Authentic Learning Environment Research Articles

The Effect Of Authentic Learning Practices On To The Mental Structures Conceptual Change And Of Attitudes Of Students In Life Science Course

In this study, it is aimed to determine the effect of authentic learning practices in Life Science lesson on the conceptual change of students and their attitudes towards the course. The research was modelled with a semi-experimental design with pre-test post-test control group using quantitative methods. The research was carried out with the students of two different 3rd grade branches studying in a primary school located in the center of İnegöl District of Bursa Province in the 2022-2023 academic year. In the study, data were collected through the Personal Information Form, Word Association Test and Attitude Scale Towards Life Science Lesson. The results of the Word Association Test, which was applied to reveal the conceptual change in the mental structures of the students in authentic learning environments, were analyzed by content analysis. The data obtained in the Word Association Test were converted into concept network maps using the Breakpoint technique. In the study, t-test, which is one of the parametric tests, was used to analyze the data obtained from the attitude scale. In the research, conclusions were reached about the effect on the conceptual change of the students and their attitudes towards the course. In this context, it has been revealed that authentic learning practices carried out in the Life Science lesson improve the mental structure of the students, have a positive effect on concept change and contribute to meaningful learning. It was concluded that the authentic learning environments and activities applied positively improved the attitudes of the students towards the Life Studies lesson.

Bridging the theory-practice gap in pharmacy education using an authentic learning approach: A cross-sectional study

Background: Authentic learning environments highlight real-world relevance to students, contributing to readiness for practice. This study evaluated the impact of an educational activity on student pharmacist learning and personal/professional development. Methods: An activity similar to that used by practising pharmacy professionals to record errors during dispensing was included in simulated community pharmacy workshops delivered to Year-2 students as part of a Professional Practice Module. Students were instructed to complete entries when academic staff identified errors during final accuracy checks. Student evaluation surveys were analysed at the end of terms one and two of the academic year. Descriptive statistics were used for closed questions, and thematic analysis for open-ended responses. Results: Of the 75 student pharmacists who completed both evaluation surveys, 64% (n=48) recorded fewer errors in term two. Respondents considered the exercise helpful in highlighting the need for more attention to detail and identifying negative trends in their dispensing process. A positive response to personal/professional development was noted, with student pharmacists commenting that the activity facilitated reflection. Conclusion: This activity has allowed students to experience real-world working situations, extending their learning experience, facilitating personal/professional development, and encouraging best practices.

Facilitating cognitive development and addressing stereotypes with a cross‐cultural learning activity supported by interactive 360‐degree video technology

AbstractThis study investigates a virtual reality (VR) cross‐cultural interactive learning environment that combines a 360‐degree video camera for content creation, a viewing tool, and a video conference platform for real‐time interaction. This environment aims to address the limitations of traditional 360‐degree VR tools, particularly in enabling simultaneous, interactive engagement among multiple users. The study recruited 31 university students from China and Indonesia utilizing convenience sampling to test the efficacy of the environment in fostering cognitive development and challenging cross‐cultural stereotypes. The methodology included analysing student‐created content, questionnaire responses, and insights from semistructured interviews. The analysis, grounded in a cognitive development taxonomy and an assessment of stereotype changes, revealed that the students reached the “remember” and “understand” cognitive levels. Additionally, prevalent stereotypes held by the students were addressed. The immersive nature of the VR environment and the interactions with foreign peers were highly appreciated, significantly contributing to cognitive growth and stereotype mitigation. These findings offer valuable insights for educators and researchers in technology‐assisted cross‐cultural education, emphasizing the importance of designing interactive VR‐based activities that effectively facilitate cognitive development and address cross‐cultural stereotypes.Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic Telecollaborative projects have been widely implemented to facilitate intercultural learning. Scholars have employed 360‐degree video technology to develop virtual reality (VR) learning environments. 360‐degree videos offer a panoramic view of different cultures, enabling learners to explore and interact with their surroundings, thus fostering contextualized learning experiences. Such videos can enhance student engagement, motivation, and learning effectiveness. What this paper contributes The existing 360‐degree video technology offers only a restricted range of learning scenarios, especially in terms of the capability to enable multiple students to watch virtual reality (VR) content using head‐mounted displays (HMDs) and engage in real‐time interactions simultaneously. To overcome this limitation, we developed a virtual reality (VR) cross‐cultural interactive learning environment. Our solution includes a 360‐degree video viewing tool with which students can watch the created content, along with an online video conference platform that facilitates the observation of each other's viewed content through their HMDs, and enables real‐time communication among students to discuss the content they are experiencing. Implications for practice or policy The integration of our VR interactive learning environment into cross‐cultural learning creates authentic and immersive learning environments that provide students with a realistic sense of presence. This enhances cross‐cultural learning by making objects, people, and situations appear lifelike. Our technological approach fosters interaction among students from diverse geographical and cultural backgrounds within virtual reality learning environments. Students can not only receive information about the target culture but also exchange culture‐related information and communicate in real time. Since our approach is convenient and autonomous, it holds immense potential for resolving the common challenges faced by teachers and students in cross‐cultural teaching and learning.

