Technology-enhanced Learning Environments Research Articles

Supporting Faculty Development in Technology-Enhanced Accounting and Business Education: A TPACK-Powered, Competence-in-Action Framework

The purpose of this paper is to develop a conceptual framework of teacher competence in technology-enhanced learning environments in higher education that can be used for evaluating teaching effectiveness and guiding faculty development in accounting and business education. Using perspectives from pedagogical content knowledge theory, educational production function theory, and the competence-in-action theory, the paper draws on the teacher competence framework (Baumert & Kunter, 2013) that has been previously used for modelling teacher competences of pre-service accounting teachers (Bouley et al., 2015) and proposes two modifications of it that will allow to include in-service teachers within higher education. The authors argue that by incorporating a set of TPACK (Mishra & Koehler, 2006) constructs the proposed conceptual model can capture and structure the essential types of teacher knowledge for effective technology integration and, therefore, is well-suited for evaluating teaching effectiveness and setting faculty professional learning goals. This paper is an extended and updated version of an earlier paper that was originally presented at the Annual CITE Conference (Thomas & Chukhlomin, 2020).

Examining the hard, peer, and teacher scaffolding framework in inquiry-based technology-enhanced learning environments: impact on academic achievement and group performance

The purpose of this study was to examine how students’ academic achievement and group performance related to their perceptions of the usefulness of hard, peer, and teacher scaffolds. A single instrumental case approach that integrated quantitative and qualitative analysis was employed for this study, which involved data gathered from 163 students in a ninth-grade biology course. Statistical results suggest that the students’ perceived usefulness of hard scaffolding, followed by peer scaffolding, was the most significant variable to predict individual academic achievement. However, only the perceived usefulness of peer scaffolding was found to be a significant predictor of group performance. This finding empirically points to the positive impact that student perceptions of the usefulness of hard, peer, and teacher scaffolds may have on students’ individual academic achievement and group performance in IBL (inquiry-based learning) activities.

Longitudinal effect of a technology-enhanced learning environment on sixth-grade students’ science learning: the role of reflection

ABSTRACTTo understand the longitudinal effect of a technology-enhanced learning (TEL) environment with reflective guidance on sixth-grade students’ learning in a photosynthesis unit in Shanghai, we designed a quasi-experimental longitudinal study with a pre-test and three post-tests, complemented by an examination of students’ log data. Our findings show that TEL is useful in improving students’ conceptual understanding and their retention of factual knowledge. Moreover, the regression analysis and the case study suggest that the time the students spent reflecting on ideas led to different levels of learning gains. In conclusion, these findings highlight the potential benefits of using TEL environments and illustrate the need to identify students who need extra guidance to engage in in-depth learning.

Technology-Enhanced Student-Centered Learning Environments

Technology-enhanced, student-centered learning environments organize interrelated learning themes into meaningful contexts, often in the form of a problem to be solved or an orienting goal, that bind functionally their features and activities. They provide interactive, complimentary activities that enable individuals to address unique learning interests and needs, study multiple levels of complexity, and deepen understanding. They establish conditions that enrich thinking and learning, and use technology to enable flexible methods through which the processes can be supported. Many technology-enhanced student-centered learning environments have been developed, ranging from situated, problem-based approaches, to micro worlds, to specialized manipulation tools. Research on these environments, while promising, has focused largely on the presumed uniqueness of the approaches. Among constructivists, beliefs about how to promote understanding vary widely. Design guidelines and heuristics have occasionally been offered, but they have not stimulated what Glaser (1976) characterized as a “science of design.” Consequently, apart from isolated studies, comparatively little understanding of the role of technology in the design of student centered learning environments has evolved. The purposes of this paper are to provide a brief overview of technology-enhanced, student-centered learning environments, and to identify the foundations and underlying assumptions common across student-centered designs.

Mathematical HOTS Cultivation via Online Learning Environment and 5E Inquiry Model: Cognitive Impact and the Learning Activities

An ideal education is the one that enhance cognitive ability. In Malaysia, educators are currently putting enormous effort to uplift higher order think-ing skills (HOTS) among students at various educational levels. The ad-vancement of technology enables educators to apply online learning envi-ronment to further catalyze the effort. Integration of correct pedagogy is es-sential, 5E inquiry model by Bybee was implemented to 5E online learning environment – a learning environment developed for this research. The pur-pose of this research is to enhance HOTS among the samples. Thus, the cog-nitive impact of the learning environment was studied. The current gap of the learning activities that improve HOTS was addressed by probing into the activities done by samples. Samples are thirty-three secondary school students and had treatment with the learning environment for 4 weeks. T-test conducted found that samples’ HOTS statistically significant higher af-ter treatment compared to prior to the treatment, t (32) = - 20.95, p < 0.05 that indicates the treatment improve samples’ HOTS. The learning activities that materialize HOTS improvement is engaging learning module and HOTS related video. This research proves that human HOTS ability can be nur-tured by using technology enhanced learning environment with the appro-priate pedagogical approach. Deeper fundamental research regarding the pro-cess of learning that nurture HOTS is highly recommended in the future – one of the authors is currently working on.

