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This research was carried out to determine whether the comprehension level differs according to the reading environment by examining the studies comparing the comprehension level according to reading from the screen and from the paper by using meta-analysis method. Meta-analysis method was used in this research. The data of the study were obtained from 12 studies (29 comparisons). All of these studies are studies in which Turkish texts are used in reading. The analysis of the obtained data was carried out using the Comprehensive MetaAnalysis software. In the interpretation of the studies, random effects model was taken as basis. As a result of the analyses performed, a significant and medium effect size (g=-0.423, p=0.003) was found in favor of reading from the paper. Therefore, this result shows that comprehension achievement is higher in reading from the paper than reading from the screen. In addition, it was determined that the effect sizes did not differ significantly according to the publication year, grade level, text type and digital tool. It is recommended to perform studies on improving the screen interface and screen reading skills.

Many studies have recently focused on the importance of the effective integration of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools in science education and the need for science teachers to receive adequate training and support to use them effectively. This paper aims to explore the Albanian science teachers' perceptions and use of ICTs in teaching processes. The study provides an interpretative analysis of the opinions of science teachers teaching in the middle and high schools of several Albanian regions expressed in an online survey. Overall, the results suggest that the use of ICT by science teachers in Albania is limited by a lack of proper infrastructure, limited access to technology, and training of teachers on integrating technology. However, there are indications that the adoption of ICT in science education may increase in the future, particularly after the boost from the COVID-19 pandemic emergency.

The article seeks to develop a better understanding of the contribution of materiality in a discourse between a creator (content producer) and an interface, dealing with analogue and digital artefacts. Focus is in the materiality of the two different art-creation learning processes, acrylic painting and digital painting. The objective of this paper is to consider especially the affect and meaning of these two different content creation modalities and intra-action within that. Through reflective autoethnographic consideration, the purpose is to consider the essences of materials manifesting and modulating the processes of content creation as a posthumanist phenomenon. It will be shown that the creation processes with paper are more experimental whereas the processes with digital screen are more playful. There is a growing need to deeper understand the cultural change of material cultures and the people's intra-action with the materials also enabling arts creation. This paper will widen our limited understanding and deepen our theoretical perspectives of the essence of materials which then avails confronting analogue and digital when developing teaching and learning in the posthuman era especially in early education.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to articulate how the user experience (UX) approach was initiated and integrated into the centre's scope of operations with the objective of improving the e-learning layout on the D2L learning management system (LMS). One of the most effective ways to collect user feedback has historically been to evaluate user interfaces using strategies from user testing. The integration of a UX approach by the Centre for ODL Experiences (COLE) at Wawasan Open University has led to a more user-oriented design of FlexLearn by conducting user testing on students as the target users of the platform and gathering course leaders' (CLs) feedback after the presentation of the new template. Design/methodology/approach: Since the process of design and development is a looping process, the first user testing methods employed were observation and interviews, which were conducted over the course of numerous sessions. The data collection used a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative demographic and background data with qualitative feedback from open-ended questions and real-time interview responses. A standardized questionnaire gathered demographic information, while questions for feedback forms and interviews were adjusted based on specific tasks to explore usability and user interactions comprehensively. Findings: The findings revealed overall positive feedback, with some concerns highlighted by the students who claimed to have trouble navigating the courses during the initial prototype. In addition to the qualitative data from the user testing session, a quantitative method based on an online questionnaire was also utilised for the CLs after the presentation of the final layout. Positive responses were received from the CLs, and constructive suggestions were considered for FlexLearn 3.0. Research limitations/implications: This paper is among the first that articulates the process of initiating and integrating user-centred design in an effort to improve the user experience of online and ODL platforms and LMSs. It will contribute to a dialogue on investigating and prioritising learners' ODL experiences to ensure education equity across all levels or categories of students, which aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Practical implications: The integration of UX and user testing allows us to better identify what users like, their concerns and their needs. We gain important input on how easy or difficult it is to use the system, move around it and how much they enjoy using it. This feedback helps us make changes to the design so that the final product is more in line with what users want. It also allows us to discover problems before they become major, saving time and effort later on. Finally, integrating user input improves the LMS, delivering a more fun and successful learning experience for everyone. Social implications: User-friendly systems arise as institutions prioritise user-centred design, breaking down barriers for various learners. This develops an innovative culture, improving present learning experiences and setting a precedent for future generations. The emphasis on user demands helps to create a more accessible, adaptive and egalitarian educational landscape by connecting education with current technological trends. As education becomes more inclusive, the broader community benefits, emphasising the beneficial social impact of LMS user testing. Originality/value: By articulating the process of integrating user testing on an LMS/e-learning prototype, helps us understand what users like, where they face problems and what needs improvement. By involving users in testing, we get valuable feedback on how easy it is to use the system, navigate around and overall, how much they enjoy using it. Case studies like this also offer universities concrete examples of real-world challenges and successes.

