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Background: Taking notes during learning has benefits both during class (through writing things down to encode information) and after class (by using written notes as external storage for revision). Comparisons of note-taking methods (i.e., using paper or a computer) have mainly shown that paper leads to better learning. However, previous studies have mostly been conducted in laboratory contexts. Aims: The current study investigates university students' perceptions of the efficacity of their own preferred note-taking method, along with the strategies they employ. Sample: Data were collected from 108 university students. Methods: Students answered a questionnaire about their note-taking strategies during initial note-taking (in class) and revision (after class). Results: The results show that students who take notes on paper do not consider their method to be more effective, but they report engaging in more reformulation and less multitasking. Students who take notes on a computer are more likely to reformat their notes, and thus to reformulate at a later stage. For all students, review sheets are mostly done on paper. Conclusions: These results suggest that although students are not necessarily aware of the benefits of reformulation associated with handwriting on paper during initial note-taking, when revising, they tend to choose handwriting and benefit from reformulation when aiming for deeper processing. Therefore, revision activities remain mainly paper-based.

This is a longitudinal study to investigate whether there is a correlation between the methods for completion of homework and the incentive levels with academic achievement. The method adopted in this study is the t-test statistical analysis to assess the relationship between the use of compulsory homework on achievement and the influence of intervening and moderating variables. The findings are as follows -- Cohort 1 which completed homework in the traditional pen and paper style (with a mean of 13.278) performed better than the Cohort 2 which completed homework online They also performed better than Cohort 2 which completed homework online (with a mean of 11.851). Cohort 3 that had no incentive and subsequently no compulsion to do the homework (with a mean of 11.851) performed better than Cohort 2 which completed homework online (with a mean of 9.658).

In the future, learning will be essentially characterized by the ability to regulate the learning process and monitor success independently from a teacher. The technical possibilities offer better access to learning contents, precise and more individualized feedback, and learning phases adapted precisely to the needs of the learner in terms of scope and pace. In this study, we investigate an important aspect of the digitization of teaching/learning processes using the example of laboratory scripts for chemistry students at university. The focus is on looking up terms and concepts in preparation for the lab internships, firstly in a paper-based glossary and secondly in a digital glossary. During a two-day study, a total of 16 students prepared for experiments on two topics with completely identical materials. We then studied the influence of content knowledge, motivation, and cognitive load. While all students show significant learning achievements, there are no significant differences between the groups. Furthermore, results show that pure digitization of information has no effect, despite the theoretically assumed advantages.

The present study is related to the problem associated with student assessment with online examinations at higher educational institutes (HEIs). With the current COVID-19 outbreak, the majority of educational institutes are conducting online examinations to assess their students, where there would always be a chance that the students go for malpractice. It is difficult to set a question paper for any technical course with great novelty. Under these circumstances, safeguarding academic integrity has become a challenge for HEIs. This study is aimed at improving the quality of questions for online exams to increase the accountability of HEIs by proper evaluation of their students. A detailed procedure with suggestions for setting the questions for technical courses, in the format of assertion and reason, matching, multiple select types, etc., has been discussed with adequate examples. It deals with a strategy for ensuring that all the students are held to the standards that are reflected in their grades. The proposed evaluation method has been implemented on a test batch and presented the results along with a comparison with that of traditional question papers. It is witnessed that there is a simultaneous enhancement of students' learning as an additional benefit of implementing the proposed learning-oriented assessment method.

The World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) as a pandemic on 11 March 2020, and educational institutions have had to modify most of their activities (face-to-face activities were suspended). This situation forced academic institutions to modify the evaluation format of students. The use of proctoring systems quickly became widespread, although some controversies arose. The two main discussions regarding these systems are the integrity of the assessment and the capacity of the students to adapt to this new assessment method, without changes in theirs scores. To elucidate two controversies, we have analyzed the preferences and the scores obtained from a trial of 660 scores from 332 students of the third grade of Veterinary Medicine. The experiment involved three modalities of exam: an online format from home using the Respondus Lockdown Browser system (Modality 1), online in person using the Respondus Lockdown Browser system with the supervision of a teacher (Modality 2), or paper format in person with the supervision of a teacher (Modality 3). The results obtained showed that the students preferred Modality 1 (online at home with Respondus Lockdown Browser system). No statistical differences between the scores obtained by students were found between the three modalities analyzed. The proctoring system is a good method to adjudicate exams in higher education institutions, and the scores of students are similar to those obtained through traditional evaluation and control systems.

