ETR&D

Role-play tasks have long been used by researchers and practitioners to observe L2 (Second language) speaking performance. This social-situated simulation allows students to employ their language skills to converse about real-life themes. While role-plays are highly plausible to actively engage students in interactive learning environments, it has been challenging to determine whether students perform at an adequate level of speaking proficiency with an appropriate learning approach. Nevertheless, the emerging technology-supported role-play tasks employing AI (artificial intelligence) could enhance competencies, enabling students to perform better in role-plays. Therefore, to enhance and support students’ performance in role-plays, English speaking skills, and their interaction mindset, we integrated an AI-based speaking learning app in the Generalization, Formulation, Correction, Appreciation (AI-GFCA) learning model. A quasi-experiment was conducted in a university with a total of 45 students. One class was randomly assigned to apply the AI-GFCA learning model as the experimental group, while the other was the control group (AI-C). The findings indicated that the AI-GFCA learning model could significantly enhance students’ role-play performance, English speaking skills, and interaction mindset. Furthermore, students produced fewer L2 errors and perceived a better learning experience than the AI-C group. It is noted that with the support of AI learning speaking through role-play tasks, students received sufficient corrective feedback, which encouraged them to establish a positive and motivating learning interaction, thus benefiting their academic performance.

The ever-changing global educational landscape, coupled with the advancement of Web3, is seeing rapid changes in the ways pedagogical artificially intelligent conversational agents are being developed and used to advance teaching and learning in higher education. Given the rapidly evolving research landscape, there is a need to establish what the current state of the art is in terms of the pedagogical applications and technological functions of these conversational agents and to identify the key existing research gaps, and future research directions, in the field. A literature survey of the state of the art of pedagogical AI conversational agents in higher education was conducted. The resulting literature sample (n = 92) was analysed using thematic template analysis, the results of which were used to develop a conceptual framework of pedagogical conversational agents in higher education. Furthermore, a survey of the state of the art was then presented as a function of the framework. The conceptual framework proposes that pedagogical AI conversational agents can primarily be considered in terms of their pedagogical applications and their pedagogical purposes, which include pastoral, instructional and cognitive, and are further considered in terms of mode of study and intent. The technological functions of the agents are also considered in terms of embodiment (embodied/disembodied) and functional type and features. This research proposes that there are numerous opportunities for future research, such as, the use of conversational agents for enhancing assessment, reflective practice and to support more effective administration and management practice. In terms of technological functions, future research would benefit from focusing on enhancing the level of personalisation and media richness of interaction that can be achieved by AI conversational agents.

Augmented Reality (AR) is increasingly being adopted in education to foster engagement and interest in a variety of subjects and content areas. However, there is a scarcity of instruments to measure the instructional impact of this innovation. This article addresses this gap in two unique ways. First, it presents validation results of the Augmented Reality Presence Scale (ARPS), which was created to evaluate presence in augmented learning environments. Using the Rasch Rating Scale Model, ARPS was validated with 90 college students involved in an AR learning experience. Second, it analyzed the correlations between ARPS scores and the Reduced Instructional Materials Motivation Survey (RIMMS). ARPS was found to be a reliable instrument to evaluate AR presence. Additionally, ARPS was found to be positively correlated to all the four RIMMS dimensions (i.e., attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction). These research results point to presence as a desirable outcome of AR-mediated instruction. Moreover, AR presence was facilitated by non-invasive interfaces and perceived agency. Finally, this technology was shown to be productive in addressing all motivation stages rather than working just as a starting step.

In the clinical medical field, case studies, medication records, examination results, and physician prescriptions are documented in English. As a consequence, the English for Medical Professionals (EMP) program has become one of the important courses in nursing education in non-English-speaking countries. For English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners, learning English for medical professionals can become challenging without the support of appropriate learning contexts. In general, the didactic teaching strategy widely used in the EMP program in large classrooms is a passive method without a feedback mechanism. To address the issues of English for Medical Professionals for EFL learners, the study proposed a self-determination theory-based digital gaming approach with autonomy, competence, and relatedness. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed approach, we conducted an experiment in the EMP program by comparing the self-determination theory-based digital gaming approach with the conventional approach, and explored the differences between these two approaches in terms of learning achievement, learning attitude, critical thinking tendency, technology acceptance, and flow experience. The experimental results showed that nursing students who learned with the self-determination theory-based digital gaming approach significantly enhanced their learning achievement, learning attitude, critical thinking tendency, technology acceptance, and flow experience in the EMP program.

