Search

Table of Contents for JITE: Research, Volume 22, 2023

Table of Contents of the Journal of Information Technology Education: Innovations in Practice, Volume 22, 2023

Homework completion is associated with learning achievement, but students’ challenges revolve around meeting deadlines and preventing procrastination. Promoting students’ self-regulated learning (S...

Little is known about the role of prompts to help learners solve ill-structured learning problems. Instructors do not devote adequate time to formulate pedagogically useful prompts, and the usefulness of different types of prompt is unclear. This mixed-methods study examined the role of argumentative prompts in the writing of essays based on business case studies. A significant (p

This study examined how instructional librarians can incorporate principles from cognitive load theory to engage students in research and improve learning outcomes for a common library instructional delivery model. The study employed a between-subjects, quasi-experimental design to compare how instructional sessions would impact information literacy competency and response time, using a dual-task measurement of cognitive load. The results of this study indicated there are limited gains in competency following instruction via this delivery model and participants disengaged from the primary task, indicating a need for future research into motivational design when cognitive capacity is strained.

Digital learning environments are dynamic systems that require learning designers to leverage environmental conditions and the needs of their learners. While many frameworks and studies have explored pedagogical reasoning, little emphasis has been placed on the dynamic decision-making processes of learning designers. To advance the exploration of pedagogical reasoning and dynamic decision-making in digital learning environments, we proffer a conceptual framework that supports these practices through the promotion of reflection-in-action, external representations, and the use of conjecturing strategies to maneuver through the learning design space. Theoretical and practical implications are considered for how pedagogical reasoning and dynamic decision-making can be integrated into learning design curricula and educational policy.

Aim/Purpose: The current literature discusses the use and benefits of learner-generated videos (LGVs). However, it rarely addresses any correlation between the types of subjects that are best suited for using these videos or what techniques should accompany the use of LGVs. Background: This systematic review synthesizes current literature to identify patterns and implications that develop from the use of LGVs so that their future use can be both consistent and effective. This paper also reviews the studies to establish the most consistent educational benefits that emerge from this activity. Methodology: Employing the Preferred-Reporting of Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) technique, this systematic review cumulated 39 eligible studies published between 2008 to 2020. A set of eligibility criteria guided us in the article selection process, such as the use of LGVs as an assignment, educational settings, publication time frame, and empirical studies. We conducted further steps by searching the articles in major databases, screening, analyzing, and synthesizing the articles. Contribution: This study expands the literature regarding LGVs-related topics in both research and practical aspects. We have discovered research gaps, suggesting the directions of future studies. Additionally, we provide suggestions for practitioners interested in adopting LGVs. Findings: Findings reveal that the use of LGVs may result in reduced cognitive load, increased creativity, increased cross-curricular competencies, learner independence, and the ability to apply knowledge in a meaningful way. Recommendations for Practitioners: Most of the studies that we reviewed recommended strategies for implementing LGVs into a curriculum to optimize the benefits of LGVs. • Articulating the learning objectives and aligning the LGV activities with the learning objectives emerges as an important strategy. • Instructors may guide students to commence the LGV project early and stay organized with the tasks required to complete the project, as this type of guidance may help students overcome time-related challenges. • Providing several options for the students to create different designs or formats and select the type of media would promote their creativity. Recommendation for Researchers: Other scholars may consider exploring group differences in their learning performance by employing an experimental study (e.g., providing specific production rules versus not), including investigating the impact on the learning achievement. Future Research: Future studies may focus on investigating the impact on cognitive load when students produce LGVs with instructional guidance. Other important variables, such as self-confidence and self-efficacy, that may have played a role in the process of producing LGVs deserve further attention.

