Three-Year Longitudinal Study: Impact of a Blended Learning Program—Lexia® Core5® Reading—on Reading Gains in Low-SES Kindergarteners

This three-year longitudinal study tracked the reading performance of 68 kindergarten students from low SES backgrounds. These students received instruction with a blended learning program ——Lexia® Core5® Reading—from the start of kindergarten through second grade. During each school year the students made significant gains on a standardized reading test. However, performance on the test declined significantly from the spring of one school year to the fall of the next, indicative of a substantial summer slide. Yet, further comparisons revealed that performance from the fall of one school year to the fall of the next showed significant improvement, pointing to the benefits of school-based instruction to help overcome the summer slide. More than 90% of low performers who started kindergarten scoring below average on the standardized test finished second grade scoring average or better. Benefits of Lexia Core5® Reading to support reading growth in elementary school students from low SES backgrounds are discussed.     

MOOC环境下的《程序设计基础》课程设计与实施

文章分析了程序设计语言类课程教学面临的问题,提出了程序设计课程在MOOC环境下从内容组织到教学模式改革的设计及实施思路,实现了线上线下融合的混合式教学方式,取得了良好效果。     

Practical Skills Training in Agricultural Education—A Comparison between Traditional and Blended Approaches

Purpose: In this article the use of blended learning multimedia materials as an education tool was compared with the traditional approach for skills training.

Design/Methodology/Approach: This study was conducted in Ireland using a pre-test, post-test experimental design. All students were instructed on how to complete two skills using either a traditional or blended methodology. They were subsequently assessed to determine their ability to perform the practical skills.

Findings: The findings stressed the suitability of blended learning not only when it was found that there was no significant difference between method of teaching and skill acquisition but also when it was revealed that student demographics had no major influence on skill acquisition.

Practical Implications: It can be concluded that blended learning can be used effectively for the instruction of a diverse range of practical skills in agricultural college and benefit in the successful knowledge transfer to a growing and diverse student population with more emphasis placed on the students taking charge of their own learning environment.

Originality/Value: The article demonstrates the value of blended learning as a successful medium for practical skill attainment within the agricultural college environment.

Findings: The findings stressed the suitability of blended learning not only when it was found that there was no significant difference between method of teaching and skill acquisition but also when it was revealed that student demographics had no major influence on skill acquisition.

Practical Implications: It can be concluded that blended learning can be used effectively for the instruction of a diverse range of practical skills in agricultural college and benefit in the successful knowledge transfer to a growing and diverse student population with more emphasis placed on the students taking charge of their own learning environment.

Originality/Value: The article demonstrates the value of blended learning as a successful medium for practical skill attainment within the agricultural college environment.     

The effect of blended learning on student performance at course-level in higher education: A meta-analysis

The present paper analyzes the impact of blended learning (BL) on the academic achievement of higher education students. A meta-analysis (k = 51 effect sizes) was conducted to perform a statistical synthesis of studies contrasting student performance in BL conditions with traditional classroom instruction. We include disciplines and instructors’ end-of-course evaluation method as moderating variables. The results show that BL demonstrates a small summary effect (g⁺ = 0.385, p < 0.001) compared to traditional teaching methods A significantly higher mean effect size was found in STEM disciplines (g⁺ = 0.496) compared to that of non-STEM disciplines (g⁺ = 0.210). Nevertheless, the weighted mean effect sizes reveal no significant differences regarding of end-of-course assessment methods, namely one-moment and multiple-component assessment. The finding confirms that BL is significantly associated with greater learning performance of STEM-disciplined students than with traditional classroom practice. Accordingly, discussion concerning the findings and implications for future research are elaborated.     

混合学习环境下学习者的在线自我调节学习潜在剖面分析及行为过程挖掘

混合学习强调线下课堂教学和线上自主学习的混合以实现优势互补,其中学习者的在线自我调节学习能力显得异常重要。文章旨在揭示学习者的在线自我调节学习能力存在哪些潜在类别,不同类别学习者是否具有不同的在线自我调节学习行为过程模型,以及这对于在线自我调节学习环境的设计有何启示。研究首先对239名学习者的在线自我调节学习能力进行测评,然后使用潜在剖面分析方法对测评数据进行分析,发现样本学习者可以分为高、中、低三种不同水平的自我调节学习剖面类别。然后分别对三种类别学习者的在线自我调节学习行为数据进行过程挖掘,研究发现:(1)学习者的自我调节学习能力更多体现在执行阶段的行为上;(2)中高水平自我调节学习者的在线学习行为表现出更强的认知和元认知策略;(3)高水平自我调节学习者体现出更有效的时间管理策略与更强的整体规划能力。因此,在线自我调节学习环境需要引入自适应支持机制,为学习者提供适应性的过程和策略支持。     

基于混合学习的微课应用模式研究

成人院校学生的生源差异以及学习需求多样化,对英语教学模式的创新提出挑战,运用线上线下相结合的混合学习模式成为当前英语教学的一个热点。文章以商务英语核心课程"外贸单证实务"为例,采用文献资料法、访谈法和问卷调查法进行实证研究。在前端分析基础上,尝试结合微课的优势和混合学习倡导的理念,从微资源整合和混合学习设计入手,构建微课的应用模式,并借助雨课堂平台,将这一模式应用于课程教学中,探索该模式的有效性。实践表明,该模式在促进学生知识习得、提高自主学习能力和实际操作水平等方面取得了一定的成效。     

混合式教学中作文同伴互评的应用研究

“互联网+”时代的到来,使得在线教学不仅仅在传统高校得到应用,在中小学教育教学中也萌发新芽。研究选取40名初一学生进行为期一学期的初中语文作文同伴互评混合式教学实践,探讨了混合式教学中作文同伴互评的应用。研究采用行动研究,以知识建构理论为指导,设计建构了以“观点为中心”的混合式教学中作文同伴互评的应用流程,以此改革初中作文教学。研究结果表明:作文同伴互评的混合式教学,有助于促进学生作文兴趣的提升;有助于促进学生作文水平的提高;有助于充实和延伸初中语文作文教学。研究是“互联网+”环境下信息技术与语文作文教学深度融合的一项应用,会对初中语文作文教学方式改革产生一定影响。     

Does blended instruction enhance English language learning in developing countries? Evidence from Mexico

Despite steady investment in English language education made by developing countries over the past few decades, results continue to be constrained by lack of high-quality instructors and language learning resources. Thus, using technology in language instruction has increasingly been recognized as a potential approach for addressing these constraints. This study uses administrative data from a large public university in Mexico to examine the impact of a technology-enhanced blended program on students' English course grades and course completion rates. Specifically, we focus on a campus-wide policy change in all compulsory English language courses that replaces half of the traditional face-to-face class time with an interactive online learning environment developed by a leading technology-mediated English language learning and assessment provider. Our results suggest that, compared to traditional face-to-face instruction, blended learning had a significant, positive impact on students' course grades and course completion rates. In addition, the enrollment-teacher ratio increased after replacing half of the face-to-face instructional time with online learning, suggesting that blended learning environments hold promise for providing high-quality and cost-effective language instruction.     

将Blended Learning理念应用于网络多媒体环境下的英语自主听力课程

本文从Blended Learning理念的视角,以网络多媒体环境下的英语自主听力课程为实例,建议融合传统听力教学和听力自主学习两方面的优势,即“主导-主体相结合”,并探讨在保持学生自主学习模式的同时如何发挥教师应有的作用。