Level Of Difficulty Research Articles

The Influence Of The Project-Based Learning Model On The Scientific Creativity Of Physics Education Undergraduate Students At Madura Islamic University

Scientific creativity is a skill needed in the 21st century. 21st-century skills are known as 4C skills, one of which is being creative to produce innovative work to answer the challenges of the Industrial Revolution era 5.0. The Project-based learning model is a learning model that can guide students to increase students' scientific creativity through a series of questions that direct and explore students' scientific knowledge and creativity. This research used a quasi-experimental research design with 36 students divided into control classes and experimental classes. This research aims to see how much influence the PjBL learning model has in increasing the scientific creativity of students in physics subjects in terms of the implementation of the model and the influence of the PjBL model. The instruments used to obtain data were essay test questions for pretest and posttest, and observation sheets to observe the implementation of learning in class. All test questions have been validated by experts and tried out to test the reliability of the questions, level of difficulty, and distinguishing power of the questions using the ANATES Essay Questions application. Concept mastery data (posttest) was analyzed by hypothesis testing (t-test) using the SPSS application. The results of the research show that: (1) There is a significant influence of using the Project-based learning model on students' mastery of physics concepts. A significance value of 0.031 (Sig < 0.05) was obtained at the 95% confidence level. (2) The implementation of the project-based learning model accompanied by probing prompting techniques is included in the good category Keywords: Scientific Creativity, Project Based Learning

Virtual reality and social avoidance: an exploratory study of acceptance, and feasibility in an inpatient secure environment

Purpose Social avoidance disorders can be disruptive to the individual as they begin to over-manage their lives, at times avoiding social and work commitments. A potential therapeutic approach is exposure therapy and a virtual reality (VR) treatment approach, gameChange VR, has been developed. This provides an opportunity to test their fears in virtual environments. This study aims to investigate the feasibility of using this VR approach to treat people with social avoidance problems within a secure mental health setting. Design/methodology/approach Nine participants completed the gameChange VR sessions. Participants received 30-minute VR sessions for up to six weeks using selected scenarios at five levels of difficulty. Patients’ comments and behaviours were noted and clinical staff also provided feedback on their observations of patients’ use and experience with VR. Findings Overall, patients felt that the gameChange VR helped them to build their confidence and reduce their overall anxiety as they became more comfortable with the equipment. Both patients and staff generally found the intervention easy to use and the staff reported an overall high level of engagement among the participants. The key issues raised largely related to technical and safety issues. Originality/value While a previous study was carried out using gameChange VR with an outpatient cohort, this was the first using an inpatient group in a secure mental health setting. It has demonstrated that the intervention is viable in this setting, although further studies are required to identify the specific patient population that would benefit optimally from the therapy.

Intermixed levels of visual search difficulty produce asymmetric probability learning.

When performing novel tasks, we often apply the rules we have learned from previous, similar tasks. Knowing when to generalize previous knowledge, however, is a complex challenge. In this study, we investigated the properties of learning generalization in a visual search task, focusing on the role of search difficulty. We used a spatial probability learning paradigm in which individuals learn to prioritize their search toward the locations where a target appears more often (i.e., high-probable location) than others (i.e., low-probable location) in a search display. In the first experiment, during a training phase, we intermixed the easy and difficult search trials within blocks, and each was respectively paired with a distinct high-probable location. Then, during a testing phase, we removed the probability manipulation and assessed any generalization of spatial biases to a novel, intermediate difficulty task. Results showed that, as training progressed, the easy search evoked a stronger spatial bias to its high-probable location than the difficult search. Moreover, there was greater generalization of the easy search learning than difficult search learning at test, revealed by a stronger bias toward the former's high-probable location. Two additional experiments ruled out alternatives that learning during difficult search itself is weak and learning during easy search specifically weakens learning of the difficult search. Overall, the results demonstrate that easy search interferes with difficult search learning and generalizability when the two levels of search difficulty are intermixed.

Empathy Amplified: Exploring the Transformative Potential of Understanding Auditory Hallucinations Through Staff Training.

