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Purpose: To explore preservice teachers' (PSTs) implementation of cooperative learning (CL) during their school-based student-teaching after undertaking a CL course in a Chinese physical education teacher education program. Method: An interpretive qualitative case study design gathered data from eight PSTs using classroom observations, semistructured interviews, reflective journals, instructional materials, and field notes. Interactive cycling coding was used to analyze the data. Findings: The two themes, putting five key elements into practice and learning to facilitate with CL, convey how the PSTs implemented the procedures of CL and adapted CL to the contexts they were teaching in. Discussion and Conclusions: The eight PSTs appropriately implemented CL and contextualized CL practice in their classrooms. They shifted their teaching approaches away from direct instruction and toward more independent, pupil group-based tasks. This growth is particularly important in the Chinese physical education context, where policies advocate for CL yet student-centered teaching which is rarely seen in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the influence of mobile-assisted critical writing instructions on EFL learners' writing skill in language institutes. Ninety EFL learners who were studying English at three branches of a language institute in Iran took part in this research. Two equal groups as control and experimental were formed. As the pretest, a writing task was assigned to the groups which required them to write an argumentative report. The reports were the participants' personal analyses of the contents they had viewed on TV about an important political issue. After the pretest, the control group received instructions for critical writing in class without using Instagram. The treatment lasted for 12 weeks. During the treatment, the control group were asked to watch some TV channels devoted to news. The experimental group received instructions for critical writing in class and via Instagram. The treatment lasted for 12 weeks. The experimental group, who were all Instagram users, were asked to view some Instagram accounts belonging to famous news agencies. Additionally, an Instagram account was created by the teacher and they were asked to follow it for receiving instructions there. When the treatments ended, the posttest was administered. The control group were required to watch the TV channels and the experimental group were required to view the Instagram accounts to write an argumentative report about an important political issue. The reports were the participants' personal analyses of the contents they had viewed. Despite having nearly the same mean scores on the pretest, the two groups' mean scores on the posttest were different and the experimental group scored higher than the control group. Finally, 15 members of the experimental group were interviewed. The focus of the interview was on the participants' suggestions and criticisms of the study. Overall, the experimental group had positive perceptions of the treatment. This study may have implications for teacher trainers, supervisors, teachers, and textbook writers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a scoping review of research that has been conducted on integrated STEM programmes in Australian schools over a 10-year period (2012–2022). It aims to determine how integrated STEM is being practiced. A total of 17 papers were chosen for review. The review explored the major characteristics of research that has been conducted on integrated STEM programmes in Australian schools, the teaching strategies used to teach integrated STEM and the reported impacts of these programmes. In fifteen of the papers experts from outside the school such as scientists and engineers, usually academics, were involved. Cooperative learning, project/problem-based learning and authentic experiences were the most common teaching strategies in a field characterised by positive learner outcomes. It is evident that teaching strategies are significant in the integration of STEM. Future research should focus on addressing issues of ecological validity, sustainability and scalability to ensure as many students as possible reap the benefits of high-quality STEM education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A collaborators' experiences learning (CEL) algorithm, based on multiagent reinforcement learning (MARL) is presented for multi-UAV cooperative path-finding, where reaching destinations and avoiding obstacles are simultaneously considered as independent or interactive tasks. In this article, we are inspired by the experience learning phenomenon to propose the multiagent experience learning theory based on MARL. A strategy for updating parameters randomly is also suggested to allow homogeneous UAVs to effectively learn cooperative strategies. Additionally, the convergence of this algorithm is theoretically demonstrated. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the algorithm, we conduct experiments with different numbers of UAVs and different algorithms. The experiments show that the proposed method can achieve experience sharing and learning among UAVs and complete the cooperative path-finding task very well in unknown dynamic environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Retos: Nuevas Perspectivas de Educación Física, Deporte y Recreación is the property of Federacion Espanola de Asociaciones de Docentes de Educacion Fisica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Learning through cooperation with conspecifics—'cooperative learning'—is critical to cultural evolution and survival. Recent progress has established that interbrain synchronization (IBS) between individuals predicts success in cooperative learning. However, the likely sources of IBS during learning interactions remain poorly understood. To address this dearth of knowledge, we tested whether movement synchrony serves as an exogenous factor that drives IBS, taking an embodiment perspective. We formed dyads of individuals with varying levels of prior knowledge (high–high (HH), high–low (HL), low–low (LL) dyads) and instructed them to collaboratively analyse an ancient Chinese poem. During the task, we simultaneously recorded their brain activity using functional near-infrared spectroscopy and filmed the entire experiment to parse interpersonal movement synchrony using the computer-vision motion energy analysis. Interestingly, the homogeneous groups (HH and/or LL) exhibited stronger movement synchrony and IBS compared with the heterogeneous group. Importantly, mediation analysis revealed that spontaneous and synchronized body movements between individuals contribute to IBS, hence facilitating learning. This study therefore fills a critical gap in our understanding of how interpersonal transmission of information between individual brains, associated with behavioural entrainment, shapes social learning. This article is part of the theme issue 'Minds in movement: embodied cognition in the age of artificial intelligence'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to identify the challenges and solutions associated with implementing cooperative learning (CL), based on the lived experiences of teachers in Iran. Thirty-two primary school teachers participated in a 16-session CL workshop. However, only thirty participants were able to implement this approach in their classrooms, and 19 of them voluntarily took part in the interviews. The data collected through interviews were analysed using Atlas.ti