Taiwanese High School Students Research Articles

Character Strengths of East Asia Adolescents and Their Relationships with Internet Addiction

With the advancement of technology, the use of the internet has become increasingly indispensable in daily life, leading to a growing concern over internet addiction among adolescents. This study aims to explore the relationship between character strengths and internet addiction in adolescents. A questionnaire survey was conducted with a sample of 310 Taiwanese high school students. The research instruments used were the “New Inventory of Adolescents’ Strengths”(NIAS) and the “chen internet addiction scale short version”(CIAS-10). Data analysis was performed using Pearson’s product–moment correlation, t-tests, and ANOVA. The results of the study revealed the following: (1) Adolescents scored highest in character strengths related to “Gratitude,” “Emotion Self-awareness,” and “Love,” while approximately 20.0% of students showed a tendency toward internet addiction; (2) Female participants demonstrated higher strengths in the dimensions of “Empathy,” “Gratitude,” “PersonMaking,” and “Love,” but no significant gender differences were found regarding internet addiction; (3) “Self-esteem,” “Emotion Self-awareness,” “Perseverance,” and “Self-control” exhibited a strong negative correlation with internet addiction. These findings provide a foundational basis for further research into the relationship between character strengths and internet addiction among adolescents. Strengthening specific character strengths may potentially contribute to reducing levels of internet addiction.
 Keywords: adolescents, character strength, internet addiction

Heritage identity and Indigenous language learning motivation: A case of Indigenous Taiwanese high school students

AbstractThis study responds to calls to reexamine the L2 motivational self system framework in order to understand motivations to learn languages other than English. Specifically, we explore Indigenous Taiwanese students’ heritage language learning motivation from a possible selves perspective. Following work on the rooted L2 self, the construct of the Indigenous heritage self is incorporated to capture the passion and conviction that motivates learners to maintain language use and revitalize cultural legacies. A nationwide questionnaire survey was administered to 293 indigenous Taiwanese high school students (aged 15–18). Exploratory factor analysis points to the need to include the Indigenous heritage self in an account of the motivation to learn endangered Indigenous languages. The composite elements of the Indigenous heritage self consist of goals focused on preserving the Indigenous language and cultures, as well as an emotional attachment to the heritage culture. Furthermore, multiple regression results show that learners’ Indigenous heritage self and ideal future self are significant contributors to motivational intensity and classroom engagement. Findings indicate that community‐based motivation is equally important as individual learners’ idealized future images in motivating Indigenous language learning. The article concludes by suggesting curriculum initiatives that incorporate motivational strategy instruction aimed at developing an ideal self for speaking the Indigenous language, bridging classroom content and the cultural immersive experiences that students have outside formal environments.

“History is like an old story!”: Navigating the trajectories of historical epistemic beliefs through epistemic network analysis in Taiwanese high school students' perspectives

Epistemic beliefs are crucial in the modern digital world, where individuals must navigate a vast array of information. These beliefs, connected to higher-order thinking skills like critical thinking and problem-solving, enable individuals to evaluate the credibility of information, discern biases, and make informed decisions. Developing sophisticated epistemic beliefs is essential for engaging with the digital world and contributing meaningfully to various domains. For history education, as the goal has put more emphasis on developing students’ higher-order thinking in history (i.e. historical thinking and reasoning) both in Taiwan and around the globe, it has then become more and more important to investigate students’ historical epistemic beliefs. Despite this, most scholarly work focuses on scientific and mathematical personal epistemology, leaving the discipline of history underexplored. To fill in such a salient gap, this study implemented a mix-method research design with the use of Epistemic Network Analysis to explore high school students’ trajectory of historical epistemic beliefs. This study implemented a mix-method research design with the use of Epistemic Network Analysis. Twenty-one high school students were recruited for the study. Data was collected with semi-structured interviews at the start and end of one academic year to investigate the changes in their personal epistemology. Data was then transcribed and coded with the coding framework developed in this study. The results are shown in the pattern-based model for each individual student's trajectory during the course of one academic year. A t-test was used to examine the differences between the first and second sets of interview data of each student. Six participating students witnessed a significant change (p < 0.05) in their historical epistemic beliefs within one year. The students shifted from a more naïve and simple perspective about the nature of history to a more sophisticated stance in which they started to acknowledge the complexity of history due to the consideration of historical contexts. The students also became more aware of the subjectivity in the formation of historical knowledge and, thus, the limitation and uncertainty of the objective truth. Moreover, a fine-grained qualitative analysis of these students was provided to present a more holistic perspective. The evidence indicates that students' epistemic beliefs are not easily categorised, as they display different stances towards various aspects of historical knowledge. Furthermore, students have become more critically engaged in historical thinking and have adopted a more discerning attitude towards history class. This pioneering research not only provides a solid foundation for future investigations in the field but also carries significant implications for enhancing history education and fostering critical thinking skills in students. Limitations and future applications are also discussed at the end of the paper.