STEM integration has become a popular concept not only in the context of education practices but also as a way of learning. The integration of the STEM domains is evident in students’ learning experiences when engaging in STEM activities. However, there is a lack of instruments for evaluating students’ levels of self-efficacy in these activities. Therefore, the aims of this study were to develop a survey for evaluating upper primary students’ self-efficacy in STEM activities and to explore whether a student’s gender, grade, and participation in STEM activities predict his or her self-efficacy in STEM activities. A total of 844 fourth- to sixth-grade primary students participated in this study. After pilot testing, exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were conducted, the survey was found to have a single-factor structure with high reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = .90). Linear regression analysis showed that school and out-of-school participation in STEM activities significantly predicted the students’ self-efficacy in STEM activities, while grade and gender did not. The survey developed in this study provides a reliable and valid way to measure students’ self-efficacy in STEM activities. These findings also highlight the importance of encouraging students’ participation in both formal and informal STEM activities.

Research suggested that community college students struggle to find time to commit to classes and often lack learning strategies to balance school amidst conflicting life needs. This study explored...

Emerging practices of social media for professional purposes in higher education merit further attention. Reddit, a social media platform, is under-studied despite its significant presence. This study explores participation patterns on Reddit for two summer periods during 2019-2020, before and during COVID-19. We collected a total of 82,494 contributions from two subreddits, r/highereducation and r/Professors. Results show changes in contributions and interactions, with more consistent growth in r/Professors. Major topics discussed in both subreddits during summer 2020 had shifted from 2019, largely related to COVID-19. Findings are discussed with a community of practice lens, noting changes in participation and adjustment to the crisis. Additionally, we present implications for supporting and sustaining higher education professionals through Reddit during and after massive disruptions like those experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Studies in learning analytics (LA) have garnered positive findings on learning improvement and advantages for informing course design. However, little is known about instructional designers’ perception and their current state of LA-related adoption. This qualitative study explores the perception of instructional designers in higher education regarding factors influencing their intent and actual practice of LA approach in course design practice, based on analysis of multiple strategies such as focus group, individual, and email interviews. Most instructional designers admitted LA had great potential, but adoption was limited. Their perception, intention, and the current state of adoption are affected by individual differences, system characteristics, social influence, and facilitating conditions. Findings have imperative implications for promoting effective implementation of LA approach in higher education.

Accreditation is important for ensuring and sustaining the quality of an educational program, but the process can be challenging. Higher education institutions are open systems that rely on multiple entities, such as faculty members, to assist with the accreditation process. However, there is sometimes a lack of buy-in and involvement from faculty when assisting with accreditation-related tasks. This paper describes a cause-analysis study that was grounded in systems thinking and conducted at an engineering department at a large, diverse public university in the U.S. The study was aimed to reveal interrelated factors influencing the engineering faculty’s buy-in and involvement in conducting departmental accreditation tasks. Findings indicate a need to improve the environmental factors, such as provisions of clear communication and suitable resources, as a prioritized intervention to promote faculty’s buy-in and involvement. Recommended interventions, possible challenges of implementing them, and implications on managing changes are also discussed.

In recent years, professional learning networks (PLNs) and online learning communities of practices (CoPs) enabled by social media have emerged as a conduit and communal space for faculty members to engage in professional learning. This systematic review provides a current synthesis of research surrounding social media and professional development in higher education. Articles published in peer-reviewed journals between 2009 and 2019 were reviewed and 23 articles that met our selection criteria were included for further analysis and synthesis in this review. Findings suggest that research and practice on social media-supported professional learning is still in its infancy stage. Despite that social media-supported PLNs and CoPs show potential for contributing to faculty professional learning, challenges exist in sustaining faculty participation and engagement, as well as effectively navigating the social media space, especially for novice social media users. Practical implications and future research recommendations are discussed.

This study identifies factors that influence undergraduate students’ selection of a source of help. Learners engage in intentional decisions to seek help from human and non-human sources to resolve gaps in knowledge. Previous research in academic help-seeking assumed learners sought only human sources of assistance, resulting in a narrow understanding of how learners resolve knowledge gaps. Methodological trends in help-seeking research consistently favor quantitative, survey-based tools with pre-defined options. As a result, the factors that influence the selection of a source in a real-world setting with both human and online sources remain unexplored. The findings support including online sources in help-seeking models. Furthermore, the findings demonstrate the importance of relationships and underscore the need for an integrated framework of help-seeking. A new theory of source selection emerged which integrates academic help-seeking and information-searching behavior.

