ETR&D
1 day 15 hours ago
The recent emergence of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) agents has brought significant potential and challenges in education. In science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) education, it is especially vital to cultivate students’ GenAI literacy and critical thinking skills. These competencies enable students to effectively apply artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in their STEAM learning. The present study proposed a GenAI agent-based STEAM learning approach and adopted the information world mapping (IWM) method to explore how a GenAI agent enhanced the engagement of 12 middle school students in a STEAM course, and their perceptions of GenAI agent-supported STEAM learning. These students fully participated in a 16-week course titled “Creative Design in STEAM Education.” Participants were asked to illustrate significant individuals, items, locations, and their interconnections to delve into their perceptions of and feedback on GenAI agent-supported STEAM learning. The results showed that while middle school students’ GenAI literacy improved, it did not reach a statistically significant level. In contrast, there was a significant enhancement in their critical thinking tendencies. Regarding students’ perceptions of GenAI agent-supported STEAM learning, the majority acknowledged that the GenAI agent played the roles of information provider and interaction facilitator in STEAM learning activities, particularly excelling in information retrieval and learning interactions. Moreover, the GenAI agent had positive influences on students in various aspects, including learning support, task completion, tool functionality, user experience, usage confidence and attitudes, as well as perceived warmth. Overall, the GenAI agent-based STEAM learning approach effectively enhanced middle school students’ technical skills and problem-solving abilities while also strengthening their teamwork, ethical awareness, and reflective capabilities, thereby demonstrating its potential for future applications in education.
4 days 15 hours ago
Metacognitive skills are key transversal skills, strongly linked to academic achievement and essential for effective lifelong learning. They are widely recognized to underpin many of the core competencies required for effective social and professional participation, including core competencies such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and self-awareness, highlighted by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as key to Education for Sustainable Development. Digital learning technologies and virtual learning environments increasingly form a core strategic dimension of teaching and learning within Higher Education, however effectively harnessing them to enhance student learning remains challenging. This paper presents the Metacognition Design Framework, an evidence-based learning design that scaffolds the development of metacognitive skills in students through blended learning. It draws on the tools available within the virtual learning environment to provide a unique, and potentially powerful, opportunity to extend ‘metacognitive influence’ on student activity and learning outside standard class times with realistic levels of staff input. The design provides clarity for planning accessible learning interventions, their linkage with appropriate technology, and for guiding how face-to-face and online, or fully online, components interrelate. It also delivers an effective conduit to convey information in a practical format that readily permits adaptation to local contexts. Overall, it offers a practical way to re-frame educators as designers, increasing educator design capacity and the effective deployment of technology to enhance learning, at the same time targeting a learning outcome with high potential impact.
6 days 15 hours ago
To address the rising cybersecurity threats associated with educational technology in K-12 schools and the gap in cybersecurity education, we designed and implemented a multimedia-based Educational Technology (Edtech) Cybersecurity and Privacy Awareness-Ask-Action (AAA) professional development (PD) for school administrators, technology support staff, and teachers. This study sought to identify the PD’s effectiveness, specifically focusing on the participants’ knowledge increments and the perceptions of their experience. Fifty K-12 school personnel with diverse demographic, technology and contextual backgrounds (district types and school levels) participated. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests indicated a significant increase in participants’ knowledge between pre- and post-test. Inductive coding identified emerging themes from post PD survey and follow-up interviews, highlighting participants’ perceived benefits, challenges encountered and future needs. Participants expressed an overall positive attitude, appreciating the increased cybersecurity awareness and enhanced ability to recognize and act against potential cyber threats to protect students and schools. However, challenges such as technical complexity and resource constraints were noted. Participants suggested future cybersecurity professional development could include more contextual guidance, AI-related cybersecurity topics, and provide up-to-date resources.
