Technology-rich Learning Environments Research Articles

The relationship between students' self‐regulated learning behaviours and problem‐solving efficiency in technology‐rich learning environments

AbstractBackgroundScholars have confirmed the vital roles of self‐regulated learning (SRL) behaviours in predicting task performance, especially within non‐linear technology‐rich learning environments (TREs). However, few studies focused on the learning costs (e.g., study effort and time‐on‐task) related to SRL and the efficiency outcome of SRL (i.e., the relative relationship between learning costs and performance).ObjectivesThis study examined the relationship between students' SRL behaviours and problem‐solving efficiency in the context of TREs.MethodsEighty‐two medical students accomplished a diagnostic task in a computer‐simulated environment, and they were classified into the efficient or less efficient group according to diagnostic performance and time‐on‐task. Then we coded students' SRL behaviours from trace data and counted the frequency of each SRL behaviour. The recurrence quantification and lag sequential analyses were performed to extract the dynamic characteristics of SRL behaviours, including recurrent patterns and sequential transitions.Results and ConclusionsEfficient students conducted more frequent Self‐reflection behaviours than the less efficient. For the recurrent patterns, efficient students tended to exhibit longer SRL behaviour sequences comprising a variety of different SRL behaviours (e.g., Task Analysis > Add Test > Add Hypotheses > Categorise Evidence) as well as longer sequences of repeated SRL behaviours (e.g., Add Test > Add Test > Add Test > Add Test). Moreover, efficient students exhibited more sequential transitions between different SRL behaviours than less efficient.TakeawaysOverall, this study revealed the effects of SRL on problem‐solving efficiency, which inspired researchers to incorporate problem‐solving efficiency as an evaluation criterion of SRL processes.

Teaching Competence and Information and Communication Technology Integration (ICT) of Private Schools in Davao City

The study investigated the relationship between teaching competence and ICT integration among private school teachers in Davao City for the 2022-2023 school year. Employing a descriptive correlation design with 100 teacher respondents, the analysis revealed consistently high levels of teaching competence, particularly emphasizing professional development, and a high level of ICT integration, showcasing positive attitudes and effective utilization of ICT. The study underscored the significance of educators having a strong teaching foundation for a moderate positive relationship between teaching competence and ICT integration. The significant impact of professional development on ICT integration highlighted the need for ongoing training and growth opportunities for teachers, emphasizing the role of continuous learning in adapting to technological advancements. These findings highlighted the close relationship between teacher competence and successful ICT integration, underscoring the importance of professional development in creating a technology-rich learning environment. Conclusively, the findings underscored the importance of professional development in shaping effective ICT integration. These recommendations aimed to foster a collaborative and supportive environment, enhancing educators' competence and ensuring effective ICT integration. These insights provided valuable guidance for educators, policymakers, and researchers aiming to enhance teaching competence and ICT integration in private schools in Davao City.

Exploring the changing modes of learning and teaching in campus-based curricula during and post- Covid-19

The rise in technology-rich learning environments is reflective of a global trend in higher education (HE), recently accelerated because of necessary digital teaching and assessment practices embraced during the Covid-19 pandemic. This qualitative study facilitated through focus groups and an interview explores the teaching and learning experiences of tertiary level students in the Covid-19 era. Data from 24 students based within a UK Higher Education Institution highlights how an expanded digital environment can optimise conditions for some students to independently practise and apply what they are learning at their own pace. Digitally enhanced opportunities to interact with teaching staff and learning resources also increased the options for these students to experience themselves as competent members of the HE community. This was particularly relevant for first-year students new to the processes and practices of tertiary education. In contrast, third year students with more experience of HE appeared less reliant on the provision of online learning resources. Participants also identified some potential problems associated with the enhanced flexibility of online teaching and learning resources in relation to students’ ability to be self-regulated. This paper rationalises the need for educators and educational and learning developers who teach and undertake scholarship in teaching and learning to consider the sociocultural context of the student and their learning environment when designing teaching activities and curricula. The data presented here highlight the need for a clearly defined framework to underpin the integration of digital technologies with on-campus activities.