In the wake of network technology and with the flourishing development of online learning, online presence is beginning to be conceptualized as a pivotal determinant affecting students’ cognitive and learning behaviors in the online landscapes. However, how online presence influences students’ technology-enhanced language learning experience through a multivariate relationship is critical to developing multidimensional approaches to understand students’ online learning beyond the classroom. This study surveyed 330 undergraduate students of college English course in a comprehensive research university in Eastern China concerning online presence, learning aspiration, perceived authenticity and learning engagement which are associated with their technology-enhanced language learning experience. Structural equation modeling analyses of the survey responses indicated the significant association between online presence, learning aspiration, perceived authenticity and learning engagement. Specifically, research results supported the major hypothesis of online presence’s influence on learning aspiration and learning engagement, and this effect was found to be mediated by perceived authenticity and learning engagement. In addition, this study found that perceived authenticity significantly influenced learning engagement, and that learning engagement significantly influenced learning aspiration as well. This research extended our understanding of the main effects of online presence and would help inform teacher educators and network administrators for curriculum and technological development purposes.

Aiming to promote equity in computing, this study proposes an educational model that offers an alternative approach to inspire K-12 students to become interested in CS and develop their computational thinking (CT) skills. It also examines the experience of marginalized students during the COVID pandemic in a learning environment grounded in the model. Adopting a mixed methods case study, this work focused on the experience of 82 girls enrolled in a free after school program. The results show that access to the opportunities is critical to promote equity. The experience allows the underrepresented population, i.e. the girls, to gain deepened understanding of not only CT/CS, but also other topics like work ethics, digital citizenship, and how to work with peers to achieve goals. The girls have also broadened their views of computing related fields by working on meaningful projects that demonstrated the value of abstract concepts of coding and programming. A combination of human facilitators and well-constructed tutorials has the potential of improving girls’ self-study skills and preparing them to become more independent learners.

The benefits of peer evaluation of teaching effectiveness and quality in higher education are well documented. While instruments exist for the review and evaluation of entire online courses, there is no standardized single-lesson, peer evaluation instrument available for online instruction. This pilot study focused on the validation of a peer observation and evaluation tool for use with single lessons in both synchronous and asynchronous online courses in an inter-professional school of health professions. The researchers modified a psychometrically validated instrument developed for in-person peer observation by adding items from a renowned online course rubric to create a peer observation tool, entitled the Peer Observation and Evaluation Tool-Online (POET-O). The resulting instrument demonstrated adequate construct validity and reliability by using the many-facet Rasch measurement (MFRM) technique. MFRM results also indicated potential places to revise and improve the instrument. Recommendations for implementing the peer evaluation process of teaching are provided.

To date, neuroanatomy education courses are still based on two-dimensional (2D) illustrations combined with cadaver dissections. To gain a more comprehensive understanding of neuroanatomy, we offered mixed reality experience using a head-mounted device (HMD) for medical students during their neuroanatomy course. This pilot study´s purpose was to determine whether or not, from a pragmatic view, the utilization of 3D VR/AR via HMD is viable in neuroanatomy courses and aimed to evaluate the feasibility of using mixed reality in neuroanatomy education and experiences with the mixed reality brain environment. A virtual model including major neuroanatomical structures was generated from a MRI dataset using computer software. Major structures were displayed and annotated in different combinations and scenes using an HMD. Along with the 3D virtual model, the original MRI was presented in a virtual form inside the HMD. Conventional 2D anatomical atlases were also used during the seminar. Thirty medical students (11 male; 19 female; average: 23.2 years) in their second year were recruited from October 2022 to February 2023 for this study via open invitation during neuroanatomy lectures. Participants were asked to wear the HMDs and to take a 2 h neurosurgery-oriented mixed reality seminar given by a neurosurgical teacher in small groups (3 per group). A questionnaire comprising five levels of options was designed and used to evaluate the feasibility/effectiveness of this seminar. The mixed reality environment, comprising virtual 3D models of major brain structures, virtual MRI, and conventional 2D anatomical graphs, was uncomplicated and feasible for neuroanatomy education of the medical students. According to our survey, all participants (30/30) strongly agreed that the 3D visualization of the spatial relationships between anatomical structures was easy to use as a meaningful supplement. Twenty-one of the participants strongly agreed and nine quite agreed that they had more interest in neuroanatomy. Eighty-seven percent of the participants were strongly satisfied with the mixed reality seminar versus conventional neuroanatomy seminars, and the other 13% were quite satisfied with the mixed reality approach. Most of the participants (20/30) strongly agreed that mixed reality helped them memorize the anatomical structures, and 9/30 participants quite agreed. Seventy-four percent of the participants agreed that immersive mixed reality is better than 3D models presented in 2D devices. Over half of the participants could wear the HMD for over 60 min (65%) without any ophthalmic discomfort, and the HMD was reported to be well tolerable (57%). Nearly three-fourths of the participants found that handling the device was extremely simple, and the other part indicated that it was quite simple. No health issues or discomfort on the forehead occurred. As a consequence, the seminar has been officially classified as an elective neuroanatomy course for second-year medical students. The use of mixed reality with HMDs to illustrate 3D brain models relevant for the neuroanatomy cadaver dissection education and described in our study was positively perceived by the medical students and demonstrated the viability of 3D AR/VR via HMD in neuroanatomy education. Future research lines are warranted to determine the usefulness of mixed reality technologies to effectively support medical students education of the complex three-dimensional brain anatomy.

