Internationalization in the Asian Pacific: The Case of Handong Global University Facing New Challenges in a Global,Digital, and Unequal World

As Korean, Japanese, and Australian universities see declining birthrates and a tapering off of the percentage of national age cohorts heading to universities, increased enrollments of international students are being pursued. As demographic changes force these universities to attract students from abroad, the globalization trend is also an incentive to modify their educational paradigms to prepare students to become global citizens. This paradigm shift is needed given that peace and prosperity depend on increasing the capacity of people to think and work on a global and intercultural basis. Furthermore, with digital advances in information and communication technologies (ICT), student learning will be integrated through ICT confluence to bring about innovations in products, services, contents, and processes. Thus, the educational environment is changing fast and the challenges are mounting for higher educational institutions, especially for Christian universities.     

The impacts of network centrality and self‐regulation on an e‐learning environment with the support of social network awareness

An e‐learning environment that supports social network awareness (SNA) is a highly effective means of increasing peer interaction and assisting student learning by raising awareness of social and learning contexts of peers. Network centrality profoundly impacts student learning in an SNA‐related e‐learning environment. Additionally, self‐regulation behavior significantly influences online learning of students. However, exactly how network centrality and self‐regulation influence learning behavior and effectiveness in an e‐learning environment remains unclear. Therefore, this study investigates how both variables (ie, network centrality and self‐regulation) impact student learning in an SNA‐related e‐learning environment. Analytical results indicate that the student group with high‐level centrality and low‐level self‐regulation more significantly progresses in learning achievement than the other groups. The second finding shows the group also has the highest number of students asking for help, revealing they have the highest system utilization rate.     

Multi‐level Assessment of Scientific Content Knowledge Gains Associated with Socioscientific Issues‐based Instruction

This study explored the impact of using a socioscientific issue (SSI) based curriculum on developing science content knowledge. Using a multi‐level assessment design, student content knowledge gains were measured before and after implementation of a three‐week unit on global warming (a prominent SSI) that explored both the relevant science content and the controversy surrounding global warming. Measures of student content knowledge were made using a standards‐aligned content knowledge exam (distal assessment) and a curriculum‐aligned exam (proximal assessment). Data were collected from 108 students enrolled from two schools. Quantitative analysis of the distal assessment indicated that student post‐test scores were statistically significantly different than their pre‐test scores (F = 15.31, p<0.001). Qualitative analyses of student responses from the proximal assessment indicated that students, on average, expressed more accurate, more detailed, and more sophisticated understandings of global warming, the greenhouse effect, and the controversy and challenges associated with these issues following the three‐week unit. Combined results from the proximal and distal assessments explored in this study offer important evidence in supporting the efficacy of using SSI as contexts for science education. In addition to a discussion of the components of an SSI‐based curriculum, this study provides support for the use of SSI as a context for learning science content.     

Use of interactive sessions and e‐learning in teaching anatomy to first‐year optometry students

Students enrolled in the Optometry program at the University of Manchester are required to take a functional anatomy course during the first year of their studies. Low mean scores in the written examination of this unit for the past two academic years energized staff to rethink the teaching format. Interactive sessions lasting 20 minutes each were introduced during the two hour lecture sessions. In these sessions students reinforced their anatomical knowledge learned in lectures, through playing games such as anatomy bingo and solving anatomical anagrams. In addition, five e‐learning modules were also introduced for students to complete in their own time. A pre‐ and postcourse questionnaire were distributed to obtain student views on their expectations of the course and interactive sessions. Comparisons were made between written examination results from 2008 to 2009 to written examination results from the previous five academic years to see if the interactive sessions and e‐learning modules had any impact on student knowledge. In addition, comparisons were made between student performances on the functional anatomy course with their performance in all of the other assessments taken by the students during their first year of study. Analysis of the questionnaires showed that student's expectations of the course were fulfilled and the interactive sessions were well received by the majority. There was a significant increase (P ≤ 0.01) in the mean examination score in 2008–2009 after introduction of the interactive sessions and e‐learning modules compared with scores in previous years. The introduction of interactive sessions has increased student enjoyment of the module and along with the e‐learning modules have had a positive impact on student examination results. Anat Sci Educ 3:39–45, 2010. © 2009 American Association of Anatomists.     

ICT in Science Education: A quasi‐experimental study of achievement,attitudes toward science,and career aspirations of Korean middle school students

The Seventh School Curriculum Reform in Korea was introduced in 2000 to prepare school‐aged Koreans for an information and knowledge‐based society. The reform effort emphasises information and communication technology (ICT) in the K–12 curriculum and a learner‐centred pedagogy. This study examines the contributions of ICT, specifically, computer‐assisted instruction (CAI), in Korean science classrooms. A sample of 234 Korean middle school students was categorised into five achievement groups. Data were collected from pre‐ and post‐achievement test scores and pre‐ and post‐questionnaires for attitudes toward science, future courses, and career aspirations in science. Findings include: (1) the lowest achievement group showed the most significant improvement after CAI (p=.000); (2) an improvement in student achievement in science significantly influenced students’ attitudes toward science (p=.019), future course selections, and career aspirations related to science (p=.000); and (3) boys tended to perform better with CAI than girls. This research provides evidence that CAI has the potential to help lower achieving students in Korean science classes and may encourage enrolment in science.     

