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Professional trainers play an important role in helping new recruits adapt to the workplace. In general hospitals, training courses for clinical teachers still adopt the lecture method. Such a teacher training approach focuses on the way of delivering knowledge and skills, while the training for their teaching of case handling as well as their self-worth and self-confidence could be insufficient. In order to cope with this problem, the present study proposed a ChatGPT-based training mode (ChatGPT-TM) for professional development. To verify its effects, we conducted an experiment in a “Using ChatGPT in Case Teaching” course for clinical teachers in hospitals, and explored their learning achievement, self-worth, self-confidence, and learning perceptions using the ChatGPT training mode (ChatGPT-TM) and the conventional training mode (C-TM). The results showed that the ChatGPT-TM could effectively enhance clinical teachers’ learning achievement in case teaching, self-worth, and self-confidence in comparison with the C-TM. The main contribution of this study is that it revealed that ChatGPT could allow clinical teachers to carry out reflection, verify references, and integrate theory and practice, which improved their learning achievement, made them realize their self-worth, and increased their self-confidence in performing professional training tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a conventional art course, it is important for a teacher to provide feedback and guidance to individual students based on their learning status. However, it is challenging for teachers to provide immediate feedback to students without any aid. The advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) has provided a possible solution to cope with this problem. In this study, a deep learning-based art learning system (DL-ALS) was developed by employing a fine-tuned ResNet50 model for helping students identify and classify artworks. We aimed at cultivating students' accurate appreciation knowledge and artwork creation competence, as well as providing instant feedback and personalized guidance with the help of AI technology. To explore the effects of this system, a quasi-experiment was implemented in an artwork appreciation course at a university. A total of 46 university students from two classes who took the elective art course were recruited in the study. One class was the experimental group adopting DL-ALS learning, while the other was the control group adopting conventional technology-supported art learning (CT-AL). The results showed that in comparison with CT-AL, learning through the DL-ALS could facilitate students' learning achievement, technology acceptance, learning attitude, learning motivation, self-efficacy, satisfaction, and performance in the art course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In second language acquisition (SLA), vocabulary learning can be a great challenge for some English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. Virtual Reality (VR) technology has unleashed its potential in language education, but insufficient attention has yet been paid to its impact on EFL learners’ vocabulary learning. To bridge this gap, we conducted a quasi-experiment based on a self-developed VR platform, in order to investigate the effects of VR on EFL learners’ vocabulary learning. A total of 68 college students participated in this study and were assigned to either the experimental (VR players) or the comparison (video watchers) group. The results revealed that the VR players significantly outperformed the video watchers in terms of vocabulary learning. The VR environment contextualized vocabulary learning by providing an authentic language learning experience, a strong sense of presence, and instant interaction and feedback, whereas the VR players’ learning motivation still needed to be strengthened. Analysis of semi-structured interviews further demonstrated that most of the students valued the potential of the VR-assisted learning approach, while some of them still held mixed feelings about it. This study provides some suggestions for both language instructors and technical experts in terms of task design, platform optimization, and material development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learning with digital games has gained considerable popularity. While digital game‐based learning has the potential to improve learners' language learning achievement, engagement and motivation, there still exists a gap when it comes to providing effective feedback to learners within these games. Conventional digital games generally provide learners with immediate error correction, which could be of less help to learners when learning complex language content, such as grammar. In this study, a metalinguistic corrective feedback‐based digital gaming approach is proposed. Moreover, an experiment was conducted to explore how digital games, combined with metalinguistic corrective feedback, affect novice English learners' grammar learning achievement, as well as their perceptions of learning motivation, self‐efficacy and flow experience during learning. Lag sequential analysis was also applied to identify differences in the behavioural patterns of the two groups. A total of 76 university students participated in this study. The experimental group learned the target grammar via digital games combined with metalinguistic corrective feedback, whereas the control group learned with digital games combined with regular feedback, which is immediate error correction. The results suggest that metalinguistic corrective feedback has a positive impact on students' grammar learning, and benefits students who have lower initial intrinsic motivation and self‐efficacy. Different feedback types also lead to diverse learning behaviours. