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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: Instructional videos constitute a pivotal component in flipped learning. Despite their significance, there is a dearth of research specifically dedicated to instructional videos within the context of flipped classrooms. This paucity has led to an empirical void in verifying the efficacy of instructional videos in flipped learning environments. Objectives: The present study endeavours to contribute to the extant literature on flipped pedagogical practices by providing empirical evidence regarding the effectiveness of instructional videos in flipped learning environments. Methods: This study employs a convergent mixed‐methods design. Forty‐five instructional videos in three subtypes were administered in two classes over a 15‐week semester. Data, both quantitative (log data from the learning management system) and qualitative (from focus group discussions at two time points), were concurrently collected from a flipped class (n = 25) and a blended class (n = 28) with the aim of gauging student engagement and learning outcomes in the flipped class and understanding video‐viewing features typical of the flipped class. Results: Both datasets corroborated that participants in the flipped class outperformed their counterparts in the blended class in terms of video‐watching, peer interaction, knowledge retention, and transfer skills. Conclusions: The instructional videos within the flipped classroom setting serve to enhance student engagement in the learning process and improve learning outcomes. The efficacy of these instructional videos in flipped learning can be further augmented through strategic approaches in both their design and implementation. Lay Description: What is currently known about this topic: The flipping pedagogy is conducive to learning.Videos play a crucial role in flipped learning.Videos prepared students for classroom activities.However, engaging students with pre‐class videos presents a challenge. What this paper adds: This paper furnishes direct empirical evidence supporting the effectiveness of instructional videos in flipped learning.It uncovers factors affecting student engagement with videos in flipped learning.It offers insights into the design and implementation of videos in flipped learning. Implications for practice: Considering facilitating conditions and affective factors when creating videos.Acknowledging learner characteristics when designing videos.Utilizing instructional strategies when implementing videos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Writing is an important and complex skill, which could be enhanced by teaching students effective writing strategies such as outlining. Electronic outlining ‐ integrated feature in Microsoft® Word – has been shown to enhance students' writing performance. However, little is known about the optimal didactic approach for electronic outlining. Objective: This study examined the effects of learning to use electronic outlining either via observational learning or via learning‐by‐doing on students' argumentative writing performance. Methods: Students (N = 129, 10th‐grade) were assigned with their complete class to one of three conditions: a control (traditional pen and paper outlines via learning‐by‐doing), outline (electronic outlines via learning‐by‐doing) or observation (electronic outlines via observational learning) condition. Students followed an argumentative writing lesson‐series that differed across conditions in terms of planning strategies and didactic approaches used. To examine the influence of the different conditions on students' writing, argumentative texts were used as pre‐ and post‐tests, and the quality was evaluated with an analytic assessment protocol. In addition, data regarding students' perceived mental effort and the organisation of the writing process were collected. Finally, students' attitudes towards electronic outlining were assessed. Results and Conclusion: Although the overall text structure had improved after the lesson series, no significant differences were found between conditions. Electronic outlining increased the total amount of time dedicated to the texts as well as the revision ratio. Students in the observation condition showed a higher pause ratio and a lower fluency on the post‐test as compared to students who learned by doing (both control and outline conditions). With regard to perceived mental effort, students in the outline and control conditions perceived significant decreases over tasks, as opposed to those in the observation condition. In conclusion, the self‐reports indicate that students in the outline condition appropriated electronic outlining significantly better than those in the observation condition, suggesting that practice enhanced students' appropriation of electronic outlining. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Planning as a writing strategy helps students organise their writing and reduce mental effort.Electronic outlining is an effective and efficient tool to support a planning strategy.Observational learning is an effective didactic approach in writing education. What this paper adds: Traditional planning and electronic outlining via either observational learning or learning‐by‐doing affect writing products equally.Tool appropriation is greater for students who learned‐by‐doing. Implications for practice: Importance of elaborated and explicit (strategy) instruction.Advantage of video‐based modelling for teacher efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Studies: Captioning and repetition are widely used multimedia instructional devices for non‐native students. Generally, studies in this area have tended to focus on second language literacy skills rather than on learning new content knowledge. Additionally, posttests were administered immediately after the treatments, while the delayed influences of captioning and repetition have never been investigated. Objectives: This paper addressed these research gaps in two separate studies. More specifically, this study attempted to examine the influences of captioning and repetition on non‐native students' immediate and relayed retention. Methods: In Study One, three captioning conditions; word‐by‐word captions, closed captions, and no‐captions; were compared to examine their efficacies in immediate and delayed content knowledge retention on 82 Chinese university students. To address the limitations in Study One as the multimedia lesson was short and played only once, Study Two incorporated captioning and two repetition types in its design. One hundred and eleven Chinese university students watch a video lesson in one of four captioning and repetition conditions. Results: The statistical analyses of Study One indicated that there were no significant differences in both immediate and delayed retention test scores across the three captioning condition. Similarly, in Study Two, there were no significant differences in retention tests scores across the four captioning and repetition conditions. Findings: Neither the availability of captions nor the repetition types had any impact on the Chinese students' immediate or delayed content knowledge retention, which lent support to existing studies. Based on the research results, the limitations and future study possibilities are discussed. Lay Description: What Is Already Known About This TopicEmpirical studies on captioning have focused on immediate learning right after the treatment, so have studies on repetition.Empirical studies on multimedia lessons for non‐native students have focused on English language learning. What This Paper AddsThree types of captioning were compared to examine their efficacies in both immediate and delayed content retention of Chinese students.Two types of repetition were compared to examine their efficacies in both immediate and delayed content retention of Chinese students. Implications for Practice and/or Policy:Neither the availability of captions nor the repetition types had any impact on the Chinese students' immediate or delayed content knowledge retention.The availability of textual keywords adjacent to their corresponding graphics might have compromised the efficacy of captioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Digital game‐based learning is gaining increased attention from both researchers and educators for improving mathematics instruction. However, the evidence for game‐based learning is mixed and research with rigorous research design and analyses are limited. Objective: Here, in a pre‐registered randomized controlled study, we investigated whether a fraction game designed collaboratively by educational experts and professional game developers may serve as a useful tool to enhance students' fraction knowledge. Methods: We assigned French fifth graders to either an experimental group who used the game (n = 110) or a control group (n = 78) who received traditional instruction on fractions. Fraction knowledge was assessed pre‐ and post‐intervention. Results: Results show that students in the active control group had superior overall fraction performance than students in the experimental group at the end of intervention. However, the game had a positive effect on decimal learning. We also found a positive relation between game performance and overall fraction knowledge scores at post‐test. Contribution: The study highlights the importance of game metrics as indicators of personalized assessment tools. Given the increased usage of games in learning mathematics and the equivocal results on the effectiveness of these games, our study also highlights the importance of pre‐registration and randomized controlled studies. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Digital game‐based learning (DGBL) is gaining popularity in mathematics teaching.DGBL shows potential for teaching difficult abstract concepts such as fractions.However, research evaluating DGBL for fractions is limited. What this paper adds: The study examines a fraction game designed by education experts and game designers.Students fraction knowledge is assessed using paper‐based test.Challenges associated with DGBL in the classroom are discussed in the paper. Implications for practice: The results will guide educators in designing effective fraction instruction in classroom.The study highlights the critical role of instructional support in DGBL for fractions.Game based metrics can be used to individualize instruction in the classroom. [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: 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]