Teacher educators’ use of mind mapping in the development of TPACK in a technology-rich learning environment

AbstractSince 2020, teaching has gone through substantive transformation. Teacher educators have been compelled to reevaluate their instructional strategies and the use of technology to deliver effective training for pre-service teachers. The year 2020 escalated the use of teaching strategies that relied on technology as a crucial tool in all teaching processes. Moreover, from the year 2020 and onwards, teacher educators’ knowledge of teaching, curriculum, and technology has been transformed to align with the new teaching and learning requirements for creating and delivering instruction in teacher education. However, little is mentioned in studies on how teacher educators think about lesson activities, especially how they map out instructional pathways and technology integration in a technology-rich environment. It is against this backdrop that this study uses qualitative and interpretive paradigms to investigate teacher educators’ use of mind-mapping for instructional practices in a technology-rich environment. The objective was to understand how they develop or prioritize the development of technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK). Six participants were purposively selected based on the criteria that the participants must use mind-mapping to plan lesson activities and integrate technology into the lesson, reflect on the instructional process, and allow the researchers to observe their classroom teaching engagements. Data was generated and collected using journal reflections, observations, and document analysis. The findings showed that the teacher educators made use of mind-mapping in the preparation of lesson activities and created rubrics using mind-mapping. They also used self-made video podcasts and integrated videos in lesson activities and mind-mapped assessment pathways with technology. From the narrations shared by the participants, the use of mind-mapping opened new strategies of planning, teaching, and assessing instruction with technology to develop technological pedagogical content knowledge.

Navigating Critical Thinking in the Digital Era: An Informative Exploration

In the digital era characterized by the pervasive influence of technology, the intersection of critical thinking (CT) and artificial intelligence (AI) has become a topic of paramount importance. This informative article delves into the evolving relationship between these two realms, probing whether AI tools have the potential to either enhance or hinder students' critical thinking capacities. As we navigate the intricate terrain of critical thinking and technology, compelling questions surface. First, how does the amalgamation of AI and digital platforms influence the acquisition of essential critical thinking skills among learners? Delving deeper, the inquiry extends to whether AI-driven tools can offer valuable support in dissecting complex information while preserving the depth and nuance intrinsic to critical thinking. Furthermore, the examination probes into the challenges that emerge when individuals heavily rely on AI-curated information and the potential repercussions on the quality of critical analysis. In addressing the symbiosis of education and technology, educators find themselves at a crossroads. This article contemplates how educators can adapt their strategies to nurture robust critical thinking skills within technology-rich learning environments. A pivotal aspect of this involves empowering students to question, validate, and critically scrutinize information generated by AI, fostering a sense of discernment and independence in their intellectual pursuits. Beyond the pedagogical realm, the discourse extends to ethical considerations. The centrality of technology in shaping cognitive processes brings forth ethical dilemmas that warrant examination. This exploration aims to unravel the intricacies of these ethical considerations when technology becomes a pivotal influencer of our cognitive landscape, emphasizing the importance of ethical awareness in the integration of AI into educational frameworks. Ultimately, this study holds significance in shaping educational practices, fostering societal resilience in the face of information abundance, and promoting ethical considerations in the integration of digital tools. It contributes to a comprehensive understanding of critical thinking in the digital era, ultimately empowering individuals to navigate the intellectual landscape with acumen and ethical responsibility.

Designing example-generating tasks for a technology-rich mathematical environment

This paper provides some insights into the use of example-generating tasks in the design of a technology-rich learning environment to enhance students’ mathematical thinking. The paper reports on an early stage of a design-based research project concerning the design of tasks and associated feedback utilising the affordances provided by a combined use of a dynamic mathematics software environment and a computer-aided assessment system. In example-generating tasks, students are asked to generate examples that fulfil certain conditions. Based on data in terms of examples generated by 491 first-year engineering students, taking a first course in calculus, the paper examines patterns of student response to three example-generating tasks. As a theoretical lens, the notions of dimensions of possible variation and associated ranges of permissible change are used. In light of the observed patterns, the paper provides some guiding principles for designing example-generating tasks and associated formative feedback to foster students’ mathematical understanding by enriching their example spaces. For example, this paper illustrates occasions where it might be instructive to start by asking for two examples, followed by adapted feedback before requesting a third example.