Aim/Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic quickly and suddenly affected many, if not all, parts of the world. From an educational perspective, educators and students managed the social restrictions by transitioning to teaching and learning completely online. As educators and students are two important stakeholders in education, the Special Series contains four articles that focus on these two perspectives.

This study investigates factors that stimulate better academic performance for female students in learning quantitative topics, such as those involving mathematical-related tasks. We explore the differences in self-regulated learning (e.g., sources of motivation and execution of learning strategies), learning behaviors, and learning achievement of female students in quantitative courses. A combination of primary survey data and secondary data from the course-specific Learning Management System (LMS) is used in this study to identify differences between the four grade groups (e.g., students earning final grades A, B, C, and D & F). Findings reveal that the higher-grade groups have stronger metacognitive self-regulation, elaboration, time and study environment management, and effort regulation skills than the lower-grade groups. The higher-grade groups also have stronger self-efficacy, lower test anxiety, more LMS activities, and earlier assignment and quiz submissions. The lower-grade group students consistently submit assignments at the last minute and show fewer LMS activities overall. Our findings have important implications for instructors, academic administrators, and scholars in promoting female students’ self-regulated learning in quantitative courses.

Open Educational Resources (OER) are becoming a significant, mission-driven trend within educational literature. To help address rising costs, instructors and designers are looking to OER to effect...

The factors that influence and impact graduate students in the context of their career decision-making within an instructional design graduate program remain unexplored. This mixed methods study captured actual career-related difficulties of graduate instructional design students through a conceptual framework based on Bandura (1986) and Lent et al. (Journal of Vocational Behavior, 45(1), 79–122, 1994) social cognitive career theory, emphasizing the importance of interactions with key factors such as career readiness, access to career information and consistent and reliable career information. Participants recorded their levels of career decision-making difficulty through an online survey, the Career Decision Making Questionnaire (CDDQ) (Gati et al. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 43(4), 510–526, 1996). The CDDQ was used to measure: 1) lack of readiness, 2) lack of information and 3) inconsistent information. This study indicates that the current level of support for graduate students in instructional design may not be robust enough to support their needs. The results demonstrate that graduate students have specific career needs and experience career decision-making difficulty regardless of country of origin, primarily in the pre-decision making phase and in working through internal and external sources of conflict.

The aim of this study was to develop a scale to measure students’ STEM continuing motivation (CM). In accordance with the conceptualisation of CM by Maehr (1976. Continuing motivation: An a...

Responding to a call to create an authentic learning environment where instructional design students find meaning in what is being designed, we asked student design teams to respond to: give us something to react to and make it rich. Student designers took stock in, reacted to, and reflected on rich external representations, for three class projects in different instructional design classes. Following specific definitions of rich external representations and elements of context, our study aimed to answer the question: in what ways did student designers take stock in, react to, and reflect on their rich external representations in an authentic learning environment? Student designers openly interpreted their external representations, received information from their external representations, and stimulated a reflective conversation, which sparked an iterative design process. The instructor was an active participant who observed firsthand the progress of each design and, ultimately, the final design interventions. We conclude that constructing an authentic learning environment where students interacted with external representations drove design processes that resulted in feasible and effective interventions.

This study was conducted to investigate concept mapping as an instructional technique to help student designers tackle complex issues in instructional design. Specifically, this study focuses on three dimensions: perceived learning, collaborative learning, and usability. We examined how student designers perceived the use of Cacoo as a concept mapping tool in three different instructional design courses and how a concept mapping approach facilitated or constrained students’ design process. The study participants were 24 graduate students enrolled in three different courses over the span of a year. Through quantitative descriptive analysis and qualitative coding, our data revealed students’ overall positive perception toward Cacoo and demonstrated various means in which student designers successfully utilized the concept mapping approach to create external representations. We also provided implications for practitioners and recommendations for future researchers.

