Cognitive regulations in ICT-supported flipped classroom interactions: An activity theory perspective

In recent years, most studies on flipped classrooms or flipped learning have focused on learners’ motivation, academic achievement and teachers’ and students’ perceptions of the flipped classroom. Little research has involved interactions in the flipped classroom. This study aims to show that in-class collaborative learning in the flipped classroom can not only be conceived as a collective activity consisting of discrete actions, but also as a systematic activity. From the activity-theoretical perspective, contradictions were found between components of an activity such as subject, tools, rules, community, division of labor, object and outcome. This study conducted a pre-experiment, selecting one lesson of the seventh-grade Information Technology Course as the learning content, conducted in a flipped classroom. Three triads with different compositions were specifically observed by recording their interactions. More second-level contradictions existed between subject and tools, and division of labor within the low-level triad than within the other two triads, and more first-level contradictions also occurred within the low-level triad than within the other two triads. Most second-level contradictions within the high-level triad were resolved by self-regulation of cognition. Instead, most second-level contradictions within the mixed-level triad were overcome by co-regulation or shared regulation of cognition. This study sheds light on how to effectively design and implement flipped learning, and provides a new approach for analyzing interactions in the classroom.     

Solution of a Scaled System via Chebyshev Polynomials

A new time-domain approach to the derivation of a Chebyshev scale matrix is presented. The derived Chebyshev scale matrix, together with the Chebyshev integration matrix, is used to analyze differential equations containing terms with a scaled argument. The results are expressed in terms of Chebyshev series. As illustrated in the included examples, the Chebyshev series solution converges faster than that represented in Laguerre series.     

Predicting Employee Turnover from Friendship Networks

Employees (n=40) at a fast-food restaurant were surveyed about characteristics of their position and their level of satisfaction. Employees were then asked to report with whom they regularly communicated inside and outside the workplace and to indicate how close they were to employees with whom they were linked. Employee turnover was measured after three months had elapsed. A goal of the research was to replicate a model of employee turnover that predicts employees more central in their social network to be less likely to leave, and to test a social support explanation of the centrality model. The results indicated that employees who reported a greater number of out-degree links with friends were less likely to leave. The number of in-degree links with friends did not significantly predict turnover, and neither did network links with peers. Friendship prestige, measured by the number of in-degree links, was strongly correlated with relational closeness and amount of time spent with employees outside the workplace.     

Development of a personalized educational computer game based on students’ learning styles

In recent years, many researchers have been engaged in the development of educational computer games; however, previous studies have indicated that, without supportive models that take individual students?? learning needs or difficulties into consideration, students might only show temporary interest during the learning process, and their learning performance is often not as good as expected. Learning styles have been recognized as being an important human factor affecting students?? learning performance. Previous studies have shown that, by taking learning styles into account, learning systems can be of greater benefit to students owing to the provision of personalized learning content presentation that matches the information perceiving and processing styles of individuals. In this paper, a personalized game-based learning approach is proposed based on the sequential/global dimension of the learning style proposed by Felder and Silverman. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, a role-playing game has been implemented based on the approach; moreover, an experiment has been conducted on an elementary school natural science course. From the experimental results, it is found that the personalized educational computer game not only promotes learning motivation, but also improves the learning achievements of the students.     

Virtual and Traditional Feedback-Seeking Behaviors: Underlying Competitive Attitudes and Consequent Grade Performance

The electronic medium continues to play an increasingly important role in the delivery of management education despite a paucity of empirical studies on its impact and efficacy. Results from a study of competitive attitudes and feedback‐seeking behaviors across seven “hybrid” electronic cum live classes showed that Kiasu‐Negative (a competitive attitude directed at preventing others from getting ahead of oneself) and Kiasu‐Positive (a competitive attitude directed at personal diligence to get ahead of others) ( Hwang, Ang, & Francesco, 2002 ) were related to two electronic discussion board feedback‐seeking behaviors. These feedback‐seeking behaviors, in turn, were related to grade performance as measured by multiple‐choice tests. Traditional feedback‐seeking measures of asking the professor in class or outside the class, and checking with fellow students for their views on class topics did not have a positive influence on multiple‐choice test performance. In light of these findings, educators should consider how best to encourage participation on electronic discussion boards for hybrid type courses, while researchers should further examine the underlying causes of learning from such electronic exchanges. Other implications of these findings are also discussed.     

Effects of reviewing annotations and homework solutions on math learning achievement

Previous studies have demonstrated that making annotations can be a meaningful and useful learning method that promote metacognition and enhance learning achievement. A web‐based annotation system, Virtual Pen (VPEN), which provides for the creation and review of annotations and homework solutions, has been developed to foster learning process among students. In order to explore the effects of reviewing annotations and homework solutions on learning achievement, a quasi‐experiment was conducted with VPEN in a math class over a period of 4 months. It was found that reviewing own text annotations has a significant influence on learning achievement; while on the contrary, reviewing peers' text annotations has no significant influence on learning achievement. Our results show that students gain more from reviewing their own annotations than from reviewing the annotations made by peers, a contrast which reveals that annotations hold additional meaning for their creators. Further investigation revealed that only the quantity of text annotations among all other variables can significantly predict students' learning achievement. This finding may suggest that text annotations play more important roles to learning achievement than other variables, like homework. The reason is because text annotations are created by learners actively on voluntary base whereas homework is usually assigned by the teachers. Based on our findings, we suggest that teachers may consider incorporating learning activities that can foster metacognitive development into the learning process, like making annotations, solving homework and reviewing them, whereas peer learning should be encouraged only for reviewing the homework solutions of their peers with good learning achievement.     

Examining the Causal Relationships Among Selected Antecedents of Responsible Environmental Behavior

Abstract

Attitude models have been widely applied to natural resource management to ensure responsible environmental behavior. For a variety of applications, the causality among selected antecedents, such as knowledge of environmental issues, locus of control, attitude, personal responsibility, and intention to act on responsible environmental behavior has not yet been tested empirically. A hypothesized causal model based on Hine's (1986) model on responsible environmental behavior was developed. The data from 523 visitors to the urban forest trail in the Kwang-Reung Arboretum, Korea, during September 1995 were used for testing the suggested causal model. Path analysis using the LISREL program tested the model fit and statistical effects of variables. In terms of the effects on intention to act, locus of control and attitude are more important than knowledge and personal responsibility. Our findings suggest that in order to enhance responsible environmental behavior, environmental education and interpretation systems need to focus on changing the internal locus of control. Several recommendations, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed.     

Internet‐based Science Learning: A review of journal publications

Internet‐based science learning has been advocated by many science educators for more than a decade. This review examines relevant research on this topic. Sixty‐five papers are included in the review. The review consists of the following two major categories: (1) the role of demographics and learners' characteristics in Internet‐based science learning, such as demographic background, prior knowledge, and self‐efficacy; and (2) the learning outcomes derived from Internet‐based science learning, such as attitude, motivation, conceptual understanding, and conceptual change. Some important conclusions are drawn from the review. For example, Internet‐based science learning is equally favorable, or in some cases more so, to learning for female students compared to male students. The learner's control is essential for enhancing students' attitudes and motivation toward learning in Internet‐based science learning environments. Nevertheless, appropriate guidance from teachers, moderators, or the Internet‐based learning environment itself is still quite crucial in Internet‐based science learning. Recommendations for future research related to the effects of Internet‐based science learning on students' metacognitive reflections, epistemological development, and worldviews are suggested.