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Abstract: Abstract The goal of this study was to design a mobile application to address the challenge of the lack of quality English-speaking lessons in South Korean middle and high schools. The study was conducted because providing quality English speaking lessons in large size classes arguably could foster equal access to acquiring English speaking skills in public education settings. WikiTalki, a mobile application developed in this study, is a classroom assistance tool that expands students' verbal practice opportunities and enables them to receive personalized peer feedback on their speaking performance. The development process of WikiTalki followed the design-based research (DBR) approach and was conducted in three iterations of design, development, and test. An empirical study was conducted to assess the application's effectiveness in terms of students’ participation, self-efficacy, achievement in oral speech, and perceived English-speaking success. Significant findings of the study were: recording and sharing function increased learner participation in large-sized English classes; peer feedback tended to promote collaborative learning; continuous refinement of the application design enhanced the quality of instructional design and usability. PubDate: 2022-06-01
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Abstract: Abstract In Taiwan, the critical development of inclusive policy is linked to legislation around inclusion and the programs promoted by educational authorities and local governments in the 1990s. Although this previous educational reform ushered in a new era of inclusion, this type of educational campaign triggered various responses among stakeholders. This study aims to understand the experience of the implementation of inclusive programs implemented in four primary schools in Hsinchu City and County in north-west Taiwan, exploring inclusion-oriented school life in these institutes. The investigation of school-based inclusive practices is based on a qualitative approach such as the Flanders Interaction Analysis Categories (FIAC) and entails a series of observations of inclusive activities in the four educational institutes under study. The results reveal that the inclusive environment is conducive to verbal interaction among teachers and students. It also indicates that inclusive programs place more weight on factors such as curriculum, teachers’ professional development, educational resources and the support system. In conclusion, the authors argue that the inclusive environment creates an educational and social position advantage among all students, both with and without disabilities. This paper offers international readers insights into how inclusive policy in Taiwan has created an ongoing dialogue between stakeholders and led to educational improvement. PubDate: 2022-06-01
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Abstract: Abstract This study investigates the possibility of utilizing motivational regulation strategies for elementary through high school students using a motivational regulation scale originally developed for US college students by Wolters (The 11th International Conference on Education Research. New Educational paradigm for learning and instruction, Seoul, South Korea, 2010) and Wolters and Benzon (J Exp Edu 8(2):199–221, https://doi.org/10.1080/00220973, 2013). Of primary concern were questions whether the scale would work in a very different culture and educational system and whether it could be legitimately expanded from original validation efforts for college and high school students to Korean children attending upper primary school levels. Six correlated factors were identified and corroborated across elementary, middle, and high school students using multidimensional multiple group confirmatory factor analysis. With relatively minor exceptions, this validation study indicates that the questions posed about different cultures and age groups could be answered in the affirmative: Wolters’s (The 11th International Conference on Education Research. New Educational paradigm for learning and instruction, Seoul, South Korea, 2010) and Wolters and Benzon (J Exp Edu 8(2):199–221, https://doi.org/10.1080/00220973, 2013) motivational regulation scale can be used for the three age classifications of Korean students and could be used as a tool interrogating popular motivation regulation strategies across three school levels. PubDate: 2022-06-01
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Abstract: Abstract It is possible for a single leader to make a difference to institute a cultural environment in a confined university set-up. This qualitative phenomenological study explored ten university faculty leaders’ perceptions of culturally responsive leadership. The results revealed that an unresponsive and challenging environment for the implementation of a culturally responsive leadership in higher education context has been created and higher education is not ready for the implementation of a culturally responsive leadership. The implementation for university faculty and leaders was discussed. PubDate: 2022-06-01