Aim/Purpose: This systematic literature review investigates the underlying factors that influence the gap between the popularity of online learning and its completion rate. The review scope within this paper includes an observation of possible causal aspects within the non-ideal completion rates in online learning environments and an identification of recommended strategies to increase retention rates. Background: While online learning is increasingly popular, and the number of online students is steadily growing, student retention rates are significantly lower than those in the traditional environment. Despite the multitude of studies, many institutions are still searching for solutions for this matter. Methodology: A systematic literature review was conducted on 40 studies published between 2010 and 2018. We established a set of criteria to guide the selection of eligible articles including topic relevance (aligned with the research questions), empirical studies, and publication time frame. Further steps were performed through a major database searching, abstract screening, full-text analysis, and synthesis process. Contribution: This study adds to expanding literature regarding student retention and strategies in online learning environments within the higher education setting. Findings: Revealed factors include institutional support, the level difficulty of the programs, promotion of a sense of belonging, facilitation of learning, course design, student behavioral characteristics, and demographic variables along with other personal variables. The recommended strategies identified for improving student retention are early interventions, at-all-times supports for students, effective communication, support for faculty teaching online classes, high-quality instructional feedback and strategies, guidance to foster positive behavioral characteristics, and collaboration among stakeholders to support online students. Recommendations for Practitioners: Since factors within the open systems of online learning are interrelated, we recommend a collective effort from multiple stakeholders when addressing retention issues in online learning. Recommendation for Researchers: We recommend that fellow scholars consider focusing on each influential factor and recommendation in regard to student retention in online learning environments as synthesized in this study. Findings will further enrich the literature on student retention in online learning environments. Future Research: Future research may investigate various data-mining and analytics techniques pertaining to detection and prediction of at-risk students, the efficacy of student support and faculty support programs, and ways to encourage struggling students to adopt effective strategies that potentially engender positive learning behaviors.

Extant literature on social media in education highlights the importance of improving social media-supported learning environments. This study adds to the literature by examining students’ perception and participation for three types of Twitter-based instrumental activities—backchanneling, exploring hashtags, and topics discussion—in two unique undergraduate classrooms (education vs. communication) over the period of a 14-week semester. By employing a comparative case study research design, this study revealed insights into how students may respond to the same Twitter classroom integration activities to a varying degree according to their differences in pre-class perceptions and behavioral patterns. We found that both classes manifested an overall positive attitude toward the integration of Twitter in class along with active participation. However, the communication students manifested a more favorable pre-perception of Twitter and showed a higher participation pattern in class. We also provide pedagogical implications and recommendations for instructors intending to apply or replicate the three instructional activities employed in this study.

This study aimed to examine the scholarly community’s authentic use of Twitter at a professional conference, #ICIS2016, and to investigate how Twitter supports the conference learning community by examining users’ levels of participation in Twitter-enabled conference backchannels and the overall structure of this communication network. We also explored how individuals can better engage in the Twitter-based conference community via revealing the primary characteristics of the central users within the network and studying the significant factors that impact the central status of users. Through an in-depth social network analysis and statistical path analysis, our data revealed users’ varying levels of participation and a relatively low network density, which may suggest participants’ novelty of using Twitter as a conference backchannel. The data further indicated three types of central users: interaction initiator, opinion leader, and conversation bridge, as well as unveiling the relationships among several key variables impacting the central status of a user. Discussion and practical implications are provided.

