Learning Intervention Research Articles

The Power of a Human Bridge: Motivating Older Adults to Long-Term Engagement with Touchscreen Devices in a SDT-Based Learning Session

The rapid development of digital technology and its pervasiveness in everyday life requires everybody to develop the skills necessary to engage with such technology for one’s mundane tasks and communication needs. The first steps towards developing these skills can be particularly challenging for older adults, who might need to fundamentally adapt their learned and long-practiced routines. Maintaining motivation in these initial steps is crucial for sustained engagement. The present study examines factors that can contribute to promote motivation in a facilitated learning session based on Self-Determination-Theory. We conducted a longitudinal qualitative study in which we examined people’s motivation to engage with digital technology, based on observational data as well as interviews with 33 older adults before and immediately after participating in a facilitated learning session. To investigate sustained effects on motivation, further interviews were conducted 3 months after participation. We found that satisfying the need for relatedness by learning together with peers and receiving support from facilitators was a prerequisite for this target group to develop a sense of competence and autonomy, which can lead to sustained motivation. Long-term motivational effects could not only be explained by the immediate effects of the learning intervention, but were identified to be dependent also on individual needs and predispositions. These findings were aggregated in a typology that identifies relevant influence factors and explains the potential motivational effects for different parts of the target group. It supports learning and technology designers to adapt to the addressed user group.

Getting Ahead of the Game: Experiential Learning for Groundwater Governance in Ethiopia

Groundwater management is highly complex, with many users sharing the same resource often with limited understanding of their interconnectedness. Behavioral experiments (games) that simulate real-life common-pool resource use have shown promise as an experiential learning tool for improving resource governance. This study pilots an experiential learning intervention in Ethiopia using a groundwater game to help raise awareness of groundwater over-extraction and improve understanding of the importance of collective action in governance. In the Meki River catchment in Ethiopia, small-scale irrigation is expanding, but overextraction and competition over groundwater have not yet reached alarming levels. The groundwater game, adapted from India and including the addition of a rule-making round, was played in 15 villages with 30 groups. The game was accompanied by subsequent community-wide debriefing in each village to reflect on the experience and lessons learned, which stimulated discussions about groundwater governance. We surveyed participants to capture individual mental models regarding groundwater use and management, as well as any immediate learning effects. Focus group discussions in each village prior to the intervention and again six months after the intervention assessed possible lasting effects. The findings indicate cognitive, normative and relational learning, including increased understanding of groundwater dynamics (such as the joint effect of diverse water uses and users), the importance of collective action in resource management, and the benefits of communication. We find gendered differences in decision-making about resource extraction in the game and development of group-level resource management, confirming the need for gender-responsive approach to sustainable groundwater management interventions. We discuss community-wide learning and institution-building, and considerations for future intervention designs. We recommend embedding experiential learning, facilitated by local extension officers and other practitioners, in intervention packages that include both technical assistance on water-conserving technologies and groundwater management approaches and support in building communities’ institutional capacity.

Gamification and Gaming in Cryptocurrency Education: A Survey with Cryptocurrency Investors and Potential Investors

Introduction In recent years, cryptocurrency has increasingly sparked interest among investors. Many people have invested in this field without adequate knowledge. Existing research has shown that using game design elements can be an effective method of education. Such learning interventions can potentially be a good match for educating market investors, as they provide risk-free simulations for novice investors to gain practical experience without having to be concerned about real financial losses. However, it is unclear how market investors perceive gamified and game-based learning interventions and whether they would adopt them for cryptocurrency education. Research Objectives Our study investigated market investors’ perceptions, needs and expectations regarding the integration of gamification and game-based learning interventions in cryptocurrency education. Methodology We conducted an online survey with n=413 participants, including experienced market investors and people who are interested in cryptocurrency. Within the survey, we presented the mock-ups of two cryptocurrency learning interventions: a gamified cryptocurrency learning application, and a cryptocurrency learning video game. Results From market investors’ perspectives, our study revealed the benefits and drawbacks of incorporating gamification and game design principles to facilitate learning cryptocurrency. We identified the need to develop dynamic, accessible, reliable, and community-building gamified and game-based cryptocurrency learning interventions. Conclusion From our findings, we propose guidance for the integration of gamification and games in cryptocurrency education, and we provide design recommendations for investor-specific cryptocurrency learning interventions.

