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This study examines the relationship between EFL students' noticing and three written feedback strategies. The convenience sampling method was adopted and four intact classes were randomly assigned into four groups: the model, the error correction, the reformulation, and the control groups. After the completion of picture-cued writing tasks as pretests, three treatment conditions and a noticing log were employed in the respective comparative activities. Focus group interviews were for triangulating the data collected from the log. There was a two-to-four-week interval between the posttest and the delayed posttest to obtain the feedback strategies' short- and long-term effects. An analytical scale was adopted to measure students' writing performance. Johnson Neyman analyses showed a significant difference among the three experimental groups in both posttests as well as that between the reformulation, the error correction, and the control groups in the posttest. Students in the reformulation and the error correction groups reported noticing grammatical problems. Those in the model group declared noticing their inability to develop ideas and describe details. Further analysis showed that learners' noticing contributed to the enhancement of content, grammar, organization, punctuation, and lexis in the model and the error correction groups.pun

This research explores the innovative integration of OpenAI's GPT-3.5 within a university-level English as a Foreign Language (EFL) writing course, illustrating a novel approach to academic instruction. The course follows the ADDIE instructional design model, encompassing five systematic stages: analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. This model serves as the backbone of the course structure, ensuring a comprehensive educational experience. The incorporation of the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework in this course facilitates the effective integration of GPT-3.5 by enabling instructors to align advanced AI capabilities with appropriate pedagogical strategies, thereby enhancing the learning experience. TPACK guides educators in applying GPT-3.5's features in a manner that is contextually relevant and pedagogically sound, ensuring the technology's use complements the course content. The findings from this research are significant. They reveal that GPT-3.5 addresses three fundamental challenges often encountered in academic writing courses. Firstly, it enhances efficiency by providing immediate feedback and generating content ideas, accelerating the writing process. Secondly, GPT-3.5 ensures cohesive organization within students' writing, guiding them to structure their thoughts more logically. Lastly, it serves as a reliable substitute for traditional peer reviewers, offering critical and objective feedback that students can use to refine their drafts. As students engage with AI, they enter a dynamic partnership. This collaboration with GPT-3.5 fosters critical thinking and empowers students to develop a distinctive writing voice. Through this interaction, students are not merely passive recipients of knowledge but active participants in a learning process that is augmented by cutting-edge technology. This study not only provides insight into the potential of AI-augmented academic writing but also highlights GPT-3.5's role in promoting writing proficiency. It demonstrates that the application of AI in education can enhance the learning experience without compromising the individuality of student expression.

The rapid evolution of AI technologies has reshaped our daily lives. As AI systems become increasingly prevalent, AI literacy, the ability to comprehend and engage with these technologies, becomes paramount in modern society. However, existing research has yet to establish a comprehensive framework for AI literacy. This study aims to fill this gap by developing a holistic AI literacy scale. Three levels of dimensions are considered: individual, interactive, and sociocultural. The scale includes cognitive, behavioral, and normative competencies. After rigorous reliability and validity assessments, the final AI literacy scale comprises six dimensions: AI features, AI processing, algorithm influences, user efficacy, ethical consideration, and threat appraisal. Detailed scale development, validation, and dimension-specific items are thoroughly explained. This comprehensive scale equips individuals with the competencies needed to navigate and critically engage with AI in today's multifaceted AI landscape.

Self-determination has been a primary focus of efforts to enhance quality of life for individuals with disabilities. Learning self-determination enables individuals to assume greater responsibility and control in their lives. The primary causal agency perspective on self-determination highlights the importance of learning self-determination for all individuals regardless of the severity of their disabilities. Examination of the perspectives of adults who have disabilities on their experiences of learning self-determination can provide valuable insights that can be applied to children and youths. In this study, we interviewed 10 participants from Taiwan, all of whom had severe to profound physical disabilities or multiple disabilities. Data were analyzed thematically, and the following themes regarding participants' self-determination experiences emerged: (1) beliefs about self-determination, (2) challenges from external interference, (3) challenges from societal and cultural influences, (4) peer support for self-determination, and (5) family support for decision-making. Findings are discussed along with implications for the teaching of self-determination practices to relevant stakeholders.

Attaining a high level of proficiency in speaking a second language (L2) is a formidable challenge, particularly in many English as a foreign language (EFL) settings, such as Taiwan. In such environments, students often encounter limited opportunities for English-speaking practice within formal classroom settings due to the prevalence of form-focused instruction. Nonetheless, certain students manage to achieve elevated levels of proficiency. This exploratory investigation aims to uncover the strategies employed by such learners beyond formal classroom instruction and identify key factors contributing to high proficiency. Individual studies have underscored the importance of metacognitive knowledge, metacognitive strategies, and practice in L2 learning. To explore how these elements operate synergistically to facilitate self-regulated learning of L2 speaking ability, this exploratory study constructs a model, Metacognitive Practice Speaking Strategies (MPSSs), to delineate their interconnections. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 Taiwanese students, aged 15-25. By comparing the use of MPSSs among speakers of different proficiency levels, key factors contributing to high proficiency are identified. It communicates that the strategy use of high proficiency speakers aligns with established theories of second language (L2) speaking. Given that they received no instruction on these theories, their strategies were presumably guided by task beliefs developed from their initial, use-focused education. Alongside their strategic knowledge, these beliefs led them to perform use-focused MPSSs. The study's context shares similarities with numerous EFL contexts, making the findings broadly applicable to a wide range of L2 learners.