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Abstract: Abstract The present research investigated the quasi-causal relationship between foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA) and English performance in relation to gender and discipline via cross-lagged regression analyses. A total of 934 freshmen from a well-known state-owned university in Beijing answered the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale and a background questionnaire at the beginning and the end of a term. Their English test scores in both phases were also collected. Results demonstrated that FLCA was significantly negatively correlated with English test performance for all students. Another major finding was that the overall FLCA, low self-confidence in speaking English, and worry about English classroom performance impacted the students’ test performance differently, depending on gender and discipline, so did test performance impact different aspects of FLCA. These findings show that FLCA is a primary cause for test performance, while the latter is not necessarily an important cause for the former. PubDate: 2022-06-01
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Abstract: Abstract As Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are booming, the development of learning videos has become a crucial work. The designing of learning videos for learning of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) depends much on experience and lacks adequate theoretical guidance, which results in unsatisfactory learning outcomes. This study investigates the design of EFL learning videos from the perspective of social presence and proposes a few technology-incorporated design strategies, namely embedding instructor image, establishing visual social context and improving learner-video interactivity on both mental and operational levels. These strategies were adopted in the development of three EFL MOOCs. A quasi-experiment was conducted with the experimental group using videos from those MOOCs. Data were collected through a questionnaire survey measuring social presence, a group interview and a post-test. Results show that the experimental group perceived significantly higher social presence than the control group yet did not achieve better learning outcomes. Configuration of subtitles and arrangement of visual elements are considered as possible factors for not obtaining better learning outcomes, and suggestions are offered to improve the strategies. PubDate: 2022-06-01
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Abstract: Abstract Awareness of research paradigms has been recognised as a prized asset to educational researchers. Yet, the extent to which philosophical stances tend to be reflected in papers remains enigmatic in ELT research. This study was, therefore, conducted to explore whether methodologies adopted by ELT researchers are underpinned by pertinent philosophical assumptions. In particular, it enquired into authors’ explicit reference to philosophical underpinnings of their research. In so doing, based on a set of rigorous criteria, a search of relevant articles was undertaken, culminating in 53 articles published in 24 journals, spanning five years (2015–2019). The results testified to researchers’ reluctance to engage with philosophical assumptions, inasmuch as only a small proportion of articles (7.5%) discussed the underpinning philosophical assumptions. The results, however, showed that ethical considerations appear to be a well-established phenomenon, of which the majority of researchers (60.4%) took heed. Moreover, the adopted word cloud technique introduced the highly frequent words used in the methods sections. The results are imbued with some implications for ELT researchers and academics. PubDate: 2022-06-01
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Abstract: Abstract School-to-school collaboration has been widely applied in many countries to improve schools’ academic outcomes. This study contributes to the understanding of the cognitive benefits of school-to-school collaboration. This study analyses the China Education Panel Survey (CEPS, 2013–2014) data by using propensity score matching to reveal the causal relations. The CEPS is a national survey that seeks feedback on the educational experience of students in grade 7 and grade 9 (age 13 and 15), their teachers and parents by using a stratified, multistage, sampling technique. The findings suggest that school-to-school collaboration can significantly promote students’ cognitive skills, given a series of covariates. Moreover, the heterogeneous treatment effect across family-related and individual-related covariates has been estimated. Students with higher social-economic status and better family support benefit less from the cognitive returns of school-to-school collaboration than those who have lower social-economic status and limited family support. The findings of this study suggest that the cognitive benefits of school-to-school collaboration have no difference in relation to students’ health conditions, learning time, or their experiences in school. Finally, the study’s limitations and future research directions are discussed. PubDate: 2022-06-01
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Abstract: Abstract Collaborative teaching between one native English speaking (NES) teacher and one non-native English speaking (NNS) teacher has been found to be more effective than traditional ways of lecturing in improving students' language competence, yet its superiority in cultivating students’ intercultural competence has rarely been considered, let alone confirmed. To address this gap, this study tracks a 12 weeks’ course co-taught by an NES teacher and a local Chinese teacher (NNS) at a university in China. Based on the initiation-response-follow-up (IRF) analytical framework and after triangulating three data resources (class recordings, class observations, interview with students), it found that overall co-teaching generated extended IRF sequences with diverse speech functions. In particular, the NES and NNS adopted distinctive yet complementary roles in IRF sequences, with the NES eliciting and contributing culture evidence and the NNS developing and explaining students’ argument in culture comparison. This study suggests that intercultural co-teaching can help students progress from passive, culture-textbook-based learning to authentic, communication-process-oriented learning. PubDate: 2022-06-01