Rapid developments in artificial intelligence (AI) require dynamic adaptation in education to integrate new technologies timely and sustainably. In particular, the rise of generative AI requires leadership to implement it in a meaningful way for teaching and learning. School leaders have a special role to play in driving digital transformation. Based on a sample of German school leaders, this article explores how school leadership approaches and a digital mindset influence the implementation of AI in schools. Our findings provide initial and preliminary evidence that school leaders’ digital mindsets, particularly proactive agility and empathy, understood as perspective taking, influence the implementation of AI in schools. Furthermore, the findings highlight the effectiveness of ambidextrous leadership in driving AI implementation. As a consequence, our study paves the way for future explorations of the evolving landscape of AI in education and highlights the need for adaptive, empathetic, and proactive leadership in the digital age.

An increasing number of studies has observed that immersive virtual reality (iVR) technology using head-mounted displays (HMDs) can facilitate learning outcomes. However, most studies have been exploratory and were executed in laboratory settings instead of being implemented and orchestrated in authentic teaching settings. Furthermore, iVR design approaches based on learning theories in which learning objectives are in line with relevant curricula are still scarce. Thus, we conducted a study to provide insights from a perspective of instruction in authentic settings. We present the design of an iVR learning application that was aligned with curricula and that includes specific design features to foster relevant learning objectives. Orchestrated with additional learning material and learning activities, the iVR learning application was implemented and evaluated in an authentic teaching setting in the field of electrical engineering at a German vocational school. In order to investigate the effects of a lesson orchestrated around the iVR application, we conducted a study (n = 29) in a pre-post between-subject design in which we compared learning orchestrated around an iVR experience (iVR group n = 14) with learning in a more traditional setting consisting of a typical group task (control group n = 15). Participants were randomly assigned to one of the two groups; in both conditions, the same content was addressed. We compared group differences regarding four dependent variables: motivation, factual knowledge, comprehension and transfer. In both groups, we observed an increase in knowledge and comprehension. The gain in the iVR group was significantly stronger compared to the control group, but we observed no differences in motivation and transfer. We discuss our findings from a perspective of instruction in authentic settings, along with implications for instructional iVR technology design. Despite the high organizational effort still required to embed iVR technology into a classroom setting, we stress that instructional settings that entail complex cognitive and motor tasks can benefit in particular from agency as one of the main affordances provided by iVR technology. More research should be conducted in these settings, and additional research should focus on which design features make these iVR experiences effective, and how it can be assured that transfer of knowledge is also increased.

Parental involvement is essential to children’s learning engagement activities and academic performance. Much research revolves around the impact of parental involvement on students’ academic performance or the relationship between student engagement and grades. However, few studies have used process data to examine the relationship between parental involvement, student learning engagement, and grades. This study classified students into three groups using hierarchical clustering (Inactive Engagers, Selective Engagers, and Proactive Engagers) based on four online engagement behaviors. Each behavioral feature, parental school satisfaction, parental answering of surveys, and student grade levels were different across clusters. Different influencing factors were found for each cluster, the student absent days feature was the most critical factor influencing student grades. Artificial neural networks (ANN) outperformed other classifiers in the inactive engagers group. For the selective engagers group, the performance of decision trees (DT) and ANN were similar, and both were better than naïve Bayes (NB). For the proactive engagers group, the DT model achieved the best precision and ANN achieved the best F1-Measure. These results provide insight into the effects of parental involvement on both student online engagement behaviors and academic performance and will enable parents and teachers to develop strategies to support students’ academic success.