EXPLORING MISSING LEARNING PHENOMENON IN PRESCHOOL SETTINGS DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC: TEACHERS’ PERSPECTIVES

Purpose –This study aims to explore the missing learning phenomenon due to school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic in preschool settings from teachers’ perspectives in Selangor, Malaysia. Related studies have shown that missing learning phenomena from different settings leads to delayed literacy development and raises the risk of dropping out among children. There is a lack of in-depth documentation on the missing learning phenomenon among preschoolers exploring the socioecology of preschool settings in a local context. Methodology –This research employed a case study approach. In-depth interviews were conducted with six preschool teachers from Selangor, Malaysia, using an inductive approach for a holistic understanding of the missing learning phenomenon during the COVID-19 pandemic. The data were analyzed using Computer Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis Software (CAQDAS), NVivo version 12 software, which mapped the findings to understand further the ecosystem behind the preschoolers’ absence of learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings – Three major themes were revealed from the data: the missing learning demographic, socioecological factors, and mitigation plans. Several sub-themes (the compensative learning solutions, the demographic of impacted people, the delayed progress, teachers’ readiness to facilitate online learning, engagement towards online learning, revised syllabus, personalized learning, and parental involvement) are classified under the respective major themes. Several main categories also emerged from the themes: lack of experiences and technology-pedagogical knowledge, unavailable online modules, low readiness to utilize online learning, unsupportive family climate, and accessibility. Learning intervention and online engagement with pupils during the pandemic are crucial in ensuring a successful continuous education. Significance – There is also a need for comprehensive remote instructional modules that consider socioecological actors – parentsand home climate; in the future and the enhanced instructional technology competency among preschool teachers.

Ethnic–racial socialization experiences of Mexican American youth

AbstractResearch has shown that ethnic–racial socialization (ERS) predicts education and mental health outcomes for adolescents. However, limited research has evaluated the ERS experiences of Latinx students. The current study examined ERS experiences of Mexican American youth in four focus group interviews that were transcribed and analyzed at both the individual and group level using interpretive phenomenological analysis. Main themes included feeling like an outsider, navigating discrimination, encountering social/emotional difficulties, and achieving a positive identity. Each theme contained two to three subcategories that provide further insight into the Mexican Americans' ERS experiences. Participants reported within‐group discrimination, motivation to disprove stereotypes, and infrequent understanding or compassion from adults. Teachers, administrators, counselors, and school psychologists can attend to and seek to promote social connections, implement social‐emotional learning interventions, foster resilience, work to dismantle racism, collaborate with parents, and create communities of inclusion.

Teaching English as a Foreign Language in Higher Education using flipped learning/flipped classrooms: a literature review

ABSTRACT Purpose: We systematically reviewed the empirical literature that reports research in the specific context of teaching EFL to identify what is known about the efficacy of using flipped learning to teach EFL, the robustness of this evidence, and to explicate the strengths and weaknesses of the pedagogy in teaching EFL. Design/methodology/approach: Adapting the systematic literature review method and combining it with content analysis of qualitative findings we narrowed our search to 40 articles that were primary studies. Findings and originality: The majority of authors examined student perceptions of their learning; one third investigated the use of flipped learning on the acquisition and development of EFL knowledge, skills and abilities. That students like learning in a flipped learning environment is the strongest finding emerging; many linking it to the facilitation of self regulated learning behaviors. However, research evidence for flipped learning’s contribution to important educational outcomes is not robust and this remains a problem for understanding where or how to target the impact or value of this pedagogy. Nonetheless, other encouraging findings include that using flipped learning to teach EFL was linked to its capacity to improve idiomatic knowledge, oral and writing performance, motivation, and higher order thinking skills. Future research should focus on improving research design and reporting for flipped learning interventions, and focus on investigating key EFL learning skills particularly reading which is comparatively understudied despite its importance to language acquisition. Value: The results clarify for educators that flipped learning’s capacity to influence the acquisition of key learning skills remains largely unproven.

