ChatGPT-assisted language learning: Effects on Vietnamese English majors' writing skills and motivation

This study aimed to investigate the effect of mobile technology with music education content that supports basic music theory teaching on secondary school students’ achievement levels and learning. The study was carried out using a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design on sixth-grade secondary school students studying in Turkey (experimental group n = 43 and control group n = 40). The experimental group students attended an 8-week music lesson prepared through mobile technologies called NoteWorks (the names of the tunes, the letter notation, and their positions on the piano), Rhythm Cat (rhythm studies), GarageBand (arrangement studies), and Kids Piano (playing the melody by remembering). Basic music theory subjects were taught to the control group using traditional music teaching methods. Quantitative data showed that the music lesson activities developed and enriched with mobile technologies created a significant difference in the students in the experimental group’s basic music theory subjects’ achievement test scores. Post-intervention assessments (semi-structured interviews) increased students’ motivation levels, willingness to study outside the classroom, communication, musical development, and willingness to participate in the lesson. The research concludes with several recommendations and highlights points that need further attention in mobile technology research.

Bu araştırmada, Sosyal Bilgiler öğretiminde Proje Tabanlı Öğrenme (PTÖ) Yaklaşımının ortaokul öğrencilerinin girişimcilik becerilerine etkisinin incelenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Bu amaç doğrultusunda hem nitel hem de nicel veri toplama tekniklerinin birlikte kullanıldığı karma yöntem desenlerinden sıralı açıklayıcı karma desen kullanılmıştır. Nicel veri toplama aracı olarak, Eroğlu, Deveci ve Gürdoğan Bayır (2020) tarafından hazırlanan “Ortaokul Öğrencilerine Yönelik Girişimcilik Ölçeği” ve araştırmacı tarafından hazırlanan Kişisel Bilgi Formu kullanılmıştır. Nitel veriler ise yarı yapılandırılmış görüşme formu kullanılarak elde edilmiş ve içerik analizi ile yorumlanmıştır. Araştırmada çalışma grubu seçkisiz olmayan örnekleme yöntemlerinden uygun örnekleme yöntemi kullanılarak belirlenmiştir. Bu kapsamada Erzincan il merkezinde bir ortaokulda 5. sınıfta öğrenim görmekte olan iki sınıftan biri deney grubu (N14), diğeri ise kontrol grubu (N14) olarak seçilmiştir. Uygulama sürecinde dersler deney grubunda Proje Tabanlı Öğrenme Yaklaşımı çerçevesinde hazırlanan “Erzincan KOSGEB ile Bilgileniyorum”, “Erzincan OSB’yi Keşfediyorum”, “Üretiyorum-Satıyorum” ve “Kadın Girişimcilerle Buluşuyorum” başlıkları altında 4 ayrı proje kapsamında işlenirken, kontrol grubunda ise müfredata uygun bir şekilde işlenmiştir. Araştırma sonucunda, deney ve kontrol grubu öntest ve sontest puanları karşılaştırıldığında, deney grubu öğrencilerinin girişimcilik becerilerinin kontrol grubu öğrencilerine göre istatiksel olarak anlamlı bir şekilde farklılaştığı sonucuna ulaşılmıştır. Araştırmanın nitel boyutuna yönelik sonuçlara göre; Proje Tabanlı Öğrenme Yaklaşımının yaratıcılık, yenilikçilik, risk alma-cesaretli olma ve başarılı girişimciler ile meslekleri tanımada etkili bir yöntem olduğu gözlemlenmiştir. Sonuç olarak, Sosyal Bilgiler öğretiminde Proje Tabanlı Öğrenme Yaklaşımının, ortaokul öğrencilerine girişimcilik becerilerini kazandırmada etkili bir yaklaşım olduğu söylenebilir.

