e‐Learning in universities: Supporting help‐seeking processes by instructional prompts

University students are more responsible than school students for their own learning. The role of self‐regulated learning increases in virtual e‐learning course environments. Academic help‐seeking is an important strategy of self‐regulated learning, but many students fail to use this strategy appropriately. A lack of information and a perceived threat of help‐seeking may cause this effect. Among others, giving prompts is an instructional means to support students to adequately apply academic help‐seeking . A study is presented in which the effect of giving prompts on the quantity and quality of academic help‐seeking was experimentally investigated in a blended university learning course of educational science. Compared with students who received no prompts, students with prompts about the relevance of active help‐seeking had better learning outcomes, participated more actively in online learning activities, more explicitly referred to learning contents in the forums and took more initiative in starting discussions. The perceived threat of help‐seeking could not be reduced, however.     

The teaching voice on the learning platform: seeking classroom climates within a virtual learning environment

University staff are now encouraged to supplement their classroom activity with computer‐based tools and resources accessible through virtual learning environments (VLEs). Meanwhile, university students increasingly make recreational use of computer networks in the form of various social software applications. This paper explores tensions of presentation and communication between these two contexts. Through analysing a large number of course websites, the teaching voice in VLEs is shown to be in a very different register than the voice of communication in social networking environments. Yet isolated examples demonstrate that learning platforms can support materials conveying a similar kind of conviviality. It is suggested that the educational practice of university teachers could move closer to this communicative style and reasons are considered as to why this has not yet happened.     

基于语音识别技术的英语口语学习平台的开发

随着智能手机的广泛使用,移动学习方式越来越受到人们的喜爱和重视。对于大学生群体来说,智能设备使英语的学习更具有自主性和便捷性,尤其是口语的学习。根据目前大学生英语口语学习的特点,在Android手机平台上,开发了具有专项训练和自主学习功能的英语口语学习应用平台。     

微信公众平台支持下混合式学习活动探讨

针对高校公共课实验实训课程学生人数多、课时少、教学方式单一、师生互动缺乏的现状,从实验实训教学角度入手,挖掘微信公众平台的移动学习支持功能,混合移动学习、课堂学习和翻转学习3种学习模式,构建"课前、课堂、课后"三位一体的微信公众平台支持下的混合式学习模式,并以"现代教育技术"课程为例实施研究,从而证明该模式有效优化高校公共课实验实训学习,激发学生学习的主动性和积极性,提高学生学习参与度,拓展学习的深度和广度。     

Development and evaluation of a context-aware ubiquitous learning environment for astronomy education

In recent years information technology has been integrated into education to produce a series of trends, beginning with “electronic learning” (e-learning), through “mobile learning” (m-learning) and finally to “ubiquitous learning” (u-learning), which aims to improve learner motivation through overcoming the conventional limitations of time and location. U-learning practices are still being developed, and learners frequently experience difficulty focusing on learning objectives, and effective learning strategy tools are still lacking. This study reports the design of a context-aware astronomy learning system. The system integrates several technologies, including radio frequency identification, wireless communication networks, handheld mobile devices, and databases to help students learn astronomical concepts. Two content modules were developed in the context of natural science education for fifth-grade elementary school students in Taiwan. Indicators of user experience with the system were collected for further phenomenographic analysis, based on four perspectives of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology model to assess learner willingness to use this novel u-learning approach. Results show that ease-of-use and the availability of immediate operational or technical support are key factors in increasing learning motivation and performance.     

Web‐based reading annotation system with an attention‐based self‐regulated learning mechanism for promoting reading performance

Due to the rapid development of information technology, web‐based learning has become a dominant trend. That is, learners can often learn anytime and anywhere without being restricted by time and space. Autonomic learning primarily occurs in web‐based learning environments, and self‐regulated learning (SRL) is key to autonomic learning performance. Moreover, sustained attention to web‐based learning activities can be challenging for students. Therefore, a web‐based reading annotation system with an attention‐based self‐regulated learning mechanism (ASRLM), which is based on brainwave detection, is designed to enhance the sustained attention of learners while reading annotated English texts online, and thereby promote online reading performance. In total, 126 Grade 7 students in four classes at a junior high school in New Taipei City, Taiwan, are the participants. Among the four classes, two classes are randomly distributed to the experimental group and the other two classes are randomly distributed to the control group. The experimental group utilizes the ASRLM to support their reading of annotated English texts online, whereas the control group is not supported by the ASRLM while reading annotated English texts online. Experimental results show that sustained attention and reading comprehension of the experimental group are better than those of the control group. Moreover, the web‐based reading system with ASRLM support promotes the sustained attention and reading comprehension of female learners more than those of male learners while reading annotated English texts online. Additionally, learners with high‐SRL ability in the experimental group have better sustained attention and reading comprehension than those learners with low‐SRL ability. Furthermore, the sustained attention and reading comprehension of the experimental group are strongly correlated, and the duration of sustained attention strongly predicts their reading comprehension performance.     

