Content and timing of feedback in a web-based learning environment: effects on learning as a function of prior knowledge

This study investigated the effectiveness of different types of feedback content (elaborate versus global) and feedback timing (immediate versus delayed) for learning genetics in a web-based learning environment as a function of learners' prior knowledge. It was hypothesized that learning outcomes of students with low prior knowledge would be fostered by immediate elaborate feedback, whereas those of students with more prior knowledge would be enhanced by delayed global feedback. Students' perceptions of the feedback they received were explored. Results showed a significant positive effect of global feedback on learning outcomes for higher prior knowledge learners, although those who received elaborate feedback gave a higher appreciation rating. The findings are discussed in terms of implications for the design and delivery of feedback in web-based learning environments.     

Boosting multi-features with prior knowledge for mini unmanned helicopter landmark detection

Without sufficient real training data, the data driven classification algorithms based on boosting method cannot solely be utilized to applications such as the mini unmanned helicopter landmark image detection. In this paper, we propose an approach which uses a boosting algorithm with the prior knowledge for the mini unmanned helicopter landmark image detection. The stage forward stagewise additive model of boosting is analyzed, and the approach how to combine it with the prior knowledge model is presented. The approach is then applied to landmark image detection, where the multi-features are boosted to solve a series of problems, such as rotation, noises affected, etc. Results of real flight experiments demonstrate that for small training examples the boosted learning system using prior knowledge is dramatically better than the one driven by data only.     

The influence of prior knowledge on experiment design guidance in a science inquiry context

Designing and conducting sound and informative experiments is an important aspect of inquiry learning. Students, however, often design experiments that do not allow them to reach conclusions. Considering the difficulties students experience with the process of designing experiments, additional guidance in the form of an Experiment Design Tool (EDT) was developed, together with reflection questions. In this study, 147 pre-university students worked in an online inquiry learning environment on buoyancy and Archimedes’ principle. Students were randomly assigned to one of three conditions, each of which contained a different version of the EDT. Since students’ prior knowledge has been found to influence the amount and type of guidance they need, the versions of the tool differed with respect to the level of guidance provided. A pre- and post-test were administered to assess students’ conceptual knowledge. No overall differences between conditions were found. In a subsequent analysis, students were classified as either low, low-intermediate-, high-intermediate, or high prior knowledge students. For Archimedes’ principle we found that low-intermediate prior knowledge students gained significantly more conceptual knowledge than low prior knowledge students in the fully guided condition. It is hypothesised that students need at least some prior knowledge in order to fully benefit from the guidance offered.     

Confidence in prior knowledge,self-efficacy,interest and prior knowledge: Influences on conceptual change

This study explored how confidence in prior knowledge, self-efficacy, interest, and prior knowledge interact in conceptual change learning. One hundred and sixteen college students completed an assessment of confidence in prior knowledge, self-efficacy, interest, prior scientific understanding, and prior misconceptions before reading a refutation text on seasonal change. Students’ misconceptions and scientific understanding of seasonal change was then assessed before and after reading a refutation text, and again at a two week delayed posttest. Three profiles of students emerged based on their confidence in prior knowledge, self-efficacy, interest, prior scientific understanding, and prior misconceptions. The profiles included: (1) Low (low confidence, self-efficacy, interest, and prior scientific understanding and high prior misconceptions), (2) mixed (high confidence, self-efficacy, and interest, but low prior scientific understanding and high prior misconceptions), and (3) high (high confidence, self-efficacy, interest, and prior scientific understanding and low prior misconceptions). Results indicated that the mixed profile appeared to be most productive for conceptual change and that learner characteristics most productive for conceptual change learning may differ from those most productive in other learning situations.     

Self-regulated learning with hypermedia: The role of prior domain knowledge

Think-aloud and pre-test data were collected from 49 undergraduates with varying levels of prior domain knowledge to examine the relationship between prior domain knowledge and self-regulated learning with hypermedia. During the experimental session, each participant individually completed a pretest on the circulatory system, and then one 40-min hypermedia learning task during which he or she learned about the circulatory system. Think-aloud data were collected during the 40-min learning task to measure each participant’s use of specific self-regulated learning processes related to planning, monitoring, and strategy use. Results indicate that prior domain knowledge is significantly related to how the participants self-regulated their learning during the 40-min learning task with hypermedia. Specifically, prior domain knowledge is positively related to participants’ monitoring and planning and negatively related to their use of strategies during the hypermedia learning task.     