Relationship between interest and mathematics performance in a technology-enhanced learning context in Malaysia

The primary aim of this preliminary study is to examine a possible association between interest and mathematics performance among Malaysian students in a technology-enhanced learning environment. The Mathematics Interest Inventory was administered to 40 students to measure students’ interest towards mathematics, while a mathematics test was used to measure students’ mathematics performance. Results of the descriptive statistical analyses revealed that the students were relatively interested in mathematics. Correlational analyses showed that interest was not significantly correlated to mathematics performance among the students. Nevertheless, a significant relationship between interest and mathematics performance was found among students who had lower mathematics performance. The findings of this study pointed to the importance of igniting interest among students with lower mathematics performance given its strong link to mathematics performance. The Interest-Driven Creator theory served as an anchor in the theoretical framework of the study and it was discussed within the context of mathematics learning.

Online learning environment to enhance HOTS in mathematics using Polya’s problem solving model

Low Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) among students is a persistent and pervasive challenge in modern classroom. The problem remains for years despite the intensive manoeuvres to solve it. Yet, the need to enhance HOTS is imperative in ensuring quality education. The purpose of this research is to enhance HOTS among students in Mathematics using an online learning environment. The online learning environment was developed based on Polya’s problem solving model. However, the system is not discussed in this paper. There are three research objectives which are to investigate the current HOTS achievement among students, to study the effect of the developed online learning environment in nurturing HOTS among samples and finally to study how learning process taken place to achieve HOTS among sample while engaging the system. This research implemented experimental research design with a set of pre and posttest and the developed online learning environment as intervention. A total of 76 samples were sampled for the preliminary study and another 32 samples for the four weeks treatment using cluster random sampling technique. Samples are from three schools from a district in Malaysia. Finding shows that the current HOTS achievement among students are still low at mean = 32.05, σ = 15.87. During the intervention, samples show improvement in their HOTS from mean = 39.52, σ = 11.65 in the pretest to higher level in the posttest at mean = 77.84, σ = 12.84. The Paired-Samples T Test conducted to identify the differences between the pre and posttest shows a statistically significant difference at t (31) = -11.58, p < 0.05. Indicating that an online learning environment using Polya’s problem solving for four weeks enhance HOTS among samples. The process of how samples achieve HOTS is also reported. This research shows the importance of integrating technology and inquiry in modern classroom to increase students’ thinking skill ability. Finding suggests that HOTS can be nurtured via technology enhanced learning environment.

Quantitizing Affective Data as Project Evaluation on the Use of a Mathematics Mobile Game and Intelligent Tutoring System

Technology-enhanced learning generally focuses on the cognitive rather than the affective domain of learning. This multi-method evaluation of the INBECOM project (Integrating Behaviourism and Constructivism in Mathematics) was conducted from the point of view of affective learning levels of Krathwohl et al. (1964). The research questions of the study were: (i) to explore the affective learning experiences of the three groups of participants (researchers, teachers and students) during the use of a mobile game UFractions and an intelligent tutoring system ActiveMath to enhance the learning of fractions in mathematics; and (ii) to determine the significance of the relationships among the affective learning experiences of the three groups of participants (researchers, teachers and students) in the INBECOM project. This research followed a sequential, equal status, multi-mode research design and methodology where the qualitative data were derived from the interviews with researchers, teachers and students, as well as from learning diaries, feelings blogs, and observations (311 documents) across three contexts (South Africa, Finland, and Mozambique). The qualitative data was quantitized (Saldaña, 2009), i.e. analysed deductively in an objective and quantifiable way as instances on an ExcelT spreadsheet for statistical analyses. All the data was explored from the affective perspective by labelling the feelings participants experienced according to the affective levels of the Krathwohl et al. (1964) framework. The researchers concluded that: (i) the research participants not only received information, but actively participated in the learning process; responded to what they learned; associated value to their acquired knowledge; organised their values; elaborated on their learning; built abstract knowledge; and adopted a belief system and a personal worldview; and (ii) affirmation of affective learning at all five levels was recognised among the three groups of participants. The study raised a number of issues which could be addressed in future, like how affective levels of learning are intertwined with cognitive levels of learning while learning mathematics in a technology-enhanced learning environment; and how pedagogical models which take into account both cognitive and affective aspects of learning support deep learning.