The potential of classroom videos to enhance reflective practices in pre-service teacher education is hindered by the sheer volume of captured activities. An AI-powered teacher dashboard could address this challenge by analyzing and visualizing information extracted from these videos, supporting reflection in video-based professional learning contexts. To explore how this dashboard affects the depth of cognitive and critical reflection among pre-service teachers, we conducted a quasi-experimental study with 48 pre-service teachers from a university in eastern China. All pre-service teachers in each group watched the same classroom videos and discussed lesson plan improvements using the QQ chat tool. In the implementation condition, 24 pre-service teachers used the AI-powered teacher dashboard, while the contrast condition (n = 24) did not. Analysis of collaborative discourse, alongside descriptive and epistemic network analysis, revealed that the AI-powered teacher dashboard improved the quality of their reflection. These findings offer theoretical and practical insights for future research and practice in AI-powered video-based reflection approaches in teacher education and professional development.

This study investigates how instructional designers perceive their professional futures and what factors shape their priorities at different career stages. Through the best possible self exercise, we analyzed the professional outlook of 197 instructional design graduate students from a Midwest university, identifying eight main themes: professional growth, skill enhancement, design practice, work dynamics, emotional resilience, ethical foundation, life integration, and self-evaluation. Using a mixed-methods approach combining in-depth qualitative analysis and epistemic network analysis, we explored both the content and interconnections of these themes. The results show that while continuous learning and adaptability are universally valued, experienced designers prioritize emotional resilience and navigating work environments, whereas novices focus on honing practical skills and ethical principles. Our findings reveal complex relationships between workplace dynamics, skill development, and career growth, suggesting that instructional designers view their professional environment as crucial to their development. These insights demonstrate the importance of offering support and development opportunities tailored to instructional designers at varying career stages. Additionally, the study emphasizes the need to cultivate emotional and empathetic competencies alongside technical skills. While providing valuable insights into instructional designers’ professional aspirations, the study’s limitation to a single institution suggests the need for broader, cross-institutional research to enhance generalizability.

Recent years have seen an increase in the use of immersive virtual reality (IVR) technology in education and training. Studies examining the efficacy of IVR-based interventions have shown improved performance compared to traditional training programmes; however, little is known about whether such improvements can be detected at the level of individual cognitive abilities. The present study sought to examine the effect of IVR on memory using an incidental learning paradigm. Undergraduate volunteers viewed a three-minute 360° video clip under immersive and non-immersive conditions—respectively, using a Head Mounted Display (HMD) or a 2D flat screen monitor—followed by a surprise recall task. Although both devices supported active exploration of the scene in 360°, recall was significantly improved for learners in the immersive condition. These findings suggest that IVR has a facilitative effect on cognition, and that learners may naturally engage with IVR-delivered content without any special instruction or preparation.

This quasi-experimental study examined the influences of an Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) adoption in the classroom and compared learning achievement, motivation, and perception between two versions of the learning approaches (IVR-based STREAM learning and Desktop Virtual Reality (DVR)-based STREAM learning). Twenty middle school students in the experimental group used a Head-Mounted Display, while twenty students in the comparison group used a DVR display to learn about tourism sites. The following data sources were used: (a) a multiple-choice questions pre-test and post-test measuring learning achievement (b) a validated questionnaire comprised of five-point Likert scale items measuring motivation and perceptions towards the utilization of IVR-based STREAM and DVR-based STREAM instructional approaches. The analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and the independent samples t-test were used to examine the data. The results showed that the experimental group had significantly higher leaning achievement and motivation to learn. While the difference in the students’ perception test scores between the two groups in this study was not statistically significant, the comparison group's mean was lower than that of the experimental group. Our findings support the use of IVR-based STREAM instructional approach in students’ learning performances. It also explains how to integrate and adopt an IVR-based STREAM instructional approach in the classroom.

Although the metaverse is a trending topic in several fields, it is not a new concept within the field of education. In this study, we followed the PRISMA framework and identified 37 articles since 2008 that researched the metaverse in education. We critically reviewed these articles, aiming to examine the evolution of the field’s conceptual understanding of the metaverse in education, identify its applications and effects, as well as synthesize the technical solutions and adoption challenges for implementing metaverse systems in schools. We found that the early empirical implementation of metaverse concepts in education mainly emphasized the characteristics of 3D virtual environments and avatars using the Second Life and OpenSim platforms. These traditional applications were found to be effective in supporting various teaching methods and enhancing students’ learning experiences and outcomes. In recent studies, more advanced technologies that pursue the fusion of physical and virtual environments (e.g. AI techniques, VR/AR devices, cloud platforms, wearable devices) have been incorporated into metaverse systems. However, the extent to which physical and virtual environments were fused in metaverse applications in education needs to be further clarified. We suggest that the conceptual clarity of the metaverse in education will keep evolving along with the technology development, and teacher preparedness for this new technical revolution needs more attention.