Aim/Purpose: This study investigates the variations in student participation patterns across different types of instructional activities, learning modes, and with different instructional guidance approaches. In the current study, different variables, modes of learning (guided versus unguided), and types of guidance (social versus cognitive) were manipulated in a series of microblogging-supported collaborative learning tasks to examine to what extent and in which aspects instructional guidance affects the effectiveness and student perception of microblogging-supported learning. Background: Despite the overwhelming agreement on the importance of instructional guidance in microblogging-supported learning environments, very few studies have been done to examine the specificity of guidance, such as how to structure and support microblogging activities, as well as what types of guidance are appropriate in what learning contexts. Methodology: This semester-long study utilized a case-study research design via a multi-dimensional approach in a hybrid classroom with both face-to-face and online environments. Tweets were collected from four types of activities and coded based on content within their contextual setting. Twenty-four college students participated in the study. Contribution: In response to the call to improve social media learning environments under-scored in contemporary education, the current case study took an initial step aiming at deepening the understanding of the role of instructional guidance in microblogging-supported learning environments. Findings: This study showcases that with instructor facilitation, students succeeded in being engaged in a highly participatory and interactive learning experience across a variety of tasks and activities. This study indicates that students’ perspectives of social media tools rely heavily on what instructors do with the tool and how the instructional activities are structured and supported. Instructors’ scaffolding and support is instrumental in keeping students on task and engaging students with meaningful events, thus ensuring the success of microblogging-based learning activities. Meanwhile, students’ perception of usefulness of instructional guidance is closely related to their own pre-perception and experience. Recommendations for Practitioners: When incorporating social media tools, it is important to examine learner’s prior knowledge and comfort level with these tools and tailor the design of instructional activities to their attributes. It is also vital to monitor student progress, adjust the type and amount of guidance and scaffolding provided as they progress, and eventually remove the scaffolding until students can demonstrate that they can perform the task successfully without assistance. Recommendation for Researchers: Due to many other potential factors in place that could potentially influence student learning, no conclusive remarks can be made regarding the superiority of either one type of guidance approach. Future researchers should continue to develop robust research methodologies to seek ways to better operationalize this variable and strive to understand its effect. Future Research: Future replication studies in other settings, with a larger sample size, and different populations will certainly provide further insights on the effects of instructional guidance in microblogging-based learning. Alternative coding methods may also shed light on differences in student interaction in terms of content diversity and depth of learning when analyzing the tweets. Advanced data collection techniques may be explored to ascertain the completeness of data collection.

This study sought to understand student participation and engagement in a microblogging-supported college-level hybrid course. Using a case study design, the researchers examined how students participated and engaged in a variety of microblogging-supported instructional activities, including backchanneling, exploration, discussion, and live chat activities. Students were asked to report their perception of their learning experience. Our study suggested that students participated actively in the microblogging-based activities, while challenges remained as well. The degree of participation and engagement varied considerably depending on the type of instructional activity. Despite that students perceived all activities positively, our analyses of student tweets showed that sustained participation and engagement with a high-level of interactivity was rarely achieved among the data.

Aim/Purpose: The purpose of the study is to provide foundational research to exemplify how knowledge construction takes place in microblogging-based learning environments, to understand learner interaction representing the knowledge construction process, and to analyze learner perception, thereby suggesting a model of delivery for microblogging. Background: Up-and-coming digital native learners crave the real-time, multimedia, global-interconnectedness of microblogging, yet there has been limited research that specifically proposes a working model of Twitter’s classroom integration for designers and practitioners without bundling it in with other social media tools. Methodology: This semester-long study utilized a case-study research design via a multi-dimensional approach in a hybrid classroom with both face-to-face and online environments. Tweets were collected from four types of activities and coded based on content within their contextual setting. Twenty-four college students participated in the study. Contribution: The findings shed light on the process of knowledge construction in mi-croblogging and reveal key types of knowledge manifested during learning activities. The study also proposes a model for delivering microblogging to formal learning environments applicable to various contexts for designers and practitioners. Findings: There are distinct learner interaction patterns representing the process of knowledge construction in microblogging activities ranging from low-order to high-order cognitive tasks. Students generally were in favor of the Twitter integration in this study. Recommendations for Practitioners: The three central activities (exploring hashtags, discussion topics, and participating in live chats) along with the backchannel activity formulate a working model that represents the sequential process of Twitter integration into classrooms. Impact on Society: Microblogging allows learners omnichannel access while hashtags can filter the global noise down to meaningful bytes of information to target formal and informal learning. When shared amongst global users for participatory communication, it gives access to collaborative knowledge. This study gives practitioners and designers a working model to leverage microblogging and connect to their tech-savvy learners for more connected learning. Future Research: Future research may include experiments of this proposed model for delivering microblogging in: prolonged studies; compared to other microblogging methodologies; in non-hybrid delivery models such as asynchronous-only; in other academic or professional disciplines; or in other educational age ranges.