Involving Students in the Co-Creation of a Complex, Evolving Learning Environment

Technology-enhanced learning (TEL) is a promising solution for higher education settings by creating a collaborative, engaging learning experience despite high student numbers and a lack of individual feedback and support. When creating such TEL environments to fit a particular local context, co-creation methods provide a way for all stakeholders to meaningfully address and design for their own needs. In our specific university context, we are working on supporting different forms of learning within large, face-to-face university lectures. Our goal is to create a learning environment for students to learn and evolve in a self-directed and collaborative manner, using a mixture of traditional lectures and online learning activities. Throughout the creation of this innovative TEL environment, we made a point of inviting students to participate in the design and development process. We introduced multiple modes of co-creation for students to reflect on the current system, create prototypes and redesigns, and even practically implement new ideas and solutions. In this paper we reflect on these different modes of co-creation and discuss their impact on various design spaces within this project - the learning design, the learning content and the learning platform. Our findings point to the necessity of using multiple modes of co-creation simultaneously to get a better picture of the complex educational context and interconnections between design spaces.

The potential of temporal analysis: Combining log data and lag sequential analysis to investigate temporal differences between scaffolded and non-scaffolded group inquiry-based learning processes

This paper contributes to the ongoing discussion about analysing the temporal aspects of learning processes in the educational technology research field. Our main aim was to advance methods for analysing temporal aspects of technology-enhanced learning (TEL) processes by introducing the temporal lag sequential analysis (TLSA) technique and by combining TLSA with temporal log data analysis (TLDA). Our secondary aim was to illustrate the potential of these two analysis techniques to reveal the differences between the face-to-face technology-enhanced collaborative inquiry-based learning (CIBL) processes of three different conditions (non-scaffolded, writing scaffolded and script scaffolded groups). The study involved undergraduate university students (N = 231) in natural sciences. The TLDA was based on timestamps and groups' inputs into a TEL environment, and it focused on the groups' temporal ways of using technological resources. The TLSA was based on screen capture videos and audio recordings of the groups' CIBL processes, and it focused on the inquiry-based learning (IBL) transition patterns (i.e. the transitions between the different IBL phases) discovered by lag sequential analysis and demonstrated by how the IBL transition patterns temporarily emerged. The TLDA findings demonstrated temporal differences regarding how the groups in the different conditions used the available technological resources. The TLSA findings revealed three temporarily distinct IBL transition pattern clusters whose content and temporal emergence varied depending on the condition. Parallel temporal analysis of the log data and the IBL transition patterns indicated that the use of the technological resources temporarily mediated IBL transition patterns. Specifically, we found advantages similar to those of asynchronous online discussions (think before acting) when face-to-face interaction was enhanced with the writing scaffold. The article concludes with a general discussion of the necessity and potential of temporal analysis.

Complementing in-class language learning with voluntary out-of-class MALL. Does training in self-regulation and scaffolding make a difference?

Learners need diligence when going solo in technology-enhanced learning environments. Nevertheless, self-regulation and scaffolding are two under-researched concepts when it comes to mobile learning. To tackle this knowledge gap, this study focuses on self-regulation and scaffolding for mobile assisted language learning (MALL). Fifty-two students of French as a foreign language were divided into one control and two experimental groups. The two experimental groups were invited to engage in voluntary language learning through a language platform, Duolingo. One of the two experimental groups was trained for self-regulation and received scaffolding for their MALL. The study reveals five main findings: First, students who were trained in self-regulation and received temporary scaffolding present a significantly higher participation in Duolingo. Second, self-regulation features provided by Duolingo are not frequently used by students and therefore do not substantially contribute to students’ own learning micromanagement. Third, there is a correlation between high use of Duolingo and improvement in French writing skills. Fourth, just inviting students to engage in voluntary out-of-class MALL does not result in higher test scores for French listening, reading or writing skills. Fifth, in a MALL context, self-regulation training and temporary scaffolding contribute to higher test scores in French writing. Overall, the results suggest that training and scaffolding for self-regulation is beneficial in a voluntary out-of-class MALL context. However, more research is needed to analyze in which conditions voluntary out-of-class MALL can lead to substantial learning improvements.

