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Knowledge tracing aims to model and predict students' knowledge states during learning activities. Traditional methods like Bayesian Knowledge Tracing (BKT) and logistic regression have limitations in granularity and performance, while deep knowledge tracing (DKT) models often suffer from lacking transparency. This paper proposes a Transformer-based framework that emphasizes both accuracy and interpretability. It captures the relationship between student behaviors and learning outcomes considering the associations between exam and exercise problems. We participated in the EDM Cup 2023 Contest using the proposed framework and achieved first place on the task of predicting students' performance on end-of-unit test problems using clickstream data from previous assignments. Furthermore, the framework provides meaningful insights by analyzing user actions and visualizing attention weight matrices. These insights enable targeted interventions and personalized support, enhancing online learning experiences. We have uploaded our code, saved models, and predictions to an OSF repository: https://osf.io/mdpzc/.

Virtual laboratories are transformative tools in science education, yet comprehensive reviews of their prospects are limited. This study addresses this gap through a bibliometric analysis of 218 articles published between 2013 and 2023. Key findings included: (1) research has evolved from initial exploration to rapid expansion; (2) virtual labs have demonstrated adaptability across various scientific disciplines, including chemistry, physics, biology, engineering, and medicine; (3) five research trajectories focus on virtual labs, science education, and computer-based learning; and (4) eight research topics, such as comparisons with physical labs and student performance, have gained prominence. These findings had implications for educational practices, research methodologies, and policy considerations. For educational practices, virtual laboratories offer benefits by removing the need for physical resources, providing flexible delivery, enabling safe exploration, fostering engagement through hands-on experimentation, and enhancing understanding with immersive experiences. For research, virtual labs improve learning and analytical skills, generate detailed data on student behaviors and learning patterns, and lead to innovations in teaching methods and curriculum design. For policymakers, strategic planning is needed to create supportive policies for the effective adoption of virtual labs, including teacher training, infrastructure development, and curriculum integration, making science education more accessible and equitable for all students.

Several barriers hinder students from producing clear and impactful written work. Writing assignments are often given on an individual basis, similar to homework, and without any assistance. Students in a classroom context have access to both their classmates and the teacher while they are working in groups or pairs as part of their assignments. The majority of students, however, are clueless about how to begin their homework assignments. The introduction of artificial intelligence in education may help solve this problem. The current research intended to demonstrate the effects of employing automated writing evaluation (AWE) in fostering learners' writing skills, motivation to write, enjoyment of writing, and academic buoyancy in open and distributed English as a foreign language (EFL) learning. The participants were 86 intermediate EFL students from China. The participants in the experimental group (n = 44) received instruction and feedback from their teachers only; participants in the control group (n = 42) were exposed to their teachers' instruction as well as AWE. The results of data analysis via one-way multivariate analysis of variance indicated that the participants in the experimental group outperformed their peers in the control group in motivation to write, enjoyment in writing, academic buoyancy, and academic success in writing. Further in-depth discussions proceed regarding the implications of the study.

Since the 2016 U.S. presidential election, increasing attention has been paid to rural communities. For our study, we used a multicase study approach that included five states to study the difference between the rhetoric about the need to focus more attention on rural communities soon after the 2016 election and the practiced reality of state conditions (e.g., policies, practices, constraints) changing to support postsecondary education outcomes (e.g., enrollment, retention, and graduation) for rural students between 2017 and 2021. We collected and analyzed two forms of data for our study, legislative records and newspaper articles. We noted inequitable funding for rural K-12 education in several states. While some state policymakers responded to these inequities, their responses raised questions about the unintended consequences for some of the decisions. In addition, we found state policymakers and leaders have placed increased attention on postsecondary education enrollment and affordability, but we found limited evidence that attention was paid to rural students and rural-serving higher education institutions and to postsecondary education retention and graduation for rural students.