This study conducts the validity of the pen-and-paper and smart-device-based tests on optician's examination. The developed questions for each media were based on the national optician's simulation test. The subjects of this study were 60 students enrolled in E University. The data analysis was performed to verify the equivalence of the two evaluation methods, specifically, through split-plot factorial design of the evaluation method as a partition variable. As a result of the statistical significance test for the difference in achievement for each type of test information medium, indicating that there was no difference in achievement according to the type of test information medium at the significance level of 0.05. Although the validity of the smart device-based test and the paper-and-pencil test was verified through this study. To develop and set multimedia items in the optician national licensing examination, it is necessary to establish guidelines for how to develop the items.

This paper aims to further understand the future development of literacy theory and language learning in contemporary Chinese universities through the research on the current situation of EFL students' literacy in Chinese universities and the teaching characteristics of contemporary Chinese teachers. In this study, literature analysis method, literature comparison analysis method, literature synthesis method and other analytical methods were used to obtain the results. Based on our results, the lack of literacy training is an extremely important reason for the defects of literacy skills of contemporary Chinese college EFL students in the process of language learning. The strengthening of literacy training is one of the key measures to improve the comprehensive level of literacy of contemporary Chinese college EFL students in the process of their language learning. Theoretically, the future development of literacy theories and language learning among contemporary Chinese college EFL students is bound to closely connect with the new theory of multiliteracies and critical literacy in literacy development and the multiliteracies teaching methodology in language learning. Practically, the new theory of multiliteracies puts forward a series of hypotheses for school literacy education to cope with the drastic changes facing the world today. At the same time, the critical literacy theory is rooted in critical education theory, focusing on the important role of literacy in the formation of individual human values. Besides, the multiliteracies teaching methodology in language learning explores how to change traditional teaching methods, effectively using multimedia resources, and cultivating language learners' skills of multiliteracies.

The study reported in this article compared two different inductive instructional methods implemented in a Business English writing training, including paper-based instruction (PPI) and product-based instruction (PDI). It assessed the effectiveness and examined practical issues of the implementation of each method. A total of 46 Thai students majoring in a Business English program at a Thai university participated in this study. The students were randomly divided into two groups and put into either the PPI or PDI training module. The researcher collected data from direct observations, focused-group discussions, and students' writing scores. Qualitative data from the focused-group discussions and observation field notes were analyzed thematically using the grounded theory, while cross-examination was utilized for students' writing scores. The study results indicate that the fundamental dichotomies between both approaches include tangibility, authenticity, and contextuality. Students' difficulties in formulating grammar and writing rules on their own and students' perception of learning as a burden were found as challenges in both modules. The findings also indicate that both the PPI and PDI modules trigger classroom dynamics and a positive atmosphere; however, PDI resulted in more vigorous dynamics as student movements and interactions were relatively higher. Finally, this study's findings are beneficial for instructors seeking innovative instructional methodology to improve their Business English writing teaching. The study has contributed to the field of teaching Business English writing. The study's findings have helpful implications for lecturers of Business English writing, who are looking for a teaching approach that enables them to create opportunities for students to learn in authentic, professional environments, contexts, and cultures cast in real-life business situations.

Throughout this study technology and especially mobile phones was utilized in EFL classrooms in order to see whether it can influence the process of vocabulary formative assessment and consequently improve vocabulary learning of Iranian pre-intermediate EFL learners or not. Two groups of pre-intermediate EFL learners participated in this study. Regarding the first group (FMA) the vocabulary learning of learners was assessed formatively during ten sessions using Socrative mobile application. The vocabulary learning of the second group (FPA) was also assessed formatively but paper and pen were the instruments used by instructor and students to take the tests. After applying quasi-experimental research design including pretest, treatment and posttest and after running independent sample t tests to posttest scores, the results showed that those pre-intermediate EFL learners attending in the group where vocabulary gain was assessed formatively using mobile application named Socrative performed significantly better in posttest than group assessed formatively based on paper and pen (Sig=0.03<0.05). The analysis of attitude questionnaire distributed among participants of the group assessed formatively using mobile phone exhibited that they possessed a positive attitude towards mobile based testing.