software. Three challenges and two solutions emerged as our main findings. The lack of stakeholders’ readiness, lack of facilities, and traditional structure hinder the effective implementation of CL. The results also revealed that improving curriculum elements and fostering a positive attitude among principals, educational policymakers, and other stakeholders towards the CL approach can create suitable conditions for effective implementation in Iran. Identifying perceived challenges and solutions can encourage teachers, parents, policymakers, and principals to provide suitable platforms for implementing CL in Iran. The results of this study highlight the necessity for teachers’ in-service training and participation of stakeholders to improve the delivery of CL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the impact of gamification on students' collaboration skills, engagement, and learning achievement in the context of 21st-century education. Utilizing an experimental method, the research was conducted to observe the effects of implementing gamification, particularly through the Quizizz application, in classroom learning. The findings revealed that students in the experimental group, who experienced gamified learning, showed significant improvement in collaboration skills, engagement, and academic achievement compared to the control group. The application of gamification provided an interactive and engaging learning environment that promoted active participation and collaboration among students. The use of gamification as a learning strategy not only enhances students' soft skills but also contributes positively to their overall academic performance. These results suggest that gamification is an effective tool in modern educational settings, providing valuable insights for educators and policymakers to enhance learning outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to analyse the 'Teaching Students to be Peacemakers' programme, which is frequently cited in the Peace Education discourse, within the context of Peace Education. Based on a systematic literature review conducted using the PRISMA method, the study focuses on this programme that emerged as significant from the review results. It first examines how the programme reflects the fundamental concepts and peace approaches of the Peace Education discourse. The subsequent section compares the programme with various types of Peace Education and the broader discourse of cooperative learning. It investigates whether the shift in Peace Education literature towards postmodern, poststructuralist, and Critical Peace Education approaches can rely on the cooperative learning paradigm. Additionally, the study highlights how a simplistic methodological interpretation of cooperative learning may hinder its use in supporting these increasingly emphasised approaches and explores how a broader understanding of the cooperative learning discourse can aid in dismantling personal, cultural, and social violence structures, as well as in supporting positive peacebuilding processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Team-Based Learning (TBL) has been widely applied in different fields (courses) and has been indicated to be efficient. Meanwhile, many studies have asserted that Group awareness (GA) information, which visually displays peers' learning context and activities, can increase peer participation within an online collaborative learning environment. As the level of preparation by students before class affects their subsequent learning performance in the TBL process, this study incorporates GA information into the preparation stage of TBL process and further develops the online TBL + GA system in order to raise peer preparation level. Furthermore, self-regulated learning (SRL) levels of a student and online learning environment interactively influence learning effectiveness. Accordingly, this study further investigates how the TBL + GA environment influences students with different SRL levels. Two freshman classes were randomly chosen, with one as the control class (using the traditional TBL) and the other as the experimental class using the TBL + GA. Analytical results indicate that although the two classes do not reach significance overall on preparation level, TBL + GA can significantly enhance preparation levels for high-SRL students, but not low-SRL students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrating STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) in authentic ways is often overlooked in early childhood spaces, despite young children having the ability to engage with the world around them through STEM practices. This piece showcases the work of children in a prekindergarten classroom as they explored an integrated STEM unit centering around the construction of a treehouse on their playground. Through the careful connection to content and standards in science, engineering, and mathematics, along with the integration of developmentally appropriate uses of technology, children learned about and constructed a treehouse on their school playground. Family and community partnerships also contributed to this work. We highlight the various phases of the project, associated standards, and tasks that children engaged with to help demonstrate the propensity of our youngest learners to authentically engage with STEM tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has shown that cooperative learning (CL) strongly promotes student learning at all educational levels. However, little is known about the CL's influence in teacher education. This study examined the impact of CL on EFL pre-service teachers' learning motivation and academic engagement using a pre-test/post-test quasi-experimental design. Two classes were randomly selected from regional teacher training centres in Cambodia, one class assigned as the experimental group (N = 35) and the other as the control group (N = 30). For one semester, the experimental group were exposed to CL while the control group were taught through lecture-based learning. Data were collected through adapted scales on learning motivation and academic engagement. The ANCOVA results revealed that CL was more effective for learning motivation and academic engagement, but no significant difference was found on extrinsic learning motivation. In conclusion, CL can foster learning motivation and academic engagement among EFL pre-service teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cooperative learning is a pedagogical practice widely endorsed in the literature to enhance students' creative writing skills. This methodology promotes the development of originality, fosters openness to new ideas, provides opportunities for interaction and tossing ideas around, and subsequently contributes to boosting creative textual production. This study aims to assess the impact of incorporating cooperative learning strategies on developing creative writing skills and enhancing self-efficacy among 6th-grade students. Additionally, this study reflects on using cooperative learning methods in the classroom setting, namely the roundtable and the cooperative graffiti. The participants were 34 students from two classes of the 6th grade of the 2nd cycle of basic school: an experimental group, where cooperative learning applies, and a control group, conducted using a traditional lecture. The study used a quasi-experimental design, incorporating pre-test and post-test. The non-parametric Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to assess within-group changes in pre-test and post-test scores for both the experimental