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic Feedback has substantial potential within the domain of digital game‐based learning.Proper instructional theories and strategies should be considered when designing digital games to guide language learners to engage in meaningful learning.What this paper adds Feedback that directs learners to rectify errors by emphasizing grammatical rules and language structures is referred to as metalinguistic corrective feedback. This study proposed a metalinguistic corrective feedback‐based digital gaming approach to explore the efficacy of such feedback in digital games.In addition to learning outcomes, learners' learning behaviour patterns were also recorded and analysed in this study.Implications for practice and/or policy It is potentially worth integrating metalinguistic corrective feedback into digital games to facilitate language learners' learning performances and perceptions.Metalinguistic corrective feedback has the potential to support learners with lower self‐efficacy and motivation to learn complicated language content.Future research can integrate different feedback models into digital games and investigate their effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, alternate reality games (ARGs) have been applied in museum learning to encourage learners' active engagement through playful problem‐solving activities. However, most learners have insufficient prior knowledge and metacognitive skills to complete the learning tasks in such games. To support learning with ARGs, there is a need to provide proper feedback so that the learners are capable of self‐regulated learning and solving the problems encountered during the learning process. Considering the influences of individual differences, this research developed a chatbot as a learning partner in ARG‐based learning to support students’ learning with adaptive feedback in a museum. A quasi‐experimental study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness with and without the proposed approach. The results showed that the AI‐based chatbot approach could significantly improve learners' metacognition awareness, emotional engagement and behavioural engagement. Besides, it is helpful to facilitate students' double‐loop learning.Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic Alternate reality games (ARGs) enable students to interact with real‐world contexts. The complexities of real contexts and ambiguities of the ARGs could frustrate students and demotivate their engagement in problem‐solving activities. Conventional corrected feedback may fail to match individual students' requirements in solving encountered problems. What this paper adds An AI‐based chatbot was designed as a smart learning partner to support the students in solving encountered problems. The experimental results showed that the proposed approach improved students' metacognitive awareness and engagement. A drawing analysis and a behaviour sequential analysis were applied to further examine the students' perceptions and behavioural patterns. Implications for practice and/or policy It is potentially worth integrating AI‐based chatbots into game‐based learning to promote students' metacognitive awareness and engagement. AI‐based chatbots provide adaptive feedback to effectively facilitate students' self‐regulated learning and double‐loop learning. Alternate reality games (ARGs) enable students to interact with real‐world contexts. The complexities of real contexts and ambiguities of the ARGs could frustrate students and demotivate their engagement in problem‐solving activities. Conventional corrected feedback may fail to match individual students' requirements in solving encountered problems. An AI‐based chatbot was designed as a smart learning partner to support the students in solving encountered problems. The experimental results showed that the proposed approach improved students' metacognitive awareness and engagement. A drawing analysis and a behaviour sequential analysis were applied to further examine the students' perceptions and behavioural patterns. It is potentially worth integrating AI‐based chatbots into game‐based learning to promote students' metacognitive awareness and engagement. AI‐based chatbots provide adaptive feedback to effectively facilitate students' self‐regulated learning and double‐loop learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides research-based evidence to profile: (1) the roles of artificial intelligence in nursing, (2) its research applications, and (3) the research trends for future study. On the basis of the PRISMA statement, a series of AI and nursing education related keywords from the literature were used to retrieve high-quality journal articles from the Web of Science. A total of 112 AI-supported nursing education research articles were analyzed based on a three-dimensional framework, including interaction (e.g. the roles of AI, types of AI systems), research (e.g. methods and fields), and performance (e.g. research groups and measurement foci). The results revealed that AI played a primary role in profiling and prediction in nursing research (63%), and the most used AI system in nursing was intelligent agents (53%). The quantitative approach (87%) was the dominant research method, and the most relevant studies concerned health