Exploring the “Mixed Forest” of Qualitative Research

In this paper, some of the key epistemological issues in qualitative research are discussed in order to show that qualitative research is more than a label for all non-quantitative studies. Although qualitative techniques are used in many studies, including those in the quantitative tradition, we maintain that all qualitative research should adhere to the tenets of the qualitative paradigm. These tenets are discussed according to two key theoretical perspectives which underpin the qualitative approach. Both traditions of qualitative and quantitative research are valuable and complement each other because they provide different perspectives to an issue, and they also lead to the generation of different types of data which can contribute to better understanding of the issues under study.     

Sensor-Augmented Virtual Labs: Using Physical Interactions with Science Simulations to Promote Understanding of Gas Behavior

Deep learning of science involves integration of existing knowledge and normative science concepts. Past research demonstrates that combining physical and virtual labs sequentially or side by side can take advantage of the unique affordances each provides for helping students learn science concepts. However, providing simultaneously connected physical and virtual experiences has the potential to promote connections among ideas. This paper explores the effect of augmenting a virtual lab with physical controls on high school chemistry students’ understanding of gas laws. We compared students using the augmented virtual lab to students using a similar sensor-based physical lab with teacher-led discussions. Results demonstrate that students in the augmented virtual lab condition made significant gains from pretest and posttest and outperformed traditional students on some but not all concepts. Results provide insight into incorporating mixed-reality technologies into authentic classroom settings.     

The Development of Authentic Assessments to Investigate Ninth Graders’ Scientific Literacy: In the Case of Scientific Cognition Concerning the Concepts of Chemistry and Physics

Scientific literacy and authenticity have gained a lot of attention in the past few decades worldwide. The goal of the study was to develop various authentic assessments to investigate students scientific literacy for corresponding to the new curriculum reform of Taiwan in 1997. In the process, whether ninth graders were able to apply school knowledge in real-life problems was also investigated. Over the course of our two-year study, we developed authentic assessments to investigate a stratified random sampling of 1,503 ninth graders levels of scientific literacy, including scientific cognition, process skills, application of science, habits of mind, nature of science, and attitude towards science. The purpose of this article is to discuss three different formats of authentic assessments: multiple-choice, open-ended, and hands-on test items, which we developed to investigate scientific cognition. To validate the three formats of authentic assessments, students performance on these three assessments were compared with the science section of Taiwans Academic Attainment Testing (STAAT), and the values of Pearson correlation coefficient were all at the significant level, ranging from 0.205 to 0.660 (p<0.01). We found that our three authentic assessments were better in evaluating students authentic abilities in science than standardized tests (such as STAAT). Further authentic assessments, particularly the hands-on activity, benefited low-achieving students. Concerning the common themes tested in the authentic assessments, students performed better in a multiple-choice test than an open-ended test on electricity and heat and temperature. In addition, two themes of chemical reactions and reactions of acid and base with indicators were performed best in a hands-on test than in the other two tests. In this article, we provide evidence that authentic assessments could be developed in different formats to investigate students scientific cognition as part of the national test. Of these formats, the multiple-choice, open-ended, and hands-on test items are all shown to be sensitive in their evaluation of students cognition in science.     

Gender differences in effects of father/mother parenting on mathematics achievement growth: a bioecological model of human development

European Journal of Psychology of Education - This study aims to investigate gender differences in effective parenting strategies for adolescent mathematics achievement growth, taking into account...     

Educational Usage of Mobile Devices: Differences Between Postgraduate and Undergraduate Students

The rapid increase of smartphone usage in recent years has provided students the opportunity to participate in mobile learning (m-learning) anywhere, anytime. Academic institutions are also following this trend to launch many m-learning services. This article investigates the differences of the user needs between undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) students though an online survey with 140 Library Information Systems (LIS) subjects in a Japanese university in order to provide solid foundations for future m-learning studies. We find that UG and PG students do not show significant differences in adopting m-learning by smartphones despite the fact that they have different learning patterns. The m-learning frequencies of smartphones generally range from weekly to monthly, where using search engines is the most frequent, and reading academic resources is the least frequent. They tend to use these services for handling their daily routines (such as search engine, social networks) rather than their academic activities (such as using online databases to search for academic materials). Further, the results also show that content displaying issues (e.g., small display screen, text unable to enlarge) are barriers for most subjects in using these m-learning services.     

Dynamic processes of conceptual change: Analysis of constructing mental models of chemical equilibrium

The purpose of this study was to investigate students' mental models of chemical equilibrium using dynamic science assessments. Research in chemical education has shown that students at various levels have misconceptions about chemical equilibrium. According to Chi's theory of conceptual change, the concept of chemical equilibrium has constraint‐based features (e.g., random, simultaneous, uniform activities) that might prevent students from deeply understanding the nature of the concept of chemical equilibrium. In this study, we examined how students learned and constructed their mental models of chemical equilibrium in a cognitive apprenticeship context. Thirty 10th‐grade students participated in the study: 10 in a control group and 20 in a treatment group. Both groups were presented with a series of hands‐on chemical experiments. The students in the treatment group were instructed based on the main features of cognitive apprenticeship (CA), such as coaching, modeling, scaffolding, articulation, reflection, and exploration. However, the students in the control group (non‐CA group) learned from the tutor without explicit CA support. The results revealed that the CA group significantly outperformed the non‐CA group. The students in the CA group were capable of constructing the mental models of chemical equilibrium—including dynamic, random activities of molecules and interactions between molecules in the microworld—whereas the students in the non‐CA group failed to construct similar correct mental models of chemical equilibrium. The study focuses on the process of constructing mental models, on dynamic changes, and on the actions of students (such as self‐monitoring/self‐correction) who are learning the concept of chemical equilibrium. Also, we discuss the implications for science education. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 39: 688–712, 2002     

Challenges and Opportunities: A Survey of Practitioners' Perceptions on Risks in Chinese Library Transformation

Chinese libraries, from academic to public, are undergoing or preparing for transformation, to meet users' ever changing needs and expectations in the new social, economic, and technological environment. However, there are many factors deeply embedded in the process which may cause potential risks for the transformation. This paper has surveyed the perceptions of library professionals on such risks, and proposes 40 possible risk indicators (RIs) which comprehensively cover the entire life cycle of library transformation. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and multi-dimensional analysis have been used to categorize risks into different types and dimensions. It reveals that library professionals are aware of potential risks, especially the ones from inside the field. Their awareness is positively affected by their current positions in the profession. In general, they are likely to overlook some types of potential risks such as the ones from the leadership, originating outside the library community, or involving long-term uncertainty. The authors suggest library practitioners should be fully aware of the potential risks and their dynamic nature, and should take the opportunity to promote leadership and management in the process of transformation, and to cooperate with parties outside of the library community, thus making the library transformation rational and successful.     

Facilitating Asian students' critical thinking in online discussions

The purpose of the study reported here is to illustrate how an approach based on a culturally appropriate 'shepherd metaphor' has helped Asian students to cross cultural boundaries and to engage in critical thinking online. Asian students are under different levels of influence from the Confucian Heritage Culture, which cultivates students to revere authority, maintain harmony and avoid conflicts in public. This has a significant impact on Asian students' cultural readiness to verbalise critical thinking. This paper partially reports research undertaken in a large English as a Foreign Language reading class in Taiwan, in which 'shepherd leadership' was practised. Shepherd leadership involves knowing students individually, offering cognitive modelling, exercising leadership and discipleship, encouraging student leadership and calling on silent students personally to get them to participate. This approach, concentrating on Asian students' affective needs, cognitive modelling, passing leadership to students and reaching out to silent ones, was found effective.