Purpose: Inclusive growth in the education sector is still a major challenge in some countries because of limited access to technologies and internet connectivity, among other reasons. However, as a technology, augmented reality (AR) is expected to be widely used in the field of education in the future. The main purpose of this paper is to explore the use of AR for inclusive growth in education as well as identify the challenges, particularly in countries like India and Tanzania. Design/methodology/approach: This paper applies a systematic literature review by analysing and synthesising relevant documents, mainly journal articles, books and conference papers. Descriptive statistics and cross-tabulation were used for the analysis. Content analysis was used to evaluate the contents of the reviewed literature. Findings: For the use of AR, it is important to have adequate digital infrastructure, access to universal internet or broadband facilities and the digital empowerment of citizens. Major challenges to inclusive growth in education include the lack of trained teacher educators and students' preference for practical or project-based curriculum. Practical implications: Practitioners in both countries may consider the use of AR for inclusive growth in education. Originality/value: This paper specifically examines the use of AR in higher education and the related challenges based on a review of two countries, namely India and Tanzania.

Purpose: This paper evaluated the effectiveness of blended learning of business courses in higher learning institutions (HEIs) in developing economies. Design/methodology/approach: A survey, involving 215 learners, was used to collect data. A stratified sampling technique was used in this study. The data were analyzed using the PROCESS macro in SPSS. Findings: In the blended learning approach, student attitudes, social presence, IT infrastructure and flexible learning are all favorable predictors of learner satisfaction. The impact of blended learning on learner satisfaction is further mediated by IT infrastructure, social presence and learner attitude. Practical implications: HEIs need to invest in planning and resource mobilization in order to realize several benefits derived from the use of blended learning. For optimal learning outcomes, this should be combined with training on IT infrastructure usage for both facilitators and learners. In order to assist learners in developing competencies through consistent use, institutions should also invest in tailored blended learning technologies. In addition, emphasis should be placed on training all actors in order to better manage change. Originality/value: This paper presents and ranks several dimensions for blended learning success in low-budget universities. In addition, the study contributes to the understanding of intervening variables necessary for enhancing the potential of pedagogy in maximizing learner satisfaction.

Given the ubiquity of interfaces on computing devices, it is essential for future Information Systems (IS) professionals to understand the ramifications of good user interface (UI) design. This article provides instructions on how to efficiently and effectively teach IS students about "fit," a Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) concept, through a paper prototyping activity. Although easy to explain, the concept of "fit" can be difficult to understand without repeated practice. Practically, designing "fit" into UIs can be cost-prohibitive because working prototypes are often beyond students' technical skillset. Accordingly, based on principles of active learning, we show how to use paper prototyping to demonstrate "fit" in a hands-on class exercise. We provide detailed step-by-step instructions to plan, setup, and present the exercise to guide students through the process of "fit" in UI design. As a result of this activity, students are better able to employ both theoretical and practical applications of "fit" in UI design and implementation. This exercise is applicable in any course that includes UI design, such as principles of HCI, systems analysis and design, software engineering, and project management.

