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This pilot study investigates the feasibility and assesses the impact of "Lactobacillus plantarum" PS128 probiotics on the neurological function in Rett syndrome. We conducted a randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled trial on Rett syndrome with MECP2 mutation aged between 1 and 50 years in Taiwan. In this pilot study, twice-daily "L. plantarum" PS128 or placebo was administered for 16 weeks. In addition to feasibility, we also assessed the changes utilizing the Mullen Scales of Early Learning. In total, 36 participants were finally randomized into "L. plantarum" PS128 (n = 18) or placebo (n = 18) groups. At the end of intervention, the retention rates were 100% for "L. plantarum" PS128 and 94.44% for placebo, with withdrawal rates of 5.56% for the placebo group. Both groups tolerated well, except for one "L. plantarum" PS128 participant who reported loose stool. The probiotic group showed a change of 2.19 ± 3.76, while the placebo group had -0.85 ± 5.09 (p = 0.051) in the total age-equivalent scores of Mullen Scales of Early Learning. There was a significant difference in the change of the total score on the Burke-Fahn-Marsden Movement Scale between probiotic group and placebo group (-12.19 ± 12.12 vs -4.59 ± 4.20, p = 0.020). In leg dystonia, the probiotic group exhibited a change of -4.11 ± 5.11 compared with -0.38 ± 1.50 in the placebo group (p = 0.008). Our findings affirm the feasibility of "L. plantarum" PS128 in Rett syndrome. Future clinical trials are mandatory to further explore its long-term impact on Rett syndrome.

This study aimed to make and introduce a curriculum in Taiwan for fifth-grade students, merging Scratch animation with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The curriculum combined the Scratch Reflective AI digital learning platform with conventional teaching methods to assess its effect on students' empathy, self-efficacy, and scriptwriting and animation skills. A total of 133 fifth-grade students from elementary school were involved in the study. The experimental group (67 students) received the SDGs-themed Scratch animation course with the AI-Enhanced Comics Reflection Diaries, while the control group (66 students) received the traditional SDGs-themed Scratch animation course. The findings revealed a significant improvement in students' self-efficacy levels in the Scratch animation course within the SDGs theme when using the AI digital learning platform with Comic Reflection. However, there was no significant variation in empathy levels among the students. The Comic Reflection AI digital learning platform significantly enhanced students' scriptwriting and animation skills, boosting creativity and self-efficacy in their abilities within the SDGs-themed Scratch animation course. Classroom observations revealed students' enthusiasm for the platform, emphasizing its potential to foster creativity and learning engagement. The study offers insights into the effectiveness of integrating digital learning platforms like Comic Reflection can be beneficial for enhancing students' self-efficacy and scriptwriting skills, highlighting the importance of adequate time for cognitive processing. The study's findings provide valuable guidance for educators and researchers aiming to enhance students' empathy with regard to global sustainability development goals.

Alcohol use ranks as one of the most prevalent health-risk behaviors among Taiwanese adolescents. Possible selves--personalized future-oriented cognitions about the self--are significant motivators of one's actions, which may potentially influence adolescent drinking behavior. This study aimed to estimate the content domain-specific possible selves and their associations with drinking behaviors among Taiwanese adolescents. A total of 225 Taiwanese seventh and eighth graders from a public junior high school were recruited. An anonymous self-reported questionnaire was used to collect data during two time-points at six-month intervals. Results showed that having a "physical appearance" related hoped-for possible self and a "friendship" related feared possible self was associated with adolescent alcohol use after six months. Whereas, having the "physical appearance" related hoped-for and feared possible selves were associated with alcohol problems, at both, baseline and six months later. Future studies could clarify the meaning behind "physical appearance" related possible selves.

This research was a quasi-experiment that examined the effects of CLIL in an educational context in Taiwan's higher education. Two groups of first-year undergraduate students were involved. One (65 students) was taught with CLIL; the other (59), the conventional approach. Their knowledge of the content and learning attitudes (self-efficacy and motivation) were quantitatively compared through achievement tests and a questionnaire. A qualitative semi-structured survey asked both groups for their perspectives on and perceptions of the treatments. The quantitative results show that both approaches were significantly effective for improving students' knowledge of the content of the target subject (literary text), but the EG outperformed the CG. Likewise, both groups had positive learning attitudes to their treatments, but the EG also outweighed the CG. Furthermore, the qualitative accounts generated diverse results, reflecting the underlying difference between the approaches but showing that both approaches were welcomed. However, the conventional method was more favored than CLIL, mostly because of the participants' learning preferences or because of the learning patterns which they had formed over years of studying in the specific cultural-education system (i.e., that of Taiwan) chosen for the study.