Students face challenging texts and concepts across the disciplines in higher education, and many students lack the reading skills and strategies to make sense of them. The aim of the small study described in this article was to explore the benefits, if any, of the difficulty paper, a written formative assessment that asks students to explore their difficulties with challenging texts. An inductive analysis of student difficulty papers in a multidisciplinary "Great Works" course suggests that the paper encouraged students to address their confusion without dismissing it and helped students to model the processes of good reading. Findings also suggest that the assignment may be a useful tool to develop disciplinary habits of mind. The article concludes with an example of how educators might use the difficulty paper in science and mathematics courses.

The purpose of this research is to experimentally evaluate how the "flipped classroom" model used to deliver Business English, which is commonly an integral part to the ESP course at tertiary schools of Economics in Ukraine, to the students majoring in Economics fosters students' critical thinking skills and improved their academic performances and what students' perceptions of this model are. The learning environment used a multimedia-based textbook entitled "Business skills through English". This was experimental research which used a mixed-methods approach. Students' critical thinking skills and academic performance (learning outcomes) were the variables for this study. Placement tests, needs analysis questionnaires, Course Satisfaction Questionnaire, a test to assess the students' critical thinking skills were used to collect the statistical data. Cronbach Alpha coefficient was applied to interpret the test on critical thinking data and SPSS AMOS statistical package programme was used to analyse the consolidated data. The study found that the "flipped classroom" model used to deliver ESP and Business English to the students majoring in Economics has the potential to provide a better learning experience for the students and teaching experience for the teachers. This model fosters students' critical thinking skills by involving them in problem-solving-based learning and improves their academic performances by increasing their responsibility for learning results and stimulating them to use different learning styles. Overall, the above model substitutes a teacher-centered with a student-centered approach that engages learners in the true-to-life business world and language environment. In this way, learning Business English and ESP at higher educational institutions in Ukraine is a move from just training memory (memorizing professionalism-related English vocabulary and doing grammar drills) to applying language as a learning medium in the specifically designed vocational contexts.

Feedback is beneficial to students' learning process and overall achievement, but one of the common complaints from students about college education is regarding feedback. So, this study aimed to examine whether digital written feedback positively influences students' learning experience and attitude toward learning. Digital written feedback refers to feedback provided through a learning management system as handwritten feedback added to a scanned copy of the student's paper-based assessment using a smart pad and smart pencil. The study surveyed a diverse set of college students' (n = 175) perceptions regarding feedback satisfaction, learning satisfaction, the usefulness of digital written feedback, and perceived achievement via an online survey. A one-way analysis of variance found a significant difference between feedback satisfaction and learning satisfaction according to the feedback method. A multiple regression analysis indicated the satisfaction and perceived usefulness of digital written feedback predicted perceived achievement. From the students' open responses regarding the benefits of digital written feedback, five themes emerged, namely usability, psychological relief, accessibility, self-regulation, and acceptance. The implications for digital written feedback are discussed.

Supporting and assessment of students' preparation and learning process in problem-based learning (PBL) tutorials has long been a challenge. We present a modified PBL model focussing on the specific critical phase in the PBL process, the self-directed learning phase in between tutorial meetings. The modified seven step PBL model including an Individual reflection paper (IRP) is presented as well as students' perspectives on the implementation of IRP and information literacy, knowledge gathering, and PBL tutorial work. The assessment of PBL work is complex, and the ways in which IRPs support the tutor's role as an examiner is beyond the scope of the current study. However, it seems that the students experienced assessment of the IRPs as part of their as a positive driving force in their learning process.

This study investigated whether reading comprehension would differ when the texts are studied and tested on screen or on paper. Participants were 69 college students who were attending a college in midwestern United States. Participants read two expository texts each, under comparable paper and screen conditions and answered comprehension questions. Test forms and the order of the conditions were counterbalanced. The correlations between reading outcomes and reader characteristics were examined. Participants also completed a survey on their views on the two media (paper or screen). The results did not indicate a significant difference on students' reading comprehension as a function of medium and reader characteristics. However, students reported preferring paper-based reading for complex material.