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Abstract: Abstract The current study explores how the scoring judgments of pre-service English-as-aforeign-language (EFL) teachers relate to their levels of writing proficiency in the context of the Chinese mainland. Eighty one pre-service EFL teachers from a national normal university participated in the study. Three groups of teachers were then identified in terms of their levels of writing proficiency. Four teachers in each group were selected to rate a selected sample of twelve student scripts holistically while conducting think-aloud protocols for the scores assigned. Many-Facet Rasch Model and non-parametric tests were performed to evaluate the differences in the both the scores and scoring behaviors across groups. Qualitative analysis of the data was conducted to provide further explanation of the scoring judgment. The findings of the study highlighted the particular role of EFL teachers’ writing proficiency in assessing student writing. Pedagogically, the study serves to inform teacher training and the development of assessment literacy in the context of both high-stake and classroom assessments. PubDate: 2022-06-01
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Abstract: Abstract The flipped classroom has been widely discussed in recent years, but some important issues still need in-depth exploration, including how to increase learners’ autonomous learning motivation before the class, how to work with in-class discussion activities, and how to improve learner’s concentration on discussions and lower their learning anxieties for high-level cognitive thinking. This study integrated theories of digital game-based learning (DGBL) and flipped classrooms, proposing the mini-game-based flipped classroom (MGFC) teaching model. In this teaching model, learners used a mini-educational game developed based on cognitive theories for DGBL autonomous learning in class, and then worked with collaborative problem solving (CPS) activities to improve learning and discussions. The study involved a quasi-experiment to evaluate this teaching model. The experimental group used MGFC, while the control group used the traditional flipped classroom teaching method by watching the video first and then having group discussions. The study analyzed the differences in the learning performance and acceptance of the two groups, and analyzed gender differences. Moreover, this study used quantitative content analysis (QCA) to explore learner’s concentration on their discussion content. The results showed that the MGFC group had significantly higher scores than the control group in their learning performance and acceptance. The MGFC group also showed a high level of flow. The QCA results showed that MGFC enhanced the frequency of learner’s learning discussions and their concentration in the learning process. PubDate: 2022-06-01
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Abstract: Abstract Drama activities are reported to foster language learning, and may prepare learners for oral skills that mirror those used in real life. This year-long time series classroom-based quasi-experimental study followed a between-subjects design in which two classes of college EFL learners were exposed to two oral training conditions: (1) an experimental one in which drama-based training pedagogy was employed; and (2) the comparison one in which ordinary public speaking pedagogy was utilized. The experimental participants dramatized a picture book into a play, refined and rehearsed it for the classroom audience, and eventually performed it publicly as a theater production for community children. Diachronic comparisons of the participants’ oral presentation skills under the two conditions showed that a significant between-group difference began to become pronounced only after the experimental participants started to present for real-life audiences other than their classmates. This finding suggests that drama-mediated pedagogy effectively enhanced the experimental participants’ presentation performance and became more effective than the traditional approach only after a real-life audience was involved. In addition to the participants’ performance data, survey and retrospective protocols were utilized to shed light on how drama-based tasks targeting both classroom and authentic audiences influence college EFL learners’ presentation performance and their self-perceived oral presentation skills. Analysis of the survey and retrospective data indicated that the participants’ attention to three presentation skills—structure, audience adaptation and content—was significantly raised after their presentation involved a real-life audience. Based on these findings, pedagogical implications for drama for FL oral presentation instruction are discussed. PubDate: 2022-06-01