Purpose: This study explores a nuanced understanding of tiger parenting by moving beyond cultural essentialist perspectives and an East (Chinese)-versus-West binary framework. Design/Approach/Methods: The study draws on data from 80 parents in Hong Kong SAR, an example of a culturally-hybrid East Asian metropolis. We applied maximum variation sampling to recruit participants with diverse school choices encompassing different education levels, occupations, social classes, and ethnicities. We used semi-structured interviews to investigate parental beliefs, practices, and understandings of tiger parenting. Findings: The findings suggest that tiger parenting is a cross-class and cross-culture phenomenon that would be more fruitfully analyzed by considering parental mindsets, educational structures, peer pressure, generational influences, cultural roots, class preferences, and global aspirations. We posit that tiger parenting and similar parenting practices are increasingly necessitated by fiercely competitive education systems, and becoming globalized across ethnic groups and social class spectrums. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the discussion on tiger parenting by highlighting previously understudied factors underpinning the concept. We argue that our analytical approach avoids the previous narrow and cultural essentialist understanding of tiger parenting, and advances the theoretical cogency of the concept.

In this practice-based pedagogical paper, we, the university faculty of Education, Food and Nutrition, Sociology, and History in the U.S., describe how we started a Reflective Practice Teaching Circle at our institution for interdisciplinary dialogue about the effective use of social media (SM) for teaching and learning. Our discussions led to the design of the Social Media Entry Model that educators can use for decision-making. We begin this paper with a brief synthesis of scholarly literature describing students' SM use and how higher education faculty use SM to support 21st-century skills development. Next, we describe the institutional, individual, and pedagogical barriers that prevent faculty from embracing SM as a teaching and learning tool. Based on our shared vision and praxis, we present the Social Media Entry Model and describe how educators can use it when deciding how to integrate SM into the formal or informal curriculum. Through our narratives, we illustrate how we use a variety of SM platforms and different entry points in the model to enhance students' 21st-century skills. We also discuss the legal and ethical issues that educators must consider to ensure that university students use SM in a socially responsible manner.

Online teaching has become an imperative approach in today's society. However, as an essential approach, using live streaming to teach students in small groups, particularly rural primary school students, has not been extensively studied. To address this gap, an inquiry-based model, predict-do/observe-quiz/discuss-explain-transfer (P-D/O-Q/D-E-T), was adopted for live streaming with action, and its performance was analysed. Reflection by teachers can lead them to a deeper understanding to capture the profound impact of an educational program. In the present study, eight teachers who had experience assisting rural students in this experiment were invited to rate their points of view on immersion, social interactivity, humanness, and value perception. Examining the consistency of teachers' viewpoints using the hermeneutic method, the results showed that they highly supported viewing these four constructs using live streaming to conduct inquiry-based science learning with action. As expected, using live streaming to deliver teaching with the P-D/O-Q/D-E-T approach can enrich other online science teaching.

Yue Opera holds the distinction of being the second largest opera in China and is celebrated as the country's second National opera. This study aims to examine education and literacy of historical development in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, China. Through a multidisciplinary approach encompassing musicology and ethnomusicology it investigates the historical development, cultural contexts, and artistic characteristics of Chinese Yue Opera. The research methodology involves conducting interviews with key informants who have extensive experience and expertise in Chinese Yue Opera, as well as observing live performances. The collected data is analyzed and interpreted in accordance with existing literature and theoretical principles. The findings of the study trace the evolution of Chinese Yue Opera from its origins as a rap art form to an opera prototype, and its subsequent development into the "Small Song Class" and "Shaoxing Opera." The comprehensive examination of the cultural and artistic aspects of education and literacy in Chinese Yue Opera provides valuable insights into this traditional Chinese opera genre. The study sheds light on its historical significance, artistic expressions, and cultural heritage. This research enriches our understanding and deepens our appreciation of the distinctive artistry encapsulated within Chinese Yue Opera.

This study investigates the effect of programming courses on the computational thinking (CT) skills of elementary school students and the learning effectiveness of students from different backgrounds who are studying programming. We designed a OwlSpace programming course into an elementary school curriculum. Students in fourth and fifth grades were taught the fundamentals of programming. We measured and analyzed the effectiveness of their CT skills and self-efficacy in CT. The researchers analyzed the changes in the CT of different gender, different grade, and different past experience students in programming courses and then made specific recommendations for information technology teachers and related units. The results demonstrate that students learned and improved their CT skills by taking OwlSpace programming course. Additionally, gender, grade, and past experience are found to have no impact on the students' learning that means the course can improve students ability without limited any characteristics.