Purpose: The study examined the use of percent grammatical utterances (PGUs) for assessing grammatical skills in Mandarin-speaking 3-year-old children. Method: Participants were 30 Mandarin-speaking 3-year-olds with typical development. Language samples were collected in two visits for each child using a picture description task. Children were asked to talk about 16 pictures in response to questions and prompts at each visit. Pictures for the language sample collection were identical across the visits. PGUs were computed, and the grammatical errors that children produced in the task were coded and tallied for error types at each visit. Test--retest reliability, split-half reliability, and concurrent criterion validity of PGUs were evaluated. Results: The mean PGU level was approximately 78% at Visit 1 and 81% at Visit 2, both of which were significantly below the mastery level (i.e., 90%). The correlation coefficient for test-retest reliability of PGU was large (r = 0.70, p <0.01); the correlation coefficient for split-half reliability was medium at Visit 1 (r = 0.47, p < 0.01) and large (r = 0.65, p < 0.01) at Visit 2. In addition, the correlation coefficient for concurrent criterion validity of PGU was medium for both visits(rs [greater than or equal to] 0.35, ps [less than or equal to] 0.03). The ranking and proportion of each error type were similar between the visits. Conclusion: The initial evidence from psychometric properties suggests that PGU computed from the picture description task is a reliable and valid measure for evaluating grammatical skills in Mandarin-speaking 3-year-old children.

Many educational strategies have been proposed to improve students' learning motivation and outcomes. This paper reports the student learning outcome results of a three-year study centered on the Electronics course at the Department of Physics of National Taiwan University. In the first year, peer instruction (PI) with in-class lectures was implemented. In the second year, in-class lectures were replaced with online lectures in a flipped classroom (FC) approach, and PI in class was maintained. In the third year, PI-based conceptual questions (CQs) were scored as part of in-class homework to enhance motivation for online lecture preview. Learning performance was evaluated based on cumulative percentage of correct answers to CQs and summative assessment. The results revealed improved student performance on summative assessment with PI and FC approaches combined. Furthermore, when CQs were scored, overall learning outcomes were significantly enhanced. In addition, an advantage of using a PI plus FC approach over using PI alone is that more course materials can be covered in online videos, which prevents a loss of lecture content to the time-consuming, in-class discussions involved in PI. Our study indicates that when students' motivations to prepare before class are reinforced using graded CQs, the learning outcome enhancement of PI plus FC is even more significant.

The use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) is on the rise among young adults, with higher public acceptance than traditional tobacco. A study in Taiwan employed concept mapping to explore risk and benefit perceptions of e-cigarette use among college students. The study involved 100 college students from 11 Taiwanese universities, with 50 being e-cigarette users and 50 non-users. Data collection and analysis were done with the GroupWisdom™ platform. Participants engaged in brainstorming, rating and sorting their perceptions, which were analyzed using multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analyses. The participants' mean age was 19.24 years, and 55% were male. This process resulted in the identification of 10 clusters encompassing 64 statements, with 3 clusters focused on risk perceptions, 6 on benefit perceptions, and 1 dealing with e-cigarette regulations. Notably, risk perceptions were rated higher than benefit perceptions. Non-users held significantly higher risk perceptions and lower benefit perceptions across the nine clusters related to e-cigarette use. Concept mapping proved to be an effective tool for understanding college students' perceptions. These findings can assist health educators in comprehending college students' viewpoints on e-cigarette use and in developing targeted interventions. Additionally, exploring benefit perceptions may enhance students' critical thinking skills regarding e-cigarette advertising.

Research purposes and design: This study aimed to compare the effects of different explicit approaches used in modeling-based instruction on students' understanding of scientific models and modeling (USMM). In Study 1, a self-study approach was compared to a preliminary explicit approach. In Study 2, preliminary explicit approach and embedded explicit approach were compared. Methods: For the data analysis, t tests and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) were used to compare students' USMM under the conditions of using different explicit approaches. Findings: Results showed that in the first study, no statistically significant difference was found between self-study approach and the preliminary explicit approach in any of the USMM subscales. In the second study, students who learned with the embedded explicit approach had better understandings in all subscales of USMM, but not in the "changing nature of scientific models" (CNM) subscale, than those who learned with the preliminary explicit approach. Through qualitative analysis of the data, categories and examples of the teacher's embedded epistemic guidance were illustrated. Suggestions for future professional development and research instrument design are provided. changing nature of scientific models

The purpose of this study was to explore native-language teachers' efforts in technology-rich classrooms. The advancement of classroom technology and educational policies in Taiwan prompted native-language teachers to leverage technology that improved learning and instruction in native languages. Fifteen senior teachers participated in in-depth interviews and shared their observations and teaching experiences. Results showed that native-language teachers, while working mostly alone, leveraged technology as learning scaffolds, show-and-tells, and tools for mastery. However, teachers struggled with approaching, smoothing out, and stabilizing the use of technology in classrooms due to the marginal availability of both subject matter and technological content. The researchers examined the teachers' experiences in the light of border pedagogy, where teachers in marginalized subjects such as native languages must accommodate, connect, and empower themselves and learners by using culturally aware technologies. Clearly, both native-language education and assisted technology should move beyond the function of transmission and technician.