Research on the Construction of Technology-rich Classroom Learning Environment to Develop English Language Learning and Higher-order Thinking

Background and Aim: Applying emerging technologies to explore new learning ecology has become the focus of current education reform. Foreign language majors in China were once criticized for their lack of critical thinking abilities. This paper aims to construct a technology-rich classroom learning environment and explore its impact on participants’ English learning and higher-order thinking. Materials and Methods: This research is a quasi-experimental research design using a quantitative research approach. English language teaching experiment was conducted on 60 samples selected by using the purposive sampling method. Participants were university second-year business English majors, and their English listening, speaking and higher-order thinking skills were pre- and post-tested. Data were collected through tests and quantitative questionnaires. Descriptive statistics and paired-sample T-tests on the hypothesis were conducted by using the statistical software Jamovi. Results: Participants showed a high evaluation of the constructed technology-rich classroom learning environment. Their English listening skills and speaking competency have been efficiently improved, especially listening comprehension, speaking content, and language use. Their higher-order thinking was also improved, especially their analytical ability and cognitive maturity. Meanwhile, participants demonstrated a high level of cognitive engagement and learning satisfaction. Conclusion: This study proposed a model for technology-rich learning environment design, as well as a constructivist instructional design model, revealing the mechanism of technology promoting learning and providing relevant methods. The study also demonstrated that the simultaneous development of foreign language learning and higher-order thinking could be achieved in a technology-rich environment. This paper also puts forward suggestions for further enriching instructional design and technology-rich learning environment design.

Social presence in technology-rich learning environments: how real we are feeling connected and how does it matter for learning?

PurposeSocial presence (SP), which refers to individuals’ perception of others being engaged as “real people” in the same situation, is a crucial component in technology-rich learning environments (TREs). This study aims to identify major learning design, antecedents and outcomes of SP within TREs, and identify common findings from the past two decades.Design/methodology/approachFollowing Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses review principles and a qualitative analysis of selected articles, a final review of 72 studies that met inclusion criteria was obtained. Key information, including education level, discipline, sample size, study type and measurements, was extracted and studies were further analyzed and synthesized based on design features and learning modes.FindingsThe study identifies five crucial factors for instructional design to foster SP in TREs: technology affordances, multimedia features, social factors, instructional principles, learner characteristics and learning management systems. The authors compare two learning modes across three dimensions and identify popular technologies used in studies related to SP over the past two decades. Practical recommendations are provided for educators and educational technology developers to enhance SP within technology-rich learning environments.Originality/valueThis research contributes to the discourse on online learning and computer-supported communication, particularly in the post-COVID-19 era. By examining factors influencing SP and providing implications for instruction and educational technology development, this study offers evidence-based support to educators for engaging learners and fostering authentic learning experiences through adaptive selection of educational technologies.

Teaching in the hybrid virtual classroom

Seven college lecturers and two senior support staff were interviewed during 2021 about their experiences teaching in hybrid virtual classrooms (HVC). These technology-rich learning environments allow teachers to simultaneously teach students who are in class (on campus) and students who are joining remotely (online). There were two reasons for this choice: first, ongoing experimentation from innovative teaching staff who were already using this format before the COVID-19 pandemic; secondly, as a possible solution to restrictions on classroom size imposed by the pandemic. Challenges lecturers faced include adjusting teaching practice and lesson delivery to serve students in the class and those online equally; engaging and linking the different student groups in structured and natural interactions; overcoming technical challenges regarding audio and visual equipment; suitably configuring teaching spaces and having sufficient pedagogical and technical support to manage this complex process. A set of practical suggestions is provided. Lecturers should make reasoned choices when teaching in this format since it requires continued experimentation and practice to enhance the teaching and learning opportunities. When external factors such as classroom size restrictions are the driving force, the specific type of synchronous learning activities should be carefully considered. The structure and approach to lessons needs to be rethought to optimise the affordances of the hybrid virtual and connected classroom. The complexity of using these formats, and the additional time needed to do it properly, should not be underestimated. These findings are consistent with previous literature on this subject. An ongoing dialogue with faculty, support staff and especially students should be an integral part of any further implementation in this format.