Stigmatization of individuals diagnosed with psychosis, especially those who experience auditory hallucinations, is a well-documented issue with negative outcomes on provision of care. Existing research has predominantly concentrated on experiential training for students, leaving a significant gap in knowledge regarding the training's impact on practicing psychiatric nurses and technicians. This study aims to address this gap by investigating the efficacy of a concise, 1-hour educational activity designed to improve empathy, confidence, competence, and knowledge in psychiatric professionals. Participants engaged in a 1-hour training session that included simulated activities while listening to distressing voices and completed pretraining and posttraining assessments. Results demonstrated a notable increase in empathy toward individuals who hear voices, suggesting that the training had a positive effect. Furthermore, significant differences were observed in the participants' perceptions of the level of difficulty as well as increased levels of confidence and perceived competence in their ability to provide care. The results underscore the practicality and effectiveness of brief hearing voices simulations as a means to enhance the skills of existing health care providers. This approach allows professionals to better express empathy and gain a deeper understanding of the experiences of voice hearers.

Evaluation of metacognition, difficulties in emotion regulation and addiction severity levels of individuals diagnosed with substance use disorder

ABSTRACT Aim This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between metacognition, difficulties in emotion regulation, and level of addiction severity in individuals with substance use disorder. Methods This cross-sectional study was carried out with 121 participants at the Alcohol and Drug Addicts Treatment and Research Center between February and June 2023. The data were collected using the Metacognition Questionnaire-30 (MTQ-30), Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale-Brief Form (DERS-16), and Addiction Profile Index (API). Results All the participants were male and polysubstance users; the age of the onset of substance use was 16.43 ± 5.95; they had been receiving treatment for addiction for an average of 1.79 ± 2.16 years. There was a strong positive significant correlation between the mean total MTQ-30 score and the mean total DERS-16 and API scores (r = .704, p < .001; r = .776, p < .001) and a moderate positive significant correlation between the mean total DERS-16 score and the mean total API score (r = .628, p < .001). It was determined that metacognition had an effect at a rate of 60.3% and difficulty in emotion regulation had an effect at a rate of 39.5% on the addiction severity of individuals. Conclusion Addiction severity was found to increase as the levels of metacognitive impairment and difficulty in emotion regulation increased.

Analisis Butir Soal Ulangan Harian Siswa Mata Pelajaran PPKn Kelas IV Menggunakan Rach Model di Madrasah Ibtidaiyah Negeri

The study aimed to analyze the items on students' daily test questions on PPKN subjects made by the teacher to measure learning outcomes during the previous lesson process. Conducted on fourth-grade students at the 01 West Pasaman State Madrasah Ibtidayah. The method used in this research is descriptive quantitative using Rasch model data analysis with Win Step software. The results of the data analysis carried out were on the reliability data analysis using Winstep Cronbach Alpha 0.49 software. From the existing data, it is clear that the level of reliability of the questions is still relatively weak. The results of the Rasch model of person reliability and item reliability are 0.47 and 0.52. The results of the analysis of the quality of the items in terms of the validity of the items using the Rasch model obtained 6 questions that were said to be valid and 24 questions that were said to be invalid because they did not meet the requirements for the MNSQ outfit, ZSTD outfit, and the Point Measure correlation (PT measure Corr). In using the Rasch model it is felt to be more accurate because it meets these three criteria, so it is considered valid. above the P value or the level of difficulty of the items below 0.25, there are 3 items, meaning the item is very difficult. Questions that are above 0.75 have 5 items meaning the question is too easy. And questions that are scored between 0.25-0.75 have 17 questions. That is, 18 questions have a good level of difficulty. Analysis of distracting items using the Winstep Rasch Model software for 25 daily test questions for students of Civics class IV at Madrasah Ibtidayah Negeri 01 Pasaman Barat shows that there are 23 questions with good functioning distractors. Items where the distractor does not function properly are 5 questions.

Evaluating the difference in perception of the Akinosi technique among dentistry students: A comparison between theoretical and practical learning.