Aim/Purpose: IStation is an adaptive computer-based reading program that adapts to the learner’s academic needs. This study investigates if the Istation computer-based reading program promotes reading improvement scores as shown on the STAR Reading test and the IStation test scaled scores for elementary school third-grade learners on different reading levels. Background: Prior literature provided a limited evidence base for incorporating computer-adaptive learning technologies to improve reading comprehension in the con-text of early childhood education. Methodology: Using a mixed-method case study research approach, this study purports to investigate the effects of IStation and examine the perspectives of teachers and students. Supported by survey and interview data, this case study employed a sample of 98 public school third-grade students in an urban elementary school in the southeastern United States as well as the three classroom teachers. Contribution: This study has provided a) additional data to show evidence for the effectiveness of a computer-based reading program, IStation, by using the students’ and teachers’ viewpoints as well as reading comprehension test scores data; and b) recommendations for practitioners and researchers regarding professional development for IStation implementation. Findings: The results of this study show a strong correlation between the usage of IStation and the rise of STAR reading scores during the time IStation was integrated. There were differing opinions regarding the effectiveness of IStation between students and teachers, as well as between low and high achieving students. Teachers recognized that intervening variables of teachers’ whole and small group lessons individualized for each class, as well as students’ practice sessions both at home and at school, could have also resulted in improved STAR reading scores. Recommendations for Practitioners: There is no one-size-fits-all solution when implementing such technology to a diverse array of learners on different reading levels, such as Tier 1 (high reader), Tier 2 (medium average benchmark reader), and Tier 3 (low reader). It is essential to provide professional development and training opportunities for teachers. Teachers can also train and elevate the higher achieving students with using IStation to monitor their own progress as well as set their own individual learning goals. Recommendation for Researchers: We recommend studies with a larger sample size that would likely yield more definitive and generalizable results, studies using a randomized control group that would have teased out extraneous factors and truly measuring the effects of IStation alone on STAR, as well as longitudinal studies examining the long-term effects of IStation.

This study presents two cases in which undergraduates were introduced to Twitter in their teacher preparation program as a means of developing a personal learning network. Twitter live chats are synchronous discussions that allow education stakeholders to discuss issues and share resources, engaging on potentially a global scale via the social networking platform. This study examines how students participated in these live chats, perceived benefits and challenges and how prior experience and preconceived perceptions of Twitter influenced the live chat experience and intentions for continued participation. Pre-activity reflections, student tweets and post-activity reflections were analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. While familiarity with Twitter varied, no participants had previously participated in a professional Twitter live chat; the majority of participants indicated a positive perception and intensions to continue participating in Twitter live chats. Plans for introducing, scaffolding and reflecting on initial Twitter live chat experiences are detailed and considerations and implications are discussed.

As faculty members in an instructional design and technology (IDT) program, we wanted to help our graduate students better understand and experience how designers design in the real world. We aimed to design a reflective and collaborative learning environment where we sparked students to engage in reflection, ideation, and the iterative process of problem-solving. For an assignment in a graduate IDT class, we piloted using Cacoo, an online diagramming and mapping tool, to provide and simulate an authentic learning environment to create external representations. For a distance education time machine design assignment, our pilot focused on the ways in which an external representation environment was used to stimulate students’ reflective conversations with design drafts. We share our pilot story by presenting the literature that grounded our pilot, a description of the participants and design assignment, our choice to use Cacoo, the design process, the design assessments, and the pilot’s significance and next steps.