Prenatal care is vital for ensuring healthy pregnancies, yet many women face barriers such as geographic distance, socioeconomic limitations, and lack of transportation. Mobile health (mHealth) technologies offer a promising approach to improving access to prenatal care information. However, the motivations, barriers, and behaviors related to mHealth app use, particularly within diverse cultural and sociodemographic contexts, remain underexplored. This study aimed to investigate Iranian pregnant women's intention to use mobile health apps and identify its determinants using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) framework. A sequential exploratory mixed-methods design was employed, comprising qualitative content analysis followed by a quantitative survey. In the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 pregnant women and 7 healthcare professionals, guided by the UTAUT model. Directed content analysis was used to explore participants' experiences and perceptions. In the quantitative phase, a cross-sectional survey based on the UTAUT framework was administered to 60 pregnant women. Inclusion criteria included being currently pregnant, having access to a smartphone, and using an mHealth app for prenatal care. Participants were recruited via email and social media platforms. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 29. A concurrent triangulation approach was used to integrate qualitative and quantitative findings. Qualitative findings indicated that performance expectancy (PE), effort expectancy (EE), social influence (SI), and facilitating conditions (FC) shaped behavioral intentions to use mHealth apps. Participants appreciated features such as appointment reminders and symptom trackers, but also raised concerns regarding information accuracy and app usability. Social influences from peers and healthcare providers were especially influential. Quantitative results confirmed that PE (B = 0.47, p < .001), EE (B = 0.35, p = .009), and SI (B = 0.28, p = .049) were significant predictors of behavioral intention to use mHealth apps. FC (B = 0.23, p = .131), however, did not have a statistically significant direct effect. The integration of qualitative and quantitative findings offers a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing pregnant women's behavioral intentions to use mHealth apps. To enhance adoption and effectiveness, mHealth app design should prioritize usability, credibility, and support mechanisms tailored to prenatal care needs.

The body is undoubtedly the first language of communication in human history. Body language, which dates back to the first human, was the first language with which humans communicated with each other. Human being is a social being; just as it needs nutrition, shelter, security, knowledge, respect and love, it also needs communication. Therefore, speaking skill has become one of the language skills that individuals use most in daily life throughout their lives. Drama method is a method that can be used to help people get to know themselves and their environment, improve their relationships, gain different perspectives, and increase social harmony. The aim of this research is to determine the effect of body language-centered drama activities on the development of students' speaking skills in secondary school Turkish teaching. The participants of the study consist of 55 7th grade students studying in a secondary school in Battalgazi district of Malatya province. In this research, mixed research method sequential explanatory design was used. A semi-experimental design was used in the quantitative part of the research, and the quantitative data of the research was collected using the Speaking Skills Attitude Scale (2017), and the phenomenology design was used in the qualitative part, and the data were collected with student diaries, semi-structured interview form and observation form. In the quantitative part of the research, a control and an experimental group were created. Experimental and control groups were determined according to the students' pre-test results from the attitude scale. According to the results of the Mann Whitney U test, the groups were found to be equivalent. In the experimental group, body language-centered drama prepared in the context of Turkish language teaching program achievements was taught, and in the control group, lessons were taught taking into account the current Turkish course curriculum. At the end of the research, a semi-structured interview was conducted with 9 experimental group students, a diary was collected after each drama application, and observations were made by taking pre- and post-videos of the students' body language-centered speaking skills. A reliability and validity study was conducted on the applied quantitative and qualitative data collection tools. Analysis of the post-tests in the experimental and control groups was made with the Mann Whitney U test. Qualitative data were analyzed with codes and categories created by content analysis and descriptive analysis. When the results of the research were examined, it was concluded that the Turkish lesson taught with body language-centered drama activities was more effective than the normal Turkish lesson in terms of giving speaking skill gains. Similarly, it was observed that the interest and love of the students participating in the study regarding speaking skills increased after the body language-centered drama activities, and their anxiety decreased. In addition, it was observed that students began to use body language easily both in the classroom and in daily life. Looking at the results of the qualitative data of the research, it was seen that the students started to use body language in and outside the classroom, their speaking skills improved and even their existing speech disorders improved. The study results were examined in the literature and compared from both similar and different perspectives. Looking at the results, researchers can make variations in their studies in order to obtain rich data; for drama practices, they should conduct pilot exercises before implementing the created drama workshops and pay attention to the physical characteristics of the place where the drama will be implemented; recommendations were made for institutions to give teacher candidates the opportunity to practice in drama classes in faculties of education and to provide drama training to teachers in in-service courses opened within the Ministry of National Education.

This research investigated the effect of artificial intelligence-supported activities on academic achievement, critical thinking, and innovation skills. To this end, an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was used. The quantitative phase utilised a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design, while the qualitative phase adopted a case study approach. A total of 49 seventh-grade students from a public school were selected through simple random sampling, with 25 students in the experimental group and 24 in the control group. The experimental intervention lasted six weeks. The quantitative data were collected using the Academic Achievement Test, the Critical Thinking Disposition Scale, and the Innovation Skills Scale, while the qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The analysis showed that AI-supported activities significantly enhanced academic achievement and innovation skills but did not improve critical thinking compared to traditional textbook-based instruction. The analysis of interview responses revealed that students perceived the advantages of AI for learning and its disadvantages for critical thinking and misdirection. Based on these findings, it is recommended that classrooms be equipped with the essential technological infrastructure to help students benefit from AI, that large language models designed for educational use be fine-tuned with scientific and reliable sources, and that further research explore and exemplify the potential roles of AI tools in educational contexts.