Correction to: To choose or not to choose? Effects of choice in authentic context-based learning environments

Correction to: To choose or not to choose? Effects of choice in authentic context-based learning environments

The impact of instructional support via generative learning strategies on the perception of visual authenticity, learning outcomes, and satisfaction in AR-based learning

AbstractAugmented reality (AR) presents significant opportunities for creating authentic learning environments by accurately mirroring real-world objects, contexts, and tasks. The visual fidelity of AR content, seamlessly integrated into the real world, contributes to its perceived authenticity. Despite acknowledging AR’s positive impact on learning, scant research explores specific learning strategies within an AR context, and there’s a lack of studies linking perceived visual authenticity to these strategies. This study addresses these gaps by surveying learners using AR technology to study the human cardiovascular system, exploring perceived visual authenticity, learning outcomes, and satisfaction. Learners used either (1) AR with the self-explanation learning strategy, (2) AR with the drawing learning strategy, or (3) AR only. Analysis of variance and correlation was used for data analysis. Results indicated no significant differences in perceived visual authenticity and satisfaction among the learning strategy groups. However, groups employing learning strategies showed superior learning outcomes compared to the AR-only group. Crucially, the self-explanation learning strategy significantly enhanced knowledge gain compared to drawing and AR-only groups, indicating that self-explanation, together with the visual input from the AR-learning environment, fosters a more coherent mental representation. This increased learning efficacy was achieved while maintaining a consistent perception of visual authenticity and satisfaction with the learning material. These findings expand the current landscape of AR research by moving beyond media comparison studies.

To choose or not to choose? Effects of choice in authentic context-based learning environments

AbstractContext-based learning (CBL) environments are widely used in science education to create authentic learning opportunities. Contexts can be authentic through their relation to everyday life, to uncommon scientific phenomena, or to the chemical laboratory. Previous research revealed that students choose contexts that are authentic in different ways depending on their individual characteristics. Self-determination theory and psychological research indicate that it is not the choice itself that is beneficial for learning, but rather the congruence between the characteristics of the participants and the task. The extent to which these results are transferable to CBL in chemistry education and the effects on cognitive load have not yet been analyzed. The focus of the present study was to investigate whether the choice of a contextualized task or the congruence between context and student are causal for beneficial effects in situational interest, cognitive load, and task-related satisfaction. We conducted an experimental study with 217 third-year chemistry students comparing three treatments while learning in a CBL environment. In the first group, students could choose a contextual task that was varied in terms of authenticity. Students in the second group were assigned a contextual task by an artificial neural network that matched their individual characteristics. Students in the third group were assigned a contextualized task by the neural network that did not match their individual characteristics. Multilevel analyses show that whether the context is chosen or not is irrelevant for situational interest and task-related satisfaction if the context fits the individual characteristics of the students.

