Activity index model for self-regulated learning with learning analysis in a TEL environment

Various learner-oriented teaching–learning models are spreading along with development of the technology-enhanced learning (TEL) environment and the spread of the massive open online course (MOOC). Vast amounts of various data are being created and accumulated from learning activities based on the TEL environment. Also, a self-regulated learning ability is required in the MOOC environment because the learning process is constituted on students making decisions by themselves. Accordingly, this study is aimed at suggesting an activity index model based on self-regulated learning and an activity index based on self-regulated learning. It is intended to provide a means to collect proof of what influences the teaching–learning activity. This model is intended to set a learning activity standard on the basis of general activity, interaction activity, and achievement activity by students. It will be possible to analyze the student’s participation level based on the activity index, which is based on self-regulated learning, to induce participation in the teaching–learning activity, and to recommend more appropriate learning activity elements. The student data are divided into score-related, time-related, and count-related groups for applications. The stabilization of the data was confirmed through time series analysis. In multiple regression analysis, the academic achievement element was set by the target variable, and the relationships among explanatory variables were confirmed. It was understood from the explanatory variables that similar student groups were highly concerned with notice participation in the learning activity. It will be possible to analyze the students’ participation levels, induce participation in the teaching–learning activities, and recommend more appropriate learning activity elements on the basis of an activity index based on self-regulated learning.

     

Educational impact of an Augmented Reality (AR) application for teaching structural systems to non-engineering students

This study evaluates the effectiveness of Augmented Reality (AR) in improving undergraduate non-engineering students’ (n = 103) achievement of learning outcomes and their perception of AR as a learning tool. An AR application for teaching structural systems, Virtual and Augmented Reality for Structures (VARS), is developed and tested using a quasi-experiment and a questionnaire. The study shows that VARS AR significantly improves the posttest quiz score of the experimental group. In addition, a conceptual framework linking design considerations and achievement of learning outcomes is created. Based on the questionnaire survey, authentic context and user interface are important design considerations influencing students’ perceived achievement of learning outcomes. It was found that experience using AR and background knowledge did not influence the perceived achievement of learning outcomes and change in quiz score.     

Effects of mental process integrated nursing training using mobile device on students’ cognitive load,learning attitudes,acceptance, and achievements

Clinical nursing training is important to nursing educators and student nurses in nursing education since safe and competent care depends on good clinical problem solving skills. Therefore, developing better cognitive problem-solving strategies or tools are essential for clinical nursing practices. Moreover, learning diagnosis is also a critical determinant in the acquisition, processing, and application of clinical skills in nursing practices. Bearing this in mind, this study aims to develop a mobile interactive learning and diagnosis (MILD) system to support problem-based learning (PBL) in a clinical nursing course based on the testing-based approach. Using mobile devices as a learning tool to integrate both real-world and digital-world resources for students and adopting PBL as a learning strategy to facilitate the development of the clinical problem solving skills. To show the effectiveness of the proposed approach, an experiment was conducted in a foundations of nursing course at a nursing college in Taiwan. The experimental results show that the proposed approach is helpful to students in improving learning performance and reducing cognitive loads. Moreover, it was also found that most students showed positive perceptions toward the usage of the proposed system.     

A contextual game-based learning approach to improving students' inquiry-based learning performance in social studies courses

Inquiry-based learning, an effective instructional strategy, can be in the form of a problem or task for triggering student engagement. However, how to situate students in meaningful inquiry activities remains to be settled, especially for social studies courses. In this study, a contextual educational computer game is developed to improve students' learning performance based on an inquiry-based learning strategy. An experiment has been conducted on an elementary school social studies course to evaluate the effects of the proposed approach on the inquiry-based learning performances of students with different learning styles. The experimental results indicate that the proposed approach effectively enhanced the students' learning effects in terms of their learning achievement, learning motivation, satisfaction degree and flow state. Furthermore, it is also found that the proposed approach benefited the “active” learning style students more than the “reflective” style students in terms of learning achievement. This suggests the need to provide additional supports to students with particular learning styles in the future.     

