Frontiers in Education: Digital Learning Innovations

The objective of the study was to examine how providing access to multilingual digital picture books affected the reading habits and language development of children from bilingual families. The study included 41 children aged 4–5 from two schools whose parents spoke a heritage language distinct from the environmental language (Dutch), and had a low level of education. The children were randomly assigned to two groups - one with access to digital books solely in the environmental language (Dutch) and the other with a choice between the environmental language and their heritage language. A general vocabulary test was administered before and after a six-week intervention period. The findings indicated that access to digital books motivated reading, with roughly one-third of the children reading a substantial number of books during the intervention. The availability of books in the heritage language did not lead to an increase in book reading. Given a choice, only a minority (33%) preferred to read in their heritage language. The conditions exhibited similar growth in vocabulary, but the study uncovered positive associations between the number of books and vocabulary development.

The emergence of Chat GPT has once again sparked a wave of information revolution in generative artificial intelligence. This article provides a detailed overview of the development and technical support of generative artificial intelligence. It conducts an in-depth analysis of the current application of generative artificial intelligence in the field of education, and identifies problems in four aspects: opacity and unexplainability, data privacy and security, personalization and fairness, and effectiveness and reliability. Corresponding solutions are proposed, such as developing explainable and fair algorithms, upgrading encryption technology, and formulating relevant laws and regulations to protect data, as well as improving the quality and quantity of datasets. The article also looks ahead to the future development trends of generative artificial intelligence in education from four perspectives: personalized education, intelligent teaching, collaborative education, and virtual teaching. The aim of the study is to provide important reference value for research and practice in this field.

Children’s behavior is indicative of adaptation to early-age development. Adaptive difficulties linked to behavioral difficulties are frequent among school-aged children having a multi-level impact. Five key approaches have been used therapeutically while systematic behavior monitoring has been used to evaluate the efficacy of different interventions. The inherent barriers of traditional monitoring tools have led to the need to design and implement new approaches.

Four case study series (S1–S4) focused on vulnerable populations are described. Eight participants with different medical backgrounds underwent an intervention, either cognitive training (BrainHQ) (seven out of eight) or operant conditioning strategies. Targeted behaviors were monitored in six out of eight participants using the WHAAM application which could also measure the effectiveness of the intervention applied, while emotional fluctuations were evaluated in two out of eight participants using AffectLecture. Moreover, a 5th pilot study (S5) is included focusing on the early detection and management of ADHD using a serious game-based platform.

In S1, monitoring highlighted that BrainHQ training resulted in positive changes in all but one of the behaviors in Case 1. Studies that exploited the AffectLecture application indicated that emotional state was improved after training, and it was positively correlated with performance in cognitive exercises. The performance in cognitive training was positively correlated with the emotional state before training in S2 but not in S3. A positive correlation between the change in emotional state and performance was mentioned only in S3. Educational and social benefits as well as a positive correlation between the performance and the length of training were reported in both studies. Operant conditioning strategies in S4 resulted in positive behavioral effects in most participants. Preliminary analysis of S5 indicated that the platform has a considerable capacity to discriminate users based on their in-game patterns as ADHD or non-ADHD.

The mixture of studies presented in this article incorporates different technological solutions for monitoring or intervening in developmental disorders and behavioral difficulties. Despite the inherent inhomogeneity of such an endeavor, they all highlight the positive prospects of using technology to enhance the educational arsenal of facing behavioral and learning difficulties.

Seniors’ adoption of emerging technologies is crucial to their social connectedness, well-being, and digital participation in society. This article presents a Canadian study on how immigrant seniors established and sustained social connections through their engagement with digital technologies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, we aim to (1) deepen understandings of how immigrant seniors’ learning through and about technologies can shed light on our conceptualization of seniors’ digital literacies and (2) suggest programs and pedagogies that could foster lifelong learning for seniors. Data were collected through interviews, observations, and digital artifacts from a sample of immigrant seniors (N:16). Through narrative, we stitch together the personal and sociocultural perspectives from four seniors’ stories for holistic insights into their learning and engagement with technologies. Their stories also emphasize possibilities for dynamic and interconnected digital engagement and the inseparable link between community support and developing seniors’ digital literacy. Social interaction plays a pivotal role in facilitating, fostering, promoting, and enhancing seniors’ digital literacies. Our findings challenge preconceived notions about how seniors navigate digital technologies and offer strategies for supporting community service agencies in designing and implementing senior-friendly digital literacy programs.