Reframing Writing Instruction in Physical Learning Environments: Making Connections Between Digital and Nondigital Technologies

Active Learning Classrooms provide several advantages for teaching and learning by offering many physical and technological affordances that one can choose from when designing instruction. For courses where student writing is central activity to course learning outcomes, a challenge exists in that the innovative digital technologies may hide the opportunity to incorporate non-digital tools, such as paper-based student writing. We argue that treating student writing as a technology can increase opportunities for active learning within technology-enhanced learning environments. In this article, we describe an approach to writing instruction that builds intentional connections between paper-based texts and digital technologies, describing the rationale for the design decisions in an introductory composition course through a design case model. Classroom applications are discussed for physical learning spaces where student writing is incorporated into overall course learning activities.

Classification of Intermediate and Novice Surgeons' Skill Assessment Through Performance Metrics.

Background. Endoscopic surgeries have become an alternative for open procedures whenever possible. For such types of operations, surgeons are required to gain several skills, whose development needs hands-on practice. Accordingly, gaining these skills today is a challenge for surgical education programs. Despite the development of several technology-enhanced training environments, there are still problems to better integrate these technologies into educational programs. For an appropriate integration, it is critical to assess the skill levels and adapt the training content according to the trainees' requirements. In the literature, there exist several methods for assessing these skill levels. However, there are still problems in practice for objective and repetitive assessment. Methods. The present study aims to estimate the skill levels of participants in surgical training programs in an objective manner by collecting experimental data from residents in an endoscopic surgical simulation environment and gathering performance metrics. Results. It is shown that, by comparing the results of a number of classification algorithms for the best accuracy estimation and feature set, the "novice" and "intermediate" skill levels can be estimated with an accuracy of 86%. Conclusions. The outcomes help surgical educators and instructional system designers to better assess the skill levels of the trainees and guide them accordingly. In addition, objective assessments as highlighted in this study can be beneficial when designing technology-enhanced adaptive learning environments.

Technology and Learner Autonomy: An Argument in Favor of the Nexus of Formal and Informal Language Learning

AbstractThis article discusses some of the current research on technology in relation to learner autonomy, outlining major findings on the relationship between technology and learner autonomy in formal and informal learning contexts. Extant literature has discussed both teacher-initiated technology-enhanced formal learning environments and learner-constructed self-directed learning experience in informal learning contexts. Although valuable in the insights it provides into how technology aids learner autonomy, the two bodies of literature have largely been independent from each other, which may constrain our understanding.

Foreign language learning for children with ADHD: evidence from a technology-enhanced learning environment

ABSTRACTThe need to give equal access to education and make the learning process fruitful for every student, regardless of his/her individual abilities, has resulted in an increased focus of attention by modern educators who have explored the impact of different teaching practices on students with Learning Differences (LDs). However, there is still lack of empirical evidence as regards the most efficient English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teaching methodology and pertinent material for students with such differences. This paper reports on a one-year study that aimed at investigating the development of young Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) learners’ reading competence within a Technology-Enhanced Learning Environment (TELE). A total of ten EFL students aged 9 to 12 years old participated in the research, all of which were officially diagnosed with ADHD syndrome. The study concludes by presenting explicit teaching and testing accommodations that could be adopted from primary to tertiary one. As such, the included suggestions aspire to yield practical guidance and insight to EFL instructors, material developers and curricula designers from primary to tertiary education in reference to specific computer-based features embedded in reading comprehension activities that might prove helpful to ADHD learners throughout their lives.

New literacy practice in a facebook group: The case of a residential learning community

To explore how an online platform provides opportunities for new literacy practices to members of a learning community to connect and collaborate with one another within a participatory culture in supporting the learning experience in the physical space of a dormitory, we used the six-year Facebook (FB) public group data of a university residential program as an open laboratory. A total of 7396 postings by 764 authors were retrieved using a computational approach (a total of 1572 members participated in these posts). For the purposes of this study, the “Likes” received by each posting were considered an indication of the level of approval of others' viewpoints or appreciation for the information shared by other participants. The 311 posts (4%) that received more than 41 Likes represented 19,451 Likes (21.6%) expressed by the group members. We selected and examined them in depth using qualitative content analysis and discourse analysis. Finally, the 122 authors of the 311 entries were clustered into three profiles and analyzed to determine the patterns of “magnet” participants or opinion leaders. Overall, this study provided a vehicle to determine the ways by which the characteristics of new literacy practices, especially “collective intelligence,” “appropriation,” and “fun,” are applied in the context of a FB group, which functions as an informal learning environment in a formal learning setting. The study also identified the content, format, peer interactions, and student-teacher interactions of a student-managed and residential teacher-facilitated, technology-enhanced learning environment in support of the mission of the residential program. The study's findings demonstrate how an online platform played a significant role in supporting the learning experience occurring in a dormitory and the face-to-face activities of the participants. Such a platform has the advantages of involving more people and supplementing the college students' process of striving for social and intellectual development by allowing them to state opinions, negotiate meanings, address confrontation, articulate reasoning, and consider options. The platform also facilitates the equally important process of emotional development, as it provides the students with a sense of belonging, allows them to enjoy shared moments, and enhances their perceptions of being able to contribute to a common goal.