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Abstract: In this study, we aimed to investigate the prospective primary school teachers’ opinions about their experiences in distance education within the scope of twenty-first century skills during COVID-19 pandemic. The phenomenological research method was used for the purpose of enlightening this specific context. The study group involved 16 prospective primary school teachers. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The credibility of the data were provided by obtaining the consent of the participants and by comparing the consistency of codes and themes created by experts in accordance with the twenty-first century skills. The key findings were: (1) no opinion is expressed on information and media literacy; also, participants were not aware of the importance of technology literacy. (2) Emergency remote education cannot provide effective learning and teaching. Participants’ awareness of collaboration and communication skills was insufficient. (3) There were positive and negative aspects of emergency distance education towards face-to-face one. The educational environment, which has become digitalized with distance education, shows that there are changes in the views of the participants about the technology competence that they should have in their careers. As a result, remote education does not cause a significant difference in 21st century skills of participants. But the importance and need of twenty-first century skills in the distance education process become more apparent. PubDate: 2022-05-18
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Abstract: Democratizing knowledge is about empowering all participants to be legitimate contributors to a group's shared goals and helping them take pride in advancing community knowledge. It is a crucial principle of Knowledge Building theory, the importance of which to developing more equitable learning environments is well recognized. However, what the indicators of democratizing knowledge are and how they manifest in pre-service teachers' Knowledge Building discourse are rarely studied topics; it is not clear how the indicators of democratizing knowledge correlate with students' adoption of Knowledge Building principles. This exploratory study addressed these issues by identifying the cognitive and social aspects of democratizing knowledge of 35 pre-service teachers' Knowledge Building discourse and analyzing the correlations between participants' adoption of Knowledge Building principles and different subcategories of democratizing knowledge. We identified greater frequencies of advancing ideas in their groups and being open to different ideas by participants, but lower frequencies of achieving a shared understanding or goals and rising above individual ideas to achieve synthesis by participants. Moderate to strong correlations between the indicators of democratizing knowledge and Knowledge Building principles were found. In addition, participants' notes that fell into the rise-above subcategory of democratizing knowledge were significantly fewer than notes of other subcategories. This study provides theoretical and practical implications concerning supporting and fostering learners' democratizing knowledge in Knowledge Building communities. Limitations and directions for future research are discussed. PubDate: 2022-05-09
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Abstract: The objective of this study is to perform a meta‐analysis of published data on the effects of active learning on Asian students' performance in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects. This comprehensive meta-analysis study includes a systematic review of papers related to various active learning approaches and instructional methods such as collaborative learning, experiential learning, discovery-based, group-inquiry-based, problem-based and activity-based learning, specifically the effects these approaches have on Asian students' performance in STEM-related subjects. The Scopus electronic bibliographic database was searched with search terms and dates to identify and extract the relevant studies that met pre-stated inclusion criteria. A main criterion for inclusion of studies in this meta-analysis were Asian students’ exposure to any active learning intervention in STEM-related subjects. Studies that fulfilled the inclusion criteria were processed for data extraction. A total of 2810 full‐text peer reviewed papers published from 2000 to 2020 were analyzed and 38 papers met the inclusion criteria established for the meta-analysis. Effect sizes between experimental (n = 2230) and control groups (n = 2510) were calculated using means and standard deviations which were collected and summarized for a comprehensive and systematic review based on the compiled data. Using means and standard deviations from the studies, a moderately large effect size (ES = 0.6596) was detected. Analysis of the pre-post effect sizes demonstrated a significantly higher mean effect size thereby indicating a positive effect of active learning on Asian students' performance in STEM subjects. Findings from the meta-analysis in this study provide a comprehensive understanding of the effects of active learning on Asian students' performance in STEM subjects. Finally, the significance and relevance of these findings for future research directions are discussed. PubDate: 2022-05-09