The relationship between written discourse features and integrated listening-to-write scores for adolescent English language learners

As integrated writing tasks in large-scale and classroom-based writing assessments have risen in popularity, research studies have increasingly concentrated on providing validity evidence. Given the fact that most of these studies focus on adult second language learners rather than younger ones, this study examined the relationship between written discourse features, vocabulary support, and integrated listening-to-write scores for adolescent English learners. The participants of this study consisted of 198 Taiwanese high school students who completed two integrated listening-to-write tasks. Prior to each writing task, a list of key vocabulary was provided to aid the students’ comprehension of the listening passage. Their written products were coded and analyzed for measures of discourse features and vocabulary use, including complexity, accuracy, fluency, organization, vocabulary use ratio, and vocabulary use accuracy. We then adopted descriptive statistics and hierarchical linear regression analyses to investigate the extent to which such measures were predictive of integrated listening-to-write test scores. The results showed that fluency, organization, grammatical accuracy, and vocabulary use accuracy were significant predictors of the writing test scores. Moreover, the results revealed that providing vocabulary support may not necessarily jeopardize the validity of integrated listening-to-write tasks. The implications for research and test development were also discussed.

The associated effects of parent, peer and teacher attachment and self-regulation on prosocial behaviors: A person-and variable-centered investigation

Adolescence is a critical juncture in the development of prosocial behaviors, which contribute to the overall well-being of youth. Thus, it is important to understand how multiple socialization agents and self-regulation simultaneously foster prosocial behaviors. Using both variable-centered and latent person-centered approaches, the current study examined the relative, concurrent contribution of multiple socialization agents (parent, peer, and teacher attachment) and self-regulation on Taiwanese adolescents’ global prosocial behaviors. This study included 1473 Taiwanese high school students (50.4% junior high schoolers, 57.9% females, Mage= 14.87 years) who completed measures of parent, peer, and teacher attachment, self-control, and prosocial behaviors. Four profiles emerged from the person-centered approach. The profile with highest scores on self-control and all measures of attachment reported the highest prosocial behaviors. The other three profiles differed in their attachment patterns but demonstrated roughly similar levels of self-control. Among the three profiles, the groups with the lowest scores on prosocial behaviors appeared to have low to moderate attachment quality, whereas the group with high peer attachment scored significantly higher in prosocial behaviors than the other two groups. Results from the variable-centered approach found no direct effects of parent attachment on prosocial behaviors, though effects of self-control and peer and teacher attachments were evident. Our findings suggest that the quality of attachment and self-regulation commonly promote prosocial behaviors in youth. Furthermore, peer and school-based relationships may serve as unique and salient socialization contexts for prosocial behaviors during adolescence. Limitations and recommendations for future research were discussed.