Integrating technology in programming learning and instruction: a critical review

While research and practice on technology-enhanced learning in computer programming has proliferated over the past decades, there is a lack of understanding about current statuses of technology integration in programming learning and instruction. This paper presents a critical review on how emerging technologies have been integrated in programming learning and instruction in various aspects. The focus is on technology-enhanced programming learning environments and tools, technology-enhanced programming assessment, and technology-enhanced curriculum and instructional approaches for programming. The findings provide some implications for researchers and practitioners in programming education. First, technology-enhanced programming learning environments and tools should go beyond syntactic knowledge and coding skill by paying more attention to computational thinking and problem-solving strategies. Second, while technology can help assess student-generated computer programs based on pre-defined structures, there is a need for exploring approaches to assessing ill-structured complex programs and assessing student performance in solution design or problem-solving strategies. Third, while technology has offered more opportunities for student-centred, problem/project-based curricula of programming, there is concern about its effects on enhancing students' task performance as well as their confidence and motivation especially when they work with complex programming tasks or projects.

MEttLE: a modelling-based learning environment for undergraduate engineering estimation problem solving

Estimation is an important class of problems that engineering undergraduates must be able to solve. However teaching-learning of estimation is under emphasized in the current engineering curriculum. In this paper, we report on the first cycle of a design-based research project to design a technology-enhanced learning environment (TELE) to help students learn estimation. The TELE includes features such as a progressive higher-order modelling-based structuring of the estimation process, a problem system simulator and metacognitive scaffolds. We performed a lab study and found that learners were able to use the features in the TELE to solve the estimation problem and obtain an order-of-magnitude estimate. Further, learners learned some of the reasoning processes involved in performing estimation and recognized the role of evaluation and the need for practical considerations in estimation. We identified the roles of various features in the TELE for learning these estimation reasoning processes. These results have implications for the redesign of our TELE to improve student learning of estimation.

Modelling adult learners’ online engagement behaviour: proxy measures and its application

With teaching and learning taking place in an increasingly networked environment over e-learning platforms, voluminous data are logged in databases. These can be mined and processed to support teaching and learning practices. To determine the impact of these practices, meaningful measures of learners’ online engagement are needed. In particular, this research focuses on discovering useful and meaningful data features of online engagement in learning activities from traces of adult learners’ online behavioural data. Whilst vast data from learning activities may be available over a technology-enhanced learning environment, it becomes significantly important to identify a methodical approach to transform data features in a modus that is useful for analysis. Hence, the purpose of this study is twofold: (1) to adapt and reconstruct the RFM model (a marketing segmentation technique on customers’ recency, frequency and monetary purchasing behaviour), as a common framework to codify and quantify learners’ online study behaviour, in the learning analytics context; and (2) to explore the online engagement patterns of adult learners using data-mining techniques. We show examples of its applications using real-world data from an online course—by modelling adult learners’ online engagement patterns and discovering learners’ segments based on immediacy, frequency and duration.

Educators’ engagement with children with autism spectrum disorder in a learning environment with multiple technologies in Finland and China

ABSTRACTTechnology-enhanced environments are increasingly used to enhance the interaction skills of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), yet little is known about how technology use influences interactions between educators and children. This article examined how educators engage with children with ASD in a technology-enhanced learning environment (LE). More precisely, the article investigated how educators verbally guide children with ASD during activities at four different technology-based workstations and how the children respond verbally and behaviorally to educators’ guidance. Seven children with ASD and their educators participated in this exploratory study. Data consisted of video recordings collected during interactional situations in technology-enhanced LEs with multiple technologies in Finland and China. The recordings were analyzed by developing a coding scheme in order to capture the educators’ verbal guidance and the children’s verbal and behavioral responses. The study showed that the educators engaged with children with ASD differently at different workstations, and the technology used shaped the educators’ verbal guidance and the children’s verbal and behavioral responses. These differences in educators’ verbal guidance and children’s responses between the workstations showed how the design and features of technology-enhanced solutions affected interactions around their use. Thus, by using versatile technologies, it was possible to shape the interaction between educators and children during educational activities and to provide children with ASD a variety of opportunities to practice communication and interaction skills.