and control groups. The findings from both classes suggest that cooperative learning is more effective than a traditional lecture in building creative writing skills and selfefficacy in Portuguese (first language) and maths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous research has suggests that cooperative learning methods and the development of fundamental motor skills support children's cognitive development, and further studies covering various aspects are recommended. In this study, as an alternative to traditional physical education classes including fundamental motor skill activities, we investigated the impact of cooperative learning methods incorporating these skills on children's visual-motor integration and selective attention. Methods: A total of 60 boy children in the 10–11 age range were included in the study. Groups; classical method (10.95 ± 0.58age), and cooperative learning group (10.91 ± 0.42age). The study spanned a total of 24 physical education class hours. While the classical method group continued to attend physical education lessons with an FMS-based prepared program for 8 weeks, cooperative learning group participated in an FMS-based program prepared according to the cooperative learning method (40min/3days/8weeks).At the beginning and end of the study, children underwent the Bender-Gestalt test and the d2 test of attention. Results: Within-group pre-post test comparisons revealed improvement in visual-motor integration and selective attention for both the classical method and cooperative learning groups. In between-group post-test comparisons, the cooperative learning group demonstrated greater improvement in visual-motor integration and selective attention parameters compared to the classical method. Conclusion: The results support increasing the inclusion of fundamental motor skill activities in physical education classes and advocating for the use of cooperative learning methods in these classes. Enhancements in visual-motor integration and selective attention may contribute to children forming quality relationships, enjoying activities, learning stress management, and developing as a group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous learning is central to ensuring organizations remain innovative and high-performing. Corporate trainers play a critical role in educating and training employees. However, in an era of digital transformation and, more recently, artificial intelligence, trainers need new skills and methods to stay current and facilitate the transformation of the workforce. The skills gap is best filled through cooperative learning with other trainers. However, cooperative learning is hindered by different spatial, organizational, and cultural boundaries that are difficult to overcome. This paper attempts to understand how cooperative learning of trainers can be enhanced through boundary spanning. It examines the case of the corporate learning department of a German high-tech multinational through ethnographic action research by the department manager, including 21 semi-directive interviews and direct observation. Using a grounded theory approach, we explore how the concept, causes, context, contingencies, and conditions of boundary spanning enhance cooperative learning among corporate trainers. The findings show that boundary spanning leads to cooperative learning through pedagogical scaffolding, communities of practice, and a new learning culture. Spontaneous boundary spanning occurs in parallel to guided boundary spanning. Both are made possible by appropriate leadership values and attitudes, trust, flexibility, and dedicated time and capacity. Our paper provides recommendations on the key issues managers face in facilitating boundary spanning and cooperative learning among their employees. We also show how key barriers and risks can be mitigated to enable employees to learn cooperatively with colleagues from different and distant organizational units. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study investigated the integration of the Form-Focused Instruction and Discovery Approach termed Form Focused Discovery Approach (FFDA) for developing English Foreign language university students' writing skills through teaching novel. The study aims to shift from the teacher-centered approach to the student-centered one by discovering the literary text's form and meaning. Therefore, sixty female fourth-year students at King Khalid University in Saudi Arabia were randomly chosen and divided into two groups: an experimental and a control one taught for two months. The experimental group received instructions through the Form-Focused Discovery Approach (FFDA), examining various tasks ranging from exploring, anticipating, questioning, discussing, analyzing, reconstructing, and practicing writing and reflection. In contrast, the control group received instruction through the traditional mode. A pre-post writing test for measuring skills of grammar, word choice, mechanics, organization, coherence, and style was administered. Results showed that the experimental group outperformed the control group in overall writing skills. However, for each skill, it is revealed that four primary skills have been significantly enhanced (i.e., grammar, organization, word choice, and mechanics). The other two skills (style and coherence) have been slightly improved but with no significant differences in the post-administration of the experimental group scores. More practice should be given to recognizing the text's unity and style when implementing FFDA to enhance EFL writing skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aimed at determining whether collaborative learning using dialogue journals and independent learning using self-assessment would enhance the writing skills of senior high school learners in Pasig. The research method was a mixed one, utilizing a true experiment for quantitative data and a phenomenological approach for qualitative data with a sample of 80 randomly chosen SHS learners. Quantitative data were derived from the results of the Pre-Test, End of Lesson Assessment (Essay), and Post-Test that were checked using an adopted essay rubric by 3 subject experts. Meanwhile, the qualitative data were attained by conducting semi-structured interviews with 20 participants. The statistical analysis used for the pre-test and post-test was an independent sample t-test and weighed mean for the ELA to analyze whether there was a significant difference in the results of the pre-implementation and postimplementation of the intervention used. Interview responses were analyzed through coding and thematic patterns. The results revealed that the writing skills of both CLG and ILG improved after the experiment, but ILG learners achieved a much higher score than CLG; moreover, although both groups claimed to have enjoyed and profited from cooperative and independent learning, the CLG learners, who collaborated with peers, bewailed the incompetence of some of the peers while the ILG learners, who worked by themselves, admitted that assistance from the teacher or a more competent learner could have been better. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Retos: Nuevas Perspectivas de Educación Física, Deporte y Recreación is the property of Federacion Espanola de Asociaciones de Docentes de Educacion Fisica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Retos: Nuevas Perspectivas de Educación Física, Deporte y Recreación is the property of Federacion Espanola de Asociaciones de Docentes de Educacion Fisica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Aiming at the problem of multi-agent cooperative confrontation in seize-control scenarios, we design an efficient multi-agent policy self-play (EMAP-SP) learning method. First, a multi-agent centralized policy model is constructed to command the agents to perform tasks cooperatively. Considering that the policy being trained and its historical policies usually have poor exploration capability under incomplete information in self-play trainings, the intrinsic reward mechanism based on random network distillation (RND) is introduced in the self-play learning method. In addition, we propose a multi-step on-policy deep reinforcement learning (DRL) algorithm assisted by off-policy policy evaluation (MSOAO) to learn the best response policy in the self-play. Compared with DRL algorithms commonly used in complex decision problems, MSOAO has more efficient policy evaluation capability, and efficient policy evaluation further improves the policy learning capability. The effectiveness of EMAP-SP is fully verified in MiaoSuan wargame simulation system, and the evaluation results show that EMAP-SP can learn the cooperative policy of effectively defeating the Blue side’s knowledge-based policy under incomplete information. Moreover, the evaluations results in DRL benchmark environments also show that the best response policy learning algorithm MSOAO can promote the agent to learn approximately optimal policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives: To assess the effect of an instructional WhatsApp group on self-care and HbA1c levels among female patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Background: T2DM is a chronic disease that requires effective self-care. WhatsApp is a free application that can be effectively used for patient education. Design: This study used a quasi-experimental design. Methods: A convenience sample of 62 female participants was recruited from the medical outpatient clinic of a tertiary hospital. The Diabetes Self-Care Scale was used to assess the self-care profiles of the participants pre- and post-intervention. HbA1c samples were also collected at baseline and three months after receiving instructions from the WhatsApp group. Sociodemographic and clinical data were collected during the pre-intervention stage. Results: The mean HbA1c level decreased from 8.61 ± 1.70 to 7.92 ± 1.60 after implementing the WhatsApp group instructions; the values showed a significant difference (t-value = 5.107 and P-value < 0.001). The post-test mean score of total self-care was higher than the pre-test mean score (t-value = 12.359, P-value <0.001), indicating a highly significant difference. Conclusions: The study demonstrated that the instructional WhatsApp group is an effective method for improving self-care and HbA1c levels in patients with T2DM. This study suggests the use of WhatsApp group instructions as a teaching method in the healthcare system for the education and follow-up of patients with T2DM. Relevance to clinical practice: The findings support the need to initiate effective and dynamic interventional follow-ups through WhatsApp groups for patients with T2DM to improve their self-care and HbA1c levels and ultimately reduce the burden on hospitals and governments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is essential to consider the impact of the cooperative learning (CL) mode when evaluating the effect of cooperative reading between students with and without vision impairment (VI) in inclusive classrooms. This research employs a within-subject two-factor experimental design to investigate the influence of the CL mode on the reading comprehension performance and cooperation level of students with and without VI, considering two text types. The independent variables are CL modes (positive interdependence vs. individual accountability ) and text types (narrative vs. expository). Reading comprehension performance is the outcome-oriented variable, and cooperation level (including knowledge construction, social interaction, and content contribution) is the process-oriented variable. Findings reveal challenges for VI and sighted upper-grade elementary students in reaching higher levels of knowledge construction during cooperative reading tasks. The PI mode demonstrates higher levels of knowledge construction for narrative texts, while the IA mode shows superior content contribution for expository texts. Notably, VI students achieve lower reading comprehension scores than sighted students in the IA mode and face disadvantages in knowledge construction and content contribution across different reading comprehension scenarios. Building upon these findings, this study put forward suggestions to improve reading comprehension and cooperative participation for VI students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strategies for active learning were examined as a mediator between educational components (curriculum, instruction, and assessment) and knowledge retention in Science Education. The researcher implemented a descriptive-correlation study that also used Structural Equation Modelling. The research utilized a simple random sample procedure and achieved an 81.52% response rate with 300 respondents. Students have experienced a curriculum emphasizing critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving, prioritizing comprehension over rote memorization. In terms of Instruction, dynamic teaching methods and cooperative learning help them foster real-world problem-solving and student-centered learning. Effective assessment practices enhance their self-awareness and autonomy. Finally, they found active learning strategies (ALS) and realworld problem-solving increase engagement and self-reliance. Knowledge retention in science was moderate overall (31.16; 38.95%). This finding supports that knowledge retention over time. In addition, HOTS concepts are complex to learn and thus pose a challenge to retain. While effective curriculum, instruction, and assessment are crucial, the study underscores that active learning strategies are the linchpin in fully mediating the relationship between assessment and knowledge retention. The study's findings emphasize the importance of science education, ensuring students are given opportunities to learn and develop thinking and questioning skills beyond mere information retention. To facilitate this, the study advocates implementing active learning strategies to bridge this gap, especially between assessment and knowledge retention. The study suggests that these strategies can significantly enhance student engagement and knowledge retention, with a focus on learning higher-order thinking skills (HOTS). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examined psychology students' understanding of interaction graphs. The sample was divided into two groups based on the students' level of instruction. In an interview, each student solved an interaction problem with graphic representations taken from their textbooks. There were two different types of task: a selection task and an interpretation task. The understanding and assessment of the adequacy of the graphic format were analysed categorically, and the differences between groups were studied. The data generally showed a low level of understanding of interaction graphs, although there were differences that revealed better results in the group with more instruction. Likewise, students generally preferred bar graphs over line graphs to represent interaction. However, students who clearly perceived the interaction chose line graphs to represent it. These data point to the need for statistical instruction based not only on the construction of graphs but also on their interpretation aimed at detecting conceptual relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the essential 21st-century skills that students must possess is the ability to collaborate. However, profiling students' collaboration skills is challenging without valid and reliable instruments. Therefore, this research aims to map the profile of students' collaboration skills using valid and reliable instruments. This study is descriptive-explorative research with a quantitative approach. The research sample included 900 Islamic Senior High School/Madrasah Aliyah students, with 150 students participating in the instrument trials and 750 serving as the primary sample in this study. The results indicate that the collaboration ability instrument is valid and reliable, as demonstrated by a loading factor value > 0.5, T-Value > 1.96, RMSEA 0.00 < 0.08, RMR 0.043, Std. RMR 0.040, GFI 0.95, AGFI 0.87, NNFI 0.97, CFI 0.98, IFI 0.98, RFI 0.97, PNFI 0.85, and a composite reliability coefficient CR=0.909 from the second-order confirmatory factor analysis. The findings show that students' collaboration skills are moderate, with an average score of 26.4, which falls within the medium category. The distribution of students' abilities is as follows: 347 students (46.3%) are classified as having moderate abilities, 207 students (27.6%) as having high skills, and 196 students (26.1%) as having low skills. Based on these results, teachers and stakeholders are encouraged to enhance students' collaboration skills through student-centred learning approaches, such as project-based learning, which can provide students with opportunities to engage and practice working together actively in the learning process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

'Taking part' in conversations requires different activities from the interactants depending on the kind of conversation. This article investigates co-constructions in oral peer group discussions of elementary school children from grades 2 to 6 (7–12 years old). Although dissent is the starting point of argumentations, negotiating processes in oral argumentations are often co-constructed by two or more speakers on different levels, including consensual contexts. Co-constructions presuppose that the second speakers recognize structures and expectations based on the turn of the first speaker and that they are able to complete or expand these structures. Therefore, co-constructions can be understood as an indicator for oral skills and as a key site of 'taking part' in small group discussions. The article will discuss two different kinds of co-constructions (morpho-syntactical and argumentative-structural) based on 60 transcripts from a bigger corpus of 180 peer discussions. The analysis will show that these co-constructions can be understood as synchronizations of thinking and acting and to what extent they are an indicator of oral skills and play an important role in cooperative learning settings. The results are relevant in school contexts when it comes to assess oral argumentation of students. For teachers, they are helpful to elicit requirements for children's argumentation skills and to design tasks conducive to learn to argue and develop assessment tools accordingly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main purpose of this research is to obtain the attitudes of teachers regarding the assessments of students during group work in primary education, while collecting data throught qualitative study, with a focus on current findings, shortcomings and difficulties, the benefits of carrying out the assessment during group work and effectiveness in achieving results. The instrument that we used to collect the data is semi-structured interview, connected with 15 primary education teachers. From the reviewed literature as well the qualitative study, we have taken the attitudes of teachers regarding the evaluation of students during group work while we have analyzed and presented as topics on the tables. As a conclusion we found that teachers attitudes and the reviewed literature are close to the purpose of this research, the benefits that students have during the assessment when they work in groups. The research is important because it helps teachers, educational researchers, parents and school leaders, who can benefit from this research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Success for All (SfA) is a comprehensive school reform program designed to support schools serving many students of disadvantaged backgrounds to increase students' achievement. SfA includes daily 90-min reading lessons with extensive use of cooperative learning, tutoring for struggling readers, and an emphasis on parental involvement. School teams receive coaching and training, and each school has a facilitator appointed who supports program implementation. SfA has shown positive results in the US, and has been translated to the Dutch context. Effects on students' reading achievement were evaluated with a total sample size of 1,011 students from three cohorts. We found a significant positive effect on reading fluency of first-grade students (Cohen's d = +0.40). The effect for the subgroup of low-socioeconomic-status students was even somewhat higher (Cohen's d = +0.63). We did not find significant effects in Grade 2 and Grade 3. We also found no effects of SfA on reading comprehension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the growing interest in using multimodal data to analyse students' actions in Computers‐Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) settings, studying teacher's orchestration load in such settings remains overlooked. The notion of classroom orchestration, and orchestration load, offer a lens to study the implications of increasingly complex technology‐supported learning environments on teacher performance. A combination of multimodal data may aid in understanding teachers' orchestration actions and, as a result, gain insights regarding the orchestration load teachers perceive in scripted CSCL situations. Studying teacher orchestration load in CSCL helps understand the workload teachers experience while facilitating student collaboration and assists in informing design decisions for teacher supporting tools. In this paper, we collect and analyse data from different modalities (i.e. electrodermal activity, observation notes, log data, dashboard screen recordings and responses to self‐reported questionnaires) to study teachers' orchestration load in scripted CSCL. A tool called PyramidApp was used to deploy CSCL activities and a teacher‐facing dashboard was used to facilitate teachers in managing collaboration in real time. The findings of the study show the potential of multimodal data analysis in investigating and estimating the orchestration load experienced by teachers in scripted CSCL activities. Study findings further demonstrate factors emerging from multimodal data such as task type, activity duration, and number of students influenced teachers' orchestration load. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teaching based on active methodologies emphasizes the importance of giving students a leading role in the learning process. With the implementation of the European Higher Education Area, universities have undergone a reform that significantly increased student involvement in the teaching–learning process. The University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) responded to this change by introducing its own educational model: IKD i3. The general objective of this research is to explore the effect of the IKD i3 strategy on the teaching staff of the UPV/EHU. The study aims to identify the active methodologies adopted by the teaching staff and the reasons behind the use (or not) of these methodologies. A total of 403 teachers participated in the study, and their opinions were gathered freely to accurately represent their viewpoints. The results reveal that teaching staff at the UPV/EHU utilize active methodologies, with the most frequent being problem-based learning, cooperative learning, and the case study method. The reasons for incorporating these methodologies vary and include both benefits for students and advantages related to teaching, while the rationale for not using active methodologies is based on the lack of training, time constraints, and having a large number of students. Interestingly, the teachers who expressed these arguments were primarily those who were not familiar with or actively participating in the IKD i3 educational model. We believe that while our findings validate the UPV/EHU's IKD i3 educational model, they also highlight the importance of universities not only having an educational model but also fostering a culture that encourages the active engagement of teaching staff. This commitment is essential to effectively develop and implement such a model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-agent encirclement with collision avoidance constitutes a common challenge in the multi-agent confrontation domain, wherein the focus lies in the development of cooperative strategies among agents. Previous studies encountered difficulties in addressing the dynamic encirclement of faster prey in obstacles environment. This paper introduces a novel multi-agent deep reinforcement learning approach based on prior knowledge. It is dedicated to exploring the multi-agent encirclement with collision avoidance task involving slower multiple pursuers collaboratively encircling faster prey in an obstacles environment. Firstly, the utilization of the classic Apollonius circle theory as prior knowledge guides agent action selection, narrows the exploratory action space, and accelerates the learning of strategies. Subsequently, the variance descriptor restricts the motion direction of pursuers, thus ensuring that pursuers continuously narrow the encirclement until the prey is successfully encircled. Finally, experiments in an obstacles environment were conducted to validate the proposed method. The results indicate that our method can acquire an effective encirclement strategy, with an encirclement success rate exceeding that of previous methods by more than 10%, and simulation experiment results demonstrate the effectiveness and practicability of our method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Unterrichtswissenschaft (Springer Science & Business Media B.V.) is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Based on social interdependence and social constructivism theories, the authors of this study examined the effects of a cooperative learning (CL) pedagogical model on the engagement and outcomes of undergraduate students in an Ethiopian university's classrooms. We did this by using a quasi-experimental post-test control group design. The study participants included undergraduate students enrolled in the courses "Risk Management and Insurance" (n = 99) and "Foundation Engineering I" (n = 94). The control groups received regular lecture-based teaching, while the experimental group received CL instruction over two weeks in six to eight sessions. The results from the Management sample, which demonstrated that the CL intervention group reported significantly higher learning outcomes and more engagement than the control groups, are sufficient evidence for the study to validate the hypothesis. The effect sizes were moderate and ranged from 0.52 to 0.78 Cohen's d. In the Engineering course, the results demonstrate the smallest difference between the mean scores reported by the CL group and those of the regular lecture group, with the CL group showing slightly higher student engagement and outcomes across the three categories assessed. The Engineering sample's results, however, did not show any significant differences between the CL and control groups. This study provides evidence that course reform utilizing a CL pedagogical design could improve student engagement and learning outcomes as compared to the regular lecture-based method. By incorporating CL pedagogies, higher educators and institutions can create more engaging and effective learning environments for students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The context for this study is the volatile, turbulent, and disruptive environment that affects higher education everywhere. A plethora of key problems facing higher education are identified. Among these are escalating costs and declining public support for higher education. This means that international education must compete with other possible priorities, such as strengthening disciplines or making campuses more attractive to prospective students. The basic aim of this paper is to develop a set of best practices to promote excellence and rigor in international higher education. In that sense, this could be called action research. This could also be considered the story of how to develop excellence and rigor in international higher education. The major methodology for this study is multiple case studies research and mixed methods research. Another method is reflective participant experience based on the author's seven decades of engagement with the internationalization of higher education. Both value premises and positionality, which might influence the research are openly shared. In terms of theoretical foundations, key genres of internationalization are identified and described, such as critical, comparative, and comprehensive internationalization. Then, in terms of results, in the next quantitative section of the paper, eight statistical tables are shared that show the current status of international higher education, primarily in the U.S., while also including a table showing the most international universities in the world. Then, in the next qualitative part of the study, 11 exemplary cases are presented, such as CAMPUS Asia, Volunteers in Asia (VIA), and the International Cooperative Learning Project. These projects involve a total of about 20 countries. The criteria for selection were factors such as depth, sustainability, and impactful, transformative learning. The paper concludes with an articulation of the best practices to achieve excellence in international education and the principle that true liberal education is inherently international and intercultural. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Arts for Linguistic & Literary Studies is the property of Thamar University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper focuses on ‘Activity Based Learning’ (ABL) that helps students acquire the interview skills at graduation level. The main aim of this quantitative study was to see how Activity Based Learning (ABL) helped low and high achievers in Bachelors of Technology (B. Tech.) course to improve their interview skills. For the research, 40 students were chosen at random from III B. Tech. classes and were divided into experimental and control groups (20 students + 20 students). To measure the extent of interview performance among the participants an achievement test was devised and was given twice, once as a pre-test and once as a post-test. Primarily, the pre-test was used to show that with respect to pervious knowledge of interview skills, both the groups were similar. Later, Activity Based Language Teaching method of instruction to the experimental group and traditional language teaching method of instruction to the controlled group were adopted. The post-test was given at the conclusion to assess the students’ progress. The researchers employed the independent sample t-test to see if mean scores’ difference between the groups was significant at the 0.05 level. In the post test, the experimental group outscored the control group demonstrating that ABL is an effective approach in improving students’ interview skills. The results suggest that the ABL method significantly develops and improves the interview skills of students when used in the classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When the new normal learning mode capitalized on technologically mediated communication, it created a high learner-content interaction while honing critical thinking and collaborative skills to achieve optimal learning. The disruption brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic instilled a sense of independence and flexibility in learning. The aim of this autoethnography is to consider the accounts of the author's independent learning throughout the pandemic in an online course. The author's comments, insights, and observations, which formed dense descriptions of the lived realities and were interpreted and analyzed through an autoethnographic lens, constituted a significant portion of the data. The findings show that students who engage in online learner autonomy assume complete accountability and exercise control over the learning process, thereby strengthening their capacity for independent and cooperative learning. Students face difficulties when they are overly flexible and independent, which leads to uncritical assessment of the material covered. The problem can be solved by applying critical thinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Retos: Nuevas Perspectivas de Educación Física, Deporte y Recreación is the property of Federacion Espanola de Asociaciones de Docentes de Educacion Fisica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study specifically investigates the impact of an ethnoscience-based Common Knowledge Construction Model (CKCM) learning approach integrated with podcast media on student learning outcomes and collaboration skills, concentrating on chemical bonding. The quasi-experiment research method was conducted in one of the private schools in Sukoharjo Central Java, involving 24 students in control and experimental classes. This research responds to skill demands in the 21st century to develop quality human resources by introducing innovations that integrate culture and technology into a learning system, focusing on enhancing students' soft skills, especially in collaboration. The results of the data analysis show that the learning model significantly influences student learning outcomes. However, the study indicates that this approach results in a slight improvement in students' collaboration abilities. Yet, further exploration and refinement may be necessary to enhance its effectiveness in fostering collaboration skills. This research contributes valuable insights for educators seeking innovative approaches to equip students with the skills needed to thrive in the contemporary education and employment landscape, such as competence, superiority, and competitiveness. Thus, the CKCM learning model has great potential to continue to be developed as a learning model that can answer the challenges of the 21st century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to analyze the influence of cooperative learning models and learning motivation on student learning outcomes on chemical bonding materials. The background of this research is the low learning outcomes of students on complex chemical materials, especially chemical bonds, which are often caused by a lack of understanding of concepts and low student learning motivation. To overcome this problem, a cooperative learning model is proposed as an effective strategy. This study uses a quantitative method with a pseudo-experimental design involving two classes as samples: an experimental class that uses a cooperative learning model and a control class with conventional learning methods. Data collection was carried out through learning outcome tests and learning motivation questionnaires. The study results show that the cooperative learning model positively and significantly influences student learning outcomes. In addition, it was found that student learning motivation plays a role as a moderation variable that strengthens the impact of learning models on learning outcomes. In conclusion, using cooperative learning models effectively improves student learning outcomes, especially when combined with efforts to increase learning motivation. Therefore, this learning model is recommended for chemistry learning, especially in chemical bonding materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a cooperative learning unit that could be beneficial for students with and without disabilities in general physical education settings. A description of this unit, helpful resources, and recommendations are provided for planning and implementing this unit. Keywords: Cooperative learning, physical education, disabilities, In physical education (PE) programs around the world, students with disabilities are commonly educated in general settings alongside their peers without disabilities (Haegele et al., 2017). Many students with disabilities [...]

Copyright of Retos: Nuevas Perspectivas de Educación Física, Deporte y Recreación is the property of Federacion Espanola de Asociaciones de Docentes de Educacion Fisica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The study evaluated the effectiveness of e-learning platforms in improving Science achievement among Grade VI pupils at Southville Elementary School. A total of 54 pupils were divided equally into traditional instruction and elearning groups. The research used matched pairing and statistical methods, including mean, standard deviation, paired t-tests, and Cohen's d. Initial findings revealed that both groups had the same mean pre-test score of 7.52 (SD = 1.87), indicating a satisfactory performance. During the formative tests, the e-learning group outperformed the Traditional Instruction Group, with mean scores of 50.41 (SD = 3.92) and 46.70 (SD = 4.42), respectively. In the post-test, the elearning group again showed superior performance, with a mean score of 15.44 (SD = 1.72) compared to the traditional instruction group's 14.15 (SD = 2.05), both of which were at a very satisfactory level. Statistical analysis confirmed a significant difference between the groups in both formative tests [(t(52) = 3.26; p<0.01], with a moderate effect size (d = 0.88), and post-tests [(t(52) = 2.52; p<0.05], with a moderate effect size (d = 0.68). Furthermore, the within-group analysis revealed significant differences between pre- and post-test scores. For the traditional instruction group, the post-test scores were significantly higher than the pre-test scores [(t(26) = 12.17; p<0.01], with a large effect size (d = 4.41). Similarly, the e-learning group showed significant improvement [(t(26) = 15.66; p<0.01], with a large effect size (d = 3.38). It is concluded that e-learning platforms significantly enhance pupil performance in Science. Also, both null hypotheses in the study were rejected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To