Effective pain control is crucial in dental practice; thus, local anesthetic techniques have been extensively taught. The Halstead technique is the most commonly used inferior alveolar nerve block despite its relatively high failure rate. On the other hand, the Vazirani‒Akinosi technique (VAT) is less commonly taught. This study evaluated changes in final-year students' perceptions of VAT after a period of active learning. This prospective randomized study was performed in 2022 and included fifth-year dental students (n=91). The study group (n=49) received practical VAT training during oral surgery internships, whereas the control group (n=42) did not. A Likert-scale questionnaire assessed students' perceptions, theoretical knowledge, and difficulty levels. An independent sample t-test was used for comparison and the statistical significance level was set at p<0.05. The survey response rate was 100%. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences between the groups for seven of the 12 questionnaire statements (p<0.05). Overall, perception scores favored the study group, indicating a more positive response. The statements related to theoretical knowledge, except for one statement, showed no significant differences (p>0.05). Practical training significantly improved students' perceptions of VAT, demonstrating the importance of active learning in dental education. Faculties should integrate active learning methods to enhance students' clinical skills and prepare them for professional practice.

Maxillomandibular relationship record methods for computer-engineered complete dentures: a scoping review.

The purpose of this scoping review was to identify different methods employed for recording the maxillomandibular relationship (MMR) for computer-aided designed and manufactured (CAD-CAM) complete dentures (CDs). This scoping review followed the PRISMA-ScR guidelines and was developed according to Arksey and O'Malley and The Joanna Briggs Institute protocol. The methods were registered on the Open Science Framework (< osf.io/rf4xm> ). The focus question was: "What are the different techniques for recording the maxillomandibular relationship in the digital workflow used in CECDs?" Two investigators searched 3 online databases [MEDLINE (PubMed), Scopus, and Science Direct] independently. The inclusion criteria were clinical studies and reviews that assessed techniques for recording MMR using digital workflow for manufacturing of CECDs. A descriptive analysis was performed considering the study design, manufacturing system, clinical steps, and tools for the determination of MMR, and the difficulty level of procedures. 4779 articles were identified in the electronic search and 10 studies were included for data analysis. The review identified 4 commercially available CAD-CAM denture systems and 3 innovative methods suitable for abbreviating the number of appointments (2 to 4 visits). The trial denture is inherent to the procedure for the Baltic System and 3 innovative techniques. Three techniques (2 innovative and WholeYouNexteeth) demonstrated lower difficulty levels for performing the clinical procedures, regardless of the professional skills. The commercially available and innovative techniques for the recording of MMR may provide predictability of the treatment. The techniques are effective, however, rely on the learning curve and the patient's clinical condition. Recording of the maxillomandibular relationship is paramount for the manufacturing and functionality of complete dentures. Clinicians should be aware of the different tools and techniques described for registering the jaw relationship.

Psychosocial Difficulties Profiles Among Youth with Intellectual Disabilities.

This study sought to identify the various configurations, or profiles, of internalizing and externalizing behaviors found among a sample of youth with intellectual disabilities (ID). These behaviors were assessed twice over one year, using self, parental, and teacher reports. Six variables were hypothesized to predict profile membership: Parent-child relationship (i.e., warmth and conflict), student-teacher relationship (i.e., warmth and conflict), peer acceptance, and peer victimization. To this end, we conducted Latent Profile Analysis among a sample of 393 youth with ID (aged 11-22years old) recruited in Canada (French-speaking; n = 142; 49.30% boys) and Australia (English-speaking; n = 251; 67.30% boys). Our results revealed five profiles: (1) Adjusted (13.48%), (2) Mild School-related Difficulties (34.38%), (3) Underestimation of Mild Difficulties (12.40%), (4) High Difficulties (19.45%), and (5) Internalizing Difficulties Unobserved at School (20.19%). These profiles, as well as profile membership, remained stable over time. Lower levels of student-teacher warmth, lower levels of peer acceptance, and higher levels of peer victimization were associated with a higher likelihood of membership into profiles characterized by above-average levels of psychosocial difficulties, especially self-reported. Based on these findings, future interventions addressing internalizing and externalizing behaviors could benefit from focusing on the school environment, notably peer acceptance and student-teacher warmth.