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Abstract: Abstract In an effort to promote integrated STEM education, the Malaysian government has integrated STEM teaching framework within the science and mathematics curriculum specifications to guide the science and mathematics teachers to design and implement interdisciplinary teaching while teaching science and/or mathematics concepts. Some of the factors that make STEM teaching effective include knowledge about integrating the different subjects in teaching and teachers’ pedagogical strategies, perceived difficulties (PD), and self-efficacy. This study was designed to measure and model the relationships between these three factors and integrated STEM teaching practices in a sample of Malaysian teachers. Data obtained from 573 science and mathematics teachers were analyzed using a partial least square structural equation modeling approach. Findings revealed that the model derived from a combination of the three factors exhibits substantial predictive power and thus has substantial relevance for STEM teaching. Knowledge and perceived efficacy have significant positive effects on and PD have significant negative direct relationships with STEM teaching. Knowledge has a significant negative and positive mediation effect between difficulties and integrated STEM practices, and self-efficacy and integrated STEM practices, respectively. This study has immediate implications for developing teacher professional development curriculum and STEM education policymakers in Malaysia, and it is a model to be tested in other countries or regions intending STEM education reforms. PubDate: 2022-04-13
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Abstract: Abstract Children and young people with disability are a “vulnerable” population within a pandemic context as they face structural inequities and discrimination as a result of their impairments. In this paper, we report research that sought to examine the learning experiences of children and young people with disability during the COVID-19 pandemic. We wanted to understand how this group fared and whether different interventions impacted on these experiences. Data were collected from an online survey organized by Children and Young People with Disability Australia (CYDA) that garnered responses from more than 700 families. The study contributes empirical evidence to the growing literature about COVID-19-related impacts on learners already recognized as experiencing multiple disadvantages in schooling. We find some significant gaps in supports offered to students with disability and their families. Notwithstanding that some students did not receive any support from their schools, where supports were offered, social supports had the greatest positive impact on feelings of learner engagement. Our findings support key propositions in the social and emotional learning literature, namely that particular resourcing should be dedicated to social interaction and feelings of belonging as these are crucial to learners engaging in learning processes. There are clear implications of these findings in terms of what educational institutions might do to help engage students with disability in remote learning. PubDate: 2022-04-09
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Abstract: Abstract This study focused on mobile apps used by female preschool teachers to engage in mobile communities and self-efficacy to further their professional development. The configurations of gender technology images embedded in mobile communities were explored, and the practical figures of female preschool teachers were constructed for the consideration of the mediating roles of trust and interaction via mobile apps. A survey was conducted in Taiwan to test the influencing factors and mediating effects of female preschool teachers’ attitudes toward the pursuit of professional development via mobile apps. The questionnaire consisted of four factors: mobile communities, teacher self-efficacy, trust, and interaction. Partial least-squares regression was employed to analyze the sample data and test the statistical effects of the mediators. The results indicate the fully multiple mediating effects of trust and interaction via mobile apps on the relationship between mobile communities and teacher self-efficacy. This paper includes useful suggestions to help female preschool teachers develop, reflect on, and construct meaningful practices for educare professions. PubDate: 2022-04-01 DOI: 10.1007/s40299-020-00545-7
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Abstract: Abstract The use of the flipped classroom (FC) model in higher education is becoming increasingly common. Although the FC model has many benefits, there are some limitations using this model for learners who do not have self-directed learning skills and do not have a developed learner autonomy. One of these limitations is that students with low academic self-efficacy (ASE) cannot improve their problem-solving skills (PSS). In the FC model, it is thought that these problems can be solved and supported by providing learning analytics to the learners and making recommendations and guidance based on these results. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of recommendations and guidance based on learning analytics on ASE and PSS. The research was conducted according to experimental design with pretest–posttest control group and mixed methods approach (QUAN + qual) was used. This study was carried out on 44 university students randomly assigned to experimental group (LA group) and control group (non-LA groups). While feedback messages showing learning analytics to LA groups students were sent via learning management system (LMS) on a weekly basis, non-LA groups students did not receive any feedback messages. The experimental process of the study continued for 7 weeks within the FC model. Research data were obtained through ASE scale, problem-solving inventory and student opinion form. The results of the research show that sending feedback messages showing learning analytics to students has a statistically significant effect on their ASE and PSS. The qualitative findings of the study confirm the results obtained from the quantitative findings. Based on the current implementation, various suggestions were summarized for instructors, instructional designers, and researchers. PubDate: 2022-04-01 DOI: 10.1007/s40299-020-00548-4
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