Learning Management Systems (LMSs) in education are necessary, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. A good user experience (UX) in these systems has become increasingly important. However, there are limited resources that could guide implementing both the hedonic and pragmatic qualities of UX. The objective of the present study is to identify emotional design factors and apply an innovative perspective from a rhetorical perspective that could serve to improve the user experience. Utilizing the User Experience Questionnaire, a rhetorical evaluation, and four open-ended questions in three control groups, we evaluate Moodle at the Faculty of Sciences of the Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí (UASLP). The findings show an improvement in UX that generated better user satisfaction. We concluded that ethos, pathos, and logos serve to cover the pragmatic and hedonic aspects of UX. This paper serves as a guide for other educational institutions that want to improve their LMS.

Project-based learning is an effective method for students' learning design. For the "Graphic Design for Interactive Entertainment" elective course, the author uses project-based learning to teach UI and UX design to Universitas Pelita Harapan's Visual Communication Design Department students. For the project, the author designed a game mechanic. The students of the course later designed visuals for the game. One game that resulted from this project was "Pro Pickpockets", a game about a group of pickpockets competing to collect valuable prizes for the best pickpockets. This paper elaborates on the design case of Pro Pickpockets as a design project and project-based learning for students in learning UI and UX.

Purpose: The massive expansion of digital platform has been responsible for the widespread progressive engagement created amongst learners and educators. The practice of requiring student feedback on online learning services ensures that teacher education continues to advance its strategic approach to online learning. This paper aims to examine the level of accessibility and adaptability of digital technology with particular focus on Malaysia, by elaborating the value of superior learning service and practical adaptability of online learning during the pandemic era. Design/methodology/approach: This study was conducted using qualitative approach of data collection, namely via structured interview. The listed respondents included 30 higher learners who participated in the study by providing feedback on the issues encountered during the research process. Findings: The findings revealed that the strategic enhancement of digital accessibility continued with digital adaptability to sources of learning services would contribute to advancing achievement of digital learning pathway. Practical implications: Increasing accessibility to digital platforms in digital learning system can help to shape the digital environment. Digital expansion can create unlimited boundaries for online knowledge acquisition. Social implications: The social implication refers to acquiring the abilities developed through online engagement with peers by actualising and exploring information together with continuous inter-connectedness of sharing pathway in online platform. The instructor would need to give a proportional gateway to make learners experience the digital environment for future education. Originality/value: This study aims to assess the value of developing accessibility of digital technology for students' online learning services during the pandemic and beyond. A well-structured plan would enable digital learning capabilities and mutual accessibility amongst learners. This can allow digital abilities to be transformed into collaborative teamwork amongst learners.

Debugging (or troubleshooting) provides a rich context to foster problem-solving. Yet, while we know much about some problems and strategies that novices face in programming on-screen, we know far less about debugging and troubleshooting in the context of physical computing, where coding issues may overlap with materially embedded problems. In this paper, we study the thought processes novice students employed and the challenges they faced in debugging an electronic textile project with multiple overlapping problems that crossed physical, electronic, and computational domains. We employed a think-aloud protocol to develop an instrumental case study by video-recording 45 minutes of one pair of 9th-grade students debugging and fixing a buggy e-textile project. The problem space included the computational system's programmatic, electronic, and physical spatial aspects, which are more generally reflective of physical computing systems. We found that (1) students' troubleshooting was more recursive and less linear than traditional approaches that usually propose linear, procedural, step-wise activities, and (2) students coordinated their approach across multiple modalities, taking advantage of a distributed set of tools and people in order to tackle a complex set of problems. In the discussion, we address various pedagogical implications for improving teaching about troubleshooting.

