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Although digital personalized learning (DPL) is assumed to be beneficial for the student as well as the teacher, the implementation process of DPL tools can be challenging. Therefore, the aim of our study is to scrutinize teachers' perceptions towards the implementation of DPL in the classroom. A total of 370 teachers from primary and secondary education (students aged 6–18 years old) were questioned through an online survey. An overview of descriptive results is presented regarding (1) teachers' reported technology use, (2) their perceptions towards adaptivity and dashboards in DPL tools and (3) their expectations of support in view of implementing DPL. Based on a cluster analysis, three teacher clusters are distinguished. Results reveal all three clusters had positive perceptions towards DPL. Nevertheless, there is great variety in reported use of DPL tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to design learning environments that foster students' research skills, one can draw on instructional design models for complex learning, such as the 4C/ID model (in: van Merriënboer and Kirschner, Ten steps to complex learning, Routledge, London, 2018). However, few attempts have been undertaken to foster students' motivation towards learning complex skills in environments based on the 4C/ID model. This study explores the effects of providing autonomy, competence and relatedness support (in Deci and Ryan, Psychol Inquiry 11(4): 227–268, https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327965PLI1104%5f01, 2000) in a 4C/ID based online learning environment on upper secondary school behavioral sciences students' cognitive and motivational outcomes. Students' cognitive outcomes are measured by means of a research skills test consisting of short multiple choice and short answer items (in order to assess research skills in a broad way), and a research skills task in which students are asked to integrate their skills in writing a research proposal (in order to assess research skills in an integrative manner). Students' motivational outcomes are measured by means of students' autonomous and controlled motivation, and students' amotivation. A pretest-intervention-posttest design was set up in order to compare 233 upper secondary school behavioral sciences students' outcomes among (1) a 4C/ID based online learning environment condition, and (2) an identical condition additively providing support for students' need satisfaction. Both learning environments proved equally effective in improving students' scores on the research skills test. Students in the need supportive condition scored higher on the research skills task compared to their peers in the baseline condition. Students' autonomous and controlled motivation were not affected by the intervention. Although, unexpectedly, students' amotivation increased in both conditions, students' amotivation was lower in the need supportive condition compared to students in the baseline condition. Theoretical relationships were established between students' need satisfaction, students' motivation (autonomous, controlled, and amotivation), and students' cognitive outcomes. These findings are discussed taking into account the COVID-19 affected setting in which the study took place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing countries exert much effort to improve the quality of their higher education. The use of information and communication technology (ICT) may address some of the quality problems in higher education in these countries. Previous studies on this topic stressed the impact of ICT use on learning, the status of ICT integration in education, and the factors associated with ICT integration with minimal attention to how instructors in higher education in developing countries use ICT. This study employed a qualitative approach, collecting data from twenty-one by then active instructors in three public universities in Ethiopia through focus group discussion to explore the educational use of ICT. The data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically using ATLAS.ti software. The results show that instructors in the selected Ethiopian universities use ICT for course facilitation, course materials preparation, professional development, assessment, and information and resource exchange purposes. However, these findings do not reveal a transformative use of ICT in education, which may imply that ICT is not used in a manner that alters existing teacher-centered approaches. This study suggests that future studies may focus on why instructors rarely use ICT in a transformative way and developing a tailor-made and efficient model that informs practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between technology and educational processes is a complex one. At this moment, increased digitization as well as efforts to limit the use of digital tools can be observed. In view of (a) deepening our understanding of the relationship between technology and educational processes and (b) strengthening the productive educational use of technological tools, elements of a relevant and comprehensive agenda for educational technology research agenda are proposed. The agenda refers to the following elements: educational goals, learners, technological tools, a tripartite relationship learner-tool-teacher, context, and designing learning environments. Recognizing the need for diverse methods and consistent descriptive frameworks can help make the research agenda more cumulative and coherent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ICT can address concerns about access and quality of higher education in developing countries like Ethiopia. The crucial role of ICT in education has become more evident than ever during the COVID 19 crisis. Despite its role in addressing educational quality and access issues, evidence about the educational use of ICT in developing countries is scarce. Many previous studies on determinants of educational ICT focus on higher education in developed countries, while it remains unclear whether existing models explain ICT use by instructors in developing countries. This study reports the findings of a qualitative study conducted in three public universities of Ethiopia in order to elaborate determinants of instructors' educational