Recontextualising the teaching learning cycle within engineering education to improve the development of written communication skills

ABSTRACT An ongoing challenge for curriculum development in engineering programmes is ensuring that students graduate with appropriate writing skills. There is a need for effective and efficient integration of writing instruction within the engineering curriculum. Applied linguistics research provides valuable descriptions and understandings of the nature of writing for engineering purposes. This knowledge can be used to develop students’ ability to adapt their own writing style to meet the expectations of the context for which they are writing. As such, this paper proposes embedding the Teaching Learning Cycle, a pedagogic model of literacy development, within relevant curriculum approaches already in use in engineering education, with a focus on those that prioritise authentic learning environments. Suggestions for activities to develop writing ability are given in relation to the stages of the cycle.

Exploring online authentic learning environment (OnALE) for inferential statistics: its efficacy and benefits to statistics learners

Exploring online authentic learning environment (OnALE) for inferential statistics: its efficacy and benefits to statistics learners

Learning to Teach in Out-of-University and Out-ofSchool Environments in Primary Teacher Education in Estonia, Finland, and Sweden

Learning in diverse settings during pre-service teacher training equips future primary teachers with the knowledge and skills to teach in authentic learning environments later in their work lives. This experience helps to meet the varying needs of their future students who have increasingly diverse cultural and socio-economic backgrounds with varying levels of access to learning and knowledge. During their university studies, pre-service teachers need to recognise the value of outof-school environments, reinforce awareness in practice, and reflect on experiences to deepen pedagogical thinking about learning environments. This multiple case study describes the common practices in the pre-service training of primary teachers at Tallinn University, University of Helsinki and Uppsala University concerning teaching in out-of-classroom learning environments. Our aim was to explore the ways that the three universities support pre-service primary teachers in using out-ofschool learning environments in their future practice. We intended to identify practices regarding our respective national curricula and university courses for pre-service primary teachers. We have three main suggestions for teacher educators regarding learning to teach in diverseenvironments: enable meaningful and reflective practical tasks in out of university learning environments for pre-service teachers; ensure the sustainability of external partnerships by stating collaborative practices in course programmes while leaving flexibility in the details; and reflect on professional networking across the boundaries of institutions.

The Challenges and Factors Influencing ICT Integration for EFL Teachers in China: A Systematic Review

The advantages of using information and communication technology (ICT) in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teaching and learning have been well documented in research studies. The international trend and Chinese national policies on education both call for EFL teachers to effectively integrate ICT into their teaching. However, only a few studies have explored the challenges of ICT integration into EFL teaching, especially in China. This study draws data from four databases based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 checklist to ensure a comprehensive and rigorous analysis of the available literature. By synthesising and analysing the findings from the final selected 17 articles between 2019 and 2022, this study highlighted the research designs of the relevant studies on the use of ICT by EFL teachers in China, along with the two most important underlying theories (TPACK and TAM) associated with ICT integration. It also provides insights into the specific challenges and influencing factors that impact ICT integration in EFL teaching in the Chinese context. The findings reveal that EFL teachers’ ICT literacy and acceptance are influenced by many factors which are frequently classified into external and internal ones. The majority of the reviewed studies offered recommendations on how to use technology more effectively, apply ICT in EFL teaching, and create authentic teaching and learning environments. Additionally, the findings of this study offer suggestions for future research and teaching approaches, particularly for overcoming the challenges of ICT integration.

Use of a project-based aquaponics curriculum in rural Kentucky school districts increases secondary students’ understanding of ecosystems