Augmented reality-enhanced language learning for children with autism spectrum disorder: a systematic literature review

ABSTRACT Augmented reality (AR) provides numerous opportunities for digitally-aided language interventions for autistic children. Educators and researchers have reported a variety of outcomes and insights about the use of AR as an educational and pedagogical tool. The unique advantage of AR suggests that it supports attentional behaviour, fosters emotional and social skills, and improves communication abilities in children with autism. However, the efficacy of this technology for language learning in autistic children has not previously been systematically reviewed. The purpose of this review was to summarise findings on AR-enhanced language learning interventions for autistic children to help guide researchers in future studies. We conducted a systematic literature review, collecting 44 peer-reviewed studies covering different language domains. From there, further analysis identified 13 studies that focused on language acquisition and 31 that focused on language use. Our survey presents an overview of AR research for language learning in autistic children over the last 10 years, providing insights into aspects of language skills, the AR technologies used, research design and strategies, the underlying learning theories and models adopted in the studies, and whether the reported results were accompanied by some form of evaluation. Finally, this review proposes several recommendations for future research.

Enhancing Family Food Security Through Experiential Learning-Based Training In Organic Food Cultivation

This study aims to assess the impact of an experiential learning based training on organic food cultivation in increasing family food security, while also exploring the potential for behavior change and economic resilience. Employing a qualitative research design, the study used case study method. Participants engaged in an experiential learning program designed to impart skills and knowledge in organic food cultivation. Data were collected through interviews, observations, and documentation study, and analyzed using thematic analysis triangulation. The findings highlight the participants' evolving perceptions of the link between organic food cultivation and family food security within the unique urban environment. The training resulted in shifts in consumption patterns and dietary habits within families, fostering healthier choices. Furthermore, the cultivation of organic produce contributed to family finances, reducing expenditure on purchased produce. The study underscores the impact of experiential learning in fostering practical skills and behavior change in an urban community setting. The research contributes to the understanding of how experiential learning interventions can positively influence family food security within specific urban localities. This study suggests that integrating experiential learning approaches into training initiatives can empower urban families to cultivate their own organic produce.

The Impact of Social-Emotional Learning Interventions in Teacher Education

Social-emotional learning (SEL) plays a vital role in the realm of daily teaching and learning. As a significant pedagogical approach, it profoundly influences the teaching methods and philosophies employed by educators. This article delves into a comprehensive examination of the various forms of SEL intervention in teacher education and their resulting outcomes. Drawing upon a meticulous review of 16 previous scholarly articles, this research identifies two primary types of SEL interventions: lecture-based learning and participatory learning. The study demonstrates that SEL interventions effectively enhance teachers Social and Emotional Competence (SEC) development, foster robust teacher-student relationships, promote teachers professional growth, and contribute to overall teacher well-being. Nonetheless, it is noteworthy that the article highlights the potential influence of teachers and pre-service teachers ethnicity or racial backgrounds, as well as the prevailing school climate, on the effectiveness of SEL interventions, thus potentially hindering these interventions from achieving optimal results. This article presents an insightful and comprehensive overview of the association between SEL interventions and teacher education. The findings underscore the importance of encouraging educators to actively engage in SEL intervention programs while emphasizing the need for interventions to be tailored to accommodate the unique personal teaching experiences and individual backgrounds of teachers.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Leading Change for Sustainability in Schools Simulation: A Research and Development Project

Background Although a growing number of simulations have been developed for the purpose of educating for sustainability, published reports consist primarily of prescriptive essays, case descriptions, and commentaries rather than empirical studies. Moreover, only a small number of the empirical studies have used experimental designs to assess their effects on learning. This article addressed the need for validated active learning tools that can be used by educators in educating for sustainability. Aim This article presents the design and initial evaluation of the Leading Change for Sustainability in Schools (LCSS) computer simulation. The study examined the effects of the simulation on student engagement, skills in formulating and executing change management strategies, and the application of knowledge to the simulation challenge. Method This project employed the research and development method for product design and evaluation. A three-week simulation-based learning intervention was conducted with 32 experienced K-12 school teachers and administrators studying in a Master degree program in Vietnam. The research employed a quasi-experimental, time series design to assessed change in learners’ knowledge and skills following participation in the Leading Change for Sustainability in Schools intervention. Repeated measures ANOVA was used to evaluate week-by-week changes in learning outcomes. Results The study found that the simulation-based learning module organized around the Leading Change for Sustainability in Schools (Vietnamese version) simulation was highly engaging for students. Students played the simulation an average of 24 times outside of class during the three-week module (18 hours per student). Students’ skills in formulating and executing change strategies for sustainability improved significantly over the three-week module; 28 students reached the highest level of success on the final assessment. Students also demonstrated significant improvement in their ability to incorporate change management principles into their strategies, indicating improvement in higher-order thinking skills.