use of ICT. First, it presents a conceptual framework of factors that explain instructors' ICT use based on literature. Second, based on empirical evidence collected from instructors, it assesses their experiences and opinions in relation to the proposed framework components. In-depth data were collected through focus group discussions from twenty-one instructors. The data were analyzed thematically with ATLAS.ti software. The results confirmed that the institutional, individual and infrastructure-related determinants of the framework are perceived to be relevant in determining instructors' ICT use. Moreover, the study revealed the necessity of extending the proposed framework through aspects of management support, course-related factors, students' ICT competence and access to ICT infrastructure as new determinants of instructors' educational ICT use. Implications for theory-building are discussed and follow-up research is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Education is characterized by at least the following features: (a) it offers learning environments that help students to achieve preset goals, (b) it induces learners to engage in relevant learning tasks, and (c) it offers support while learners execute learning tasks. Offering learning environments builds on the assumption that learners will actually engage in the learning tasks and use the support provided. There is, however, growing evidence, that in a lot of cases students do not comply with that assumption. By not engaging as expected in the learning tasks and/or by not (adequately) using the support, learners reveal the phenomenon of what could be called—at least from the perspective of the (designer of the) learning environment—'instructional disobedience'. 'Instructional disobedience' occurs when learners do not act as expected from them in a learning environment. While the literature has already referred to faulty assumptions and specified conditions for the effectiveness of instructional interventions, it seems the phenomenon of instructional disobedience has not yet attracted systematic research attention. In this contribution, we want therefore further unravel the nature and relevance of the phenomenon. This is done by analyzing the occurrence of instructional disobedience, possible explanations and ways to deal with it. As a start we illustrate the phenomenon by providing some examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blended forms of learning have become increasingly popular. However, it remains unclear under what circumstances blended learning environments are successful. Studies suggest that blended learning challenges learners' self-regulation. Yet little is known about what self-regulatory behaviour learners exhibit in such environments. This limited understanding is problematic since this insight is needed for effective designs. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify learners' self-regulatory behaviour profiles in blended learning environments and to relate them to designs of blended learning environments. Learners' (n = 120) self-regulatory behaviour in six ecologically valid blended learning courses was captured. Log files were analysed in a learning analytics fashion for frequency, diversity, and sequence of events. Three main user profiles were identified. The designs were described using a descriptive framework containing attributes that support self-regulation in blended learning environments. Results indicate fewer mis-regulators when more self-regulatory design features are integrated. These finding highlights the value of integrating features that support self-regulation in blended learning environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the article 'Factors predicting online university students' use of a mobile learning management system (m-LMS)', Joo, Kim and Kim (Educ Technol Res Dev 64:611–30, 2016) explain actual usage of a mobile learning management system by looking at continuance intention, satisfaction, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and expectation confirmation. Perceived usefulness seems to play a pivotal role. In this reaction, it is argued that their study can be approached from to complementary and interacting perspectives: context and agency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fostering the development of students’ critical thinking (CT) is regarded as an essential outcome of higher education. However, despite the large body of research on this topic, there has been little consensus on how educators best support the development of CT. In view of some of the controversies surrounding the teaching of CT skills in higher education, this study examined the effects of embedding CT instruction systematically in domain-specific courses (Immersion vs. Infusion) on the acquisition of domain-specific and domain-general CT skills and course achievement. First-year university students (N = 143) enrolled in an introductory physics course were assigned to one of three instructional conditions: Immersion, Infusion, and control. The Immersion and Infusion conditions followed lessons designed systematically based on the First Principles of Instruction model, whereas the control condition followed a regular instruction. Results showed that participants in the Immersion and Infusion conditions significantly outperformed those in the control condition on domain-specific CT proficiency and course achievement. However, neither the Immersion nor the Infusion condition was helpful in fostering the acquisition of domain-general CT skills. The findings generally demonstrated that embedding CT instruction systematically in domain-specific courses requires greater clarity about what set of CT skills could be targeted in domain-specific instruction, how specific subject-matter instruction could be designed considering CT as an integral part of domain-specific instruction, and how best CT outcomes be assessed. Some considerations for the design of CT-supportive learning environments are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research explored the stimulation of mathematics understanding and learning in an Interactive Whiteboard (IWB) environment. IWB affordances appear to be best used when mathematical tasks engage students in mathematical reasoning and when all students are