The WebQuest model effects on mathematics curriculum learning in elementary school students

Since its inception in 1995, the WebQuest instructional model has received substantial attention from educators who have applied it to teaching activities. However, WebQuest has seldom been applied to mathematical teaching. Therefore, exploring curriculum development and learning achievement in mathematical teaching that integrates the WebQuest model is necessary. The objective of this study is to explore using the WebQuest model for teaching the concepts of proportion in elementary school mathematics, and the subsequent effects on student learning achievements. Furthermore, this study endeavors to understand student learning attitudes and learning satisfaction regarding the WebQuest model. This study employed the quasi-experimental research method, and the participants were two sixth-grade classes with 52 students at a Taiwanese elementary school. The experimental group was taught using WebQuest, while the control group was taught by employing the traditional IT-integrated curriculum. The two groups completed a 5-week course on proportion concepts. The study results indicate the following: (a) Regarding learning achievements, students who learned with the WebQuest model demonstrated superior learning performance than students who were taught using the traditional IT-integrated curriculum; (b) no significant difference existed between the learning attitudes of students who were taught using the WebQuest model and those who learned with the traditional IT-integrated curriculum; (c) on the learning-satisfaction survey, the students who learned with the WebQuest model showed high learning satisfaction, selecting between agree and strongly agree for the 6 dimensions, including WebQuest teaching, IT capability, the assistance of mathematics curriculum, collaborative learning, learning reflection, and learning feedback. This indicates that the students were largely satisfied and identified with the task-oriented WebQuest learning curriculum that was designed in this study. Finally, specific recommendations are made based on the results, providing teachers and future researchers with a reference for integrating the WebQuest model in the mathematics field.     

Fuzzy fusion for attending and responding assessment system of affective teaching goals in distance learning

Teachers can handle learning situations during activities in peer-to-peer classes, and assess student achievements associated with teaching goals in the affective domain. In distance learning, teachers cannot directly observe student states and assess achievement concurrently. Many distance education studies adopted frequency of interaction as the basis of student participation when assessing the student achievements in class. However, the number of times a student interacts is not equal to discussion quality. Although synchronous discussions during class can help teachers assess learning states, these discussions are not suited to all courses. If a teacher can supervise student images from computer’s webcam and observe student status, the teacher can assess achievement accurately. Image processing technology can be applied in an assessment system in distance learning, student states can be observed and these observational results can be combined with behavior detection to help teachers assess student achievement in terms of teaching goals in the affective domain.This study had analyzed the theory and method of assessing affective domain teaching goals. The assessment system had been implemented and simulated using image processing technology and records to analyze student achievement of attending and responding stages with a class period, via fuzzy logic and a fuzzy integral. Simulation results indicate that this assessment system can accurately assess student achievement in terms of attending and responding stages of affective domain teaching goals.     

Enhancing the learning experience of undergraduate technology students with LabVIEW™ software

Many universities and colleges, throughout the world, that deliver undergraduate programmes in science and engineering are currently incorporating virtual instruments as teaching, measurement and analysis tools for student learning. The aim of this study is to enhance the learning experience of undergraduate engineering students and stimulate their research interests by incorporating hands-on, hardware linked programming. The framework for the current research consisted of, initially, observing and recording the interest students showed in a graphical-based computer language for programming control and data acquisitions. Secondly, in the software laboratory sessions, the students were introduced to the concept of research activity and the use of computer software in such activity. LabVIEW™, an easy-to-use, interactive, graphical programming language that can be used to build virtual instruments was used in the current study. This software allows creation of sophisticated programs and applications in a shorter amount of time without needing an in-depth knowledge of computers or indeed programming languages. The methodology consisted of an introductory learning period for the LabVIEW™ programming language, followed by hands-on programming with a specific set of laboratory exercises aimed at solving typical industrial automation type problems. Finally the results of a detailed student questionnaire and created programs were analysed to establish the learning experiences. It was established that student experiences in designing and developing LabVIEW™ programs with associated hardware has hugely stimulated their interest and enthusiasm in the subject of industrial automation. Students acquired knowledge by direct experience, explored phenomena, visualized expected outcomes and experimented with possible solutions. Critically, the LabVIEW programming laboratory sessions undertaken during the course of this research has stimulate students interest in pursing further research at post-graduate level.     