This paper outlines the development of a Hardware Development Kit (HDK) for a remote training platform on FPGA Devices designed to provide university students pursuing degrees in electronic and informatics engineering (at the bachelor's, master's, and PhD levels) with the tools they need to learn and develop systems related to artificial intelligence, digital signal processing, image processing, digital systems, integrated and embedded systems using an FPGA chip. Through the internet or a local network, students can engage with the platform to conduct engineering experiments. The HDK is equipped with a Raspberry Pi, a screen, a camera, and LEDs to facilitate the transfer of experiment results and to aid in assessing the validity of lab experiment execution. The Raspberry Pi plays a crucial role in the HDK, providing control and monitoring, remote access, data processing, user interface, and integration with other possible systems.

As testing moves from paper-and-pencil administration toward computerized administration, how to present tests on a computer screen becomes an important concern. Of particular concern are tests that contain necessary information that cannot be displayed on screen all at once for an item. Ideally, the method of presentation should not interfere with examinee performance on the test. Examinees should perform similarly on an item regardless of the mode of administration. This paper discusses the development of a computer interface for passage-based, multiple-choice tests. Findings are presented from two studies that compared performance across computer and paper administrations of several fixed-form tests. The effect of computer interface changes made between the two studies is discussed. The results of both studies showed some performance differences across modes. Evaluations of individual items suggested a variety of factors that could have contributed to mode effects. Although the observed mode effects were in general small, overall the findings suggest that it would be beneficial to develop an understanding of factors that can influence examinee behavior and to design a computer interface accordingly, to ensure that examinees are responding to test content rather than features inherent in presenting the test on computer. (Contains 8 tables, 8 figures, and 4 endnotes.)

Teaching introductory computer programming and choosing the proper tools and programming languages are challenging tasks. Most of the existing tools are not fully integrated into systems to support the teaching-learning processes. The present paper describes the usability evaluation of the Virtual Programming Lab module for Moodle (VPL-Moodle) based on a satisfaction questionnaire answered by 37 undergraduate students enrolled in CS1 and CS2 courses and 7 lecturers. Moreover, a heuristic evaluation performed by two specialists is also presented. Results of the descriptive and inferential analysis revealed mainly two things: (a) the VPL-Moodle has a low level of usability in all five aspects analyzed by the students: satisfaction, efficiency, learnability, helpfulness, and environment control; and (b) lecturers found some difficulties using the VPL-Moodle. A number of suggestions for the improvement of the VPL-Moodle interface are provided based on the findings of the paper.

Context: Exploring the design space is an important process in a design task. In this study, we considered design space exploration for the learners in vocational education and training (VET). The goal of the study was to investigate how they explore the design space while focusing on the effect of a graph-like interface on the learner's understanding of the design space. With florists as the target profession, we investigated how the apprentices explore design variations, what they would gain from such activity, and how we can support this process. Approach: We developed a web application called BloomGraph that allows learners to explore design variations. It provides a graph-based interface that enables the systematic variation of design. Using the BloomGraph application, we conducted an experimental study with 44 florist apprentices in Switzerland to investigate the effect of the graph-based interface which provides a structured way of exploring the design space. The experimental group was given the graph-based interface to explore design variations while the control group had a linear-based interface. We compared them in terms of the number of bouquets explored, time of exploration, diversity of bouquets explored, and the learning gain in terms of the understanding of the design space measured using pre and post-tests. We also analyzed the strategies adopted by the participants for the graph navigation and the visual exploration behavior using the eye gaze data. Findings: Our analysis shows that the graph-based interface fosters a better understanding of the size of the design space and more efficient navigation towards a goal design in terms of the number of intermediate designs but with longer exploration of each intermediate design compared to the linear-based interface. Regarding the behavioral patterns in graph exploration, the participants who showed more strategic behavior in the design choices acquired a better understanding of the design space. Additionally, we trained a model that predicts the next choice of a learner using eye tracking data. It provides a reasonable accuracy that opens new possibilities for future studies. Conclusion: The findings of this study support the feasibility of design space exploration as a digital activity for VET learners and show how the learners can benefit from it. The contribution of the paper includes the validation of the idea with florist apprentices and the demonstration of how the process can be supported using a structured interface and the learner behavior analysis. This paper shows how a design exploration activity can provide an added value in the learning of an apprentice in a design-related VET system.