This study addressed the issue of school alienation (SA) among high school students in Taiwan; SA is believed to contribute to dropout, violence, gangs, and deviant behavior. To measure SA, we propose a four-construct model in this study, comprising powerlessness, normlessness, meaninglessness, and social isolation. Using two studies, an SA scale (SAS) was developed and validated. Study 1 developed and preliminarily validated the four constructs of SA using item and exploratory factor analyses with 227 junior high school students as participants. Study 2 validated the theoretical structure of SA using second-order confirmatory factor analysis with a sample of 708 junior high school students. The cross-validation of Studies 1 and 2 demonstrated that the proposed SAS is robust, valid, and effective for measuring the degree of SA among students.

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.

English as a medium of instruction (EMI) is commonly adopted as a strategy for higher education internationalisation. While there are numerous studies on the teaching practices of EMI programmes, the relationship between EMI and structural inequalities has been less investigated, especially in "universal" higher education systems. To address the research gap, this study investigates the EMI practices of two Taiwanese higher education institutions (HEIs) under current government initiatives. Qualitative data from policy documents and semi-structured interviews are analysed with an institutional logics approach and reflexive thematic analysis. The findings suggest that while state, managerial, and academic logics jointly shape EMI strategies in the public university case, EMI practices in the private university of technology case are predominantly driven by market and managerial logics and challenged by academic logic. Furthermore, this study reveals the structural "stuckness" encountered by the private case. In Taiwan's hierarchical higher education system, the promotion of EMI could result in widening horizontal inequalities among HEIs. More specifically, under the EMI grading certification scheme for students and the tiered award system for HEIs, the majority may be left behind whereas the few with linguistic capital are spotlighted. Therefore, this study concludes that in light of organisational conditions, policymakers should allow greater flexibility for HEIs to develop performance indicators appropriate to their students' needs.

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.

Cultural competence is a continuously developing process that requires transition-to-practice program training to enable new graduate nurses (NGNs) to transfer their knowledge and skills to clinical practice in a culturally sensitive manner. The development and implementation of residency programs, including a cultural competence curriculum, could support this transition. This study aimed to evaluate the preliminary effects of a hybrid learning module of cultural competence for NGNs. A quasi-experimental design was used in a 3,000-bed hospital in North Taiwan. We randomly allocated 37 NGNs to the experimental and control groups. The Cultural Competence Scale for Pre-Graduate Students to Licensed Professionals (CS-SP) was adopted to measure cultural competence before and after the intervention. We evaluated the correlations between learning time and cultural competence scores using a paired t-test, chi-square test, and Mann--Whitney test for statistical analysis. The curriculum for the learning application comprised three courses covering six topics. The experimental group scored significantly higher in awareness and skills after the intervention (p < 0.05), but there was no significant improvement in knowledge or self-efficacy. The control group showed no significant differences in any of the cultural competence subscale scores after intervention. The Mann-Whitney test showed that different learning times led to significant differences in the mean cultural competence scores (Z = 3.04, p < 0.05). Integrating cultural competency education into web-based NGNs' postgraduate year of nursing programs improved their cultural competence awareness and skills. The learning application can be adapted to target NGNs at different stages of the postgraduate year of nursing programs to maximize its benefits.

Local tour guides' English speaking competence determines inbound international tourists' travel experiences. This study investigated student tour guides' English learning by adopting role-play tasks. The communicative tasks were designed to explore how real interactions prepared English as Foreign Language (EFL) learners to become cultural ambassadors who introduce Taiwanese features to the world. Twenty-nine students were recruited from an "English for Tourism Purposes" course to interact with international students who acted as tourists. The student tour guides took turns introducing a topic unique to Taiwan. Data included recorded conversational interactions between the international and local students, comments on tour-guiding performances, and reflective notes. Adopting conversation and thematic analysis, the researcher analyzed the objective learning outcomes by observing how students performed in the tour-guiding tasks and examined the subjective viewpoints from the participants' reflective notes. The results revealed distinctive spoken features for communicative competence and the benefits of gaining a deeper intercultural understanding of how to communicate Taiwanese culture in English and developing various communication skills for interacting with foreigners. Pedagogical implications are discussed in terms of the design of English for Tourism teaching.

Physical and virtual labs have unique capabilities that can influence how students learn from them. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of physical and virtual manipulatives on students' learning of heat and temperature and to examine the influence of various combinations of physical and virtual manipulatives. A total of 205 participants were divided into four groups: only physical manipulatives, only virtual manipulatives, physical-virtual manipulatives, and virtual-physical manipulatives. Students' knowledge acquisition was tested using Pretest--Post-test design. The results showed that physical and virtual manipulatives are as effective in facilitating students' learning of state changes, but virtual manipulatives are more beneficial to students' learning of thermal expansion and contraction than physical manipulatives are. Physical-virtual manipulatives are more effective than virtual-physical manipulatives or physical manipulatives alone are to promote students' learning of heat and temperature, but this effect is similar to that of virtual manipulatives alone. The results suggest that virtual laboratories can effectively model abstract concepts. The better effect of the physical-virtual operation sequence on learning does not depend on whether the two types of experiments are combined or on the sequence of operations but on the type of experiment when its advantages actually contribute to learning.