The purpose of this study was to further our understanding of the use of Twitter for promoting reflective learning. Specifically, this study investigated how students participate in Twitter-supported activities, what type of knowledge are manifested when Twitter is used to reflect on the course readings, and how students perceive the Twitter-supported activities. The data showed that Twitter was successful in keeping the learners engaged in the reflective discussion activities for a prolonged period compared to Blackboard. Students overall had a positive perception towards the integration of Twitter to support reflection and discussion along with active participation. Twitter was effective in increasing perceived learner-content and learner-learner interactivity along with engagement. We also provide recommendations for educational practitioners and direction for future research.

To maintain relevancy with the ever-increasing competencies required of them, librarians on the job have frequently turned to professional development (PD) opportunities. One outlet that could potentially address barriers librarians face when accessing PD is social media, which can help librarians communicate across distances, are used at low to no cost, and can be accessed asynchronously as needed. Drawing from 25 studies conducted in 21 countries, this systematic literature review explored the empirical themes evident in the current research on librarians' adoption of social media for PD purposes. This review found (1) there is considerable potential in adopting social media for PD across contexts; (2) studies focused on the affordances provided by social media in areas where there is limited infrastructure, support, and resources for PD; (3) in congruence with prior research pertaining to the Technology Acceptance Model, librarians who felt more tech-savvy were more likely to adopt social media for PD; and (4) social media was viewed as democratic in creating a platform where diverse voices could participate. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications for practitioners and recommendations for future research directions.

Online learning is increasingly being used in K-12 learning environments. A concomitant trend is found towards learning becoming authentic as students learn with tasks that are connected to real-world occupations. In this study, 48 pre-service teachers use an online environment to engage in authentic practice as they developed online learning experiences for their future students. Using a design-based research methodology, the researchers were involved in planning, designing, implementing, and evaluating the higher education class across two macro cycles. An authentic learning framework was utilized in the development of the class. Findings explicate the design of the course and how it aligned to the authentic learning framework. It appears that web-based tools were beneficial as the pre-service teachers designed their own K-12 online classes. Findings show that the pre-service teachers' comfort increased when using the using online web building applications in the authentic environment. Furthermore, a high level of engagement in reflective and collaborative learning was uncovered during the activities. This research acts as a springboard for educators who are interested in designing online higher education courses incorporating authentic learning experiences.

Microblogging tools such as Twitter show potential to enrich classroom experience and benefit student learning. Research shows that instructional guidance is particularly necessary in computer-assisted learning environments, but no research has been done to study the effects of instructional guidance in microblogging-based learning. Using a multiple-case study design, the researcher examined student learning in terms of the amount of participation, ability to focus on task, and depth of thinking in guided, semi-guided, and unguided modes. The findings suggest that in guided environments, students achieved higher levels of learning, especially with respect to focusing on task and depth of thinking. Variations in depth of learning existed between the semi-guided and the guided mode. Students’ perceptions of the benefits and challenges of using microblogging across three cases were also analyzed. The study has implications for future research on using microblogging tools for educational purposes and pedagogical practice.

The purpose of this paper is to understand student interaction and learning in microblogging-based peer feedback sessions. The researcher examined through a case study how students interacted and provided peer feedback for each other when Twitter was enabled as a backchannel; students were also asked to report how they perceived their experience. The findings suggested that students participated actively in the microblogging-based peer feedback sessions. Although Twitter supported cognitive and corrective feedback, affective feedback was dominant. Student interaction on Twitter tended to be brief and involve low-level cognitive thinking in unguided, naturalistic learning contexts. Overall, students had a positive attitude towards using Twitter for peer feedback. Problems such as distraction and information overload were also identified.

