Learning Component Research Articles

Gaze and hand behaviors during haptic abilities testing-An update to multimedia learning theory.

The Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (CTML) suggests humans learn through visual and auditory sensory channels. Haptics represent a third channel within CTML and a missing component for experiential learning. The objective was to measure visual and haptic behaviors during spatial tasks. The haptic abilities test (HAT) quantifies results in several realms, accuracy, time, and strategy. The HAT was completed under three sensory conditions using sight (S), haptics (H), and sight with haptics (SH). Subjects (n = 22, 13 females (F), 20-28 years) completed the MRT (10.6 ± 5.0, mean ± SD) and were classified as high or low spatial abilities scores with respect to mean MRT: high spatial abilities (HSA) (n = 12, 6F, MRT = 13.7 ± 3.0), and low spatial ability (LSA) groups (n = 10, 7F, MRT = 5.6 ± 2.0). Video recordings gaze and hand behaviors were compared between HSA and LSA groups across HAT conditions. The HSA group spent less time fixating on mirrored objects, an erroneous answer option, of HAT compared to the LSA group (11.0 ± 4.7 vs. 17.8 ± 7.3 s, p = 0.020) in S conditions. In haptic conditions, HSA utilized a hand-object interaction strategy characterized as palpation, significantly less than the LSA group (23.2 ± 16.0 vs. 43.1 ± 21.5 percent, p = 0.022). Before this study, it was unclear whether haptic sensory inputs appended to the mental schema models of the CTML. These data suggest that if spatial abilities are challenged, LSA persons both benefit and utilize strategies beyond the classic CTML framework by using their hands as a third input channel. This data suggest haptic behaviors offer a third type of sensory memory resulting in improved cognitive performance.

Implementing Technology-Enhanced Support for First-Year Students on Blackboard: Lessons Learned.

Technology Enhanced Learning has become one of the key components of teaching and learning in the current environment and mainly because of Covid-19, hence the introduction of the Technology Enhanced Learning Programme. The Technology Enhanced Learning Student Assistants (TeL Assistants) programme supports students in the university with Blackboard (University choice of LMS). The programme was established in 2021 since there was a need to assist students in the use of Blackboard. With Covid, the university moved to strictly online and that became a challenge to the students. With most undergraduate students coming from disadvantaged high schools and backgrounds, there was a need for the programme. The TeL student assistants undergo training by the Teaching and Learning Consultants. The aim of this study was to evaluate how the TeL student Assistants supported the students of the University of Fort Hare on how to navigate Blackboard. This study examined the benefits of TeL student Assistant’s support in first-year students navigating their modules using Blackboard as an LMS. A purposive sample of undergraduate students that were trained by TeL student assistants submitted data through a qualitative survey in which they narratively conveyed their perspectives on support provided for Blackboard by the TeL Student Assistants. Data was analysed through coding, which were then assigned to themes and categories. The significant aspect of the TeL student assistants which enabled students to use Blackboard was the submission of assignments and tests, the facilitator’s knowledgeability and the patience students received from the TeL student assistants. The findings of the study directly benefit the university and higher education because they will provide information upon which we can take action to improve the support, retention, and throughput of students at the University of Fort Hare (UFH).

Artificial Intelligence Assistance and Cognitive Abilities: Harnessing AI-Assisted Heuristic Methods for Transitioning from Critical to Creative Thinking in English Language Learning

Transitioning from critical to creative thinking is an essential component of English language learning, fostering problem-solving abilities, innovative idea generation, and effective communication skills. Purpose. This study examines the potential of AI-assisted heuristic methods in facilitating this cognitive shift. Methodology. Three distinct AI-driven approaches are investigated: adaptive learning systems, intelligent tutoring, and data-driven feedback. A mixed-methods approach is employed to evaluate the effectiveness of the AI-assisted heuristic methods and learners' experiences during the intervention. The study involves 60 participants, divided into three groups of 20, each exposed to one of the three AI-driven methods. English language learning resources, including reading passages, audio recordings, and interactive exercises, are integrated with the AI-assisted techniques. The 8-week intervention commences with a pre-test assessing participants' initial critical and creative thinking skills. Post-tests and surveys are administered following the intervention to measure cognitive development and gather feedback on learners' experiences. Results. Results demonstrate significant improvements in problem-solving and originality of idea generation among participants. Furthermore, learners report positive experiences and recognize the value of AI-driven approaches in personalizing learning and promoting cognitive growth. However, challenges such as technological barriers and teacher training needs are highlighted. The current research underscores the potential of AI-assisted heuristic methods in English language learning, offering valuable insights into effective teaching strategies, learning tools, and platforms. Conclusion. Findings contribute to the development of innovative interventions supporting learners in acquiring essential thinking skills amidst rapid technological advancements, ultimately empowering them to succeed in today's interconnected and knowledge-driven world.