The trend of introducing game-based elements and mechanisms via game-based learning (GBL) and gamification is expanding in higher education, as is research on the elements of gamification design that contribute to their effects on learning. This paper presents a two-part onboarding process as a game-design element, analyzing its underlying mechanisms and potential effects on student learning through theoretical frameworks. First, we introduce a two-part onboarding intervention designed as part of introducing GBL in higher education. The intervention aims to address a challenge students face when taking a GBL module or course: namely, that venturing into a new digital platform often brings with it new and unfamiliar expectations of how students should act and interact in order to effectively engage with the course material as well as with their peers and instructors. Second, we describe two projects through which the intervention evolved to its current form. Third, we analyze and apply two theoretical frameworks—on semiotic domains and cognitive load—to examine the underlying mechanisms by which the intervention may be expected to affect student learning.

English-medium instruction (EMI) has been rapidly adopted worldwide as a strategy for internationalization, accompanied by a substantial amount of research attention. However, research on EMI has only recently been conducted in Iran. To contribute to the ongoing growing literature, this study explores the attitudes of Iranian students and instructors toward the possibility of implementing EMI in Iran through virtual exchange (VE). In order to determine whether EMI can be used through VE in Iran, a mixed method sequential explorative study was conducted. It has been identified that the linguistic readiness of students and/or instructors is the primary barrier to the success of EMI through VE in Iran because EMI is still in its infancy. In accordance with the literature, systematic support is required at the institutional level. Yet many of the students showed interest in the idea of EMI via VE, even if it was only a short one-session VE lesson, primarily to enhance their linguistic skills and global competencies. This study proposes that integrating EMI through VE at the graduate level may be more feasible. This is because there are already more EMI seminars and classes available, students are self-directed learners, and they may be better linguistically prepared. Regarding EMI access through VE, there were advantages and disadvantages. The benefit of using VE in EMI is that EMI would be accessible even to students living in less privileged locations, but the disadvantage is that the accessibility of the Internet may not be stable, considering requiring a VPN to access some websites. It is hoped that this study will serve as a useful starting point for future research in Iran and similar settings.

This mini review summarizes the current state of knowledge about automatic item generation in the context of educational assessment and discusses key points in the item generation pipeline. Assessment is critical in all learning systems and digitalized assessments have shown significant growth over the last decade. This leads to an urgent need to generate more items in a fast and efficient manner. Continuous improvements in computational power and advancements in methodological approaches, specifically in the field of natural language processing, provide new opportunities as well as new challenges in automatic generation of items for educational assessment. This mini review asserts the need for more work across a wide variety of areas for the scaled implementation of AIG.

Researchers have recognized the potential of using Mobile Serious Games (MSG) in teaching various subject matters. However, it is not clear how MSG impacts students differently based on their in-game performance. To fill this gap, the current study examined the MSG “SpacEscape” that teaches middle school students about the solar system through problem-solving activities. To understand whether SpacEscape could facilitate middle school student science learning based on their in-game performance, this study adopted a randomized experimental design and collected pre-test, post-test and game play data from the participants. Independent sample t-test and MANOVA with repeated measures (N = 228) were conducted. The results showed that SpacEscape significantly improved science learning for middle school students. In addition, the game significantly improved students’ science knowledge test scores regardless of their in-game performance. Furthermore, students enjoyed playing SpacEscape in the class, and we hope this study will inform the direction of future study in the field.

The COVID-19 pandemic led educational systems worldwide to transpose activities planned for face-to-face education to mediated contexts - through what is known as Emergency Remote Teaching and Learning (ERTL). This posed unprecedented challenges to schools, teachers, families, and students. In this context, it was relevant to describe and understand how parents perceived this process, including what challenges to themselves and their children they faced and what advantages they acknowledged in the process. The present study focuses on Portuguese parents’ views on this process.

