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Since SARS-CoV-2 was first reported in late 2019, infection has been observed primarily in humans; however, animals of various species have also been infected, partially because their angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 [...]

The unforeseen school closures in response to COVID-19 have brought unique challenges to teachers, who were required to not only flexibly shift between on- and off-line learning but also safely promote student-centered and collaborative learning in socially distanced remote and on-campus classrooms. Teachers in South Korea, one of the first countries to transition to blended teaching, faced similar challenges with limited time, resources, and training to prepare for this unprecedented situation. This case study provides evidence-based insights on how a teacher-initiated Professional Development (PD) session on blended teaching can support teachers to address these challenges. The PD session was designed in partnership with a Korean district office and the subject-based Communities of Practice (CoP) to provide insights on teacher-initiated bottom-up transformation in blended teaching. Both quantitative and qualitative data showed teachers' increased understanding of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) and blended teaching competencies (BTC) after the PD session. This case study informs how educators, researchers, and administrators can collaborate to overcome educational exigency. When the results are generalized across different cultural contexts, it will provide ideas and strategies for the design and implementation of intensive teacher-initiated PDs to support the flexible design and implementation of blended teaching in variable learning contexts.

Intercultural competence refers to people's ability to understand and respect each other across all types of cultural barriers, and racial literacy stands out as a fundamental component of this competency. Particularly, in Korea, which has recently rapidly become a multicultural society, understanding diversity and cultivating racial literacy are important competencies. To achieve this goal, the teacher's role is important in developing and operating English classes using various teaching materials. This study introduces the development and application of an innovative online intercultural exchange programme conducted in a middle school using multiple technology resources. Going beyond dealing with superficial textbook coverage of multiculturalism, this programme encourages students to reflect on their own prejudices and share cultural experiences through engaging in technology-based open discussions and critical thinking about sensitive issues. In this paper, we first introduce the online intercultural exchange programme and teaching materials that we designed and operated for one semester and then carefully examine each class activity aimed at improving students' intercultural competence and racial literacy. Finally, we report the presiding teacher's reflections on the impact of this programme on the students in the class and suggest points for further discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computer-supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) is an educational approach that provides not only theoretical but also practical contributions for learners, researchers, and practitioners. South Korea is a leading country in ICT development in Asia, but collaboration is often impeded by its cultural background, shared with other Asian countries. Cases of CSCL research and practice in South Korea may provide insights into Asian societies in terms of how to design and implement CSCL effectively. Hence, this study attempt to examine the current status of CSCL by systematically comparing South Korean and international studies. For this purpose, we first collected and analyzed 54 articles published in South Korea and 280 international articles on CSCL published from 2012 to 2018. Next, Korean and international studies were compared in terms of the research area and methods. The results showed that Korean studies were mainly focused on designing and utilizing CSCL by experimental research, whereas international studies were conducted in relatively diverse areas by descriptive research. Although both Korean and international studies frequently used retrieval information as the data source, Korean studies more often used learning outcomes, whereas international studies used learning process variables.

This study aimed to examine the structural relationships among factors that affect learner satisfaction and achievement in project-based learning for capstone design courses in engineering education. Specifically, problem-solving efficacy, task value, teamwork competency, and task authenticity are suggested as critical factors that affect learner satisfaction and perceived achievement. The study employed structural equation modelling in order to examine the relationships among the variables, and the data from 363 university students who were enrolled in capstone design courses were analysed. The results suggest that task value and task authenticity exerted significant effects on learner satisfaction. Problem-solving efficacy, teamwork competency, task authenticity, and satisfaction exerted significant effects on learning outcomes, but task value did not. The results imply that the effects of problem-solving efficacy on perceived achievement reveal the importance of motivational factors in capstone design courses. In addition, instructional strategies that highlight task utility value and provide environments in which learners can share that value would be meaningful in promoting learning effectiveness in capstone design courses.