This study aims to assist preschools in achieving sustainable development by providing system thinking training for teachers and administrators. By promoting system thinking and PDCA, training helps preschool staff and teachers construct their knowledge and culture for organizational growth and effective operation. The research procedure encompasses stages of preparation, knowledge diffusion, knowledge adaptation, and establishing support networks. A total of 744 training participants engage in case studies, discussions, and self-evaluation activities to enhance their understanding and application of the PDCA framework. Quantitative and qualitative methods are used to collect the research participants' perceptions and intentions on this training. Research data is collected using 5-point Likert questionnaires, supplemented with open-ended questions to gather participants' perceptions and suggestions. In addition, qualitative data is obtained through onsite observation, focus groups, and individual interviews. The research results indicate that participants in the training program positively perceive the training activities. Also, those with administrative roles and from non-profit preschools exhibit higher interest and motivation for training, reflecting the need for sustainability knowledge in changing environments.

This study aimed to use a game-based learning (GBL) module with multi-scaffolding and mobile technology for high school students with mild intellectual disabilities (MID) to assist them in learning career education knowledge. This study used a quasi-experimental method to investigate the participants' learning effectiveness, motivation, flow state, game acceptance, and learning behavior patterns (LBP). The differences in the LBP of the high and low learning effectiveness groups and the high and low flow state groups were also investigated. In total, 32 high school students with MID participated in this study. The results show that the GBL module with the multi-scaffolding mechanism could improve their learning effectiveness, motivation, flow state, game acceptance, and LBP and reduce their distraction behavior in the learning activities. The results of the sequential analysis indicated the significance of the behavior of reflection and discussions in the high learning effectiveness group. Additionally, the high-flow state group tended to try multiple strategies to complete the learning tasks. Furthermore, the game mechanism embodied collaborative peer interaction; even when the high-flow group became distracted, they returned to the tasks and continued the discussions with peers.

Drama learning is helpful for English speaking, however, few studies provided students with opportunities to practice drama conversations individually. This study proposed a Context-Awareness Smart Learning Mechanism (CASLM) and integrated into SmartVpen that consisted of context-aware learning content, context-aware input assistance, oral recognition feedback, peer cooperative learning, and smart conversation robot. The participants were 68 eighth grade-students divided into three groups: an experimental group (EG) who used SmartVpen, a control group 1 (CG1) who used typical camera and voice recorder, and a control group 2 (CG2) who used papers and pencils. The results showed the EG outperformed the other groups concerning oral and conversational skills, which indicated the use of SmartVpen had significant effects in both English oral speaking and conversational skills. Additionally, the number of time to complete conversation practices can predict students' oral performance by 30%. Furthermore, the results also showed the EG tend to practice drama conversations more frequently than the CG1, which demonstrated practicing English drama conversations using SmartVpen can effectively improve students' learning motivation. Thus, we suggested English conversations practice activities should be conducted in authentic context with SmartVpen to support students' speaking and facilitate them to apply what they learned in real-life situations.

This study developed a VR-based mobile learning system to simulate the natural environment of a geopark for university students to learn geological knowledge. This learning method used a Google cardboard equipped with smartphones, where students can watch stereoscopic scenes and experience virtual environments as if visiting the geopark. In order to evaluate the learning effectiveness of the proposed system, we collected the learning outcomes, learning motivation, and cognitive load of students before and after the learning activity. The results indicated that students had significantly better learning achievement in their comprehension ability and learning motivation after using the proposed system. Therefore, it can be inferred that the VR-based mobile learning system not only helps students restructure knowledge and improves their comprehension skills but also enhances their learning motivation tendencies. In addition, the results showed that the students did not have high intrinsic and extraneous cognitive loads but had a high germane cognitive load. This finding implies that the proposed system can promote students' learning without overloading their working memories.

Incorporating Taiwanese Sign Language (TSL) evolved from Taiwan's historical linguistic ecology and intertwined with the linguistic ecology of Taiwan's Deaf community. Utilising a qualitative document analysis incorporating a language planning and policy framework [Cooper, R. L. (1989). Language planning and social change. Cambridge University Press; Reagan, T. (2022). Language planning and language policies for sign languages: an emerging civil rights movement. Sociolinguistica, 36(1-2), 169-182], we analyze how this law fits into Taiwan's multicultural milieu. Specifically, we analyze the transmission, revival, and development of TSL by legislating status, acquisition, corpus, and prestige planning for teaching TSL to hearing learners. Secondly, gaps are identified, such as establishing early TSL access to the birth to age five deaf learners and their caregivers, promoting Chinese literacy with TSL strategies, and hiring native Deaf signing teachers. Limitations and future directions for research and practice are then outlined.

Foreign Language Anxiety (FLA) is considered a central affective factor influencing English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning. This study thus developed an online simulation game to create a virtually situated learning environment for reducing EFL primary school students' FLA levels and improving their English vocabulary learning. A total of 110 fifth graders from four classes participated in this study. Two classes were randomly assigned to the experimental group (N = 57) using the online simulation game, and the other two classes were the control group (N = 53) using onsite instruction. Each participant was then classified as a low, moderate, or high anxiety student based on the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS). This study found that, compared to the onsite instruction, the online simulation game more effectively assisted the low, moderate, and high anxiety students in reducing their FLA. Situated learning in the online simulation game made a connection between English vocabulary learning and the real world explicitly and visibly, which could further promote their English vocabulary learning. In particular, the moderate and high anxiety students' English vocabulary learning was significantly improved after the online simulation game. These results suggest that an online simulation game can create a situated learning environment that helps reduce EFL students' FLA and subsequently facilitate their English vocabulary learning.