Exploring the Challenges and Opportunities of Blended Learning in a Technology–Enabled Education Environment

Technology integration in education has led to blended learning, a pedagogical approach combining traditional face-to-face instruction with online learning components. Through a comprehensive review of existing literature and empirical research, this investigation examines the impact of blended learning on both students and educators. It delves into this approach's diverse range of technologies, including Learning Management Systems, video conferencing tools, and digital content platforms. Through qualitative and quantitative analysis, the research identifies the opportunities that arise from adopting blended learning. It investigates the advantages of increased student flexibility, personalised learning experiences, and enhanced access to educational resources. The study explores how interactive content and virtual collaboration tools can boost student engagement and motivation. However, the study also uncovers educators' and students' challenges when implementing blended learning. These obstacles include technology access and proficiency issues, consistent communication, and addressing individual learning needs. The study addresses potential resistance to change from traditional teaching methods and the importance of teacher training and support. It compares students' achievements in blended learning environments with those in traditional classrooms and analyses the role of technology in influencing these outcomes. Based on the findings, the research concludes by providing insights into the future implications of blended learning in technology-enabled education environments. Keywords: Blended Learning; Learning Management System; Technology-enabled learning

To Evaluate Structured Competency-Based Curriculum for Health Programs among Community Medicine Postgraduates: Mixed Method Approach

Background: The postgraduate curriculum needs to be given a definite shape so as to make health programs more intensive and integrative. In the present scenario, most of the information is unclear and infrequent. A structured public health competency-based education is an important aspect to consider for integrative health care. Evaluate the structured competency-based curriculum (SCBC) prepared on health program matters. Methods: Mixed method model involving postgraduate students, faculties in community medicine departments of selected medical colleges and stakeholders from district administration. The SCBC was piloted and validated for use. The evaluation was then done based on pre- and posttest performance analysis, satisfaction survey, and questionnaires for reaction and learning components. Results: For a complete understanding of the program, students had to invest 52 hours of stipulated time. CBC assessment mean scores for a) problems in PHC and programmatic evaluation (78.9%) and b) identification of success and failure of programs (78.2%) were more than 75% mean score; whereas, assessment scores for topics on a) resource allocation and b) evaluation of program as write-up was 65% and 52%, respectively. As compared to the conventional method, the SCBC showed a critical evaluation score of 70% with a 0.001 significance level. Discussion and Conclusion: Students’ narratives were that they could understand as well as integrate them better on the field. There was enhanced satisfaction and encouragement. Structured curriculum will also help in making learning more student-centric and go a long way in boosting their creativity.

Where Theory and Practice Converge: Community-Based Learning as a Pedagogical Approach for Teaching AI Ethics

As artificial intelligence (AI) technologies continue to inundate the current information landscape, questions surrounding the ethics of AI and its responsible use in teaching and learning remain firmly on the forefront of the pedagogical discourse in the LIS field. Indeed, one implication of the ongoing AI revolution for LIS education that has become evident from these conversations is the pressing need to develop an ethical instructional framework that would enable students and educators alike to successfully navigate the rapidly evolving generative AI universe. This poster discusses the effectiveness of several pedagogical approaches that are currently being implemented to help students identify and address the ethical challenges associated with these technologies across a wide range of graduate level LIS courses, spanning such key areas of the professional practice as library and information center management, academic librarianship, and community-engaged librarianship. The common denominator in these courses is an emphasis on community-based learning that constitutes the core of complex sequential semester-long course projects students are asked to complete by designing and performing various community outreach, observational, and analytical exercises in an information organization of their choice. Based on the data collected from the above-mentioned courses during the past four semesters, the presenter demonstrates the value of the community-based learning component present in these activities for developing in LIS students a higher level of critical thinking about AI-related ethical dilemmas, all the while preparing soon-to-be information professionals for real-world applications of ethical considerations in their current and future professional roles.