2 weeks ago
This study compares engineering college students’ learning motivation between AI-featured and traditional scaffolding methods using a mixed-methods approach. Two different types of class activities, one involving solving a computational problem and the other assembling an essay, were designed to be carried out using both AI-featured and conventional methods. All activities were designed using the Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction (ARCS) model and results were analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative means. Findings show that participants’ motivation was significantly higher in all Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction categories when they used AI-featured methods for solving computational problems while their motivation was significantly higher when they used AI-featured methods only in Attention and Confidence for the essay activity. Qualitative findings describe how AI features motivated learners based on the different types of scaffoldings. Additionally, how the AI features are related to each ARCS model categories are summarized. The results suggest strategies for optimizing the design of AI-featured scaffolds to motivate learners in STEM fields grounded in the ARCS model. This involves linking learners’ goals and interests to real scientific applications of AI by expanding ‘Relevance’ and adjusting learning requirements to strengthen ‘Confidence’ and ‘Satisfaction’.
2 weeks ago
This research investigates the design, development and implementation of Multiple Learning Analytics Dashboards (MLADs) with the goal of enhancing data-driven decision-making among teachers in primary education. The study presents a Design-Based Research (DBR) approach to ensure the iterative development and refinement of MLADs through collaboration with educational professionals. The research involved four key steps in the presented DBR approach: 1) identifying the requirements through stakeholder interviews; 2) generating design ideas through brainstorming sessions and prototyping; 3) collaboratively designing and developing MLADs and conducting usability testing to gather feedback; and 4) implementing the MLADs in real-world educational settings. This paper outlines the research methodology, the participants involved, and the progress made toward developing these Learning Analytics Dashboards (LADs). The outcomes highlight the creation of tailored MLADs for teachers across multiple municipalities, as well as the lessons learned from real-world implementation. Additionally, we analyze user feedback from teachers regarding the dashboard’s clarity, navigation, functionality, and design, providing a comprehensive view of the dashboard’s usability and areas for future enhancement.
2 weeks 1 day ago
Background
Briefly describe the educational challenge, the relevance of AI and AR, and why improving practical skills learning is important.
Purpose/Objective
State the primary aim of the study (to investigate the impact of AI and AR on practical skills learning) and any secondary aims (motivation, engagement, retention).
Methods
Include study design (mixed-methods, quasi-experimental), participants, sampling, instruments (questionnaires, observations, interviews), intervention (AI + AR), and analysis methods.
Results
Summarize the key findings: significantly higher post-test scores in the AI/AR group, improved motivation, engagement, satisfaction, and stronger 3-month retention relative to controls.
Conclusion
Provide a concise interpretation that AI and AR effectively enhance practical skill acquisition and have important implications for education and training.
3 weeks 5 days ago
4 weeks ago
The present study investigated the interplay of cognitive cues and social cues in instructional videos on students’ knowledge acquisition and sense of social presence. 312 preservice teachers took part in the study. Out of these, 238 participants were randomly assigned to one of three experimental groups receiving an asynchronous online video lecture on three research methods topics, featuring either static slides with voiceover (minimal signaling), dynamic slides with voiceover (moderate signaling), or dynamic slides with additional instructor signaling (maximum signaling). 74 participants served as a control group and completed pre- and posttests without attending the course. Perceived difficulty, invested effort, motivation, and notetaking were included as covariates. Dynamic slides did not improve knowledge acquisition compared to static slides. However, instructor signaling enhanced knowledge acquisition when perceived difficulty was high. Furthermore, instructor signaling significantly increased perceptions of social presence for two of the three investigated topics, highlighting the importance of social cues.
1 month ago
Spirituality and art have been recognized by educators as crucial factors affecting students’ learning outcomes. By taking these two factors into account, this study proposed the project-based STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) approach to improving students’ learning achievement, 21st-century competencies, computational thinking, and project outcomes in a science course in response to several challenges encountered by conventional STEM education in addressing global issues. A quasi-experimental design was employed, involving 79 participants distributed across three groups: a project-based STEM approach, a project-based STEAM approach, and a project-based STREAM approach. The experimental results showed that students who learned with the STREAM and STEAM approaches performed significantly better on learning achievement, complex problem-solving, creativity, and project quality than those who learned with the STEM approach. Students who learned with the STREAM approach had higher meta-cognition and communication than those who learned with the STEAM and STEM approaches. However, there was no significant difference between students who learned with the STREAM, STEAM, and STEM approaches in the collaboration aspect. Students who learned with the STREAM and STEM approaches had significantly better computational thinking than those who learned with the STEAM approach. Additionally, the integration of the religious aspect cultivated a heightened sense of care for their peers and the environment, as well as respect for differing opinions. The findings could be a valuable reference and provide recommendations for teachers, instructors, and researchers to develop the STREAM curriculum.
