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Background: In the digital environment, users' academic reading behaviour has changed, working with many articles simultaneously to search, filter, scan, link, annotate and analyse content fragments. The semantic enhancement environment has been widely set with semantic technologies to offer additional and handy support for users and thus facilitate the reading process. Despite many efforts devoted to developing a semantic enhancement environment, less attention has been paid to its actual effects. Objectives: This study aims to explore the effects of a semantic enhancement environment. Methods: Elaborating on cognitive load theory and focusing on academic reading, this study compared users' cognitive load and reading effect under the semantic enhancement environment and plain text environment and verified the three hypotheses. Results and conclusions: Through experiments and statistical analysis, this study found that, under a semantic enhancement environment, users had their cognitive load reduced and their reading effect improved. Consequently, a semantic enhancement environment promotes academic reading. Takeaways: This study adds to previous literature on semantic publishing by empirically corroborating the conducive effects of semantic enhancement environment in academic reading. Additionally, it justifies semantic publishing and provides a reference for the future design of semantically enhanced reading environments. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic?: The effects of a semantic enhancement environment are open to discuss.Academic reading is fundamental to researches and hence needs promotion.Limited studies investigated the effects of a semantic enhancement environment on academic reading.Publishers require effective reading environment designs. What this paper adds?: This study constructed a semantic enhancement reading environment to conduct a reading experiment.The experiment tested cognitive load, by using WP scale, and reading effects, by answer time and answer score.Semantic enhancement environment reduces users' cognitive load, promotes users' reading effects, and bolsters users' understanding of academic reading materials, especially in microstructure content.The design of semantic enhancement reading environments needs to fully consider the features of reading materials and give users a controllable way of interaction. The implications of study findings for practitioners: Compared to plain text environment, semantic enhancement environment is preferred in academic reading.Publishers are encouraged to add semantic enhancements to their publications.This study discussed how to design an effective learning and reading environment from the perspectives of reading resources, media forms of resources, and interaction modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The use of e‐exams in higher education is increasing. However, the role of student diversity in the acceptance of e‐exams is an under‐researched topic. In the current study, we considered student diversity in terms of three sociodemographic characteristics (age, gender, and second language) and three dispositional student characteristics (computer anxiety, test anxiety, and technology openness). Objectives: The main objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between student diversity and acceptance of e‐exams. Methods: Our research combined cross‐sectional analyses (N = 1639) with data from a natural experiment on the introduction of e‐exams versus the established paper‐pencil exams (N = 626) and used both self‐report and institutional data. Sociodemographic and dispositional characteristics were indirectly related to pre‐exam acceptance via expectancy variables from the Technology Acceptance Model framework. Results and Conclusions: Comparisons of post‐exam acceptance showed that practical experience with the e‐exam led to a significant increase in e‐exam acceptance, and that students with low openness toward technology particularly benefited from this effect. Students' exam performance (i.e., grades) was unrelated to the exam format or their pre‐exam acceptance of the e‐exam format, and this was true across students' sociodemographic and dispositional characteristics. Takeaway: Student diversity plays a role in e‐exam acceptance, but its influence is mitigated by first‐hand experience with e‐exams. The practical implications for higher education institutions aiming to implement e‐exams are discussed. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: The use of e‐exams in higher education is increasingThe role of student diversity for e‐exam acceptance is unclearTechnology acceptance is predicted by expectancies towards new system What this paper adds: We investigated students' sociodemographic and dispositional diversityDiversity predicted e‐exam acceptance via the expectanciesIn a natural experiment, first‐hand experience increased e‐exam acceptanceNo difference between performance in e‐exams and paper‐pencil‐exams found Implications of the study findings for practitioners: Higher education institutions implementing e‐exams should consider diversitySupport for older students and students with low technology openness neededNo student groups systematically disadvantaged by e‐exam implementationPractice rooms can increase experience with new system before exam [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This paper examines the use of augmented reality (AR) as a concept‐association tool in schools, with the aim of enhancing primary school students' learning outcomes and engagement. Conflicting findings exist in previous studies regarding the cognitive load of AR‐enriched learning, with some reporting reduced load and others indicating increased demand and poorer performance. Understanding these implications is essential for effectively leveraging AR in education. The study offers a fresh perspective on the potential of AR technology in improving educational experiences. Objectives: The primary goal of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of an AR‐assisted concept‐association strategy for improving essential knowledge acquisition and skills outcomes, increasing cognitive load, and increasing self‐efficacy and learning motivation among primary school students. Methods: A quasi‐experimental design with a control group was employed to investigate the effectiveness of the intervention. Results and Conclusions: The results demonstrate that the implementation of the AR‐assisted concept‐association strategy effectively enhanced essential knowledge acquisition and skills outcomes, increased cognitive load, and increased self‐efficacy and learning motivation among primary school students. These findings highlight the potential of AR technology to improve the learning experience and engagement of primary school students. The study contributes to the existing literature on the effectiveness of AR technology in education, suggesting future research directions. Ultimately, it offers a practical solution for improving the learning experience by presenting a new approach for teaching using AR technology. Lay Description: What is currently known about this topic: Augmented reality (AR) technology has been increasingly explored in educational settings.Previous research has shown that AR can enhance learning outcomes and engagement among students.AR applications have the potential to serve as concept‐association tools to improve the learning experience. What this paper adds: This paper investigates the effectiveness of using an AR application as a mobile concept‐association tool in school settings.The study demonstrates that the AR‐assisted concept‐association strategy effectively enhances knowledge acquisition, skills outcomes, cognitive load, self‐efficacy, and learning motivation among primary school students.The findings highlight the potential of AR technology in improving learning experiences and engagement for primary school students.The study offers practical implications for integrating AR technology into educational settings, and suggests avenues for future research in this area. Implications for practice and/or policy: Incorporating AR applications as concept‐association tools can enhance learning outcomes and engagement in primary school settings.AR technology can be used to increase cognitive load, and to increase self‐efficacy and motivation among students.Educators and policymakers should consider integrating AR technology into teaching practices to improve the overall learning experience.Future research and exploration should be conducted to understand the full potential and limitations of AR technology in education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Behavioural intention (BI) has been predicted using other variables by adopting the technology acceptance model (TAM). However, few studies have examined whether BI can predict learning performance. Objectives: The present study used an extended TAM to investigate whether students' BI is a predictor of their listening learning performance (LLP) through vocabulary learning performance (VLP) in the context of mobile vocabulary‐assisted listening learning by using two mobile learning tools. Methods: A total of 129 college students with a pre‐intermediate level of English were recruited as participants, and a 10‐week mobile vocabulary‐assisted, listening‐learning course was conducted in 2022. In each task of this course, the students had to learn target words from a listening passage on Quizlet and then engage in listening activities on Randall's ESL Cyber Listening Lab. Quantitative responses obtained through an online questionnaire were analysed through partial‐least‐squares structural equation modelling. Results: The analysis results indicated that BI significantly predicted LLP through VLP. Perceived ease of use (PEU) and perceived usefulness (PU) were significant antecedents of BI. However, PEU did not significantly predict PU because of the difficulty of navigating between the two technological tools used in this study. The extended model demonstrated its effectiveness in explaining listening learning performance, as evidenced by an explained variance (R2) of 69%. Conclusion: The extended model validates the influence of BI on learning performance and it can also draw teachers' focus toward the significance of enhancing students' BI to improve their listening learning performance. Pedagogical implications based on the results are provided in this paper. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic?: TAM was used to study learners' acceptance of mobile‐assisted language learning.TAM incorporates latent variables to explore mobile‐assisted language learning.Investigating factors influencing BI is a primary research focus in extended TAM literature.Mobile tools could improve listening learning and vocabulary retention. What this paper adds to that: Learning performance was considered as a dependent variable in an extended TAM.BI might predict students' learning performance in vocabulary and listening in an extended TAM.Teachers used two mobile tools to design mobile vocabulary‐assisted listening tasks.Pre‐learning the target words facilitate students' listening learning performance. Implications for practice and/or policy: We show the importance of BI on predicting listening learning performance.The impact of BI on other factors became another focus of TAM research.Results highlight pre‐learning target words' importance for better listening performance.Existing mobile tools improve listening performance, avoiding new system development. [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: The substantial growth in gamification research has connected gamified learning to enhanced engagement, improved performance, and greater motivation. Similar to gamification, personalized learning analytics dashboards can enhance student engagement. Objectives: This study explores the student experiences and academic achievements using a gamified dashboard in a large, introductory STEM course. Methods: We examined two groups of students enrolled in different sections of a one‐semester‐long physical geology course with a total enrollment of 223 students. The only difference between the groups was that one had access to the dashboard. The data collection included students' assignments, overall performances, and exam scores. Students in both sections completed a Science Literacy Concept Inventory survey at the beginning and end of the term. Additionally, students completed an end‐of‐term survey containing open‐ended questions on their experience and interactions with specific elements. Results: Students shared mostly positive comments about their experience with the dashboard, and the final grade of students with access to the dashboard was 13% higher, on average, compared to their peers in the non‐dashboard section. Conclusion: With low costs and little time invested, gamified dashboards could have a significant impact on student performance in large STEM lecture courses. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Leaner dashboards that provide personalized feedback are linked to improved student performance in undergraduate STEM courses. However, students may be reticent to adopt dashboards, especially students in the middle range of the performance distribution, for whom the impact of the dashboard may be most significant.Prior research on gamification in STEM courses suggests that adding gameful elements like progress trackers, badges, and rewards can increase students' engagement in undergraduate coursework.The combination of personalized learning in dashboards and the motivational experience of gamification should boost student engagement, dashboard adoption, and ultimately foster academic achievement. What this paper adds: In this paper, we examine the differences in academic performance between students with and without access to a gamified learning dashboard in an undergraduate Geology course.We observe that students with access to the dashboard (the treatment group), outperform students without access (the control group). The greatest benefit is observed for students who use the dashboard more frequently.Students reported that the progress tracker, the badges, and the rewards all incentivized their use and provided useful feedback about their performance. Students who did not adopt the dashboard expressed a need for more detail about the tool and its purpose. Implications for practice and/or policy: Instructors and instructional designers for large enrollment undergraduate STEM courses should consider the affordances of gamified learner dashboards for increasing engagement and for providing synchronous feedback about learners' strategies in the course.Aligning the dashboard to the content of the curriculum—by ensuring that badges reflect key concepts‐ encouraged participation and helped students identify the utility of the tool. Dashboards should be personalized to individuals and to the course.Adding gameful elements in a low‐cost intervention for increasing adoption and engagement of dashboards in large enrollment introductory courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This research is inspired by the challenges encountered in interpreter training, changes in learning needs in the technological era, the educational paradigm shift caused by the COVID‐19 pandemic, the lack of studies on combining virtual reality (VR)_and mobile technologies, and literature gaps in the field of the incorporation of technology in interpreter education. Objectives: This research aims to develop a mobile‐based VR application for bi‐directional English‐Chinese and Chinese‐English interpreting learning named 'Virtual Interpreting Practice' (VIP) based on an interpreting competence model and to investigate its impact on students' self‐rated language and interpreting proficiency levels as well as their declarative knowledge and operative skills as reflected in different interpreting modes (sight and consecutive) and language directions (English‐Chinese and Chinese‐English). The VIP app contains learning resources, including 13 learning modules covering both interpreting modes, practical topics and contexts, video lectures and demonstrations, fully immersive VR and non‐VR practice, glossary lists, source texts, translated texts and an online feedback platform. Methods: Thirty‐one native Chinese‐speaking English as a second/foreign (ESL/EFL) undergraduate students used the app for self‐directed learning. The data were collected by the pre‐study and post‐study questionnaires as well as the pre‐test and post‐test. Results and Conclusions: The results indicate that the use of VIP significantly raised the students' self‐rated language and interpreting proficiency levels as well as their interpreting performance in both modes and language directions. While the students performed better in sight interpreting and Chinese‐English interpreting, they achieved a significantly higher improvement rate in consecutive interpreting and English‐Chinese interpreting. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: A number of studies have demonstrated the use of virtual reality (VR) provides users with senses of multiple presence, enhances learner engagement and motivation, and facilitates collaborative, situated, immersive and experiential learning that is not often available in traditional learning environments.The increasing availability of VR has created new opportunities in the area of mobile‐assisted language learning (MALL), paving the way for a new research area called VR‐assisted language learning (VRALL).Using VRALL, numerous benefits in various language skills have been identified, such as listening, speaking, writing and vocabulary acquisition. What this paper adds: While blending VR and mobile technologies may play a more significant role in education settings and create more advantages, the impact of this combination for interpreting learning has remained an unexplored area in higher education. This paper has addressed the research gaps in which there is a lack of VR language learning apps that are bilingual, mobile‐based and specifically designed for interpreting practice in highly immersive learning environments.The results indicate that the use of VIP significantly raised the students' self‐rated language and interpreting proficiency levels as well as their interpreting performance in both sight and consecutive interpreting and language directions (English‐Chinese and Chinese‐English).While the students performed better in sight interpreting and Chinese‐English interpreting, they achieved a significantly higher improvement rate in consecutive interpreting and English‐Chinese interpreting. Implications for practice and/or policy: The results have implications for the roles of students and teachers. The app developed in this study shifts the teacher‐led approach to student‐centred learning. While it allows more learning autonomy, its effectiveness may largely depend on students' ability to self‐regulate and engage.It appears that the effectiveness of VRALL depends on a number of individual and contextual factors, e.g. the design and functionality of the apps, availability of the internet connection and smartphones as well as learning needs and motivation. [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 Study: The research discusses the need for a paradigm shift in engineering education current practices to accommodate the digital native students. The paper emphasizes the importance of integrating disruptive technologies, namely Virtual Reality (VR) through Head Mounted Displays VR (HMD VR) and Desktop Based VR (DB VR) and comparing it with the traditional teaching methods. The research focuses on second‐year undergraduate students enrolled in a concrete structures course. Objectives: The objective of the study is to analyse the impact of DB VR and HMD VR on students' motivation, performance and workload in comparison with traditional 2D drawings. The study also aims to investigate how simulation sickness and system usability could impact students' motivation and performance when interpreting concrete structures. Methods: The study divided second‐year civil engineering students into three groups, 2D, DB VR and HMD VR. The performance and motivation levels of students were assessed based on the number of mistakes identified and an intrinsic motivation survey. Furthermore, data on system usability and simulation sickness were collected. Spearman rank correlation was conducted to analyse the relationships between the variables tested. Results: The results have shown that students' motivation and performance were much higher when using VR in general and HMD VR specifically, students' efficiency and accuracy were also observed. On the other hand, usability was found to be moderately correlated with motivation, with students rating HMD VR as the most usable approach. A moderate inverse correlation was observed between simulation sickness and motivation, indicating that higher simulation sickness led to lower motivation levels. Conclusion: The study concludes that integrating VR in general, DB VR, or HMD VR into a concrete structures course for undergraduate students can significantly improve students' performance and motivation. Furthermore, enhancing usability of any of the methods used can also improve the performance and motivation. On the other hand, simulation sickness inversely affects motivation and performance, therefore, VR developers and educators should not neglect it. Lay Description: What is already known about the topic: Traditional teaching methods in engineering education require improvement.Integrating digital technologies into engineering education enhances performance.Digital technologies can potentially enhance motivation. What this paper adds: Compares traditional teaching methods for concrete structures interpretation with virtual reality.Establishes correlations between motivation, performance and usabilityIntroduces how desktop‐based VR and head‐mounted display VR can produce varying results. Implications for practice and/or policy: Decision‐makers can use the information to integrate updated pedagogy into engineering curricula.Allows for further exploration of different digital technologies that can be used for concrete structure interpretation.Allows instructors to introduce virtual reality in their courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The existing literature has predominantly focused on instructor social presence in videos in an asynchronous learning environment and little is known about student social presence on webcam in online learning in the context of COVID‐19. Objectives: This paper therefore contrasts students' and teachers' perspectives on student social presence on webcam in synchronous online teaching through co‐orientation analysis. Methods: Data were collected through an online questionnaire with 14 statements that measured participants' perceptions of webcam use in three constructs in social presence (i.e., emotional expression, open communication, and cohesion). 154 students and 36 teachers from two higher education institutions in Hong Kong responded to the questionnaire, and their responses were analysed using the co‐orientation model. Results and conclusion: Results reveal the perceptual gaps between teachers and students on the use of webcam to promote student social presence by showing how teachers were comparatively more positive about its impacts for learning and consistently overestimated students' preference for it. Through analysing individual constructs/items, this paper argues that using webcams in synchronous online learning could enhance student social presence only to a limited extent in that it may help improve emotional expression and open communication but not cohesion. Implications: The paper advises against the adoption of a clear‐cut policy that webcams should be either recommended or not recommended for online learning. Instead, teachers should take into account students' perspective to find out the types of activities that are apt for using webcams in online learning, and reflective tasks and oral assessments were amongst the ones considered appropriate by students in the study. Lay Description: What is currently known about the subject matter: Teacher presence through videoconferencing is important to the construction of social presence.Student presence on webcam is relatively understudied in online learning during COVID‐19.Teachers struggled to use webcams for online learning during the pandemic.Teachers and students have different concerns about using webcams for online learning that either party may not be aware of. What this paper adds: The current study contrasted teachers' and students' perceptions of student presence on webcam in online learning under COVID‐19.This is the first study using co‐orientation model as the analytical method for this area.There were perceptual differences between students and teachers on the use of webcams in which teachers were comparatively more positive about its impacts for learning and consistently overestimated students' preference for it.Using webcams in synchronous online learning could enhance social presence only to a limited extent in that it may help improve emotional expression and open communication but not cohesion. Implications of study findings for practitioners: The paper advises against the adoption of a clear‐cut policy that webcams should be either recommended or not recommended for online learning.Teachers should take into account students' perspective to find out the types of activities that are apt for using webcams in online learning, and reflective tasks and oral assessments were amongst the ones considered appropriate by students in the study.It reveals how co‐orientation model can be a useful tool for perception studies in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Inquiry‐based learning is a salient instructional approach to cultivate students' higher order thinking skills (HOTS). With the presence and advancement of new technologies, their usage for inquiry learning in university context is increasingly ubiquitous. However, in most circumstances, college students cannot integrate technologies to their inquiry learning in efficient ways or their abilities to use technologies are not good enough. Previous studies found that intrinsic motivation (IM), peer interaction (PI) and classroom connectedness (CC) were key factors to influence students' approaches to using technologies from the personal, behavioural and environmental perspectives. Objectives: This study investigated the influence of these three essential learning factors (IM, PI and CC) on students' HOTS and the mediate influence of deep approach to using technologies (DAUT) between these learning factors and HOTS in the technology‐enhanced open inquiry‐based learning context. Methods: A questionnaire was administered to 80 university students who had studied with the technology‐enhanced open inquiry‐based learning approach. The partial least squares method was employed to investigate the relationships among learning factors, DAUT and HOTS. Results and Conclusions: Results showed that CC and PI were positively directly related to HOTS. DAUT was a significant mediator between two (i.e., IM and PI) of the three learning factors and HOTS. The findings of the study have practical implications for instructors, indicating that they should pay attention to students' IM and PI in deepening their approach to using technologies as well as to improve students' HOTS in technology‐enhanced open inquiry‐based learning. Lay Description: What Is Already Known About This Topic: Inquiry‐based learning is considered to be a salient instructional approach to cultivate students' higher order thinking skills (HOTS).Technologies usage in inquiry learning is ubiquitous in university context.In most cases, college students are not able to integrate technologies in their inquiry learning in effective ways. What This Paper Adds: This paper proposed a research model that explains and predicts the mediating influence of deep approach to using technologies on the association between learning factors and HOTS in the technology‐enhanced open inquiry‐based learning context.The mediating effect of approaches to using technologies between learning factors and HOTS was identified.Two of the three learning factors (peer interaction and classroom connectedness) had direct effect on HOTS.Deep approaches to using technologies variable significantly mediates two of the three learning factors (peer interaction and intrinsic motivation) and HOTS. Implications for Practice or Policy: Instructors should pay attention to students' intrinsic motivation (IM) and peer interaction in order to deepen their approach to using technologies.Instructors should pay particular attention to peer interaction and classroom connectedness when conducting technology‐enhanced open inquiry‐based learning activities to improve college students' HOTS.Students' interest improvement and IM in using technologies, the integration of technologies and open inquiry‐based learning activities could be discussed and decided by both the instructor and students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Holocaust memory and learning processes have become increasingly mediatised as a result of rapid technological advances. There is, however, little information available regarding how people learn about this topic informally through social media. Objectives: This paper explores how adult learners develop their learning ecologies by using social media to learn about the Holocaust informally. Methods: The study uses a learning ecology perspective to analyse the interests, expectations and learning process of a group of adult learners (N = 276). An online survey tool was developed to collect information on the interests, expectations, and benefits of learning about Holocaust‐related topics among online users of four Italian Holocaust museums' social media profiles (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube). Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to summarise the characteristics of the sample and to answer the research questions. Results and Conclusions: The results show that most of the respondents are mostly women, with an average age of 50 and a higher level of education. In terms of interest and expectations, they are particularly interested in issues related to the intertwining of transnational and national memory. They also express a sense of civic responsibility with regard to the legacy of the Holocaust. Finally, components of the learning process show proactive behaviour and a preference for individual learning, while interaction with peers is considered less important. Takeaways: There is an urgent need to understand how learners' preferences influence the development of learning ecologies and the types of content they are most likely to be exposed to as a result. It is also important for social media content providers to understand that learners are looking for quality resources and trustworthy content to further their education. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Teaching and learning about the Holocaust is a field of study with an established scholarly tradition.Social media are information ecosystems that enable novel practices of Holocaust education and remembrance.The concept of lifelong learning ecologies has been developed to explain learning as a multidimensional and complex aspect of human life. What this paper adds: The study is the first to apply learning ecologies to the teaching and learning of the Holocaust through the use of digital technology.The study findings provide insight into how adults learn about the Holocaust informally using social media.The findings suggest that users are more proactive in their individual learning process and less active in interacting with peers. Implications for practice and/or policy: It is important to understand that learners' preferences have implications for the development of learning ecologies and the types of content to which they are most frequently exposed.In addition to providing opportunities for learners to critically reflect on their own learning practices, museum staff provide opportunities for learners to interact with each other and with Holocaust education specialists.Social media content providers should be aware that learners are looking for quality resources and trustworthy content to continue their learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) has gained increasing popularity in human society, and it is important to educate people about this emerging technology. Many countries have adopted school curricula to incorporate AI into their classrooms. However, developing tools for discovering AI concepts remains challenging. There are few studies on AI education tools, particularly in Thailand. Objectives: This study designs AIThaiGen, a web‐based learning platform for junior high school students that introduces AI concepts. It can communicate with remote hardware stations, allowing students to test their AI models in real‐world scenarios. Methods: A total of 106 students in 7th and 8th grade in Thailand participated, and a single‐group pre‐test‐post‐test research design was employed in this study. Pre‐post‐tests on the basic concepts of AI and the students' attitude questionnaire on AIThaiGen were used to collect and analyse data. Results and Conclusions: The results show that there is a significant improvement (p < 0.001) in the pre‐post‐tests on the basic concepts of AI, and the overall result of the students' attitude questionnaire on AIThaiGen is X¯=3.88, indicating positive outlooks. Furthermore, notable student projects are showcased, highlighting their ability to initiate new ideas for solving real problems after studying with AIThaiGen. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Several AI learning platforms with varying target audiences and presentations have been proposed in recent years.Visual programming languages are more suited to novice learners of AI. What this paper adds: This paper introduces an AIThaiGen platform that allows students to learn basic AI without prior programming knowledge.The AIThaiGen platform enables virtual and real hardware control for students by using their trained AI models.This study investigated students' attitudes towards learning AI programming with AIThaiGen and their comprehension of fundamental AI concepts. Implications for practice and/or policy: This study provides design ideas for creating an AI learning platform with a low entry barrier.This study highlights issues that one may encounter when using a web‐based AI learning tool in actual classrooms and suggests potential solutions. [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: Artificial intelligence–generated content (AIGC) has stepped into the spotlight with the emergence of ChatGPT, making effective use of AIGC for education a hot topic. Objectives: This study seeks to explore the effectiveness of integrating AIGC into programming learning through debugging. First, the study presents three levels of AIGC integration based on varying levels of abstraction. Then, drawing on extended effective use theory, the study proposes the underlying mechanism of how AIGC integration impacts programming learning performance and computational thinking. Methods: Three debugging interfaces integrated with AIGC by ChatGPT were developed for this study according to three levels of AIGC integration design. The study conducts a between‐subject experiment with one control group and three experimental groups. Analysis of covariance and a structural equation model are employed to examine the effects. Results and Conclusions: The results show that the second and third levels of abstraction in AIGC integration yield better learning performance and computational thinking, but the first level shows no difference compared to traditional debugging. The underlying mechanism suggests that the second and third levels of abstraction promote transparent interaction, which enhances representational fidelity and consequently impacts learning performance and computational thinking, as evidenced in test of the mechanism. Moreover, the study finds that learning fidelity weakens the effect of transparent interaction on representational fidelity. Our research offers valuable theoretical and practical insights. Lay Description: What is currently known about the subject matter?: In the present information era, programming and computational thinking are important.AIGC has attracted remarkable attention from both academics and managers.If it is appropriately utilised, AIGC can facilitate education. What this paper adds: Three forms of AIGC integration based on the level of abstraction, which enhance programming learning and computational thinking.Application of extended effective use theory to propose an underlying mechanism for how AIGC integration affects learning performance and computational thinking.Concrete information on the utilisation of AIGC in the education domain.Evidence that shows the importance of interaction transparency and representational fidelity for leveraging information technologies in education. Implications of the study findings for practitioners: AIGC can be an effective tool for teachers, learners, and institutions.Platform designers and teachers should carefully design AICG integration.Platform designers and teachers could make use of various methods and other forms of AIGC integration to promote interaction transparency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Delivering effective feedback to large groups of students represents a challenge for the academic staff at universities. Research suggests that undergraduate students often ignore the Elaborated Feedback (EF) received via digital learning environments. This may be because instructors provide feedback in written format instead of using more engaging channels (e.g., audiovisual). Objectives: This quasi‐experimental study examines the extent to which feedback format (video vs. written) influences students' perceptions of feedback, their decision to access EF messages related to high‐stakes assignments in digital environments, and its impact on academic performance, while considering the effect of their academic engagement. Methods: A total of 171 undergraduate students received generic EF messages through a learning platform the day after submitting each course assignment. 78 students received EF in written format and 93 in video format. Results and Conclusions: Our results showed that feedback format influenced students' decision to access EF and their academic performance, but not their feedback perceptions. Students in the written‐feedback group accessed EF messages more often, but students who received video‐feedback performed better than their counterparts in the written‐feedback group. Moderation analysis showed that the relationship between the feedback format and students' academic performance was moderated by their academic engagement, suggesting that students with lower levels of academic engagement may benefit from video‐feedback. Takeaways: The results reveal that using video feedback in digital environments may influence students' decisions to process EF and their academic achievement, especially when it comes to students with lower levels of academic engagement. Lay Description: What is currently known about the subject matter: Delivering Elaborated Feedback (EF) to large groups of students represents a challenge for instructors.Undergraduate students often ignore the EF received via digital learning environments.Students usually prefer audiovisual formats to receive feedback compared to the written format.Results in regard to whether video‐feedback is best for learning are inconclusive. What this paper adds: A quasi‐experimental study to compare two feedback formats (video and written) in an ecologically valid setup.Data of students' voluntary decisions to process EF related to high‐stakes assignments.The moderating effect of students' academic engagement on the relationship between feedback format and academic performance. The implications of study findings for practitioners: Students positively value the EF received in both video and written formats.Students may not engage with EF as expected even when provided in audiovisual formats.Students may access written‐EF more frequently than video‐EF.Video‐EF may positively influence academic performance when students have low levels of academic engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Some studies have researched the correlation between flipped learning and cognitive learning outcomes; however, there is a paucity of research elaborating on the effects of flipped language learning on cognitive load (CL). Objectives: This study investigates the effects of using flipped learning designs (student‐led, teacher‐led and collaboration‐led) on learning outcomes and CL management during out‐of‐class activities versus during‐class activities. Methods: A mixed methods research was used to concurrently triangulate different strands of data on the effects of flipped learning designs on English as foreign language (EFL) learners' learning outcomes and CL. A total of 122 EFL learners were randomly assigned to either the control or experimental group and participated in the study. The interpretations were made based on running one‐way analysis of variance between four groups. Results and Conclusion: This study evidenced the efficacy of the interactive use of collaboration‐led flipped learning design over student‐led and teacher‐led designs for improving learning outcomes and lowering CL during computer‐assisted language learning (CALL) course. Pedagogically, CALL practitioners need to develop and integrate a well‐organized combination of student‐led and teacher‐led flipped learning activities for during‐class and out‐of‐class phases with respect to the CL and learning material complexity, while also considering the specific contexts and goals of their instructional settings. Theoretically, the results indicate the necessity of merging active learning and sociocultural theories into an instructional design to take advantage of the identified affordances of flipped language learning approach in terms of psychological effects (CL management) and learning effects (CALL outcomes). Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: The flipped language learning approach involves receiving online instruction outside the classroom and is a learner‐centered pedagogy. What this paper adds: This study contributes by triangulating different strands of data on the effects of flipped learning designs on learning outcomes and cognitive load.The findings highlight the effectiveness of collaboration‐led design for flipped language learning, facilitating engagement in both out‐of‐class and during‐class activities. Implications for practice: The findings emphasize the importance of designing and implementing instructional designs that align with emerging educational technologies.Teachers should consider the flexibility, fluency and novelty of the learning material when designing flipped learning activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Background: Virtual reality (VR) offers significant potential for hands‐on learning environments by providing immersive and visually stimulating experiences. Interacting with such environments can bring numerous benefits to learning, including enhanced engagement, knowledge construction, and higher‐order thinking. However, many current VR studies in hands‐on learning tend to utilise one‐way learning materials, limiting participants' ability to interact with and reflect on their actions and learning experiences. Moreover, these studies often neglect to assess learners' capacity to transfer their skills from VR learning to real‐world scenarios. Therefore, this study aims to investigate participants' engagement, learning outcomes, higher‐order thinking, and their ability to apply acquired skills in real‐world contexts. Method and Objective: Participants were immersed in a hands‐on learning environment in VR, where they received feedback and engaged in reflection during the learning process. This study recruited 68 university students to participate in the experiment, employing a quasi‐experimental design. Participants experienced learning units both with and without reflection on the feedback. The theme of these learning units was related to embedded systems, encompassing topics such as the assembly of embedded components and Python programming. The investigation aimed to assess whether reflection in VR could enhance cognitive levels, engagement, real‐world hands‐on tasks abilities, and higher‐order thinking. Results: The research results indicate that in the VR hands‐on learning environment, participants engage in reflection through the provided feedback, effectively enhancing their engagement, cognitive levels, and hands‐on task abilities. Simultaneously, it also successfully assists participants in developing problem‐solving skills and critical thinking in higher‐order thinking. Conclusions: Participants actively engaged in reflection on their own learning tasks and actions within the hands‐on learning environment, enabling them to develop a deeper understanding of the learning material and enhance their real‐world hands‐on tasks abilities, we encourage the integration of reflection strategies in VR learning environments for hands‐on learning, as they can yield positive benefits for learners. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Virtual reality learning environments can enhance students' cognitive levels.Higher‐order thinking has a significant impact on hands‐on learning.Reflection has an important influence on the cognitive process. What this paper adds: Providing reflection through feedback in a virtual reality environment increases learning engagement and promotes higher‐order thinking.Reflection in virtual reality enhances cognitive levels and practical abilities. Implications for practice and/or policy: We demonstrated the effectiveness of providing reflection through feedback in a VR hands‐on learning environment.Learners, through reflection in VR, enhance higher‐order thinking, engagement, cognitive levels, and practical abilities. What are the 1 or 2 major takeaways from the study: Providing reflection in VR learning environments used for training or hands‐on learning can effectively promote cognitive levels, engagement, higher‐order thinking abilities, and practical skills.Through VR reflection, we reveal the potential of cultivating higher‐order thinking through VR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Data literacy (DL) is vital for teachers, as it enables them to build on data and improve teaching and learning. Therefore, developing DL among pre‐service teachers is critical. Objectives: The purpose of this study is threefold: to evaluate whether a feedback visualisation of peer assessment‐based teaching approach (FVPA‐based teaching approach) can (1) promote pre‐service teachers' DL; (2) enhance their learning motivation; and (3) improve their cognitive load. Methods: The research was conducted based on a pre‐test‐post‐test control group quasi‐experimental design. With 20 participants in the experimental group and 21 in the control group, a total of 41 pre‐service teachers were included in the study. The pre‐service teachers in the experimental group adopted the FVPA‐based teaching approach, and those in the control group adopted the traditional peer assessment‐based learning approach. Results and Conclusions: The experimental group participants outperformed the control group participants in DL, learning motivation, and cognitive load. FVPA was conducive to helping pre‐service teachers critically interpret data, understand their teaching and learning issues, and improve self‐reflection. The findings indicate a reciprocal relationship between learning motivation and DL; improving the learning motivation of pre‐service teachers could promote their DL. Implications: This study contributes to current knowledge by providing empirical evidence on the benefits of an FVPA‐based teaching approach in improving pre‐service teachers' DL, motivation, and cognitive load. The study findings, limitations, and prospects for future research are discussed. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic?: Teacher data literacy has emerged as a crucial competency for the forthcoming generation of educators, gaining attention from education institutions globally.Peer assessment, a well‐established practice in pre‐service teacher education, has proven effective in enhancing the learning experience for disadvantaged students by fostering motivation and improving academic performance.Despite the acknowledged benefits of feedback visualisation in facilitating self‐reflection, motivation, and academic performance, creating meaningful visualisations remains a challenge for educators and learners. What this paper adds?: This study introduces feedback visualisation in peer assessment to enhance comprehension of feedback information among pre‐service teachers.Feedback visualisation augments the benefits derived from peer assessment, refining data literacy, improving learning motivation, and alleviating cognitive load among pre‐service educators.The analysis of data directly relevant to pre‐service teachers and the provision of timely feedback can motivate critical analysis and utilisation of data, facilitating the identification of pedagogical and learning challenges.The study explores intricate interactions among learning motivation, data literacy, and cognitive load within the context of peer assessment visual feedback. The implications of study findings for practitioners: We encourage teacher educators to implement peer assessment instruction grounded in visual feedback for a comprehensive understanding of learning outcomes, identification of pedagogical challenges, determination of causes, and evidence‐informed instructional decision‐making.Teacher educator should diversify strategies to augment the motivation of pre‐service teachers, cultivating their proactive engagement in data analysis, interpretation, and application to enhance overall data literacy.We recommend that teacher educators provide rich visual feedback or present complex data in a visually accessible format for pre‐service teachers who need additional assistance to mitigate cognitive load and facilitate successful learning outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The impact of digital gamified language learning on language achievement has been corroborated in the literature; however, its impact on language achievement, especially in the English as a foreign language (EFL) context needs further investigation. In addition, the related literature has not sufficiently confirmed the impact of digital gamified language learning on some psychological domains of EFL learning. Objectives: This study, therefore, employed a sequential explanatory mixed‐methods approach to explore the effects of digital gamified language learning using a mobile application (app) affordances on EFL learners' language achievement, foreign language enjoyment (FLE), and ideal second language (L2) self. Methods: To this end, 36 EFL learners were randomly divided into two groups; one group was randomly assigned to the digital class, including 19 EFL learners, and the other group was assigned to the non‐digital class, consisting of 17 EFL learners. The digital learners did the digital gamified language learning activities individually and interactively and received peer and instructor feedback, whilst the non‐digital learners did the same language learning activities in printed format and received peer and instructor feedback. A language achievement test, the FLE scale, and the ideal L2 self‐scale were used to collect the quantitative data and an individual semi‐structured interview was carried out to gather the qualitative data. Results and Conclusions: One‐way ANCOVA, used to analyse the quantitative data, revealed that the digital and non‐digital classes improved the EFL learners' language achievement, FLE, and ideal L2 self; however, the digital learners outperformed their non‐digital counterparts in all the measures. Thematic analysis, utilised to analyse the qualitative data, uncovered some themes about the digital learners' positive and negative attitudes and perceptions towards the digital gamified language learning activities, clarifying the quantitative findings. Implications: Pedagogical implications are discussed. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Digital gamification involves employing game‐supported activities to interact with other learners, improving their language learning.Several studies have been carried out focusing on the salient role of digital gamified language learning activities in improving learners' language learning.As elements of positive psychology, foreign language enjoyment and ideal L2 self can improve learners' enthusiasm and involvement in digital gamified language learning activities. What this paper adds: Digital gamification using a mobile app's gamified affordances develops English language learners' language achievement, foreign language enjoyment, and ideal L2 self.Digital gamification is more effective than non‐digital gamification in improving English language learners' language achievement, foreign language enjoyment and ideal L2 self.English language learners in digital classes hold positive attitudes and perceptions towards the effects of digital gamification on their language learning. Pedagogical implications: Digital gamified language learning activities can be an effective and engaging supplement to non‐digital classroom teaching, especially in English language contexts where learners may have limited opportunities for authentic language learning collaboration.English language learners can utilise digital gamified language learning affordances for language development, particularly for their collaborative language learning activities with other classmates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Socially shared regulation is a vital factor that affects students' collaborative programming performance. However, students' weak group metacognitive skills or inability to adopt shared regulation mechanisms lead to unsatisfactory collaborative programming learning. Objectives: This study proposes an approach to support socially shared regulation in collaborative programming learning in order to enhance students' programming achievements and group metacognition. Methods: A quasi‐experimental study was conducted in a junior high school over a 10‐week period to investigate the impact of the proposed approach on programming achievements, group metacognition, and cognitive load. Forty eighth‐grade students participated in the study, with the experimental group learning via the proposed approach, while the control group used the conventional collaborative programming learning approach. Results and Conclusions: The analysis included data from 38 participants. The experimental results showed that the programming achievements and group metacognition of the experimental group were significantly better than those of the control group. Additionally, the proposed approach did not increase the cognitive load of the students. Implications: This study has important implications for teachers, learners, and researchers in collaborative programming and social regulation. Our proposed collaborative programming learning approach enhances learners' social regulation and performance, providing teachers with an effective tool for improving collaborative programming learning. This study also extends the field of socially shared regulation of learning (SSRL), demonstrating its potential to improve the effectiveness of collaborative programming learning and highlighting the need for future research to explore the mechanisms of SSRL in this context. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic?: Programming learning is difficult for most learners.Collaborative programming is an effective method of programming learning.Students' weak group metacognitive skills or inability to adopt shared regulation mechanisms lead to unsatisfactory collaborative programming learning. What this paper adds?: This study proposes a method to enhance collaborative programming learning by supporting socially shared regulation among students.The study utilized a quasi‐experimental to demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach in improving students' programming learning performance.The shared regulation approach was found to significantly improve students' programming achievements and group metacognition when compared to conventional collaborative programming approaches.Importantly, the shared regulation approach did not increase the cognitive load of the students, indicating its potential for practical implementation in programming education. The implications of study findings for practitioners: This study has shown that an approach that supports social shared regulation can improve student performance in collaborative programming learning, and that teachers can use this approach to help students learn programming better collaboratively.This study also contributes to the field of social shared regulated learning by demonstrating how it can support collaborative programming and improve its effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Computational thinking (CT) has become a crucial skill for individuals in the 21st century, and while more educators are starting to recognize the importance of CT education, there is still a lack of research on how to teach young children CT, particularly outside of traditional school settings. Objectives: To fill the gap in knowledge, we aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a web‐based parent education program on improving children's CT skills. Additionally, we sought to determine if children's age, gender and family socioeconomic status had any impact on the development of CT skills. Methods: We selected 86 adult–child pairs in the K3 age group to participate in a 4‐week intervention program using a quasi‐experimental approach. Results: After 4 weeks, children in the intervention group had improved their CT skills more than their peers in the control group. This shows that the intervention was successful in enhancing children's CT skills. Age had a moderating effect on CT enhancement, with older children showing a more significant improvement than younger children. However, children's gender and family socioeconomic status did not have any moderating effects. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that CT education can be effectively implemented in the home setting through web‐mediated parent education. Encouraging the use of unplugged CT activities at home can aid children in acquiring CT skills. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Computational thinking (CT) education can be started at the early childhood stage.Both plugged‐in and unplugged activities can promote children's CT.Unplugged activities have many advantages and are suitable for young children. What this paper adds: Web‐mediated parent education is useful for equipping parents with the knowledge and skills to conduct CT activities at home.CT education has a positive effect on children in the home setting.Parents play an important leading role in children's CT education.Parent–child unplugged activities are beneficial to children's CT enhancement. Implications for practice and/or policy: A web‐mediated approach is an appropriate way to encourage parent participation in CT training.CT‐related parent education should be scaled up so that parents can play an active educational role at home.Unplugged CT activities should be designed more for the home settings in addition to school settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The present study analyses the design of programming literacy in the sixth grade of Primary Education, starting from the use of simple activities with visual block‐based programming, through Scratch, and progressively linking difficulty to the use of the Unity engine, and the C# language, with simple activities identical to those created in Scratch. Objectives: This research aims to evaluate future teachers' abilities and attitudes regarding programming and its educational possibilities. We intend to evaluate the viability of a teaching proposal that combines a visual block‐based programming environment and a more advanced one, based on C#. Method: In the settings of two public Spanish universities, we analyse the possibilities in the training of future teachers who are studying for a degree in Primary Education Teaching and a degree in Pedagogy. Based on a test and three scales, descriptive data and statistical inference are detailed through a quasi‐experimental design with a Student's t‐test in the first dimension, and a Wilcoxon test in the second dimension. Results: The participants improved their performance and attitudes towards programming with the intervention of the study in the use of coding. Conclusions: It can be concluded that coding is essential in teacher training, and that a greater presence of programming training in higher education is essential. The benefits are visible in the pedagogical approach of coding related to creativity, innovation, motivation, an active approach and interest, highlighting the fact that the implementation of visual block‐based programming by blocks and engines is feasible in Elementary Education. The training proposal—provided by appropriate progression, selection, and sequencing of content—fosters basic and practical teacher training, and this can be defined as an apt training solution. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Visual Programming Language (Scratch) provides benefits in educational contextsEducational Technology in classroom provides motivation and encouragement.Active methods and interactions are interesting and beneficial to elementary school students What this paper adds: Visual programming and game engine are feasible in Elementary Education, detailing significant improvements regarding academic outcomesWe found benefits in this pedagogical approach related to creativity, innovation, motivation, active approach and interest. Implications for practice and/or policy: Due to the benefits and positive results obtained in this research it is recommended to implement Visual Programming LanguageWe recommend the introduction to engine in educational settings in 6th grade in primary education though a cross‐curricular implementation.We recommend to apply an active approach, innovation, and learning computational concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Considerable evidence suggests that students' achievement emotions are important contributors to their learning and success online. It is, therefore, essential to understand and support students' emotional experiences to enhance online education, especially under the COVID‐19 context. However, to date, very few studies have investigated how students' achievement emotions might be affected by teaching and learning factors in online learning environments. Objectives: Based on Pekrun's (2006) control‐value theory of achievement emotions, this study examined the influence of students' perceived online teaching quality and appraisals of control and value on their achievement emotions in an online second language (L2) learning context instigated by the COVID‐19. Methods: Data were collected using an online survey of 1503 undergraduates from ten universities across different regions of China. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were performed to test the validity of the instruments and structural equation modelling were conducted to examine the relations between L2 teaching and learning variables. Results and Conclusions: Results revealed that perceived teacher internet and communication technology competence had positive effects on enjoyment, but negative effects on anxiety and boredom, and these effects were fully mediated by perceived control and/or value. Perceived chaotic teaching structure (CTS) had reverse effects for the three emotions. Perceived CTS effects on enjoyment and anxiety were fully and partially mediated by perceived control, respectively. Takeaways: Online teaching quality is critical for students' appraisals and emotions towards L2 learning. Teachers should strive to improve online teaching quality and design interventions targeting students' perceived control and value to temper their affective experiences associated with the crisis‐prompted online teaching practices. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Teachers' internet and communication technology (ICT) competence and pedagogical design can enhance students' e‐learning efficacy, motivation and interests.Students' perceived control and value can influence their achievement emotions in online learning.Teacher's ICT competence and pedagogical design can impact students' emotions in online learning. What this paper adds: Perceived teacher ICT competence and chaotic teaching structures can have differential impact on students' perceived control and value for e‐learning.Perceived control and intrinsic value differently mediated the effects of the two teaching factors on students' emotions for e‐learning.Perceived teacher ICT competence and chaotic teaching structures can have both direct and indirect effects on students' e‐learning emotions via perceived control and value. Implications for practice and/or policy: Teacher training and development programs should prepare teachers for varying teaching formats including unplanned online teaching due to a forced switch to remote teaching.Teachers should acquaint themselves with using various online platforms and software to communicate the goals, expectations, structures and requirements of their language lessons to students' in a clear manner.Online language teaching interventions aiming to increase or decrease a specific emotion could directly target specific combinations of teaching characteristics and appraisals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Benefited from advances in technology, virtual reality (VR) has been widely applied to learning content in operational training as well as hands‐on courses. However, most current studies tend to evaluate learning effectiveness in this application, and few were focused on how learners can be benefited from transferring the knowledge learned to real‐world field performance. Moreover, in application‐oriented hands‐on courses such as embedded electronic circuits, to our best knowledge, none were presented in interactive learning materials with the combination of VR and neither were the understanding of the changes in cognition, learning anxiety, and learning confidence during the learning process. Method and Objective: We combine VR technology with hands‐on tasks to design a VR‐based embedded electronic circuit learning system. We conduct a quasi‐experiment to investigate differences in knowledge, comprehension, and application levels in different learning environments, and to assess learning performance, learning anxiety, and learning confidence levels when applying the knowledge learned to real‐world hands‐on tasks. Results: Groups that receive VR‐mediated training exhibit superior knowledge, comprehension, and application levels. In addition, learners with higher levels of knowledge and application exhibit lower learning anxiety and higher learning confidence during practical application tasks. Conclusions: We investigate the learning outcomes of learners on practical hands‐on tasks after VR‐mediated learning. To improve the learning experience and performance for learners in an embedded electronic circuit course, we discuss the learning performance in terms of the knowledge and concepts learned in the VR environment and transferred to the real world. The results show that learners achieve better cognitive levels in the learning process through the VR system described here. Better performance on hands‐on tasks was