Learner preferences and prior knowledge in learner-controlled computer-based instruction

This study examined the effects of prior knowledge, learner preference for control, and type of control (learner or program) on the achievement of middle-school students in a computer-based instructional program on adding and subtracting integers. Students were blocked by preference-for-control scores and randomly assigned to either a learner-control or program-control version of instruction. A significant three-way interaction (prior knowledge × preference scores × type of control) revealed that students with high prior knowledge achieved better on the posttest when their preference for control was matched with the type of control they received, whereas students with low prior knowledge achieved better when their preference was mismatched. A significant three-way interaction on attitude reflected the same pattern found in the interaction for achievement scores. The overall results indicate that matching learner preference to the type of program they receive is an effective strategy for high-prior-knowledge students but not for those with low prior knowledge.

Self-regulation of peer feedback quality aspects through different dimensions of experience within prior peer feedback assignments

Although peer review is a widely-used pedagogical technique, its value depends upon the quality of the reviews that students produce, and much research remains to be done to systematically study the nature, causes, and consequences of variation in peer review quality. We propose a new framework that conceptualizes five larger dimensions of peer review quality and then present a study that investigated three specific peer review quality constructs in a large dataset and further explored how these constructs change through different types of self-regulation peer reviewing experiences. Peer review data across multiple assignments were analyzed from 2,092 undergraduate students enrolled in one of three offerings of a biology course at a large public research university in the United States. Peer review quality was measured in terms of comment amount, comment accuracy, and rating accuracy; the measures of reviewing experience focused upon self-regulated learning factors such as practice, feedback, others’ modeling, and relative performance. Meta-correlation (for testing reliability, separability, and stability) and meta-regression (as a time-series analysis for testing the relationship of changes across assignments in reviewing quality with experiences as reviewer and reviewee) are used to establish the robustness of effects and meaningful variation of effects across course offerings and assignments. Results showed that there were three meaningful review quality constructs (i.e., were measured reliably, separable, and semi-stable over time). Further, all three showed changes in response to previous reviewer and reviewee experiences, but only feedback helpfulness, in particular, showed effects of all four examined types of self-regluation experiences (practice, feedback, others’ modeling, and relative performance). The findings suggest that instructors can improve review quality by providing comment prompt scaffolds that lead to longer comments as well as by matching authors with similarly performing reviewers.     

Student teachers' prior knowledge as prerequisite to learn how to assess pupils' learning strategies

This study analyzed whether student teachers exhibit insufficient prior knowledge concerning learning strategies and whether different contexts lead to variations in activated knowledge. Furthermore, we investigated whether pieces of prior-knowledge and their structured-ness were associated with the assessment of pupils' learning strategies. In a within-subjects experiment (ABABAB design; N = 47 student teachers), questions about learning-strategy application referred to either (A) pupil-focused or (B) teacher-focused contexts. After a short training intervention, student teachers assessed strategies in pupils’ work. Different prior knowledge was elicited depending on contexts, suggesting “knowledge-in-pieces”. Prior-knowledge pieces, even if insufficient, served as a prerequisite to learn strategy assessment.     

Effects of prior knowledge and concept-map structure on disorientation, cognitive load, and learning

This study explored the effects of prior knowledge (high vs. low; HPK and LPK) and concept-map structure (hierarchical vs. network; HS and NS) on disorientation, cognitive load, and learning from non-linear documents on “the infection process of a retrograde virus (HIV)”. Participants in the study were 24 adults. Overall subjective ratings of disorientation and cognitive load, as well as detailed analysis of eye movement and navigation data were used. The results showed that LPK learners gained equal factual knowledge from the HS and NS concept maps, gained more conceptual knowledge from the HS concept map, and had to invest less mental effort in the posttest after learning with the HS concept map. On the other hand, HPK learners gained more factual knowledge from the HS concept map than from the NS concept map, and gained equal conceptual knowledge from both concept-map structures. Also, LPK learners experienced higher disorientation during learning with the NS concept map than the HS map, whereas no differential effect of concept-map structure was found for HPK learners. Both LPK and HPK learners invested less mental effort in processing the HS concept map. The eye tracking and navigation data provided more detailed insight into these findings.     