Is Immersion in 3D Virtual Games Associated with Mathematical Ability Improvement in Game-Based Learning?

Previous studies have found positive effects of Game-Based Learning for mathematics. While most studies assume that this effect is explained by the presence of flow/immersion during games, this has not yet been established. The aim of the current study is to verify if immersion indeed is associated with mathematical skills improvement when using a Game-Based Learning intervention. This was tested among 59 Greek high school students, using authentic design. After having received a traditional education module, the students were tested and then engaged for four weeks in a desktop-based 3D Virtual Learning Environment where they could play mathematic minigames. They were subsequently re-tested to verify if they showed a significant increase in mathematical skills. The students showed an improvement in their mathematical skills (Cohen’s d = 1.26), with significant results for functions, geometry, and thinking skills and methods. On the individual level, about half of the students showed a 10% increase in one of the domains (numbers & calculations, functions, geometry, thinking skills and methods, and algorithms and number theory). Immersion was found to be reflected by engagement and presence, but neither one of these aspects was associated with mathematical achievement after the intervention. It is concluded that Game-Based Learning is an effective approach to increasing mathematical skills, yet the underlying mechanisms are not yet understood. The authors discuss several alternative mechanisms based on the literature that can be verified in future studies.

A VUCA-ready workforce: exploring employee competencies and learning and development implications

PurposeThe author aims to develop an employee competency framework for a volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (VUCA) environment and propose learning and development (L&D) interventions for organisations and employees to develop competencies for thriving in a VUCA environment.Design/methodology/approachThe framework synthesis method was used to determine employee competencies that are essential in a VUCA world.FindingsThe author identified 10 competencies that are essential for employee development in a VUCA world. The author categorised these employee competencies as cognitive (cognitive flexibility, agility mindset and personal ambidexterity), cross-cultural (cross-cultural intelligence and cross-cultural collaboration), analytical (creativity and complex problem solving) and personal effectiveness competencies (personal resilience, continuous learning and adaptive mindset).Practical implicationsThe proposed competencies could be used for the personal development of employees and organisations. The VUCA competency framework developed in this study includes behavioural dimensions for each competency, which could be used in self-assessment, recruitment and selection and talent and performance management. Furthermore, the author proposes L&D interventions required for developing these competencies. Overall, this study contributes to human resources (HR) development in the VUCA era by proposing the development of specific individual competencies as necessary conditions for survival and growth.Originality/valueVUCA competencies empower employees to not only survive but also thrive in an unpredictable and rapidly changing world. By incorporating these competencies in L&D interventions, organisations can help employees develop the necessary competencies to thrive in a VUCA environment, thus contributing to their personal and organisational success.

Emotion-Semantic-Aware Dual Contrastive Learning for Epistemic Emotion Identification of Learner-Generated Reviews in MOOCs.

Identifying the epistemic emotions of learner-generated reviews in massive open online courses (MOOCs) can help instructors provide adaptive guidance and interventions for learners. The epistemic emotion identification task is a fine-grained identification task that contains multiple categories of emotions arising during the learning process. Previous studies only consider emotional or semantic information within the review texts alone, which leads to insufficient feature representation. In addition, some categories of epistemic emotions are ambiguously distributed in feature space, making them hard to be distinguished. In this article, we present an emotion-semantic-aware dual contrastive learning (ES-DCL) approach to tackle these issues. In order to learn sufficient feature representation, implicit semantic features and human-interpretable emotional features are, respectively, extracted from two different views to form complementary emotional-semantic features. On this basis, by leveraging the experience of domain experts and the input emotional-semantic features, two types of contrastive losses (label contrastive loss and feature contrastive loss) are formulated. They are designed to train the discriminative distribution of emotional-semantic features in the sample space and to solve the anisotropy problem between different categories of epistemic emotions. The proposed ES-DCL is compared with 11 other baseline models on four different disciplinary MOOCs review datasets. Extensive experimental results show that our approach improves the performance of epistemic emotion identification, and significantly outperforms state-of-the-art deep learning-based methods in learning more discriminative sentence representations.