Development of an adaptive learning system with two sources of personalization information

Previous research of adaptive learning mainly focused on improving student learning achievements based only on single-source of personalization information, such as learning style, cognitive style or learning achievement. In this paper, an innovative adaptive learning approach is proposed by basing upon two main sources of personalization information, that is, learning behavior and personal learning style. To determine the initial learning styles of the students, the [Keefe, J. W. (1987). Learning Styles: Theory and Practice. Reston, VA: National Association of Secondary School Principals.] questionnaire is employed in our approach. To more precisely reflect the learning behaviors of each student, the interactions and learning results of each student are analyzed when adjusting the subject materials. Based on the innovative approach, an adaptive learning system has been developed; moreover, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the performance of our approach. By analyzing the results from three groups of students using different adaptive learning approaches, it can be found that the innovative approach is helpful in improving both the learning achievement and learning efficiency of individual students.     

Recognizing and measuring self-regulated learning in a mobile learning environment

With the realization that more research is needed to explore external factors (e.g., pedagogy, parental involvement in the context of K-12 learning) and internal factors (e.g., prior knowledge, motivation) underlying student-centered mobile learning, the present study conceptually and empirically explores how the theories and methodologies of self-regulated learning (SRL) can help us analyze and understand the processes of mobile learning. The empirical data collected from two elementary science classes in Singapore indicates that the analytical SRL model of mobile learning proposed in this study can illuminate the relationships between three aspects of mobile learning: students’ self-reports of psychological processes, patterns of online learning behavior in the mobile learning environment (MLE), and learning achievement. Statistical analyses produce three main findings. First, student motivation in this case can account for whether and to what degree the students can actively engage in mobile learning activities metacognitively, motivationally, and behaviorally. Second, the effect of students’ self-reported motivation on their learning achievement is mediated by their behavioral engagement in a pre-designed activity in the MLE. Third, students’ perception of parental autonomy support is not only associated with their motivation in school learning, but also associated with their actual behaviors in self-regulating their learning.     

计算机信息技术在初中数学教学中的应用研究

随着计算机和网络的广泛使用,传统的教学模式已经无法适应现代教学的需要。现代教学理念就是以人为本,教师在教学过程中起到引导和帮助学生的作用,学生才是学习的主体。当信息技术和学科教学的结合越来越熟练,人们发现信息技术不仅能为人们提供丰富的资源还可以是良好的学习工具。信息技术为学生和教材之间搭建了一座重要的桥梁,它不但提高了数学教学效率,还让学生主动参与到学习中来,激发了学生的探索精神和创新精神。     

An empirical study on m-learning adaptation: Learning performance and learning contexts

M-learning enables students to learn everywhere and at any time. But mobility also brings a new challenge. Students may now be constantly moving and the context from which they learn has to be adjusted dynamically. Therefore adaptation is becoming increasingly important when it comes to m-learning. This paper presents an empirical study to assess the learning performance and attitude of graduate students when they use an adaptive mobile system that tailors learning contents to their skills, their device and current context. Results suggest that mobile adaptation had a limited impact in learning performance of practical skills when compared to an e-learning approach. Information about the context of use of the mobile system was also collected and compared with traditional computer accesses. Results suggest that students learned in similar context independently of the way that they used to access learning contents. This may challenge current assumptions about the mobility of students.     