Educational robotics (ER) seems to have a positive effect on students and, in many cases, might help them to successfully assimilate knowledge and skills. Thus, this paper focuses on ER and carries out a literature review on educational robotics simulators with Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs). The review searches for relevant papers which were published in the period 2013-2020 and extracted the characteristics of the simulators used. The simulators that we describe in this article cover various robotic technologies, offering students an easy way to engage with virtual robots and robotics mechanisms, such as wheeled robots or drones. Using these simulators, students might cover their educational needs or prepare themselves for educational robotic competitions by working in as realistic as possible conditions without hardware restrictions. In many cases, simulators might reduce the required cost to obtain a robotic system and increase availability. Focusing on educational robotics simulators, this paper presents seventeen simulators emphasizing key features such as: user's age, robot's type and programming language, development platform, capabilities, and scope of the simulator.

This paper offers a methodological framework to research data practices in education critically. Data practices are understood in the generic sense of the word here, i.e., as the actions, performances, and the resulting consequences, of introducing data-producing technologies in everyday educational situations. The paper first distinguishes between data infrastructures, datafication and data points as three distinct, yet interrelated, phenomena. In order to investigate their concrete doings and specificities, the paper proposes a topological methodology that allows disentangling the relational nature and interwovenness of data practices. Based on this methodology, the paper proceeds with outlining a methodical toolbox that can be employed in studying data practices. Starting from nascent work on digital education platforms as a worked example, the toolbox allows researchers to investigate data practices as consisting of four unique topological dimensions: the Interface of a data practice, its actual Usage, its concrete Design, and its Ecological embeddedness - IUDE.

Collaborative design approaches have been increasingly adopted in the design of learning technologies since they contribute to develop pedagogically inclusive and appropriate learning designs. Despite the positive reception of collaborative design strategies in technology-enhanced learning, little attention has been dedicated to analyzing the challenges faced in design processes using a collaborative approach. In this paper, we disclose the collaborative design of a chatbot for self-regulated learning in higher education using an action research approach. We analyze the design process of EDUguia chatbot, which includes diverse evidence from questionnaires and workshops with students and lecturers, as well as intermediary design objects. Based on the qualitative analysis, we identify several challenges that are transversal to the co-design work, as well as specific to the design phases. We critically reflect on the strategies deployed to overcome these challenges and how they relate to decision-making processes, highlighting the need to make stakeholders' tacit knowledge explicit, cultivate trust-building and support democratic decision-making in technology design processes. We believe that the recommendations we present in this paper contribute to developing best practices in the collaborative design of chatbots for the self-regulation of learning, as well as learning technology in general.

Montessori considers as an effective method that is commonly used in nurseries to improve the mental performance and develop the cognitive skills toward children. Tangible user interfaces (TUI) is an effective tool that allows interaction with physical objects in a way that makes this interaction augmented through embedded computation. This paper proposed a new concept of Montessori, which is Interactive Technological Montessori (ITM) using TUI. It aims to measure the impact of using TUI on enhancing the effectiveness of Montessori and make a new futuristic design vision for Montessori activities to motivate children positively. The findings of this paper revealed that Merging TUI with ITM has a great potential to increase the efficiency of Montessori. In addition to considering the appropriate design principles and Multi aging group work help children to be motivated positively to interact with the Montessori activities.