Development of a computer‐based visualised quantitative learning system for playing violin vibrato

Traditional methods of teaching music are largely subjective, with the lack of objectivity being particularly challenging for violin students learning vibrato because of the existence of conflicting theories. By using a computer‐based analysis method, this study found that maintaining temporal coincidence between the intensity peak and the target frequency is the crucial factor for achieving good intonation when performing vibrato. This finding prompted the development of a computer‐based visualised quantitative vibrato analysis system (VQVA‐Sys) that displays these two parameters in a user‐friendly manner for both musicians and scientists: (1) the type of frequency variation and (2) the corresponding frequencies with the highest intensities during all of the cycles constituting a vibrato note. A follow‐up preliminary experimental investigation compared a moderately expressive vibrato note played by eight experts and eight students, and demonstrated the feasibility and potential usefulness of the VQVA‐Sys as a learning tool.     

Community‐based literacy learning

Because reading and writing are social as well as personal activities, many recent curricular reforms that promote literacy development have focused on the relationship between the learner and the community. These reforms have been based on situated cognition theory, which holds that learning is intermeshed with the social and physical contexts of activity and that learning occurs through active participation in a community of practice. Yet there is no distinct orientation to the concept of community across the various educational programs. In fact, at least three different orientations to community appear in the literature on literacy reform: experiential community, classroom community, and anticipatory community. Both experiential and anticipatory community orientations situate literacy in non‐school settings that involve learners in ‘real‐life’ communities. The classroom community orientation attempts to reproduce the roles of mentor and apprentice found in non‐school communities; however, its claim to legitimacy of activity is based more on the learner’s manner of participation than in the activity itself.     

Spelling as a self‐teaching mechanism in orthographic learning

The present study examined the possibility that spelling fulfils a self‐teaching function in the acquisition of orthographic knowledge because, like decoding, it requires close attention to letter order and identity as well as to word‐specific spelling–sound mapping. We hypothesised that: (i) spelling would lead to significant (i.e. above‐chance) levels of orthographic learning; (ii) spelling would actually result in superior learning relative to reading owing to the additional processing demands invoked when spelling; (iii) there would be stronger outcomes for post‐test spelling production compared with spelling recognition; and (iv) relative to reading, spelling would produce superior orthographic learning in the case of later‐occurring orthographic detail compared with information appearing earlier in the letter string. In a fully within‐subjects design, third grade Hebrew readers were exposed to novel letter strings presented in three conditions: spelling, reading and an unseen control condition. With the exception of the position by condition interaction (our fourth hypothesis), which, although in the expected direction, failed to attain significance, all hypotheses were supported. These data highlight yet another dimension of reading–writing reciprocity by suggesting that spelling offers a powerful self‐teaching tool in the compilation of word‐specific orthographic representations.     

利用口头作业提高小学生英语综合表达能力

小学英语教学仅靠课堂上的讲解练习,不利于提高学生在真实情境中综合运用语言的能力。文章结合具体案例阐述了利用好现代化媒体,提升学生完成作业兴趣的有效策略,并列举了通过口头作业开展语音基础训练的方法。针对如何提高学生语法学习效果和综合语篇表达能力,着重从作业的布置、反馈、调整、引导等环节阐述了优化口头作业的多种途径,探索了口头作业对提升小学生英语学习效率的价值。     

An investigation of attitudes of students and teachers about participating in a context‐aware ubiquitous learning activity

In recent years, digital learning has been converting from e‐learning to m‐learning because of the significant growth of wireless and mobile computing technologies. Students can learn any time and any where with mobile devices. Consequently, context‐aware ubiquitous learning (u‐learning) is emerging as a new research area. It integrates wireless, mobile and context awareness technologies in order to detect the situation of the learners and provide more seamless adaptive support in the learning process. In this paper, a context‐aware u‐learning environment is developed for learning about campus vegetation in elementary schools based on an innovative approach by employing repertory grid method in designing learning content. In addition, we probe the feasibility of context‐aware u‐learning in courses by soliciting feedback from the students and teachers through interviews and questionnaires. The findings reveal that the environment is capable of enhancing students’ motivation and learning effectiveness. Moreover, it is also capable of reducing the teaching load while enabling better control of class order.     