also obtained as well as low anxiety and high confidence levels. Lay Description: What Is Already Known about this Topic: Multimedia learning materials are important for improving hands‐on practical ability.Multimedia learning materials are already being used to promote learning effectiveness and outcomes.There is a significant impact on learning anxiety and learning confidence in the cognitive process. What this Paper Adds: Embedded electronic circuits course presented by IVR reduces learning anxiety and increases learning confidence in the hands‐on practical task.Through IVR learning, students can construct their knowledge better and be able to perform better in hands‐on tasks. Implications for Practice and/or Policy: We show the effectiveness of a hands‐on embedded electronic circuit course when transferring and applying knowledge to real‐world hands‐on tasks after learning in a virtual environment.Learners exhibit better performance on practical hands‐on tasks, as well as lower anxiety and higher confidence levels.Future work could explore adaptive factors by learners such as feedback and prompts given by learners in the VR learning environment to better understand the changes and effects in learners' cognitive processes. What Are the 1 or 2 Major Takeaways from the Study: According to these results, the combination of IVR in hands‐on courses is an effective learning method, which can effectively improve students' knowledge, comprehension, and application ability.We reveal the potential for hands‐on embedded courses to outperform traditional lecture courses through VR learning. Learners exhibit higher confidence and lower anxiety in the process of hands‐on practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It is vital to understand students' Self‐Regulatory Learning (SRL) processes, especially in Blended Learning (BL), when students need to be more autonomous in their learning process. In studying SRL, most researchers have followed a variable‐oriented approach. Moreover, little has been known about the unfolding process of students' SRL profiles. Objectives: We present the insights derived from a study that measured motivation and the learning strategies used by 198 students of a university entry‐level, business school, BL course to develop an understanding of students' SRL processes. Methods: The Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) was used to survey 198 students three times during a semester to investigate SRL profiles and how they unfolded as the course progressed using a person‐oriented approach. Through a clustering approach, we focus on MSLQ's motivation aspects as its importance has been emphasised by different SRL theories, and extant research into motivation in learning analytics (LA) is still lacking. Results and Conclusions: Through the longitudinal clustering approach, we identified minimally, average, and highly SRL profiles. We acknowledged that students might change their SRL profiles as the course progressed as a result of feedback they received. What are the 1 or 2 Major Takeaways from the Study?: This study contributes to the SRL theory by examining students' SRL profiles adaptation longitudinally (addressing the challenge identified regarding the cyclical nature of SRL). This study contributes to LA by investigating motivational constructs currently lacking in the field and bringing forward theory based empirical evidence to inform theory and practice. Lay Description: What is currently known about the subject matter: Self‐regulated learning (SRL) is important for academic achievement, especially during online learning; more research is needed to understand students' SRL and its cyclical nature.Learning analytics (LA) is an advocate for gathering and analysing data for supporting students' learning. It lacks empirical evidence based on theoretical and students' motivational studies.Institutions will benefit from more research on evidence‐based practice in Blended Learning (BL). What this paper adds to that: Evidence for the understanding of students' SRL, identifying student subgroups (different SRL profiles), and observing the cyclical nature of SRL during BL courses.We enhanced LA through the use of empirical research into motivation and its mapping of students' SRL profiles.Contribute to knowledge within BL about the dynamics of students' motivation, strategy use, and SRL, and showing that successful students better self‐regulate their learning.Evidence to support the emerging role of LA in identifying at‐risk students during BL.Evidence shows the most important motivational and learning strategy constructs that are significantly correlated with the final score in BL. The implications of study findings for practitioners: Through LA, students, educators, and institutions can benefit when universities implement BL.Enabling educators to better understand their students' SRL and how students can adapt quite different SRL profiles over time. Through this information, they can help students adopt a better profile. They also can help students in their SRL process, for example, by applying appropriate interventions.Pedagogically helps lecturers when developing the instructional and interventional design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Learning Analytics (LA) is an emerging field concerned with measuring, collecting, and analysing data about learners and their contexts to gain insights into learning processes. As the technology of Learning Analytics is evolving, many systems are being implemented. In this context, it is essential to understand stakeholders' expectations of LA across Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) for large‐scale implementations that take their needs into account. Objectives: This study aims to contribute to knowledge about individual LA expectations of European higher education students. It may facilitate the strategy of stakeholder buy‐in, the transfer of LA insights across HEIs, and the development of international best practices and guidelines. Methods: To this end, the study employs a 'Student Expectations of Learning Analytics Questionnaire' (SELAQ) survey of 417 students at the Goethe University Frankfurt (Germany) Based on this data, Multiple Linear Regressions are applied to determine how these students position themselves compared to students from Madrid (Spain), Edinburgh (United Kingdom) and the Netherlands, where SELAQ had already been implemented at HEIs. Results and Conclusions: The results show that students' expectations at Goethe University Frankfurt are rather homogeneous regarding 'LA Ethics and Privacy' and 'LA Service Features'. Furthermore, we found that European students generally show a consistent pattern of expectations of LA with a high degree of similarity across the HEIs examined. European HEIs face challenges more similar than anticipated. The HEI experience with implementing LA can be more easily transferred to other HEIs, suggesting standardized LA rather than tailor‐made solutions designed from scratch. Lay Description: What is currently known about this topic: Implementing Learning Analytics is a promising but challenging task.SELAQ is a questionnaire that can be used to determine students' expectations of Learning Analytics.Several institutions in Europe applied SELAQ to implement Learning Analytics that meet the needs of their students. What this paper adds to this: This study applies SELAQ for the first time at a German university and compares the results to studies from the UK, Spain, and the Netherlands.The participating students at the German university show relatively homogeneous expectations of Learning Analytics.The expectations towards Learning Analytics of students across Europe are comparable. The implications of study findings for practitioners: Learning Analytics systems should be shared across institutions rather than being implemented separately as tailored solutions.More standardized or modular Learning Analytics systems are reasonable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Study: English education has been promoted in Taiwan for many years. Recently, content and language integrated learning (CLIL) has received attention as an effective way to integrate English into real‐life contexts. With advances in technology, digital storytelling is suitable for students to develop multiple skills such as narrating real‐life stories and recording them in English. Objectives: The present study developed a cooperative learning model in a CLIL context to enhance elementary school students' digital storytelling, English speaking proficiency performance, and financial knowledge. Methods: The participants were 43 sixth‐grade students from two classes: the experimental group (n = 26) and the control group (n = 17). To investigate whether the digital storytelling results produced by the experimental group under the cooperative learning approach differed from the digital storytelling results produced individually by the control group, an experimental design was implemented throughout the 9‐week course. All the participants took financial knowledge and English‐speaking proficiency pre‐tests and then received financial knowledge classes and digital storytelling instruction to help them effectively design digital storytelling videos, which incorporated the concepts of financial knowledge and English‐speaking skills. Results and Conclusions: The results showed that the experimental group outperformed the control group in the overall digital storytelling performance, English speaking proficiency, and financial knowledge. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: CLIL is a teaching method in which language is a tool for learning both the content of a subject and the language itself.Digital storytelling enables users to develop multiple skills, such as organization and interpersonal skills.Cooperative Learning assists the integration of technology. What this paper adds: An instructional design that uses digital storytelling to teach finance and English with CLIL.An experimental study among EFL elementary school students for acquiring financial knowledge and English speaking skills. Implications for practice and/or policy: The course in this study may help EFL teachers by providing them with a basic financial knowledge curriculum in English for elementary school students.Cooperative learning through digital storytelling design for elementary school students may accelerate their organization and communication skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: How to improve learning with online multimedia lessons has attracted widespread concern. Prior studies have attempted to help students learn by breaking a video lesson into several segments. However, there has been a debate about whether learners can use pause time effectively and whether prompting them to engage in different types of generative learning activities during pauses can better facilitate learning. Objectives: This study aimed to explore how to maximize learning by asking students to engage in generative processing activities during pauses in segmented narrated video lessons. Methods: Three experiments explored the effectiveness of segmenting, and whether adding summaries between segments can improve learning performance. In Experiment 1, participants were asked to view a segmented video or a continuous video. In Experiment 2, we examined whether adding summarizing activities during pauses can improve the effects of segmenting. In Experiment 3, we further investigated the effects of adding different types of summarizing activities during pauses. Results and Conclusions: In Experiment 1, segmenting improved performance on retention tests, but not on transfer tests. In Experiment 2, the effects of segmenting on the retention and transfer tests were enhanced when learners were asked to produce written summaries during the pauses. In Experiment 3, asking participants to imagine or write summaries during the pauses in segmented lessons improved retention and transfer test performance, but providing a summary only helped on retention. Takeaways: Adding generative learning activities (i.e., summarizing) during pauses prompted learners to learn the material more deeply. Results are consistent with the ICAP framework and the cognitive theory of multimedia learning. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Video lessons are being widely used in online learning environments.Previous studies explored the effectiveness of video lessons by adding a pause between segments of an animation.Students' generating learning activities (e.g., summarizing) could affect students' learning.Previous studies on summarizing have mostly focused on science texts. What this paper adds: The study investigated the effects of segmenting (pause vs. continuous) and summarizing (i.e., student‐generated written summaries, student‐generated imagined summaries, and instructor‐provided summaries) in an instructional animation.The results showed the benefits of adding generating learning activity (i.e., summarizing) between segments of an instructional animation.Student‐generated imagined summaries were similar in effectiveness to student generated written summaries during pauses in a segmented multimedia lesson.Instructor‐provided summaries during pauses were most likely to improve retention rather than transfer performance. The implications of study findings for practitioners: It would be better for instructional designers to provide pauses and encourage students to engage in appropriate cognitive processing during pauses to improve learning performance in video lectures.Instructional designers should adopt appropriate strategies according to different teaching objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID‐19 lockdown forced students and teachers to adjust to remote lecturers and digital learning material and design criteria for online classes became the centre of discussion. Objectives: The purpose of this empirical study was to investigate the relationship between design principles of educational online practices in higher education and students' active engagement in the online learning process. Methods: A total of 127 students participated in the study after their first semester of fully online classes resulting from the COVID‐19 lockdown. The online classes enabled real‐time communication and allowed for the creation of professional learning communities or the collaborative creation of content, for example. To evaluate the classes and to indicate perceived student learning, the study applied scales for measuring academic student engagement, as well as the four distinct factors for assessing online teaching effectiveness. Results and Conclusions: Bivariate correlational analysis suggested that the two design elements Time on Task (TT) and Active Learning (AL) are related to emotional engagement at a meaningful level thus influencing student commitment and class activities. The results further indicated that TT and AL are significant design elements in relation to perceived usefulness and students' perceived learning. Implications: The results may identify effective means to support and enhance student engagement in online settings, thus improving the quality of online teaching and learning. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic?: Student Engagement is one of the main factors that influence student achievement and student motivation to learn. It is usually associated positively with desired learning outcomes.Active learning strategies are an effective means to engage students.Research on the quality of online learning is frequently directed at student learning outcomes or the attitudes of teachers and students towards online learning. What this paper adds?: Investigations on levels of student engagement in online learning (Student‐Faculty Interaction, Time on Task, Active Learning and Cooperation Among Students) instead of levels of achievement (learning outcomes).Relationships between levels of student engagement and design elements of online classes to inform good educational practice.Design criteria for online classes that students value as useful and that positively impact student learning. Implications for practice and/or policy: Time On Task and Active Learning share a strong relationship with emotional engagement. They influence student commitment and class activities.Time On Task and Active Learning are significant design elements in relation to perceived usefulness and students' perceived learning.The weakest correlations show for Cooperation Among Students and each of the three factors of academic engagement (behavioural, emotional and cognitive engagement). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mobile‐based assessment has been an active area of research in the field of mobile learning. Prior research has demonstrated that mobile‐based assessment systems positively affect student performance. However, it is still unclear why and how these systems positively affect student performance. Objectives: This study aims to identify the determinants of student performance during students' use of a mobile‐based assessment application in a formative assessment activity as part of English as a Foreign Language courses in higher education. Methods: A structural model based on hypotheses will be validated using partial least squares‐structural equation modelling with data from the interaction of around 100 students of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) courses from the A1 and A2 levels of English that used a mobile‐based assessment system for a period of 4 weeks. Results and Conclusions: This registered report describes the related work, hypotheses development, methodology, and proposed analysis to validate the structural model based on hypotheses. No results or conclusions have been obtained yet. Lay Description: What is currently known about this topic: Mobile‐based assessment increase students' learning outcomes and motivation.Mobile‐based assessment provides some advantages with respect to other modes of assessment.The determinants of mobile‐based acceptance have been identified. What this paper adds: Determinants of student performance during students' use of mobile‐based assessment systems.An automatic data collection method included in the mobile‐based assessment application.A more longitudinal intervention to identify a real effect of mobile‐based assessment. Implications for practice and/or policy: Designers of mobile‐based assessment systems can be better informed to increase student performance.The learning process can be personalized based on the determinants identified.Suggestions for mechanisms to automatically detect changes in student performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Context: Most studies about programming misconceptions are conducted at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Since the age level for starting learning programming is getting lower, there is a need for determining programming misconceptions for younger learners. Objective: Our goal is to determine programming misconceptions and their time‐resistance for programming novices at the K‐12 level using Python as a text‐based programming language. Method: We conducted research in the school settings during informatics classes among 98 fifth‐grade students in three elementary schools. We analysed the data collected from two Python tests students took immediately after programming lectures and 5 months later. Results and Conclusions: We detected seven misconceptions: (a) Assigning the expression instead of the calculated value, (b) When reassigning the variable value, assigning the sum value to the variable, (c) Using the symbolic name of the variable instead of its value, (d) Using the first (or previously) assigned variable value, (e) Datatype misconception, (f) Sequencing misconception, and (g) Swapping variable values. By shifting focus on variables and spending more time introducing variables and sequencing during teaching, the appearance of known misconceptions is minimized compared to previous findings. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Programming misconceptions are known issues since the beginning of learning programming in the early 1980sMost programming misconceptions are time resistant.Most studies about misconceptions are conducted at the undergraduate and graduate levels. What this paper adds: The goal of the study is to determine programming misconceptions for programming novices at the K‐12 level.Three more misconceptions about basic programming concepts are revealed compared to the previous findings.By shifting focus on variables and spending more time introducing variables and sequencing during teaching, the appearance of known misconceptions is minimized. Implications for practice and/or policy: Being aware of misconceptions is an important aspect of a teacher's pedagogical knowledge to foster students learning.Aiming to prevent the known misconceptions, teachers can minimize it by interventions during teaching.The educators should emphasize the underlying conceptual programming concepts rather than syntactic ones related to the programming language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Guided gaze is the instructor's gaze towards teaching materials to guide students' attention, and it plays a vital role in enhancing video‐based education. The duration of guided gaze, indicating how long instructors focus on teaching materials, varies based on the lecture design. Nevertheless, the impact of varying durations of guided gaze, especially concerning students' prior knowledge, remains inadequately understood. Objectives: This study investigates the influence of the instructor's guided gaze duration and students' prior knowledge on learning performance and affective experiences in video lectures. Methods: 145 fifth‐grade students participated and were divided into high and low prior knowledge groups based on a pre‐test. Within each group, students were randomly assigned to view one of three video lectures with different guided gaze durations (high vs. medium vs. low). Learning performance and affective experiences (learning experience, satisfaction, and emotions) were measured as dependent variables. Results and Conclusion: The results revealed that low guided gaze duration significantly improves learning performance for students with low prior knowledge. Conversely, high guided gaze duration negatively impacts learning experience, satisfaction, and positive emotions. Additionally, students with high prior knowledge reported higher learning experience and satisfaction. These findings highlight the interaction between guided gaze duration and prior knowledge in students' learning performance. Implications: Our findings provide valuable implications for the design of guided gaze duration in video lectures based on students' prior knowledge. By adjusting guided gaze duration appropriately, instructors can optimise students' learning performance and affective experiences. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Guided gaze is the instructor's gaze on teaching materials, guiding students' attention to relevant information.Guided gaze duration measures the amount of time instructors spend looking at teaching materials.Prior knowledge can modulate the impact of instructors' guidance on students' learning performance.It remains unclear whether guided gaze duration affects the learning outcomes of students with varied prior knowledge. What this paper adds: Guided gaze duration is divided into three levels (high, medium, and low), indicating the percentage of time the instructor looks at teaching materials.High guided gaze duration has negative effects on students' learning experience, satisfaction, and positive emotions.Students with high prior knowledge have higher learning performance, experience, and satisfaction.Low guided gaze duration improves learning performance for students with low prior knowledge. Implications for practice and/or policy: Instructors should use low guided gaze duration for students with low prior knowledge.Instructors should aim to reduce the use of high guided gaze duration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Introducing new technologies in education sparks debates, disrupting traditional practices, and requiring teacher adaptation. ChatGPT is an example. Research explores its benefits and concerns in education, with recommendations for classroom use. Nevertheless, limited evidence supports ChatGPT as a tool for supporting English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students' research competency. Moreover, while the literature primarily focuses on the perspectives of scholars and teachers, it is essential to incorporate students' viewpoints in order to maximize the potential of this technology. Objectives: The present study investigated EFL undergraduates' perceptions and practices of ChatGPT as a tool for promoting their research competency. Additionally, the study examined the potential influence of metacognitive awareness (MA) levels in this context. Methods: The study utilized a mixed‐method research design, collecting quantitative and qualitative data from 27 EFL undergraduates (12 with low MA and 15 with high MA) over one semester. Data sources included a self‐report questionnaire, self‐study log, and semi‐structured interviews. Results and conclusions: Quantitative analysis showed significant differences between low and high MA groups in their perceptions of ChatGPT (U = 37.500, Z = 2.570). Regression analysis revealed a positive correlation between MA scores and students' perceptions and practices of ChatGPT. Qualitative analysis revealed diverse perceptions and practices of ChatGPT between the high MA and low MA groups, showcasing behaviours ranging from replication to using ChatGPT as a thought‐stimulating and supportive tool, accessing supplementary information, and seeking guidance. Key factors for effective ChatGPT use included prompt formulation, systematic thinking, self‐regulation strategies, and trust in AI. Lay Description: What is currently known about this topic: Research competency and metacognitive awareness are important for EFL undergraduates.Technology has been explored for promoting research competency.ChatGPT is used as a learning tool in EFL instruction contexts. What does this paper add: It provides a deeper understanding of the practical application of AI tools like ChatGPT for developing research competency among EFL students.It enhances understanding of metacognition's role in successful learning in digital environments by exploring MA's impact on using ChatGPT for research purposes. Implications for practice/policy: Provide explicit instructions and guidelines for EFL students to effectively use ChatGPT for research competency, emphasizing clear prompt design and fostering responsible use through critical thinking and awareness of biases and limitations.Enhance EFL students' metacognitive awareness through scaffolding, explicit instruction, and activities.Implement assessments and monitoring mechanisms to track metacognitive development and guide instructional interventions.Offer professional development opportunities for EFL teachers to enhance their understanding and skills in integrating AI tools into research instruction and other EFL aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite the many advantages of flipped learning, it is challenging for educators to ensure that students complete the pre‐class learning assignments before the in‐class session. Objectives: Using a learning analytics approach, this study analysed students' pre‐class video‐watching behaviour in flipped learning with a focus on learners' resource management strategies, procrastination, and repeated video‐watching. Methods: For the empirical study, three types of data (i.e., log data, survey and exam) were obtained from 70 undergraduate students who were enrolled in pre‐service teacher program designed in a flipped classroom including pre‐class videos and in‐class session. Results and conclusions: The findings showed significant differences between the non‐procrastination group and procrastination group in their video watching time and resource management strategies. Those who watched the pre‐class videos at home/dorm greatly outnumbered those who did not, and they performed better than students who watched the pre‐class videos in other locations. What are the major takeaways from the study?: This finding highlights the importance of resource management strategies in terms of the time and study environment to promote success in flipped learning courses. However, the number of times students accessed the pre‐class videos or watched the videos before class was not correlated with learning achievement. The reason for re‐watching pre‐class videos is a suggested future direction so instructors can design effective flipped learning courses. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic?: Flipped learning is a type of blended learning that combines two teaching and learning modes: face‐to‐face learning and online learning. The effectiveness of flipped learning has also been demonstrated in many empirical studies and meta‐analyses.Despite the many advantages of flipped learning, it is challenging to ensure that students complete the pre‐class materials before class.Data‐driven decisions based on the learning analytics approach can help instructors revise the in‐class activities more adoptively and individual learners can be more engaged in flipped learning. What this paper adds?: Using a learning analytics approach, this study analysed students' pre‐class video‐watching behaviour in flipped learning with a focus on learners' resource management strategies, procrastination, and repeated video‐watching.We also examined the correlations among pre‐class video‐watching behaviour variables and learning achievement.This study highlights the following: (1) The no‐procrastination group had better resource management strategies than the procrastination group; (2) students who watched pre‐class videos at home outperformed those who watched them in other locations: (3) the number of times students accessed pre‐class videos was not correlated with learning achievement; and (4) whether or not students watched pre‐class videos prior to the in‐class sessions was not correlated with learning achievement. Implications for practise and/or policy: Although flipped learning gives students considerable autonomy in terms of when and where to watch pre‐class videos at their convenience, it is necessary to help students develop resource management strategies by providing role models, best practises, and statistics in previous flipped learning classes.Research findings suggest that instructors should provide guidelines and learning strategies on how to review or repeat the pre‐class videos to improve the quality of learning.To encourage students to repeat the videos, the pre‐class videos should be short and concise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Deep discussions play an important role in students' online learning. However, researchers have largely focused on engaging students in deep discussions in online asynchronous forums. Few studies have investigated how to promote deep discussion via mobile instant messaging (MIM). Objectives: In this study, we applied learning analytical tools (i.e., KBdeX and word clouds) to enhance students' shared epistemic agency and thereby support their deep discussions in MIM. Methods: Forty Chinese college students participated in this study and reflected on their MIM engagement by participating in the learning analytics (LA)‐augmented meta‐discourse sessions. The study used multiple data analysis methods, including content analysis, statistical analysis, epistemic network analysis and lag sequential analysis. Results: We found that LA engaged students in deep discussions and shared epistemic agency‐related discourse, such as creating shared understanding, creating knowledge objects, and projective and regulative processes. In particular, word clouds engaged students in more complete shared epistemic agency discourse trajectory which started from creating awareness of unknowns, then progressed to setting projective plans and sharing information, and ultimately, creating shared understanding. Moreover, our analysis indicated that epistemic agency discourse moves of creating shared understanding led students to a high level of deep discussion. Implications: This study contributes to research by extending the 'comparison paradigm', which focuses on comparing (a)synchronous forums with MIM, to a 'design paradigm', which mobilises design features from (a)synchronous forums to MIM and using learning analytical tools to engage students in deep online discussions by promoting their epistemic agency. Lay Description: What is known in this subject matter: Supporting students' online deep discussions is important.Prior studies have shown multiple technological and pedagogical strategies to support deep discussions in (a)synchronous discussion forums, but few studies in mobile instant messaging (MIM).MIM is a quasi‐synchronous tool. It is difficult to transform the traditional external scaffolds (i.e., scripts or teachers' facilitation) which promote deep discussions from (a)synchronous forums to MIM. What this paper adds to this: We constructed a design framework which used learning analytical tools‐augmented meta‐discourse to engage students in shared epistemic agency discourse moves to promote their deep discussion in MIM.We conducted multiple types of analyses (content analysis, statistical analysis, epistemic network analysis and lag sequential analysis) on students' WeChat message (a major MIM in China).Results indicated both learning analytical tools helped engage students in shared epistemic agency discourse moves, such as creating shared understanding, creating knowledge objects, projective and regulative, thus, to promote students' deep discussions. Word cloud especially engaged students in more complete shared epistemic agency discourse trajectory. Moreover, analysis results indicated that shared epistemic