This study investigates the significance of sexuality education for individuals with disabilities in Taiwan. It highlights the importance of understanding sexuality as a fundamental aspect of identity, encompassing intimate relationships and connection to others. Since the implementation of the Gender Equity Education Act in 2004, Taiwan has made efforts to include comprehensive sexuality education in the school curriculum and integrate disabled students into mainstream education. However, disabled individuals still face barriers due to ableism and heteronormativity, which impede their access to sexual and reproductive health services, including sexuality education. To address this issue, we conducted a qualitative investigation using narrative and policy data, drawing on Scott's phenomenology of nothingness and crip theory to explore the intersection of sexualities and disabilities in educational contexts. Our findings reveal that individuals with disabilities in Taiwan often rely on pornography and other erotic materials as informal sources of sex education. Hand Angels, a volunteer-based group established in 2013, has been actively promoting sexual rights within disability rights organisations, advocating for a comprehensive, sex-positive, pleasure-focused, and rights-based approach to sexuality education. However, there are still gaps in knowledge production and policy implementation, which systematically deny people with disabilities their right to sexual agency.

Bully victimization is known to cause adverse psychological outcomes; however, resilience may mitigate the more adverse effects. Little is known regarding the role played by BDNF Val66Met polymorphism in youth resilience against psychological harm caused by bully victimization. In this cross-sectional study, a community sample of 598 participants (M[subscript age] = 20.1 ± 1.4 years, 48.8% males) completed the questionnaire on bully victimization, resilience, and psychological symptoms. Salivary genomic DNA was genotyped for the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism. A path analysis was used to test the mediating role of resilience in the association between bully victimization and psychological symptoms. Furthermore, the BDNF genotype was added to the model to explore its moderating effects on the mediating role of resilience in the path with 5000 bootstrapped samplings using SPSS PROCESS Macro. Results revealed a significant indirect effect via resilience that accounted for 17.2% of the association between bully victimization and psychological symptoms. While the Val66Met polymorphism interacted with bully victimization to predict resilience scores, bully victimization was more strongly associated with poor resilience (F = 4.59, p = 0.03) in subjects with the Met/Met genotype ([beta] = -3.22, p < 0.001), as compared to participants with other genotypes ([beta] = -1.33, p = 0.051). Findings suggest a gene-environment interaction effect on psychological resilience in bully-victimized youth.

Multidimensional theory of mind assessments should include items assessing both explicit theory of mind (theory of mind knowledge) and applied theory of mind (application of theory of mind knowledge in real-life contexts). However, the two theory of mind scores cannot be interpreted collectively to identify children having mismatched explicit and applied theory of mind due to the lack of links between the two scores. To map the information between two theory of mind scores, data of 221 autistic children aged 3-12 years were extracted. Items of the Theory of Mind Task Battery and Theory of Mind Inventory-2 were used to respectively assess the explicit and applied theory of mind. Rasch analysis and correlation coefficients were used to examine the model fits/dimensionality and relationships. After the removal of misfit items, the remaining 45 items showed satisfactory model fits (infit and outfit mean squares < 1.35). Large correlation (r = 0.63) was found between the Rasch scores of the two theory of mind constructs. The scatter plots highlighted that each applied theory of mind score could reflect multiple explicit ToM scores. Accordingly, the information from each theory of mind measure is unique and irreplaceable. Moreover, cutoff scores for identifying children with mismatched explicit and applied theory of mind were proposed to determine the priority of interventions.

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

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education is essential for developing future-ready learners in both secondary and higher education levels. However, as students transition to higher education, many encounter challenges with independent learning and research. This can negatively impact their Higher-Order Thinking Skills (HOTS), engagement, and practical expertise. This study introduces a solution: Computational Thinking Scaffolding (CTS) in the Jupyter Notebook environment, designed to enhance STEM education at the tertiary level. CTS incorporates five phases: Decomposition, Pattern Recognition, Abstraction, Algorithm Design, and Evaluation. Utilizing a quasi-experimental method, we assessed the impact of CTS on the HOTS, engagement, and practical skills of undergraduate and postgraduate students. Our findings hold substantial relevance for university educators, academic advisors, and curriculum designers aiming to enhance students' HOTS and hands-on capabilities in STEM disciplines. The results validate the effectiveness of CTS in elevating tertiary STEM learning outcomes, and they spotlight the adaptability of the Jupyter Notebook as a valuable tool in higher education. In conclusion, our research underscores the merits of CTS for improving outcomes in higher STEM education and sets a benchmark for future endeavors in this domain.