This study explores the digital self-regulatory practices of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) pre-service teachers via mobile applications in the post-pandemic era. The research is motivated by the need to address the absence of literature on the self-regulatory learning behaviours of EFL pre-service teachers in the aftermath of the pandemic-induced shift to online learning. The study participants were Polish and Turkish EFL students aged between 19 and 23, enrolled at state universities in Poland and Turkey. A validated online survey tool was developed and utilised for data collection based on the piloting phase of the study. The survey employed a combination of multiple-choice and 5-point Likert scale questions to examine participants’ interaction with different types of self-regulated applications after the pandemic. The findings revealed that Duolingo was the most widely used application. This underscored the importance of listening as the most frequently used language skill. The study also revealed a shift in learning patterns among participants following the pandemic as evidenced by the technologies available. Overall, the main findings of this study may serve as significant impetus for further research on pandemic-related changes in digital self-regulated learning practices among EFL learners globally. The results of the study might find broad implications for example for development of a new generation of MOOCs responding various needs of learners as well as incorporating elements of self-regulation into the traditional EFL class to increase its efficiency.

As COVID-19 has become a normalized seasonal infectious disease that may break out any time, online learning has also become an important and normalized learning mode during the post-epidemic period. Promoting students’ online learning engagements is the premise to ensure online learning effectiveness. Self-determination theory (SDT) can offer new insights on how to stimulate and maintain students’ online learning engagements. This study aimed to explore SDT’s contribution to students’ online learning engagements by examining the relationship among teacher support dimensions, students’ basic psychological needs, and online learning engagements. A theoretical model was established on the basis of existing research. The model was then tested with 1073 K–12 students who participated in online learning at home in western China during the COVID-19 outbreak in 2022 as sample data. Results found that (1) teacher autonomy support and involvement significantly predicted students’ perceived autonomy, competence, and relatedness need satisfaction, whereas teacher structure significantly and negatively influenced students’ perceptions of the three basic psychological needs satisfaction; (2) Students’ perceived autonomy and competence need satisfaction significantly and positively influenced their online learning cognitive and behavioral engagements but had no significant positive influence on their online learning emotional engagement; (3) Students’ perceived relatedness need satisfaction significantly and positively influenced their online learning behavioral and emotional engagements but significantly and negatively influenced their online learning cognitive engagement. On the basis of the above findings, we put forward some future research directions and implications that can help improve the understanding of SDT’s contribution to students’ online learning engagements.

Dialectical thinking is a way of discussing and analyzing things from different viewpoints to reach a solution. It is often taught in language courses by conducting argumentation activities. However, without providing effective strategies or tools, learners generally encounter difficulties in structuring their viewpoints during the argumentation process. To solve this problem, this study proposed dialectical constructivist scaffolding-based argumentation mapping (DCS-AM), which integrates a structured, four-stage process to support students’ dialectical thinking and oral and dialogical argumentation complexity. The argumentation map refers to a visualized tool that enables learners to structure their viewpoints for making arguments. A quasi-experiment was conducted in an English as a Foreign Language course. A total of 26 students were in the DCS-AM group, while 22 students were in the conventional constructivist scaffolding-based argumentation mapping (CS-AM) group, which adopted a more conventional format, emphasizing direct discussion and teacher-led knowledge transmission. The experimental results found that students in the DCS-AM group exhibited significantly better dialectical thinking than those in the CS-AM group. Also, an epistemic network analysis (ENA) of oral and dialogical argumentation revealed that students in the DCS-AM group frequently developed more complex argumentation than those in the CS-AM group in terms of the structural component and discourse activity, including the process of students’ dialectical thinking that was found in both groups. This finding shows that technology-supported dialectical constructivist scaffolding can help students improve their dialectical thinking and argumentation skills.

The purpose of this study was to examine the systemic factors that impact instructional designers’ practices in higher education. The primary research goal was to examine the relationships and tensions that exist between administration, instructional designers, faculty, and resources. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 instructional designers to gain an understanding of their responsibilities, working in higher education. Interview questions focused on identifying systemic factors influencing their ability to complete their instructional design responsibilities. Activity theory served as the theoretical lens to explore the systemic relationships impacting instructional designers’ practices in higher education. The results of this study produced eight themes according to three metathemes: (1) relationships between instructional designers and faculty, (2) support from upper administration, and (3) technological infrastructure. The findings revealed inner contradictions pertaining to role clarity and expectations among faculty and instructional designers, lack of incentives to support faculty engaged in collaborative projects with instructional designers, and organizational barriers imposing strain on the allocation of technological resources. Other recommendations are provided for how to support instructional designers’ practice in higher education.