Purpose: This study aims to develop a teaching model of the Malay language for non-native and foreign speakers in schools. Implementing this model can assist educators in teaching the Malay language to students who do not use it as their first language in everyday use. Methodology: This study used a qualitative approach to develop teaching models for non-native and foreign Malay speakers. Interviews were conducted with 27 teachers and 23 stakeholders who are experts in teaching the Malay language, especially in teaching non-native speakers. A prototype model was developed thematically as a result of interviews using ATLAS.ti 22. Further, the prototype model was used by ten teachers from primary, secondary, and international schools in their teaching. Findings: This study has succeeded in developing a model for teaching the Malay language to non-native speakers and foreigners that includes five elements: teaching strategies, individual differences, input, social, and motivation. This model strongly emphasises instruction involving interaction, communication, and bilateral relations as a medium for students' language acquisition and meaningful input. Verbal interaction between teachers and students can stimulate and improve students' language skills in learning Malay. Significance: This model can help teachers teach the Malay language to non-native speakers and foreigners with a greater focus on achieving learning objectives. This model is expected to expand the usage, cultivate interest, and facilitate teaching the Malay language in educational institutions.

Using a product-based teacher professional development workshop in the Just Do Math program as a case, this study investigated the discourse between teachers and teacher educators from three perspectives, namely focus, form, and flow, to see how the two cohorts communicated in the co-construction, whether the co-construction is feasible to produce innovative teaching materials, and what the feasible dialogical modes are for this co-construction. The participants included four experienced university-based mathematics teacher educators and 38 mathematics teachers. The discourse from the eight 3-hour sessions of the workshop was collected. The findings included that both teachers and teacher educators focused more on students' development of concepts than on learning motivation, even if learning motivation was one main problem to be solved. Feasible dialogical modes for co-construction in teacher professional development workshops in the context of East Asian educational cultures were revealed, which could be described as teacher educator-centred but teacher-focused.

Early identification of at-risk students for timely intervention is critical to prevent non-completion of study programs. This article proposes a flipped class framework to support the academic success of at-risk students in an undergraduate Calculus course. It comprises three main components of setting, conduct, and monitoring. A flipped support class was implemented as periodic sessions throughout the learning semester over six consecutive semesters for the selected total of 560 at-risk students. At-risk students who attended the flipped support class reported a higher passing percentage than those who did not, in each of the six semesters. A strong mathematics foundation contributed to the likelihood of passing the course; however, it can be further increased by attending more hours of the flipped support class.

In contemporary education, game-based learning (GBL) has become a captivating instructional method applied across various academic subjects, including mathematics. The utilization of online GBL in mathematics education constitutes a segment of the activities that mathematics educators can employ during their lessons to teach students and enhance their educational progress. The primary goal of this study was to examine recent research endeavors involving the use of online GBL in mathematics education for Generation Z cohort. To achieve this objective, a systematic review (SR) was carried out to investigate the types of online games employed, analyze previous research methodologies, and explore the educational contexts relevant to mathematics education that align with the needs of Generation Z. An SR process was conducted to gather relevant articles from three databases, namely Science Direct, Scopus, and Springer. Full-text articles were meticulously assessed based on predetermined eligibility criteria. The review revealed many online games suitable for mathematics education, including Augmented Reality, Digital Inquiry Game, E-Rebuild, Math-Island Game, NanoRoboMath, Quizizz, and Wuzzit Trouble. The incorporation of online games in mathematics education offers numerous advantages.

This case study examined teachers' perceptions and use of adaptive diagnostic assessment for improving teaching and learning of elementary-level mathematics. The purpose was to understand how the teaching and learning of mathematics occurred in the classroom and changes that transpired due to the implementation of diagnostic assessments. Findings illustrate that diagnostic assessment can be a critical tool for improving pedagogical practice by enhancing mathematics teaching and learning by creating groups of students, planning lesson time, focused pedagogy, giving student feedback, communicating with stakeholders, and improving teacher efficiency. Participants demonstrated satisfaction with the benefits offered by diagnostic assessment for improving mathematics teaching and learning. Participants described challenges that hindered their effective use of diagnostic assessment tools. The findings of this study support a case for the adoption of diagnostic assessments to improve pedagogical practice and promote mathematics learning among elementary-level students.