This study investigated the effectiveness of applying pedagogical translanguaging by utilizing Google Translate to facilitate college juniors in writing presentation scripts. Participants included 109 non-English major juniors divided into high- and low-proficiency groups, with 56 and 53 students, respectively. Each participant first drafted their scripts in Chinese, then translated them on their own and through Google Translate. Teacher and TA consultations were offered during the revision period. Three versions (self-written, Google-translated, and post-edited) of scripts from each participant were collected for analysis. Two online writing assessment software (VocabProfiler and Scribens) were used for quantitative analysis to compare the differences in writing quality and lexical features among the three-version texts. Three trained raters employed text analysis by examining improved grammar and word use changes from each participant's self-written to post-edited versions of scripts. The findings indicated that incorporating GT improved the students' content, word choice, vocabulary, grammar, and sentence patterns. The pedagogical gains were particularly notable in the low-proficient students' scripts. Despite the advantages of GT, the results also showed that GT was insufficient in scaffolding the script-writing process. Based on the interviews and survey results, consulting with the TA and the instructor was indispensable, especially for sentence-level revisions or beyond. In addition to the improved changes in students' PE scripts, we found that pedagogical translanguaging enhanced the students' metalinguistic awareness and helped students develop a multimodal learning ability by engaging them in experimenting with various learning resources, including digital materials, textbooks, GT applications, and human assistance.

Massive open online courses (MOOCs; online courses delivered over the Internet) enable distance learning without time and place constraints. MOOCs are popular; however, active participation level among students who take MOOCs is generally lower than that among students who take in-person courses. Students who take MOOCs often lack guidance, and the courses often fail to provide personalized learning materials. Artificial intelligence (AI) has been applied to manage increasing amounts of learning data in learners' online activity records. Driven by the trend in big data, AI technology has drawn increasing attention in various fields. AI-based recommendation systems (RSs) are powerful tools for improving resource acquisition through supply customization, and they can provide personalized learning materials as study guides. In this study, a personalized learning path for MOOCs based on long short-term memory (LSTM) was proposed to meet students' personal needs for learning. According to students' video-watching behaviors, we proposed an MOOC material RS that identifies students with similar learning behaviors through clustering and then uses the clustering results and the learning paths of each group of students to construct an LSTM model to recommend learning paths. The system's learning path recommendations can effectively improve the online participation of learners, and students who received recommendations progressed from the slow-progress group to the medium-progress or fast-progress group. In addition, the learning attitude questionnaire results indicated that the proposed system not only motivated learners to continue learning and achieve high learning capacity but also supported their study planning according to their individual learning needs.

Training functional living skills is crucial for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) because they are directly related to their independence. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of an augmented reality (AR)-based video prompting (VP) teaching model on the learning of functional living skills among elementary school students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. A multiple-probe, across-subjects, single-case research design was adopted to recruit three participants, namely, fifth- and sixth-grade students with IDDs in a special education program in an elementary school in Taichung City. The independent variable was the AR-based VP teaching model, and the dependent variable was the participants' performance of functional living skills (cooking rice in a rice cooker). The results indicate that the intervention had immediate, maintenance, and generalization effects on all three participants. In addition, the participants noted that the teaching model relaxed and motivated them. The teachers also indicated that the teaching model motivated the students, resulted in positive learning outcomes, and strengthened the students' ability to learn independently. Through this AR-based VP teaching model, students with developmental disabilities can improve their functional living skills.

In this paper, we use the "Family Resemblance Approach" (FRA) as a framework to characterize how scientists view the nature of science (NOS). FRA presents NOS as a "system" that includes clusters or categories of ideas about the cognitive-epistemic and social-institutional aspects of science. For example, the cognitive-epistemic aspects include aims and values such as objectivity and scientific methods such as hypothesis testing. Social-institutional aspects refer to a range of components including social values such as honesty about evidence and institutional contexts of science such as research institutions. Characterized as such, NOS is thus a system of interacting components. The initial account of FRA was proposed by philosophers of science and subsequently adapted and extended for science education including through empirical studies. Yet, there is little understanding of the extent to which FRA coheres with scientists' own depictions about NOS. Hence, an empirical study was conducted with scientists to investigate their views about FRA as well as their views of NOS using the FRA framework. In so doing, the research sought to explore the utility of FRA from scientists' point of view. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of 17 Taiwanese scientists' responses to a set of written questions indicates that scientists are in agreement with the FRA account of NOS, and they detail all aspects in their reference to NOS, although the social-institutional aspects are underrepresented in their depiction. Implications for further studies and science education are discussed.

This study explored the influence of using Curriculum-Based Readers Theater (CBRT) on promoting 12 sixth graders' oceanic knowledge and vocabulary learning in an elementary school in Taiwan. Based on the analysis of both quantitative (oceanic knowledge tests and vocabulary knowledge tests) and qualitative data (interviews, videos, and reflections), the study had the following major findings. First, CBRT instruction was effective for improving learners' oceanic knowledge through repeated reading. Second, CBRT was beneficial for learners' receptive ability in recognizing spoken forms of the target vocabulary. Suggestions on effective implementation of CBRT into content areas or issues were provided.

