the hypothesis that emotional design is beneficial for learning but only in the later phases of studying (sustained learning). This learning benefit is mediated via triggered and maintained situational interest. Seventy‐nine students took part in a two‐group between‐subjects design. Students learned from one of two videos (16 min): either a neutral video that followed cognitive design principles or an emotional‐designed video that was based on the neutral video but enriched with emotional design elements (e.g., personalized frame story, warm colours, and tender voice). In line with our hypothesis, the emotional design led to triggered situational interest, leading to a higher maintained situational interest, which in turn fostered performance in the third (final) study phase but not in the two previous ones. Our results suggest that emotional design's positive effects are detectable especially (or only) during prolonged study situations in which motivational factors may play a more critical role. This study thus provides a potential explanation for mixed effects from previous research in this study field. Lay Description: What is already known about this topicMany explanatory videos on video platforms use live sketching as emotional design.Emotional design influences affective or motivational factors in previous studies.These affective effects rarely translated into better learning outcomes.This mixed pattern of results of emotional design suggests boundary conditions.What this paper addsEmotional design improves learning in longer learning sessions.These beneficial effects were driven by situational interest.This process analysis suggests situational interest as an explanatory mechanism.Learning session length seems to explain previously ambiguous result patterns.Implications for practice and/or policyLive sketching videos can be used to implement emotional design.Emotional design would be of particular benefit in longer‐learning sessions.Emotional design is particularly promising in self‐guided learning arrangements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. Practitioner Notes/ Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Learning motivation is the most vital factor that influencing effective and efficient learning process.The attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfactionARCS model of motivational design has been used myriad times to design motivational instructions in a wide range of educational settings (from traditional to computer‐assisted instruction and distance education).Few studies address the online learners" motivation through the attention, relevance, confidence, satisfaction, and volition (ARCS‐V) ‐based motivational strategies. What this paper adds to this: A quasi‐experimental study was conducted in online learning environment to research the effects of the ARCS‐V ‐based motivational strategies.The impact of the ARCS‐V ‐based motivational strategies on online learners" academic performance, motivation, volition, and course interest was investigated.The results showed that the ARCS‐V ‐based motivational strategies had positive effects on online learners' regarding to academic performance, motivation, volition, and course interest. The implications of study findings for practitioners: This research provided evidences for effects of the ARCS‐V motivational strategies on online learners.Online learners who took the ARCS‐V ‐based motivational messages had positive effects regarding to academic performance, motivation, volition, and course interest. [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]

We examined student performance in a computer‐supported learning environment after students undertook, among others, a graphing task within an inquiry context. Students were assigned in two conditions: (a) Students were given one variable, and they had to select the second one to construct their graph; (b) students were given four variables, and they had to select two to construct their graph. Both conditions problematized student work by triggering retrospective action, where students returned to previous stages of the learning activity sequence. Retrospective action correlated positively to knowledge gains in Condition 2, where students were more likely to revisit earlier stages of their inquiry. Time‐on‐task, when students passed through learning tasks for the first time, correlated negatively with retrospective action (second pass), which indicated that there was a minimum amount of time needed to effectively execute tasks. Trade‐offs between time‐on‐task (first pass) and retrospective action demarcate a novel field of research. Lay Description: What is currently known about this topic A challenge for designing and assessing software scaffolds has always been to both structure and problematize student work.Structuring is needed to assist students in managing complex, open‐ended tasks by simplifying them and reducing complexity.Problematizing inquiry for students would come along with prompting students to consider alternative options and direct their attention to aspects that would otherwise remain unaccounted for.Researchers suggest that virtual labs in computer‐supported inquiry learning environments must be accompanied by scaffolds. What the paper adds to this Different linkages of software scaffolds induce different inquiry (re)enactments.Problematizing student work leads to retrospective action, where students returned to previous stages of the learning activity sequence to revisit several applications and rework their learning products.There is a minimum amount of time needed to effectively execute tasks during scientific inquiry.Trade‐offs between time‐on‐task (first pass through the learning activity sequence) and extra time spent during retrospective action (second pass) demarcate a novel field of research. Implications of the study findings Retrospective action may contribute substantially to enhancing students' learning, especially when adequate time had not been devoted to working on certain tasks during the initial processing of learning activities.Retrospective action could also provide valuable insight for configuring feedback in computer‐supported and inquiry‐based learning environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computational thinking (CT), the ability to devise computational solutions for real‐life problems, has received growing attention from both educators and researchers. To better improve university students' CT competence, collaborative programming is regarded as an effective learning approach. However, how novice programmers develop CT competence through collaborative problem solving remains unclear. This study adopted an innovative approach, quantitative ethnography, to analyze the collaborative programming activities of a high‐performing and a low‐performing team. Both the discourse analysis and epistemic network models revealed that across concepts, practices, and identity, the high‐performing team exhibited CT that was systematic, whereas the CT of the low‐performing team was characterized by tinkering or guess‐and‐check approaches. However, the low‐performing group's CT development trajectory ultimately converged towards the high‐performing group's. This study thus improves understanding of how novices learn CT, and it illustrates a useful method for modeling CT based in authentic problem‐solving contexts. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Computational thinking competence includes computational concepts, computational practices, and computational perspectives.Collaborative programming has the potential to foster computational thinking competence development.What this paper adds: The low‐performing student group adopted a bottom‐up perspective at the beginning but transformed to a top‐down approach by the end.The low‐performing group's computational thinking development trajectory had convergent evolution towards the high‐performing group's trajectory.Implications for practice and/or policy: Computational thinking competence can be developed in collaborative contexts even when students begin with a bottom‐up approach.Computational thinking should go beyond the cognitive development of computational concepts to connect computational practice and computational identity.Quantitative ethnography approach has potential to model computational thinking competence in collaborative programming context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aims to investigate the effects of smartphone use by college students on their perceived academic performance. Using five hypotheses derived from the literature related to smartphone use, the initial model was set up for path analysis to reveal the relationships among variables regarding college students' smartphone use in the academic setting. Moreover, multiple group analyses were additionally conducted to verify whether students exhibited different relationships in the hypothesized model depending on their majors. The results from path analyses showed that all path coefficients were positive and statistically significant, which indicated that all five hypothesized paths were supported. Above all, the results from multiple group analysis showed that one path (from Behavioural Intention to Use Smartphone to Academic Performance) differed significantly across groups. The findings from the current study provide educational policymakers and educators with information on how smartphone utilization in learning activities influences students' academic performance. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Smartphones foster interaction with people and multitasking.College students use smartphones as learning aids in e‐learning and web‐based learning.College students have high smartphone self‐efficacy.Smartphones have both positive and negative effects on academic performance.What this paper adds: College students' interaction competency influences behavioural intention for using smartphones for academic activities.College students' smartphone self‐efficacy has positive impacts on their behavioural intention for using smartphones for academic purposes.College students' behavioural intention to use smartphones positively influences perceived academic performances.Students' behavioural intention to use smartphones presents distinct impacts on academic performances depending on their major fields: natural science and humanities.Implications for practice and/or policy: Educational policymakers and educators may benefit information on how smartphone utilization in learning activities influences students' academic performances.The instrument developed in the present study could be used for future studies on smartphone use and students' psychological factors such as self‐efficacy and behavioural intention to use smartphones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of students' flipped learning readiness (FLR) on engagement, programming self‐efficacy, attitude towards programming, and interaction intensity in the information and technology classrooms where programming is taught with the flipped classroom (FC) model. The study group of this research, which is designed by the relational screening method, consists of 371 students studying in middle school. Structural equation model was used for the data analysis. The results of the study revealed that FLR and its indicators in the programming teaching conducted with the FC model are significant predictors of engagement, attitude, programming self‐efficacy, and interaction intensity. FLR is most strongly related to programming self‐efficacy, whereas it is most weakly related to interaction. The most striking result of this study is that the FC model is an effective option in terms of providing engagement, interaction, self‐efficacy, and learner attitude, which are the key components for the success of the instruction. It is thought that this study assists to create an awareness on the impact of FLR on students, on subjects that frame in‐class attitudes, and behaviours of students. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Programming skills are important for the acquisition of basic skills of the 21st century.Flipped learning is an opportunity for effective programming teaching.Flipped learning readiness (FLR) has an important role in FC.However, in order for effective face‐to‐face learning to take place, it is crucial that students are able to take on the responsibility of learning outside the classroom, that is, the e‐learning readiness of their students. What this paper adds: We use FC applications in teaching programming to children.We have examined the key variables to be successful in a course involving the teaching of complex skills such as programming with FC.We brought proposals for practical education and researchers to be carried out programming instruction in FC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Editorial. Comments on the challenges of teaching research methods courses to postgraduate students in education. Differences of theoretical perspectives; Introduction of detail research design issues; Facilitation of research methods course by online access.