Interferon lambda (IFNλ), classified as a type III IFN, is a representative cytokine that plays an important role in innate immunity along with type I IFN. IFNλ can elicit antiviral states by inducing peculiar sets of IFN‐stimulated genes (ISGs). In this study, an adenoviral vector expression system with a tetracycline operator system was used to express human IFNλ4 in cells and mice. The formation of recombinant adenovirus (rAd‐huIFNλ4) was confirmed using immunohistochemistry assays and transmission electron microscopy. Its purity was verified by quantifying host cell DNA and host cell proteins, as well as by confirming the absence of the replication‐competent adenovirus. The transduction of rAd‐huIFNλ4 induced ISGs and inhibited four subtypes of the influenza virus in both mouse‐derived (LA‐4) and human‐derived cells (A549). The antiviral state was confirmed in BALB/c mice following intranasal inoculation with 109 PFU of rAd‐huIFNλ4, which led to the inhibition of four subtypes of the influenza virus in mouse lungs, with reduced inflammatory lesions. These results imply that human IFNλ4 could induce antiviral status by modulating ISG expression in mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hot corrosion behaviors of Inconel alloys with different Cr contents (Inconel 600, 601, and 690), which are used widely in nuclear plants, were investigated in molten LiCl–Li2O salts. The hot corrosion behaviors were studied by measuring the mass and attack depth changes, surface and cross-sectional morphologies and elemental distributions, and compositional changes at the subscale and substrate scale as well as the spalled oxide scale. At 288 h, the weight losses of Inconel 601 and Inconel 690 were approximately four and twelve times higher, respectively, than that of Inconel 600. The corrosion products of all tested alloys were Cr2O3, NiO, and FeCr2O4. Inconel 600, which exhibited a dense and continuous external corrosion layer and an internal corrosion layer with localized corrosion behavior, exhibited superior corrosion resistance compared with those of Inconel 601 and 690, which showed a spalled external corrosion layer and an internal corrosion layer with uniform corrosion behavior. Thus, the corrosion resistance of the Inconel alloys tested in the hot lithium molten salts in an oxidizing atmosphere is closely related to the contents of the primary alloying elements in the alloys. Of the various alloys analyzed in this study, Inconel 600 exhibited the highest corrosion resistance. Thus, a Cr content of 16.30 wt% or less, Ni content of at least 73.66 wt%, and Fe content considerably lower than 8.15 wt% can result in excellent corrosion resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of perceived attributes of innovation, that is, relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability and observability on learners' use of mobile learning. Specifically, this study employed structural equation modeling in order to examine the causal relationships among perceived attributes of innovation, learners' intention to use mobile learning and the actual use of mobile learning. Analysis of 200 college student respondents who registered for a course offered by an online university in South Korea revealed that relative advantage and complexity had significant effects on the intention to use mobile learning, whereas trialability and observability did not. Further, the intention to use mobile learning had a direct positive effect on learners' actual use of mobile learning.

Recently, projected electronic slides have been the most common tool used in classrooms. However, electronic projection slides, such as PowerPoint slides, do not provide sufficient flexibility to augment the displayed materials; therefore, instructors are not able to adjust their instruction instantly in response to the audience reaction and needs. Accordingly, many studies have suggested the use of tablet PC-based presentation tools in order to enable real-time handwritten annotations on predeveloped materials. Based on this rationale, the present study was designed in order to examine the effects of a tablet device (iPad in this study)-based instructors' digital handwriting on students' learning. Participants were 36 undergraduate students: half of the students were instructed using the typical PowerPoint-based presentation without the digital handwriting of the instructor, whereas the other half of the students were instructed using a tablet-based presentation with the instructor's digital handwriting. Results from a MANCOVA revealed a significant main effect for the presentation mode. Two follow-up ANCOVAs revealed that students in the tablet-based instructor's digital handwriting condition significantly outperformed the students in the animated PowerPoint-based presentation lecture for conceptual knowledge acquisition, despite the fact that there was no statistical difference in factual knowledge acquisition.