The purpose of the current study was to determine the effect of teaching astronomy through augmented reality (AR) on the achievement and interest level of gifted students and their opinions about AR applications. The current study was conducted in line with the explanatory sequential mixed-methods design. The study group of the current research was comprised of 51 gifted students (26 in the control group and 25 in the experimental group) attending a Science and Arts Centre (BILSEM). In the application process, the astronomy teaching activities supported with AR were used in the experimental group while the astronomy teaching activities suggested in the official science curriculum of the middle school 7th grade were used. The data of the study were collected by using an Astronomy Achievement Test and the Scale of Interest in Astronomy as a pretest and posttest and an AR Interview form administered only to the experimental group students at the end of the application. The statistical analyses of the quantitative data revealed that before the experimental application, the experimental and control groups were equal in terms of astronomy achievement and interest in astronomy. After the completion of the application, however, significant differences were found for both the experimental and control groups in favor of the posttest. Moreover, significant differences were also found in the posttest in favor of the experimental group in terms of both astronomy achievement and interest in astronomy. In other words, AR-supported astronomy teaching activities positively affected the experimental group students’ astronomy achievement and interest in astronomy. Furthermore, the experimental group students expressed many positive opinions about the AR applications within the categories of technical features and cognitive and affective features. The experimental group students wanted the use of AR applications in the teaching of other science subjects and other courses.

This study examines the effectiveness of Culturally Infused AI Storytelling in enhancing the German language competency of university students in Indonesia. Using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, the study involved 68 undergraduate students learning German as a foreign language. There were thirty-four students in the experimental group and another thirty-four in the control group. Students in the experimental group were taught through Culturally Infused AI storytelling, whilst the control group received instruction via conventional methods. The post-test analysis from the ninth session showed that the experimental group was better at speaking than the control group. An independent samples t-test supported this conclusion, revealing a statistically significant difference between the groups and a large effect size. Qualitative data collected via semi-structured interviews with participants from the experimental group supported the quantitative findings. Students said that they found it easier to express themselves verbally since they were familiar with the cultural narratives. They were more engaged in discussions, and AI technologies helped them improve their pronunciation and presentation quality because the technology gave them quick feedback and helped them be more creative. These results indicate that Culturally Infused AI Storytelling is an effective teaching method for enhancing student’s German speaking proficiency.

This study investigated the impact of blended learning on students’ retention of Electromagnetic Induction concepts in two secondary schools located in Chongwe District, Zambia. Retention of abstract physics concepts like Electromagnetic Induction poses a significant challenge in many educational contexts, particularly in resource-constrained environments. To address this issue, an Explanatory Sequential Mixed Methods Design, was used. A total of 172 students were randomly from Mukamambo II Girls’ Secondary School and Margret Mwachiyeya Secondary School participated in the study. Students were divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental groups were exposed to blended learning, which incorporated digital learning tools such as simulations, animations, online quizzes, and teacher-facilitated discussions, while the control groups received conventional face-to-face instruction which included physical lessons and laboratory activities. Two post-tests were administered with one being immediately after instruction and the other two weeks later, in order to assess students’ ability to retain Electromagnetic Induction concepts over time. Quantitative results indicated that students in the experimental groups consistently outperformed those in the control groups. At Mukamambo II Girls’ Secondary School, the experimental group achieved a second post-test mean score of 76.00% (SD = 14.65), compared to 66.64% (SD = 16.31) in the control group. Although the differences were not statistically significant (p &gt; 0.05), effect size analysis revealed small but meaningful gains in favor of blended learning, suggesting that it contributes positively to long-term retention. Qualitative data, collected through focus group discussions and teacher interviews, supported these findings, with students reporting enhanced understanding and recall due to access to visual and interactive resources. Despite facing challenges such as limited access to devices, intermittent internet connectivity, and insufficient teacher training in digital pedagogy, the implementation of blended learning demonstrated potential for improving retention of complex scientific content. The study recommends the integration of blended learning into science curricula and highlights the need for investment in teacher capacity-building and infrastructure development to fully realize the benefits of blended learning.