and medicine (92%). Regarding sample and measurement matters, patients and medical staff (75%) were the two primary research samples, and the performance evaluation of AI-related tools and systems (90%) was the core measurement focus. Additional content analysis across the three research interests was performed and discussed. Directions for future studies are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cultivating staff's professional English has become an imperative and challenging issue in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) countries. English for medical professionals is also the common language around the world for publishing new medical knowledge or reports. Therefore, Medical English for Health Professionals (MEHP) is a crucial required professional training program in nursing education. Its purpose is to improve nursing students' professional English so that they can directly understand the clinical medical information related to patients, thereby reading the latest international medical knowledge and participating in research themselves. Objective: The MEHP program is commonly conducted in a large‐scale class using the lecturing approach, which is a passive learning mode lacking opportunities for individual students to experience learning contexts and to receive advice and guidance from the teacher. To solve this problem, the present study proposed a motivation model‐based professional English gaming approach. Method: To verify the effects of the proposed approach, a quasi‐experiment was conducted in an MEHP program of a university to explore the effects of the approach on nursing students' learning achievements. In addition, the higher and lower achievers' behavioural patterns, as well as their perceptions of the learning approach, were investigated. Results and Conclusions: The results showed that the motivation model‐based digital gaming approach improved the students' professional English achievements in the "application" dimension as well as their positive perceptions of learning professional English more than the conventional learning approach. Moreover, when learning with the proposed approach, the higher achievers revealed more positive behavioural patterns than the lower achievers. The main contributions of the study are the proposal of a motivation model‐based digital gaming approach, and showing the effectiveness of the proposed approach in helping trainees gain a deeper understanding of professional English and facilitating their positive learning behaviours in a course for medical English. Practitioner notes: What is already known about this topic: Scholars have indicated the importance of situating learners in authentic contexts.Digital games can provide learning contexts for English as Foreign Language (EFL) learners.Digital games have potential to motivate EFL learners to actively learn and practice English. What this paper adds: A motivation model‐based digital gaming approach is proposed for professional English learning.A digital game has been implemented for Medical English for Health Professionals (MEHP) based on the proposed approach.An experiment has been conducted to examine the effectiveness of the approach and to analyse learners' behaviours using the proposed approach. Implications for practice and/or policy: The motivation model‐based digital gaming approach has great potential in improving learners' professional achievements.The motivation model‐based digital gaming approach can promote learners' positive behavioural patterns.It is recommended to apply the approach to other professional English courses for EFL learners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Augmented reality (AR) can represent a contextualised scientific inquiry environment in which students may explore the real world and develop science process skills via interacting with rich information from virtual systems. However, it remains a challenge for most students to complete scientific inquiry tasks without proper support. Research evidence has suggested the potential of reflective scaffolding when applying scientific inquiry. Accordingly, we designed a contextualised reflective mechanism-based AR learning model to assist students in completing scientific inquiry tasks. Guided by the proposed model, we designed four stages of scientific inquiry learning: conceptual understanding, reflective cognition, in-depth inquiry, and knowledge building. A quasi-experiment and lag sequential analysis were conducted by recruiting 81 sixth-grade students to examine the effects of the proposed model on their scientific inquiry learning performances, higher order thinking, and behavioural patterns. The experimental results reveal that the proposed approach improved students' inquiry learning performances and higher order thinking tendency (problem-solving tendency and metacognitive awareness). Moreover, the evidence from this study also suggests that the students who learned with the proposed approach exhibited more observation, comparison, exploration, and reflection behavioural patterns in the field trip than those who learned without the contextualised reflective mechanism. Implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital games have been used in various disciplines to enhance students’ learning interest and effectiveness through the gaming contexts. However, most of the digital educational games use multiple-choice questions to confirm students’ learning status, implying the challenge of understanding the actual learning status of students. Also, the gaming system cannot analyze the possible reasons for students’ wrong answers and so provide suggestions. Therefore, this study proposed a two-tier assessment-based contextual gaming (TTA-CG) approach to confirm whether students correctly answer the questions based on the right reasons as well as identifying the reasons for students’ wrong answers. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, a quasi-experiment was conducted in a horticulture course. Two classes of first-year vocational high school students were recruited as the participants. One class with 35 students was the experimental group learning with the TTA-CG approach; the other class with 35 students was the control group adopting the conventional contextual gaming (C-CG) approach. The experimental results showed that the TTA-CG approach was more effective than the C-CG approach in terms of enhancing students’ learning achievement, motivation, and self-efficacy. In addition, there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of cognitive load . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In conventional digital game-based learning, geographic maps are generally used to provide students with the whole picture of the gaming contexts, while the concepts to be learned are separately presented as individual gaming objects. Scholars have indicated the problems of such a gaming content design, in which students could encounter difficulties making effective connections between spatial and conceptual knowledge during the learning process, which may influence their learning effectiveness. As a result, it is a crucial and challenging issue to assist students in organizing spatial and conceptual knowledge in contextual learning environments, such as digital games. To solve this problem, an integrated concept map and geographic map-based digital gaming (CM-GMDG) approach is proposed to demonstrate how spatial and conceptual knowledge can be connected in the development of digital games. To investigate the effectiveness of the approach, a quasi-experiment was conducted in a social science course. Two classes of seventh graders in a high school participated in this study. The experimental group (N = 39) adopted the CM-GMDG approach while the control group (N = 23) adopted the conventional geographic map-based digital gaming (GMDG) approach. The results showed that the students using the CM-GMDG approach significantly outperformed those using the GMDG approach on learning achievement. Moreover, the learning behavioral pattern analysis results showed that compared with the control group, students in the experimental group more frequently engaged in knowledge-acquiring behaviors, such as reading learning materials and completing learning tasks. On the other hand, the control group gave up on the learning tasks more frequently by switching the gaming scenes and stopping answering questions. This indicated that the CM-GMDG approach was more helpful for guiding students to focus on their learning tasks than the GMDG approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study employed the draw-a-picture technique and epistemic network analysis (ENA) to reveal university students’ viewpoints on ChatGPT-supported learning, as well as the conceptions, roles, and educational objectives of ChatGPT-supported learning among university students with different learning attitudes. The results showed that university students’ conceptions of ChatGPT-supported learning were diverse and interrelated. Most students agreed that ChatGPT could facilitate learning anytime and anywhere, and held positive emotions and attitudes. In the conceptions of ChatGPT-supported learning, there were significant differences in the four categories of locations, learning content, learning activities, and objects between the low learning attitude (LLA) and the high learning attitude (HLA) groups. Besides, the HLA group preferred to use ChatGPT for specific learning content, and showed higher levels of engagement in discussions and consultations. The LLA group was inclined to use ChatGPT at home or in places with traditional classroom equipment for completing reports or assignments. Most students in the HLA group regarded ChatGPT as a tutor, while those in the LLA group viewed it as a tool. Based on the above findings, this study puts forward some suggestions for how to implement ChatGPT-supported learning in higher education as a reference for educators, researchers and training developers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractWith its increasing popularity, understanding learners’ perceptions of online education has become more important. The present study employed drawing analysis to examine university students’ conceptions of online learning and how students with different self-regulation statuses conveyed their ideas through drawing. A total of 58 Taiwanese university students were recruited in the present study. In order to explore their conceptions of realistic and idealistic online learning, they were required to produce two drawings based on the guiding questions. Besides, this study employed a questionnaire to understand university students’ online learning self-regulation. Based on the analysis of the drawings of realistic and idealistic online learning, it was found that students intended to shift their attention from individual (realistic) to group participation (including peers and teachers) (idealistic); they also cared about the learning spaces, windows and facilities (e.g. air conditioning), and a comfortable and quiet learning environment (idealistic). In addition, students with a higher level of self-regulation