The effect of feedback on academic achievement in technology-rich learning environments (TREs): A meta-analytic review

This study aimed to investigate the effect of feedback on students' academic achievement in a technology-rich environment through a systematic and quantitative synthesis of the studies conducted over several decades. We focused on three issues: (a) the effectiveness of feedback in enhancing learning performance; (b) possible factors (feedback characteristics and study features) associated with different studies that could have resulted in the inconsistent findings across the studies; and (c) how different types of feedback differed in their effect in enhancing academic achievement. Based on 182 effect sizes extracted from 61 studies, we found that, compared with no feedback condition, feedback had at least a medium effect (g = 0.44, 95%CI [0.324, 0.555]) in enhancing academic achievement, and the effect of explanation feedback was the strongest compared to other types of feedback. The study further revealed that the feedback in blended learning was more effective than that in online learning. Possible explanations and implications of these findings, as well as limitations and future research directions were discussed.

Coda: the interactional affordances and constraints of technology-rich teaching and learning environments

ABSTRACT This coda describes various affordances and constraints associated with technology-rich language teaching and learning. It begins with a discussion of articles in this special issue of Classroom Discourse and then expands to engage with broader dynamics associated with uses of digital tools in language education. In particular, we address research issues relating to technology-rich activity such as the complexity of multimodal transcription and analysis when mapping multiple semiotic fields, potential challenges presented by polyfocality, the implications of response latency on the sequential organisation of talk, the historically and experientially formed cultures-of-use of digital communication tools as they may inform patterns and expectations of behaviour, and the potentially active role of various technologies as co-constitutive of the morphologies of action of teachers and learners in technology-rich settings.

Diagnosing virtual patients in a technology-rich learning environment: a sequential Mining of Students’ efficiency and behavioral patterns

Diagnosing virtual patients in a technology-rich learning environment: a sequential Mining of Students’ efficiency and behavioral patterns

Mobile Virtual Laboratory as Innovative Strategy to Improve Learners’ Achievement, Attitudes, and Learning Environment in Teaching Chemistry

As our world becomes more technologically advanced, research suggests that technology-rich learning environments support students as well. Mobile Virtual Laboratories can be used to replicate physical laboratories and augment the incorporation of technology inside science classrooms in an attempt to provide students with laboratory experiences that would not otherwise be available in high school settings. This study measured the effectiveness of mobile virtual laboratory as innovative strategy to improve learners’ achievement, attitudes, and learning environment in teaching chemistry. The study utilized one-group pretest–posttest design. The innovative strategy is calculated using this design by measuring the difference between the pretest and posttest scores, attitudes and learning environment in teaching chemistry. The study revealed that the utilization of the innovative strategy mobile virtual laboratory in teaching chemistry showed that learners have a strong positive attitude. More so, the learners have a strong positive learning environment when exposed to the innovative strategy mobile virtual laboratory based on the six domain of learning environment in teaching chemistry. As shown by the significantly higher mean in the posttest than in the pretest, the innovative strategy mobile virtual laboratory had a positive impact on the learners' achievement. Consequently, the learners exposed to the mobile virtual laboratory in teaching chemistry are significantly differ in pretest and posttest results. The findings of this study have the potential to reassure educational professionals, contribute to the body of research within the field of chemistry achievement, attitudes, and learning environment, and encourage further research into the efficacy of mobile virtual laboratories as a teaching tool.