This study investigates the predictors of learner satisfaction, achievement and persistence in an online university located in South Korea. The specific predictors were learners' locus of control, self-efficacy, and task value, and the mediating effects of learner satisfaction and achievement were also tested. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the causation among the variables. The participants were 897 learners who enrolled in an online university in 2009 and a series of online surveys were administered. The results revealed that locus of control, self-efficacy, and task value were significant predictors of learner satisfaction, while self-efficacy and task value predicted achievement. Task value, satisfaction, and achievement were significant predictors for persistence. Lastly, learner satisfaction significantly mediated the predictors and persistence. The research findings increased our understanding of the learners and learning in an online university environment. (Contains 5 figures and 6 tables.)

Summary This article suggests a novel positive false discovery rate (pFDR) controlling method for testing gene-specific hypotheses using a gene-specific covariate variable, such as gene length. We suppose the null probability depends on the covariate variable. In this context, we propose a rejection rule that accounts for heterogeneity among tests by using two distinct types of null probabilities. We establish a pFDR estimator for a given rejection rule by following Storey's q -value framework. A condition on a type 1 error posterior probability is provided that equivalently characterizes our rejection rule. We also present a suitable procedure for selecting a tuning parameter through cross-validation that maximizes the expected number of hypotheses declared significant. A simulation study demonstrates that our method is comparable to or better than existing methods across realistic scenarios. In data analysis, we find support for our method's premise that the null probability varies with a gene-specific covariate variable. Availability and implementation The source code repository is publicly available at https://github.com/hsjeon1217/conditional_method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary objective of this study was to investigate the determinants of learning flow and achievement in corporate online training. Self-efficacy, intrinsic value, and test anxiety were selected as learners' motivational factors, while perceived usefulness and ease of use were also selected as learning environmental factors. Learning flow was considered as a mediator of predictors and achievement. Regarding methodological approach, structural equation modeling was employed in order to provide cause-and-effect inferences. The study participants were 248 learners who completed an e-learning courseware at a large Korean company and responded to online surveys. The findings suggested that self-efficacy, intrinsic value, and perceived usefulness and ease of use affected learning flow, while intrinsic value, test anxiety, and perceived usefulness and ease of use were significant predictors of achievement. The results revealed perceived usefulness and ease of use to be the most influential factor for both learning flow and achievement. (Contains 6 tables and 4 figures.)

E-learning in corporate training has been growing rapidly because of the pursuit of time and budget efficiency in course development and delivery. However, according to previous studies, efficiency does not always guarantee training effectiveness, which is the major concern of human resource development. It is therefore necessary to identify the factors influencing the effectiveness of e-learning courseware and understand their interrelationships. The purpose of the study is to investigate the structural relationships among organisational support, learning flow, learners' satisfaction and learning transfer. The study participants were 379 learners who completed an e-learning courseware at a large Korean company and responded to an online survey. Based on the results of structural equation modelling, the findings suggest that organisational support and learning flow have direct effects on learning transfer and learners' satisfaction, while learning flow mediates organisational support and learners' satisfaction.

Learners' satisfaction and persistence are considered critical success factors in online universities where all of the teaching and learning activities are carried out online. This study aims to investigate the structural relationships among perceived level of presence, perceived usefulness and ease of use of the online learning tools, learner satisfaction and persistence in an online university located in South Korea. The specific predictors were teaching presence, social presence, cognitive presence, and perceived usefulness and ease of use. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to provide cause-and-effect inferences. The study participants were 709 learners who enrolled in a Korean online university in 2009 and responded to online surveys. The results indicated that teaching presence, cognitive presence, and perceived usefulness and ease of use were significant predictors of learner satisfaction, which was found to be a significant mediator of predictors and persistence. The findings provided substantial implications for designing and implementing teaching and learning strategies in online university environments. (Contains 6 tables and 5 figures.)

