How can primary school students learn self-regulated learning strategies most effectively?: A meta-analysis on self-regulation training programmes

Recently, research has increasingly focused on fostering self-regulated learning amongst young children. To consider this trend, this article presents the results of a differentiated meta-analysis of 48 treatment comparisons resulting from 30 articles on enhancing self-regulated learning amongst primary school students. Based on recent models of self-regulated learning, which consider motivational, as well as cognitive, and metacognitive aspects [Boekaerts, M. (1999). Self-regulated learning: Where we are today. International Journal of Educational research, 31(6), 445-457], the effects of self-regulated learning on academic achievement, on cognitive and metacognitive strategy application, as well as on motivation were analyzed. As the results show, self-regulated learning training programmes proved to be effective, even at primary school level. Subsequent analysis tested for the effects of several moderator variables, which consisted of study features and training characteristics. Regarding factors that concern the content of the treatment, the impact of the theoretical background that underlies the intervention was tested, as well as the type of cognitive, metacognitive, or motivational strategy which were instructed, and if group work was used as instruction method. Training context related factors, which were included in the analyses consisted of students’ grade level, the length of the training, if teachers or researchers directed the intervention, as well as the school subject in which context the training took place. Following the results of these analyses, a list with the most effective training characteristics was provided.     

The effects of robot-assisted language learning: A meta-analysis

Given the importance of learner–interlocutor interactions, social robots have received considerable attention in the field of language learning, as this technology can physically accompany learners, is equipped with common social behaviors, and can effectively communicate with learners for language acquisition. In line with the continuous efforts to examine the effects of using social robots in language learning, this study is a meta-analysis aiming to integrate the findings of previous experimental studies on robot-assisted language learning (RALL), focusing on language learning achievement. To this end, we selected 12 independent samples (N = 522) from the initial pool of 16 empirical studies—including 23 independent samples (N = 1147)—and computed effect sizes along with their standard errors. The results indicated that RALL had a medium-sized average effect (d = 0.59, SE = 0.09, 95% CI: 0.41–0.76) compared to non-RALL conditions, such as traditional learning conditions without technology (e.g., teacher-only) or other technology-mediated conditions (e.g., virtual agents and tablet PCs). We further identified several moderator variables (i.e., age group, target language, language domain, robots’ role, interaction type, type of non-RALL condition), and provided an in-depth discussion on how these variables were related to the effectiveness of using robots for language learning.     

The impact of Covid-19 on student achievement: Evidence from a recent meta-analysis

This work attempts to synthetize existing research about the impact of Covid-19 school closure on student achievement. It extends previous systematic reviews and meta-analyses by (a) using a more balanced sample in terms of country composition, (b) considering new moderators (type of data and research design), and (c) including studies on tertiary education students in addition to primary and secondary education students. Our meta-analysis findings show that the pandemic had, on average, a detrimental effect on learning. The magnitude of this learning deficit (about 0.19 standard deviations of student achievement) appears to be roughly comparable to that suffered by students who have experienced a significant disruption in their schooling due to a major natural disaster (e.g., Hurricane Katrina). Students are also found to have lost more ground in math/science than in other subjects. Additionally, one year or more after the first lockdown, students seem to have been unable to catch up on unfinished learning from the pandemic. This result suggests that more efforts should be made to ensure students recover their missed learning in order to avoid negative long-term consequences for them and society.     

The effects of affective pedagogical agent in multimedia learning environments: A meta-analysis

Affective pedagogical agent (PA) is an image of a character embedded in multimedia lessons with the ability to influence learners' affective experiences and learning performance. Prior studies on the effects of affective PA have shown inconsistent findings. In this study, we conducted four separate meta-analyses to address whether adding an affective PA to multimedia lessons can increase learners' retention performance, transfer performance, positive emotions, and intrinsic motivation, and to explore several moderators that may have contributed to the inconsistencies of previous studies. The research framework mainly includes introducing the concept of affective PA, reviewing research on the impact of affective PA on learning performance, emotions, and motivation, analyzing the moderators that may affect the effects of affective PA, performing a meta-analysis, and discussing the results based on the findings of the meta-analysis. We found 36 articles met the inclusion criteria. The results of the meta-analysis indicated that affective PA could increase learners’ positive emotions (k = 25, g = 0.26), improve intrinsic motivation (k = 26, g = 0.26), and facilitate learning performance (retention: k = 35, g = 0.26; transfer: k = 45, g = 0.34). Furthermore, moderator analysis found that affective PA characteristics (i.e., appearance, the number of emotional cues, and body movement) and learning materials characteristics (i.e., subject domain, pacing of presentation) moderated the effects of affective PA. We discussed these findings from different theoretical perspectives. In general, affective PA could help students be happier and more motivated to learn in multimedia learning environments.     