Mediated learning materials: visibility checks in telepresence robot mediated classroom interaction

ABSTRACT Videoconferencing is increasingly used in education as a way to support distance learning. This article contributes to the emerging interactional literature on video-mediated educational interaction by exploring how a telepresence robot is used to facilitate remote participation in university-level foreign language teaching. A telepresence robot differs from commonly used videoconferencing set-ups in that it allows mobility and remote camera control. A remote student can thus move a classroom-based robot from a distance in order to shift attention between people, objects and environmental structures during classroom activities. Using multimodal conversation analysis, we focus on how participants manage telepresent remote students’ visual access to classroom learning materials. In particular, we show how visibility checks are accomplished as a sequential and embodied practice in interaction between physically dispersed participants. Moreover, we demonstrate how participants conduct interactional work to make learning materials visible to the remote student by showing them and guiding the ‘seeing’ of materials. The findings portray some ways in which participants in video-mediated interaction display sensitivity to the possibility of intersubjective trouble and the recipient’s visual perspective. Besides increasing understanding of visual and interactional practices in technology-rich learning environments, the findings can be applied in the pedagogical design of such environments.

Analysis of emotion regulation using posture, voice, and attention: A qualitative case study

The ability to detect and regulate emotions is an important aspect of emotional intelligence that can benefit individuals in their personal well-being and social interactions (Mayer, Caruso, Salovey, 2016). This study examined emotion regulation (ER) in medical students as they practiced learning how best to communicate undesired news to patients in an international technology-rich learning environment (TRLE; Lajoie et al., 2012). Gross’ (2015) process model of ER served as the theoretical model that guided the analysis of regulatory strategies, in a case study (Yin, 2011) of four medical students. A qualitative approach was used to determine how multichannels of emotion representation (vocal characteristics, motor expressions, attention tendencies) indicate instances of conscious or unconscious ER. Analyses revealed four major findings as evidences of ER: (a) dissociation between emotion channels (e.g. a calm face accompanied by a nervous voice); (b) sudden changes in emotion expression without external triggers (e.g. from smile to a rapidly serious face); (c) unexpected emotions (e.g. smiling when expected to demonstrate empathy); and, (d) use of multiple emotion channels to demonstrate emotion regulatory responses. The findings demonstrate the power of multimodal emotion analysis towards accurate detection of ER, and how it may inform the relationship between experienced and expressed emotions. Multimodal ER detection approaches, as illustrated in this study, may have important implications for assisting learners in face to face and computer-supported collaborative settings in becoming more conscious of their ER, helping them regulate undesired self and peer emotions in challenging learning situations.

Does the learning space matter? An evaluation of active learning in a purpose-built technology-rich collaboration studio

Studies in technology-rich learning environments have reported positive outcomes of active learning when compared to the traditional didactic classroom; others have found no benefits or have found interruption to learning due to the distraction of the technology. Evidence is required to support effective technology spaces that promote professional preparation, engagement and learning transfer. The impact of a technology-enabled collaboration studio on facilitating team-based learning for professional preparation through a case study in biomedical sciences was explored using a mixed method approach. Explicit assessment items as objective measures of student learning outcomes and implicit subjective, self-reported feelings of engagement and readiness for clinical practice is reported. Quantitative results showed an average 11.8% (p < 0.001; 95% CI 6.6-17.0) improvement in the final examination score for those students who had content delivered in the collaborative environment compared to a standard classroom. Qualitative results also support the notion that engagement and learning was enhanced. Investment towards a technology-enabled collaboration studio has shown a contributory effect that improves final grade outcomes through increased engagement, communication, motivation and professionalism for the learner. This research informs guidelines for best practice in active learning environments, particularly in purpose-built high technology learning spaces.
 Implications for practice or policy:
 
 Learning outcomes can be improved by investing in technology-enabled collaboration studios.
 Engagement and a sense of professional practice are enhanced by active learning in a technology-rich learning environment.
 Institutions should invest in technology-enabled active learning spaces.