Challenges of Ta Providers in Lac Implemention: Basis for Localized Lac Framework

Learning Action Cell (LAC) is a session conducted by group of teachers who engage in collaborative learning sessions to solve shared challenges encountered in school. Though LAC projects a promising result for teachers in improving Teaching and Learning Strategies, it is somehow, not being maximized in the school. This challenge of maximizing (LAC) brings life to Continuous Improvement CI Project BILLS, Boosting and Improving LAC Leaders and Strategies. And this, proposed research is anchored to the on going CI Project BILLS. This study in particular, tried to determine the challenges encountered by TA providers or LAC leaders in LAC implementation. This study aimed to analyze the experiences and challenges, most especially, of the TA providers, 8 Head Teachers, and 18 Master Teachers towards LAC implemantation. This action research was plainly qualitative in nature and made used of interview as the research instrument. Consequently, coding and theming were used for data analysis. This research revealed that TA providers 1. have difficulty in crafting the proposals and securing necessary attachments, 2. due to challenges encountered in LAC implementation by LAC leaders, the monitoring of teachers’ performance was taken for granted, 3. the absence of monitoring and evaluation team was found as another reason on the low success rate of LAC implementation. TA providers also observed that 4. teacher-participants demonstrated less motivation and participation in the LAC session, 5. through the TA’s initiative, they have found out that teachers’ schedule have conflict with the LAC activity and the LAC topics are no longer new to the teacher-participants. Meanwhile, the newly introduced LAC process through CI Project, was observed to have a more detailed, organized and systematic conduct of LAC. The most evident improvements are the following: 1. Presence of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) all throughout the process, 2. Intervention of Learning and Development (L&D) Coordinator, 3. Posting of QATAME flow chart, 4. Proper conduct of LAC, 5. Presentation of LAC outputs and outcomes.

Retrieval method as a learning intervention for long term retention and creative thinking skills

Abstract— Few key skills among many that are needed in the 21st century are critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, meta cognitive skills, technology literacy and decision making under uncertainty. With the emergence of ChatGPT and other Generative AI tools, there is a dire need for a distinctive way of learning and application of learning to ensure learning effectiveness. Mere content is no longer the most important factor to learn these skills but. what is needed is the ability to retrieve material learnt, in the context of application. For the learner to be able to apply the critical thinking levels and higher learning levels of Blooms taxonomy, the basic first level of remembering forms the basic foundation, particularly when the students are from first generation educated families or with disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds. However, when students cram for the exams, they generally get an ‘illusion of learning’, where they think they know, but in reality often they may not be able to recall what they crammed when they need it later. This is a case of inefficient investment of time and effort in learning for the student. For the teacher, it slows down the teaching process and opportunity to engage in higher order thinking level applications. Addressing the frustrations of both teacher and students, the authors applied the concept of Retrieval method for MBA I year for Marketing Management course during a semester and a survey was conducted at the end of the semester to understand the perception of students on effectiveness of Retrieval techniques. The results supported that retrieval techniques were effective in supporting the student learning. Keywords— Blooms Taxonomy; Learning intervention; Retention technique; Retrieval Technique.

