Search

Multimedia principles such as segmentation, learner control, and modality have been proposed to ensure animated demonstrations (AD) effectiveness. However, several studies that apply multimedia principles in different learning contexts with different learners have found boundary conditions for several effects. This study thus aimed to investigate different levels of learner control, segmenting, and modality effects on learning and cognitive load when AD was used as the before-class instructions in the flipped classroom, in which the boundary conditions include self-pacing and sufficient learning time. Two experiments (low control vs. high control) were conducted with a 2 × 2 (segmentation: nonsegmented vs. segmented; modality: narrated vs. captioned) between-subjects ANOVA design. A supplementary analysis across the two experiments was further conducted to distinguish between the main effects of learner control and segmentation. The findings of this study have important implications for the design of before-class instructions to enhance student engagement and understanding.

In recent years, airlines have been expanding their fleets, but this has posed a challenge in terms of limited airport space for maintenance facilities. Maintenance, repair, and overhaul provider (MRO) enhances the efficiency of existing space utilization by reducing the distance between parked aircraft. However, it is often necessary to change the position of parked aircraft during maintenance and if there are other aircraft blocking this movement it is necessary to interrupt the original maintenance work to allow the aircraft to pass. Unnecessary relocation of aircraft could reduce maintenance efficiency and increase costs. This study adopts mathematical programming with a network flow technique to develop an MRO stand allocation model. The effectiveness of the proposed model is evaluated in a case study performed using the data collected from a Taiwan aircraft MRO service provider. The results demonstrate that the proposed model could be a useful and practical planning support tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The popularity of online learning has made web-based software training materials the primary learning resources adopted by computer users. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of various common representational formats of web-based instructions. The formats included static (textual manual with screenshots) and dynamic (animated demonstration, AD) instructions. The findings suggested that in learner-paced learning with sufficient learning time (a) both narrated and captioned AD formats tended to increase transfer performance; (b) the segmenting principle likely became less important for the static format; and (c) the modality principle likely became less important for the AD format. Implications for determining optimal AD segment length for student engagement and suggestions for possible factors to be included in future research are offered accordingly.

Many studies report information overload as one of the main problems that students encounter in online learning via computer-mediated communication. This study aimed to explore the sources of online students' information overload and offer suggestions for increasing students' cognitive resources for learning. Participants were 12 graduate students from two online courses in the United States. Their learning experiences in both online discussions and on the course website were explored through semi-structured interviews. They also completed a background questionnaire that assessed three constructs that limit learner readiness and are likely to lead to online students' perceived information overload: inadequate prior knowledge, inadequate English proficiency, and lack of technical skills for participating in computer-mediated communications. The findings suggest that varied learner characteristics led some students to be more susceptible than others to information overload. Emerging data-driven risk factors were: lack of efficiency in reading from computer screens, visual and auditory learning preferences, and time constraints. Difficulties associated with students' perceptions of information overload are addressed and implications for course design are offered. (Contains 3 tables and 2 figures.)

This study investigated the influence of cognitive support for learning computer-based tasks using animated demonstration (AD) on instructional efficiency. Cognitive support included (1) segmentation and learner control introducing interactive devices that allow content sequencing through a navigational menu, and content pacing through stop and play buttons along with a slide bar for fast forward and rewind; (2) presentation modality and (3) a hybrid approach using a combined format of ADs with static graphics. Instructional efficiency was a combined effect of time-on-task during the learning phase and test performance. Time-on-task was included as a measurement to determine whether this would provide an alternative explanation for the benefits of learner control. Three learner-paced conditions with different types of cognitive support were developed, whereas a system-paced format, created without additional cognitive support, was used as a control condition. The learning task of this study was using graphic vector-based software Bezier tools to trace a cartoon. The results tended to suggest that the combination of different types of cognitive support (i.e. presenting the accompanying explanations as written captions to the learner-paced AD in visual-only instruction or combining learner-paced AD with static graphics in dual-modality instruction) had a positive effect, while learner pacing alone had not a significant positive effect.

Computer-mediated communication (CMC) has been used widely to engage learners in academic discourse for knowledge construction. Due to the features of the task environment, one of the main problems caused by the medium is information overload (IO). Yet the literature is unclear about the impact of IO on student learning. This study therefore investigated the influence of online students' perceived IO on their participation and knowledge construction in terms of cognitive and metacognitive processing as observed in online discussions via CMC. Interviews with students and computer conferencing transcripts were analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. The results indicated that students' perceived IO might influence their participation and levels of cognitive processing in online discussions. However, the results suggest that IO did not affect every student because some seemed to have learned how to manage IO. The results further suggest the critical role of learners' metacognitive competence regarding internal management of cognitive load.

This case study of an online graduate course determines the message characteristics of the instructor, volunteer teaching assistants, and students in online discussions, and proposes a mentoring, coaching, and facilitating model for online discussions. The researchers developed a coding system based on the literature of mentoring, coaching, and facilitating to identify the characteristics of conference discussion messages. The instructor fostered the development of volunteer teaching assistants into coaches and of student discussion facilitators into facilitators of learning. The proposed constructivist model fosters active learning, provides scaffolding for students to become facilitators of learning, and suggests creative ways for online instructors to manage different types of teaching responsibilities. Recommendations for further research are included.

The popularity of online learning has made web-based software training materials the primary learning resources adopted by computer users. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of various common representational formats of web-based instructions. The formats included static (textual manual with screenshots) and dynamic (animated demonstration, AD) instructions. The findings suggested that in learner-paced learning with sufficient learning time (a) both narrated and captioned AD formats tended to increase transfer performance; (b) the segmenting principle likely became less important for the static format; and (c) the modality principle likely became less important for the AD format. Implications for determining optimal AD segment length for student engagement and suggestions for possible factors to be included in future research are offered accordingly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]