Translation, validation, and comparison of genetic knowledge scales in Greek and German

Introduction: Advances in biosciences have significantly expanded our knowledge and capabilities in medicine and technology. Genetic tests can now predict hereditary predisposition or susceptibility to diseases, while gene-editing tools like CRISPR/Cas enable easy repair of disease genes in both somatic and germline cells, ensuring permanent genome correction. Despite these advancements, there is a shortage of valid instruments for studying the knowledge about these technologies. To fill this gap, our study aims to translate and validate various scales to effectively measure the public’s knowledge of genetics.Methods: A convenience sample of N = 567 (Germany n = 317, Greece n = 250) participants completed a Google Forms questionnaire between December 2022 and June 2023, which included the General Knowledge of Genes and Heredity (GKGH), Knowledge about Gene-Environment Interaction (KGEI), and Knowledge of Modern Genetics and Genomics (KMGG) questionnaires. Analyses included internal consistency, structural validity, construct validity, and retest reliability with a subset of n = 72 (DE) and n = 50 (GR). Correlation analyses and group differences were evaluated for gender, education, religiosity, age, prior experience with genetic testing, and preferences toward potential providers of genetic testing. This study used the STROBE checklist for reporting.Results: The GKGH exhibited low values in internal consistency and item analysis, along with a ceiling effect within the German group. However, it demonstrated good values in retest and construct validity. In the Greek group, all properties were highly satisfactory. The KMGG consistently displayed excellent properties across all analyses, whereas the KGEI only showed convincing results in construct validity and item analysis.Discussion: The GKGH and KMGG demonstrated strong psychometric properties with varying difficulty levels dependent on the sample, with the German sample demonstrating a notably higher understanding of genetic technologies. Despite displaying acceptable properties, the KGEI fell short of measuring what its title suggests. Participants’ level of education showed a significant correlation with knowledge of genetic technologies, and only in the Greek sample did experiences with genetic tests influence knowledge. Preferences regarding availability of genetic testing are comparable between the two countries, with variations influenced by factors such as age, gender and religiosity.

Emotional - Behavioral Difficulties and Prosocial Behaviour among Vietnamese Adolescents: the Role of Social Support.

In recent decades, a high prevalence of mental health problems among adolescents has been reported worldwide. In Vietnam, mental health problems such as emotional and behavioural difficulties are relatively common in the adolescent age group. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of emotional-behavioural problems and prosocial behaviours in Vietnamese adolescents and identify the role of social support in these adolescents' strengths and difficulties. A population sample of 582 adolescents from sixth to ninth grade from four secondary schools in Vietnam voluntarily participated by completing the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (α = .64) and the Social Support Scale (α = .90). The research results revealed that Vietnamese adolescents suffered from considerable levels of emotional-behavioural difficulties and prosocial behaviour problems. Through multible regression analysis, support from their families significantly predicted to decrease students' emotional and behavioural symptoms (β\< 0; p\< .05) and increasing prosocial behaviours (β> 0; p \< .05). In contrast, friend support only contribute to protecting adolescents from behavioural problems (β = -.18; p \< .05) and encouraged prosocial behaviours (β = .22; p \< .05). Family support had a central role in its positive contribution to reducing emotional-behavioural and prosocial behaviour problems. Friend support only decreased behavioural problems and encouraged prosocial behaviours. These results are interpreted that educators could limit adolescents' emotional-behavioural difficulties and encourage prosocial behaviours through social support from their families and friends.