This paper investigates the relevance of electronic resources and improved access for effective distance learning and continuing education. The descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. The total population of the study comprises 7,125 registered students of the National Open University of Nigeria. A convenience sampling technique was used to select a sample size of 379 respondents. Structured questionnaires were distributed to the respondents through a research assistant, and only 320 valid responses were returned and used for the study. The study used frequency counts and percentages as statistical measures for data analysis. Findings revealed that students access e-resources regularly. Electronic resources were also relevant as they provide students with up-to-date information, complete information from different sources, speedy and easy access to information, and more. Access to electronic resources can be improved through the following means: provision of useful Internet/server to enhance the accessibility of e-resources, online user guideline for accessing e-resources, creation of user-friendly interfaces for easy access to online contents. It was recommended that audio and video conference chats be made available to students to connect librarians for assistance when the need arises; compulsory user-education and orientation program should also be conducted for students on the use of electronic resources.

Interfaces with good usability help their users complete more tasks in less time and with less effort, which gives them greater satisfaction. Given the vast array of options available to users today, usability is an important interface feature that may lead to the commercial success or failure of a software system. Despite its importance, few educational tools are available to help usability teachers and students. Knowing how to measure interface usability is one of the basic concepts that students should learn when they study the theme. This paper presents UsabilityZero, a web application to support the teaching of usability concepts to undergraduate students. By using UsabilityZero, students interact with a system displaying a reduced usability interface and, later, with the same system exhibiting an increased usability interface. Considering the use of UsabilityZero by 64 students, the differences between the interface with reduced and increased usability were: (i) 61.5% decrease in the number of clicks; (ii) 62.2% decrease in the time to perform tasks; (iii) 92.9% effectiveness increase; and (iv) a 277.3% satisfaction increase. During their experience with UsabilityZero, students learn how to measure efficiency, effectiveness, and satisfaction of user interfaces. After using the application, Information Systems and Computer Science students who had never been in touch with the subject could identify key usability aspects. The students' perception of efficiency, effectiveness, and satisfaction as usability measures was higher than 80%. Also, they could identify some usability criteria and understand how measurements change when some of them are present in the interface design. As a result, over 92% of these students said they recognized the importance of usability to the quality of a software product, and 79% declared that their experience with the application would contribute to their professional lives.

The school system at the university level in developing nations provides the most impactful environment for effective learning and building human capital required for a future-knowledge economy. Unfortunately, less attention is given to the provision of appropriate platforms for the disabled to effectively learn in the university system. Notably, disabled individuals rely on their ability to listen to only speech to gain information quickly to aid learning. In this paper, a learning framework was implemented and tested from educational and technological perspectives. The study focused on an ideal combination of a human-like behavior with a computer application to build a one-way interactive medium between the computer and the user. Using qualitative and quantitative research, we focused on acoustic signal processing without the incorporation of visual input. The respondents used for the study include students, lecturers, specialists in specialized education, and technological experts. The result is a prototype system that translates texts into speech, and a synthesized speech representation of the text entered into the system to aid effective learning. The test results with different users revealed that a majority of 84.70%, 85.30%, 84%, and 86.70% of the users rated the system to have high-quality content, clarity, attractiveness, and responsiveness, respectively.

For many justifications, the collection, analysis, and use of educational data are central to the evaluation and improvement of students' progress and learning outcomes. The use of data in educational evaluation and decision making are expected to span all layers--from the institution, teachers, students, and classroom levels, providing a longitudinal record of each student's performance over time. Such records/data can play a crucial role by giving students, teachers, parents, and stakeholders a scalable and efficient platform that track performance and lead to informed valid enhancement decisions. This paper provides a description of a proposed tracking system. Developed by an English Language institute. It has multiple key features and processes that can monitor the progress of students from day 1 till completing their study. It is a comprehensive integration of student data management and a monitoring system. Such data makes it possible to see if students are achieving their academic goals and administrator could see, as soon as possible, if a student is not progressing. The system is also useful in helping the institute to plan their educational activities every semester and improve data communication between administrator, teachers, and students.