1 month ago
With the advancement of technology and the internet, individuals offload their cognitive demands onto the internet to access information and supplement their cognitive capacity. However, heavy reliance on the internet often produces undesirable consequences such as poor metacognitive judgments and memory retention. This study investigated whether these negative effects can be mitigated by making learners more cognitively mindful of their search activities. A total of 104 undergraduate students were randomly assigned to two conditions. In the thinking-before-googling condition, participants had to first generate or guess answers to three brainstorming questions about modern pentathlon, a topic unfamiliar to most college students, before searching to find answers to 15 more specific problems on it. In the googling-only condition, participants were instead shown a keyword slide and immediately started searching the internet for the same 15 problems. The thinking-before-googling group demonstrated significantly higher pre-search curiosity and recall performance compared to the googling-only group. However, no significant group differences emerged in cognitive self-esteem and the estimation of performance and study time. Both groups expressed significantly higher interest in the topic after the search compared to before. Curiosity is discussed as the potential psychological mechanism underlying the benefits of the thinking-before-googling group.
1 month 1 week ago
Artificial intelligence (AI) has ushered in an era where Computational Thinking (CT) emerges as a crucial skill. This interconnected, data-driven landscape necessitates deeper CT skills, enabling students to effectively navigate both the opportunities and challenges presented by AI. The flipped classroom model has gained widespread acceptance in CT education owing to its adaptability, interactivity, and personalization. However conventional implementations of the flipped classroom model still face significant limitations such as insufficient student autonomy in learning processes and a need for enhanced quality of classroom interactions. Addressing these, our study introduces a synergy of flipped classrooms with AI, termed the Flipped Classroom with AI Learning Companion teaching model (FC-AIC). This model aims to enhance high school students CT, self-efficacy, and motivational levels compared to traditional flipped classrooms (FC). Our quasi-experimental research involved 60 first-year high school students from central China, divided into control (FC) and experimental (FCAIC) groups over eight weeks. Students completed a questionnaire to self-appraise their CT, self-efficacy, and motivation at pre-intervention and post-intervention stages. Results indicate that FC-AIC significantly boosts student self-perceptions of their own CT skills, specifically in problem-solving and creativity, and improves perceived self-efficacy and intrinsic motivation without notably impacting perceived extrinsic motivation. This investigation highlights how integrating flipped classrooms with AI technologies can synergistically enhance educational paradigms offering new insights about practical innovations for intelligent educational frameworks.
1 month 2 weeks ago
The current study examined the effects of using a commercially available computer program on the early literacy skills of preschool children and the relationship between fidelity and improvement in literacy skills. Parents and their preschool children were recruited to voluntarily participate in an educational app study. Forty-two preschool children were randomly assigned to an intervention group, which used OgStar Early Reader, or a control group, which used IXL Math. The recommendation was to use the program for 15–20 min per day for five days a week over eight weeks in the summer prior to kindergarten. Three Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) measures were used to assess literacy skills: Letter Naming Fluency (LNF), Phoneme Segmentation Fluency (PSF), and Nonsense Word Fluency (NWF). A total of 33 children completed posttests. The intervention group scored statistically significantly higher on LNF posttests (g = 0.41, p = .025) and NWF- correct letter sounds posttests (g = 0.52, p = .009) over the control group. No statistically significant differences were found between the groups for PSF (g = 0.19, p = .458) or NWF- words recoded correctly (g = 0.61, p = .057). Overall, children completed between seven and 131 lesson segments during the study, suggesting fidelity to the planned intervention varied across participants. The number of lessons completed was moderately related to participant gains on LNF and NWF (r = 0.31–0.38). These findings provide some initial support that the use of the early reader app may improve alphabetic knowledge for preschool children.