Deepening understanding of prior knowledge: what diverse first-generation college students in the U.S. can teach us

Educational research indicates that teachers revealing and utilizing students’ prior knowledge supports students’ academic learning. Yet, the variation in students’ prior knowledge is not fully known. To better understand students’ prior knowledge, I drew on sociocultural learning theories to examine racially and ethnically diverse college students’ sociopolitical prior knowledge, a component of sociopolitical consciousness. In this qualitative study, I interviewed 18 first-generation college students in the U.S. who were enrolled in two introductory undergraduate sociology courses. Study participants identified as African-American, Latino, and/or White. The study reveals that students’ sociopolitical prior knowledge is comprised of awareness and understanding and it varies by topic of discussion. Further, college students’ sociopolitical prior knowledge is informed by lived experiences and can relate to subject-matter content. Implications for teaching and learning include having a deepened sense of novice learners’ modes of thinking.     

Effect of prior domain knowledge and headings on processing of informative text

College students with either high or low prior domain knowledge (PK) read a text chapter presented in short pages on a computer monitor. Half of the participants read with headings present and half with headings absent. The computer recorded time spent reading and rereading each short page. Learning was assessed through a structured recall task. In general, headings seem to improve recall of high importance information, and headings were more effective for high PK learners. Analysis of time data showed that participants with headings spent more time per word reading the pages with headings than participants that did not have headings. Prior knowledge had no effect on attention to either high importance information or important supporting detail. Low prior knowledge readers decreased the amount of time spent reading each word as they progressed through the passage and neither the presence nor absence of headings influenced this effect.     

Personalising and localising knowledge: how teachers reconstruct resources and knowledge shared online in their teaching practice

ABSTRACT

Online platforms that enable teachers to share knowledge and resources with other teachers are increasingly common mechanisms for supporting teachers’ learning. Despite their growing presence, there remains limited understanding of how teachers engage with and utilise the resources and knowledge they gain online in their teaching practice. This study employs qualitative methods to investigate the processes through which teachers engage with, interpret and utilise teacher-created teaching resources and curriculum materials that are shared on two online platforms. A three-stage knowledge reconstruction model is proposed, with teachers progressing from the selection of resources online, through the modification and implementation of the resources and knowledge, and finally to the evaluation and embedding of resources and knowledge in their practice. The findings further explore the factors that shape teachers’ behaviour and actions, and the learning that occurs at all three stages of the knowledge reconstruction process.     

Computer-based knowledge of results feedback in different delivery modes: Effects on performance,motivation, and achievement emotions

Immediate Knowledge of Results (KR) feedback at the task level may motivate test takers by showing that their answers matter. Appealing feedback cues may help to prevent negative emotions in lower performers who receive a higher amount of negative feedback. In this experiment, we varied the presence of KR feedback and the feedback delivery mode in a 1 × 5 between-subjects design (i.e., no feedback vs. text, color, sound, or animation feedback) to investigate effects on learning outcomes and affective-motivational measures. Our sample included 661 fifth and sixth graders who solved two computer-based multiple-choice science tests. First, students worked on an 18-item treatment test (with experimental feedback manipulation). Students repeatedly rated their effort, enjoyment, pride, and boredom during the test, as well as their expectancy of success and attainment value after the test. Subsequently, they worked on a posttest (without feedback) that assessed recall and near-transfer learning. All KR feedback conditions significantly increased recall, but there was no evidence for near-transfer learning. Feedback had a significant, negative effect on attainment value, whereas significant interactions between the feedback conditions and students’ treatment performance revealed that feedback effects on several affective-motivational dimensions (i.e., expectancy of success, enjoyment, pride, and boredom) were performance-dependent. Feedback benefited higher performers’ motivation and affect but showed negative effects on some affective-motivational measures for lower performers. The pattern of results indicated that color/sound/animation feedback may have reduced the effect of performance on emotional feedback perception to some extent. However, none of the feedback conditions improved affective-motivational outcomes independent of students’ performance.     