Cartographic Review of Teacher Educators’ Professional Learning with an Aesthetic Approach

Experimenting with innovative and creative ways to conduct a literature review aligns with the paradigm shift from qualitative to post-qualitative research, which is concerned with doing and becoming rather than being. The aim of this article is twofold: to unfold the process of a cartographic approach to conducting a literature review; and by exploring the literature to discuss what an aesthetic approach activates in teacher educators’ collaborative professional learning activities. Inspired by Deleuze and Guattari (1988)’s cartographic principle of the rhizome, and post-qualitative inquiry more generally, this review generates knowledge through connections of concepts across 21 international research projects from teacher educators that use an aesthetic approach in their collaborative practices. New components of professional learning are found by mapping-and-tracing entangled concepts. A discussion of encounters within an aesthetic approach to professional learning shows how the processes involved in a cartographic review generates new directions in thinking, such as becoming-professional.

Exploring breed differences in discrimination, reversal learning, and resistance to extinction in the domestic dog (Canis familiaris)

Learning is crucial for shaping domestic dogs’ behaviour through life experiences, yet not all breeds exhibit the same learning aptitude towards a particular task. The current study’s objective was to identify differences in behaviour and learning performance across and within five breed clades and elucidate the underlying factors contributing into these variations. Dogs (n = 111) from five breed clades (UK Rural, Retrievers, Asian Spitz, European Mastiff, and New World) participated in a virtual learning task with their owners. Owners completed validated questionnaires of Impulsivity and Reward Responsiveness. The learning task comprised of reinforcing an arbitrary behaviour (hand-touch) through multiple sessions of Acquisition (reinforcing the hand-touch), Discrimination (reinforcing the hand-touch on one of two hands) and Reversal Learning (reinforcing the hand-touch on the opposite hand), followed by a single session of Extinction (hand-touch not reinforced). Results showed notable differences across the studied breed clades in certain learning and behavioural components. However, the observed disparities may not be entirely attributed to inherent cognitive differences among the breed clades but rather potentially influenced by contextual factors such as the human-dog communication dynamics associated with breeds’ cooperativity. Furthermore, breed clades differed in the contributing factors predicting individual learning performances, which could highlight the potential effect of breeds’ historical function.

RRT-guided experience generation for reinforcement learning in autonomous lane keeping

Reinforcement Learning has emerged as a significant component of Machine Learning in the domain of highly automated driving, facilitating various tasks ranging from high-level navigation to control tasks such as trajectory tracking and lane keeping. However, the agent’s action choice during training is often constrained by a balance between exploitation and exploration, which can impede effective learning, especially in environments with sparse rewards. To address this challenge, researchers have explored combining RL with sampling-based exploration methods such as Rapidly-exploring Random Trees to aid in exploration. This paper investigates the effectiveness of classic exploration strategies in RL algorithms, particularly focusing on their ability to cover the state space and provide a quality experience pool for learning agents. The study centers on the lane-keeping problem of a dynamic vehicle model handled by RL, examining a scenario where reward shaping is omitted, leading to sparse rewards. The paper demonstrates how classic exploration techniques often cover only a small portion of the state space, hindering learning. By leveraging RRT to broaden the experience pool, the agent can learn a better policy, as exemplified by the dynamic vehicle model’s lane-following problem.