Background: Virtual reality can be a useful substitute to improve nursing education outside of the hospital setting. In the wake of COVID‐19, an opportunity to compare a virtual reality activity for nursing students in the traditional classroom and in an online environment took place. Objectives: The goal of this study was to examine the effects of incorporating a virtual reality activity into the traditional classroom and in an online environment to enhance nursing education. Methods: Fifty nursing students participated in an exploratory descriptive study. Twenty‐five students participated face‐to‐face while in the traditional classroom setting and 25‐students participated in an online environment using a communication platform. Through a virtual reality activity, nursing students successfully created a tour which demonstrated identifying infectious sites in a hospital room setting. Results and Conclusions: Results of the pre‐and post‐test showed students' positive perceptions and performances in both traditional classroom and online settings. However, the study revealed a statistical difference between the two group perceptions towards the use of the virtual reality tour creator. Nursing students who were in the traditional classroom group found that the use the virtual reality tour creator was easier. Implications: Designing a meaningful virtual reality activity has a positive impact of the student learning experience. Students may benefit from a more through orientation to the technology prior to engaging in the activity. A carefully constructed activity can enhance student learning outside of the hospital room. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic?: Virtual reality can be applied to nursing education with a positive impact on the student learning experience.Nursing students perceived the virtual reality learning activity useful to substitute for in‐hospital training. What this paper adds?: Virtual reality learning activities can help promote nursing performance in both the traditional classroom and online settings.Students can have similar academic performance between the classroom and online modes despite having different experiences. Implications for practice and/or policy: Virtual reality integration might be implemented by pre‐training to make sure students are comfortable with the technology before jumping into course activities.The instructional design and delivery of a virtual reality learning activity greatly influenced the students' learning experiences, rather than the use of virtual reality technology itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper makes a case for academic research and writing that looks beyond the learning potential of technology and, instead, seeks to develop social scientific accounts of the often compromised and constrained realities of education technology use ‘on the ground’. The paper discusses how this ‘critical’ approach differs from the ways that educational technology scholarship has tended to be pursued to date. These differences include viewing technology as being socially constructed and negotiated rather than imbued with pre-determined characteristics; developing objective and realistic accounts of technology use in situ; and producing ‘context rich’ analyses of the social conflicts and politics that underpin the use of technology in educational settings. The paper concludes by encouraging academic researchers and writers to show greater interest in the issues of democracy and social justice that surround educational technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a reconsideration of use of computer simulations in science education. We discuss three studies of the use of science simulations for undergraduate distance learning students. The first one, The Driven Pendulum simulation is a computer-based experiment on the behaviour of a pendulum. The second simulation, Evolve is concerned with natural selection in a hypothetical species of a flowering plant. The third simulation, The Double Slit Experiment deals with electron diffraction and students are provided with an experimental setup to investigate electron diffraction for double and single slit arrangements. We evaluated each simulation, with 30 students each for The Driven Pendulum and Evolve simulations and about 100 students for The Double Slit Experiment. From these evaluations we have developed a set of the features for the effective use of simulations in distance learning. The features include student support, multiple representations and tailorability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]