One issue facing teachers who implement model-based instruction within the school system is the tight curricular schedule. The 'lesson objective tension' calls for investigations to address instructional issues such as how to organise modelling-based instruction at the curriculum level which is across multiple units. We investigated the effect of the cyclic curricular design spacing out three modelling-based instruction units with virtual labs over three semesters, each involving 73, 181, and 150 junior high school students, respectively. Results indicate that, overall, the approach of modelling with virtual labs better promoted students' scientific literacy than the traditional instruction did. Specifically, students with low and moderate school science achievements benefitted more as shown in their scientific literacy scores than did the high achievement students. Furthermore, this study found that receiving one unit of modelling-based instruction may not be sufficient to promote students' scientific literacy, whereas the cyclic approach that suggests students receive two or more units of modelling-based instruction with virtual labs spaced over consecutive semesters had significant effects on promoting students' scientific literacy. The results provide insights into when and how modelling-based learning with virtual labs can promote scientific literacy at a curricular level.

Public awareness of health-related topics is increasing, and an increase in average life expectancy has increased the senior citizen population in Taiwan. Furthermore, because of the high cost of raising young children, people's willingness to give birth has decreased. Taiwan's aging population and declining birth rate are key challenges for its population development, and the promotion of interactions between young children and senior citizens is also a crucial topic for scholars. Therefore, intergenerational learning has been proposed, and several Taiwanese preschools have attempted to develop intergenerational learning courses. This study explored the perceptions of young children and senior citizens during the implementation of intergenerational learning courses in a preschool. The results revealed that the implementation of such courses allowed young children and senior citizens to influence each other's life experiences and develop positive feelings. The interactions also promoted their psychological well-being. Through this study, we clarified the effectiveness of intergenerational learning courses. Finally, we proposed that intergenerational learning courses with the themes of 'caring' and 'love' should be developed and integrated into intergenerational learning courses.

Camouflaging is a strategy adopted by neurodivergent individuals to cope in neurotypical social contexts, likely related to perceived stress. Despite increasing research in autistic adults, studies of camouflaging in adolescents remain sparse. The self-reported Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire has been validated in adults in some Western societies, but not in non-Western populations. We examined the psychometric properties of the self-reported and caregiver-reported Chinese version Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire in Taiwanese adolescents. We enrolled 100 autistic and 105 non-autistic adolescents (aged 12-18 years) and their caregivers. As an initial development, we found a two-factor structure ("compensation-masking" and "assimilation") via exploratory factor analysis, alongside good internal consistency and test-retest reliability, for both the self-reported and caregiver-reported Chinese version Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire. Self-reported and caregiver-reported Chinese version Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire scores were moderately to highly correlated. Autistic adolescents showed higher total Chinese version Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire and assimilation scores than non-autistic adolescents in both males and females. Female autistic adolescents showed higher assimilation than male autistic adolescents, but there was no significant difference between sex assigned at birth on compensation-masking in either autistic or non-autistic adolescents. Assimilation correlated with higher self-perceived stress for both autistic and non-autistic adolescents. Both self-reported and caregiver-reported Chinese version Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire were reliable and offered meaningful information to understand social coping of Taiwanese autistic and non-autistic adolescents.

The purposes of this study were to explore students' learning performance, knowledge construction, and behavioral patterns in computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) online discussions with/without using Form+Theme+Context (FTC) model guidance scaffolding in visual imagery education. In the online learning activities, the control group did not use the FTC model guidance scaffolding, while the experimental group did. This study employed quantitative content analysis and sequential analysis to investigate the discussion content and behavioral patterns of 63 students from a private university in Taiwan during online discussion learning activities. Results showed that the learning performance of the students in the experimental group outperformed that of students in the control group. Moreover, the study revealed that the two groups of students were primarily sharing or comparing information during discussion. More behaviors of exploring opinions and concepts and communicating or constructing knowledge among group members were observed in the experimental group. Secondly, students in the experimental group participated more in knowledge construction than did students in the control group, and their behavioral patterns were more diverse. Accordingly, this study shows that incorporating the FTC model into learning with sufficient guidance from the instructor could be useful for improving students' visual imagery analysis abilities.

Students from Asian countries form the largest group of mobile international students in Western anglophone countries. Despite research on the mobility experiences of international students to anglophone and non-anglophone countries, there are limited cross-comparative, mixed-method studies exploring the experiences of host language acquisition and usage and how these impact on academic performance and shapes social connectedness. This study contributes further understanding by exploring language acquisition experiences of international university students in Taiwan and Australia, where the language of instruction is not their native language. In the two universities studied, usage levels (general usage, speaking, reading, listening and writing) differed and depended on situational and contextual needs. Those studying in Australia consistently reported higher mean scores of host language usage across three of the five components: listening, reading and writing. Written communication was perceived to be a challenge for both groups during interviews. Overall, students preferred face-to-face classroom learning and highly valued peer support. Information communication and technology use was common in supporting vocabulary and pronunciation. We discuss how the findings of our study inform the types of academic learning support needed, and how these differed, depending on the host language, and student background.

As artificial intelligence (AI) technology rapidly develops and is deployed, students increasingly need to understand and learn AI-related skills for future employment. This study investigates how students' AI learning anxiety and AI job replacement anxiety affect intrinsic/extrinsic learning motivations and subsequent AI learning intention. The moderating effect of learning self-efficacy is also examined. An online survey instrument collected data from a sample of students in Taiwan, and partial least-squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) technique was employed to test the proposed model. The results indicate AI learning anxiety negatively affects learning motivations, but AI job replacement anxiety has a positive impact on extrinsic motivation. Learning self-efficacy and intrinsic/extrinsic motivations positively affect learning intention. Learning self-efficacy positively moderates the influence of intrinsic learning motivation on student AI learning intention but negatively moderates the influence of extrinsic learning motivation on student AI learning intention. The findings highlight the importance of AI anxiety and can be used to guide course design in an AI learning setting.