Background The growing global emphasis on STEM education has made it essential to adopt innovative instructional models in teacher education programs. The TRIZ approach provides a systematic framework for engineering-based problem solving, while the Flipped Learning Model (FLM) offers preservice teachers flexible, interactive, and practice-oriented learning opportunities. Integrating these two approaches holds significant potential for improving preservice preschool teachers’ competencies in the Nature of Engineering (NoES), Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK), and STEM Pedagogical Content Knowledge (STEM-PCK). Purpose This study aims to examine the effects of TRIZ-STEM – based flipped learning practices on preservice preschool teachers’ NoES, TPACK, and STEM-PCK levels, as well as their opinions regarding the learning process. Sample The study group consisted of 61 preservice preschool teachers enrolled in an early childhood education program and selected through an easily accessible case sampling method (experimental group: 31; control group: 30). Design and Methods The research was conducted using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design. In the quantitative phase, a quasi-experimental pretest – posttest control group design was employed, while a case study design was used in the qualitative phase. TRIZ-STEM activities were implemented through the FLM in the experimental group and in a traditional face-to-face format in the control group. Data were collected using the NoES, STEM-PCK, and TPACK scales, as well as semi-structured interviews. Results Quantitative findings indicated that TRIZ-STEM practices integrated with the FLM significantly improved preservice teachers’ NoES, TPACK, and STEM-PCK levels, with effect sizes ranging from medium to high. Qualitative findings revealed that the FLM supported flexible learning, hands-on experiences, professional development, and technological literacy Conclusion Integrating TRIZ-STEM practices with the Flipped Learning Model effectively combines theoretical and practical learning in preschool teacher education. This approach provides an innovative instructional framework that strengthens preservice preschool teachers’ engineering, technological, and pedagogical competencies.

The current quasi-experimental comparative study investigated the teachers' attitudes toward Mnemonic strategies (Visual Imagery and Story-linking) compared to Traditional Strategies (Rote Learning, Multiplication Quizzes, Daily Multiplication Habit, and Repeated Addition Strategy) in enhancing basic multiplication fact retrieval among Grade 3 students with and without disabilities in 20 inclusive primary schools. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was adopted, prioritizing quantitative analysis to establish causal relationships, followed by qualitative exploration for more profound insight. The Non-equivalent Control Group Design (NECGD) was utilized in the quantitative phase, comprising 20 teachers: 10 in the experimental group (Mnemonic strategies) and 10 in the control group (Traditional Strategies). In addition, the authors administered a pre-test and post-test survey, which included questionnaires and open-ended questions, to measure changes in teachers' attitudes before and after the intervention. Moreover, interviews were conducted with the teachers to gather more in-depth qualitative data. Additionally, a Paired-Samples T-test revealed a statistically significant increase in teachers’ positive attitudes toward Mnemonic strategies following a one-day professional development program (t(9) = 15.00, p &lt; 0.001), indicating that exposure to innovative teaching strategies positively influenced the teachers’ attitudes. Although the control group (Traditional Strategies) also showed significant improvement in their attitudes (t (9) = 9.80, p &lt; 0.001), the experimental group demonstrated a more substantial change, suggesting that Mnemonic strategies were more effective in fostering a positive shift in teacher attitudes. The qualitative findings have also supported the quantitative results, highlighting the increasing confidence of teachers in using Mnemonic strategies to assist students with diverse learning needs. These results contribute to the broader discourse on teacher cognition, instructional efficacy, and inclusive pedagogy, underscoring the necessity of sustained professional development programs in promoting adaptive instructional practices.

(1) Background: The last few decades have seen researchers giving considerable attention to the physical context of early childhood care and development (ECCD) centers because many of the underlying processes that link physical context are quite similar to psychosocial environmental factors regarding child development. However, research on the physical environments, and the employees’ understanding of the importance of physical environments, is often underestimated. The purpose of this study was to assess the quality of the physical environments of ECCD centers in the Cape Coast Metropolis, Ghana, and ascertain whether being a private or public center (center auspices) would be associated with the quality of its physical environment. A further inquiry into the educators’ understanding of the importance of physical environment on children’s developmental outcomes was made. (2) Methods: Using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods research design, all 160 ECCD centers in the Cape Coast Metropolis were assessed using a modified version of the Children’s Physical Environment Rating Scale (CPERS) and a semi-structured interview guide. (3) Results: Descriptive statistics indicated that more than half of the ECCD centers, 56%, rated “fair” on the quality of their physical environment. Although the locations and sites of these centers were of good quality, other physical environmental characteristics (i.e., “Planning of the Centre”, “Building as a Whole” and “Outdoor Space”) of ECCD centers were also rated to be fair. A Chi-square test showed that center auspices (i.e., being private or public) were not significantly associated with the quality of the physical environments of the centers [χ2(2) = 2.490, p > 0.05], suggesting no significant difference between private and public ECCD centers in terms of the quality of their physical environment. A follow-up qualitative inquiry identified two themes as reasons why play yards in early years’ schools were not good: a ‘‘lack of funding” and “governmental support”. (4) Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the physical environments of ECCD centers are, to some extent, compromised. Stakeholders (e.g., Ghana Education Service, non-governmental/religious organizations, and private entrepreneurs) should help improve the quality of physical environments and also provide financial assistance for the provision of basic equipment (e.g., learning materials) for private and public ECCD centers in the Cape Coast Metropolis. Educators require in-service training to boost their in-depth understanding of the importance of physical environments on children’s developmental outcomes. Future studies could target children’s perceptions of their preschools’ physical environments as useful empirical information to help guide appropriate policy interventions.