E‐Textbooks and Students’ Learning Experiences

The contribution of the e‐textbooks can be enormous considering their additional supporting features, but adoption has not crystallized yet. This study examines the relevant experiences of college students in terms of how the use of e‐textbooks may enhance their learning. A survey study was conducted to measure the perceptions of each student on how helpful an e‐textbook is for facilitating learning (i.e., E‐book Helpfulness), how well it promotes his/her involvement in learning (i.e., Student Involvement), and how much improvement it makes on learning outcome (i.e., Learning Outcome). Results indicate that e‐textbooks are perceived as enhancers of student learning experiences in two complementing routes: (1) E‐textbook Helpfulness enhances students’ learning outcomes directly and (2) Student Involvement plays an important mediating role between E‐textbook Helpfulness and Learning Outcome if students use e‐textbooks in class. These findings suggest that the successful adoption of e‐textbooks requires schools to provide necessary resources (e.g., computer labs) and instructors to actively engage students in using e‐textbooks.     

Students’ conceptions of assessment: Links to outcomes

Students conceive of assessment in at least four major ways (i.e., assessment makes students accountable; assessment is irrelevant because it is bad or unfair; assessment improves the quality of learning; and assessment is enjoyable). A study in New Zealand of 3469 secondary school students’ conceptions of assessment used a self‐report inventory and scores from a standardised curriculum‐based assessment of reading comprehension. Four inter‐correlated conceptions based on 11 items were found with good psychometric properties. A path‐model linking the four correlated conceptions with student achievement in reading, while taking into account student ethnicity, student sex, and student year, had good psychometric properties. The conception that assessment makes students accountable loaded positively on achievement while the three other conceptions (i.e., assessment makes schools accountable, assessment is enjoyable, and assessment is ignored) had negative loadings on achievement. These findings are consistent with self‐regulation and formative assessment theories, such that students who conceive of assessment as a means of taking responsibility for their learning (i.e., assessment makes me accountable) will demonstrate increased educational outcomes.     

Mathematical power of special‐needs pupils: An ICT‐based dynamic assessment format to reveal weak pupils' learning potential1

This paper reports a study aimed at revealing special‐educational‐needs pupils' learning potential by means of an ICT‐based assessment including a dynamic visual tool that might help pupils when solving mathematics problems. The study focused on subtraction problems up to 100, which require ‘borrowing’. These problems, in which the value of the ones‐digit of the subtrahend is larger than the ones‐digit of the minuend, are known as a serious difficulty for weak pupils in mathematics. Seven of such problems from a standardised test were placed in the ICT environment. Data were collected from two test conditions: the standardised written test format and the ICT version of the test items including the tool that provided pupils with a set of virtual manipulatives. The 37 pupils involved in the study were 8–12 years old and from two special‐education schools in the Netherlands. Comparison of the performance scores in the two formats showed that an ICT‐based assessment format, including a dynamic visual tool, can reveal weak pupils' learning potential and strategy use. The study also pointed out that ‘partial‐tool use’, ie, not carrying out the complete subtraction operation with the tool, can provide sufficient support to find the correct answer.     

‘Teach as you preach’: the effects of student‐centred versus lecture‐based teaching on student teachers’ approaches to teaching

This study investigates the effects of teaching and learning environments on student teachers’ approaches to teaching and compares a lecture‐based setting to a student‐activating teaching environment, in which self‐discovery learning by means of authentic tasks is central. Data collection (N = 852) was obtained by a pre‐test/post‐test design including the Approaches to Teaching Inventory. Though student teachers’ approaches changed significantly, the direction is only consistent with the assumption that the student‐activating experiences push students towards conceptual change/student‐focused approaches; however, not away from information transmission/teacher‐focused teaching. In fact, students’ approaches to teaching at the start of the experiment are important predictors of their scores after they followed the course on child development under both conditions. Moreover, student teachers’ changes in approaches to teaching tend to be affected by variables such as performance, academic self‐esteem, perceived workload and students’ changes in approaches to learning: variables that operate in distinct ways for diverse categories of approaches and work differently in both settings. In addition, the willingness of students to teach in the way they have been taught is not as straightforward as might be expected. Although several students became convinced of the use of the teaching methods in the experiment for their own practice, the majority of students demonstrate reflective practices, make critical judgements, formulate terms or suggest amendments to the teaching methods before simply adopting them for their own future pupils.     