The mediators of real-world executive functions in autism during the transition into adulthood are mainly unknown. This study aimed to identify the mediators for the behavioral and cognitive domains of real-world executive functions in late adolescent and young adult autistic populations. We followed up 289 autistic children (aged 11.6 ± 3.8, male 82.2%) and 203 non-autistic controls (10.7 ± 2.9, 66.5%) to their ages of 16.9 ± 4.7 and 15.8 ± 3.9, respectively. The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, comprising two global scales (Behavioral Regulation Index and the Metacognitive Index), was used to assess real-world executive functions at Time 2. Mediators of behavior regulation and metacognition were explored among a wide range of clinical correlates and parental bonding. We found that the autistic group had lower executive functions than the non-autistic group with lower behavior regulation and metacognition subscores. Several childhood factors were significant mediators. Multiple mediation analyses revealed that childhood inattention remained a significant mediator for both behavior regulation and metacognition in late adolescence, and peer problems were the specific mediators of metacognition. Our findings suggest several childhood factors may mediate real-world executive functions during late adolescence. Treating common mediators such as inattention may improve real-world executive functions in autistic individuals during adulthood.

Background and Purpose: Metavisualization plays a key role in science and technological learning in which visualization is practiced. We conducted two sequential studies with the purposes to first develop an instrument that allows individuals to report or reflect on their metavisualization, and then validate the instrument and investigate the relationships among the dimensions of metavisualization. Sample: A total of 320 university students participated in this research. Methods: Through exploratory factor analysis (EFA) in the first study and partial least squares -- structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) in the second study, the validity and reliability of the instrument measuring the four dimensions of metavisualization were reported, and a theoretical model delineating the relationships among the four variables was explored. Findings: It was found that metacognitive skills, rather than metacognitive knowledge, significantly contributed to the demonstration of epistemic knowledge and judgment criteria during visualization. Metacognitive knowledge may also play an indirect role in learners' epistemic performance through its relation with metacognitive skills. Implications: The results provide insights to advance understanding of metavisualization and its relation to metacognition and epistemic practice. The validated instruments may be used for future quantitative or mixed research to advance understanding of the role metavisualization plays in various contexts of learning in science and technological education.

A number of Mobile-Assisted-Language-Learning (MALL) apps have been developed to enlarge students' vocabulary. However, few studies have discussed the potential to learn words deeply and productively. Therefore, this study evaluated the effectiveness of a mind mapping MALL app as an aid to assist northern Taiwan EFL participants in learning vocabulary. The research questions aimed to examine changes in vocabulary learning outcomes, and the perspectives the participants held regarding the app. Data were collected through tests (pretest, posttest and delayed posttest), visualized vocabulary knowledge mind mappings, and surveys. The posttest results showed the use of the mind mapping MALL app enhanced EFL vocabulary learning (t = 3.68, p<0.05; Cohen's d = 0.81, r = 0.38). In addition, based on the questionnaire responses, experimental participants agreed that not only did the MALL app provide them with a feasible way to move from receptive ways of learning to productive ways of learning, but it also bolstered word consciousness and word retention. Analytical ANCOVA results also verified that learners benefited more from the mind mapping app with respect to learning performance in their delayed posttest (t = 3.45, p<.05; Cohen's d = 0.77, r = 0.36). The findings may be construed as an effective method towards learning foreign words and further exploring the potential of vocabulary learning and MALL.

Public speaking is considered the most anxiety-provoking speaking activity for English as a foreign language (EFL) learner. While traditional lecture-based classrooms hinder EFL learners' constant practice and frequent interaction due to large class sizes and limited time, recent developments in technology, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Automatic Speech Analysis, and Virtual Reality (VR), may enhance language learning by offering accessible and personalized learning experiences. This study aimed to investigate the effects of technology-enhanced learning on reducing EFL learners' PSA. Thirty-three university students were divided into three groups and received either lecture-based, mobile-assisted, or VR-facilitated instruction for four weeks. The students' perceived PSA levels were reduced in all three groups after their respective instruction, but only the VR-facilitated group reached statistical significance, and there were no differences in the three groups' final oral performances. However, the two technology-enhanced language learning (TELL) groups achieved more convergent performances on the Personal Report of Public Speaking Anxiety scale compared with the non-TELL group, which indicated that the impact of individual differences may have been compensated by technology assistance. The findings suggested that the instructional feedback generated by AI decreased the participants' PSA, although the irreplaceable role of teachers as facilitators was also emphasized, while the potential of using VR in teaching public speaking was evident.

One of the main goals of the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) course is to facilitate the development of learners' reading comprehension and reflective skills in English, which can be developed with appropriate instruction. However, in EFL courses, many students are inactive in reflecting on their reading and are disengaged from learning. To fill this gap, a reflective reading-based e-learning approach was proposed to explore the impact of the suggested approach on reading comprehension, reflective thinking, and behavioral engagement. The study aimed to improve the comprehension of the student's reading using the proposed reflective e-learning approach. The study employed a quasi-experimental design in which the experimental group used reflective reading-based e-learning (n = 51) and the control group used conventional e-learning (n = 50) for a total of 13 weeks of participation. The experiment was designed to examine reading comprehension, reflective thinking, and behavioral engagement (e.g., reading time, Marker list, Quiz score, Memo list). The results revealed that the reflective reading-based e-learning approach could improve the comprehension and reflective thinking of the learners and promote behavioral engagement. These findings can be valuable for educators designing strategies to improve students' reading comprehension skills and stimulate behavioral engagement in e-learning systems.