High school students’ epistemic knowledge profiles and their multifaceted learning engagement in science

ABSTRACT Background The role of students’ epistemic understanding of science in mediating their engagement in learning activities and tasks has been highlighted in the literature. Although researchers recognize epistemic knowledge of science as a multi-faceted framework, the so-called person-centered approach that aims to generate meaningful and distinct profiles has not been widely adopted. Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore Taiwanese high school students’ epistemic knowledge profiles and learning engagements in science. Sample 631 high school students from six senior high schools in Taiwan were invited to participate in the study. There were 375 males and 256 females. The age of these students ranged from 15 to 18 years, with an average age of 16.84. Design and methods The students’ epistemic knowledge profiles were surveyed and categorized in terms of three critical dimensions of epistemic understanding of scientific knowledge (Uncertainty of Knowledge, Development of Knowledge, and Purpose of Knowledge). Besides, five forms of science learning engagement (Cognitive, Behavioral, Emotional, Social, and Agentic engagement) were evaluated and then compared based on the classified epistemic knowledge profiles. Results Three epistemic profiles, namely Highly uncertain yet low purpose, Informed yet highly certain, and Uninformed, were identified. Furthermore, the students of the Informed yet highly certain profile had the highest scores on all the five forms of engagement. Yet, the students in the Highly uncertain yet low purpose and Uninformed profiles did not show significant differences in terms of Behavioral, Agentic, Emotional, or Social engagement. Conclusion The findings suggest that none of the students in any profiles demonstrated fully sophisticated epistemic understanding of scientific knowledge, and this had different effects on their multifaceted science learning engagement. Moreover, the students demonstrated highly uncertain orientation toward scientific knowledge which may hinder their science learning engagement.

Prevalence of Dental Caries and Periodontal Disease of High School Students Aged 15 to 18 Years in Taiwan.

The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence and distribution of dental caries and periodontal disease in Taiwanese high school students aged 15–18. A total of 1069 Taiwanese students participated in a cross-sectional nationwide dental survey. By using a stratified method based on the National Health Insurance administration regions, 24 high schools were randomly sampled in different areas of Taiwan. The participants were examined with dental mirrors and community periodontal index (CPI) probes without using radiographs, to measure dental caries and periodontal status. Demographic information and other relevant risk indicators for the two diseases were gathered via a self-report questionnaire. In this study population, the weighted mean decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) scores for ages 15 to 18 were 5.2, 6.1, 6.1, and 5.7. The weighted mean decayed, missing and filled surfaces (DMFS) scores were 9.0, 12.0, 13.1, and 11.2 at ages 15, 16, 17, and 18, respectively. Additionally, 88.2% of the subjects had periodontal disease, with calculus as the most prevalent type. Moreover, 5.2% of these students showed loss of attachment. There was no significant association between dental caries and periodontal disease. Dental caries and periodontal disease were prevalent among Taiwanese high school students in this national dental survey.

Did Self-Directed Learning Curriculum Guidelines Change Taiwanese High-School Students’ Self-Directed Learning Readiness?

With the rapid changes in globalization and technology advancement, self-directed learning is argued repeatedly as a key competency needed to survive in the twenty-first century. In August 2019, the Taiwan Ministry of Education implemented the new Curriculum Guidelines for 12-Year Basic Education. Being Taiwan’s first official curriculum that promoted self-directed learning, this study contributed to the emerging knowledge of how the introduction of the curriculum guidelines affected students’ readiness for self-directed learning. Three cohorts of high school students from seven schools returned 10,020 valid surveys. The Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale (SDLRS), a reputable instrument developed by Lucy Guglielmino (2000), was used in the study. The results provided a bird’s-eye view of evidence supporting our explanations for the positive, though slight, effect of implementing new curriculum guidelines in fostering self-directed high-school learners. Moreover, the progression of self-directed learning readiness appeared differently among schools and among different demographic associations. We suggest that future researchers both (a) qualitatively explore how specific latent variables were changed in different instructional interventions, and (b) conduct panel studies to advance our understanding of curriculum reform and learners’ self-direction.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40299-021-00582-w.

Family background and curricular tracking among Taiwanese high school students

Prior research studying the relationship between family background and curricular tracking estimates conditional logistic regressions without considering the sample selection, and finds small or non-robust effects. Given that sample selection bias may underestimate of the effects of family background on later schooling, we analyze Taiwan Education Panel Survey (TEPS) and compare models with and without adjusting the selection bias. We find that the effects of family background on curricular tracking become stronger in the Heckman two-stage probit model for selection bias than in the simple logistic regression. These results imply family background may play a more important role in students’ curricular choice than documented in the literature.