Reading primary research literature is an essential skill for scientists. However, the high complexity of research papers may pose a barrier to the development of scientific literacy. In semi-structured interviews, we explore how 33 biologists including undergraduates, postgraduates and researchers approach reading an unfamiliar scientific paper. We find that some readers are data-centric, focusing on their own critical evaluation of the data presented, whereas others adopt a more narrative-centric approach, relying on the descriptions of authors to inform their understanding. There was a bias towards undergraduates adopting the narrative-centric approach and researchers adopting the data-centric approach. All postdoctoral researchers and academics prioritised critical interpretation of the data, indicating this is a characteristic of experienced scientific readers. The ability to demonstrate scientific reading skills was context-dependent, particularly with respect to time available and whether a paper aligns well with a reader's specialist area of knowledge. Inexperienced readers often lacked sufficient prior knowledge on which to base their reading, which represented a barrier to their engagement. We make recommendations for how scientific literacy should be developed within undergraduate teaching and beyond, noting that 'one-off' teaching strategies are insufficient when the development of scientific reading skills is a career-long process.

As industry embraces the agile methodology for application development, universities are shifting their curricula to teach agile principles along with traditional waterfall concepts. This paper describes a simulation game offered to students in a first-year computing concepts course to introduce both models of application development. Students work in development teams to design, build, and test paper airplanes following both waterfall and agile principles to experience the roles, processes, and challenges of each. Participants track their team's progress throughout the activity, so they can draw conclusions about the benefits and challenges of each approach. Survey results indicate that students learned the various roles and approaches of both methods through this experience.

This article investigates the relative effectiveness of online and paper-based formative assessment in the learning of English as a second language. For this study, 74 Japanese university second language (L2) students took online quizzes, while 71 were given paper-based quizzes to complete. The quiz content was drawn from learning material found in the class textbook. Both groups were assigned the exercises as homework. At the end of the 15-week study period, both groups were administered a summative assessment that also covered learning points from the textbook. After controlling for the learners' L2 proficiency through their TOEIC test scores, the performance of the two groups on the formative quiz was compared through correlation and regression analysis. While there was found to be a statistically significant relationship between the online formative assessment and summative exam scores, this was not the case for the paper-based homework. When compared through an analysis of covariance, there was found to be a significant interaction between group and homework on exam scores. The online group was more affected by their homework score than the pencil and paper group. The findings from this study have implications for teachers, learners and curriculum developers.

This study aimed at designing a model of instructional materials for Academic Writing Course focusing on research paper writing. The model was designed based on the Curriculum at the English Education Study Program, Faculty of Language and Art Education of IKIP PGRI Bojonegoro, East Java, Indonesia. This model was developed in order to improve students' skill in writing research paper which is one of the prerequisite tasks before graduating from university. The steps of this research and development consist of needs analysis, document analysis, model design, model development, and model experimentation. The researchers conducted needs analysis to the fifth semester students and three academic writing teachers, in order to generate information dealing with the students' needs in academic writing course materials. The needs analysis and documents analysis were dug up through questionnaire, interview, and discussion among students and academic writing teachers. The documents analyzed in this study were syllabus, lesson plan, and the existing textbook. The model design used is derived from Borg and Gall (1983) and Sukmadinata (2008), in which there are four steps, i.e. (1) exploration phase; (2) model development phase; (3) model experimentation phase; and (4) dissemination and model implementation phase. The results of needs analysis questionnaire reveal that students need to be taught how to write academic writing in terms of journal article since it will be the final project of the students at the end of their study in university. Instructional materials with different strategies focused on research paper writing are needed by the students.