A video lecture and lab-based approach for learning of image processing concepts

The current practice of traditional in-class lecture for learning computer science (CS) in the high schools of Taiwan is in need of revamping. Teachers instruct on the use of commercial software instead of teaching CS concepts to students. The lack of more suitable teaching materials and limited classroom time are the main reasons for the software-based teaching practices. This study proposes a pre-class video viewing of the lecture content plus in-class supervised laboratory work as a model that can overcome the above problems. Experiments on teaching image processing concepts at two local high schools have been conducted. The experimental results show that the proposed model is a feasible and effective way for the teaching and learning of image processing. The new approach also facilitates student–student and student–teacher interactions in the classroom. Finally, an improvement in the understanding of the subject by the students and an increased interest toward learning CS are also evident.     

Haptic modules for palpatory diagnosis training of medical students

We have developed and evaluated a novel tool based on haptics and virtual reality technology for augmenting the teaching of palpatory diagnosis. This novel tool can act as an automated expert and an animated textbook to illuminate palpatory diagnosis concepts by touch on a laptop PC and by using affordable haptic interfaces that can be housed in a medical student resource library. It can be used for unlimited student practice for improving skills from Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine laboratory and also as a repeatable and objective measure of palpatory skill to track student progress. The system was evaluated by 22 osteopathic medical students (16 first- and 6 second-year). The majority of the participating students (>90.9 %) thought that future practice with the system may help them develop their palpatory skills. The majority (>77.3 %) of the students also thought that the instructions on the module screens were clear. When the students were asked about the user interface, most of the students (>86.4 %) responded that it was clear and easy to interpret. Evaluation results also showed that when the students were asked whether they would like to use the modules in the future for training at least 90.9 % of them answered “Yes” or “Maybe.” The achievement of purpose ratings for individual modules changed between 6.27 and 8.82 on a 10-point scale. This project has the potential to be extended from osteopathic medicine to allopathic medicine, veterinary medicine, physical therapy, massage therapy, and chiropractic schools.     

A Real-Time Data Mining Approach for Interaction Analytics Assessment: IoT Based Student Interaction Framework

Students’ interaction and collaboration with the fellows and teachers using the Internet of Things (IoT) based interoperable infrastructure is a convenient way. Measuring student attention is an essential part of the educational assessment for students’ interaction. As new learning styles develop, new tools and assessment methods are also needed. The focus in this paper is to develop IoT based interaction framework and analysis of the student experience in electronic learning (eLearning) so that the students can take full advantage of the modern interaction technology and their learning can increase to a high level. This setup has a data collection module, which is implemented using Visual C# programming language and computer vision library. The number of faces, number of eyes, and status of eyes are extracted from the video stream, which is taken from a video camera. The extracted information is saved in a dataset for further analysis. The analysis of the dataset produces interesting results for student learning assessments. Modern learning management systems can integrate the developed tool to consider student-learning behaviors when assessing electronic learning strategies. The tools are also developed for the data collection on both student and teacher ends. Correlation of data and hidden meaning are extracted to make the learning experience and teaching performance better and adaptable. IoT based infrastructure provides the facilities to fellow students about location awareness, fellows’ accessibility, social behavior and helping hand.     

计算机应用课程教学模式的研究与探讨

现代技术的发展以及信息化的发展,使得计算机的应用越来越广泛。计算机应用的教学不仅仅在各个职业院校普遍存在,目前在小学以及各个非职业类的各大高校中也都应该引起足够的重视。在分析了目前计算机应用教学所存在不足的基础上,为提高教师的教学效果以及学生的学习和对计算机的掌握程度,提出了几种主要的计算机教学模式,例如任务驱动模式等。只有针对不同的学生和专业采取不同的教学模式,才能够保证计算机应用教学的质量。     

Interactive computer simulation and animation for improving student learning of particle kinetics