Developing student imagination and career interest through a STEM project using 3D printing with repetitive modeling

ABSTRACT Over the past few years, digital fabrication has been utilized in technology laboratories to emphasize hands-on learning processes in technology and engineering education. Recent studies indicate that hands-on activities can help students connect with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines and develop key skills required in the 21st century. However, some argue that introducing 3D printing technology in schools could reduce pragmatic engagement and cause affective loss of hands-on interests. To explore the use of 3D printing machines in technology and engineering education, this research developed a STEM-based vibration isolator activity using a 3D printer and repetitive modeling. A nonequivalent control group design was employed in this research, and 192 Taiwanese high school students participated in this study. The conclusions are: (1) repetitive modeling in the STEM-based design activity enhanced student imagination; (2) repetitive modeling was effective in developing high school students’ interest in technology and engineering careers; and (3) repetitive modeling, engineering design, and “conceiving imagination” were significant predictors of the students’ final products. These results suggest a benefit to high school technology education of using 3D printers in a STEM-based vibration isolator design activity with repetitive modeling.

Multi-dimensional explorations into the relationships between high school students’ science learning self-efficacy and engagement

ABSTRACT Promoting student engagement in learning activities and tasks has been a pivotal issue and goal of science education. Relevant literature has not yet addressed the underlying associations among students’ self-efficacy and engagement in science learning from a multi-dimensional perspective. Thus, this study aimed to examine the structural relationships between the two constructs through the structural equation modelling technique to differentiate the predictive powers of multi-faceted self-efficacy on various forms of engagement. A total of 478 Taiwanese senior high school students were invited to answer two survey instruments concerning self-efficacy and engagement in science learning, respectively. The main findings indicate that, first, the ‘Science Learning Engagement Instrument’ was proven to be valid and reliable to assess the students’ five distinct forms of engagement, including Cognitive, Behavioral, Emotional, Social, and Agentic engagement. It seems that the students had less agentic engagement experiences compared to the other forms of learning engagement. Moreover, this study further identified the multifaceted effects of self-efficacy on the manifold aspects of learning engagement in the literature. Overall, the path analysis results provide evidence that, in order to deeply engage learners in science learning, promoting their science learning self-efficacy from various aspects is of great importance.

Teaching the U.S. civil rights movement and its legacy in Taiwan: an exploration of racial awareness in a Taiwanese high school class

ABSTRACT This article analyzes a Taiwanese learning experience about the U.S. Civil Rights Movement, launching an educational project with 18 Taiwanese high school students to discuss their understanding of race, racism, and social justice. The rationale of analyzing the student participants’ comments rests on critical race theory. After analysis, this study found that Han ethnocentrism functions as a hidden identity and value system to influence the student participants to respond to racial issues. Han ethnocentrism caused the participants focusing on the racial experiences in Han groups and narrowed their understandings to the world. However, the result of this research also indicated that with a proper introduction, participants were willing and capable of developing racial sensitivity and affirmative attitudes about social justice toward minorities in Taiwan, such as Taiwanese Aboriginals and Southeast Asian migrant workers.

High School Students’ Environmental Education in Taiwan: Scientific Epistemic Views, Decision-Making Style, and Recycling Intention

In this study, to facilitate the integration of environmental education in science curricula and achieve a more sustainable future, the relationships among scientific epistemic views, decision-making style, and recycling intention based on the theory of planned behavior were investigated. Three instruments (i.e. SEVs, DMS, and RI) were implemented on a sample of 515 Taiwanese high school students and revealed sufficient validity and reliability by employing exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Structural equation modeling analysis showed that students’ scientific epistemic views do not directly link to recycling intention, whereas SEVs predict decision-making styles and decision-making styles predict recycling intention. The research findings suggest that teachers might consider encouraging students to develop the ability to think deeply and holistically by adopting the scientific approach in environmental education. This research also provided important information for educators to deliver environmental education effectively under the environment of Confucian culture. Limitations of the study and future research recommendations are discussed.