Affordances of ICT in science learning: implications for an integrated pedagogy

This paper presents an analysis of how affordances of ICT‐rich environments identified from a recent review of the research literature can support students in learning science in schools within a proposed framework for pedagogical practice in science education. Furthermore other pedagogical and curriculum innovations in science education (promoting cognitive change, formative assessment and lifelong learning) are examined to see how they may be supported and enhanced by affordances of ICT‐rich environments. The affordances that I have identified support learning through four main effects: promoting cognitive acceleration; enabling a wider range of experience so that students can relate science to their own and other real‐world experiences; increasing students' self‐management; and facilitating data collection and presentation. ICT‐rich environments already provide a range of affordances that have been shown to enable learning of science but integrating these affordances with other pedagogical innovations provides even greater potential for enhancement of students' learning.     

Teacher beliefs about the cognitive diagnostic information of classroom‐ versus large‐scale tests: implications for assessment literacy

Classroom teachers are in the front line of introducing students to formal learning, including assessments, which can be assumed to continue for students should they extend their schooling past the expected mandatory 12 years. The purpose of the present investigation was to survey secondary teachers’ beliefs of classroom and large‐scale tests for (a) providing information about students’ learning processes, (b) influencing meaningful student learning, and (c) eliciting learning or test‐taking strategies for successful test performance. Secondary teachers were surveyed because a majority of large‐scale tests are developed for secondary students (e.g., PISA, TIMSS). Results suggested that in comparison to large‐scale tests teachers believe classroom tests provide more information about student learning processes, are more likely to influence meaningful student learning, and are more likely to require learning over test‐taking strategies. The implications of these results for assessment literacy are explored.     

Pedagogy * technology: A two‐dimensional model for teachers' ICT integration

This paper presents a two‐dimensional model for measuring individual teachers' progression in ICT integration and for guiding them toward higher integration levels. There are four levels in the pedagogy dimension: direct teaching, cognitively active learning, constructive learning, and social learning. These levels are defined based on four factors: teacher pedagogical beliefs, instructional strategies used, teacher‐student interactions, and the types of tasks students are expected to carry out. The technology dimension contains eight levels, ranging from Level 0 (nonuse) to Level 7 (implementing sophisticated instructional applications). The eight levels are defined based on three factors: whether a teacher is a passive consumer or an active producer of the ICT‐based resources, sophistication of the ICT tools that a teacher uses, and richness of functionality of an ICT‐based product developed by a teacher. To validate the proposed model in terms of its applicability and practicability, three case studies were conducted. The results showed that this model was able to adapt to individual preferences of the three participating teachers as well as guide their progressions in ICT integration.     

Measuring the Impact of Haptic Feedback Using the SOLO Taxonomy

The application of Biggs’ and Collis’ Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes taxonomy in the evaluation of student learning about cell membrane transport via a computer‐based learning environment is described in this study. Pre‐test–post‐test comparisons of student outcome data (n = 80) were made across two groups of randomly assigned students: one that received visual and haptic feedback, and one that relied on visual feedback only as they completed their virtual investigations. The results of the Mann–Whitney U‐test indicated that the group mean difference scores were significantly different statistically (p = .043). Practically speaking, this study provides some early evidence suggesting that the haptic augmentation of computer‐based science instruction may lead to a deeper level of processing. The strengths and weaknesses of this current diagnostic approach and a novel approach based on a non‐verbal model of cognition are discussed in light of their potential contributions to the teaching and learning of science.     

A multimedia‐enhanced problem‐based learning experience in the Malaysian classroom

In this paper a multimedia project was incorporated into a problem‐based learning environment to examine how learning in multimedia could be enhanced through the use of problem‐based learning. Students in a second year course in the Faculty of Creative Multimedia (FCM) were assigned the problem‐based multimedia project, they worked in groups, solving the problem using the multimedia authoring process (MAP). This paper reports on the structuring of the student learning process, the impact of the problem‐based learning environment on student learning and the important skills such as creative and critical thinking, teamwork, communication, collaborative and problem‐solving skills that arose as the result of this intervention. In the process, a multimedia‐enhanced problem‐based learning (M‐PBL) model was created. The interrelationships between the teacher, students and technology in this learning mode were also established. A survey was conducted to assess the reactions and attitudes of the students towards this learning environment. The results obtained were positive and satisfactory.     