involved in the discussion. The intent of this project was to design and implement, together with a small group of teachers, a series of lessons for the purpose of developing a useful framework for effective IWB use. In a first phase, the potential of the IWB in pursuing high-level mathematical tasks and promoting classroom interactivity was discussed in depth by the teachers and the researchers. Lessons were also planned in detail. In a second phase, the planned lessons were taught in the presence of the researchers, audiotaped and subsequently analysed by the researchers and teachers. The analyses highlighted the usefulness of the IWB in (a) improving high-level mathematical tasks and (b) creating a dialogic interactive discourse for better mathematical understanding and learning. Two main patterns in productive IWB use emerged from the study. The first pattern was that the IWB promoted problem-solving activities through intensive use of geometrical or other mathematical software. The second pattern was using the IWB as a notepad with links to external sources, geometrical and other mathematical constructions, problems and activities, which the teacher, in collaboration with the students, ‘tailors’ following a thread. For both patterns, developing a strong synergy between the IWB affordances and students’ interaction with it seemed critical. The IWB appears to be a powerful tool that allows students and teachers to alternate between different points of view and different visualisations of the same topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study we focus on the integration of mathematical learning content (i.e., proportional reasoning) in game-based learning environments (GBLE). More specifically, two kinds of GBLEs are set up: an extrinsically integrated GBLE and an intrinsically integrated GBLE. In the former environment, the mathematical content is not part of the core mechanics and structure of the gaming world. In the latter environment, the mathematical content is delivered through the parts of the game that are the most fun to play and embodied within the structure of the gaming world and the players' interactions with it. Sixty-four vocational track students participated in the study, all of them working in either version of the self-developed GBLE 'Zeldenrust'. The results of this study suggest that the way the content is integrated in a GBLE (i.e., intrinsically or extrinsically) matters: contrary to our expectations, students who played the extrinsically integrated game showed higher learning gains, motivational gains and perceived usefulness than students who played the game in which the content was intrinsically integrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blended forms of learning have become increasingly popular. Learning activities within these environments are supported by a large variety of online and face-to-face interventions. However, it remains unclear whether these blended environments are successful, and if they are, what makes them successful. Studies suggest that blended learning challenges the self-regulatory abilities of learners, though the literature does little to explain these findings; nor does it provide solutions. In particular, little is known about the attributes that are essential to support learners and how they should guide course design. To identify such attributes and enable a more thoughtful redesign of blended learning environments, this systematic literature review ( n = 95) examines evidence published between 1985 and 2015 on attributes of blended learning environments that support self-regulation. The purpose of this review is therefore to identify and define the attributes of blended learning environments that support learners' self-regulatory abilities. Seven key attributes were found (authenticity, personalization, learner-control, scaffolding, interaction, cues for reflection and cues for calibration). This review is the first to identify and define the attributes that support self-regulation in blended learning environments and thus to support the design of blended learning environments. This study may serve to facilitate the design of blended learning environments that meet learners' self-regulatory needs. It also raises crucial questions about how blended learning relates to well-established learning theories and provides a basis for future research on self-regulation in blended learning environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the development of critical thinking (CT) is a major goal of science education, adequate emphasis has not been given to the measurement of CT skills in specific science domains such as physics. Recognizing that adequately assessing CT implies the assessment of both domain-specific and domain-general CT skills, this study reports on the development and validation of a test designed to measure students' acquisition of CT skills in electricity and magnetism (CTEM). The CTEM items were designed to mirror the structural components of items identified in an existing standardized domain-general CT test, and targeted content from an introductory Electricity and Magnetism (E&M) course. A preliminary version of the CTEM test was initially piloted on three groups of samples: interviews with physics experts ( N = 3), student cognitive interviews ( N = 6), and small-scale paper and pencil administration ( N = 19). Modifications were made afterwards and the test was administered to a different group of second-year students whose major was mechanical engineering ( N = 45). The results showed that the internal consistency (Cronbach's α = .72) and inter-rater reliability (Cohen's kappa = .83) of the CTEM test are acceptable. The findings overall suggest that the CTEM test can be used to measure the acquisition of domain-specific CT skills in E&M, and a good basis for future empirical research that focuses on the integration of CT skills within specific subject matter instruction. A broader CT assessment framework is proposed and possible research questions that can be addressed through the CTEM test are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying effective instructional approaches that stimulate students' critical thinking (CT) has been the focus of a large body of empirical research. However, there is little agreement on the instructional principles and procedures that are theoretically sound and empirically valid to developing both domain-specific and domain-general CT skills. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of systematically designed subject matter instruction in stimulating the development of domain-specific and domain-general CT skills, and to investigate the relationship between the two. The study employed a pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design with two conditions: 45 students participated in an experimental condition and 44 students in a control condition. A learning environment, in the context of a freshman physics course, was designed according to the First Principles of Instruction model. The experimental condition followed the designed learning environment, while the control condition followed regular subject matter instruction that was not designed according to the First Principles of Instruction model. The experimental condition scored significantly higher than the control condition on a domain-specific CT test. The results also showed that better performance on a domain-specific CT test explained a significant proportion of the variance on a domain-general CT test. However, the experimental learning environment did not result in a significantly greater pretest-posttest improvement in the acquisition of domain-general CT skills compared to the control learning environment. Instructional design principles that may contribute to the present understanding of the integration of CT skills within the regular subject matter instruction are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research on multiple external representations (MER) indicates that sequencing representations (compared with presenting them as a whole) can, in some cases, increase conceptual understanding if there is interference between internal and external representations. We tested this mechanism by sequencing different combinations of scientific and abstract chemical representations and presenting them to 133 learners with low prior knowledge of the represented domain. The results provide insight into three separate mechanisms of learning with MER. (1) A memory (number of ideas reproduced) and (2) an accuracy (correctness of these ideas) effects occur when two representations are presented in a sequence. An accuracy and a (3) redundancy (number of redundant ideas remembered) effects occur when three representations are presented in a sequence. A necessary precondition for these effects is that descriptive formats are placed before depictive formats. The identified effects are analyzed in terms of the concept of cognitive dissonance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is a report on the key findings of a region-wide monitoring study conducted in Dutch-speaking schools in Belgium. First, we elaborate on the building blocks of the instrument, which has been updated and improved since its first deployment in 2007. In particular we focus on the core indicators, along with the multi-actor approach, the sample design and the ways in which new phenomena such as media literacy and gaming have been operationalized. Secondly, we highlight the main trends and patterns within pre-school, primary and secondary education. The first descriptive analyses show quite disappointing results with regard to ICT use at the micro level and the available infrastructure, while headmasters, teachers and pupils reported positive perceptions of different aspects of ICT integration. These results indicate an urgent need to take appropriate action. Therefore, the final part of the paper examines how ICT integration could be improved via structural changes and appropriate policymaking with regard to budgeting, teacher training and the particular role of ICT coordinators in schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the rising popularity of content management systems (CMSs) in higher education, we investigated how students use the available CMS tools, as well as whether the moment of using a CMS tool affects students' learning. This temporal dimension has been neglected in current research on CMS use. More insight into students' tool-use is particularly important from an instructional design perspective because research has repeatedly revealed that a learning environments' effectiveness depends heavily on students' adaptive tool-use. Data were collected by logging the frequency and the time students (158) use the available tools within a CMS. Repeated-measures analyses revealed that students' tool-use changed throughout the course, a dynamism that was different for each tool and was related to course-specific deadlines. Significant temporal student differences were found for some types of tools. Furthermore, students' course performance was significantly impacted by the moment students used the course material outlines and the discussion board. In line with expectations, effects were different dependent on the tool. Hence, by examining students' tool-use from a temporal perspective, this study highlighted that the timing of use matters. Furthermore, this timing depends on tool functionality. Consequently, the results have interesting implications for designing CMSs and they suggest implications for releasing some type of CMS tools at specific moments in the learning process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the field of second and foreign language learning, how various task characteristics affect language learning has been the focus of many recent studies. Much of this research examined the relationship between task characteristics and task performance without fully taking into account learner related variables. The present study aimed to assess task complexity and sequence in relation to the learner related variables drawn from the social cognitive perspective of self-regulated learning, i.e. self-efficacy beliefs and frequency of learning strategy use, as they were applied to two versions of vocabulary learning from reading tasks. The tasks designed for the present study were based on the componential framework for second language task design. With tasks and task sequence counterbalanced, 146 first-year university students (mean age = 18.59 years) were randomly assigned to one of four groups. Results reveal a significant effect of task sequence on vocabulary