Program Implementation of the Alternative Learning System

Educational stakeholders can enhance the effectiveness and impact of the Alternative Learning System (ALS) programs in providing educational opportunities for marginalized and underserved populations. It is on this premise that this study aimed to evaluate the extent of the ALS program’s implementation in a large school division within Central Philippines for the 2021-2022 academic year. Data needed for this descriptive study was taken from 51 ALS teacher-respondents using a self-made survey questionnaire that passed the rigorous test of validity and reliability. The study’s focus on program implementation revealed that the Assessment of Learning component exhibited a very high extent of implementation, as evidenced by mean scores surpassing 4.5 across all assessed aspects. Similarly, Learning Resources demonstrated a high level of implementation, with the majority of mean scores exceeding 3.5. However, implementing the Learning Environment aspect was deemed moderate, signifying potential areas for enhancement. Regardless of age, both younger and older educators experienced robust implementation in the Assessment of Learning and Learning Resources aspects. Similarly, male and female teachers encountered high implementation levels in these dimensions. While family income did not significantly impact the Assessment of Learning and Learning Resources domains, it did influence the Learning Environment aspect. Specifically, higher-income individuals benefited from a more extensive implementation of the Learning Environment. The study’s outcomes have important implications for designing future capability-building plans and enhancing the educational experience within the ALS program. Keywords: Alternative Learning System, ALS Program Implementation, ALS Teachers, ALS Community Learning Center, ALS Learning Resources, ALS Assessments Negros Occidental

A Study of the Significance of Vocational Education and Entrepreneurial Skill Generation in Sustainable Economic Development of India

Vocational and technical education are seen as essential components of the growth of the country. This is crucial to the continued development of the country. The general components of lifelong learning include attitudes, abilities, and knowledge. In India, Government’s emphasis and support to TVET and Startup Policies, has given many people who would otherwise face multiple challenges in their schooling access to employment and skills. India, in spite of being one of the fastest growing economies of the world, lags behind in terms of per capita income. Tapping its most vital resource, that is, the youth population by making them employable to meet the industry needs through vocational education and skill generation can act as a game changer for India. Thus, the main goals of this study are to draw attention to the importance of technical education, vocational training, and the development of entrepreneurial skills for the country's sustainable development in India through implementation of New Education Policy 2020 and several Government Policies.

Utilizing The Read-Arounds Strategy in Junior High School Students’ Dialogic Reading Activities

Reading is a requirement for almost all academic pursuits, it is a crucial component of language learning, especially for students. When learning English, this is especially important. Students must be able to read comprehension in order to absorb the material they are taught. Readability issues with fluency are often seen in students who have trouble understanding a foreign language. There have been several studies on Dialogic Reading activities, but few have utilized group reading strategies during these activities. Therefore, this research aims to investigate students' responses to the use of read-arounds strategy in dialogic reading activities for junior high school students at one of the junior high schools in Karawang. Micro-ethnography method is employed in this study. To collect the necessary data, observation and interviews are conducted. Reflective journaling is also used to enhance data accuracy. The results reveal that using the read-arounds technique improves students' understanding and reading interest. based on their comments, which show that using the read-arounds method can benefit children in three points: (1) increasing their self-confidence; (2) motivating them to read in English; and (3) improving their vocabulary and pronunciation. It can be concluded that using enjoyable reading strategies can help students become more confident and reduce their reading anxiety.

Dynamic adaptation in power transmission: integrating robust optimization with online learning for renewable uncertainties

IntroductionThe increasing integration of renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, into power grids introduces significant challenges due to their inherent variability and unpredictability. Traditional fossil-fuel-based power systems are ill-equipped to maintain stability and cost-effectiveness in this evolving energy landscape.MethodsThis study presents a novel framework that integrates robust optimization with online learning to dynamically manage uncertainties in renewable energy generation. Robust optimization ensures system resilience under worst-case scenarios, while the online learning component continuously updates operational strategies based on real-time data. The framework was tested using an IEEE 30-bus test system under varying levels of renewable energy integration.ResultsSimulation results show that the proposed framework reduces operational costs by up to 12% and enhances system reliability by 1.4% as renewable energy integration increases from 10% to 50%. Additionally, the need for reserve power is significantly reduced, particularly under conditions of high variability in renewable energy outputs.DiscussionThe integration of robust optimization with online learning provides a dynamic and adaptive solution for the sustainable management of power transmission systems. This approach not only improves economic and environmental outcomes but also enhances grid stability, making it a promising strategy for addressing the challenges posed by the increasing reliance on renewable energy.