The Role of Mindfulness and Social–Emotional Learning Within a Systemic Multidimensional Approach to Diminish Violence in Cities in Brazil

Background: Urban violence is a significant issue in Brazil, particularly affecting young people in public schools. Mindfulness and Social Emotional Learning (SEL) interventions have shown efficacy in promoting mental health and reducing violence. Method: This article describes the development of a partnership between the Program of Mindfulness and Social Emotional Learning (SENTE) and Instituto Cidade Segura (ICS), an NGO focused on a systemic approach to violence reduction. Results: SENTE evolved over 15 years, initiated by Instituto da Familia (INFAPA), with a focus on underserved populations. This collaboration aimed to create a more comprehensive violence reduction intervention. The Mindfulness and Social–Emotional Learning Program (M-SEL) sessions, incorporating elements of mindfulness, SEL, and the council method, demonstrated improvements in emotional, conduct, relationship, and prosocial behavior. Conclusion: The partnership between SENTE and ICS provides an effective model for addressing urban violence in Brazilian cities. By integrating mindfulness and SEL into school curricula, this approach enhances mental health and reduces violence among students. Future efforts should focus on sustainable implementation strategies and adequate teacher training to ensure long-term success.

Target-Driven Visual Navigation by Using Causal Intervention

Target-driven visual navigation presents great po- tentials in scientific and industrial fields. It takes the target and environment observations as input. However, during training, we found that the agent sometimes got stuck in specific locations. Based on the analysis on visual information from a novel causal perspective, one of the most critical hurdles is the neglect of confounders in environments, which often leads to spurious correlations. Mitigating the confounding effect helps to discover the real causality and therefore are taken into consideration in other fields such as object detection. In this paper, we propose Causal Intervention Visual Navigation (CIVN), based on deep reinforcement learning (DRL) and causal intervention. We realize causal intervention using front-door adjustment as most con- founders are hard to model explicitly. Specifically, CIVN is imple- mented by Causal Attention, which is a reasonable approximation of causal intervention for visual navigation. Causal attention provides high-quality representation, which is leveraged by DRL and reduces the number of “stuck”. It is worth mentioned that causal intervention is for the first time applied by us in solving the confounding effect in target-driven visual navigation. Extensive experiments on AI2-THOR demonstrate that CIVN achieves better performance than prior arts. Specifically, the generalization for unknown targets and scenes is improved by a large margin, which is a basic research topic in visual navigation. Moreover, to obtain better generalization, we propose a novel experiment utilizing pre-trained models firstly.

Digital dynamics: Exploring the intersection of AI, animation, and personalized learning

This study investigates the transformative potential of integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI), animation, and personalized learning in contemporary education. Employing a mixed-methods approach involving interviews and experimental manipulations, the research examines the interconnectedness of these three domains and their collective impact on student engagement and English reading comprehension learning outcomes. The study employed a quasi-experimental design. Participants engaged in an 8-week AI-driven personalized learning intervention that incorporated animated content, with pre- and post-test assessments evaluating reading comprehension outcomes. Qualitative data from interviews provided further insight into the impact of animation and personalized learning on student engagement and comprehension. Findings reveal that AI-driven personalized learning, coupled with engaging animations, leads to enhanced learner motivation, improved knowledge retention, and higher academic performance. The integration of these elements creates an inclusive and adaptable learning environment, addressing the diverse needs of students. This research highlights the significance of interdisciplinary collaboration in educational innovation and emphasizes the vast potential that lies at the intersection of AI, animation, and personalized learning to revolutionize 21st-century education.

Active Learning Through Video Conferencing to Maintain Physical Activity Among Older Adults: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

This randomized pilot trial investigated the feasibility of an active learning physical activity intervention through video conferencing and its preliminary effects. Participants comprised community-dwelling older adults who could use e-mail. The intervention group underwent a 12-week active learning intervention via video conferencing to promote a healthy lifestyle, particularly physical activity. The control group received information via e-mail once per week. The amount of physical activity and sedentary behavior was measured using an accelerometer at baseline, postintervention, and 24-week postintervention (36weeks). Of the 31 participants, 29 were eligible and randomized into two groups (15 for the intervention and 14 for the control). Adherence to the intervention was 83%-100% (mean, 97%). Compared with the control group, the intervention group showed moderate maintenance effects on total physical activity and sedentary behavior at 36weeks. Active learning physical activity intervention through video conferencing was found to be feasible and contributed to the prevention of physical activity decline in older adults.

Integration of TAM and ISSM into Student Satisfaction with AI Learning Intervention: Empirical Evidence from Islamic Studies

Integration of TAM and ISSM into Student Satisfaction with AI Learning Intervention: Empirical Evidence from Islamic Studies