learning self-efficacy beliefs, frequency of learning strategy use and task performance, and a significant interaction effect of sequence with task complexity. Findings are discussed in terms of complex interactions between task and learner factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theories on learning with Multiple External Representations (MER) claim that low prior knowledge learners in science have difficulties using MER, which are seen as necessary to achieve a conceptual understanding. In two experiments, we analyze the mechanisms underlying the learning of chemistry with MER. Our first experiment focuses on how MER can support learning. We found no difference in learning gains of conceptual understanding, regardless of the format (whether MER were provided or not). It is concluded that chemical MER on themself cannot be seen as learning aids. The second experiment compares three types of instructional aids (prompts, prompts with an answer, and note-taking) to determine which types of aids enhance learning with MER. Contrary to the findings of Seufert (Learn Instr 13:227-237, , path-analysis suggests that the lowest prior knowledge group benefits the most from instructional aids such as prompts and note-taking. These aids guide learners' attention towards one specific representational format (symbols), while other formats (submicroscopic representations) receive less attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the popularity of webcasts and their educational benefits as stressed in previous research, this paper investigates students' acceptance and continued use of webcasts in an undergraduate course. Furthermore, the study explores the determinants of students' webcast use by employing the well-validated Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) of Davis (MIS Quarterly 13(3):319-339, ). To this, a temporal dimension was added, as TAM focuses on students' initial expectations and attitudes before using a tool. Hence, it remains unclear how these expectations and attitudes change when a student is exposed to the webcasts and how these changed perceptions and attitudes explain students' continued use. The current study attempts to address this by capturing both students' initial expectations and attitudes prior to exposure and their perceptions and attitudes during exposure. Students' (n = 120) webcast usage was captured by logging the number of hits and the duration spent viewing the webcasts. Results reveal that, although many students accepted webcasts, only a few continued to use them. Contrary to the TAM model, students' initial adoption was not influenced by their initial attitudes and expectations. Students' continued use was only influenced by their perceptions of usefulness. This data illustrates that, although students were positive towards the webcasts, they only used them after they acknowledged the functionality of such a tool in supporting the learning process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed for better understanding of the interactions between task complexity and students' self-efficacy beliefs and students' use of learning strategies, and finally their interacting effects on task performance. This investigation was carried out in the context of Chinese students learning English as a foreign language in a university in China. The participants were 78 second-year university students (mean age = 20.9 years). This study used a repeated-measures design with task complexity as the within-participants factor, and task sequence as the between-participants factor. Results indicated a significant task effect for self-efficacy beliefs and task performance, and a significant interaction effect of sequence with task complexity for learners' self-efficacy beliefs in learning for both task versions, learners with higher self-efficacy beliefs had better task performances than learners with lower self-efficacy beliefs. The results also revealed a strong correlation between self-efficacy and the use of learning strategies for both tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has repeatedly established that the theoretical benefits of various scaffolds do not match their actual impact on learning. It has been argued that the instructional effectiveness of scaffolds largely depends on very detailed aspects of the learning activities associated with the scaffolds within specific environments. From this perspective and, in order to predict and control learning outcomes in the context of specific instances of scaffolds, there is a need for a detailed cognitive analysis of learning activities (e.g. analyses of students' scaffold use). Accordingly, the current study investigated how students actually use adjunct questions while studying a text and how the quantity and quality of usage determine students' learning outcomes (performance). Forty-two university students in two conditions were required to study a short science text for 15 min. Results revealed that the quality of students' use of instructional devices accounted for their final performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Explicitly informing students about learning goals has been argued to foster intentional learning. This study tested three theoretical hypotheses regarding the facilitating effects of learning goals by investigating 72 students' actual reading behaviour and cognitive processes (i.e., the use of learning goals). Participants studied a text presented on 15 separate computer screens with/without learning goals. In line with the three hypotheses, the analyses focused on three aspects: students' interpretations of the learning goals, information selection processes and monitoring behaviour. Results indicated variability among students in their perceptions of the learning goals in terms of goal consistency and specificity. Students in the learning goal condition recorded more goal-relevant information in their notes. However, only few students deliberately used learning goals to monitor their goal-directed activities while studying the text. Analysis of students' reading behaviour and cognitive processes suggests that the absence of significant performance differences between the conditions can be explained by referring to students' actual use of learning goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study