believed that an idealistic online learning context should include doors/windows, while those with a lower level of self-regulation drew symbols or words related to negative emotions in realistic online learning contexts. These results mean that the higher self-regulated students could better control and manage their learning time and progress independently, so they needed more flexibility and control to manage their learning environment. Finally, the implications and directions for future research are provided based on the findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Facilitating decision making in authentic contexts is an important educational objective of professional training. To enable learners to have more opportunities to practice in authentic contexts under the guidance of instructors, the flipped learning mode of shifting the lectures to be the pre-class activity with the presentation of digital media has gradually been receiving attention. However, the conventional flipped learning mostly uses videos to present teaching content. In such a learning environment with one-way information and lack of experience, it is not easy for most learners to experience the actual situation encountered in the nursing procedure, which affects their judgment and performance when dealing with actual scenarios. To solve this problem, the present study adopted spherical video-based virtual reality (SVVR) to provide an experiential learning mode in flipped learning. To verify the effects of this teaching mode, this study conducted an experiment in a blood transfusion safety training course. The experimental group used the SVVR-based experiential flipped learning (SVVR-EFL) mode, while the control group used the conventional flipped learning mode. The results showed that using the SVVR-EFL mode not only enhanced new nursing staff's learning achievement, but also increased their decision-making performance, meta-cognition tendency, problem-solving tendency and classroom engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In professional training courses, developing incumbents' professional knowledge and problem-solving skills when facing clinical and urgent situations is a crucial point. In conventional professional training, usually the learning content is delivered in a lecture-based mode using instructional videos with some case studies. In such a training mode, trainees are more passive and cannot immerse themselves in the contexts since there is a lack of opportunity to experience the process of coping with problems when accidents occur. Moreover, trainers generally do not have sufficient practice and are unable to think in depth regarding how to use the learned knowledge and skills to deal with practical cases. To tackle this problem, an experiential learning-based virtual reality approach is proposed in the present study. Accordingly, a virtual reality-based learning environment was implemented; moreover, a quasi-experimental study was carried out to verify the effectiveness of this approach in a professional training program of a hospital by exploring its influences on nursing staff's learning achievement and perceptions from diverse angles. The experimental results showed that the proposed approach better enhanced the nursing staff's learning achievement, learning attitudes, and problem-solving skills in comparison with the conventional teaching mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reviewed the mobile technology-supported music education (MTSME) studies published in several academic databases, namely Scopus, WOS, ERIC, and RILM, from 2008-2019. Based on the technology-based learning model, the application domains, research issues, sample groups, research methods, adopted devices, and learning strategies were examined. In addition, visual categorization analysis was conducted to further analyze the keywords adopted in the studies. The results show that the number of MTSME studies increased in the time period. It was also found that a majority of studies mainly focused on learner perceptions (e.g. learning reception, learning attitude, and learning motivation). Tablet computers were the most frequently adopted mobile devices. In terms of learning strategies, guided learning, project-based learning, and inquiry-based learning were extensively used in the MTSME studies. In addition, the results of the keyword analysis showed three thematic clusters of MTSME studies, namely "mobile technology-supported teaching management and learning design," "developing appropriate music educational resources for different educational levels," and "mobile technology facilitated learning motivation in music education." According to the research results, several suggestions for future research are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the roles and research foci of AILEd (Artificial Intelligence in Language Education). The AILEd studies published from 1990 to 2020 in the WOS (Web of Science) database were included in the present study. Based on the well-recognized Technology-based Learning Review model, several dimensions, such as research methods, research sample groups, adopted technology, language skills, the role of AI in language education, and learning outcomes, were taken into account. The review results show that the main application domains of AILEd research were writing, reading, and vocabulary acquisition. In terms of applied technology and algorithms, AI in language education mostly adopted ITS (Intelligent Tutoring System) and NLP (Natural Language Processing). Besides, several commonly used AI