This study examined the effects of computerized concept mapping on EFL students’ essays in terms of content, organization, language use, vocabulary, and mechanics. The theoretical framework was based on writing-as-process approach. Explanatory sequential mixed methods design was used to collect data. Quasi-experimental research data was collected from 45 students who were assigned to two treatment groups as individual and collaborative computerized concept mapping and control group. All participants completed a survey before and after the treatment. The experimental groups were trained on the use the mapping tool. The essays were scored according to Jacobs et al.’s (1981) rubric. The quasi-experimental phase was followed by semi-structured interviews. The results suggested the individual-mapping group performed better than the control group in terms of content and organization in all essay tasks while the collaborative-mappers outperformed control group in the second task. The results of semi-structured interviews revealed that learners had positive experiences using computerized concept mapping as a pre-writing activity in EFL context and their attitudes towards writing were quite positive.

The main purpose of this research was to examine how the Argument-Based Inquiry (ABI) approach affects students’ science achievement, inquiry skills, and scientific writing skills and to determine what the students thought about the ABI. This study employed an explanatory sequential mixed methods design using a quasi-experimental research method in which a pretest-posttest control group was used in the quantitative part and semi-structured interviews were conducted in the qualitative part of the research. The participants included 47 fourth-grade students attending a public elementary school. The students in the experimental group were taught four science units using the ABI approach, while those in the comparison group were taught the same units with the teacher’s own teaching methods. Independent samples t-tests were conducted for the analyses of data collected through Science Achievement Tests, the Inquiry Skills Test, and the Grading Rubric for Scientific Writing Skills. The findings revealed significant differences between the experimental and comparison groups in terms of science achievement, inquiry and scientific writing skills in favor of the experimental group. Content analysis of the qualitative data revealed that the students held favorable opinions about the ABI approach. We concluded that the positive effects of the ABI approach continued to increase throughout the study.

Feedback has a pivotal role in language and literacy learning. With the ubiquity and advancement of technology, screencast feedback (SF) has emerged as a novel mode of feedback in the context of English as a foreign language (EFL) writing classrooms. Yet, there remains a paucity of evidence on the effects of SF on enhancing students’ English writing performance, particularly in Chinese secondary school settings. Thus, the current study aims to employ a mixed-method sequential explanatory design to investigate the impacts of SF on the writing performance of Chinese secondary school students and their perceptions toward SF. The sample consisted of 90 intermediate Grade 12 high school students from Southern China. While the experimental group received the SF, the control group received conventionally written feedback in their argumentative writings. Quantitative findings indicated that the posttest of the experimental group participants in terms of task achievement and coherence and cohesion in writing was higher than their pretest; however, there was no significant difference in enhancing lexical resources and grammatical range accuracy. Results also showed that the experimental group excelled over the control group regarding overall writing performance. Qualitative findings from semi-structured interviews in the experimental group revealed that most participants maintained positive perceptions of SF, as it strengthened student-teacher interaction, provided specific and longer feedback, and promoted students’ confidence.

This study investigated the effects of scaffolding instruction on students’ awareness of metacognitive reading strategies using a quasi-experimental research design. The participants were freshman students in two classes at University of Gondar, so intact groups were chosen using simple random sampling techniques, and the lot method was employed to select both groups, with one assigned as an experimental group (n = 61) and the other as the control group (n = 61). The experimental group was taught using scaffolding instruction based on O’Malley and Chamot’s (1996) Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach strategy training model. The intervention was carried out for three months in 2022 academic year. The control group received the conventional way of teaching reading. Data were collected through survey of reading strategies and semi-structured interviews. The quantitative data were analyzed using independent and paired samples t-test. The pretest results revealed that both the experimental and control groups were homogeneous in their awareness of metacognitive reading strategies. However, after the treatment, the experimental group improved significantly (p&lt;.05) better than the control group. Correspondingly, the qualitative findings indicated that scaffolding instruction had a positive impact on learners’ awareness of metacognitive reading strategies. Hence, the study recommends that EFL instructors should employ scaffolding instruction at the university level for teaching metacognitive reading strategies in reading lessons.