1 month 3 weeks ago
The study investigates the latent profiles of learners based on motivated self-directed learning (MSDL) and collaborative learning (CL) within an e-learning environment, focusing on how peer-to-peer confirmation is linked to learners' engagement and learning outcomes. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory, and drawing on empirical insights from recent benchmark studies, the research identifies two distinct learner profiles: one with low MSDL and CL engagement and the other with high engagement in self-directed and collaborative learning, including ICT-based activities. Logistic regression analysis reveals that peer-to-peer confirmation, particularly individual attention, predicts class membership, though the overall explanatory power is limited. Additionally, moderation analysis demonstrates that while peer assistance can support engagement, excessive support may diminish the benefits of self-directed learning on subjective achievement. The findings underline the importance of adapting social support strategies to different learner profiles, highlighting the motivational function of peer confirmation in fostering autonomy, relatedness, and competence. This study provides insights on how to optimise e-learning environments by balancing external support and learner agency, and offers practical recommendations for digital pedagogy design.
1 month 3 weeks ago
As a part of the Erasmus + funded project Super Cyber Kids, we have devised a skills framework to enhance the protection of children aged between 8 and 13 years in their Internet and online activities. The framework was developed through a systematic literature review, followed by a two-round Delphi study for validation. During this process, we identified N = 40 relevant studies and obtained validation from up to N = 18 professionals in cybersecurity, education, and cybersecurity education during the Delphi study. The resulting framework is presented as a matrix and offers a comprehensive set of skills aligned with the NIST (National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education) cybersecurity framework, specifically tailored to promote cybersecurity awareness among children in this age group.
1 month 3 weeks ago
Virtual scientific inquiry (VSI) environments are critical information technologies for improving the quality of education. However, the issue of students’ cognitive-affective profiles has received little attention, making it difficult to promote both cognitive achievements and positive affective factors. Based on the log-files and self-report data from 569 students, our study proposes a solution that integrates both theoretical underpinnings (including Cognitive Constructivism, Self-efficacy Theory, Flow Theory, Gender Schema Theory, and Control of Variable Strategy) and AI algorithms-driven analyses (i.e., unsupervised machine learning, pattern mining, and statistical analyses) to address this issue. Specifically, our study identifies two profiles: 350 thriving students and 219 struggling students, through the analysis of inquiry achievements, self-efficacy, and flow experience. Moreover, we found no significant gender difference between the two cognitive-affective profiles. Finally, we found that while thriving and struggling students shared similar foundational characteristics, thriving students exhibited more strategic behavioral frequencies and patterns. These findings can advance understanding of theoretical underpinnings and guide targeted support for students in VSI.
1 month 4 weeks ago
Due to the popularity of video lectures, an increasing number of older adults are engaging with this form of learning. Furthermore, co-viewing has become a common type of social interaction. Despite the popularity of video lectures among older adults, there is limited understanding of how to effectively support their learning through this medium. The present study tested the interaction effects of co-viewer similarity (young vs. older co-viewer) and the type of learning content (declarative vs. procedural knowledge) in video lectures on older adults’ learning performance, motivation, cognitive load, and PFC activation as measured by fNIRS. Our results found that older adults showed better learning performance, greater motivation, and reduced cognitive load when co-viewing with an older viewer compared to a young one, regardless of the type of learning content. Interestingly, for declarative knowledge (i.e., Traditional Chinese Medicine, older adults exhibited greater activation in the FEFs, S1, and SMC regions when co-viewing with an older viewer compared with a young viewer. For procedural knowledge (i.e., digital technology), they exhibited less activation in the dlPFC and SMC regions when co-viewing with an older viewer compared with a young viewer. Our findings suggest that educators should consider the age of co-viewers when designing video lectures for older adults, irrespective of the type of knowledge being taught.