Introduction: Media comparison studies examining the effectiveness of immersive virtual reality in education have yielded inconclusive findings, leaving the question of its impact on learning compared to conventional media unanswered. To address this issue, our study employs a novel approach that combines media comparison with an investigation on the influence of broader educational context. Methods: In the experiment, 262 students from two distinct types of lower secondary schools—comprehensive school and multi‐year gymnasium (a selective academic school)—participated. The students received a lesson on topography and contour line interpretation, using either an immersive virtual environment or a PowerPoint slideshow. A transfer test was carried out before, immediately after, and 1 month after the lesson to measure knowledge application. Results: The impact of the media (immersive virtual reality vs. PowerPoint slideshow) on learning outcomes was found to be minimal, with no clear advantage of one over the other in any experimental condition. In contrast, a significant influence on learning gains was observed due to school type. Multi‐year gymnasium students consistently outperformed comprehensive school students in the pre‐test and demonstrated greater learning gains, regardless of the learning media. Conclusion: The present study employs an innovative approach by integrating a comparative analysis of different media types with an investigation into the impact of learner characteristics. By including students from distinct types of schools, the study provides insights into the differential effects of immersive virtual reality in varied educational contexts. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Media comparison studies typically assess the effectiveness of immersive virtual reality as a learning medium in comparison to other instructional methods in education.The findings of these studies differ markedly.Numerous factors impact learning outcomes in an immersive virtual environment. What this paper adds: Recommendation that research in the field should explore not only if but also when and how IVR learning is effective.Evidence that learning achievements may not be affected by the medium used.Evidence that the type of school can significantly influence learning gains.Evidence that cognitive dispositions, such as spatial abilities, can be another factor that influence learning outcomes. Implications for practice: A technology‐centred approach alone does not allow for a proper evaluation of the learning gain potential of IVR, learner characteristics and broader educational context should also be taken into account.IVR as a learning medium may not be appropriate for all students and every educational setting.To ensure reliable evaluation of learning gains, it is necessary to align the content and format of the intervention in both learning mediums as closely as possible.Measuring learning gains not only immediately after the intervention but also with a significant time delay can contribute to a more comprehensive understanding. [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: Previous research indicates that students lack sufficient online credibility evaluation skills. However, the results are fragmented and difficult to compare as they are based on different types of measures and indicators. Consequently, there is no clear understanding of the structure of credibility evaluation. Objectives: The present study sought to establish the structure of credibility evaluation of online texts among 265 sixth graders. Methods: Students' credibility evaluation skills were measured with a task in which they read four online texts, two more credible (a popular science text and a newspaper article) and two less credible (a layperson's blog text and a commercial text). Students read one text at a time and evaluated the author's expertise, the author's benevolence and the quality of the evidence before ranking the texts according to credibility. Four competing measurement models of students' credibility evaluations were assessed. Results: The model termed the Genre‐based Confirming‐Questioning Model reflected the structure of credibility evaluation best. The results suggest that credibility evaluation reflects the source texts and requires two latent skills: confirming the more credible texts and questioning the less credible texts. These latent skills of credibility evaluation were positively associated with students' abilities to rank the texts according to credibility. Implications: The study revealed that the structure of credibility evaluation might be more complex than previously conceptualized. Consequently, students would benefit from activities that ask them to carefully analyse different credibility aspects of more and less credible texts, as well as the connections between these aspects. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic?: Students lack sufficient online credibility evaluation skills.Credibility evaluation is often considered as a unidimensional ability. What this paper adds?: Sixth graders' evaluation skills were measured with a web‐based task.Credibility evaluation reflected source texts and required two latent skills.The latent skills were confirming the more and questioning the less credible texts.Students struggled particularly in questioning the credibility of online texts. Implications for practice: Students need the practice evaluating online texts that represent different genres.Students benefit from carefully analysing less credible online texts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The coronavirus pandemic has affected education worldwide. Estonian schools moved to distance learning on March 16. Objectives: This paper outlines the stages of unexpected and temporary changes affecting different stakeholders based on activity and content of the messages in the Facebook group 'Homeschooling with technology'. Also the applicability of the concerns‐based adoption model was explored to explain these changes. Methods: The investigated timespan includes the week before the emergency situation and the weeks of the school term and school holidays during the emergency situation, with 52 days in total, divided into seven periods. The 872 messages were coded by two researchers and changes were examined. Results and Conclusions: Four stages were identified, from low exposure and involvement with the change to focusing on collaboration and skipping the consequence stage. Furthermore, the new changes in the educational system might focus people again on personal concerns. Implications: The results help capture the changes in teaching and learning situation caused by the coronavirus pandemic in order to learn from these changes and be prepared for such situations in the future. Lay Description: What is already known about this topicIn the emergency situation, even well‐experienced teachers were not sure what and how to teach.There are several models and there are different models on handling the changes in education.Concerns‐based adoption model (CBAM) looks at how change affects people.Emotions have changed from negative to neutral in social media during school closures What this paper addsPrevious studies have been based mostly on surveys, but this paper adds an in‐depth analysis of messages from social media.Four stages describing how changes affect people have identified.New changes brought back personal concerns and no impact concerns raised.CBAM model is applicable in explaining unexpected temporary changes Implications for practice and/or policyIn teacher training, curricula courses about distance learning methodologies and tools should be added.National guidelines about the management of distance learning situations should be prepared. [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: Reading comprehension is an interactive process. Yet, instructional needs are usually identified with isolated componential tests. This study examined whether a dynamic approach, in which componential abilities are measured within the same text and global text comprehension is facilitated via feedback, can help in understanding variation in children's reading comprehension. Objectives: With a pretest‐posttest control group design, componential abilities before and after feedback were related to growth in global text comprehension within the same text. Methods: At pretest, third to fifth graders read 30 short texts, each followed by one global text comprehension question. This was repeated at posttest, but additional questions were asked with feedback prior to each global text comprehension question. The vocabulary group received two vocabulary questions with feedback (n = 97). The vocabulary plus integration group received two vocabulary questions and one sentence‐integration question with feedback (n = 98). The control group (n = 98) only answered the global text comprehension questions. Results and Conclusion: Participants in the experimental conditions who needed feedback (i.e., lower‐skilled) experienced a decrease in global text comprehension, whereas this was not found for the control group and participants in the experimental groups who did not need feedback (i.e., higher‐skilled). There was also less decrease among those lower‐skilled participants who had profited from the feedback. Implications: It is concluded from explorative analyses that not feedback but the overall design caused the decrease. Conceptually, the dynamic approach is worth further research. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Reading comprehension is a complex interaction of several componential abilities at word level, sentence level, and text level (e.g., vocabulary and sentence‐integration).Instruction should adapt to the profile of strengths and weaknesses in componential abilities.Assessing componential abilities with isolated tests does not align with the interactive processes in reading comprehension.Measuring learning ability can help to identify children with low responsiveness to instruction. What this paper adds: Reading comprehension is profiled by asking questions on vocabulary, sentence‐integration, and global text comprehension for the same text in third to fifth graders (8–11 years olds).Feedback is provided after a mistake in a vocabulary and sentence‐integration question, and the feedback effect on global text comprehension is measured with a pretest‐posttest design.Children who receive feedback decrease in global text comprehension but children with higher skills in componential abilities decrease less.Explorative analyses and previous research indicate that the assessment design had a negative impact on performance, for example, via cognitive load, attention, self‐esteem, and motivation. Implications for practice and/or policy: Global text comprehension cannot always be facilitated by providing feedback on vocabulary and sentence‐integration within the same text.The design of the assessment and its influence on performance should be carefully considered by instructional designers, educators, and researchers, especially in case of young learners.It remains unclear from this study if facilitating global text comprehension via feedback with a dynamic approach is useful to understand variation in children's reading comprehension.The dynamic approach with a proper design may potentially