Cumulative risk factors for adolescent depressive symptoms: findings from a Taiwanese school-based sample

ABSTRACT This cross-sectional study investigated the cumulative effect of risk factors for depressive symptoms. The primary hypothesis was that an increase in the risk factor exposure is associated with the odds of adolescent depression. A multi-stage cluster sampling method was administered to recruit participants. 1,306 Taiwanese high school students aged 15 to 18 completed self-report questionnaires to report their levels of individual risk factor and depressive symptoms. Risk factors under investigation included low self-esteem, family economic constrain, parent-adolescent conflict, negative peer relationship and academic expectation stress. All risk factors significantly predict adolescents’ risk for developing depression. A graded dose-response relationship was observed, meaning the odds of having depression rose along with an increase in the cumulative risk index. The findings yield support for the individual and cumulative effects of these salient risk factor on adolescent depression. The cumulative risk index can provide a useful instrument for depression screening and intervention.

Most Prevalent Study Skills among Taiwanese High School Students with Reference to Gender

This study investigated Taiwanese high school students’ study skills with reference to gender differences. 612 students (358 girls, and 254 boys) from six random high schools in Taiwan participated in this study. A 24-item questionnaire originally developed by University of Houston Clear Lake, Texas was adopted, abridged, and administered. The main focus of the questionnaire was on three study habits/skills constructs of “time management &amp; procrastination”, “study aids &amp; note-taking”, and “organizing &amp; processing information” (eight items each). A Pearson Chi-square test (α ≤.05) was used for each of the 24 items of the questionnaire. The results showed that Taiwanese high school boys and girls have very similar, an even sometimes identical, viewpoints towards study skills. The only significant difference observed in the data analysis in this study were items 1, 5, and 8, suggesting that compared with girls, boys typically care more about time management. Moreover, and based on the rubrics devised by the original instrument developer, it was calculated that the highest difference between boys and girls was .61 “arriving at classes and other meetings on time”, whereas the lowest difference was 0 for “maintaining a critical attitude during study - thinking before accepting or rejecting”. Also, both girls and boys equally seemed to be strongest in “arriving at classes and other meetings on time” (item 1), and weakest in “having a system for marking textbooks” (item 14).

Influence of Students’ Learning Style, Sense of Presence, and Cognitive Load on Learning Outcomes in an Immersive Virtual Reality Learning Environment

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship among Taiwanese high school students’ learning style, sense of presence, cognitive load, and affective and cognitive learning outcomes in an immersive virtual reality-based learning environment. This study used a teaching experiment intervention method. Seventy-seven students participated in the virtual reality-based learning environment and completed related scales and a test. This study found that although the students’ learning style does not influence learning outcomes, it may influence the subjective sense of presence and cognitive load in the learning process. Regarding the affective learning outcome, involvement/immersion, sensory fidelity, and mental effort are positive predictors. In addition, involvement/immersion, interface quality, mental load, and mental effort are negative predictors of cognitive learning outcomes. The conclusion from this study is that students with some learning style preferences must bear a greater cognitive load to achieve the same learning outcomes as other students. This study also points out that the components of sense of presence and cognitive load generate inconsistent predictive effects on affective and cognitive learning outcomes, respectively. Therefore, it is important to deeply explore the influence of sense of presence and cognitive load structure on learning in virtual environments.