Cognitive-behavioural processes during route previewing in bouldering

IntroductionIn the Olympic climbing discipline of bouldering, climbers can preview boulders before actually climbing them. Whilst such pre-climbing route previewing is considered as central to subsequent climbing performance, research on cognitive-behavioural processes during the preparatory phase in the modality of bouldering is lacking. The present study aimed at extending existing findings on neural efficiency processes associated with advanced skill level during motor activity preparation by examining cognitive-behavioural processes during the previewing of boulders. MethodsIntermediate (n = 20), advanced (n = 20), and elite (n = 20) climbers were asked to preview first, and then attempt two boulders of different difficulty levels (boulder 1: advanced difficulty; boulder 2: elite difficulty). During previewing, climbers’ gaze behaviour was gathered using a portable eye-tracker. ResultsLinear regression revealed for both boulders a significant relation between participants’ skill levels and both preview duration and number of scans during previewing. Elite climbers more commonly used a superficial scan path than advanced and intermediate climbers. In the more difficult boulder, both elite and advanced climbers showed longer preview durations, performed more scans, and applied less often a superficial scan path than in the easier boulder. ConclusionFindings revealed that cognitive-behavioural processes during route previewing are associated with climbing expertise and boulder difficulty. Superior domain-specific cognitive proficiency seems to account for the expertise-processing-paradigm in boulder previewing, contributing to faster and more conscious acquisition of perceptual cues, more efficient visual search strategies, and better identification of representative patterns among experts.

Item Analysis in Multiple Choice Questions: A Study on Question Difficulty and Authors’ Evaluation

Introduction: Multiple choice questions (MCQs) are widely used in medical education. Difficulty Index (DIF I), Discrimination Index (DI), and Distractor Efficiency (DE) are the most commonly used item analyses. MCQ authors should anticipate the possible difficulty level in writing their questions and carefully arrange distractors. This study aims to evaluate the quality of MCQ and the predictions of MCQ authors about the difficulty levels of their questions. Methods: In this study, the DIF I, DI and DE values of 688 MCQs in the exams held in the first year of the 2021-2022 academic year of Dokuz Eylül University Faculty of Medicine were investigated. The effect of the number of Non-Functional Distractors (NFD) on DIF I and DI, and the compliance between the DIF I predictions of the question authors and the actual values was evaluated. Results: DIF I mean was 0.57±0.21, and 47.5% was at the ideal difficulty level. There was a significant difference between the estimated and the actual DIF I (p=0.002). The DI average was 0.31 ± 0.17, and the discrimination level of 43.6% was excellent. 36.8% of distractors were NFD. MCQ's difficulty and discriminatory ability were significantly different according to the number of NFDs (p=0.000 for all). Discussion: It was determined that the number of NFDs significantly affected difficulty and discriminatory ability. There was a difference between the estimates of the difficulty and the actual values. Reducing the number of options in MCQs and being more careful when crafting questions can improve the quality of the questions.

Examining the Associations Between Substance Misuse and Suicide Bereavement.

Focusing on the understudied question of substance misuse among suicide bereaved adults we investigated patterns of binge drinking and non-prescribed drug use among a recently bereaved sample (n = 1,132). Comparing our respondents to the non-bereaved, those in the 2022 National Survey of Drug Use and Health (n = 71,369), we did not find heightened problematical substance misuses among our respondents. With t-tests and multiple regression analyses we examined whether binge drinkers and non-prescribed drug users had heightened levels of grief difficulties, PTSD, self-blaming and depression compared to others not bingeing or using non-prescribed drugs. Results showed binge drinkers had more of all these grieving problems when important confounding variables were also considered. Analysis of the demographic correlates of bingeing showed them dimly aware of their own additional grieving and substance misusing problems. Since 75% indicated being under the care of counseling professionals, this represents an important opportunity for psycho-educational helping.