Constructing mathematical meanings with digital tools: design, implementation and analysis of a teaching activity in a distance education context

This paper presents and analyses a teaching experiment, carried out with five 12thgrade students, in a distance education context during the pandemic, in May 2020. The teaching activity, framed by the Theory of Semiotic Mediation, involved the use of a digital tool - a Dynamic Geometry Environment - and aimed at the construction of the mathematical meanings of rotation. Results are discussed in order to show whether and how the designed teaching activity, experimented in a distance education context, resulted to be effective in order to foster the students’ construction of meanings. We are willing to contribute our findings to educational discussions in Covid-19 time, offering an example of integration of technology in mathematics teaching and learning, and focusing on theoretical aspects and methodological approaches that can be taken into consideration in the attempt to create meaningful technology-rich learning environments, both in remote teaching and in a traditional educational context.

Gender Differences in Senior High School Science Students’ Perceptions of Their Teachers’ Classroom Management Strategies in New-Juaben Municipality of Ghana

This study explored gender differences associated with science students’ perception of their educators’ classroom management strategies used in the learning and teaching of science. A cross-sectional survey design was used for the investigation, which took place in three senior high schools offering the General Science programme in the New-Juaben Municipal (Koforidua), in the Eastern Region of Ghana. A sample of 300 third year (SHS 3) senior high school students in the 2018/2019 academic year were selected using a random sampling procedure to respond to a Self-Report Survey Questionnaire with closed-ended and open-ended questions. The questionnaire was adapted from the Technology-Rich outcomes-focused Learning Environment Inventory -TROFLEI) to suit the study design and was pre-tested to ensure that the statements were reliable and valid. The results from the study revealed that there are clear differences between genders regarding educators’ classroom management strategies. One other key finding from the study was students’ indecision as to the extent to which their teachers use the 10 classroom management strategies prescribed to be used by teachers. It was therefore recommended among others for educators to create an empowering technology-rich classroom atmosphere for learners to actively partake in classroom activities.

Learning principles of accounting in ICT-supported learning environments of Malaysian secondary schools: future-oriented approach

This research was undertaken to identify the learning approaches used by Malaysian secondary school students of Principles of Accounting in the context of ICT-supported learning environments. The revised Two-Factor version of the Learning Process Questionnaire (R-LPQ-2F) was adapted to appraise the learning approaches used, while the Technology-Rich Outcomes-Focused Learning Environment Inventory (TROFLEI) was adapted to obtain the perceptions of students in ICT-supported learning environments which practising the ICT-pedagogy. The sample for the study comprised 371 Form Four Malaysian students. There were indications from this study that students employed the deep approach to learning Principles of Accounting; whereas the surface approach was not discernible. Only two scales measured the sub constructs of surface motive and surface strategy, namely aim for qualification and minimising scope of study merged and evolved into what is referred to as the future-oriented approach in this study. Aiming for qualification as a motive is complemented by a non-surface learning strategy of non-minimisation of scope of study, i.e. learning beyond the minimum scope. The future-oriented approach was influenced by socio-cultural and educational contextual factors in Malaysia. The findings also reflected the influence of ICT-supported learning environment perceptions on learning approaches.

How to flip the classroom in school students’ mathematics learning: bridging in- and out-of-class activities via innovative strategies

ABSTRACT This article reports on a case study of adopting innovative strategies to bridge in- and out-of-class activities in a flipped classroom to enhance students’ mathematics learning in a technology-rich learning environment on the topic of ‘Points, Angles, Lines and Planes’. A class with 37 students in Grade 9 using English as a medium of instruction participated in this study. The strategies adopted in the flipped classroom were: a 5-D pedagogical framework of the flipped classroom, varied ways of teacher facilitation and interaction with students in and beyond the classroom, and technology use both in and out of class. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected and analysed. The research findings show that the innovative strategies adopted in this study were generally conducive to enhancing students’ mathematics learning in the flipped classroom. The findings contribute to the literature of flipped classroom pedagogical design and practices.