understand how a season of sport education (SE) and a hybrid SE and cooperative learning season impacted on elementary school students' physical activity levels and motivation and to examine possible differences according to gender. Method: A total of 97 fourth- to fifth-grade students in four intact classes participated in a 14-lesson handball season. Results: Students in SE had higher levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity levels than the hybrid season. When sorted by gender, boys were significantly more active than girls in both interventions. However, students in the hybrid season reported higher levels of motivation than participants in the SE season, especially for intrinsic motivation. Conclusion: The hybridization of models positively affected students' motivation in PE, while the reverse is true of SE with regard to physical activity levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Environmental & Social Management Journal / Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental is the property of Environmental & Social Management Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Static image is an important form of displaying a sketch, representing the appearance information of the sketch. And a stroke sequence composed of several points can also express the shape and contour information of the sketch. Therefore, it is very reasonable to treat a sketch as point-modal data and image-modal data simultaneously. In this paper, a method based on bi-modal model using cooperative learning paradigm is proposed for the sketch recognition task. Specifically, in the point-modal branch, a structural point convolution block is developed by properly dividing local regions to preserve the structural information. In the image-modal branch, the hierarchical residual structure is used to fully extract image-modal features. To reduce the negative impact of noisy samples on the recognition performance, a cooperative learning paradigm is designed based on different perceptual abilities of two modal branches on noisy samples, that is, when training the two branches, the noisy samples can be filtered out through information exchanges and mutual learning. Extensive experiments on the sketch datasets TU-Berlin and QuickDraw show that the proposed method outperforms most baseline methods and has many advantages such as no dependence on additional data and stroke information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In recent years, the traditional simulation-based medical teaching approach has faced challenges in meeting the requirements of practical emergency medicine education. This study utilized open-source tools and software to develop immersive panoramic videos using virtual reality technology for emergency medical teaching. It aims to investigate the efficacy of this novel teaching methodology. This transformation shifted the focus from physical simulation to virtual simulation in medical education, establishing a metaverse for emergency medical teaching. Methods: In accordance with the curriculum guidelines, the instructors produced panoramic videos demonstrating procedures such as spinal injury management, humeral fracture with abdominal wall intestinal tube prolapse, head and chest composite injuries, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and tracheal intubation. Using Unity software, a virtual training application for bronchoscopy was developed and integrated into the PICO4 VR all-in-one device to create a metaverse teaching environment. Fourth-year medical undergraduate students were allocated into either an experimental group (n = 26) or a control group (n = 30) based on student IDs. The experimental group received instruction through the metaverse immersive teaching method, while the control group followed the traditional simulation-based medical teaching approach. Both groups participated in theoretical and practical lessons as usual. Subsequently, all students underwent a four-station Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) to assess the effectiveness of the teaching methods based on their performance. Additionally, students in the experimental group provided subjective evaluations to assess their acceptance of the new teaching approach. Results: Before the training commenced, there were no significant statistical differences in the first aid test scores between the experimental and control groups. Following the training, the experimental group outperformed the control group in the four-station OSCE examination, with all P-values being less than 0.05. The satisfaction rate among the experimental group regarding the new teaching method reached 88.46%, reflecting levels of satisfaction and extreme satisfaction. Conclusion: The open-source metaverse immersive teaching method has demonstrated a positive impact on enhancing the emergency skills of medical undergraduate students, with a high level of acceptance among students. In comparison to traditional simulated medical teaching methods, this approach requires less time and space, incurring lower costs, and is deemed worthy of wider adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Jigsaw method is a structured cooperative-learning technique that lays the groundwork towards achieving collective competence, which forms the core of effective clinical practice. It promotes deep learning and effectively enhances team-work among students, hence creating a more inclusive environment. Objective: Present study was designed to introduce jigsaw model of cooperative learning to early-year undergraduate medical students, measure its effectiveness on their academic performance, and evaluate the perspectives of both students and faculty members regarding the same. Methods: It was a mixed method research, involving eighty second-year undergraduate medical students. The jigsaw cooperative learning approach was introduced in two themes within neurosciences module. Students were divided into two equal groups, with one group experiencing typical small-group discussions (SGDs) in first theme and other group exposed to jigsaw approach. The groups were then reversed for second theme. Following the activity, an assessment comprising multiple-choice-questions was conducted to evaluate the impact of jigsaw technique on students' academic performance, with scores from both groups compared. Student perspectives were gathered through self-designed and validated questionnaire, while faculty perceptions were obtained through focus group discussions. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS v22, while thematic analysis was performed for qualitative data. Results: The students of jigsaw group displayed significantly higher median assessment score percentage compared to control group (p = 0.003). Moreover, a significantly greater number of students achieved scores ≥ 60% in jigsaw group compared to control group (p = 0.006). The questionnaire responses indicated a favorable perception of this technique among students, in terms of acceptance, positive interdependence, improvement of interpersonal skills, and comparison with typical SGDs. This technique was also well-perceived within the educational context by faculty members. Conclusion: The jigsaw method is associated with higher levels of academic performance among students when compared to typical small-group discussion. The students and faculty perceived this technique to be an effective cooperative learning strategy in terms of enhanced student engagement, active participation, and a sense of inclusivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]