Effects of an online sharing and feedback programme on preservice teachers’ practical knowledge,learning preferences and satisfaction

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the effects of an online sharing and feedback programme (OSFP) on preservice teachers’ practical knowledge (PTPK) and attempted to determine the relationship between satisfaction with online interaction and changes in three types of learning preferences (collaborative, competitive and individualistic). In this study, a quasi-experimental pre- and post-test control-group design was employed to examine these factors. The OSFP was designed, focusing on peer interaction on topics regarding field experiences. The analytical results reveal that the OSFP improved practical teaching knowledge, one of the forms of PTPK. Additionally, satisfaction with online sharing and feedback on the topics of interpersonal affairs strengthened preservice teachers’ preference for collaborative learning and decreased their individual preference. Notably, this study demonstrates that collaborative learning preferences positively change when learners are satisfied with online sharing and feedback on the topic of interpersonal affairs.     

What lies beneath: exploring the deeper purposes of feedback on student writing through considering disciplinary knowledge and knowers

Feedback plays an integral role in students’ learning and development, as it is often the only personal communication that students have with tutors or lecturers about their own work. Yet, in spite of its integral role in student learning, there is disagreement between how students and tutors or lecturers perceive the pedagogic purpose of feedback. Central to this disagreement is the role that feedback has to play in ensuring that students produce the ‘right’ kinds of knowledge, and become the ‘right’ kinds of knowers within their disciplines. This paper argues that, in order to find common ground between students and tutors or lecturers on what feedback is for, and how to both give and use it effectively, we need to conceptualise disciplinary knowledge and knowers anew. We offer, as a useful starting point, the Specialisation dimension of Legitimation Code Theory as both practical theory and methodological tool for exploring knowledge and knowers in English Studies and Law as two illustrative cases. The paper concludes that this analysis offers lecturers and tutors a fresh understanding of the disciplinary knowledge and knower structures they work within and, relatedly, a clearer view of the work their feedback needs to do within these.     

Exploring how children with reading difficulties respond to instructional supports in literacy games and the role of prior knowledge

Digital literacy games can be beneficial for children with reading difficulties as a supplement to classroom instruction and an important feature of these games are the instructional supports, such as feedback. To be effective, feedback needs to build on prior instruction and match a learner's level of prior knowledge. However, there is limited research around the relationship between prior knowledge, instruction and feedback in the context of learning games. This paper presents an empirical study exploring the influence of prior knowledge on response to feedback, in two conditions: with or without instruction. Thirty-six primary children (age 8–11) with reading difficulties participated: each child was assessed for their prior knowledge of two suffix types—noun and adjective suffixes. They subsequently received additional instruction for one suffix type and then played two rounds of a literacy game—one round for each suffix type. Our analysis shows that prior knowledge predicted initial success rates and performance after a verbal hint differently, depending on whether instruction was provided. These results are discussed with regards to learning game feedback design and the impact on different types of knowledge involved in gameplay, as well as other game design elements that might support knowledge building during gameplay.

Practitioner notes

What is already known about this topic

• Instructional supports, such as elaborative feedback, are a key feature of learning games.
• To be effective, feedback needs to build on prior instruction and match a learner's level of prior knowledge.
• Prior knowledge is an important moderator to consider in the context of elaborative feedback.

What this paper adds

• Providing additional instruction (eg, pre-training) may act as a knowledge enhancer building on children's existing disciplinary expertise, whereas the inclusion of elaborative feedback (eg, a hint) could be seen as a knowledge equaliser enabling children regardless of their prior knowledge to use the pre-training within their gameplay.
• Highlights the importance of children's preferred learning strategies within the design of pre-training and feedback to ensure children are able to use the instructional support provided within the game.
• Possible implications for pre-training and feedback design within literacy games, as well as highlighting areas for further research.