The higher education in Taiwan was forced to begin an unprecedented large-scale distance teaching emergently due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in May 2021. This research accordingly intended to realize what the students had been experienced and the mechanical engineering at a private university of technology was investigated. There are five aspects surveyed and quantitatively their satisfying order from high to low is the following: learning resources, synchronous distance teaching, final assessment, learning effectiveness, and school equipment. Next, the qualitative data shows that most students embraced freedom and liberation at the beginning of the sudden implementation of the six-week emergency distance education, and soon discovered that the pressure of learning had become greater. Reasons include easy distraction at home, increased assignments, and relatively difficult online communication, etc. In summary, the participants have the highest satisfaction with "learning resources", although there are still students who complained that they can only access the visual classroom by poor facilities, like mobile phones (6% of the participants who cannot access computers/laptops for learning), old-fashioned computers, or no internet at home. It shows the limitations of unfair resources to online learning. Furthermore, the learning effect is the second-worst, showing that although the students have mastered the skills for synchronous remote education in the six weeks, most of them still prefer to return to the familiar and reliable face-to-face classroom, owing to the difficulties in communication, hardware, and software conditions. Finally, some suggestions for the college students to prepare for the uncertain future are provided based on the study conclusions.

Previous research has analyzed the meaning and value of STEM education and explored both its current possibilities and future development. However, STEM education experts have not reached a consensus on the goals of STEM education, making its promotion more challenging. Thus, this study examined which particular STEM education goals should be emphasized through a survey questionnaire. The study employed a stratified random sampling method to collect survey data from secondary teachers of STEM-related courses (i.e., science, technology, and mathematics) in Taiwan. A total of 645 valid survey responses were collected and then analyzed by independent t-test and analysis of variance to examine teachers' perceptions about 17 critical competencies proposed as education goals relevant to STEM education. The findings revealed that STEM teachers generally had positive attitudes and high levels of acceptance toward implementing the 17 proposed STEM education goals through integrative STEM education. However, the proposed goal of "cultivating students' entrepreneurial capabilities" received lower scores and should not be used at the secondary level. It may be introduced as an important education goal in tertiary STEM education. In addition, STEM teachers with different backgrounds (e.g., STEM teaching experience, perceptions of STEM teaching methods) perceived the competency goals as having different levels of importance in STEM education. Teachers' willingness to teach STEM using a transdisciplinary integration method increases when they have access to sufficient resources and support.

This qualitative study reports on the early implementation of bilingual education by teachers working in pre-tertiary contexts in Taiwan, with a specific focus on perceived challenges and the resulting bilingual education arrangements. Taiwan's public schools have begun to implement bilingual education in response to the Bilingual 2030 policy. Several scholars have identified potential challenges that may affect implementation. However, little is known about the challenges perceived by teachers and their effect on the implementation of bilingual education. This study addresses this gap using data collected through semi-structured interviews with 12 teachers from various academic disciplines in five primary schools and five junior high schools in northern Taiwan. Three challenges and six bilingual education arrangements were reported by the participating teachers. The paper discusses how these challenges may produce varying arrangements that are designed to achieve different outcomes, highlighting the need for policymakers to clearly define the intended outcomes of the bilingual education policy.

The purpose of this study is to understand the learning outcomes of students who participate in interdisciplinary hands-on advanced technology courses and the factors influencing their outcomes as well as to determine whether learning outcomes and cognitive development are affected by students' motivation for selecting the course with regard to their learning abilities. The subjects of this study are students who were enrolled in interdisciplinary advanced technology courses at a university located in Northern Taiwan from 2020 to 2021. We recruited 171 students to complete measures of their motivation for selecting the course and to complete a prelearning outcome scale during the first week; a learning abilities scale was completed during the ninth week; and a postlearning outcomes scale was completed during the sixteenth week. We recruited 96 students to participate in interviews after they completed the course to determine their cognitive development. The results showed that participants' average learning outcomes scores on the posttest were significantly higher than those on the pretest. After students participated in the course, 66.7% of them were in the "Apply" stage, indicating they could apply the knowledge they learned to other situations, while 25% were in the "Analyze" stage, indicating they could deconstruct the course knowledge based on its structure and understand the correlations among various items of course knowledge. Participants' interdisciplinary abilities were found to mediate the relationship between their autonomous motivation and cognitive development.

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.

A social skills training has previously resulted in positive improvements in social skills among children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This pilot study developed a play-based social skills training protocol for first-grade elementary children with ASD in Taiwan and determined its efficacy. Using a single-group pretest-posttest design, this study recruited seven first-grade elementary children with ASD aged 6-7 years. Seven children enrolled in a regular classroom participated in a 12-week play-based social skills training program which was led by an occupational therapist. The improvement of social skills was evaluated by occupational therapists through video coding and goal attainment scales. Caregivers and teachers were asked to complete the communication and socialization domains of the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale-Third Edition. The results showed significant improvements in the children's social skills performance between the pretest and posttest based on video coding and goal attainment scale. Significant improvements in the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale-Third Edition growth scale values of receptive and written language subdomains were observed. This study established an intervention protocol for first-grade children with ASD that could be used as a guide by clinical professionals who work with children with ASD who experience problems adapting to elementary school.