A mixed-methods investigation into complex components of multilingual international students' self-regulated learning in English as a foreign language context: A social cognitive perspective

Self-regulated learning serves as a fundamental framework for understanding the cognitive, motivational, and emotional dimensions of learning. Recently, a growing body of studies on such cognitive processes appears in multilingual populations. Applying a mixed-methods approach, this study examined the key components of the self-regulated learning process among 233 multilingual international students in China, specifically within the context of English as a Foreign Language learning. Qualitative data was analyzed through Pearson's correlation analysis, structural equation modeling, and path analysis, while semi-structured interviews were conducted to further confirm the results of the qualitative data analysis. 15 students were purposefully selected through purposive sampling to participate in follow-up interviews. Within the framework of social cognitive theory, the findings revealed that metacognition, motivation, self-efficacy, and feedback loops are the primary components of self-regulated learning. Additionally, path analysis confirmed that the four factors are positive predictors of self-regulated learning proficiency of multilingual international students in China. The interview outcomes further validated the integral role of these primary components in the self-regulated learning process within the context of multilingual study. This study underscores the significance of incorporating translanguaging backgrounds into teaching strategies and language policy. Findings may offer some insights for multilingual international students, language teachers, and language policymakers in the field of Chinese language instruction.

Young children's perceptions and experiences of school readiness during the transition from preschool to primary school in China

AbstractSchool readiness has a profound educational value for children's positive adjustment to primary school and holistic development. However, little research sufficiently addresses how young children view multifaceted components of learning, such as cognitive, affective and behavioural experiences on school readiness. A timely understanding of children's perceptions and experiences is crucial to shed light on how to promote transition and improve children's school readiness. This study investigated the perceptions and experiences of 41 children in China (5–6 years of age, 23 girls) regarding their school readiness based on Mosaic approach methods. The results indicated that young children have their own unique perceptions, emotional and behavioural experiences of school readiness. The perceptions of school readiness include four aspects of material supplies, subjects knowledge, interests and specialties and behavioural habits, which has similarities to that of adults in aspects of academic knowledge and social rules. Nevertheless, findings revealed young children view interests and strengths as important part of school readiness, reflecting their personal preferences and abilities. The emotional experiences could be considered positive or negative, with positive emotional experiences expressing children's curiosity and expectation, fulfilment and pleasure, and negative emotional experiences expressing academic burden, rules pressure and social worries, which need to be addressed. Young children's behavioural experiences with school readiness present two patterns of passive acceptance and active participation, they are eager to participate in activities and have a strong desire to explore and learn. Our findings extend beyond existing conception of school readiness, and give greater weight to children's interests and strengths, positive experiences and active participation. It is important to focus on children's intrinsic interests and strengths, accept children's ideas and choices, care for their emotional state and provide positive support.

Variational inference based adversarial domain adaptation

AbstractDeep learning methods demand enormous amounts of labeled data. Although collecting labeled data is a challenge but it can be accomplished with difficulty. Nevertheless, domain shift or bias may occur due to some conditions. Recollecting data under similar conditions is too expensive or impossible. Domain adaptation is an effective technique to deal with this problem. Among domain adaptation methods, adversarial learning models handled domain shifts well. Adversarial learning’s biggest issue is matching the features to the appropriate classes. In other words, domain adaptation may lead to negative transfer. Utilizing adversarial learning and Variational Auto-Encoder (VAE) cluster-forming capabilities, we propose a method that overcomes these limitations. Our structure attempts to generate a smooth latent representation based on both the target and the source data using a variational auto-encoder. Then the affected data are fed into an adversarial learning component. The component includes an encoder and a discriminator. The discriminator aims to identify the source and target encoders’ features. The target encoder uses inverted domain labels to mislead the discriminator. To emphasize the desired effect of VAE on domain adaptation, we test the model performance without adversarial training. In comparison to the most prevalent adversarial domain adaptation benchmarks, our method yields approving and comparable results.