There is a need for secondary schools to provide more authentic, hands-on experiences in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and, specifically, project-based investigation environments in the classroom that manifest the next generation science standards (NGSS) following practices they prescribe. This study investigated how, and to what extent, a contextualized aquaponics project-based investigation (APBI) 10-week model unit affected high school students’ understanding of standard-based ecological relationships and concepts concerning interactions in ecosystems and, specifically, the phenomena carrying capacity and bacterial nitrification process. Using a quantitative method, quasi-experimental research design, three different student groups who participated in the authentic, hands-on APBI curriculum (i.e., treatment groups) and a control group were given a pre- and post-content-aligned test (<i>n</i>=88), which measured changes in students’ ecological knowledge. The results in this study revealed that the curriculum was an effective method to provide meaningful learning and content understanding of standard-based ecological concepts and relationships. The evidence from this study suggests that authentic instructional experiences can facilitate students’ understanding of standard-based ecological concepts and knowledge of ecosystems, as the three treatment group students showed statistically significantly higher mean difference (improvement) sum scores after taking the pre- and post-content-aligned assessment when compared to the control group. Overall, the gain in understanding can be attributed to the project-enhanced unit implemented in this study. The implications of this study suggest APBI models may create authentic science learning environments that promote student learning of scientific concepts. In addition, APBI can offer engaging curricula that articulates NGSS.

Retrieving and transferring knowledge: Effects of test item variation on transfer in an authentic learning environment

IntroductionLaboratory research has found superiority of transfer to new questions when prior ones asking about the same underlying problem (or construct) were varied in nature as compared to being constant. The current study examines this matter in a college Introduction to Methods in Psychology course. MethodsStudents (N = 287) with varying aptitudes as measured by college GPA and admissions test scores were taught and then repeatedly tested on a set of constructs (e.g., identifying a particular source of confounding). For half of those constructs, the four ‘mid-term’ exams repeatedly asked the same question (Constant condition). For the other half, each of those exams asked about the constructs via a new question (Varied condition). The final exam included both repeated and novel items testing each construct. We utilized explanatory item response models to examine whether students' performance on the final exam (the probability of a particular student correctly answering a particular item) depends on the type of question (Constant or Varied) previously asked about that construct and on aptitude. ResultsStudents with lower aptitude performed differentially worse on novel final exam items in the Varied condition. Evidence for the superiority of transfer items in the Varied over the Constant case was observed, though not as strongly as predicted.

Developing Chinese university students' academic literacies in English language classrooms via a production-oriented approach: an action research perspective.

Developing academic literacies is becoming an important research topic in TESOL and has received increasing scholarly attention. One of the difficulties in developing university students' academic literacy in English language speaking is the lack of an authentic English language learning environment and the way to help students more effectively develop their language competence. To address this issue, this study seeks to explore the academic literacy development of 24 non-English major students in an 8-week-long integrated English class at a Chinese university from late 2022 to early 2023. Based on a production-oriented approach (POA) action research design, this study follows the typical framework of driving, enabling, and assessing phases to chain together the teaching and learning actions. Quantitative data from questionnaires were analyzed via SPSS software, whereas thematic analysis and content analysis were adopted in examining the qualitative data including classroom observations, teacher reflection journals, and semi-structured interviews. Based on our data analysis, this study finds that POA can have a positive effect on improving students' participation, performance, and task completion, which improves their academic literacies. Implications on how POA helps in facilitating EFL students' academic literacies development are discussed along with the acquisition model and future research directions like students' identity issues and teachers' perceptions of pedagogical approaches in teaching academic literacy within university settings.

Service learning in teacher education programmes: A literature review on the rationale, benefits, and challenges

Service-learning is a teaching approach that gives students opportunities to participate in a service that meets community needs as well as being relevant to the curriculum content and to reflect on the service-learning activity/activities and experience. While the discipline specific content is determined by the National Approved Curriculum for the respective Degree, Diploma or Certificate programme, activities which contribute towards concretising concepts and thus, marry theory with real-life challenges are jointly designed and agreed upon by the subject lecturer and the specific community partner. As pre-service teachers engage in service-learning activities, they experience personal and professional growth through: (i) taking leadership roles in service-learning activities; (ii) exposure to- and awareness of the real-life environment in which the 21st Century teaching profession has to operate; (iii) engaging in and participating in authentic real-life centred teaching practices; (iv) acquisition of new dispositions necessary for a 21st Century teacher; and (v) exposure to- and the relevance of service-learning as a teaching/learning pedagogy. Therefore, this study is a literature review of a range of some of the existing work on service-learning and it collates and brings together key components of service-learning, its benefits, and challenges. The implications of service-learning in Teacher education programmes are that curriculum content should be questioned regarding its relevance in modern day society, how well it prepares pre-service teachers for teaching skills and needs of a rapidly changing economy and society, and that education should take place in an authentic learning environment where community service activities are integrated with the academic curriculum.