Achievement goals and academic achievement: A closer look at moderating factors

Two recently published meta-analyses (Huang, 2012, Hulleman et al., 2010) have focused on the association between achievement goals and achievement outcomes. These meta-analyses differed to some extent, e.g., regarding the identified moderators. The present meta-analysis serves to clarify those heterogeneous findings by considering more studies through 2011 and by considering more moderators. Our literature search identified 180 publications (N = 81 947). Analyses (using random effects models) revealed small but significant associations between achievement goals and achievement outcomes (r = −.12 to r = .13; all ps < .01; global performance goals: r = .01, p > .05). The results of the present moderator analyses differed from those of the previous meta-analyses. For example, in contrast to Huang (2012), we were able to find several moderators of the association between performance-approach goals and academic achievement. The results have several important implications, especially regarding the assessment of achievement goals.     

The effectiveness of educational technology applications for enhancing mathematics achievement in K-12 classrooms: A meta-analysis

The present review examines research on the effects of educational technology applications on mathematics achievement in K-12 classrooms. Unlike previous reviews, this review applies consistent inclusion standards to focus on studies that met high methodological standards. In addition, methodological and substantive features of the studies are investigated to examine the relationship between educational technology applications and study features. A total of 74 qualified studies were included in our final analysis with a total sample size of 56,886 K-12 students: 45 elementary studies (N = 31,555) and 29 secondary studies (N = 25,331). Consistent with the more recent reviews, the findings suggest that educational technology applications generally produced a positive, though modest, effect (ES = +0.15) in comparison to traditional methods. However, the effects may vary by educational technology type. Among the three types of educational technology applications, supplemental CAI had the largest effect with an effect size of +0.18. The other two interventions, computer-management learning and comprehensive programs, had a much smaller effect size, +0.08 and +0.07, respectively. Differential impacts by various study and methodological features are also discussed.     

中国农户环境友好型农药施用行为影响因素的Meta分析

为进一步揭示影响农户农药施用行为的关键因素并深入分析研究层面分歧的原因,以国内外43篇已公开发表的期刊文献为基础数据库,运用Meta分析方法剖析中国范围内农户农药施用行为的关键因素是否完全同质,在允许异质性存在的条件下影响农户农药施用的关键因素及不同因素影响强度随时间的变化规律。结果表明：①农户农药施用行为的关键因素并非完全同质,年龄、家庭年收入、对农药知识的了解等存在显著异质性。②农户性别、教育程度、风险偏好、对农药知识的了解、种植年限、农业收入占比、是否参加过农药施用培训和是否有农药残留检测是影响农户施药行为的关键因素。③随时间推移,受教育程度、风险偏好、对农药知识的了解、是否参加农药施用培训和政府宣传支持对农户施药行为影响强度逐渐增加;性别和农业收入占比影响显著且趋势较为稳定;其余变量影响强度均不同程度的减弱。最后基于实证结果提出政策和学术两个层面的建议。     

基于Meta分析的双元创新动因对企业创新绩效的影响研究

对于创新绩效而言,政府扶持"无形的手"和市场竞争"有形的手"是最重要的两大影响动因。运用Meta分析方法对双元创新动因,即政府扶持和市场竞争与企业创新绩效关系的149项研究进行再统计分析,发现双元创新动因对创新绩效同时具有积极的促进作用;对政府扶持进行分类研究发现,直接技术补贴、税收优惠与创新绩效的正相关程度存在显著差异。从产权异质性和行业特征两方面的调节作用分析上述差异化的原因,发现产权异质性调节了政府扶持与创新绩效之间的关系,这一相关性在民营企业更加明显;在行业差异化的条件下,创新绩效对政府扶持和市场竞争的反应程度都具有区别,在高新技术企业的表现尤为明显。     

Allport meets internet: A meta-analytical investigation of online intergroup contact and prejudice reduction

Since Allport’s optimal conditions for reducing prejudice by interpersonal contact were defined, numerous empirical studies have confirmed the efficacy of intergroup contact in reducing prejudice towards outgroups. Given that the Internet is changing the way people communicate and interact daily, it is very possible that the Web plays an important role in reducing prejudice. Assuming that the virtual environment fits Allport boundary conditions for effective contact that reduces prejudice, we undertook this meta-analysis. Our aim was to demonstrate that online intergroup contact is a successful means of improving intergroup relations. Results from 23 studies (20 journal articles and 3 unpublished records) showed that the effect is significant. Effect size was independent of the characteristics of samples, including their countries. There were stronger effects when the induced contact focused on cooperation but not for support of the interaction by an authority figure or the presence of common goals.     

Accuracy of teachers' judgments of students' cognitive abilities: A meta-analysis

This paper presents a meta-analysis of the accuracy of teachers' judgments of students' cognitive abilities. The array of cognitive abilities includes intelligence, giftedness, other cognitive abilities, and creativity. The integration of 106 effect sizes from 33 studies with a meta-analytical multilevel approach led to a mean judgment accuracy of cognitive abilities of r = 0.43. Moderation analyses revealed moderate to large effects for intelligence: r = 0.50, other cognitive abilities: r = 0.42, giftedness: r = 0.36, and creativity: r = 0.34. Lower judgment accuracy was shown for preselected student samples and for judgments without eligible frames of reference. We discuss an academic achievement bias as selected studies revealed higher correlations between judgments of intelligence and academic achievement measures (r = 0.61) than between judgments of intelligence and measures of intelligence.