Evaluation of Caru Programme: A National Programme Supporting Palliative, End of Life and Bereavement Care in Nursing Homes in Ireland

Abstract Background The aim of the interim evaluation report is to provide the Caru Programme team with information on the impact of the Programme to date and to highlight the outcomes and challenges, whilst reiterating the key aims and objectives of the Programme and the overall evaluation. Methods The evaluation utilities’ a combination of quantitative and qualitative methodologies. A pre-post design of baseline, mid-line and end-line primary data collection is used to measure the overall impact of the programme. Secondary data analysis of participant feedback, workshop evaluations and attendance was completed under the RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance) framework. Results The education sessions provided were highly valued, with the majority of participants indicating an increase in baseline knowledge after attending a session. There were very high levels of positive experience with 80-99% of participants strongly endorsing the activities and recommending the programme. Participants who attended the Project ECHO and the QI workshops, indicated an intention to change practice; however, at this stage of the evaluation, there is a lack of specific details on what practice or change would be introduced, or indeed, its timeline. This will be measured in the next phase of the evaluation. Conclusion Caru is an innovative continuous learning programme supporting nursing home staff in the delivery of palliative, end-of-life, and bereavement care to residents. The learning components are delivered using a range of approaches, Webinars, Project ECHO online learning, Regional Networks, Quality Improvement Workshops. The interim evaluation report outlines the outcomes from Phase I and the first year of the programme’s delivery. It provides insights into its impact, outcomes, and challenges as well as providing a basis for the next phase of the evaluation. This interim evaluation lays the groundwork for a comprehensive understanding of the Caru Programme model and impact and provides valuable insights into its effectiveness.

A Corpus-based Behavioral Profile Study of Synonymous Expressions Meaning “to Start”

Synonymy is an extremely significant component in language learning, and the usage of synonymy is rather flexible and difficult to distinguish. In this research, the author employs a corpus-based behavioral profile approach to study the usage of a set of English synonymous expressions meaning “to start”, namely, start, begin, commence, launch, set out. The author first searches in American Contemporary English Corpus to explore the overall usage frequency and specific genre of each synonymous expression, then randomly selects 500 sentences, and makes manual annotation with 12 ID tag and 46 ID tag levels. Later, hierarchical clustering analysis and correspondence analysis have been employed to examine the semantic differences and usage structures of this set of expressions.The results shows that: ① The overall usage frequency varies greatly—from the highest to the lowest are start, begin, launch, set out, commence. ② They are used in various genres. Start is mainly used in informal styles including blogs, while the other four are mainly used in formal styles, including fictions and magazines. ③ Begin and set out have the greatest semantic similarity; start, begin, and set out form one semantic branch, and commence and launch form another, and there is a huge difference between these two branches. ④ There are great differences between the five expressions and their morphological, syntactic and semantic changes.Quantitative analysis method has been used to reveal the different semantic features and usage of a set of synonymous expressions, which is conducive to both promote the study of synonymous relations, and verify the effectiveness and applicability of the behavioral profile approach in semantic study.

EFEKTIVITAS METODE SHOW AND TELL TERHADAP KEMAMPUAN BERBICARA SERTA SOSIAL EMOSIONALSISWA KELAS IV

Speaking skills are an essential component of school learning that needs to be learned. In the same way, to support learning activities, students need to develop their social emotional skills. But in reality, some students still have a tough time in speaking also not able to manage their social emotional skills. This study aims to see the effectiveness of show and tell method in speaking also social emotiona skillsl. The method used was experiments with a pre-experimental research design, also used one-shot case study, one sample t-test to test the achievability of learning with minimum completion criteria and independent sample t-test to evaluate a different in speaking skills of male and female students. Fourth grade students in Bandung Regency were the subjects of this study. Based on the results of the study, the average score of students' practical speaking skills was 84.1 seen from the assessment indicators. Show and tell method was effectively used with variations in students' performance.

Effects of processing tasks and working memory on the mapping component of L2 word learning: A partial replication and extension of Kida and Barcroft (2018)

Effects of processing tasks and working memory on the mapping component of L2 word learning: A partial replication and extension of Kida and Barcroft (2018)