Data were gathered in April and May 2020 through an online questionnaire answered by 184 parents of preschool, basic, and secondary education students (ages 3–18). The present paper presents data from open questions analyzed by deductive and inductive content analysis using MaxQDA.

Results evidence three overarching themes: equity, parental labor, and the meaning of school. Parents reveal substantial difficulties juggling the role of proxy educator and parent and point to inequalities - including those concerning very young children, children with disabilities or learning difficulties, students enrolled in professional education, families with insufficient access to technologies, and parents working from home. The school is portrayed as a crucial environment for development, a designated space for learning and caretaking, but also a relational and emotional context. Despite this scenario, parents acknowledge ERTL as having positive aspects and as the possible outlet to keep education going even in extreme situations.

There are various methods for teaching surgery to undergraduate students. Lecture-based learning (LBL) is a teacher-centered approach that comprehensively, accurately, and systematically conveys knowledge. Team-based, case-based, and problem-based learning methods are student-centered approaches that increase student enthusiasm and subject-related motivation. However, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted conventional methods for teaching surgery to undergraduate students and its impact continues even today. This research investigates a variety of surgical teaching strategies and suggests optimal strategies for undergraduate students, especially within the context of the COVID-19 crisis.

Various teaching methods in undergraduate medical education that have emerged over the last 5 years are reviewed and analyzed, specifically those used for surgical training during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Traditional in-person teaching methods have been replaced by novel approaches that increase efficiency, including social media adoption, simulation-based training, flipped-classroom concepts, and “Hand as Foot” teaching. However, traditional and novel approaches can be combined to teach students the fundamentals of science and basic surgical skills, which include incision, suturing and drainage, and chest tube insertion. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages under certain circumstances.

Several alternative teaching strategies and a combination of methods can complement traditional face-to-face learning, promoting the successful dissemination of academic knowledge and the improvement of clinical surgical skills in terms of objectivity, time-efficiency, and feasibility. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the learning context can provide a reference for future teaching in response to unavoidable emergencies.

When the 21st century was ushered in, and in the period following its inception, there was a lot of hype about how 21st-century skills, especially the 4Cs (critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity), were going to play a pivotal role for digital learning and workplace environments. Two decades later, these environments are still grappling with the specific changes brought about and the actual role played by these skills in their respective facets. Within these two decades, though, a new hype has emerged about how fourth industrial revolution (4IR) technologies are likely to affect and change the future of digital learning and workplace environments in ways never seen in previous industrial and digital revolutions. Amongst these technologies, artificial intelligence and automation are touted as some of the technologies that will change the future of digital learning and work. Against this background, this paper sets out to critically reflect on the prospects and challenges these two 4IR technologies have for digital learning and work as the 21st century is on the cusp of the third decade. It does so by analysing and discussing AI−/machine−human fused stylised facts based on ChatGPT-generated responses and on a human distillation and reworking of those responses.

Epistemic cognition, which explores how knowledge is acquired, applied, and critically evaluated, is closely linked to learning. However, despite numerous studies from various perspectives, much remains to be learned about this essential and predominantly positive connection. Despite the positive connection between epistemic cognition and learning, epistemic measures have not been widely used in predicting students’ academic achievement. One possible reason for this is the difficulties in measuring personal epistemology. However, in the last decade, learning analytics has emerged as a field of study and practice with new means to collect data on different psychological constructs. This study focused on a learning analytics tool, a structured learning diary, that can support student learning while being used to record student thinking. This study explores the connection of student diaries with academic achievement, students’ epistemic beliefs’ connection with academic achievement, and the viability of implementing an epistemic belief questionnaire and a structured learning diary in a naturalistic degree program setting (N = 105).

Connections between these and academic achievement were investigated at four temporal measurement points. The first aim was to test which measures of the diary tool correlated with academic achievement. The second aim was to test epistemic beliefs’ correlation (Pearson correlation coefficient) with academic achievement. Models of linear regression were then designed and tested at different times. The overarching general aim of the study was to fill the gap in the use of reflective learning diaries in engineering education and epistemic beliefs in predicting academic achievement.