Objective The aim of the study was to better understand blonanserin population pharmacokinetic (PK) characteristics in Chinese healthy subjects. Methods Data from two studies with 50 subjects were analyzed to investigate the population PK characteristics of blonanserin at single dose (4, 8, and 12 mg) under fasting, multidose (4 mg bid or 8 mg qd for 7 days) and under food intake condition (single dose, 8 mg). Blonanserin plasma concentrations were detected using the high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). A nonlinear mixed-effects model was developed to describe the blonanserin concentration–time profiles. Results A two compartment model with first-order absorption was built to describe the time-course of blonanserin. The population-predicted system apparent clearance (CL/F), volume of apparent distribution in center (V1/F), and the first-order absorption rate constant (Ka) of blonanserin under fasting was 1230 L/h, 9500 L, and 3.02 h−1, respectively. Food intake decreased Ka of blonanserin to 0.78 h−1. The relative bioavailability between fasting and food intake estimated by the final model was 55%. No clinically significant safety issues were identified. Conclusion This is the first study assessing the PK profile of blonanserin with population PKs method. The results can be used for simulation in further clinical trial and optimize individual dosage regimens using a Bayesian methodology in patients. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

This study critically analyzed the current body of published research on microblogging in education ( MIE) to build a deep and comprehensive understanding of this increasingly popular phenomenon. Twenty-one studies on MIE in 2008-2011 were selected based on the selection criteria and analyzed to answer the following questions: What types of research have been published on MIE? How was microblogging used for teaching and learning in these studies? What educational benefits did microblogging have on teaching and learning? What suggestions and implications did the current research have for future MIE research and practices? The analysis suggests that microblogging has a potential to encourage participation, engagement, reflective thinking as well as collaborative learning under different learning settings. The quality of research, however, varies greatly, suggesting a need for rigorous research on MIE. The analysis has implications for MIE practices as well as research and development efforts. Practitioner Notes What is already known about this topic Microblogging has a potential to facilitate learning., Research on microblogging has been conducted under different educational settings., What this paper adds What are the characteristics of the current research on microblogging in education., How educators and researchers integrated microblogging to achieve different educational goals as identified in these studies., What are the identified educational effects of using microblogging for teaching and learning., What are the challenges and suggestions of using microblogging in teaching and learning., Implications for practice and/or policy Future research on microblogging in education should go beyond formal higher education settings by considering learning occurring in other settings., Future research needs to observe and analyze how learners participate and learn in microblogging-based environments over time., Innovative data collection and analysis methods are needed to understand the interaction and learning that occur in such environments., Future research is needed to identify effective approaches of microblogging integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To date, the only established model for assessing risk for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) relies on the sero-status of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). By contrast, the risk assessment models proposed here include environmental risk factors, family history of NPC, and information on genetic variants. The models were developed using epidemiological and genetic data from a large case-control study, which included 1,387 subjects with NPC and 1,459 controls of Cantonese origin. The predictive accuracy of the models were then assessed by calculating the area under the receiver-operating characteristic curves (AUC). To compare the discriminatory improvement of models with and without genetic information, we estimated the net reclassification improvement (NRI) and integrated discrimination index (IDI). Well-established environmental risk factors for NPC include consumption of salted fish and preserved vegetables and cigarette smoking (in pack years). The environmental model alone shows modest discriminatory ability (AUC = 0.68; 95% CI: 0.66, 0.70), which is only slightly increased by the addition of data on family history of NPC (AUC = 0.70; 95% CI: 0.68, 0.72). With the addition of data on genetic variants, however, our model’s discriminatory ability rises to 0.74 (95% CI: 0.72, 0.76). The improvements in NRI and IDI also suggest the potential usefulness of considering genetic variants when screening for NPC in endemic areas. If these findings are confirmed in larger cohort and population-based case-control studies, use of the new models to analyse data from NPC-endemic areas could well lead to earlier detection of NPC.

Tian Luo is an Assistant Professor in the Instructional Design and Technology program at Old Dominion University. She has received her Ph.D. in Instructional Technology from Ohio University and had worked as an Instructional Design Consultant at Muhlenberg College for one year. Her research interests center on using social media and social technologies to facilitate student learning in both formal and informal educational settings and designing collaborative and authentic learning environments supported and enhanced by various emerging web-based technologies. Her research has been published at British Journal of Educational Technology, Journal of Innovations in Education and Teaching International, Journal of Information Technology Education: Innovations in Practice and various peer-reviewed conference proceedings. Her research has also been presented at multiple professional conferences in the field of educational and instructional technology, including AERA, AECT and SITE.