Humanities scholars can today engage in research inquiry using data from a range of varied collections which are often characterised by poor subject access, often resulting in systems that underperform and even effectively prevent access to data, information and knowledge. In spite of the availability of professional standards and guidelines to provide quality-controlled subject access through knowledge organisation systems (KOS), subject access in such collections is rarely based on KOS. At the same time, KOS themselves may come with problems such as being slow to update, being rigidly structured and not incorporating end-users' vocabulary. It may therefore be useful to consider methods for remediating these deficiencies in KOSs, such as collecting user-generated metadata via social tagging or complementing automated indexing techniques with manual ones. To help address the above problems, the paper discusses these challenges and points to possible solutions in different contexts. It does so by reflecting on an open educational resource (OER) devoted to this theme, titled Introduction to Knowledge Organisation Systems for Digital Humanities. It was developed as part of an EU project called DiMPAH (Digital Methods Platform for the Arts and Humanities), 2021-2023, creating seven OERs for inclusion in DARIAH Teach.

This paper addresses the existing gap in the literature on Metaverse applications in education by providing a comprehensive analysis of associated paradigms, platforms, hardware, and software, which have not been systematically reviewed yet. Notably, this study is among the first, to the best of our knowledge, to introduce the pioneering concept of Meta-AI in education and propose its potential to revolutionize the educational landscape by synergistically combining generative AI technologies, such as ChatGPT, with Metaverse education. Through this in-depth examination, our research makes a significant contribution to the field, establishing a solid foundation for the development of effective Metaverse teaching applications and guiding future scholarly endeavours.

Self-report is a fundamental research tool for the social sciences. Despite quantitative surveys being the workhorses of the self-report stable, few researchers question their format--often blindly using some form of Labelled Categorical Scale (Likert-type). This study presents a brief review of the current literature examining the efficacy of survey formats, addressing longstanding paper-based concerns and more recent issues raised by computer- and mobile-based surveys. An experiment comparing four survey formats on touch-based devices was conducted. Differences in means, predictive validity, time to complete and centrality were compared. A range of preliminary findings emphasise the similarities and striking differences between these self-report formats. Key conclusions include: (A) that the two continuous interfaces (Slide & Swipe) yielded the most robust data for predictive modelling; (B) that future research with touch self-report interfaces can set aside the VAS format; (C) that researchers seeking to improve on Likert-type formats need to focus on user interfaces that are quick/simple to use. Implications and future directions for research in this area are discussed.

The continuous advancement of natural user interfaces (NUIs) allows for the development of novel and creative ways to support collocated collaborative work in a wide range of areas, including teaching and learning. The use of NUIs, such as those based on interactive multi-touch surfaces and tangible user interfaces (TUIs), can offer unique opportunities for learning, for automatically capturing digital traces of students' multimodal interactions, and for facilitating multi-user exploration of student data. We used a composite framework to characterize our first-hand experiences and a small number of related deployments. The dimensions of analysis considered include the orchestration activities involved, the phases of pedagogical practice supported, the target actors, the iteration of the LA process, and the levels of impact of the LA deployment. Results from our analysis helped us identify the current trends, gaps, challenges, and pedagogical opportunities of the application of LA and the use of NUIs for supporting learning. [Paper presented at the LAK '16--International Conference on Learning Analytics and Knowledge (6th, Edinburgh, United Kingdom, April 25-29, 2016).]

This study investigated the effect of several different modes of test administration on scores and completion times. In Experiment 1, paper-based assessment was compared to computer-based assessment. Undergraduates completed the computer-based assessment faster than the paper-based assessment, with no difference in scores. Experiment 2 assessed three different computer interfaces that provided students various levels of flexibility to change and review answers. No difference in scores was observed among the three modes, but students completed the least-flexible mode faster than the other two modes. It appears that less flexible test modes are faster and do not result in poorer performance than more flexible modes.