In the evolving landscape of higher education, challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic have underscored the necessity for innovative teaching methodologies. These challenges have catalyzed the integration of technology into education, particularly in blended learning environments, to bolster self-regulated learning (SRL) and higher-order thinking skills (HOTS). However, increased autonomy in blended learning can lead to learning disruptions if issues are not promptly addressed. In this context, OpenAI's ChatGPT, known for its extensive knowledge base and immediate feedback capability, emerges as a significant educational resource. Nonetheless, there are concerns that students might become excessively dependent on such tools, potentially hindering their development of HOTS. To address these concerns, this study introduces the Guidance-based ChatGPT-assisted Learning Aid (GCLA). This approach modifies the use of ChatGPT in educational settings by encouraging students to attempt problem-solving independently before seeking ChatGPT assistance. When engaged, the GCLA provides guidance through hints rather than direct answers, fostering an environment conducive to the development of SRL and HOTS. A randomized controlled trial (RCT) was employed to examine the impact of the GCLA compared to traditional ChatGPT use in a foundational chemistry course within a blended learning setting. This study involved 61 undergraduate students from a university in Taiwan. The findings reveal that the GCLA enhances SRL, HOTS, and knowledge construction compared to traditional ChatGPT use. These results directly align with the research objective to improve learning outcomes through providing guidance rather than answers by ChatGPT. In conclusion, the introduction of the GCLA has not only facilitated more effective learning experiences in blended learning environments but also ensured that students engage more actively in their educational journey. The implications of this study highlight the potential of ChatGPT-based tools in enhancing the quality of higher education, particularly in fostering essential skills such as self-regulation and HOTS. Furthermore, this research offers insights regarding the more effective use of ChatGPT in education.

Integrating Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) for meaningful constructivist instruction has become essential in teacher education. This study investigated preservice teachers' intention to integrate ICT for constructivist learning from the perspectives of their Internet epistemic beliefs (IEB) and Internet-based learning self-efficacy (IBLSE) using the structural equation modeling technique. Participants were 403 elementary preservice teachers in Taiwan. Analysis results showed that stronger IBLSE predicted higher intention for constructivist ICT integration into instructional practices. Believing that the Internet-based information is fragmented (structure belief) and requires justification from multiple sources (justification belief) was associated with higher IBLSE. The structure and justification beliefs also indirectly correlated with the intention of constructivist ICT integration via preservice teachers' IBLSE. Findings can inform instructional practices and interventions pertinent to enhancing preservice teachers' IEB and IBLSE to promote their future constructivist ICT integration in their instruction.

Substantial body of empirical evidence supports the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (IPTS; Joiner, 2005); however, the association between personality vulnerability factors and IPTS constructs had yet to be examined in Asian college students. The present study examined Blatt's (1974) model of personality in relation to Joiner's (2005) IPTS in a sample of 403 college students in Taiwan. Findings indicated that the interaction of the two interpersonal needs factors predicted suicidal ideation; the effect of the interpersonal needs factor on suicidal ideation was mainly due to perceived burdensomeness. Moreover, perceived burdensomeness emerged as the sole mediator in the link between self-criticism and suicidal ideation, as well as between dependency and suicidal ideation. The findings underscore the potential value of targeting perceived burdensomeness in suicide prevention and intervention programs for college students. Specific advice for the practice of cognitive-behavioral therapy are discussed.

Most people start experimenting with and/or initiating health-compromising behaviors and establishing behavioral patterns during adolescence. Possible selves and episodic future thinking have been used to foster behavioral changes. In this study, we aimed to: (1) develop a program incorporating possible selves and episodic future thinking to decrease the risks associated with health-compromising behaviors, and (2) examine the feasibility and fidelity of implementing this intervention among Taiwanese adolescents. A novel combination of existing intervention approaches tailored for the Taiwanese context was applied to develop a school-based intervention, which we named the Future Mapping Master program. This program contains four core units: exploring the self, setting goals, developing strategies and problem solving, and understanding the threats of health-compromising behaviors. It includes daily episodic future thinking visualization exercises. The feasibility evaluation was conducted with 88 adolescents aged 12-14 years. Feedback from teachers and students supported the proposed program's feasibility and revealed favorable reactions to the intervention. The Future Mapping Master program is feasible and offers promising strategies for implementation in Taiwanese school settings.

Considering the significance of lifelong learning in advancing active aging in aging societies, the ability to engage in self-directed learning plays a crucial role for adults. There are many self-directed learning (SDL) tools available that measure the SDL abilities of nursing students and healthcare professionals. However, fewer SDL tools specifically designed for middle-aged and older adults have been developed. The purpose of this research was to examine and confirm the factor structure and the internal consistency of the SRSSDL-adult scale, specifically for middle-aged and older adult learners enrolled in senior learning centers. A cross-sectional method was adopted. Both Exploratory Factor Analysis and Confirmatory Factor Analysis were conducted to assess the structural validity of the scale. The internal consistency was determined using the Cronbach's Alpha coefficient. The results indicated that the five factors -- learning needs assessment skills, learning planning skills, learning execution skills, self-assessment skills, and interpersonal skills -- showed acceptable levels of reliability. The revised 25-item SRSSDL-adult scale was found to be a valid measure of middle-aged and older adults' self-directed learning abilities in the context of senior education programs. The findings of this study have the potential to be utilized by educational institutions and educators involved in senior education programs.