This study examines the interplay between academic anxiety, emotional intelligence management, and academic resilience in Chinese international postgraduate students in Thailand. Using a correlational design and a sample of 353 valid participants, the study employed the Weighted Emotional Intelligence Scale (WEIS), Academic Anxiety Scale (AAS), and Academic Resilience Scale-30 (ARS). Contrary to expectations, the analysis revealed no significant differences in academic anxiety, emotional intelligence management, or academic resilience across demographic cohorts (gender, academic major, and occupation). Weak and non-significant correlations were also observed between academic anxiety, emotional intelligence management, and academic resilience. These findings challenge assumptions about demographic influences on these constructs and suggest a broader challenge for international students. Despite the prevalence of academic anxiety and deficiencies in emotional intelligence management and resilience, these constructs were not influenced by demographic factors. The study highlights the importance of holistic educational approaches that prioritize cultural and contextual factors and underscores the need for further research to unravel the complex dynamics of academic anxiety, emotional intelligence, and resilience.

In this study, we aimed to determine the role of parental praise and child affect in the neural processes underlying parent-child interactions, utilizing functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) hyperscanning. We characterized the dynamic changes in interpersonal neural synchrony (INS) between parents and children (4-6 years old, n = 40 dyads) during a cognitively challenging task. We then examined how changes in parent-child INS are influenced by parental feedback and child affect. Parent-child INS showed a quadratic change over time, indicating a decelerated decline during the interaction period. The relationship of parental praise, in the form of positive feedback, to change in INS was contingent upon the child's positive affect during the task. The highest levels of INS were observed when praise was present and child affect was positive. The left temporo-parietal regions of the child and the right dorsolateral prefrontal and right temporo-parietal regions of the parent demonstrated the strongest INS. The dynamic change in INS during the interaction was associated with children's independent performance on a standardized test of visuospatial processing. This research, leveraging fNIRS hyperscanning, elucidates the neural dynamics underlying the interaction between parent praise and child positive affect, thereby contributing to our broader understanding of parent-child dynamics.

There is a global trend in the increased adoption of e-assessment in school classrooms to enhance learning. Teachers, as classroom-based assessment designers and implementers, play a vital role in such assessment change. However, little is known about school teachers' classroom-based e-assessment practices and the underlying reasons. To address this research gap, this study identified the factors influencing Hong Kong primary school teachers' e-assessment practices underpinned by the theory of planned behaviour (TPB). A large-scale survey was issued to 878 teachers via Qualtrics. Structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis shows that primary school teachers' intentions of using e-assessment and perceived behavioural control of it were the two strongest factors predicting their e-assessment practices in a general way. Specifically, teachers' intentions outweighed perceived behavioural control in determining their use of alternative e-assessment tasks and e-feedback, but this reversed for e-tests/exercises. The impact of perceived behavioural control was consistent across the three types of e-assessment practices. Furthermore, teachers' attitudes significantly influenced their intentions to use alternative e-assessment tasks, while subject norms primarily predicted their intentions to use e-feedback. The findings have implications for primary schools to take countermeasures to facilitate the successful implementation of e-assessment at the classroom level.

Psychology originally defined parent-child conflict in terms of interpersonal relationships, where parent-child conflict is a process of inconsistent attitudes between parents and children that occurs in a family setting. For this end, we aims to investigate the influence of parental awareness on preschoolers' perception of parent-child conflict and the mediating role of preschoolers' self-esteem. This paper proposes a dynamic parent-child relationship discovery algorithm based on the impact of parent-child cooperation activities on preschool children's development. We applied SPSS and Mplus statistical software for data processing and analysis, and Nvivo 11.0 qualitative software for validation and analysis. The reliability of preschool children's perceived parent-child conflict and sub-dimensions were: 0.901, 0.799, 0.791, 0.811, 0.729; the total scale and the retest reliability of each dimension were: 0.914, 0.837, 0.836, 0.792, 0.711. Validated factor analysis using Mplus: RMSEA = 0.075, TLI = 0.856, CFI = 0.876, SRMR = 0.064.

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a multifactorial, pervasive, neurodevelopmental disorder, of which intestinal symptoms collectively represent one of the most common comorbidities. Methods: In this study, 1,222 children with ASD and 1,206 typically developing (TD) children aged 2-7 years were enrolled from 13 cities in China. Physical measurement and basic information questionnaires were conducted in ASD and TD children. The Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), and Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC) were used to evaluate the clinical symptoms of children with ASD. The six-item Gastrointestinal Severity Index (6-GSI) was used to evaluate the prevalence of intestinal symptoms in two groups. Results: The detection rates of constipation, stool odor, and total intestinal symptoms in ASD children were significantly higher than those in TD children (40.098% vs. 25.622%, 17.021% vs. 9.287%, and 53.601% vs. 41.294%, respectively). Autistic children presenting with intestinal comorbidity had significantly higher scores on the ABC, SRS, CARS, and multiple subscales than autistic children without intestinal symptoms, suggesting that intestinal comorbidity may exacerbates the core symptoms of ASD children. Conclusion: Intestinal dysfunction was significantly more common in autistic than in TD children. This dysfunction may aggravate the core symptoms of children with ASD.