Computer simulation and animation (CSA) has been receiving growing attention and wide application in engineering education in recent years. A new interactive CSA module was developed in the present study to improve student learning of particle kinetics in an undergraduate engineering dynamics course. The unique feature of this CSA module is that it integrates computer visualization with mathematical modeling, so students can directly connect engineering dynamics phenomena to underlying mathematics. A quasi‐experimental pretest–post‐test research design including a comparison group (n = 65) and an intervention group (n = 77) was implemented to assess to what extent the developed CSA module improved student learning. The results show that this new CSA module increased students' class‐average conceptual and procedural learning gains by 29% and 37% respectively. The difference in learning gains between the two groups is statistically significant (Z = ?4.526, p = 0.000) based on a nonparametric statistical Mann–Whitney U test. It is found that the improvement of students' conceptual understanding and the improvement of their procedural skills are asymmetrical in this CSA learning environment. The CSA module can serve as an excellent tool to supplement traditional lectures, but cannot fully replace human teachers or tutors in teaching.     

The effects of an interactive videodisc training program in classroom observation skills used as a teaching tool and as a learning tool

In higher education, instruction is typically teacher-directed through traditional lecture formats and assignments with predetermined criteria. Through hypermedia-based materials, new ways of learning are possible based on learner control and self-directed instruction; such approaches require personal goal-setting, nonlinear exploration of materials, context-based problem solving, and progress monitoring. For students to learn in new ways, instructors have to teach in new ways. Teachers cannot simply take new hypermedia applications and implement them within existing approaches if higher level outcomes are to be realized. The findings in this study are consistent with previous research studies which demonstrate equal or better learning using hypermedia-based instructional materials when students are allowed learner control. If the learning profile for each student determines the effective use of an application, then hypermedia is best implemented as a learning tool.     

C语言程序设计教学改革与实践

C语言作为人机交互的一种重要工具,在IT领域中具有举足轻重的作用;同时,C语言一般也是IT类学生学习高级程序设计的首选语言,其掌握程度直接影响到学生程序素养的培养和学习兴趣的提高。笔者根据自己长期C语言程序设计课程教学的体会,结合当前新的教学环境,指出在该门课程的教学改革中存在一些误区,并针对这些问题就如何提高教学效果提出了许多的建议。     

Here and now mobile learning: An experimental study on the use of mobile technology

Mobile technology opens the door for a new kind of learning called here and now learning that occurs when learners have access to information anytime and anywhere to perform authentic activities in the context of their learning. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of here and now mobile learning on student achievement and attitude. The research questions addressed were (1) Does “Here and Now” mobile learning significantly improve student achievement when compared with Computer based Instruction? (2) Does “Here and Now” mobile learning significantly improve student attitude when compared with Computer based Instruction? (3) Are there differences in student achievement and attitudes when “Here and Now” mobile learning is delivered using a tablet versus ipod? 109 undergraduate students enrolled in preservice instructional design and instructional technology courses at a regional southeastern university participated in the study. Participants took a pretest at the beginning of the study, and then were assigned to one of the versions of an art lesson (CBI version and iPad/iPod version) which were developed using Lectora Inspire incorporating information on five different paintings in the education building. After the lesson, they completed the posttest and an attitude survey. ANOVA was conducted on data obtained from the achievement posttest and on the attitude survey results for the Likert type items (Items 1–12). Analyses on achievement and attitude data revealed positive significant differences. The CBI treatment achieved positive posttest scores on the posttest while the iPad/iPod treatments had positive attitudes. This study has implications for those designing and implementing mobile learning.     

Bridging the app gap: An examination of a professional development initiative on mobile learning in urban schools

In this study we present a professional development initiative aimed at helping urban teachers in low-income underserved schools in the U.S. learn how to utilize iPads (a representative mobile device) and educational apps (software programs that run on mobile devices) to support teaching and learning. Subsequently, we examine the ways in which four case study teachers utilized iPads and educational apps in their classrooms to support their students' learning experiences. Data included observations of professional development activities, classroom observations, teacher interviews, and student focus groups. Findings revealed that students used iPads and educational apps to (a) access online content, (b) create learning artifacts, and (c) reinforce content learning through personalized instruction. Findings also indicated that use of iPads and educational apps supported student academic growth and empowerment. Results have implications for mobile learning researchers, practitioners, and policy makers, particularly those charged with the design and implementation of professional development programs.