Storytelling is a well-established literary practice in language classrooms. However, approaches influencing its effectiveness and efficiency have rarely been investigated. This study compared the effects of three storytelling approaches on the vocabulary acquisition and response patterns of third-grade students of English as a foreign language (EFL). The storytelling approaches we considered are commonly used in schools, including storytelling alone (S), storytelling with word focus (S+W), and storytelling with activities (S+A). Our research comprised a three-week pilot study and a nine-week main study. For both studies, a pretest-posttest design involving a delayed test was used. Video recordings were also captured to facilitate the categorization of in-class response patterns. Results indicated that storytelling alone achieved the best performance. Vocabulary improvement with word focus or follow-up activities faded over the long term. The groups (S and S+W) which heard more stories generated more responses based on their own knowledge and life experience (as opposed to simply recalling facts) than did the group which completed more supplementary activities (S+A). This article provides both pedagogical implications and invitations for future empirical research.

Given the inadequacy of assessed outcomes (e.g., final exam) and the importance of evaluating the learning process in STEM education, we use deep learning to develop the STEM learning behavior analysis system (SLBAS) to assess the behavior of learners in STEM education. We map learner behavior to the ICAP (interactive, constructive, active, passive) framework, helping instructors to better understand the learning process of learners. The results show that SLBAS exhibits high accuracy. Moreover, Cohen's kappa coefficient between expert coding and SLBAS is high enough to support replacing expert coding in the observation method with SLBAS to recognize the learning process of learners during STEM activities. Finally, statistical analysis establishes a correlation between the learning process and learning effectiveness. The results of this study are in line with most previous studies, demonstrating that STEM education differs from traditional teacher-centered courses in that it helps learners to improve the process of knowledge construction with practice and hands-on opportunities rather than simply receiving knowledge passively.

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) are open access, Web-based courses that enroll thousands of students. MOOCs deliver content through recorded video lectures, online readings, assessments, and both student-student and student-instructor interactions. Course designers have attempted to evaluate the experiences of MOOC participants, though due to large class sizes, have had difficulty tracking and analyzing the online actions and interactions of students. Within the broader context of the discourse surrounding big data, educational providers are increasingly collecting, analyzing, and utilizing student information. Additionally, big data and artificial intelligence (AI) technology have been applied to better understand students' learning processes. Questionnaire response rates are also too low for MOOCs to be credibly evaluated. This study explored the use of deep learning techniques to assess MOOC student experiences. We analyzed students' learning behavior and constructed a deep learning model that predicted student course satisfaction scores. The results indicated that this approach yielded reliable predictions. In conclusion, our system can accurately predict student satisfaction even when questionnaire response rates are low. Accordingly, teachers could use this system to better understand student satisfaction both during and after the course.

University level second language (L2) creative writing courses are widespread around the world. However, little empirical research has been done to document teachers and students' experiences with courses whose main focus is to develop students' creativity. In response, this case study was conducted to explore how an English native-speaking (NS) creative writing teacher and non-English majors at a Taiwanese public university evaluated an elective L2 creative writing course through the investigation of the teachers' language ideology, assessment strategies, and learning activities. Data included the course syllabus, the teacher's and the students' reflection reports, and the students' L2 creative writing portfolios. Through qualitative content analysis, it was found that this creative writing course did focus on teaching creative writing skills. Despite the NS identity of the teacher, in resonance with the spirit of the world Englishes pedagogical paradigm, the notion of conforming to NS linguistic norms and accuracy was not introduced to students. Lecturing, sharing, and workshopping were found to be effective learning and assessment activities, while students experienced the most difficulty with keeping a creative writing journal. We argue that creativity should and can be pursued as the main objective in English creative writing courses even by NS teachers. Lastly, implications for research and pedagogy were considered.

Instructional settings (English as a second language (ESL) and English as a foreign language (EFL)) may provide different opportunities for learners' meaningful language use. This qualitative study was designed to shed light on this issue. The data included multiple sources collected from a sustained content gastronomy language course taught in an American ESL and a Taiwanese EFL context. Findings revealed that various factors (e.g., themes, environment, and learners) contributed to learners from both contexts meeting course goals. The findings further indicate that it is not the ESL/EFL context but instead using a sustained content language teaching approach that incorporates theme-based instruction and dynamic units that ensures learners are provided opportunities for meaningful and purposeful language use.

This study investigates the effects of FigureNotes on sensory processing abilities and the learning behaviors of young children. The settings for this research were a non-profit early-intervention center and a private preschool in the metropolitan, where one hundred and twenty private preschool children and 32 children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, aged 40-63 months, were selected as the research participants by purposive sampling. The research design incorporated HMEAYC with FigureNotes. Each participant participated in one 40-minute session per week for 16 weeks. The research results showed the positive effects of FigureNotes on the children's sensory processing abilities and learning behaviors. The research illustrated FigureNotes not only enhanced visual processing and learning habits in young children, but also enhanced tactile processing in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In this first of its kind, research in Taiwan we propose to prove that FigureNotes can improve young children's visual processing and positive learning habits, and it can enhance the tactile processing of children with ASD. Therefore, we highlight the benefits to promote the use of FigureNotes to assist and support the effective development of young children at different developmental levels.