The results show that we should collect student-originated learning process data for the best predictive power and connect that with independent psychological measures. Despite the significant effort required to use the learning diaries, the results indicate that with further design, digital journaling tools are viable learning and measurement tools to be used at scale and for long periods. Future studies should investigate the possibility implement epistemic measures with structured learning diaries more closely and study the connections between diary use and personal epistemology.

Through a systematic analysis of the literature, this study analyzes the change in the teacher's role triggered by the integration of AI into educational systems. The picture offered by the systematic analysis of the literature conducted in this study reveals a less than total awareness of the urgency with which the challenges imposed by AI in the educational field must be addressed. We propose a manifesto to guide the evolution of the teachers' role according to the paradigm shift concept proposed by Kuhn in the scientific field.

An ongoing trend on a global scale is the integration of computer science and programming in K-12 education. The integration has been motivated by the needs of the present and future labor market but also by the assumption that skills related to computer science and programming are valuable for citizens to navigate an increasingly digitalized society. Computational thinking (CT) is a concept that aims to define and summarize skills associated with programming and computer science and has received wide recognition within research and education. But how do the teachers perceive this concept, and how do they relate it to their own teaching and learning activities? This study aims to investigate and discuss teachers' perceptions of CT in grades 7–12 mathematics and technology.

Data have been collected from essay assignments in three instances of a professional development course on fundamental programming for grades 7–12 teachers in mathematics and technology. In the essays, the teachers reflect on CT in relation to mathematics and technology and teaching and learning activities in these subjects. With a theoretical framework for CT, the collected data have been analyzed with a directed content analysis approach to identify categories of interests for CT in relation to grades 7–12 mathematics and technology.

The results of the study show that the teachers perceive both opportunities and challenges in applying the CT concept in their teaching and learning activities. For example, it can strengthen the subjects through new practices and reinforce old practices, but it could be too complex and perceived as difficult by some students. Furthermore, many of the teachers perceive CT not only to be relevant for mathematics and technology but also for learning in general.

The conclusion of the study is that CT has the potential to enhance teaching and learning activities in mathematics, technology, and other STEM subjects. If this should be successful, CT must not be involved too abstractly or too superficially. This study contributes to the discussion on CT in K-12 education, adding the teachers' perspective. The findings of this study can be used by teachers and other stakeholders in the design of classroom activities that apply the CT concept.

According to UNESCO, open educational resources (OERs) could be tools for meeting Objective for Sustainable Development 4, as long as they have the appropriate characteristics and sufficient quality to promote citizen education.

This work presents a quality analysis of OERs in a public repository using mixed methods techniques and a participatory approach.

Though the quantitative results show high mean values in all the dimensions, the qualitative analysis provides a better understanding of how key stakeholders perceive particular aspects and how we can take a step forward to enhance usability and improve OER psychopedagogical and didactic design. The triangulation of information from different sources strengthens consistency and reliability and provides a richer perspective to inform future work.

Mobile applications have thoroughly pervaded the lives of today's children, who live and learn through and with them. However, limited research has been conducted on children designing such apps and not only using those designed by adults. Inviting children to design such apps is the focus of our study. Moreover, in contemporary society, it is emphasized that children should be empowered to take civic action and engage in making the world a better place. In the literature, however, less emphasis has been placed on how children can be invited to do so through the means of digital technology, particularly mobile application design. In this study, 13–15-year-old children are invited to take civic action to address the serious societal problem of bullying through the design of mobile apps. We discussed the design process and analyzed the applications the children designed from the viewpoint of how they aim to tackle bullying. We examined how their app designs aim at empowering other children in the context of bullying, and thus considered what kinds of opportunities emerge for children to learn skills related to the prevention or management of bullying in the apps they have designed. We showed that the children's app designs informed us of the seriousness of bullying in children's lives and that they advocate for the empowerment of other children in different ways. Hence, we have increased our understanding of how smart, interactive technologies designed by children address the learning and empowerment of other children, i.e., application users. We also studied the children's learning from both their and their teachers' perspectives. This study showcases an alternative way educators can integrate digital technologies and apps in school settings to educate children on important societal matters and digital technology.