Implications for practice and/or policy

• Pre-training for literacy games should highlight key features of the learning content and explicitly make connections with the target learning objective as well as elaborative feedback.
• Pre-training should be combined with different types of in-game feedback for different types of learners (eg, level of prior knowledge) or depending on the type of knowledge that designers want to build (eg, metalinguistic vs. epilinguistic).
• Modality, content and timing of the feedback should be considered carefully to match the specific needs of the intended target audience and the interaction between them given the primary goal of the game.

     

The interpretation of a knowledge claim in the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and the impact of this on RPL practice

The question addressed in this paper is: what does a knowledge claim consist of in the context of the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)? The research comprises a case study of RPL applicants' entry into a postgraduate diploma (a fourth-year programme) in project management. The focus is on the knowledge claims made as part of the RPL application by experienced project managers and leaders. Three different aspects of the knowledge claims are analysed: what the knowledge claim consists of; what the academic interpretation of the claims is; and how the interpretation of the claims impacts on the RPL approach. The findings deal with the knowledge of the project management cycle prior to entry into higher education. It is found that knowledge claims not only consist of theoretical knowledge but also mainly situational knowledge, ability and attitude. In addition, the knowledge claims made in the RPL application based on the relevant and substantial knowledge are acknowledged by the academic institution in question. The RPL approach that results from the interpretation of the knowledge claims does conform to one RPL approach, within the paradigm of project management.     

From chalk to keyboard in higher education classrooms: changes and coherence when integrating technological knowledge into pedagogical content knowledge

Abstract

The European Higher Education Area has promoted reconsidering the role played by teachers at universities. Faculties are expected to design learning activities that promote the acquisition of competencies among students. In this context, technologies have garnered prominence as they contribute to creating student-centred learning environments. This study answers these research questions: (1) To what extent has university teaching changed with the implementation of digital technologies in university classrooms? What technology-based learning activities are incorporated in instructional designs by the teachers? (2) How does the faculty describe the integration of technological knowledge into pedagogical content knowledge when designing and developing technology-based learning activities? (3) According to university teachers, which other factors (intrinsic or extrinsic) determine the use of digital technologies in their learning designs? To answer these questions, we have collected data from two differentiated samples of university teachers using the Inventory of Learning Activities with Technology at the University and semi-structured interviews. First, the results reveal that teachers use technologies to carry out learning activities focusing on the content and the teacher. Student-centred learning activities are only timidly being incorporated. Second, the extent to which such activities are implemented is linked to the teachers’ techno-pedagogical content knowledge. Third, the factors that facilitate or inhibit teachers from using technologies in the teaching–learning process respond to intrinsic aspects, such as teachers’ knowledge and beliefs, but also to extrinsic and contextual issues, such as the discipline taught or institutional policy at the university regarding the use of educational technologies.     

The differential effects of prior knowledge on learning: A study of two consecutive courses in earth sciences

We studied the occurrence and nature of learningin a university first year Introduction toGeomorphology course, and its relations with priorknowledge taught in a prerequisite course, and withthe prior knowledge in the to be learned subjects. Tendimensions of knowledge were tapped before and afterthe course by conventional and cognitive structuremeasures that were derived by the concept mappingmethodology. The fine-grain analysis of learningoutcomes yielded the following results: (a) studentsacquired only a small portion of the content in thecourse Introduction to Geomorphology, (b) the priorgeological and geomorphological knowledge did notaffect the learning of the new geomorphologicalcontents, (c) the minor effects appeared within ratherthan across knowledge dimensions, and they affectedmainly the learning of smaller knowledge units, and(d) concept definition cannot be considereda valid probe of knowledge. The differential effects of prior knowledge question thecentral, global and undifferentiated role that schematheories ascribe to prior knowledge in futurelearning. They call for greater reference to theexposed dimensions of knowledge by suggestingadditional factors to be considered in the sequencingof courses, as well as to the acquisition of complexknowledge with partial meaning of the basic knowledgeunits, and the use of new cognitive structure probesof knowledge.