A concern that has been raised with the transition from pen and paper examinations to electronic examinations is whether this will make cheating easier. This article investigates how teachers and students perceive the differences in ease of cheating during three types of written examination: paper exams, bring your own device e-exams and e-exams using university-owned devices. It also investigates perceptions about the effectiveness of some typical countermeasures towards cheating across these examination types. A mixed-method approach was used, combining questionnaires and interviews with students and teachers in the authors' own university. A total of 212 students and 162 teachers participated in the questionnaire survey, and then, a more limited number were interviewed to get a deeper understanding of the results. Six-different cheating practices were considered -- impersonation, forbidden aids, peeking, peer collaboration, outside assistance and student-staff collusion and seven different countermeasures were considered -- proctors, biometry, mingling, shuffling, random drawing, sequencing and broadcasting. Both students and teachers perceived cheating as easier with e-exams, and especially with bring your own device. They also thought some countermeasures would be easier to implement with e-exams.

This study examined the extent, motives and impact of mobile phone photo note-taking on students' learning at Dar es Salaam University College of Education (DUCE) in Tanzania. It employed the mixed methods approach. A sample of 310 respondents was drawn using a multi stage sampling technique which involved stratified random sampling at the first stage and convenient sampling at the second stage. Questionnaires and interviews were used to obtain data for the study. The findings revealed that mobile photo note-taking was a common practice at DUCE. The time consuming nature of handwritten notes, Speedy lecturing, easy access to notes, peer and technological influence were claimed to be the motives behind students' fondness to the practice. It was also revealed that the distraction of concentration, impairment of handwriting skills and speed, poor attendance to the lecture sessions, and distortion of students' ability to compose and organize their own work were the impact of the practice. The study recommends that the University should create better teaching and learning environment to allow university students to use variables and multiple note-taking methods for best results underlying each method.

Paper-based visual analogue scale (VAS) items were developed 100 years ago. Although they gained great popularity in clinical and medical research for assessing pain, they have been scarcely applied in other areas of psychological research for several decades. However, since the beginning of digitization, VAS have attracted growing interest among researchers for carrying out computerized and paper-based data assessments. In the present study, we investigated the research question "Which different design characteristics of paper-based VAS items are preferred by women and men?" Based on a sample of 115 participants (68 female), our results revealed that the respondents preferred a paper-based VAS item with a horizontal, 8-cm long, 3 DTP ("desktop publishing point") wide, black line, with flat line endpoints, and the ascending numerical anchors "0" and "10", both for women and men. Although we did not identify any gender difference in these characteristics, our findings uncovered clear preferences on how to design paper-based VAS items.

Several researchers have compared the efficacy of digital flashcards (DFs) versus paper flashcards (PFs) to improve L2 vocabulary and have concluded that using DFs is more effective (Azabdaftari & Mozaheb, 2012; Basoglu & Akdemir, 2010; Kiliçkaya & Krajka, 2010). However, these studies did not utilize vocabulary learning strategies (VLSs) as a way to support the vocabulary development of those using PFs. This is significant because DFs often offer a range of features to promote vocabulary development, whereas PFs are much more basic; thus, learners who study via paper materials are at a disadvantage compared with those who use DFs. Given the success that VLSs have had in fostering L2 vocabulary enhancement (e.g., Mizumoto & Takeuchi, 2009), their incorporation could have influenced the previous studies. Therefore, one of the primary aims of this study was to find if there were significant differences in receptive and productive L2 vocabulary improvements between students who used PFs in conjunction with 3 VLSs -- dropping, association, and oral rehearsal -- and those who used the DF tools Quizlet and Cram. Additionally, the researchers examined the learners' opinions to see if there was a preference for either study method. A total of 52 EFL students at two Japanese universities participated in the 12-week study. Pre- and post-tests were administered to measure the vocabulary gains in the PF group (n = 26) and the DF group (n = 26). Results from a paired t-test revealed that both groups made significant improvements in receptive and productive vocabulary. However, the difference between the gains was not significant, which contrasts with past comparison studies of DFs and PFs and highlights the importance of VLSs. A 10-item survey with closed and Likert-scale questions was also administered to determine the participants' opinions towards the study methods. Higher levels of agreement were found in the experimental group, indicating that the students viewed DFs more favorably than PFs.