Investigating the Influence of Motivational Factors on Conceptual Change in a Digital Learning Context Using the Dual‐Situated Learning Model

This study examines the relationship between the learning motivation and conceptual change of 127 eighth graders, after they have learned the acid, base, and salt concept in a digital learning context, designed according to the dual‐situated learning model (DSLM). Two instruments—the students’ motivation towards science learning (SMTSL) questionnaire and the acid‐base‐salt concept diagnostic test (CDT)—were used in the study. The questionnaire and the test were given to students in pre‐test, post‐test, and delayed post‐test. Based on their motivation questionnaire scores, 18 students were selected from various scoring ranges for semi‐structural interviews. Results showed that, after experiencing DSLM digital learning, students’ post‐CDT and delay‐CDT scores were significantly higher than pre‐CDT scores (p < 0.001, p < 0.01). Furthermore, Pearson correlation analysis indicated that students’ conceptual change (ΔCDT) was significantly correlated with motivational factors such as self‐efficacy (SE), active learning strategy (ALS), science learning value (SLV), achievement goal (AG), and learning environment stimulation (LES) (p < 0.05). Interviews also supported students’ motivational correlation to ΔCDT, particularly for SE, ALS, and AG.     

Characteristics of an innovative learning environment according to students’ perceptions: actual versus preferred

An innovative learning environment is the current outcome of the constructivist approach, the essence of which is co-construction of knowledge in an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) environment. We examined how Israeli students perceived 10 characteristics of their classroom learning environment—student cohesiveness, teacher support, involvement, task orientation, investigation, cooperation, equity, differentiation, computer usage and young adult ethos. Particular foci were students’ perceptions of the actual state of their learning environment compared with the preferred state, and which characteristics predicted students’ cooperation. Participants were 1022 students in 33 classes from 12 computerised elementary and middle schools in Israel. Data were collected using the Technology-Rich Outcomes-Focused Learning Environment Inventory (TROFLEI). Results indicated a gap between the actual and the preferred states for all characteristics, although the scope of these gaps differed between elementary-schools students and middle-school students for certain characteristics. Structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis indicated that nine characteristics of the innovative environment in both actual and preferred states were related to cooperation, with these relations being primarily direct with the exception of teacher support and differentiation which had an indirect influence. Teacher support was mediated through student cohesiveness, involvement, equity and young adult ethos, whereas differentiation was mediated through investigation. Evaluation of the innovative learning environment might lead to better insights regarding the behaviours and needs of twenty-first century students in Israel’s education system. These insights could advance constructivist processes and teaching methods and bring the students to effective cooperative learning in an innovative learning environment.     

Is a partner’s competence threatening during dyadic cooperative work? It depends on resource interdependence

Previous studies with university students have shown that resource interdependence during cooperative dyadic work on texts produces two different dynamics in student interaction and learning. Working on complementary information produces positive interactions, but a good quality of information transmission is needed to foster student learning. Working on identical information produces a confrontation of viewpoints but also encourages a threatening social comparison of competence, which can be detrimental for learning. The aim of present study is to test the moderating role of a partner’s competence in two peer-learning methods by manipulating a partner’s competence through a confederate. Results indicate that a partner’s competence is beneficial when students work on complementary information while it is detrimental when students work on identical information.     

Collaborative learning with Web 2.0 tools: analysing Malaysian students’ perceptions and peer interaction

Today, ICT, web resources and multimedia contents have become prevalent in Malaysian university classrooms; hence, the learning approaches need to be redesigned for enabling students to use these technologies in co-constructing new meaning. This study analyses student’s perception and their peer interaction in the constructivist–collaborative learning environment (CCLE) with multimedia contents and Web 2.0 tools, to address the research question: What is the impact of CCLE on student learning process? By using factor analysis on the questionnaire results, and applying content analysis on students’ comments in Web 2.0 tools and feedback given by 182 students at INTI International University, several components of constructivist–collaborative learning were identified. The discussion in this study focuses on “team” and its sub-components include group dynamics, students’ prior knowledge with team and group processing. The discussion provides more understanding on the impact on student learning process for enhancing the learning experiences in Malaysian university class environment.     

Technology and education: ICT in Ugandan secondary schools

Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) could, if adopted and implemented appropriately, support learning and teaching in developing countries to provide young people with skills they need to participate effectively in the global economy. However, a significant digital divide still persists between developed and developing countries in terms of both physical resources and the capabilities of teachers to effectively utilize limited ICT resources. A very real challenge for schools is to acquire and effectively utilize ICT given the reality of an environment of scarce and limited resources. This study examines ICT infrastructure and use in 11 secondary schools in Mukono, Uganda using qualitative case study methods including an ICT infrastructure assessment, observations, and interviews. Stratified random sampling was used to identify 7 schools initially; 4 additional schools were also purposefully sampled based on their high levels of ICT. Findings indicate that despite limited resources, schools are investing heavily into ICT. Researchers found that teacher ICT usage at school could be grouped into three categories: administrative (86%), entertainment (45%) and pedagogical (45%). Administrators at some schools reported using ICT primarily to attract students and increase revenue. Implications of this study will assist school administrators to make informed decisions concerning further investment in ICT, efficient use of limited technology resources, and improvement of educational opportunities for students.