This study focuses on "digital learning sheets" by exploring the effects of different design strategies of the digital learning sheet on visitors' motivation and learning outcomes. This study chose the woodcraft themed exhibition as a case study, adopting the learning sheet design principles proposed by Hooper-Greenhill in order to design three types of digital learning sheets for this exhibition. A control group of students who did not use the sheets and three experimental groups of students who used the sheets were invited to visit the exhibition for the purpose of examining the impact of different strategies of digital learning sheet design on the "learning motivation" and "learning outcomes" of the visitors. The study results show that among the four learning motivations of Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction, the digital learning sheet designed with the "principle of sensory exploration of physical objects" had the highest effectiveness among the various design strategies. In terms of three aspects of learning outcomes: Cognitive, Affective, and Psychomotor, the three types of digital learning design strategies do not produce significant differences in the affective impact on children. As for Cognitive and Psychomotor, students learn best when they use digital learning sheets designed with the "design principle of sensory and exploration of physical objects". The results of this study will provide future exhibition planners, digital learning designers, and educators with precise and practical references.

One of the major purposes of this study is to investigate the potential impact of gender and information and computer technology (ICT) resources on students' computational thinking (CT) competencies. To this end, the Computational Thinking Test for Junior High Students (CTT-JH) was developed and validated. Research participants included 437 junior high school students in Taiwan. The surveyed schools were categorized into "more" or "fewer" ICT resources. Then, discrimination analyses and Rasch modeling for item analyses and two-way ANOVA were conducted. Results showed that the final version of CTT-JH is of good item quality. Students in schools with more ICT resources had higher CT test mean scores regardless of gender. Nevertheless, at schools with limited resources, male students had significantly lower CT test mean scores than female students did. This study provides new insights into how gender and ICT resources can interact with and impact on students' CT competencies. It also provides a valid and reliable tool for assessing young adolescents' CT abilities.

To illustrate primary students' use of argumentation, this study reported on an analysis of elements in argumentation of 168 grade 5 students in Taiwan. This study adopted the van Hiele (vH) model as the main theoretical framework with relevant studies to show the development of argumentation. This study designed a geometric argumentation test (GAT) with four elements to evaluate students' justification in argumentation, including premise, conclusion, mathematical knowledge (MK) and reasoning. The GAT has three tasks and each task has four items to show students' use of argumentation. This study adopted the cluster analysis through four elements. The results showed that students performed better in the elements of premises and conclusions than in the elements of MK and reasoning, and these grade 5 students were grouped into three clusters. The names of three clusters from the basic to advanced levels were Naïve Argumentation, Initial Argumentation and Incomplete Empirical Argumentation. The significant finding was that students in this study had a similar trend with the results in TIMSS in 2011, 2015 and 2019. Students in the cluster of IEA were at Level 1, and students in the other two clusters were at Level 0 in the vH model. Students in each cluster had specific characteristics and the problems in each cluster were related to different factors. Finally, this study pointed out the limitations and addressed some suggestions for further researches.

Little research has examined burn injury in the pediatric population with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We used data from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database to identify 15,844 participants aged <18 years with ASD and 130,860 participants without ASD. Our results revealed that the hazard ratios differed across three age ranges. The ASD group had a lower risk of burn injury than the non-ASD group when they were less than 6 years of age, a higher risk from 6 years to 12 years of age, and no difference when they were older than 12 years of age. More research is required to study the characteristics and causes of burn injury in the pediatric population with ASD.

This study aimed to understand the relationship among conceptions of teaching and learning (COLT), classroom management self-efficacy (CMSE), and pedagogical content knowledge self-efficacy (PCKSE). A total of 485 in-service Taiwanese preschool teachers participating in this study completed three questionnaires, viz. the Conceptions of Teaching and Learning, the Classroom Management Self-efficacy, and the Pedagogical Content Knowledge Self-efficacy. The research findings indicated that, while teachers regarded conceptions of teaching and learning from a constructivist perspective, they tended to possess higher classroom management self-efficacy and in turn expressed higher PCK self-efficacy. On the contrary, teachers with traditional conceptions of teaching and learning tended to have lower classroom management self-efficacy and accordingly displayed lower PCK self-efficacy. According to the research findings, the present study encouraged teachers to develop constructivist COTL in order to foster better management and PCK. Besides, it is suggested that future studies explore other factors affecting teachers' self-efficacy.

This study investigated the growth trajectory of academic achievement in Math and English among 519 students in a vocational senior high school in Taiwan. Covering the complete individual learning profile, our dataset included pre-enrollment variables, periodic test scores, and college entrance examination scores. We employed a group-based trajectory model that identified three homogenous subgroups with distinct trajectories of academic achievement in Math and English and demonstrated baseline predictive factors associated with these trajectories as well as relationships between different trajectories and students' college entrance examination scores. Our analysis contributes to the literature in two ways. First, this study demonstrates that when school practices focus on improving or remediating the performance of students in the low-achievement group, the obvious decrease in performance of those in the middle is ignored. Such finding indicates the need for inclusive or specialized practices that enhance the performance of students in all groups. Second, our analysis reveals that pre-enrollment academic preparation appears to be a strong predictor of later academic performance as noted through the reproduction of pre-enrollment academic performance in students' college entrance examination scores. Therefore, upon enrollment, schools should start interventions that reflect the needs of different groups of students.