High-performance computing (HPC) has become a strategic resource that drives innovation and economic growth. In addition, it is important to educate a workforce with advanced computational skills to maintain economic competitiveness. In this project, we studied 133 domestic and international university HPC centers to understand the status of HPC. Diverse operating models have been identified and analyzed. To explore the need for and challenges associated with HPC within Wisconsin, faculty and students within the University of Wisconsin System and personnel in local industries were surveyed; in addition, we engaged in conversations with university leaders and officials from government agencies. A strong need for HPC resources has been identified, as well as several serious challenges. A state-wide initiative, the Wisconsin Big Data Alliance, which requires legislative support, is recommended as the platform to foster public-private partnerships, drive scientific and technological innovations, and promote workforce development, leading to an efficient usage of computing resources.

By using information technology, science learning can be widely disseminated, including, for example, to rural schools. However, the implementation of inquiry-based science learning with action-to-ground science concepts for rural learners needs to be explored. To address this purpose, the present study adopted "live stream" technology with a science inquiry model for rural students to learn four science concepts. Using different science knowledge representations, the predict-do/observe-quiz/discuss-explain-transform (P-D/O-Q/D-E-T) inquiry model was designed to be implemented via live streaming with local teachers' facilitation. Drawing on the cognitive-affective theory of multimedia learning and triadic reciprocal determinism, the present study focused on exploring how the live-streaming presence and external cognitive load can predict participants' flow and learning performance. A total of 45 participants completed the questionnaire, pre-test, and post-test, and structural equation modeling was adopted to test the hypotheses of this study. The results showed that live-streaming presence could positively predict flow, but external cognitive load can negatively predict flow, while flow can positively predict learning performance. This live-streaming method uses inexpensive and affordable educational technology that can be implemented at any rural elementary school to enable rural students to learn science remotely.

The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is becoming a new world economic centre, but research on the law of academic talent mobility in the Greater Bay Area is still scarce at present. This study builds an overall analysis framework, introduces the curriculum vitae analysis method, and systematically collects resumes of academics from universities in Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao. Through this, we try to find the stock, distribution, study origin and inflow of academic talents in the Greater Bay Area, the internal mobility of academic talents in the Greater Bay Area, and the global mobility network of academic talents in the Greater Bay Area. Academic mobility is a significant topic in higher education research, closely related to higher education's competitiveness and attractiveness. This research is of positive significance for clarifying the basic situation of academic talents in the Greater Bay Area, scientifically carrying out talent planning during the new stage of China's national economic and social development, and scientifically attracting talents based on the law of talent mobility.

The teacher's use of representations is a crucial aspect of instructional quality in mathematics education, given their pivotal role in facilitating mathematics learning. However, in our international research community, perspectives on what constitutes high-quality use of representations may vary. This cross-cultural study aims to explore whether the perspectives from Western literature, emphasizing the importance of explicit connections between symbolic and graphic representations, can be extended legitimately to the East Asian context. Using a situated approach, the study elicited norms of high-quality representation use from researchers in Germany and Taiwan. A total of 31 mathematics education professors from both countries evaluated the use of representations in three secondary mathematics classroom situations presented as text vignettes. The vignettes, designed by the German research team, each depicted a situation where from their perspective, a norm of high-quality representation use, specifically the explicit connection between symbolic and graphic representations, was violated. Qualitative analysis of the researchers' responses revealed that in each situation, at least half of the German researchers expected explicit connections between representations. Conversely, the majority of Taiwanese researchers only expected such connections in one situation, particularly when the graphic representation served as an independent learning objective rather than solely aiding conceptual understanding. These findings indicate easily unnoticed culture-specific differences regarding how a common aspect of instructional quality is expected to unfold in teaching.