This article communicates a methodology for and benefits of including online student presentations in an on-campus research symposium named Scholar Day at A (SDA). The authors provide an account of how SDA was structured to allow participation of online students; and how, during an aggressive outbreak of COVID-19 in the Spring of 2020, the event was shifted online. Student feedback was collected in both quantitative and qualitative formats. Data suggest students were satisfied with the events and felt SDA accomplished the primary goal, "to highlight the scholarly work of LSUA students." The method of including online students was refined in each of the three years to identify the most effective model of inclusion for online students. The authors conclude that, while there are challenges to accommodating online student presentations, the benefits of their inclusion are far greater both to the participating students and to the larger campus community.

This study is meant to examine the thesis quality of students of English Department at IAIN Samarinda. Through the descriptive-quantitative research, the thesis quality of students of English Department at IAIN Samarinda is reviewed from the aspects of language, structure, concepts understanding, theoretical framework, methodology, content, writing mechanism, and references used. This study also tries to figure out any factors that affect the thesis quality of English Department students. Fourteen English Department Students' thesis tested in 2013 are used as the main data. In addition, other data are obtained from respondents i.e. 19 students, and informants i.e. lecturers of English Department who are also their thesis advisors. The result shows that the average score of thesis written by 14 English Department students at IAIN Samarinda academic year of 2013 is 3.16 which is in the range of 2.61-3.40 scale, which is quite good quality. This quality is relevant with the informants' perceptions about the quality of thesis written by their students. Judging from some aspects, they assume that their students are able to write a good quality of thesis with an average score of 2.81 which is at a scale of 2.61-3.40. The quality is affected by internal factors and external factors. The most decisive internal factor is the respondents' low score of writing with appropriate and acceptable structure in English. This is the effect of respondents' lack of ability of composing adequate paragraphs in English. Meanwhile, the most concerning external factor is the quality of learning structure course and the professionalism of the informants in guiding the students to improve their writing ability in thesis writing. A bibliography is included.

The aim of this study was to explore the note-taking experiences of university students using paper-based (non-electronic) and paperless (electronic) resources. By means of a hermeneutic phenomenological approach, the note-taking experiences of 18 students from an international program at a university in Belgium were examined throughout a semester. In order to document these students' practices with paper-based and paperless resources, four data collection methods were used: (a) in-depth interviews (b) observations (c) focus group discussions and (d) document analysis of students' lecture notes. The results showed that students experience note-taking as a complex phenomenon in which lived body, lived human relations, lived space and lived time come into play, and in which they try to find a balance between multiple engagements, between autonomy and authority, between attention and distraction, and between being original and mirroring others. This struggle for balance occurs irrespective of which medium (paper-based or paperless) they choose to use. These results provide an in-depth view of the phenomenon, and also highlight the complexity of the note-taking experience.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to recommend the university authorities to build better teaching-learning environment for its students to use variables and multiple note-taking methods in class for best results fundamental in each method. Design/methodology/approach: The study is a case study that follows a 'problem-driven' approach concerned specifically with providing practical solutions to real-world problems. A sample size of 320 respondents was obtained, in which 300 were university students selected from the first, second and third years of study and 20 were professors. Findings: This case study made it very obvious to all that mobile phone note-taking is a regular practice among students at Bankura University. At the same time, the study also reveals that the practice does not significantly differ based on students' sex. Research limitations/implications: Based on the findings, the study recommends for the need to educate students on the importance of paper and pencil note-taking method so that they do not fall prey to such risks. A befitting environment should be created so that students can use various methods of note-taking in classrooms avoiding their negative impacts. Practical implications: It has a wide implication in the modern age where cutting-edge technologies are shaping our course actions every day. We cannot keep ourselves from this technological association and our mobile phones have become our friend, philosopher and guide. In this scenario, this study bears a big implication in itself. Originality/value: This study is based on the authors' ground study and is purely original and unique in the true sense.

This study used the story of "Sadako and the thousand paper cranes" by Coerr (1977) to discover similarities between the events of August 1945 in Hiroshima and the events of August 1990 in Kuwait. The participants in a children's literature class at Kuwait University folded paper cranes and wrote in their journals to answer two questions: (1) what is the importance of the story of Sadako, the Japanese girl, in introducing the issue of Kuwaiti prisoners of war? and (2) what are the educational values that Kuwaiti students can extract from Sadako's story? Three techniques were used, with a special focus on the participants' remarks and their impressions of those remarks in written form. The researcher counted nine values that the participants mentioned while they folded the paper crane and five values after they realized the crane's meaning. Several recommendations, suggestions, and remarks are also proposed.