This paper presents MATLAB user interfaces for two multiphase kinetic models: the kinetic double-layer model of aerosol surface chemistry and gas--particle interactions (K2-SURF) and the kinetic multilayer model of aerosol surface and bulk chemistry (KM-SUB). Each interface has simple and user-friendly features that allow undergraduate and graduate students in physical, environmental, and atmospheric chemistry classes to learn about multiphase chemistry modeling without prior computer programming or modeling experience. It is easy to input parameters, and the simulation results are promptly displayed in the interface; thus, these model interfaces are particularly suitable for in-classroom and homework teaching applications. The model input parameters include surface and bulk reaction rate coefficients, surface accommodation coefficient, and gas and bulk diffusivities, while model outputs include gas uptake coefficient and surface and bulk concentrations. Students can use the K2-SURF interface to simulate surface processes and the KM-SUB interface to simulate surface and bulk processes. Example simulations were performed for each interface to present atmospherically relevant applications and to demonstrate its versatility for exploring model sensitivity on various kinetic parameters. The K2-SURF interface was used to show how the rate of ozone uptake by an organic surface and temporal evolution of surface concentrations are affected by the surface accommodation coefficient, desorption lifetime, and surface reaction rate coefficient. Additionally, the KM-SUB interface was applied to demonstrate how bulk diffusivities impact the degradation kinetics of oleic acid particles, so that students can learn how the phase state (liquid vs semisolid vs glassy solid) impacts multiphase chemical kinetics. The developed K2-SURF and KM-SUB interfaces are effective tools for modeling surface and bulk reactions in college-level educational settings, helping students to obtain a deeper understanding of the complex behaviors of heterogeneous and multiphase systems.

With the rapid growth of technology, computer learning has become increasingly integrated with artificial intelligence techniques in order to develop more personalized educational systems. These systems are known as Intelligent Tutoring systems (ITSs). This paper focused on the variant characteristics of ITSs developed across different educational fields. The original studies from 2007 to 2017 were extracted from the PubMed, ProQuest, Scopus, Google scholar, Embase, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases. Finally, 53 papers were included in the study based on inclusion criteria. The educational fields in the ITSs were mainly computer sciences (37.73%). Action-condition rule-based reasoning, data mining, and Bayesian network with 33.96%, 22.64%, and 20.75% frequency respectively, were the most frequent artificial intelligent techniques applied in the ITSs. These techniques enable ITSs to deliver adaptive guidance and instruction, evaluate learners, define and update the learner's model, and classify or cluster learners. Specifically, the performance of the system, learner's performance, and experiences were used for evaluation of ITSs. Most ITSs were designed for web user interfaces. Although these systems could facilitate reasoning in the learning process, these systems have rarely been applied in experimental courses including problem-solving, decision-making in physics, chemistry, and clinical fields. Due to the important role of a cell phone in facilitating personalized learning and given the low rate of using mobile-based ITSs, this study has recommended the development and evaluation of mobile-based ITSs.

This paper reports on a study which designed and developed a multi-fingered haptic interface in conjunction with a three-dimensional (3D) virtual model of a section of the cell membrane in order to enable students to work collaboratively to learn cell biology. Furthermore, the study investigated whether the addition of haptic feedback to the 3D virtual reality (VR) simulation affected learning of key concepts in nanoscale cell biology for students aged 12 to 13. The haptic interface was designed so that the haptic feedback could be turned on or switched off. Students (N = 64), in two secondary schools, worked in pairs, on activities designed to support learning of specific difficult concepts. Findings from observation of the activities and interviews revealed that students believed that being immersed in the 3D VR environment and being able to feel structures and movements within the model and work collaboratively assisted their learning. More specifically, the pilot/co-pilot model that we developed was successful for enabling collaborative learning and reducing the isolating effects of immersion with a 3D headset. Results of pre and post-tests of conceptual knowledge showed significant knowledge gains but addition of haptic feedback did not affect the knowledge gains significantly. The study enabled identification of important issues to consider when designing and using haptic-enabled 3D VR environments for collaborative learning.