People thrive in compassionate environments. For autistic people, their environments are often non-conducive to care and support. We propose that cultivating autistic people's self-compassion may be an antidote to the mental health difficulties arising from environmental causes. The current study aimed to pilot a self-guided online self-compassion program for autistic adults to assess its feasibility, acceptability, and outcomes related to completing this program. The program was co-produced with autistic individuals. Thirty-nine autistic adults aged 20-77 years (M[subscript age] = 45.28, SD[subscript age] = 11.92) completed the online program. They also provided feedback about their self-compassion practices every week. They completed pre- and post-intervention online surveys measuring self-compassion, symptoms of anxiety and depression, positive and negative affect, emotion regulation difficulties, and psychological well-being. As hypothesized, there were significant group improvements in all outcome measures. Preliminary results suggest that the program is feasible and accepted by participants. Approximately half of the autistic participants reported experiences of backdraft, which are adverse reactions associated with self-compassion practices. Based on our findings, we provided clinical recommendations on how self-compassion can be taught to autistic adults.

Given the significant influence of managerial reforms in education fields, how to promote teacher professionalism appears to be a priority task for school leaders. This study examined the mediation role of teacher recognition on the association between transformative leadership and teacher professionalism. From a sample of 1196 primary and secondary school teachers nested in 98 schools from mainland China, this study used the multilevel structuration equation model to explore the associations among the study variables on both the teacher level and school level simultaneously. On the teacher level, the results showed that transformative leadership was positively related to teacher professionalism and verified the mediation role of teacher recognition for social esteem. On the school level, transformative leadership was associated with teacher professionalism through the mediation role of recognition for care. This study suggests that transformative leadership may influence teacher professionalism via teacher recognition on both individual and school levels, while the influence mechanism could be different.

The digital economy, which boasts general technology, intense penetration, platform ecology, and low marginal cost, is a product of advanced digital technology. This new engine has become a driving force for high-quality economic development. From the three aspects of development momentum, efficiency, and structure, this paper profoundly explores internal mechanisms to lead the high-quality growth of the regional economy. By constructing an econometric model, the influence effect and means of the digital economy on the high-quality development of the regional economy are empirically tested. The digital economy and its three sub-dimensions can significantly promote the high-quality development of the regional economy. However, industrial digitalization has the most vital role in promoting it. The digital economy has shown a more vital promotion role in the central and western regions and provinces with low total factor productivity, and it can indirectly impact high-quality economic development by promoting dynamic, efficient, and structural changes.

Researchers' investment in reader engagement includes the construction of an appealing abstract. While numerous studies have been conducted on abstracts' rhetorical features, scant empirical attention has been paid to negation use in academic writing. The current study seeks to narrow the research gap from a general and diachronic perspective by adopting an interpersonal model of negation. We found that while "not, no," and "little" tend to be the commonly used negative markers in "Science" abstracts, "little" increased diachronically but decreased for "not" and "no." Functionally, writers prefer to use "interactive negations" and employ relatively more negative markers that function as "consequence" (interactive dimension) and "hedging" (interactional dimension) in their abstracts. Finally, we discuss the possible reasons for such results as well as their pedagogical implications.

Despite the enabling role of teacher feedback literacy in students' engagement with feedback, little empirical research has explored the internal structure of this construct and its influencing factors. This paper developed and validated a teacher feedback literacy scale for pre-service teachers and examined its influencing factors (i.e. pre-service teachers' motivations for becoming a teacher and assessment course learning experience). 541 pre-service teachers attended the survey. Confirmatory factor analysis supports the structural validity of the scale. F-tests reveal the significant difference in four dimensions of teacher feedback literacy (i.e. feedback competencies of planning, implementing and follow-up, and appreciation of feedback) among the participants who had taken different numbers of assessment courses. Correlation analysis and structural equation analysis indicate that participants' intrinsic motivation for becoming a teacher has a stronger impact on teacher feedback literacy than extrinsic motivation. Suggestions are made on the cultivation of teacher feedback literacy in teacher education programs.