Sports-Related Concussion in Collegiate Athletes: The Potential Benefits of Using Graded Neuropsychological Tests With High Ceilings

Objective: Sports-related concussion management in collegiate athletes has been focused on return-to-play. However, resuming schoolwork without a gradual stepwise reintroduction contributes to symptom exacerbation, delayed recovery, and adverse academic performance. Return-to-learn guidelines are limited by a lack of sensitivity in methods monitoring cognitive function. This study evaluated 2 neuropsychological tests, the Sternberg test and the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT), with high ceilings for sensitivity to deficits in speed of information processing, cognitive efficiency, and complex attention. Setting: Academic center research laboratory. Participants: We recruited 56 male and female collegiate contact and noncontact sports athletes. They were categorized into as follows: (1) nonconcussed (n = 23; 7F, 16M); (2) chronic (n = 21; 4F, 17M), at least 1 year from their last concussion; and (3) acute (n = 12; 1F, 11M), within 2 weeks from concussion. Design: Observational cohort study. Main Measures: The PASAT assesses complex attention. The Sternberg test examines processing speed and cognitive efficiency. Cognitive difficulty increases with progression through the tasks for both the PASAT and the Sternberg test. The mean outcome differences of the 3 groups (nonconcussed, acute, and chronic) across the 3 or 4 conditions (difficulty level) were measured with repeated-measures analysis of variance and subsequent pairwise comparison. Results: For processing speed (Sternberg reaction time), the acute group responded slower than the chronic group on the medium (P = .021, Bonferroni corrected) and hard difficulty tasks (P = .030, Bonferroni corrected). For cognitive efficiency (Sternberg reaction time variability), the acute group had increased reaction time variability compared with the chronic group on the medium difficulty task (P = .04, Bonferroni corrected). For complex attention (PASAT omissions), there was a difference between the acute and nonconcussed groups on the moderate-hard difficulty trial (P = .023, least significant difference [LSD] corrected) and between the acute and chronic groups for hard difficulty trial (P = .020, LSD corrected). The acute group performed worse, with progressively shorter interstimulus intervals. Conclusion: Neuropsychological testing without ceiling effects can capture higher-level cognitive dysfunction and use of such tests can contribute to the understanding of how collegiate athletes are affected by SRC. Future studies can investigate optimal testing batteries that include neuropsychological testing with high ceilings and whether the pattern of performance has implications for the return-to-learn process after SRC in the college setting.

Design and Validation of a Computational Thinking Test for Children in the First Grades of Elementary Education

Computational thinking (CT) has garnered significant interest in both computer science and education sciences as it delineates a set of skills that emerge during the problem-solving process. Consequently, numerous assessment instruments aimed at measuring CT have been developed in the recent years. However, a scarce part of the existing CT measurement instruments has been dedicated to early school ages, and few have undergone rigorous validation or reliability testing. Therefore, this work introduces a new instrument for measuring CT in the early grades of elementary education: the Computational Thinking Test for Children (CTTC). To this end, in this work, we provide the design and validation of the CTTC, which is constructed around spatial, sequential, and logical thinking and encompasses abstraction, decomposition, pattern recognition, and coding items organized in five question blocks. The validation and standardization process employs the Kuder–Richardson statistic (KR-20) and expert judgment using V-Aiken for consistency. Additionally, item difficulty indices were utilized to gauge the difficulty level of each question in the CTTC. The study concludes that the CTTC demonstrates consistency and suitability for children in the first cycle of primary education (encompassing the first to third grades).

Understanding Australia’s teacher shortage: the importance of psychosocial working conditions to turnover intentions

AbstractAustralian policymakers are currently attempting to address an ‘unprecedented teacher shortage’. Through a survey of 905 teachers in Australian government schools, this paper examines some of the key factors influencing the career intentions of teachers in Australian government schools. Drawing upon the concept of the psychosocial work environment from the field of occupational health, this analysis examines the relationship between key workplace demands, workplace resources, teachers’ experiences and attitudes towards work, teachers’ mental health outcomes, and their intentions to either remain in or leave their roles. The results reveal significant relationships between teachers’ intentions to leave their roles and challenging working conditions, adverse work experiences, as well as heightened levels of stress, burnout, and depressive symptoms. In contrast, remaining in their role was associated with factors indicative of a supportive psychosocial work environment, such as job recognition, trust in management, organisational justice, positive work experiences, and lower levels of mental health difficulties. The study underscores the urgent need to understand and assess the psychosocial work environments of teachers, and for multi-level strategies that address both protective and risk factors.