The goal of this study is to gain a detailed understanding of the experience of instructors who have been using Tablet PCs (TPCs) for their teaching practice. The study examines the lived experience of 28 faculty members from a College of Engineering which is promoting the diffusion of TPCs in the classroom. Phenomenology was adopted to answer the question "What is it like to use a TPC to teach a course?" Written applications, one-on-one interviews, classroom observations, and an online discussion board are the data sources. From the iterative process of qualitative data analysis, four common themes emerged in terms of converting to digital resources, teaching by handwriting on the screen, becoming comfortable with technology, and human enjoyment of using the TPC. (Contains 1 figure and 1 note.)

Comprehension of science topics occurs when learners meaningfully generate relationships and conceptions about what they read. In this generation process, learners' cognitive and metacognitive regulation is one of the most critical factors influencing learning. However, learners are not always successful in regulating their own learning, especially in computer-based learning environments (CBLEs) where they are alone. Based on this rationale, the present study was designed to examine the effects of two scaffolding strategies--generative learning strategy prompts and metacognitive feedback--on learners' comprehension and self-regulation while learning the human heart system in a CBLE. Participants were 223 undergraduate student volunteers. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to conceptualize and empirically test a model that explains mediating processes among variables. Results revealed that the combination of generative learning strategy prompts with metacognitive feedback improved learners' recall and comprehension by enhancing learners' self-regulation and better use of highlighting and summarizing as generative learning strategies. (Contains 6 tables and 6 figures.)

This study aims to investigate the patterns and the quality of online interaction during project-based learning (PjBL) on both micro and macro levels. To achieve this purpose, PjBL was implemented with online group activities in an undergraduate course. Social network analysis (SNA) and content analysis were employed to analyze online interaction during project work. According to the SNA results generated from the online discussion boards, the group cohesiveness of seven teams, indicated by density indices, varied considerably, from as low as 9.81 to as high as 30.00. Regarding the content analysis of two teams with high project scores (Teams F and G), team members not only shared information (Phase I), but also identified the areas of disagreement and clarified the goals and strategies (Phase II). They also conducted some negotiations (Phase III). However, team members with low project scores (Teams C and E) shared information and stated their opinions in most cases (Phase I), with not much social construction in the higher level. Although both Team C and G showed high level of group cohesiveness among the seven teams, it is notable that the high-performing Team G dedicated nearly 39.3 percent of online discussion to negotiating and co-constructing knowledge, contrary to the 5.9 percent of low-performing Team C. Based upon the findings, some implications were proposed for further research. (Contains 4 tables and 1 figure.)

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of concept-mapping strategies with three different generativity levels (expert-generated concept map, partially learner-generated concept map, fully learner-generated concept map) on knowledge acquisition. Interaction between learners' self-regulated learning (SRL) skills and different levels of generativity was also tested. One hundred twenty-four undergraduate students, randomly assigned to three different concept-mapping groups, were differentiated by high and low levels of SRL skills. The findings suggest that the participants in the fully learner-generated map group significantly outperformed the participants in the expert-generated map group, and participants with high SRL skills significantly outperformed those with low SRL skills across all treatment levels.

Comprehension of complex science topics occurs from the creation of new understanding of the information by the learner. However, learners are not very successful generating their own meaning, especially in computer based learning environments in which learners are required to make decisions about their learning process, since they rarely regulate their own learning process cognitively or metacognitively. This study examined the instructional effects of generative learning strategy and metacognitive feedback on learners' comprehension and self-regulation while learning a complex science topic in a computer-based learning environment. The 36 participants were assigned to either static visualized instructional material dealing with the human heart system, the same material with generative strategy, or the same material with generative strategy and metacognitive feedback. The results of this study revealed that the generative strategy with metacognitive feedback group scored significantly higher on comprehension and self-regulation measures. The results also found a significant positive relationship between self-regulation and comprehension. (Contains 4 tables and 5 figures.)