agency discourse moves of creating shared understanding would lead students to a high level of deep discussions. Implications of study findings for practitioners: Our study provides a feasible way to educational practitioners who want to promote students' deep discussions in their online learning course (both fully online and flipped classroom mode).Knowledge Building Discourse Explorer (KBDeX presents the original analysis results of students' written messages in discussion forums as socio‐cognitive networks.) could be implemented in the classroom. The objective is to encourage students to understand the importance of connecting with peers' ideas in a one‐session implementation period.If time allows, teachers could use word cloud and meta‐discourse to engage students in socio‐metacognitive conversations in class to promote their shared epistemic agency discourse in online discussions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While the effectiveness of tutoring‐style videos has been reported in previous studies conducted in laboratories, how these types of videos facilitate students' learning experiences and achievement has not been much explored in prior studies, which prevents discussion on how to design such tutoring‐style videos. Objectives: In this study, we addressed the limitations reported in studies conducted in authentic classes and attempted to explore students' learning patterns and experiences with tutoring‐style videos involving interactions between the instructor and agents. In addition, we attempted to reveal what instructional strategies can be used in tutoring‐style videos to enhance students' engagement and achievement. Methods: The study took place in an undergraduate introductory biology class offered at a university located in the Midwest of the United States. The same instructor taught two sections of this course which lasted for 15 weeks during a Spring semester. The two sections were randomly assigned to an experimental group in which participants watched tutoring‐style videos and a control group with participants watching traditional videos. The experiment was administered in a module lasting two and a half weeks focused on microbiology. Surveys and tests were conducted to determine whether the tutoring‐style videos had a positive impact on student engagement and achievement. In addition, a video content analysis was carried out to elicit insights on how to design effective tutoring‐style videos. Results: For students' emotional engagement and perceived usefulness, no significant difference was found between the two groups, even though the descriptive statistics indicated slightly higher scores from the experimental group than the control group on both subscales. In terms of achievement, the participants reported significantly more learned concepts from watching rich‐interactions in the tutoring‐style videos than the participants in the control group; and they also reported a significantly smaller number of learned concepts from watching one‐interactions in the videos than the control group participants. We also found that instruction in the tutoring‐style videos used effective strategies for facilitating students' participation and cognitive processing. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that tutoring‐style videos can be effective learning materials by allowing students to engage in interactions between instructors and agents in the videos. The more instructional strategies used to facilitate the interactions between the instructor and the agents, the higher engagement can be expected from viewers. Our study would inform the design and development of effective tutoring‐style videos. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: One‐on‐one tutoring is the gold standard in teaching.Tutoring‐style videos are found to be effective in teaching as well. What this paper adds: Tutoring‐style videos that film rich interactions lead to better learning.Tutoring‐style videos that film limited interactions are ineffective.Students who see agents in tutoring‐style videos as helpful perform better. Implications for practice and/or policy: Tutoring‐style videos should film rich interactions of tutoring sessions.Strategies should be used in videos to facilitate perceived agents' usefulness.Tutoring sessions filmed in videos should encourage a participatory atmosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although research on mathematics learning programs has taken off in recent years, little is known about how different person characteristics are related to practice behaviour with such programs. When implementing a mathematics learning program in the classroom, it might be important to know whether students with specific characteristics need more encouragement to make use of this learning opportunity. Objectives: Using a supply‐use model, we analysed the predictive power of students' cognitive characteristics (prior mathematics knowledge), personality traits (conscientiousness), motivational‐affective characteristics (mathematics self‐concept and mathematics anxiety), and family background characteristics (socioeconomic status and migration background) for practising with an adaptive arithmetic learning program. Methods: We used longitudinal data from 203 fifth graders from seven non‐academic‐track schools in Germany. Practice behaviour, measured by completed tasks in the learning program, was recorded weekly for every student over a period of 22 weeks. Results and Conclusions: The results of our multilevel analyses showed that mathematics anxious students practised less with the program. We did not find any relationship with the other characteristics. Takeaways: Our results suggest that mathematics anxious students need more encouragement when practising with a mathematics learning program; otherwise, they do not get the chance to benefit from the use. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: The use of mathematics learning programmes in mathematics education has recently intensified.It is important that students practice with such learning programmes regularly over a longer period of time in order for them to achieve learning success.Students differ in their mathematics learning behaviour. What this paper adds: Little is known about how person characteristics are related to practice behaviour with mathematics learning programmes.Students may differ in their use of a mathematics learning programme, which is why cognitive characteristics, personality traits, motivational‐affective characteristics, and family background characteristics may affect students' practice behaviour. Implications for practice: Mathematics anxious students practiced less with a mathematics learning program, and need more encouragement to benefit equally from the implementation in school.Teachers should keep in mind that after the initial enthusiasm, practice with a programme may decrease over time, especially after school holidays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As adequate support, virtual reality (VR) has been increasingly introduced into the classroom to help students learn a new language. However, empirical studies exploring the educational potential of using 360° spherical video‐based virtual reality (SVVR) in high‐school Chinese language classrooms are still lacking. Objectives: A mind mapping‐based SVVR learning system is proposed for international high‐school students' Chinese courses and examines its effects on improving Chinese learning achievements and perceptions among Grade 10 students who learn Chinese as a foreign language. Methods: This study adopted a quasi‐experiment design. Participants (N = 66) were assigned to one of three conditions: mind mapping‐based SVVR (MMBSVVR), conventional SVVR (CSVVR), or traditional lecturing (TL). Our mixed‐method approach employed pre‐and post‐tests to measure Chinese learning achievements, questionnaires to measure Chinese learning motivation, problem‐solving ability, and self‐efficacy, and semi‐structured interviews to further explore students' feelings and attitudes about Chinese courses in corresponding learning environments. Results and Conclusions: The results showed that the MMBSVVR classroom significantly improved high students' Chinese learning achievements in Chinese vocabulary and making sentence, problem‐solving ability, and self‐efficacy. Moreover, SVVR stimulates students' learning interest and class participation, and mind mapping provides students with a clear guide to arrange the knowledge. These findings help interpret the relationships between MMBSVVR and learning achievements, Chinese learning motivation, problem‐solving ability, and self‐efficacy in an international high school Chinese courses, thus providing insight on integrating MMBSVVR into existing classrooms. Lay Description: What is Already Known about this Topic: By creating fully immersive 3D environments, 360° spherical video‐based virtual reality (SVVR) in promoting language learning has been confirmed by many scholars with a focus on English language learning.Mind mapping effectively enables second language learners to review and retain new words in the target language meaningfully. Also, it can create a more vivid learning atmosphere through images and graphics and promote learners' memory and learning motivation. What This Paper Adds: A mind mapping‐based SVVR learning system has been developed with the support of the constructivism theory.A mind mapping‐based SVVR learning system is proposed to facilitate international students' Chinese learning performance in Chinese vocabulary acquisition and sentence construction.In addition to promoting international students' learning outcomes, the proposed approach indicated promising results in learning motivation, problem‐solving ability, and self‐efficacy. Implications for Practice and/or Policy: This study provides an evidence base for further research through the utilization of VR learning environments in Chinese language classrooms.This study advocates introducing SVVR technology in the Chinese learning classrooms to increase the learning context for international students. It is also worth encouraging scholars to design VR learning systems with different learning strategies.Due to the cognitive requirements of the Chinese language learning process, it is necessary to introduce mind maps in the SVVR learning system to assist students in constructing knowledge and combining prior and new knowledge to generate long‐term memory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Covid‐19 pandemic has created significant challenges for the global higher education community. Understanding of students' perception has important implications for the quality of the learning process, as it affects students' engagement in learning, helps educators rethink the principles of the learning design and further improve the developed programs. Objectives: Understanding of how rapid and necessary changes of learning caused by the pandemic are related to students' intrinsic motivation and awareness. Methods: There were 832 participants in this study. Quantitative and qualitative research methods employing relevant statistical techniques were used to research students' opinions regarding the distance learning process. Results and Conclusions: Our analysis showed that first‐year students were significantly less motivated during the learning process than older students, they saw distance learning as less valuable and less interesting than the others. Our research found several positive consequences of the pandemic: working according to students' own schedule in a relaxed environment, looking at the lecture again if necessary, feeling free to ask questions and communicate with teachers and saving travel time. Implications: Teachers should have more understanding for the first‐year students who are threatened when it comes to developing motivation to learn and help them cope with learning anxieties, encourage their self‐belief and give them extra support during the learning process. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Intrinsic motivation is an important predictor of learning success, satisfaction and outcome in higher education.The coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid‐19) outbreak has rapidly shifted classrooms to the Internet and distance learning. What this paper adds: The paper provides empirical evidence on how different demographic factors can be linked to students' motivation for learning in a changed educational environment.The paper also analyse students' perceptions of distance learning in regards to the positive and negative aspects of educational environment. Implications for practice and/or policy: Previous students' online learning experiences influence positively motivation for learning in a changed educational environment.First‐year students were less motivated during distance learning than older students.Students with a higher academic performance have put more effort in distance learning than other students.Benefits of distance learning perceived by students were: (a) working by their own schedule; (b) re‐watching the lecture; (c) feeling free to ask question and (d) saving travel time.Negative traits were: (a) lack of motivation and study focus; (b) anxiety as the change was unexpected and (c) lack of social and socio‐emotional aspect of learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although conventional writing procedures are still the dominant instructional procedures in English as a foreign language (EFL) contexts, instructors are still struggling with time limitations to improve EFL students writing skills properly. Additionally, EFL students are not engaged in the writing process since they lack the required information about the writing tasks. Objectives: The present study, therefore, applied a sequential explanatory mixed‐methods approach to explore the impact of a flipped writing classroom on EFL students' writing skills (i.e. writing content, writing organization, and language use) and writing motivation on the one hand and possibly recommend a better instructional procedure for students' writing skills and writing motivation in EFL context on the other hand. Methods: To this aim, two intact classes were selected as the participants of the study. The two classes were randomly assigned to a flipped classroom with 27 EFL students and a non‐flipped classroom with 24 EFL students. The non‐flipped classroom was instructed through conventional writing instruction over 16 sessions whereas the flipped classroom was taught with the same content in a flipped writing mode in 10 sessions. Two timed writing tasks, a writing motivation scale, and an individual semi‐structured interview were used to gather the required data. Results and Conclusions: The findings indicated that the flipped writing classroom outperformed the non‐flipped writing classroom in improving the EFL students' writing performance, writing organization, language use, and writing motivation; however, no significant differences were found between the two groups' writing content. Moreover, the data analysis from the individual semi‐structured interview indicated that the flipped students had positive attitudes and perceptions towards the flipped writing classroom which further supported the quantitative findings. Implications: Practical implications for collaborative writing instruction using video clips and other electronic materials are suggested. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: In a flipped classroom model, English language students can view video clips prior to class time in order to use the class time for doing academic exercises and projects in a collaborative manner.As in student‐centred learning environments, a flipped classroom engages English language students in more active learning processes, encourages them to enquire about the video lectures, and tests and evaluates their skills in applying knowledge.Individual differences, such as motivational variables and affective factors disjointedly or conjointly affect writing processes, especially in English language contexts. What this paper adds: Flipping an English language collaborative writing course improves English language students' writing performance, writing organization, language use, and writing motivation.Flipped classroom is more effective than non‐flipped classroom in improving English language students' writing performance, writing organisation, language use, and writing motivation.Flipped English language students hold positive attitudes and perceptions towards flipped collaborative writing classroom. Pedagogical implications: English language instructors are recommended to design a flipped classroom to provide English language students with video clips before class time, so students can have more collaborative and evaluative writing activities during the class time.English language students can have and receive more peer/instructor writing mediations on the writing tasks and make better use of class time (based on the video clips) and develop their writing performance accordingly.By designing a flipped classroom, English language students can enhance their writing motivation, and also, they properly cover the required materials in a shorter time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Research suggests that head‐mounted displays (HMD) can spark situational interest when they are used to provide science learning experiences that are not possible in traditional classroom settings. However, few studies have investigated the lasting effects of using HMDs in an authentic instructional intervention. Objectives: We investigated the effects of a one‐time experience of a virtual field trip to Greenland in a sample of 105 middle school students. Methods: Students used either a standard 2D video (video condition; N = 50) or an HMD (HMD condition; N = 55) as part of a six‐lesson educational activity on the topic of climate change. Informed by social cognitive career theory (SCCT), we investigated the effects of the different conditions (video vs. HMD) on the outcomes of self‐efficacy, outcome expectations, interest, and science intentions across three time points. Results and Conclusions: The results showed that using the HMD‐based virtual field trip, compared to the video, had a positive immediate effect on self‐efficacy and interest, and total later effects on self‐efficacy, outcome expectations, and interest an average of two and a half weeks after the virtual field trip. The results suggest that HMD‐based virtual field trips can influence self‐efficacy, outcome expectations, and interest more than a video‐based virtual field trip when measured approximately two and a half weeks after the intervention. Lay Description: What is currently known about the subject matter: Social Cognitive Career Theory provides a framework for understanding students' learning.Few studies have examined the effect of head‐mounted displays on science interest in the framework of Social Cognitive Career Theory. What this paper adds: The results suggest that virtual field trips based in head‐mounted display can foster self‐efficacy, outcome expectations, and interest more than video‐based virtual field trips. Implications of the findings for practitioners: Fostering learning through head‐mounted displays may increase students' interest in science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While a number of learner factors have been identified to impact students' collaborative learning, there has been little systematic research into how patterns of students' collaborative learning may differ by their learning orientations. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate: (1) variations in students' learning orientations by their conceptions, approaches, and perceptions; (2) the patterns of students' collaborations by variations in their learning orientations and (3) the contribution of patterns of collaborations to academic achievement. Methods: A cohort of 174 Chinese undergraduates in a blended engineering course were surveyed for their conceptions of learning, approaches to learning and to using online learning technologies, and perceptions of e‐learning, to identify variations in their learning orientations. Students' collaborations and mode of collaborations were collected through an open‐ended social network analysis (SNA) questionnaire. Results and Conclusions: A hierarchical cluster analysis identified an 'understanding' and 'reproducing' learning orientations. Based on students' learning orientations and their choices to collaborate, students were categorized into three mutually exclusive collaborative group, namely Understanding Collaborative group, Reproducing Collaborative group and Mixed Collaborative group. SNA centrality measures demonstrated that students in the Understanding Collaborative group had more collaborations and stayed in a better position in terms of capacity to gather information. Both students' approaches to learning and students' average collaborations significantly contributed to their academic achievement, explaining 3% and 4% of variance in their academic achievement respectively. The results suggest that fostering a desirable learning orientation may help improve students' collaborative learning. Lay Description: What is currently known about the subject matter: There are variations in students' learning orientations.Various learner factors have been found to shape patterns of students' collaborations. What this paper adds: Patterns of students' collaborations differed by variations in students' learning orientations.Students' average collaborations significantly contributed to academic achievement. Implications of the findings for practioners: Fostering a desirable learning orientation may improve collaborative learning. [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 conventional classroom does not seem to adequately address the gender disparity in technology education. This could negatively affect the contributions of the female gender to national development. There was a need to advance a setting that enhances the participation of women in technology education. Aims: This study evaluated desktop Virtual Reality (VR) to know whether it enhances equal academic achievement and learning interests of female and male students. Materials and Methods: A toss of a coin was used to divide the six universities into two major groups; three universities were taught with ElectricVlab, while the other three universities were taught in the conventional classroom. Each of the six intact classes sat in clusters of five students and the whole class was taught the construction of an audio amplifier together using a demonstration method of teaching. A Vocational Interest scale and a researcher‐made achievement test with reliability coefficient=0.89 were used for data collection. Two‐way Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to analyse means and test hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. Results: The study found no significant difference between the mean achievement and interests of female and male students in the VR group. There was a significant interaction effect between gender and teaching environment. This study predicts that VR could bring women up to the same level of interest and achievement as men, but conventional classroom methods could not. Conclusions: Curriculum planners should consider piloting virtual reality to enhance gender‐fair education, as it shows initial promise in the teaching of electronic technology education. Virtual reality for teaching and learning can be a part of postgraduate studies in universities, especially in academic fields where virtual reality has been found effective. This study may guide other studies and add to available literature. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic?: Enrolment of females in electronics technology education has been lower than that of males.Academic achievement of females in electronics technology education was lower than their male counterparts.Virtual reality has been used to improve teaching and learning in some educational fields, but it was not effective in some other fields.Some researchers used virtual reality to augment inadequate learning facilities.The evaluation of educational virtual reality applications might have primarily focused on the usability of the apps instead of learning outcomes.Gender gaps in human capital development are well‐documented, but it seems more evidence is required on how best to close those gaps. What this paper adds?: Suggest a potential learning environment for reducing the gender disparity in the achievement and interest of electronics technology students.Further contributions to the area of a learning environment in the teaching and learning process.This may be a piece of additional research‐based evidence on how best to close gender disparity in technology education.A virtual reality learning environment might bring female students up to the same levels of academic achievement as men, but the conventional classroom setting cannot.There could be a significant interaction effect between gender and the learning environment in the teaching and learning of electronic technology education. Implications for practice and/or policy: Curriculum planners might consider piloting virtual reality for reducing gender imbalance and enhancing gender‐fair technology education, as it shows initial promise in the teaching of electronic technology education.Virtual reality may be adopted to augment learning facilities in electronic technology education in universities, especially in laboratory practices.Budgets for funding universities could include resources for virtual reality equipment.The use of virtual reality for teaching and learning can be a part of postgraduate studies in universities, especially in academic fields where virtual reality has been found effective and competence in VR should be considered for the employment of technology education lecturers and support staff in higher institutions.This study may guide other studies and add to the available literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study investigates the effectiveness of the segmentation principle from the cognitive theory of multimedia learning as well as the effectiveness of the generative learning strategy of summarization in immersive virtual reality (IVR) within a sample of preadolescents. Although previous research has supported the effectiveness of these instructional methods in multimedia learning, it remains unclear whether segmentation, summarization or the combination of both are superior to a stand‐alone IVR lesson in facilitating learning. Methods: To address this gap, 190 sixth to seventh grade students learned about the human body in an IVR lesson. Students were randomly assigned to one of four experimental conditions: (a) an IVR lesson divided into four segments (segmentation condition); (b) an IVR lesson, where students summarized after the entire lesson (summarizing condition); (c) an IVR lesson presented in four segments, where students summarized after each segment (combined condition); and (d) an IVR lesson without any manipulation (control condition). Results: Results indicated that, compared to the control condition, adding segmentation or summarization to an IVR lesson leads to better transfer, but not to acquiring more factual knowledge. Combining the two methods did not improve learning. Conclusion: The findings support the evidence that choosing appropriate instructional methods for IVR lessons can foster transfer. Lay Description: What is currently known about the subject matter: The use of immersive virtual reality (IVR) in classroom settings is increasing rapidlyThere are mixed results related to the efficiency of using IVR for learning facts and conceptsFew studies have investigated if efficient instructional design guidelines generalize to IVRFew studies have investigated the efficiency of IVR within a children sample What their paper adds: A class‐room investigation of the value of using different instructional design methods for designing IVR lessons within a children sampleResults indicated that, compared to the control condition, adding segmentation or summarization to an IVR lesson leads to better transferAdding segmentation or summarization did not lead to more factual knowledge Implications of study findings for practitioners: Choosing appropriate instructional methods for IVR lessons can foster transferStudents profit most from IVR lessons when they are given opportunities for refection during or following the immersive experience [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aims to integrate the theories of social presence and social identity to examine the effectiveness of group‐based problem‐based learning (PBL) in learning communities. Social presence is a critical factor in determining the success of collaborative learning in group‐based PBL activities. Although several studies have investigated the effects of using self‐directed and collaborative learning, they present weak evidence within those studies to explain the impact of social interaction on perceived PBL performance in nursing internship programs. Objectives: This study develops a second‐order formative model to examine the relationship between social presence, trust, social identification and students' perceived PBL performance. Methods: The partial least squares technique is used to analyse data from 409 nursing interns who studied at seven medical universities or nursing colleges. Results and Conclusions: The results indicate that all hypotheses are supported, which is an underaddressed topic in the nursing internship education literature. Notably, the findings of this study contribute to a better understanding of the interns' perceived PBL performance during the internship. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic?: Previous studies have confirmed that social presence significantly affects learning performance.In learning communities, social interaction depends on the development of trust networks. What this paper adds?: This study reveals that students' perceived problem‐based learning (PBL) performance can be measured by the four primary of independent study, group interaction, reasoning skills and active participation. Accordingly, social presence, social identification and trust can significantly influence these four dimensions of learning performance.The social interaction in community‐based PBL contexts was observed, and it is found that students' level of social presence have a positive influence on their social identification, trust and perceived PBL performance. The implications of study findings for practitioners: The interpersonal interaction among students in the online PBL communities improves the students' understanding of PBL processes and enhances their learning outcomes in nursing internship programs.The findings of this study can effectively guide educators and instructors to develop effective approaches to organize and manage PBL‐based nursing internship programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In recent years, the importance of emotions in learning has been increasingly recognized. Applying emotional design to induce positive emotions has been considered a means to enhance the instructional effectiveness of digital learning environments. However, only a few studies have examined the specific effects of emotional design in game‐based learning. Objectives: This quasi‐experimental study utilized a value‐added research approach to investigate whether emotional design applied to scaffolding in a game‐based learning environment improves learning and motivational outcomes more than emotionally neutral scaffolding. Methods: A total of 138 participants, mean age of 11.5 (SD = 0.73) participated in the study. A total of 68 participants played the base version of a fraction learning game (Number Trace), where scaffolding was provided with emotionally neutral mathematical notations, and 70 participants played the value‐added version of the game using emotionally designed animated scaffolding agents. Pre‐and post‐tests were used to measure conceptual fraction knowledge and self‐reported measures of situational interest and situational self‐efficacy to evaluate motivational outcomes. Results and Conclusions: Our results indicate that the emotional design applied to scaffolds can improve the educational value of a game‐based learning environment by enhancing players' situational interest and situational self‐efficacy. However, although the intervention improved the participants' conceptual fraction knowledge, there was no significant difference between the scaffolding conditions in participants' learning outcomes. Takeaways: The results suggest that emotional design can increase the educational impact of game‐based learning by promoting the development of interest, as well as improving self‐efficacy. Lay Description: What is currently known about the subject matter: Learning games that include scaffolding can enhance learning outcomes.Emotional design can enhance learning outcomes.Only a few studies have examined effects of emotional design in game‐based learning.There are no studies examining the effects of emotional design of scaffolding. What this paper adds to this: The study is the first to examine the effects of emotionally designed scaffolds in game‐based learning.Emotional design applied to scaffolds did not enhance learning more than emotionally neutral scaffolds.Emotional design applied to scaffolds enhanced participants' situational interest and situational self‐efficacy. The implications of study findings for practitioners: The study confirms that math games that include number line mechanics and scaffolding can be effective.The results demonstrated that emotional design of scaffolds did not harm learning.The results confirm that emotional design of instructional features is useful as it can enhance motivational outcomes.Learning effects of emotionally designed features should be examined with longer interventions. [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]