Challenge Based Learning as authentic learning environment for STEM identity construction

Engineering education more and more adopts Challenge Based Learning (CBL). In CBL, students learn in groups by taking on open and challenging projects that draw on a broader STEM knowledge base. The challenges reflect and mimic STEM professional core practices (e.g., higher education) or authentic but pedagogically simplified versions (e.g., secondary education). Challenges also connect to societally relevant themes and issues. CBL thus seems well suited to helping students build a positive STEM identity (seeing oneself and being recognized by others as a STEM person c.q., STEM professional). However, CBL is a very new educational concept with little empirical research yet available. Therefore, this study explores the question of CBL's contribution to STEM identity development at a conceptual level. What, conceptually, can CBL be expected to contribute to STEM identity development? We first explore the concept of CBL as it is currently defined to find its strengths and weaknesses and improve it. We then look for empirical evidence on the effects of conceptually akin education (such as design-based learning and project-based learning) on STEM identities. When learning effects can be traced using educational theories to conceptual features they share with CBL, these can be building blocks for our modeling of CBL's contribution to the development of STEM identities. Current definitions of CBL were found to be purely enumerative and did not clearly distinguish CBL from related concepts such as problem-based learning (PBL) or Design-Based Learning (DBL). A new definition for CBL is proposed that is based on an underlying pedagogical vision. It is concluded that CBL and related forms of education can be expected to facilitate the construction of STEM identities, primarily through a combination of a motivation boost, a higher perception of competence and the enjoyable and experiential orientation to STEM that it provides students. However, CBL seems limited with respect to the development of STEM identities in vocational or higher education.

THE DIGITAL ACMELINGUISTIC TECHNOLOGY IN THE INDIVIDUAL EDUCATIONAL TRAJECTORY OF A MODERN STUDENT

This article deals with the digital acmelinguistic technology in the individual educational trajectory of a modern student as an effective way to improve the professional communicative competence in the independent study of a foreign language. The scientific novelty lies in the response to the requirement for practice-oriented learning, immersion of students in an authentic professional environment. The methodological basis is acmelinguistics. The theoretical and methodological justification is the acmeological, activity-based, interdisciplinary, intercultural and communicative approaches. The principles of interfacing cultures, methods of content analysis, description of a communicative situation and participant observation prove that with the help of the technology under study it is possible to solve such important issues as: the development and improvement of different types of speech; unlocking of the creative potential; the ability to use an authentic learning environment to find the information needed.

From motivational experience to creative writing: A motivational AR-based learning approach to promoting Chinese writing performance and positive writing behaviours

The ability to write is one of the key literacies required by students in relation to 21st century skills and is an emphasis of early education. Although the ability to write is a vital foundation for further education, due to the lack of authentic experience and limited instructional methods, cultivating writing ability in the early stage of education is still a significant challenge for students in elementary schools. Therefore, the majority of students are not able to actively engage in the process of learning to write. To address these problems, this study proposes a motivational AR-based (MAR) learning approach to support students in learning to write, which not only provides an authentic learning environment, but also aims to motivate students' active writing. Its effects were verified through a quasi-experiment. A total of 47 elementary school students from China were invited to participate, and were assigned to either an experimental group (EG) which was exposed to the MAR approach or the control group (CG) which was exposed to the motivational learning approach in a conventional environment (MC). The results showed that the proposed MAR learning approach improved the students' writing performance in terms of feature descriptiveness and thinking innovation. It can be found that, compared with the CG, the achievement gaps between the low- and high-engagement students were much larger in the EG. In addition, the sequential pattern analysis results showed that students who learned with the MAR learning approach concentrated more on the process of observation than those who learned with the MC learning approach, and they tended to exhibit less distracted behaviours. To sum up, the proposed MAR learning approach was effective in terms of facilitating elementary school students’ writing education. The main contribution of our study is that it provides evidence for the effectiveness of the proposed MAR learning approach and opens up opportunities for future studies which aim to further explore its impacts in different designs of writing learning activities.