A concept map approach to developing collaborative Mindtools for context‐aware ubiquitous learning

Recent advances in mobile and wireless communication technologies have enabled various new learning approaches which situate students in environments that combine real‐world and digital‐world learning resources; moreover, students are allowed to share knowledge or experiences with others during the learning process. Although such an approach seems to be promising and innovative, researchers have indicated several problems when applying it to practical applications, in particular, the lack of proper strategies or tools to assist the students to learn collaboratively in such a learning scenario with abundant content. Students might feel interested when using the mobile devices to learn; however, without proper assistance or guidance, their learning achievements are usually disappointing. To cope with this problem, this study proposes a concept map‐oriented Mindtool for collaborative ubiquitous learning. Experimental results from a natural science course in an elementary school show that this approach not only enhances learning motivation but also improves the learning achievements of the students.     

HistoViewer: An interactive e‐learning platform facilitating group and peer group learning

Understanding tissue architecture and the morphological characteristics of cells is a central prerequisite to comprehending the basis of physiological tissue function in healthy individuals and relating this to disease states. Traditionally, medical curricula include courses where students examine glass slides of cytological or tissue samples under a light microscope. However, it is challenging to implement group and peer group learning in these courses and to give students sufficient time to study specimens. An increasing number of medical schools have thus started to implement digital slide viewers, so‐called virtual microscopes, in histology and histopathology. These websites are mostly based on standard commercial software and offer limited adaptation to the special needs of first‐year students. An e‐learning platform has therefore been developed for use in cytology and histology courses. This virtual microscopy tool is coupled to a central database in which students can label and store the positions of individual structures for later repetition. As learning in pairs and peer groups has been shown to provide a high learning outcome, identified structures can be shared and discussed with students' peers or faculty via a built‐in communication module. This website has the possibility of opening an arbitrary number of frames which all can actively be moved and changed in magnification to enable the comparison of specimens and thus encourage a more global understanding of related tissues. HistoViewer is thus suggested as an e‐learning tool combining several modern teaching concepts. © 2013 American Association of Anatomists.     

基于Blog的课程学习平台的应用

从开发＂网络课程＂需要较高的技术支持、管理和更新繁琐这一现实的困难出发,说明基于B log的课程学习平台的特点及优势,阐述了该平台系统的构成,并指出应用课程学习平台辅助学习和评价时应注意的问题.     

基于Web的多学习模式自主学习平台研究

通过对传统的以教师为核心、以教学活动组织过程为主线的设计理念的分析,提出以学生为中心、以学习活动过程为主线、以增强学习体验和效果为目的的全新设计理念(即基于Web的多学习模式的自主学习理念)。分析了在Internet环境下各种学习模式的学习活动过程,以此为基础建立了一个基于Web的多学习模式的自主学习平台的模型,详细阐述了该模型的系统需求、设计原则和系统架构。     

Development of a peer‐assisted learning strategy in computer‐supported collaborative learning environments for elementary school students

This study explores the effects of Electronic Peer‐Assisted Learning for Kids (EPK), on the quality and development of reading skills, peer interaction and self‐concept in elementary students. The EPK methodology uses a well‐developed, synchronous computer‐supported, collaborative learning system to facilitate students' learning in Chinese. We first review the theoretical framework and architecture of EPK. This study aimed to compare students learning Chinese language arts activities online using EPK with students learning face‐to‐face in a classroom setting. Students' online interactions were coded into four patterns of peer interactions: task coordination, tutor behaviour, tutee behaviour and off‐task. The online activity type significantly influenced the online peer interactions. Students in the online peer‐assisted learning group outperformed the face‐to‐face group on reading skills. Students learning online showed significant growth in self‐concept, and this was especially true for students who were passive participants. These findings demonstrate that EPK is an effective tool that can enhance elementary students' reading, as well as promote positive self‐concepts.