The study examined the types of written corrective feedback given by second language writing teachers on Taiwanese secondary school students' collocation errors. First, the written corrective feedback that teachers provided on learners' word choice errors was examined to uncover the types of feedback provided. Then, analysis focused on verb-noun collocations to draw attention to how students had been receiving different types of written corrective feedback from teachers on a single collocation error type. Results showed that some sentences tagged as including word choice errors only contained rule-based errors. Furthermore, for verb-noun collocation errors, teachers chose to provide indirect and direct feedback almost equally at the expense of metalinguistic feedback. Based on the results, we suggested options for second language writing teachers when providing feedback on word choice errors.

Professional nursing core values are important for nursing education and clinical practice. Among the core values, communication is a crucial one, and learning languages is especially beneficial to this skill. However, core values in learning a language are rarely discussed in the field. This study attempts to explore the core values perceived by university nursing students when learning English as a foreign language. A cross-sectional survey of students' construal levels and perceptions of their core values was designed. Two instruments of Behavior Identification Form and English Learning Construal Scale were used to collect data. Descriptive statistics and content analysis were conducted to analyze quantitative and qualitative data respectively. In total, 200 participants were randomly recruited from a nursing university in Taiwan. The results show the BIF (M = 15.02; SD = 4.02) corresponded to the previous research, although the scores implied an improvement opportunity. Four themes--career development, university studies, self-responsibly, and personal well-beings--were illustrated, and 13 codes of core values of learning English were further categorized. An alternative perspective of high vs. low construal levels was suggested to view the professional core values. Teaching implications were then discussed.

In Taiwan, preservation and training policies of intangible cultural assets are highly valued by the government. In this study, lacquerware art craft education as intangible cultural heritage is the subject of this study. We conducted in-depth interviews and secondary data collection to obtain research data and carried out a grounded theory data analysis method through expert meetings to explore the passing on education strategy of "lacquerware art craft" in Taiwan. Firstly, based on Bloom's educational objectives, the study analyzed three aspects of lacquer art education: cognitive, affection and skill, and proposed a "Lacquerware Art Passing-On Education Framework Diagram". Later, the analysis results of the grounded theory enable us to summarize the "Lacquerware art value and learning structure diagram". In this structure, it reveals that the Lacquerware artist's way of thinking about the craft levels can echo the system of the Three Extremes of the Tao in the Book of Changes and divide the value levels of creation into the levels of tools of livelihood, way of living and philosophy of life.

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of music technology on the attitudes and engagement level of preschool children. The desired outcome of the study is to formulate recommendations to improve the teaching curriculum through the use of physical activities at the preschool level. The strategy tested involved integrating technology, music, and images into children's physical activities to enhance their willingness to learn, preference, and motor skills. The study used music and images created through technology instruments to stimulate multiple senses, including vision, hearing, and touch sensations. It was expected to enhance learning interests and motor skills among children in physical activities. The innovative courses were developed jointly by qualified and senior preschool teachers, a physical fitness trainer, and a music therapist. The regimen involved a set of lesson plans combining music technology with physical training for children. The study used 64 healthy children who were 5 years old and studied at a private preschool in Taiwan, who were divided into an experimental group that implemented the innovative courses and a control group that adopted traditional teaching. The physical training courses were implemented twice a week, with 45 min per session for 18 weeks. The results revealed a significant enhancement in the concentration, preference, and willingness of participation among children in the experimental group after participation in the course. However, these effects were not observed and were not found among the children in the control group. Additionally, it was also found that the positive impact of enhanced motor skills, such as dynamic balance, hopping, and jumping, was significantly better among children in the experimental group than those in the control group. Consequently, this research study supports the integration of music technology and images into physical courses for children. Clinically, it indicates a significantly improved enhancement effect towards learning mentality and motor skills among children. This innovative teaching approach suggests a high probability to substantially assist the preschool's course management strategy and methodical learning effects.

With the wide application of the OSCE in the field of pharmacy, the development of e-assessment in OSCE is a predictable trend. However, the feasibility of its practical application and the acceptance of examiners who are accustomed to using traditional paper-based methods are worthy of being discussed. The e-assessment system (EAS) was constructed in this study and used in the examination process. Examiner satisfaction and changes in acceptance of EAS were evaluated. Examiners showed high recognition for the advantages of EAS in data processing, but EAS obviously made the examiner more nervous than the paper-based method. After repeated use of the e-OSCE system, the examiner's satisfaction and acceptance significantly improved, which showed that there was a certain correlation between examiner's familiarity with the assessment method and their acceptance. Besides, EAS has great advantages over traditional paper-based methods, and it is feasible in clinical practice examination of pharmacy education.