Novel Feature-Based Difficulty Prediction Method for Mathematics Items Using XGBoost-Based SHAP Model

The level of difficulty of mathematical test items is a critical aspect for evaluating test quality and educational outcomes. Accurately predicting item difficulty during test creation is thus significantly important for producing effective test papers. This study used more than ten years of content and score data from China’s Henan Provincial College Entrance Examination in Mathematics as an evaluation criterion for test difficulty, and all data were obtained from the Henan Provincial Department of Education. Based on the framework established by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) for test item assessment methodology, this paper proposes a new framework containing eight features considering the uniqueness of mathematics. Next, this paper proposes an XGBoost-based SHAP model for analyzing the difficulty of mathematics tests. By coupling the XGBoost method with the SHAP method, the model not only evaluates the difficulty of mathematics tests but also analyzes the contribution of specific features to item difficulty, thereby increasing transparency and mitigating the “black box” nature of machine learning models. The model has a high prediction accuracy of 0.99 for the training set and 0.806 for the test set. With the model, we found that parameter-level features and reasoning-level features are significant factors influencing the difficulty of subjective items in the exam. In addition, we divided senior secondary mathematics knowledge into nine units based on Chinese curriculum standards and found significant differences in the distribution of the eight features across these different knowledge units, which can help teachers place different emphasis on different units during the teaching process. In summary, our proposed approach significantly improves the accuracy of item difficulty prediction, which is crucial for intelligent educational applications such as knowledge tracking, automatic test item generation, and intelligent paper generation. These results provide tools that are better aligned with and responsive to students’ learning needs, thus effectively informing educational practice.

Exploring the role of internet self-efficacy, perceived enjoyment, and anxiety on learning outcome in intelligent personal assistant-based EFL learning

ABSTRACT Purpose This study draws upon achievement emotion theory to investigate the relationships between EFL learners’ Internet self-efficacy (ISE), enjoyment, anxiety, and English learning during IPA-mediated gameplay. Methodology A tailored virtual Charades game, Guessing-Fun, was developed for EFL learners to interact with the IPA. Guessing-Fun offers interactive gameplay with 3 topics (animals, fruits, balls), adjustable difficulty levels, and immediate feedback. A single-group quasi-experiment was conducted with 146 junior high school students over 2 weeks. Data, including vocabulary tests and questionnaires, were collected and analyzed using structural equation modeling to examine emotional antecedents and learning outcomes. Findings The results showed that ISE was positively related to perceived enjoyment but was negatively related to learning anxiety; English learning could be positively predicted by perceived enjoyment but negatively by learning anxiety; and ISE was positively related to English learning mediated by perceived enjoyment and learning anxiety. Playing virtual Charades with Google Assistant added variety and enjoyment to interaction, made learning adaptable to individual preferences, and encouraged learners to self-evaluate and reason out the proper object. Originality/value This study highlights the innovative application of virtual Charades facilitated by IPAs for language learning, sheding light on the emotional dimensions of EFL learning with IPAs.

Measuring the prediction difficulty of individual cases in a dataset using machine learning

Different levels of prediction difficulty are one of the key factors that researchers encounter when applying machine learning to data. Although previous studies have introduced various metrics for assessing the prediction difficulty of individual cases, these metrics require specific dataset preconditions. In this paper, we propose three novel metrics for measuring the prediction difficulty of individual cases using fully-connected feedforward neural networks. The first metric is based on the complexity of the neural network needed to make a correct prediction. The second metric employs a pair of neural networks: one makes a prediction for a given case, and the other predicts whether the prediction made by the first model is likely to be correct. The third metric assesses the variability of the neural network’s predictions. We investigated these metrics using a variety of datasets, visualized their values, and compared them to fifteen existing metrics from the literature. The results demonstrate that the proposed case difficulty metrics were better able to differentiate various levels of difficulty than most of the existing metrics and show constant effectiveness across diverse datasets. We expect our metrics will provide researchers with a new perspective on understanding their datasets and applying machine learning in various fields.