For almost 40 years, the Minute Paper has been a quick and easy means of learning assessment, both in the college classroom and in library instruction. More recently, the use of social media, particularly selfies, has gained popularity by connecting with students through the technology with which they are most familiar. This article makes the case for combining the Minute Paper and selfies in order to gain an insight into students' skill development and retention after a library session. Adaptable to a variety of classes and learning outcomes, the activity enables students to actively use the skills they have learned, rather than passively reflecting on them.

This study was conducted to examine students' performance in paper-based and online-based tests. In the context of the study, students' performances were considered in the General Physics course between 2014 and 2015 and 2018-2019 academic years. The participants of this study are 417 students of Engineering and Science faculties at a public university of Kyrgyz Republic. Students' achievement scores in paper-based and online-based tests were obtained and appropriate statistical analysis methods were employed. According to the results, students' demographic data (i.e. gender, faculty and major) have different effects on their performance, and students performed better in online-based tests compared to paper-based tests. Additionally, the study aimed to analyze instructor perceptions related to testing types that interviews were conducted with 26 instructors of the General Physics course. The majority of the instructors indicated that they experienced difficulties related to the traditional form of evaluation due to the following reasons: lack of time to give personal feedback to each student, lack of time for objective evaluation, and difficulty of evaluation of crowded student groups. Therefore, they indicated the necessity of online test implementation in the context of the General Physics course.

An understanding of acid-base reactions is necessary for success in chemistry courses and relevant to careers outside of chemistry, yet research has demonstrated that students often struggle with learning acid-base reaction mechanisms in organic chemistry. One response to this challenge is the development of educational applications to support instruction and learning. The development of these supports also creates an opportunity to probe students' thinking about organic chemistry reaction mechanisms using multiple modalities--i.e., using an app interface or the traditional paper-pencil. This study used think-aloud interviews conducted with undergraduate students in their first semester of organic chemistry to understand how they worked through two acid-base reactions using either paper-pencil or an app. Analysis of the interviews indicates that students from both groups recognize the steps of acid-base reactions, but do not always apply the underlying concepts, such as assessment of pK[subscript a] values or resonance, when determining how a reaction will proceed. The modality seemed to somewhat influence students' thinking, as the app prevented students from making chemically unreasonable mistakes. However, some students relied on the cues it provided, which could potentially be problematic when they are required to respond to assessments that do not provide these cues. Our results suggest that instructors should emphasize the conceptual grounding for the steps that govern acid-base reactions to promote chemical thinking about the relationships between the reaction components and how those influence reaction outcomes, as well as support students to think critically about the chemical information contained within the modalities they are using.

E-textbooks have become more popular with college students, but there are concerns that reading is not as effective from screens as paper. In addition, students may not take advantage of tools afforded by e-textbooks. The purpose of this study was to determine if encouraging students to read from paper or modeling e-textbook tools would be better for students in terms of reading and using their textbooks. Two instructors randomly assigned students (N = 144) to view a video and answer an essay question about either the benefits of reading from paper, how to use e-textbook tools, or general information about open educational resources (control). Findings indicated that students told about the benefits of reading from paper were not more likely to read the textbook from paper. Students across conditions generally reported using the textbooks in a similar manner, except students in the e-textbook tools condition reported more notetaking while reading than students in the paper condition. Finally, student medium preference for studying did not change based on condition. Findings from this study provide guidance for how instructors should advise students on reading their course textbooks.

This paper focuses on students' reading habits--whether traditional reading habits (print books) or modern reading habits (using a computer screen). We review the changes in students' reading habits over time, as part of other global changes, and explore whether corresponding digital pedagogies have evolved to address these changes. We examine Generation Y students' motivations and study habits, a generation that shows indications of changes in its academic values and priorities, and cracks in its research skills for a global world. We focus on a case study of the reading habits of students in one academic institution and discuss the implications of the findings for academic teaching and the academia's traditional role of training researchers.