This study used CodeMonkey, an online learning platform through which elementary teachers can learn programming while playing games and experience how to integrate STEM into their courses. The study analyzed and examined their experiences using a qualitative research method. According to the research results, learning programming while playing games can encourage beginners to go all in. There are also complete guidelines on the teaching platform, so beginning learners can quickly become familiar with the interactive model, which stimulates their curiosity and changes the traditional learning method of teaching by teachers and received by students. On the whole, learning programming itself is a rigid subject. At the fundamental stage, learners can be greatly interested in learning it. However, if learners cannot understand the learning goals, the advantages gained from their self-confidence and joy of learning will no longer exist. Among beginners to the novel model of learning programming while playing games, there is no obvious difference in learning effectiveness between male and female students. Learners who actively seek to solve problems during the learning process can achieve better learning efficacy.

Music therapy can help social workers deal with negative behaviors and symptoms of dementia in older adults without drugs or physical restraints, thereby improving the quality of care. This study tested the effectiveness of music therapy activities for improving agitated behavior in older adults with dementia living in long-term care institutions. The study was quasi-experimental. Eighty older adults were recruited from two nursing homes. A purposive sampling strategy was used to select subjects aged 65 years and above with dementia and agitated behavioral tendencies residing in nursing homes. The music therapy program comprised 90 minute sessions 3 times a week for two months. The program evaluation focused on one criterion: the agitated behavior of participants at the beginning and end of the music theory program, which was measured using a structured scale. Ultimately, the music therapy program showed promise for improving agitated behavior in older adults with dementia living in nursing homes. Incorporating music therapy activities into social work may help make long-term care more diverse and innovative.

Neoliberalism was widely adopted both in South Korea and Taiwan in the mid-1990s. With governmental reforms, both countries adopted variants of competition-based funding mechanisms for higher education. This funding mechanism has been widely applied in most funding allocations for higher education in Korea from 2003 to 2017 and in Taiwan from 2004 to 2015. This study investigates whether competition-based funding is based on institutional performance rather than on traditional funding approaches such as budget history-based and student enrollment-based approaches. This study collected institutional funding data from 142 four-year universities in Korea and 100 four-year universities in Taiwan. This study found that funding is mostly contingent on the number of students, especially undergraduate students in Korea, and on prior budget history in Taiwan. This implies that although competition-based funding is widely applied in Korea and Taiwan, traditional factors such as student enrollment and budget history still influence funding decisions. However, this study also found that institutional performance is established in both countries' government funding mechanisms. Institutional performance accounted for 27.6% in Korea in 2017, and for 16.7% in Taiwan in 2015. This study further discusses side effects brought by the funding scheme of both countries.

Background: As individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities age, their siblings are more likely to assume caregiving responsibilities. However, little is known about experiences of East Asian siblings with respect to their caregiving and future-planning within their own country, as well as other East Asian countries. Methods: Using a national survey, this study explored experiences of 576 siblings across South Korea, Japan and Taiwan. Results: A common factor across the three countries was that siblings were less engaged in advocacy and future-planning activities and felt less competent to play the role of caregiving. Korean siblings reported more negative views about disability, while Japanese siblings reported less engagement in future-planning and Taiwanese siblings reported greater involvement in caregiving. Conclusion: Based on 'universalism without uniformity', it is recommended to develop culturally sensitive sibling-targeted intervention based on each country's context.

While recent years have witnessed increasing attention to technology-enhanced language learning, investigation regarding how technologies facilitate digital storytelling outcomes among middle school students in English-as-a-foreign-language contexts remains insufficiently explored. Studies concerning the effects of different presentation modes such as anthropomorphized robots versus PowerPoint on digital storytelling outcomes have been insufficient, and specific probes into affective domains such as emotion, grit, and perceptions have been even scarcer. The interplay between these issues, therefore, has yet to be validated. This mixed-methods study, accordingly, addresses these concerns by examining not only the relationship among digital storytelling outcomes, emotions, and grit in different presentation modes (Robot vs. PowerPoint), but also student perceptions. Focusing on 52 ninth-grade middle school students from a middle school in central Taiwan, the results from diverse data sources (pre-/post-tests, an questionnaire about emotions, a grit survey, a perception survey, and reflective journals) identified the benefits of both presentation modes. Nonetheless, the robot-assisted mode was more advantageous in making the learners grittier and led to higher storytelling outcomes as well as more positive affect. Storytelling outcomes were strongly and positively correlated with grit, including perseverance of effort and consistency in interests. Nonetheless, perseverance of effort was the best predictor of storytelling outcomes in the experimental group, suggesting higher perseverance of effort for better storytelling outcomes. In terms of student perceptions, the robot-assisted group using Kebbi Air was more positive about the overall learning experience, as demonstrated by higher responses to motivation, effectiveness, engagement, and satisfaction.