\u201cI felt angry, but I couldn\u2019t do anything about it\u201d: a qualitative study of cyberbullying among Taiwanese high school students

BackgroundCyberbullying is a growing public health concern threatening the well-being of adolescents in both developed and developing countries. In Taiwan, qualitative research exploring the experiences and perceptions of cyberbullying among Taiwanese young people is lacking.MethodsWe conducted in-depth interviews with a convenience sample of high school students (aged 16 to 18) from five schools in Taipei, Taiwan, without prior knowledge of their cyberbullying experiences. In total, 48 participants were interviewed.ResultsWe found that the experience of cyberbullying is common, frequently occurs anonymously and publicly on unofficial school Facebook pages created by students themselves, and manifests in multiple ways, such as name-calling, uploading photos, and/or excluding victims from online groups of friends. Exclusion, which may be a type of cyberbullying unique to the Asian context, causes a sense of isolation, helplessness, or hopelessness, even producing mental health effects in the victims because people place the utmost importance on interpersonal harmony due to the Confucian values in collectivistic Asian societies. In addition, our study revealed reasons for cyberbullying that also potentially reflect the collectivistic values of Asian societies. These reasons included fun, discrimination, jealousy, revenge, and punishment of peers who broke school or social rules/norms, for example, by cheating others or being promiscuous.ConclusionsOur findings reveal the pressing need for the Taiwanese school system to develop cyberbullying prevention programmes considering the nature and sociocultural characteristics of cyberbullying.

A Qualitative Exploration of STEM Career Development of High School Students in Taiwan

Although personal inputs and contextual variables in social cognitive career theory (SCCT) are recognized as key factors that affect career interests and choices, research has given minimal attention to the role of these variables in a collectivistic culture context. We present a study examining science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) career decision-making process of 12 Taiwanese high school students aged 15–17, using a consensual qualitative research method. The data analysis resulted in four domains: personal input, contextual variables, outcome expectations, and self-efficacy identified by SCCT. These results provide a foundation for future research on cross-cultural STEM career development. Implications highlight the importance of counselors in encouraging students of collectivistic culture background to pursue STEM careers.

An Investigation of Taiwanese High School Students’ Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration in Science Learning Contexts in Relation to Their Science Learning Self-Efficacy

The purpose of the current research was to develop an instrument for high school students aiming to explore the satisfaction and frustration of their basic psychological needs of autonomy, relatedness, and competence while learning science and to investigate their relation to self-efficacy in science learning. This research involves two studies. In study 1, a total of 392 students (32% females) were solicited from high schools in Taiwan. The results of exploratory factor analysis showed, as expected, that the students’ responses were grouped into autonomy satisfaction, autonomy frustration, relatedness satisfaction, relatedness frustration, competence satisfaction, and competence frustration. The regression analysis results indicated that students whose psychological needs were satisfied displayed higher self-efficacy while learning science; however, students whose psychological needs were frustrated showed lower science learning self-efficacy. Study 2 involved 699 students (33.5% females) from high schools in Taiwan. The results of confirmatory factor analysis suggest that the survey items have good construct validity. The results of structural equation modeling also revealed that satisfaction of psychological needs was the positive factor in explaining self-efficacy; on the other hand, frustration of psychological needs did not predict self-efficacy. The findings revealed that the satisfaction of psychological needs of autonomy, relatedness, and competence provides potential impetus for positive functioning with respect to science learning.

The subject-dependent, cumulative, and recency association of aerobic fitness with academic performance in Taiwanese junior high school students

BackgroundThe objective of the current study was to examine whether the relation between aerobic fitness and academic achievement during adolescence is subject-dependent, and to investigate cumulative and recency effects.MethodsThis study made use of two nationwide datasets. The first was the aerobic fitness profile of junior high school students collected by the Ministry of Education in Taiwan. The second contained the scores on the Basic Competence Test for Junior High School Students (BCTJH). The sample consisted of 382,259 students who completed the BCTJH in the 5 years between 2009 and 2013. Data on each student’s aerobic fitness during their three years of junior high school were matched with their exam results at the end of this period.ResultsThe results revealed that students classified as highly-fit during at least one of the three years had higher BCTJH scores than those who never achieved this level, with the size of effect increasing with the length of time that fitness was maintained. Additionally, aerobic fitness in the final year was more closely linked to BCTJH scores than that in the earlier two years. Fitness was also more strongly associated with exam performance in math, science and social science, relative to language-related subjects.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that while aerobic fitness is positively related to academic achievement in Taiwanese junior high school students, the relationship depends on academic subject, as well as the length and time of being aerobically fit.