The treatment of a research paper as an isolated utterance within a composition classroom is problematic in that such papers may fail to encourage transfer of writing knowledge. In this essay, I argue that a research paper's failure to work as a utterance situated within a conversation--as critiqued through a framework constructed by Mikhail Bakhtin's notion of the utterance--often disadvantages students in their future writing endeavors. I conclude by suggesting one way to encourage students to situate their research writing as a part of--rather than separate from--an activity system. By making the research paper an integral part of a entire course sequence, students will be better equipped to understand the role that research and writing plays within a specific activity system. (Contains 2 notes.)

Recently, electronic books (e-books) have become prevalent amongst the general population, as well as students, owing to their advantages over traditional books. In South Africa, a number of schools have integrated tablets into the classroom with the promise of replacing traditional books. In order to realise the potential of e-books and their associated devices within an academic context, where reading speed and comprehension are critical for academic performance and personal growth, the effectiveness of reading from a tablet screen should be evaluated. To achieve this objective, a quasi-experimental within subjects design was employed in order to compare the reading speed and comprehension performance of 68 students. The results of this study indicate the majority of participants read faster on an iPad, which is in contrast to previous studies that have found reading from tablets to be slower. It was also found that comprehension scores did not differ significantly between the two media. For students, these results provide evidence that tablets and e-books are suitable tools for reading and learning, and therefore, can be used for academic work. For educators, e-books can be introduced without concern that reading performance and comprehension will be hindered.

What are the typical printing behaviors of students? What is the extent of wastage? What are student attitudes towards different pay-per-print schemes? What might be strategies for educational institutions to achieve less printing while not impeding pedagogical quality?

Of the vexed issues confronting teachers of the first-year writing sequence, none is more frustrating than that of getting students to write in the drafting stages. And not just "to" write, but to write the right thing. The solution that the Composition literature offers to the problem of fluency and content development is process. That is, the general consensus is that writing is a five-stage process: prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, publishing. Rhetoric offers an alternative to Composition's process approach in the form of invention. As a rhetorician who has found classical rhetoric a particularly useful means of teaching writing, Crowley has long used "heuristics," a system of investigation, and what she calls a "means of discovery," as a strategy for creating writing assignments that students could more successfully complete in the drafting stages. The system of "heuristics" is explored in this article.

The present study compared the effectiveness of paper and digital flashcards. College students learned vocabulary from paper, computer, or tablet flashcards that were self-created or ready-made. Students then completed a memory recall test and answered questions on cognitive load, perceived control, satisfaction, and several individual difference variables. Results showed that students learned equally well from paper and tablet but less well from computer flashcards. They were less satisfied with, and felt less in control of, computer-based flashcards. Students also felt more satisfied with paper than either digital card set. Despite these differences, cognitive load was equivalent across platforms. In addition, students recalled more words and reported expelling more effort on ready-made over self-created flashcards. The individual difference variables did not relate to recall or satisfaction. Overall, students' satisfaction, as well as perceived difficulty and level of control over the cards, meaningfully related to performance. This research suggests that paper and digital flashcards are equally viable options for students but platform matters. Mobile technologies like tablets might be especially advantageous. Furthermore, perceptions matter. Students may be inclined towards different cards based on their perceptions of difficulty level and the like, and thus flashcards should be available in a multitude of formats.

Nowadays the size of university classes along with the growing number of students to be tested for final examination raise unprecedented challenges relating to the management, monitoring and evaluation of learning. Technology may provide some solutions that deserve to be investigated. This paper explores the potentialities and limitations of Computer-Based Testing (CBT), specifically BYOD e-test, compared to traditional Paper-Based Testing (PBT) to verify whether, and to what extent, an electronic mode of assessment can become a suitable alternative to PBT. It is based on a study carried out at the University of Florence during 2016/17. 606 students participated in the study, of whom 443 opted for CBT using their own devices, while 163 preferred PBT. Participants who experienced CBT also answered a survey on perceptions, self-efficacy and satisfaction. The results show that students' performances were better with CBT, and that a positive relationship exists between the perceived level of self-efficacy and the propensity to adopt digital tests. In addition, students greatly appreciated the electronic system, especially for the possibility of immediate feedback. Some critical issues emerged relating to on-screen reading, which suggests the need for careful design of testing tools.