1 month 4 weeks ago
Studies on learner–learner and learner–instructor interaction provide insight into the preferences and perceived effects of interaction types. However, evidence of the impact on measured performance resulting from substituting learner–content interaction for learner–learner interaction is sparse. Using an experimental design, this study examined the impact of substituting interaction types on perception of workload, perception of learning, and measured performance in an online, asynchronous, undergraduate-level setting of formal distance education. The results of this study showed (a) learner–learner interactions were perceived to be significantly more work than learner–content interactions, (b) learner–content interactions were perceived to be significantly more helpful in learning the material, (c) there was no significant difference in measured performance between the two interaction types, (d) interaction type did not significantly moderate the relationship between perception of workload and measured performance, and (e) interaction type did significantly moderate the relationship between perception of learning and measured performance. Implications and recommendations are also provided to inform future researchers and practitioners.
2 months ago
When students use critical thinking (CT) skills to identify, place, and link nodes to construct a concept map, what are the effects of constructing concept maps on students’ CT abilities? To what extent do prior studies control what mapping processes and CT skills are demonstrated to students and examine what CT skills students use while constructing concept maps? This review examines the effectiveness of concept mapping compared to traditional teaching methods for enhancing CT abilities. It includes 17 studies involving 1363 students that measured CT skills (e.g., analysis, evaluation, inference, induction, and deduction) using standardized tests in experimental and control groups. Our analysis revealed that the findings on the effects of concept mapping on CT skills are mixed. The studies implemented research designs and CT measures that lacked consistency. They reported minimal information on which CT skills were demonstrated to students, which CT skills students used to construct their maps, and how specific skills impacted the quality of students’ concept maps. This information is necessary to establish consistency and fidelity in implementing concept maps as an instructional method, identify possible variables contributing to the mixed findings, and enhance the effectiveness of concept mapping. Accordingly, this review aims to identify specific methodological gaps that may account for these inconsistencies and guide the refinement of future research design.
2 months ago
This phenomenographic study explores how six leading academic experts in the design and instructional design field experience creativity in instructional design, specifically, how they perceive, define, and use creativity in instructional design. Phenomenography describes the diverse ways these experts experience, conceptualize, and integrate creativity into ID, highlighting the complex nature of creativity within the field. The findings reveal a range of interpretations and applications of creativity, emphasizing the challenge of defining and incorporating creativity explicitly in ID education. Despite recognizing creativity as a critical skill for the twenty-first century, there is still a lack of explicit inclusion in the instructional design curricula. This study contributes to understanding how creativity is perceived in instructional design by presenting four distinct categories of description. By describing these experts' perspectives on the role of creativity in their work, this study contributes to the ongoing discourse on the significance of creativity in instructional design. It highlights the need to reevaluate how creativity is fostered within instructional design programs and advocates for a more integrated and explicit approach to fostering creativity within the classroom to prepare future instructional designers for the complexities of the twenty-first-century learning environment.
2 months ago
Predicting the level of student learning engagement in online learning is crucial for student success, especially for asynchronous courses. While digital traces can track students’ activity on the platform and help to measure the engagement level, they could provide contradictory results, so it is crucial to incorporate complementary methods which can triangulate the findings obtained from digital traces. This study aimed to develop and validate a model to determine the level of learning engagement in adult learners on an asynchronous online platform using a mixed-method approach. Data from digital traces, surveys, and interviews were combined. The study involved 2234 students and employed Extreme Gradient Boosting and Logistic Regression with L2 regularisation models to predict the level of engagement. The Extreme Gradient Boosting model more accurately predicted students in the low engagement group, providing crucial support for potentially vulnerable students. The number of finished homework assignments and attempts were found to increase the probability of high engagement. The diversity of activities, such as access to text materials, played a pivotal role in sustaining engagement. Interviews corroborated these results, suggesting the model effectively reflects engagement levels. The article discusses implications for constructing similar models in future research.