algorithms were Statistical Learning, Data Mining, Machine Learning, and Natural Language Parsing. It was also found that some research focused on learning anxiety, willingness to communicate, knowledge acquisition, and classroom interaction. However, higher order thinking, complex problem solving, critical thinking ability, and collaborative learning tendencies were rarely considered in AILEd studies. Accordingly, several suggestions are provided to researchers, teachers, and decision makers for applying or studying AI applications in language education in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the trends of chatbots in education studies by conducting a literature review to analyze relevant papers published in the Social Science Citation Index (SSCI) journals by searching the Web of Science (WoS) database. From the analysis results, it was found that the United States, Taiwan and Hong Kong are the top three contributing countries or regions. In addition, most studies adopted quantitative methods in their research design, such as ANOVA (Analysis of variance), descriptive statistics, t test, and correlation analysis. ANCOVA (Analysis of covariance) was the most frequently adopted approach for comparing the performances or perceptions of different groups of students. From the analysis results, the greatest proportion of studies adopted guided learning, followed by no learning activities. It was determined that the studies related to chatbots in education are still in an early stage since there are few empirical studies investigating the use of effective learning designs or learning strategies with chatbots. This implies much room for conducting relevant research to drive innovative teaching in terms of improving the learning process and learning outcomes. Finally, we highlight the research gaps and suggest several directions for future research based on the findings in the present study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers have pointed out the important role of self-regulation in learning. The self-regulated learning (SRL) process consists of three stages (i.e. forethought, performance, and self-reflection), each of which could involve different strategies for achieving the aim of SRL. To enable researchers and teachers to have a whole picture of how each strategy could be applied, this study analyzed the 2010–2020 publications in seven SSCI journals of e-learning. In addition, the correlation between each SRL strategy and students' learning performances was analyzed. It was found that, in 58% of the studies, the potential strategies for individual SRL stages were generally ignored. In addition, 40% of the studies did not clearly state how SRL could be applied to practical applications. By referring to those SRL studies reporting the use of the strategies in each stage in specific application domains, it was found that goal setting and planning, which highly related to students' learning achievement, has been frequently discussed. Nevertheless, some strategies that highly correlated to students' cognitive performances and affect perceptions, such as environmental structuring, seeking information and rehearsing and memorizing, are often ignored. According to the findings, some suggestions are provided as a reference for researchers to conduct related research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When encountering difficulties in conventional educational games, learners seldom self-regulate to discover and organize the learning content in the game environment. With the development of the human–computer interaction technology, computer agents are gradually being applied to educational games to provide personalized guidance or support to learners in specific situations. Different roles of computer agents may affect students' learning achievements and feelings in the learning environment. Therefore, to compare the effects of different roles of computer agents on students' learning outcomes in digital games, this study developed a Tutor Agent-based Digital Game (TA-DG), a Peer Agent-based Digital Game (PA-DG) and a Student Agent-based Digital Game (SA-DG). The experimental results showed that the TA-DG and PA-DG learners had better learning achievements than the SA-DG learners. The PA-DG and SA-DG learners had higher motivation than the TA-DG learners. The PA-DG learners had a higher critical thinking tendency than the other two groups. In addition, the SA-DG learners had the lowest cognitive load, followed by the TA-DG and PA-DG learners. This implies that the individual roles of the agents had different impacts during the digital game-based learning process. The findings provide a good reference for developing future digital game-based learning research with personalized support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The flipped classroom approach has become one of the renowned instructional approaches in recent years. However, without proper educational tools to support students when they participate in classroom learning, their learning performances may not be as good as expected. In this study, a collective problem-solving promotion mechanism is proposed to enhance students' interaction and learning engagement in flipped classrooms using an interactive response system (IRS). A quasi-experimental design was adopted, and university students were recruited as the participants. The students in the experimental group applied the proposed approach, while those in the control group used the conventional flipped learning approach. The results show that the students in the collective