Teaching Conversational English: Techniques for Unconscious Competence Versus Development of Thinking Skills.

The purpose of the article is to determine the role of critical thinking and unconscious competence in the implementation of effective communication during group discussions, debates and dialogues. The necessary conditions for creating an effective educational environment conducive to the development of students' conversational skills are demonstrated. An educational experiment was conducted with the participation of 75 third-year students from the School of [BLINDED], [BLINDED], during which the students practiced both critical thinking and unconscious competence in the process of group discussions. The conducted survey at the beginning and end of training, was determined the degree of use of critical thinking skills and unconscious competence in the process of finding answers to arguments during debates, discussions and disputes. The results of the surveys showed that in the process of speaking, critical thinking skills are used more often (79%) than unconscious competence (21%), but at the same time, students considered that unconscious competence (81%) is more effective in debates and discussions, than critical thinking (19%). It was concluded that critical thinking skills are easier and faster to learn to participate in a constructive discussion than the skills of unconscious competence, the development of which must take place in an authentic learning environment for a longer period. The results of the study confirmed that the participation of students in the conversation class increased their ability to analyze, critically evaluate, argue, unconsciously respond and understand the interlocutor. Therefore, it is important to invest additional efforts and create conditions for open, flexible and comfortable communication of students using modern pedagogical methods aimed at developing students' thinking skills of a higher order. The findings can be useful in the field of language teaching, psychology, and linguistics, as well as become the basis for the development of new curricula using collective discussions.

Implementation of a virtual student placement to improve the application of theory to practice.

The primary aim of undergraduate, pre-registration nursing education is to prepare students to be nurses who can apply theory to practice, with clinical placements to support the practice element of the clinical programme. However, the theory-practice gap is a longstanding problem within nurse education, as nurses continue to practise with incomplete knowledge to support their actions. In April 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a reduction in clinical placement capacity that affected student learning opportunities. Based on Miller's pyramid of learning, a virtual placement was created using evidence-based learning theories and an array of multimedia technologies with the intention of replicating real-life experiences and promoting problem-based learning. Scenarios and case studies were collated from clinical experiences and mapped against student proficiencies to produce an authentic and immersive learning environment. This innovative pedagogy provides an alternative to the placement experience while enhancing the application of theory to practice.

Fostering spatial ability development in and for authentic STEM learning

Empirical interdisciplinary research has explored the role of spatial ability in STEM learning and achievement. While most of this research indicates that fostering spatial thinking in educational contexts has the potential to positively impact students’ enrollment and performance in STEM subjects, there is less agreement on the best approach to do so. This article provides an overview of various types of effective spatial interventions and practices in formal or informal educational contexts, including targeted training of STEM-relevant spatial skills, spatialized curricula embedded in schools, integrated STEM practices addressing students’ use of spatial skills, and spatial activities in informal STEM education. Gender and socio-economic status of students – two variables that have been found to moderate the relationship between students’ spatial ability and their STEM performance – are also discussed in this article. Drawing on a wide spectrum of perspectives on situating spatial ability research in STEM education contexts, this article underscores the need for further inquiry into opportunities for developing K-12 students’ spatial ability through integrated and informal STEM practices. This article proposes a conjecture that the relationship between developing students’ spatial ability and enhancing their abilities to solve spatially complex STEM problems is bidirectional. Recommendations for future research are made on lingering questions about the effect of interventions, untapped resources for spatial ability training in formal and informal STEM education, and educational strategies for developing students’ spatial ability in authentic learning environments.