The intersection of modeling and STEM practices offers a promising avenue for creating an integrated STEM curriculum. However, research on designing modeling-based STEM (m-STEM) curricula is limited, particularly concerning how the curriculum affects the learning of students with different spatial abilities. This study developed a four-round modeling cycle using highway route selection as the topic to support the development of modeling practices for learners with diverse spatial abilities. Using a mixed-method research approach, this study collected and analyzed the modeling practices of 24 Taiwanese upper elementary school students with different spatial abilities by modeling practice worksheets. Further analysis of the modeling practices was conducted on students in the top third and bottom third of spatial abilities. Qualitative data, including interviews, classroom observations, and teacher reflections, were also analyzed to identify the curriculum factors influencing learning in students with different spatial abilities. Results revealed that all students increased their modeling practices from level 1 (single factor) to level 3 (relation) as the model complexity increased, indicating the effectiveness of the m-STEM curriculum. Additionally, the curriculum improved the equity of spatial ability in modeling practices. Low-spatial ability students benefited from hands-on practices and digital tools during the modeling selection phase. In contrast, high-spatial ability students benefited from analogies and experimental thinking during the model construction phase. This study highlights the potential for m-STEM curricula to promote learning equity and provides insights into effective and inclusive design practices for STEM educators.

This study examined Cho's dynamic system model of creative problem-solving ability in a sample of 112 gifted and non-gifted students. The cluster analysis and t-test results indicated that students should be categorized into high and low performance groups. Students who scored three points or more across all attributes also had a higher likelihood of possessing better mathematical creative problem-solving abilities. Furthermore, significant differences were found in the two groups' scores on the Creative Problem Solving Attributes Inventory and Mathematical Creative Problem Solving Ability Test. The environment attribute was the only one on which the two groups did not differ significantly; this may be the result of education fever in Asian societies. Finally, the results of this study not only indicated that creativity does not rely on a single factor but that a well-balanced environment is imperative to nurturing creativity.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is reportedly more prevalent in urban areas partly because of better accessibility and affordability to healthcare. With universal health insurance coverage in Taiwan, a previous study has shown no urban-rural disparity in the utilization rate of a child's preventive healthcare. Under this circumstance, we followed a birth cohort of 176,273 live births from 2006 to 2015 to detect the differences in ASD incidence between urbanicities. After adjusting for socioeconomic factors, children were 1.28 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.13-1.44) and 1.54 (95% CI: 1.36-1.75) more likely to acquire ASD in satellite and urban areas compared with those in rural areas, respectively. A gradient association between parental educational attainment and ASD incidence was also noted. Greater ASD incidences in more urbanized areas and more advanced educated parents' children were detected under a circumstance with low barriers to healthcare.

Whether altered white matter microstructural property of autistic people also exists in non-autistic siblings is uncertain. The microstructures of a neural tract may not be consistent throughout the whole track. We assessed 38 cognitive-able autistic males (aged 15.8 ± 4.4 years), 39 non-autistic siblings (16.5 ± 5.7 years), and 78 age- and sex-matched non-autistic comparison people (14.4 ± 5.3 years) using tract-based automatic analysis of diffusion spectrum imaging and threshold-free cluster-weighted method. First, we identified segments within the right frontal aslant tract, frontostriatal tract, and thalamic radiation to precentral areas in both autistic people and non-autistic siblings that differed from those in non-autistic comparison people. Second, segments within bilateral cingulate gyri and callosal fibers connecting superior temporal lobes differed between autistic people and non-autistic comparison people but not between siblings and non-autistic comparison people. Third, segments within the left inferior longitudinal fasciculus and callosal fibers connecting precuneus showed increased generalized fractional anisotropy in non-autistic siblings. Our findings suggest microstructural properties of some potential neural segments that were similar between autistic people and their non-autistic siblings may serve as intermediate phenotypes of autism, facilitating further etiological searching for autism. Meanwhile, increased microstructural properties in unaffected siblings alone might indicate compensatory processes in the light of genetic predisposition for autism.

With the increasing bandwidth, videos have been gradually used as submissions for online peer assessment activities. However, their transient nature imposes a high cognitive load on students, particularly lowability students. Therefore, reviewers' ability is a key factor that may affect the reviewing process and performance in an online video peer assessment activity. This study examined how reviewers' ability affected the comments they provided and their reviewing behaviors and performance. Thirty-eight first-year undergraduate students participated in an online video peer assessment activity for 3 weeks. This study analyzed data collected from the teacher's and peer reviewers' ratings, comments provided by peer reviewers, and system logs. Several findings are significant. First, low-ability reviewers preferred to rate higher scores than high-ability reviewers did. Second, low-ability reviewers had higher review errors than high-ability reviewers. Third, high-ability reviewers provided more high-level comments, while low-ability reviewers provided more low-level comments. Finally, low- and high-ability reviewers showed different behavior patterns when reviewing peers' videos. In particular, low-ability reviewers invested more time and effort in understanding video content, while high-ability reviewers invested more time and effort in detecting and diagnosing problems. These findings are discussed, and several suggestions for improving the instructional and system design of online video peer assessment activities are provided.