investigates whether embedding support may provide a solution to sub optimal use of support and whether this is related to learners' self-regulation skills and goal orientation. Sixty students were divided in a condition where support was embedded and a condition where support was non-embedded. Results reveal that the embedded group used more and spent more time on the use of support. Quality of use differed for one support device only, with quality being higher in the non-embedded group. An interaction with self-regulation was found. High self-regulators use the support devices less optimal when support is embedded. No conclusions could be drawn with respect to goal orientation. Quality of usage and proportional time spent on support influenced learning outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starting from Perkins’ () framework, this study addresses tool use in a computerbased learning environment. In line with Perkins, first the effects of tool use on performance were investigated to gain insight into the functionality of the tools. Next, the influence of advice was studied to identify whether this advice could make students more knowledgeable with respect to the tools, and hence encourage them to make more (adequate) use of the tools. A third research question addressed learner related variables. The influence of metacognitive skills, goal orientation, and instructional conceptions on students’ tool use was investigated. An experimental design was used to address these research questions with one control group and two experimental groups, one with advice and one without advice. Results reveal that the tools were functional, the two experimental groups outperformed the control group. With respect to advice, the group of students receiving advice used tools more frequently and spent more time on their use. Finally, the study reveals mastery orientation to be an important variable. The more students are mastery oriented, the less they use tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open learning environments (OLEs) assume that learners are good self-regulators. In such environments, learners have a large amount of control and decide on the use of different support devices (i.e. tools). However, research clearly suggests that, because students often do not possess the necessary regulation skills, they cannot decide what tool might be beneficial for their learning. This contribution deals with the impact of three metacognitive variables on tool use in OLEs: students’ regulation activities; help-seeking behaviour; and instructional conceptions. Results reveal that these student characteristics affect tool use and that their impact is moderated by environmental factors, especially advice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed at experimentally investigating the moderating role of instructional conceptions on the effectiveness of powerful learning environments (PLE) designed in line with the four-component instructional design model (4C/ID-model). The study also investigated the influence of learning in a 4C/ID PLE on students’ instructional conceptions. To achieve its goal, a study with a one by one by two pre-test post-test quasi-experimental design was done. Three functionally equivalent classes of students from three similar (secondary technical) schools were randomly exposed to three different treatments. The participants consisted of 129 (47, 41, 41) students. The treatments were one control group with a regular method of teaching, and two experimental groups: a 4C/ID PLE with ICT, and a 4C/ID PLE without ICT. The instructional conceptions questionnaire was administered both in the pre-and the post-test to assess students’ instructional conceptions. Pre- and post-tests contain retention and transfer items. Technical teachers were trained to implement the interventions. In contrast to expectation, findings show no moderating effects of students’ instructional conceptions on the learning environments. Finally, the results indicate that students’ instructional conceptions positively change after implementation of the three interventions. The theoretical, research, and practical implications of the results for the instructional design and technology community as well as educational practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the widespread belief in a positive influence of research on education, the empirical evidence is lacking (Hattie and Marsh ). Several authors have questioned the appropriateness of the operationalisation of both aspects of the relation between teaching and research. This article takes a closer look at the research questions in empirical studies on the nexus between teaching and research and examines the used variables and their measurement techniques. The study reveals that the used variables and their operationalisation are diverse as well as limited. There is for example a diversity in the investigated population, the level of analysis (individual faculty, department, institutions), the nature of the institutions investigated or the questionnaires used. The operationalisation of both teaching and research is limited. Student learning or the way research is integrated into teaching are virtually absent and the measurement of research is mostly confined to the quantity of the research output. This calls for a more systematic research agenda in which student learning is investigated along with more fine grained measures of teaching and in which the relation of these two indicators and the research proficiency of faculty are looked at. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effectiveness of learning environments, developed in line with the specifications of the four components instructional design model (4C/ID model) and the additional effect of ICT for fostering the development of technical expertise in traditional Ghanaian classrooms, was assessed. The study had a one-by-one-by-two pretest–posttest quasi-experimental design. Three functionally equivalent classes of students from three similar (secondary technical) schools were randomly exposed to three different treatments. The sample consisted of 129 students. The treatment groups consisted of one control group with a regular method of teaching and two experimental groups: a 4C/ID learning environment with ICT; and a 4C/ID learning environment without ICT. The content for the treatments was selected from the secondary technical education syllabus. Technical teachers were trained to implement the interventions. After the pilot study, the materials were validated by experts and revised. Teachers were retrained. The main study, consisting of six sessions, was conducted in regular classrooms in three schools. Results indicated that a 4C/ID learning environment promotes the development of technical expertise in secondary technical education better than teaching designed in line with a regular method of teaching. Moreover, results reveal no significant difference in learning gains for the 4C/ID learning environment between the group with ICT and the group without ICT. In the final section, the theoretical, research and practical implications of the results for the instructional design and technology community as well as for educational practice, are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metacognitive skills are widely recognized as an important moderating variable for learning. Many studies have shown that these skills affect students’ learning results. Tobias and Everson (2000) argue that metacognitive skills cannot be effectively applied in absence of accurate knowledge monitoring. Consequently, they constructed a knowledge monitoring assessment test, which is claimed to be a valid test to measure students' knowledge monitoring capacity. In this contribution the reliability of a Flemish version of the KMA test is studied. Two studies are reported on, one with secondary education students and one with freshmen university students. In both studies split half method and Kuder Richardson 20 were used to calculate the internal consistency as a measurement of reliability. Because none of the results showed a good reliability it is suggested that additional efforts are needed to elaborate a reliable instrument. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Instructional design may help make educational research more useful and influential. In this discussion, I argue that instructional design anchor points (IDAPs) are the basis for this kind of research. In short, IDAPs are educational tools or approaches that can be studied to generate design guidelines. The study of IDAPs may become more useful and more influential when it meets at least the following four conditions: (a) a clear description of the IDAP under study; (b) presence of a clear conceptual framework; (c) a deliberate consideration of complexity; and (d) a realistic perspective on improvement and implementation. This two-part special issue of Educational Technology Research and Development, on electronic learning environments, illustrates the possibilities and pitfalls of studying IDAPs. In this contribution, the four conditions are illustrated by referring to the main articles of the special issue. Indeed, it is argued that electronic environments are the most recent version of an IDAP. The discussion highlights the need for a clear description of the IDAP electronic learning environment, the elaboration of a layered conceptual framework, a more systematic consideration of limitations, and a good balance between realism and voluntarism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the actual impact on students' instructional and epistemological beliefs of systematic attempts to implement a problem‐based, collaborative and technologically‐rich learning environment in regular, internationally‐spread, secondary school classrooms is described. Although the literature suggests that learning environments do affect both categories of beliefs, empirical evidence is currently limited. To study the effects of learning environments, classroom‐based learning environments were redesigned in various respects. The change entailed the implementation of a problem‐based, collaborative and technologically‐rich environment to replace the more regular content‐driven, teacher‐centred and textbook‐based environment. The implementation of the innovation was hypothesised to result in a change of both the instructional and epistemological beliefs of students. Moreover, these beliefs were expected to evolve in the direction of the assumptions underlying the innovative environment. A classical pretest and posttest study resulted in the confirmation of the first hypothesis. However, for the second hypothesis, the opposite was found: students' beliefs strengthened in a direction that contradicts the basic principles underlying the designed environment. The study highlights that a poor implementation of potentially powerful learning environments can result in unexpected and even undesirable side effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students have conceptions about the relationship between instructional interventions and learning or, in other words, students have ’instructional metacognitive knowledge‘. In this study, the efficiency of instructional interventions has been investigated as a specific object of students‘ instructional metacognitive knowledge. By means of a survey, conceptions about the efficiency of various instructional interventions of 488 freshmen in educational sciences and psychology have been investigated. Two research questions directed this exploratory study: (1) How do students assess the efficiency of instructional interventions; and (2) Do differences in gender, educational background, and/or subject of study affect evaluations of the efficiency of instructional interventions. Results show that respondents regard regular instructional interventions at the university directed toward, or supporting, surface-level processing and reproduction to be highly efficient. The use of technology is conceived as inefficient by these students. The limited number of differences between groups of students also suggests students‘ conceptions to be both consistent and robust. The study illustrates the need to investigate instructional metacognitive knowledge as distinct from other forms of metacognitive knowledge, and raises questions about the major components and structure of instructional metacognitive knowledge and individual differences in it. The findings suggest the need for the elaboration of a framework to describe instructional interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]