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This paper examines a new first-year EAP course in a Hong Kong university. It utilizes teacher and student reflections to understand the course's strengths and weaknesses, aiming to enhance its design and delivery. The study employed a qualitative approach whereby textual analysis was used to interpret the data collected in the form of written teacher reflections, written student reflections, and notes of teacher reflective dialogue. The thematic categories for coding the data were established based on the course's main learning outcomes: Effective Learning, Spoken Language, and Written Language. Findings reveal that teachers were more critical of the course compared to learners. Teachers expressed dissatisfaction with the pedagogical approach to Effective Learning unit, insufficient time provided in the course to teach solo speaking, and the inability to cover too many organizational and linguistic features in the writing unit. Students, however, did not have much to reflect on about Effective Learning, had mixed views about Spoken Language with some worried about reading from notes, and wrote extremely positively about their learning of Written Language. Nonetheless, their views provide valuable insights for course improvement. Consequently, the paper advocates for a reflective pedagogy approach to EAP that considers both teacher and student reflections to enhance teaching and learning outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Given students' lack of self‐directed learning skills and the growing concern about implementing massive online open courses (MOOCs) in K12 education, learning strategies are needed to facilitate MOOC learning. Many studies have provided different strategies for effective learning in MOOCs. However, there is still limited research to confirm whether these strategies effectively support MOOC learning when deployed by secondary schools, which are not MOOC developers. Objectives: This mixed‐method study examines the provision of different learning strategies, including a learning guide, an academic mentoring programme, a training workshop, and a reimbursement scheme, and investigates the impact of these strategies on student learning in MOOCs. Methods: The study uses two data sources: (1) surveys with 40 participants and (2) semi‐structured interviews with 12 participants. The quantitative data were analysed with descriptive statistics and Fisher's exact test, and the qualitative data were analysed with thematic analysis. Results and Conclusion: The findings indicate that MOOC learners had positive attitudes towards the overall school support, with mentoring enjoying great popularity amongst the students. In terms of the effectiveness of the school support, the mentoring programme and reimbursement scheme were more effective than the university training and learning guide. The paper discusses the implications for researchers and educators. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: There are a large number of K12 MOOC implementations, which are (i) STEM‐related and computer science courses, and (ii) from Europe and the USA.Limited studies provided different learning strategies for MOOC learning from the perspective of K12 schools, which are not MOOC developers.There is a need to explore MOOC initiatives encompassing a wide variety of subjects, including computer science MOOCs and non‐computer science MOOCs, in regions beyond Europe and the USA.There is also a need for further scrutiny of the effectiveness of learning strategies provided by the K12 school. What this paper adds: Our study launched the first MOOC implementation in K12, encompassing several subject areas beyond computer science in the region of Asia.Our study provided different learning strategies adopted by the K12 school, and the analysis revealed that MOOC learners took positive attitudes towards overall school support with mentoring enjoying great popularity with these students.Our study examined the effectiveness of school support and identified that mentoring and reimbursement are more effective than university training and the learning guide. Implications for practitioners: The insights gained from the study enable other K12 schools and educators to implement MOOC into existing school infrastructures successfully.These strategies provided in the MOOC implementation program can be helpful in many different online learning contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vocabulary learning in a second language (L2) encompasses crucial aspects, including single words and collocations. Research indicates that L2 learners can incidentally learn single words from captioned videos, but less is known about the incidental learning outcomes of collocations, let alone the differences in learning gains for single words and collocations under different captioned conditions, as well as individual differences that may account for such differences. Objectives: This study aimed to fill this gap by comparing the learning gains of single words and collocations while investigating the influence of vocabulary knowledge (VK) and working memory (WM) on the learning results within diverse forms of captioning conditions: full captions, keyword captions, and no captions. Methods: The study involved 129 young Chinese ESL learners who completed vocabulary tests assessing their meaning recall before, immediately after, and 2 weeks after the study, as well as tests for VK and WM. Results and Conclusions: The results showed that full captions are the most efficacious condition for enhancing both single word and collocation learning. The depth of VK, as well as phonological and complex WM, were significant factors in the learning of new language items. Takeaways: Different types of captioning (full or keyword) contribute differently to the learning of various language items. Individual differences in WM and depth of VK among learners should be considered when utilizing captioned videos for language learning. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: The type of captions employed does influence incidental single word learning.Incidental collocation learning from captioned videos is worth to be investigated due to the essential role of collocation knowledge in L2 development and the limited classroom time.The breadth of prior vocabulary knowledge (VK) does impact the incidental learning of single words across different captioned conditions. However, the findings remain inconclusive.Working memory (WM) plays a vital role in single word learning. However, limited emphasis has been placed on the examination of how WM affects the incidental learning of collocations across various captioning conditions. What this paper adds: Different captioned conditions play different roles in the incidental learning of different language units: single word learning benefits most from full captioning, whereas both full and keyword captioning lead to significant improvements in incidental collocation learning.The depth of VK is a key determinant of both single word and collocation learning from captioned videos, but its impact is greater for collocations.The breadth of VK is more relevant to collocation learning than single word learning.Both phonological and complex WM play an important role in learning both single words and collocations, but their contribution is greater for collocations. Implications for practice and/or policy: L2 policymakers can incorporate short storytelling videos into the EFL curriculum to facilitate vocabulary learning among young learners and ultimately enhance their L2 proficiency.Teachers can strategically design and implement various types of captioned videos (full or keyword) as out‐of‐class extensive viewing activities, targeting different language components such as single words and collocations.Teachers should be mindful of individual differences (e.g., VK and WM) among learners when utilizing captioned videos for language learning, particularly when it comes to incidental collocation learning.Parents are encouraged to include short storytelling videos with captions as part of their children's home entertainment activities. [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]

Displaying a strong competence in English as a second language (L2) is a major advantage for university graduates in personal development and career advancement. There are limited studies that have explored how the implementation of English-Medium-Instruction (EMI) in non-Anglophone universities can affect students' academic English proficiency. This mixed-method study explores how both the learners' variables (motivation and L2 learning strategies) and the medium-of-instruction policy implemented at secondary and university settings can contribute to students' success in academic English learning at a bilingual university in Hong Kong. The findings of a large-scale questionnaire reveal that the effect of medium-of-instruction in students' secondary school education is not a significant predictor of students' academic English language proficiency at university. The findings suggest that university students who previously attended secondary schools which adopt medium-of-instruction other than English tend not to be disadvantaged in improving their academic English proficiency. Institutional factor (i.e. provision of EMI lectures at university) and learners' variables, including students' L2 strategy use and motivation, are statistically significant predictors of the student's English language proficiency. The implications for higher education policy in Hong Kong and worldwide will be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]