This pilot study investigates the feasibility and assesses the impact of "Lactobacillus plantarum" PS128 probiotics on the neurological function in Rett syndrome. We conducted a randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled trial on Rett syndrome with MECP2 mutation aged between 1 and 50 years in Taiwan. In this pilot study, twice-daily "L. plantarum" PS128 or placebo was administered for 16 weeks. In addition to feasibility, we also assessed the changes utilizing the Mullen Scales of Early Learning. In total, 36 participants were finally randomized into "L. plantarum" PS128 (n = 18) or placebo (n = 18) groups. At the end of intervention, the retention rates were 100% for "L. plantarum" PS128 and 94.44% for placebo, with withdrawal rates of 5.56% for the placebo group. Both groups tolerated well, except for one "L. plantarum" PS128 participant who reported loose stool. The probiotic group showed a change of 2.19 ± 3.76, while the placebo group had -0.85 ± 5.09 (p = 0.051) in the total age-equivalent scores of Mullen Scales of Early Learning. There was a significant difference in the change of the total score on the Burke-Fahn-Marsden Movement Scale between probiotic group and placebo group (-12.19 ± 12.12 vs -4.59 ± 4.20, p = 0.020). In leg dystonia, the probiotic group exhibited a change of -4.11 ± 5.11 compared with -0.38 ± 1.50 in the placebo group (p = 0.008). Our findings affirm the feasibility of "L. plantarum" PS128 in Rett syndrome. Future clinical trials are mandatory to further explore its long-term impact on Rett syndrome.

Embedding clinically relevant learning experience in basic science subjects is desired for the preclinical phase of undergraduate medical education. The present study aimed to modify case-based learning (CBL) with a role-playing situational teaching method and assess the student feedback and learning effect. One hundred seventy-six sophomore students majoring in clinical medicine from Harbin Medical University were randomly divided into two groups: the control group (n = 90), who received traditional hybrid teaching, and the experimental group (n = 86), who received the role-playing situational teaching. Students in the experimental group were given a 1-wk preclass preparation to dramatize a hyperthyroidism scenario through online autonomous learning of thyroid physiology and performed the patient's consultation process in class, followed by a student presentation about key points of lecture content and a question-driven discussion. A posttest and questionnaire survey were conducted after class. The test scores of the two groups had no statistical differences, whereas the rate of excellence (high scores) of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group. Furthermore, the record of online self-directed learning engagements was significantly improved in the experimental group. In the questionnaire, >70% of the students showed positive attitudes toward the role-playing situational teaching method and were willing to participate in other chapters of the physiology course. Such results show that CBL supported by a role-playing situational teaching method encourages active learning and improves the application of basic knowledge of physiology, which can be incorporated in the preclinical curricula to bridge the gap between theory and practice.

It is essential for modern medical students to continuously enhance their clinical thinking abilities. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of the combined World Café discussion and case-based learning (CBL) approach within the clinical thinking training course. The clinical thinking training course incorporated the combined World Café discussion and CBL approach. The assessment of the accuracy and rationality of clinical symptoms, medical examination, pathological processes, diagnostic results, diagnostic basis, and drug use was conducted through case-related queries. Feedback from students and instructors regarding the teaching content, teaching process, and teaching effect was gathered through questionnaires. The findings indicate that the students achieved high marks in all assessed areas, including clinical symptoms, medical examination, pathological processes, diagnostic results, diagnostic basis, and drug use. The feedback from students and instructors on the teaching content, teaching process, and teaching effect was positive. Medical educators can use our findings to implement the combined World Café discussion and CBL mode to enhance student engagement.

Prevalence of hearing loss in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is uncertain, as it is more challenging to assess hearing function in children with developmental difficulties (DD). We aimed to determine the prevalence and profiles of hearing loss in preschool children with ASD in a Southeast-Asian population who passed newborn hearing screening. A retrospective study of preschool children with DD (ASD, Global Developmental Delay (GDD), and Speech and Language Delay (SLD)) attending the Child Development Unit (CDU) at our hospital was performed. Three hundred and thirty-three children (ASD: n = 129; GDD: n = 110; and SLD: n = 94) underwent hearing assessments. Of these, 10.8% of children (n = 36, comprising 15 with ASD, 12 with GDD and 9 with SLD) had confirmed hearing loss. Hearing loss was predominantly bilateral in children with ASD and GDD; in those with SLD, unilateral and bilateral hearing loss were equally common. Conductive hearing loss occurred as frequently as sensorineural hearing loss in children with ASD and SLD, but was the dominant subtype in those with GDD. Moderate to severe hearing loss (n = 2) was noted only in children with ASD. Children with ASD and GDD required significantly more audiology visits and procedures to obtain conclusive hearing test results, compared to those with SLD. The need to identify hearing loss and monitor for resolution is particularly important in vulnerable populations with communication deficits, such as in those with ASD.