still provide a useful insight in individual differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In a context where synchronous online teaching has become a new trend of instruction for online education due to the COVID‐19 pandemic, it is valuable and insightful to examine what factors contribute to teachers' satisfaction with synchronous online teaching. Objective: Informed by the technology acceptance model (TAM), this study investigated English‐as‐a‐foreign‐language (EFL) university teachers' synchronous online teaching satisfaction in China from social (i.e., subjective norms), institutional (i.e., facilitating conditions), and individual (i.e., self‐efficacy, attitudes toward use, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use) levels during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Methods: A total of 250 in‐service EFL university teachers participated in this study. An online questionnaire was adaptively developed to measure teachers' perceptions of and satisfaction with synchronous online teaching. The structural equation modelling (i.e., path analyses) was performed to find out a model that can best represent EFL university teachers' synchronous online teaching satisfaction. Results and Conclusion: The results showed that facilitating conditions, self‐efficacy, attitudes toward use, and perceived usefulness are direct contributors to EFL university teachers' satisfaction with synchronous online teaching. Whereas, perceived ease of use, self‐efficacy, and subjective norms are indirect contributors through the mediation of attitudes toward use. Moreover, different from previous TAM research, facilitating conditions have been found to be the most significant direct factor positively contributing to satisfaction. The findings of this study are expected to shed light on how to enhance teachers' synchronous online teaching satisfaction. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: The technology acceptance model (TAM) has been frequently adopted to examine teachers' acceptance of technology in various contexts over the last two decades.The TAM model identifies three key factors that contribute to people's intention of technology use: perceived usefulness, perceived ease of, and attitudes toward technology use.Although the TAM model has been extensively examined in various technology‐supported teaching contexts, there has been a lack of focus on livestream technology‐supported synchronous online teaching. What the paper adds: EFL university teachers' synchronous online teaching satisfaction during the COVID‐19 in China.Teachers' satisfaction with synchronous online teaching is a joint interplay of individual (i.e., self‐efficacy, attitudes toward use, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use), institutional (i.e., facilitating conditions), and social (i.e., subjective norms) factors.Facilitating conditions, self‐efficacy, attitudes toward use, and perceived usefulness are direct contributors, while perceived ease of use, self‐efficacy, and subjective norms are indirect contributors to teachers' synchronous online teaching satisfaction through the mediation of attitudes toward use.Different from previous TAM research, facilitating conditions have been found to be the most significant direct factor positively contributing to satisfaction. Implications for practice and/or policy: This study offers a diagnostic measure for schools and universities to understand the status quo of their teachers' perceptions of and satisfaction with synchronous online teaching.Universities are advised to provide teachers with readily accessible support and training to enhance their self‐efficacy for synchronous online teaching so that their satisfaction with synchronous online teaching can be strengthened. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Students often show unfavourable attribution: they attribute poor school performance to stable factors such as lack of ability and good school performance to variable factors such as effort. However, attribution can be influenced by individualized digital re‐attributional feedback leading to positive motivational effects and higher learning outcomes. This is very promising, but it still is unclear, whether this digital re‐attributional feedback can also be successfully integrated in everyday classroom activities. Objectives: The present field experiment investigated how integrating digital re‐attributional feedback into classroom instruction affects student attribution, motivation and learning outcomes. Methods: In the experiment, 8th–10th grade high school students (N = 322) worked with a digital mathematics learning program which was integrated in a three‐week teaching unit. Half the students in each classroom received only standard feedback after each practice task (SF group); the other half received additionally an individual re‐attributional feedback (RF group) after every third task. Attribution, mathematics self‐concept, and self‐efficacy were measured by an online questionnaire twice a week; learning outcomes in mathematics were measured weekly. Results and Conclusion: Hierarchical analyses showed that re‐attributional feedback led to a more favourable attribution in case of success on stable factors. Especially low‐performing students benefited from this feedback. No effects on attribution in case of failure, self‐efficacy or learning outcomes could be found. Further research could investigate if certain adaptations to the digital re‐attributional feedback is more effective in a real classroom setting and has a broader impact on different students. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Working with computers in the classroom and at home is becoming more common.Re‐attributional feedback can increase student's motivation when given directly after solving a task and at a high density.Digital re‐attributive feedback can be given in a high density.Re‐attributional training sessions have been shown to be effective in individual training sessions or outside the students' classroom. What this paper adds: The study took place within a real teaching environment during mathematics class for 4 weeks.Digital re‐attributional feedback sessions were directly integrated into the students' online learning which was part of the teaching plan. The implications of study findings for practitioners: Computer‐based re‐attributional training show some limited effects in regular classroom instruction and could be well integrated in student online learning—when adapted accordingly.Low‐performing students show less favourable attribution than better‐performing students in case of success and benefit the most from re‐attributional training. [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: The development and promotion of educational games are still outpacing knowledge of these games' effects, raising calls for evidence of benefits and challenges. Studies suggest that students and teachers like games, but the payoff of the investment in terms of increased motivation and achievement remains unclear. Objectives: This study investigates the pure effect of a marketing simulation game on motivation, perceived learning and achievement, above and beyond regular student‐active instruction. Methods: We applied a randomized, controlled experiment in a marketing course in upper‐secondary schools (Nclasses = 22; Nstudents = 433) comparing a collaborative–competitive marketing simulation game with regular, case‐based, student‐active instruction on three groups of outcome measures: motivation, perceived ability, and achievement. Additionally, students and teachers provided quantitative and qualitative feedback on game experiences. Results and Conclusions: We showcase the importance of a robust study design with valid compound instruments. Moreover, investigations of the game implementation and experiences reveal insights about intervention timing, differential negative consequences by gender and need for reflection opportunities. We find no clear evidence of positive or negative effects of the game, despite students' and teachers' satisfaction. Implications: Beyond the effect evaluation, we offer recommendations to researchers and developers of educational games about scaffolding, timing and teacher competence building. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Some curricula contains many terms and complex knowledge links.Simulation games are a popular remedy for these challenges.Prior studies have relied on users' satisfaction with the game and unrealistic comparisons. What this paper adds: This experiment compares game usage and regular student‐active instruction.They use various measures of satisfaction, motivation, perceived learning and achievement.The game has no effect on main outcomes. Implications for practice and/or policy: Game implementation requires digitally acquainted and trained teachers.Uncritical game design and use may motivate competitive boys over collaborative girls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Background: Research into online exams in higher education has grown significantly, especially as they became common practice during the COVID‐19 pandemic. However, previous studies focused on understanding individual factors that relate to students' dispositions towards online exams in 'traditional' universities. Moreover, there is little knowledge on university distance learning students' experience of transitioning from in‐person to online exams. Objectives: This study investigates the acceptance and satisfaction of university distance learning students in their transitioning from in‐person to online exams, through multiple factors. Methods: We employed a mixed‐methods study to understand the relationship between assessment and online exam factors (e.g., revision and online exam satisfaction, assessment competencies, invigilation acceptance, exam anxiety and workspace satisfaction). Cluster analysis and interview data contributed to our understanding of students who are 'strongly positive' and 'less positive' towards online exams. Results and Conclusions: Our findings highlight the overall importance of increasing student confidence by building their assessment competencies throughout their studies and familiarising them early with the technologies and formats to be used in the actual exam. We also shed light on particular student characteristics that relate to reduced online exam acceptance, such as students with disabilities, caring responsibilities and mental health issues, or students who lack access to the necessary technology. Implications: The findings and recommendations of this research contribute to the wider agenda of designing fair and trustworthy online assessment, including exams, for the future. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic?: Studies focusing on students' perceptions of online exams have increased.The COVID‐19 pandemic has increased online exams at universities.Research show that students appreciate online exams.The factors that contribute to students' positive dispositions are not clear. What this paper adds?: A mixed‐methods study on online exams in distance learning higher education.Factors that determine students' positive dispositions towards online exams.Student characteristics that relate to reduced online exam acceptance. Implications for practice: Guidelines for designing online exam systems positively perceived by students.Online exams to be an integral part of teaching and learning design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Video conferencing learning offers a more accessible and flexible learning mode for students who cannot attend face‐to‐face class in person. However, research about the video conferencing learning is still lacked, especially for students' engagement in this setting. Objectives: This study adopts the self‐system model of motivational development to uncover effects of the video conferencing learning environment (VCLE) to students' engagement. Methods: Two hundred and ninety‐eight primary school students involved in the VCLE were surveyed. The partial least square structural equation modelling was employed to explore the link between the VCLE and students' engagement with a mediating role of basic psychological needs satisfaction (BPNS). Results and Conclusions: Results showed that the BPNS played a mediating role in the processes from the VCLE to engagement. Both pedagogical and social affordance had a significant effect on the BPNS. However, their influences were different. Specifically, pedagogical affordance yielded a stronger effect on the BPNS for autonomy than social affordance. The predicting power of social affordance on BPNS for relatedness and competence was stronger than pedagogical affordance. Generally, social affordance yielded more contributions to behavioral and emotional engagement than pedagogical affordance. Moreover, BPNS for competence was the only significant mediator between the VCLE and behavioral engagement, and it owned the strongest mediating power on the relationship between the VCLE and emotional engagement, followed by autonomy, and the smallest of relatedness. This study suggests that practitioners and researchers should give more consideration to improve social affordance of the VCLE and to meet students' BPNS especially for competence in order to design and implement an engaged video conferencing course. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Video conferencing learning provides an accessible and flexible learning mode.Mechanism from learning environment to engagement is helpful to design an engaged video conferencing course.Less is known about how video conferencing learning affects students' engagement. What the paper adds: This study uncovered the functioning process of video conferencing learning to students' engagement.PLS‐SEM was employed to verify the mediating role of BPNS in this process.BPNS for autonomy, competence, and relatedness played mediating roles and their powers were different. Implications for practice and/or policy: More attention is needed to improve to social affordance to enhance students' emotional engagement.BPNS especially for competence deserves special consideration to improve students' behavioral and emotional engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Providing students with worked out problem solutions is a beneficial instructional technique in STEM disciplines, and studying examples that have been worked out incorrectly may be especially helpful for reducing misconceptions in students with low prior content knowledge. However, past results are inconclusive and the effects of incorrect worked examples alone or in combination with correct examples remains unclear. Objectives: We aim to address whether studying incorrect examples alone or in combination with correct examples can support the reduction of students' fraction misconceptions, operationalized as errors made with high confidence. Methods: After incorrectly solving a sampling problem, 130 students in 4th through 11th grade in the U.S. were randomly assigned to a condition in an online problem set focused on fraction equivalence. Students studied either single‐type worked examples (i.e., correct or incorrect; n = 49) or combination‐type worked examples (correct and incorrect; n = 41) or engaged in a problem‐solving control (n = 50). Results: Studying a combination of correct and incorrect worked examples was as effective as the problem‐solving control with feedback at improving fraction equivalence knowledge and reducing the rate of high‐confidence errors. Students in both the combination condition and the problem‐solving with feedback condition outperformed those who studied either correct or incorrect worked examples alone. Conclusions: Results support the inclusion of a combination of correct and incorrect worked examples when teaching students with low prior content knowledge. Studying a combination of example types within an online tutor helps to reduce misconceptions about fractions, a topic students commonly struggle with. A problem‐solving task with corrective feedback worked equally well. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Studying worked examples of mathematical solutions improves student learning.Incorrect examples, either alone or in combination with correct examples, are particularly effective for improving learning for students with low prior knowledge in the target content.Comparing correct and incorrect examples is also effective at improving problem‐solving but this effect may be specific to those with high prior knowledge.Still unknown are the impacts of these different combinations of examples on misconceptions in particular. What this paper adds: We show that studying a combination of correct and incorrect examples reduces math misconceptions.Problem‐solving with corrective feedback within an online tutor also has this effect. Implications for practice and/or policy: Using a combination of example types will help reduce students' misconceptions about fractions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Learning to use software using screencast videos with worked examples in the corresponding practice files presents a classic split‐attention problem that requires learners to mentally integrate information from the video with a target application. While there is evidence that splitting attention either temporally or spatially adversely impacts learning, it is unclear if there is a meaningful difference in the load imposed by splitting attention in different ways. Furthermore, while much is known about effective screencast design, little is known about how learning environment features, such as the monitor configuration, influence learning from this form of instruction. Objective: An experiment was conducted with 42 novice learners to compare the effects of two common monitor configurations that divided attention differently on three physiological measures of cognitive load. Methods: Effects due to the monitor setup were assessed using a 2 × 2 study design that controlled for task order and working memory capacity. In one condition, subjects split attention temporally by toggling back and forth between the video and target application on one monitor. In contrast, the other condition required subjects to split attention spatially by shifting their gaze between the video and target application displayed on two side‐by‐side monitors. Results and Conclusions: Results indicated that cognitive load as measured through task‐evoked pupil response was significantly higher, p < 0.05, for groups with two monitors during both instruction and testing, even after controlling for working memory capacity. Lay Description: What is currently known about the subject matter: Splitting attention between information sources negatively impacts learningInstructional media that splits attention temporally or spatially increases cognitive loadEnvironmental factors such as monitor configuration also contribute to cognitive loadPrior research suggests integrating the mutually referring information sources What the paper adds: Compares cognitive load in two monitor configurations designed to split attention differently – temporally and spatiallyCognitive load increased when attention was split spatially across two monitors during an encoding phaseCognitive load also increased when attention was split spatially across two monitors during a retrieval phaseWorking memory capacity did not explain variances in cognitive load Implications for practice: To reduce cognitive load, learners should consider working on one monitor while engaging with screencast software tutorials and the related practice filesFocus on studying worked examples in the video before attempting to replicate them in the practice filesWhen designing instructional videos, structure opportunities to practice closest to the point where they are taught in the video to avoid added cognitive load [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Students' tendencies to seek feedback are associated with improved learning. Yet, how soon this association becomes robust enough to make predictions about learning is not fully understood. Such knowledge has strong implications for early identification of students at‐risk for underachievement via digital learning platforms. Objectives: We sought to understand how early in the academic year students' end‐of‐year learning outcomes could be predicted by their performance and feedback‐seeking behaviours within a digital learning platform. We analysed data collected at different time points in the academic year and across different cohorts of students within the context of high school advanced placement (AP) Statistics courses. Methods: High school students enrolled in AP Statistics spanning three academic years between 2017 and 2020 (N = 726; Mage = 16.72 years) completed 3 or 4 homework assignments, each 2 and 3 months apart. Results and conclusions: Across the three cohorts, and even as early as the first assignment, a model consisting of demographic variables (gender, race/ethnicity, parental education), assignment performance, and interaction with the digital score report explained significant variation in students' final course grades (R2 = 0.314–0.412) and AP exam scores (κ = 0.583–0.689). Students' assignment performance was positively associated with end‐of‐year learning outcomes. Students who more frequently checked their digital score reports tended to receive better learning outcomes, though not consistently across cohorts. Implications: These findings further an understanding of how students' early performance and feedback‐seeking behaviours within a digital learning platform predict end‐of‐year learning outcomes. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Students' early academic performance predicts end‐of‐year success.Students' self‐regulated learning behaviours are another predictor of academic success.Clickstream data have been used as an indicator of the application of self‐regulated learning strategies, particularly behaviours associated with seeking feedback.Indicators of feedback‐seeking behaviours reflected via clickstream data have been shown to predict student learning.Yet, how soon associations between early performance and such indicators of self‐regulated learning as feedback‐seeking are robust across different groups of learners, different learning circumstances, and different types of learning outcomes has yet to be more fully understood. What this paper adds: We investigated whether performance and feedback‐seeking behaviours predict end‐of‐year learning outcomes at different points during the academic year across multiple cohorts of learners (2017–2018, 2018–2019, and 2019–2020) and using two different learning outcomes (class grades, AP exam scores).One cohort was affected by COVID‐19 during the 2019–2020 academic year, allowing us to examine whether differences emerge amidst unprecedented circumstances.We used assignment scores and online feedback‐seeking to predict end‐of‐year learning outcomes.Assignment scores were positively associated with end‐of‐year grades.First assignment performance predicted AP exam scores.Use of feedback (an indication of self‐regulated learning behaviours) tended to predict learning outcomes, though not consistently across cohorts. Implications for practice and/or policy: The findings from this study could improve understanding of how digital learning platform measurements predict end‐of‐year learning outcomes though also highlight the importance of context differences.Such findings hold implications for early identification of at‐risk students and appreciation for differences between learners and contexts.These findings also contribute to a growing understanding of the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on student engagement and learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The number of artificial intelligence (AI) literacy studies in K‐12 education has recently increased, with most research focusing on primary and secondary education contexts. Little research focuses on AI literacy programs in early childhood education. Objectives: The aim of this mixed‐methods study is to examine the feasibility of an AI literacy program called "AI4KG" and explore how it might affect kindergarteners' perceptions of robots and attitudes towards engineering and science. Methods: A total of 26 child–parent dyads recruited from a Hong Kong kindergarten were involved in this study, consisting of 26 children (Mage = 4 years, SD = 0.28) and their parents. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through surveys and interviews designed to explore children's perceptions of robots and attitudes towards engineering and science, and parents' perceptions of the AI4KG intervention. Results: It is found that children have increased their perceptions of robots after the AI literacy program, but the AI4KG curriculum had no significant effects on kindergarten children's engineering and science attitudes. Most parents (22 out of 26) agreed that their children's AI knowledge, AI skills, and AI attitudes have been enhanced after learning through the AI4KG curriculum. Conclusions: This study suggests that the AI4KG curriculum is potentially effective in promoting early AI literacy and favourable attitudes towards the technology, but further research is needed to develop age‐appropriate measures and assess its long‐term impact on children's education and career paths. Lay Description: What is currently known about this topic?: AI literacy is becoming important as AI transforms society, but few studies have explored AI literacy in early childhood education.Prior research found AI activities can positively influence older children's views of robots and engineering. What does this paper add?: It evaluates an 8‐week AI literacy curriculum called AI4KG for kindergarteners in Hong Kong.The curriculum used tools like Teachable Machine and taught concepts through play and storytelling.It improved children's perceptions of robots but did not significantly impact engineering/science attitudes.Parents perceived improvements in children's AI knowledge, skills, and attitudes after the curriculum. Implications for practice/policy: The curriculum provides an example for developing age‐appropriate AI literacy activities.More rigorous research on impacts over time is needed, but results suggest potential benefits of AI literacy in early childhood.Policymakers could consider incorporating AI literacy into kindergarten curricula to prepare children for the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The degree to which Computer Science (CS) and Information Communication Technology (ICT) students are motivated to learn greatly impacts their study habits, academic achievement in school and ultimately their job prospects. In recent times, skills in programming languages have become vital in searching for employment. Objective: This study sought to examine the academic motivation of students to study programming languages and their pursuit of job prospects in the software development field. Methods: The study adopted the Academic Motivation Scale (AMS) to measure students' motivation. Data was collected from 244 CS and ICT students at different levels of study at Ho Technical University (HTU) who responded to an online questionnaire. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA), reliability analysis, independent samples t‐test and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were conducted using IBM statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) and IBM analysis of moment structure (AMOS), respectively. Results and Conclusions: The results showed no significant difference in students' motivation to study programming languages in the university between those who had prior programming languages and those who had none. Also, the results showed no significant difference in the motivation of students to study programming languages between those with and without working experience. The results showed a significant difference between those who want to and do not want to pursue a career in software development and their study motivation of programming languages. Takeaway: Course instructors should emphasize connections between course goals and future employment opportunities. Lay Description: What is already known about the topic: The degree to which students are motivated to learn greatly impacts their study habits and academic achievement.The Academic Motivation Scale is a key measurement instrument for assessing students' level of motivation. What this paper adds: Students who desire to pursue a career in software development are motivated to study programming languages.Students do not require prior programming language experience to be motivated to study programming languages.Students do not require working experience in the ICT field to be motivated to study programming languages. Implications of study findings for practitioners: The study's findings provide instructors and the management of HEIs insights to develop practical and interactive courses in curricula.Course instructors should emphasize connections between course goals and future employment opportunities.Management should provide incentives to the best students who design innovative software to solve problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: For peer assessment, reliability (i.e., consistency in ratings across peers) and validity (i.e., consistency of peer ratings with instructors or experts) are frequently examined in the research literature to address a central concern of instructors and students. Although the average levels are generally promising, both reliability and validity can vary substantially from context to context. Meta‐analyses have identified a few moderators that are related to peer assessment reliability/validity, but they have lacked statistical power to systematically investigate many moderators or disentangle correlated moderators. Objectives: The current study fills this gap by addressing what variables influence peer assessment reliability/validity using a large‐scale, cross‐context dataset from a shared online peer assessment platform. Methods: Using multi‐level structural equation models, we examined three categories of variables: (1) variables related to the context of peer assessment; (2) variables related to the peer assessment task itself; and (3) variables related to rating rubrics of peer assessment. Results and Conclusions: We found that the extent to which assessment documents varied in quality on the given rubric played a central role in mediating the effect from different predictors to peer assessment reliability/validity. Other variables that are significantly associated with reliability and validity included: Education Level, Language, Discipline, Average Ability of Peer Raters, Draft Number, Assignment Number, Class Size, Average Number of Raters, and Length of Rubric Description. The results provide information to guide practitioners on how to improve reliability and validity of peer assessments. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: The reliability and validity of peer assessment have been found to be, on average, at or above acceptable levels.Inter‐rater reliabilities, in particular, were reported to be medium to high in different online peer assessment studies in both K‐12 and higher education settings.Correlations between peer ratings and expert ratings were reported to be medium to high in different studies. What this paper adds: Document Quality Variability (DQV) is the degree to which submitted documents varied in quality on the given rubric dimension versus being all of roughly similar quality.DQV strongly predicts peer assessment reliability and validity.Class Size, Average Number of Raters, and Length of Rubric Descriptions are associated with reliability directly.Average Number of Raters and Assignment Number predict validity directly.Average Ability of Peer Raters, Draft Number, and Assignment Number predict validity indirectly through DQV. Implications for practice and/or policy: To increase IRR and validity of ratings, instructors can include more students with different proficiency levels in the subject area in peer assessment.Instructors should avoid using rubric scales that will mainly have students cluster at the top (or bottom) of the scale.The appropriate number of peer raters usually lies within 3‐to‐5 raters per document.Instructors should use peer assessment activities primarily for first drafts rather than for second or later drafts of an assignment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Taiwan's higher education institutions prioritize interdisciplinary knowledge and cultural competence in cultural design, emphasizing the value of immersion in the local environment to develop cultural competence. However, challenges arise from the disappearance of traditional local lifestyles and limitations of traditional outdoor lectures such as group size and learning environment. Mobile augmented reality technology serves as a personal learning tool to overcome these challenges, enabling learners to uncover hidden knowledge in scenic locations and improving learning efficiency. Objective: The study utilized learning analytics to investigate the impact of using mobile augmented reality on enhancing learners' cultural competence. Methods: The study used both qualitative and quasi‐experimental quantitative research to evaluate the effects of mobile augmented reality on cultural competence. A total of 78 third‐year university students participated in the study, with 37 of them using mobile augmented reality to learn about culture. The researchers utilized both the Mann–Whitney U test and interviews to compare the effectiveness of mobile augmented reality with that of a 'real' tour guide in field courses. Results: The experimental results indicate that learners were able to continuously seek and find information about local culture through field exploration with mobile augmented reality, resulting in similar effects to those of attending a live lecture. Conclusions: It showed that incorporating mobile AR into field visits can create gamified and active learning scenarios that enhance immersion and drive active learning in local culture. The results in greater cultural knowledge and understanding, leading to the development of cultural competence in students. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: There is a heightened emphasis on cultivating and demonstrating cultural competence across various fields due to the significantly grow of cultural and creative industries.Relying solely on traditional classroom teaching for learning about local culture may result in a diminished impact, as a comprehensive understanding of culture necessitates a keen sense of life.To address the limitations of traditional classroom lectures, educators continuously strive to enhance teaching methodologies by developing innovative approaches, such as experiential learning and community‐based learning, which involve hands‐on activities and real‐world engagement to foster increased learning motivation and improved effectiveness.Augmented reality (AR), a technology that overlays virtual images onto real scenes in real time, has gained extensive usage in diverse fields such as medicine, national defence, education, and entertainment, offering interactive gaming experiences and providing an opportunity to experience the culture and past lives of locals in the field, enhancing learners' understanding of cultural history and creating immersive encounters during visits.Particularly in digital learning, the integration of AR enables learners to engage with additional content through mobile devices, fostering an immersive and gamified learning experience. What this paper adds: The use of the AR app for learning about the local culture yielded comparable outcomes to traditional guided tours.Participants actively engaged in self‐directed learning and demonstrated a sense of initiative while utilizing AR.The flexibility and autonomy provided by field learning, which extended beyond the course period, allowed participants to revisit the field and explore at their own pace using AR.Demonstrates that participants took control and responsibility for their own learning, leading to an enhancement in learner autonomy.Participants who utilized the Roaming Jingliao AR system to explore cultural scenarios exhibited enhanced knowledge and attitudes regarding cultural competence, specifically in areas such as cultural understanding, rice food cultural knowledge, Songjiang folk arts, and skills and practices, which can be attributed to the immersive and autonomous nature of AR‐based knowledge learning in outdoor guided courses, minimizing the influence of external environmental factors and facilitating a deeper understanding of the content compared to traditional guided tours. Implications for practice and/or policy: The findings of this study highlight the importance of considering the limitations associated with a relatively small sample size when conducting research within a university curriculum. To enhance the validity and reliability of future studies, practitioners and policymakers should prioritize the inclusion of larger and more diverse samples, enabling a more comprehensive understanding of the impact of AR technology on cultural learning and informing evidence‐based practices and policies.The study's focus on a specific group of participants and their contextual background highlights the need for future research to include participants from diverse educational settings and cultural backgrounds, ensuring that the findings are more applicable and relevant to a broader population. Practitioners and policymakers should consider the importance of inclusivity and diversity when designing and implementing cultural learning interventions using AR technology.The recognition of technological limitations highlights the importance of considering the specific AR system used in cultural learning interventions. Practitioners and policymakers should be cautious when adopting AR technologies and recognize that different AR systems or platforms may yield different outcomes. Future research should focus on evaluating the effectiveness of various AR systems and platforms to inform decision‐making regarding the selection and implementation of AR technologies for cultural learning initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To purposefully integrate information and communication technologies (ICT) into contemporary teaching, teachers must have complex technological, pedagogical and content‐related knowledge (TPACK). TPACK could be fostered through diverse learning environments such as working in a makerspace as part of university teacher training. The development of TPACK in (preservice) teachers depends on how effectively they can assess their own knowledge and adapt their own learning process. Self‐assessment tools can be used to identify and assess their individual TPACK. Objectives: The study presents data on TPACK development through project work in a makerspace. It examines the consistency of self‐assessment and performance tests in relation to TPACK and discusses the applicability of self‐assessment scales to self‐regulated learning. Methods: TPACK self‐assessment takes place among preservice teacher students (N = 327) in a pre‐post design. This is complemented and contrasted with an external assessment in form of a self‐developed performance test (teaching vignettes). Results: Self‐assessment and performance test show a TPACK‐increase resulting in the project work in the makerspace, with higher performing students benefiting more from the intervention than lower performing students. All students tend to overestimate their TPACK before and after the intervention, with low‐performing students overestimating themselves more than high‐performing students. Existing TPACK scales can serve as readily available self‐assessment tools, but should be complemented by other knowledge assessment measures. Furthermore, depending on the results of the self‐assessment, different learning opportunities should be made available so that preservice teachers with a lower TPACK still benefit from the project work in the makerspace. Take Away: Self‐assessments accompanying the work in the makerspace could provide feedback information about TPACK‐related knowledge, learning processes and learning outcomes and thus support students in structuring their work. For this purpose, it seems necessary to improve the quality of self‐assessment to enable reliable reflection on preservice teachers' own learning process. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: The opportunities for using ICT in schools are developing rapidly, and with them, the demands on teachers' skills (TPACK; e.g., Becker et al., 2020; Eickelmann & Gerick, 2020; Redecker, 2017).Many studies measuring TPACK largely use measurement instruments that required students to self‐assess their TPACK (e.g., Handal et al., 2013; Kaplon‐Schilis & Lyublinskaya, 2019; Lee & Tsai, 2010; Willermark, 2017).Research on TPACK emphasizes that self‐testing TPACK via self‐assessment should be complemented by performance tests in order to better understand the domain‐specific nature of TPACK and its complexity (e.g., Akyuz, 2018; Graham et al., 2009; Voogt et al., 2013). What this paper adds: The research provides information on the extent to which TPACK changes triggered by an intervention can be captured using self‐assessment scales and a self‐developed performance test.The data shows how consistent students' self‐assessments are compared to their demonstrated performance.Furthermore, we critically discuss to what extent scales developed to measure TPACK in scientific studies can also be applied to self‐directed learning. Implications for practice: Prospective teachers must acquire TPACK competences for the implementation of contemporary teaching, which will enable them to produce digital teaching and learning materials in the future, for example. This TPACK is to be trained through self‐organized project work in the pedagogical Makerspace within the framework of university subject teaching.Self‐assessment instruments for TPACK can be more easily used in the field to accompany projects so that students can receive feedback on knowledge, learning process, and learning outcome. However, our study shows that existing self‐assessment instruments can be used mainly in self‐directed learning processes when learning gains on the complexity levels 'remembering' and 'understanding' are to be captured, even though feedback especially in the area of 'applying' TPACK is of great importance for teaching practice. Combining self‐assessments (based on work samples) and performance tests is therefore a promising approach, as the complementary use of performance tests provides insights into preservice teachers' abilities to 'apply' TPACK.The moderate correlation between self‐assessment and performance in our study also shows that self‐assessment is a skill that needs to be learned. Therefore, the use of self‐assessments for self‐regulated learning should be more accompanied by learning opportunities for learning self‐assessment (Bol et al., 2012). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Background: Guidance during inquiry learning plays an important role in developing conceptual understanding and inquiry skills. This study analysed learner‐tutor interactions in a simulation‐assisted learning environment to investigate how tutor guidance enabled knowledge construction and fostered epistemic practice. Objectives: This research aimed to illuminate challenges learners encounter in the inquiry process and forms of guidance that support learning in both conceptual and epistemic aspects. Methods: This study uses a mixed methods approach. We analysed video recordings in which nine participants asked 72 questions and the microsequences of interactions immediately surrounding and including each question. We coded properties of each question and whether the tutors' utterances were intended to increase (upregulate) or decrease (downregulate) the complexity of the inquiry processes, and used a two‐step cluster analysis to explore groupings emerged from tutors' regulation guidance and learners' questions. Results and Conclusions: The regulatory intent of tutors' utterances depended on various characteristics of student questions. The microsequences clustered in five categories: 1) upregulated investigation and inference, 2) upregulated evidence‐based justification, 3) downregulated cognitive load, 4) downregulated procedural uncertainties, and 5) downregulated perceptual dissonance. Our findings suggest tutors offering guiding prompts should consider dual processes in the inquiry and, by strategically prompting them, strike a balance between the goals of guiding learners to discover scientific knowledge and grounding their conceptual understanding in concepts, data, and procedures. Implications: We emphasize conceptual and epistemic learning should be concurrently guided in scientific inquiry. We propose a bidirectional guidance model as a pedagogical approach to guide instructional practice. Lay Description: What is currently known about the subject matter: Rapid technological change urges schools to equip students with research and inquiry skills.Computer simulations provide an information‐rich environment for inquiry‐based learning.Guidance in inquiry learning is important for knowledge acquisition and the development of inquiry skills. What this paper adds: We illuminated challenges learners encounter in the inquiry learning process.We analysed forms of guidance that support learning in both conceptual and epistemic aspects.We identified dual processes involved in the inquiry process that have important implications.We proposed a bidirectional model for adaptive guidance in scientific inquiry. Implications of study findings for practitioners: Adaptive guidance facilitates conceptual and epistemic understanding by stimulating curiosity and reducing uncertainty in the inquiry process.Conceptual and epistemic learning need to be concurrently guided in scientific inquiry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Immersive virtual reality (VR) is increasingly used in organizational training interventions. However, few studies have systematically investigated VR compared to standard training methods in actual organizational contexts. Objectives: The focus of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a VR simulation for training professionals in the biotech industry. Aligning training needs to unique media affordances, the study designed an immersive story‐based VR simulation for training customer‐facing employees on a new product and tested it in an international biotech company. Methods: The system was evaluated by comparing its effectiveness to a traditional video presentation with the same content in a randomized between subjects experiment. The sample consisted of 95 employees across three locations: Brazil, Denmark, and USA. Results: The VR simulation group performed better than the video presentation group on the outcomes of conceptual knowledge (d = 0.41) spatial knowledge (d = 0.61), transfer intentions (d = 0.57), enjoyment (d = 1.74), self‐efficacy (d = 0.68), perceived learning (d = 0.89), personal value (d = 0.83), and organizational value (d = 0.82), but no significant difference was found for factual knowledge (d = −0.10). Implications: Results suggest that VR simulations can be effective across cultures in organizational training interventions. VR is specifically effective when the goals of the training are to increase conceptual and spatial understanding as well as enjoyment, and self‐efficacy, but not factual knowledge. Furthermore, employees report higher levels of perceived learning, personal and organizational value and transfer intentions after VR training compared to standard video‐based training. Lay Description: What is currently known about the subject matter: Immersive virtual reality (VR) is increasingly used in organizational training interventions. This interest has especially surged amid recent global challenges, and the sudden need for companies and employees to adapt to the new remote working conditions.However, few studies have systematically investigated VR compared to standard training methods in actual organizational contexts that include a real‐world scenario and a representative testing sample.Applied research that assesses the outcomes of VR based training in realistic learning and training settings is needed. What their paper adds: We propose and test an interdisciplinary approach that links unique features of VR with training needs and multidimensional outcome measures in an organizational training context within the biotech industry in Brazil, Denmark and USA.The findings suggest that a specifically designed VR tool is superior to a comparable video presentation for the outcomes of spatial and conceptual knowledge acquisition and transfer intentions, but not factual knowledge acquisition.The VR group also reported significantly higher personal value, organizational value, self‐efficacy, perceived learning, and enjoyment compared to the video group. Implications of study findings for practitioners: The results support the value of using VR simulations in organizational training, specifically related to affective outcomes as well as spatial and conceptual knowledge and transfer intentions.The study suggests that it is not the medium of VR, but rather the alignment between the training goals with the instructional methods and the unique affordances of VR that will contribute to better or worse learning outcomes.The article describes how to evaluate the effectiveness of VR tools in applied contexts, suggesting that we have to evaluate the effectiveness of tested content with respect to different outcome variables, which coincide with the training outcomes of a particular organizational context.The project as a whole, can be used as a blueprint for future applied research efforts, exemplifying how to bridge gaps between small‐medium‐enterprises, international corporate companies and academic institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Collaborative computer simulations are available on some online platforms which support students at distributed locations to synchronously collaborate on the simulations to learn sciences. However, how students collaborate with each other in collaborative simulations is not clear. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate whether functional interdependency would influence learning. Methods: Two collaborative learning models with different functional interdependencies were examined (the synchronous model and the distributed accountability model). Multiple data sources obtained from 64 students were collected and analyzed. We discuss the collaborative learning with two levels of factors: the individual‐level factors (i.e., individual perceptions of teamwork quality, visual attention and learning performance before and after a simulation activity) and the pair‐level factors (i.e., discourse data and joint attention). Given that the pair‐level factors in the collaborative learning environment may affect the individual‐level factors, we further discuss the interactions of the two levels of factors in different collaborative learning models with hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) analysis. Results and Conclusions: The analytical results of the individual‐level factors found participants in the distributed accountability model demonstrated more frequent and longer attention to the learning activity. Furthermore, the results indicated that the two simulation learning activities would enhance the participants' learning performance except in Q2. For the pair‐level factors, the results demonstrated that the participants in the distributed accountability model showed more active discourse segments but similar joint attention patterns in the learning activity. The results of the HLM analysis indicated that the students in the distributed accountability model had to collaborate with their partners through more constructive dialogue, and focused on the same areas of interest to enhance their learning performance, as the complexity of the distributed accountability design was implemented in a simulation learning activity. Major takeaways: We found that the increase of functional interdependency cannot guarantee students' learning effect in collaborative learning and may hinder the communication that is needed during collaboration. Researcher may need to consider other collaboration tools to enhance the reciprocal reflection. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Collaborative simulations are helpful in making the learning process cohesive.The learning effects of functional interdependence in collaborative learning are under debate. What this paper adds: We examined collaborative learning models with different functional interdependencies.We discuss the collaborative learning with the individual‐, the pair‐level factors and their interactions Implications for practice and/or policy: The importance of decreasing cognitive load induced by simulation with high functional interdependency.It is necessary to increase participants' transactive and constructive engagement in collaborative models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The increased availability of immersive virtual reality (IVR) has led to a surge of immersive technology applications in education. Nevertheless, very little is known about how to effectively design instruction for this new media, so that it would benefit learning and associated cognitive processing. Objectives: This experiment explores if and how traditional instructional design principles from 2D media translate to IVR. Specifically, it focuses on studying the underlying mechanisms of the redundancy‐principle, which states that presenting the same information concurrently in two different sensory channels can cause cognitive overload and might impede learning. Methods: A total of 73 participants learned through a specifically‐designed educational IVR application in three versions: (1) auditory representation format, (2) written representation format, and (3) a redundancy format (i.e. both written and auditory formats). The study utilized advanced psychophysiological methods of Electroencephalography (EEG) and eye‐tracking (ET), learning measures and self‐report scales. Results and Conclusions: Results show that participants in the redundancy condition performed equally well on retention and transfer post‐tests. Similarly, results from the subjective measures, EEG and ET suggest that redundant content was not found to be more cognitively demanding than written content alone. Implications: Findings suggest that the redundancy effect might not generalize to VR as originally anticipated in 2D media research, providing direct implications to the design of IVR tools for education. Lay Description: What is currently known about the topic: Immersive virtual reality (IVR) applications for learning are on the rise, yet little is known about how to effectively design this medium to impact learning and cognition.Even in IVR, many use traditional learning content of text and audio, and ground instructional design decisions in 2D media design guidelines, such as the Redundancy Principle.Redundancy principle states that presenting the same information concurrently in two different sensory channels can cause cognitive overload and might impede learning. What this paper adds to the field: This study examines if and how the Redundancy Principle translates from traditional 2D media to immersive VR.EEG, Eye‐tracking and objective measures were used to study the underlying mechanisms of redundant information processing. The implications of study findings for practitioners: Results show that the redundancy effect might not generalize to VR as originally anticipated in 2D media research.Study shows that the redundancy group performed equally well on learning outcomes and it wasn't found to be more cognitively loading.The study is amongst the first to reveal that participants spend most of their time reading in the redundancy condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decade, the call to foster computational thinking (CT) in every child has received considerable attention. However, there is little understanding of whether children are developmentally ready to think computationally and what specific CT concepts and skills can be developed at various ages. This study explored the developmental and gender differences in CT skills of 197 Grade 4–6 students (aged 9–13) before being exposed to instruction and investigated the age–gender interaction effects on their CT acquisition in an intervention combining both programming and non‐programming (unplugged) activities. Results show that students' CT skills followed a developmental progression before instruction. Gender difference across ages was insignificant in conditionals, logical operators, pattern recognition and generalization skills. Additionally, students of different ages developed CT differently during the intervention, and their CT acquisition was unaffected by gender. Implications for practice and research in CT education were discussed. Lay Description: What is currently known about the topic: Learning progressions for computational thinking have been defined in K‐12 curricula globally.Engaging in programming and non‐programming (unplugged) activities can increase students' CT skills.Controversial results have been reported on the age–gender interaction effects on CT development.Lack of understanding on children's actual progressive development of CT. What this paper adds: A developmental progression was found in CT skills of students aged 9–13. Students aged 12 and above had some a priori understanding of CT.No gender difference across ages existed in conditionals, logical operators, pattern recognition and generalization skills before instruction.Students aged 9–11 benefitted the most from an intervention combining both programming and unplugged activities compared to older students. Students' CT acquisition in the intervention was unaffected by gender.Given the intervention, students aged 9 and above developed conditionals, logical operators and pattern recognition skills. However, generalization skill was developed only for students aged 12 and above. Implications for practice and policy: The findings lay the foundation for designing evidence‐based age‐appropriate CT learning progression and pedagogies.Age‐appropriate learning content: Given appropriate learning experiences, students aged 9 and above may be ready to learn certain CT concepts and skills, including conditionals, logical operators and pattern recognition.CT pedagogies: Using programming and unplugged activities to develop CT requires careful consideration of students' cognitive development and gender needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Background: Due to the global COVID‐19 pandemic, online learning became the only way to learn during this unprecedented crisis. This study began with a simple but vital question: What factors influenced the success of online learning during the COVID‐19 pandemic with a focus on online learning self‐efficacy? Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the structural relationship among self‐efficacy (SE) in time management, SE in technology use, SE in an online learning environment, and learning engagement. Methods: The participants of the study were 1205 undergraduates who were enrolled in a residential undergraduate program in South Korea in spring semester, 2020. The online survey was administered to collect data for this research and the survey results were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results and Conclusions: SE in technology use had a significant but negative influence on learning engagement and had a positive impact on SE in an online learning environment. SE in time management had a significant positive impact on SE in an online learning environment and learning engagement. SE in an online learning environment also significantly influenced learning engagement. Implications: SE in technology use itself did not enhance learning engagement. In addition, indirect effects of SE in technology use and SE in time management on learning engagement through SE in an online learning environment were confirmed in this study. This indicates the influential role of SE in an online learning environment on learning engagement of online learners. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: COVID‐19 forced almost all students to learn online.Time management plays a major role in the success of online learning.Technology self‐efficacy is a requirement in online learning.The learning engagement variable explains learning achievement and attitudes. What this paper adds: Self‐efficacy (SE) in time management and SE in technology use enhanced SE in an online learning environment.SE in technology use itself did not enhance learning engagement.SE in time management and in SE an online learning environment significantly influenced learning engagement.SE in an online learning environment mediated the relationship between SE in technology use and learning engagement as well as between SE in time management and learning engagement. Implications for practice and/or policy: It is important to promote students' online learning self‐efficacy to enhance learning engagement in online learning.Practitioners should be aware that SE in technology use improves learning engagement through SE in an online learning environment.SE in time management should be promoted for successful online learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In this technologically advanced era, media literacy is necessary to effectively evaluate the information and understand various biases inherent in media messages. Several media literacy (ML) tools are available; however, we need generic and objective tools that can be applied to all forms of media messages. Objectives: The current study aimed to develop and validate an objective and generalized measure of media literacy based on the previously available tools. This study suggested that the access component should be removed from the media literacy tools as recommended in previous literature. Methods: The total of 386 respondents, both males and females, were recruited from different universities in Lahore. The age of the sample ranged from 18 to 25 (M=20.98, SD=2.12), with an approximately equal proportion of males (47%) and females. Results and Conclusions: This study proposed a compact Media Literacy Scale (MLS) with 3 constructs: analyze (09 items; α=.76), evaluate (08 items; α=.72), and comprehend (07 items; α =76). This 24 items scale explains 55.4% variance was administered to 386 respondents aged 18 to 30 years (M=20.98, SD=2.12). This developed scale will help assess the baseline level of media literacy in the audience so that in the future, evaluation of the efficacy of media literacy, and media literacy programs could be provided. Lay Description: Numerous tools and scales have been developed to study media literacy (ML) in the late1990s.Still, none of them provides an objective and generic tool of media literacy that could help access the level of ML that can be applied to all forms of media messages.Therefore, there is a dire need to develop a tool that can evaluate the level of media literacy in terms of a person's ability to understand, analyze and evaluate media messages.Thus, the developed 24 items ML scale implied the quantification of the generic measure of media literacy besides already developed measures relating to specific concepts of ML like smoking‐related media literacy or digital media literacy.Hence, this scale could be incorporated into larger‐scale prevention programs where these tools could be classified as part of the primary prevention series for establishing baselines for ML education and training. Practitioner notes: Numerous tools and scales have been developed to study media literacy (ML) in the late1990s. Still, none of them provides an objective and generic tool of media literacy that could help access the level of ML that can be applied to all forms of media messages.While the field of ML is growing in interest, but till now the field lacks empirical research evidence it might be, as previously, media literacy was referred to as knowledge about media devices and media contents, aspects of technology, and the media industry.Although, media literacy is a much wider concept than mere access and use of applications by individuals, therefore, there is a dire need to develop a tool that can evaluate the level of media literacy in terms of a person's ability to understand, analyse,This study used the above given definition of ML based on Aufderheideand Firestone (1993) and the NAMLE (2016) framework but with the exclusion of assess and creation domain of ML as it falls beyond the scope of ML as recommended in previous literature.Moreover, creating media messages requires skill and expertise that can only be attained through proper media education. It is also not needed for educating the general audience about media messages.These 24 items developed ML scale implied the quantification of the generic measure of media literacy besides already developed measures relating to specific concepts of ML like smoking‐related media literacy or digital media literacy.Hence, this scale could be incorporated into larger‐scale prevention programs where these tools could be classified as part of the primary prevention series for establishing baselines for ML education and training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]