problem-solving promotion-based flipped classroom not only had better learning performances and collective efficacy but also had higher level of knowledge construction and deeper interactions. The findings can be a reference for future teaching and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most conventional information literacy classes apply direct instruction where students focus on memorizing target knowledge. As this approach promotes little active learning, while digital storytelling could effectively involve students, we proposed a digital storytelling approach to enhancing students' information literacy development in this study. In this research, we applied student-centered digital storytelling to enhance learners' development of information literacy. As the literature indicates that appropriate scaffolding is essential for effective digital storytelling, and learners need guidance on how to produce digital stories with in-depth content to achieve satisfactory learning outcomes, we integrated peer assessment (PA) into digital storytelling to guide learners to reflect on and critique their videos based on assessment rubrics and peer feedback, and then further improve their videos. We also conducted a quasi-experiment with two groups of elementary students to test the effectiveness of this strategy. The target knowledge was copyright and public license issues. The experimental group learned the content through the PA-enhanced digital storytelling approach, and the control group through the teacher feedback-enhanced approach. The results showed that the PA-enhanced approach to digital storytelling significantly outperformed the teacher feedback-enhanced approach in promoting students' learning of information literacy, self-efficacy, and critical thinking abilities; on the other hand, no significant differences existed between the two groups in terms of their learning motivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposed a robot-assisted digital storytelling approach to reduce hospitalized children's anxiety about intravenous injections and to improve their therapeutic communication and therapeutic engagement. In order to verify the effectiveness of the robot-assisted digital storytelling approach, a randomized controlled study was implemented. A total of 47 children from a regional hospital were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 21) and a control group (n = 26). The experimental group adopted the robot-assisted digital storytelling approach in health education for intravenous injections, while the control group received video-based health education. The study results indicated that the proposed robot-assisted digital storytelling approach not only reduced the children's anxiety, but also had positive effects on children's communication about intravenous injections, emotions during hospitalization, and therapeutic engagement. As a consequence, it is suggested that educators and researchers consider adopting robot-assisted digital storytelling to facilitate nursing clinical health education for children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to identify the bibliometric outcomes of articles and research trends in specific areas. This study revealed research on the use of e-books for EFL education published in selected journals of the Web of Science from 2011 to 2020, and discusses the trends of the top-cited countries, journals, the most used keywords, and the popular subjects, learning strategies, target skills, and the research outcomes. A total of 53 selected articles were manually and systematically analyzed. The results revealed that the most productive country was Taiwan, and the most cited journal was Computers & Education. The most used keywords were "engagement." The bibliometric analysis can be reflected in the content analysis as preschoolers and elementary school students were the most common participants, guided learning were the most frequently used strategy, and the main target skill was reading. This review study provides an overview of the research agenda for the last 10 years, and highlights the trends in the field by analyzing relevant past research. When the use of e-books in EFL education studies was examined, reading comprehension, teaching/learning strategies, and learning engagement were found to be crucial in the studies. Therefore, there is a need to develop more useful features of e-books to support EFL teaching practices. It is therefore suggested that future research focus more on pedagogical aspects and e-book feature development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of touchscreen mobile devices in early childhood education has gained considerable attention. Several studies have been conducted to investigate the impacts of touchscreen mobile devices on children's cognitive and affective development. Researchers have further indicated the need to probe in which contexts children can learn effectively with touchscreen mobile devices. Therefore, this paper reviewed the studies related to the use of touchscreen mobile devices for children published in the Web of Science database from 2010 to 2019. A total of 45 studies were selected and analyzed based on the technology-based learning model. Accordingly, several dimensions, such as application domain, research method and research issues, and the attitudes of teachers, parents and young children, were taken into account. The results showed that (1) 35% studies applied touchscreen mobile devices for young children's language skills development; (2) the quantitative research method is the most commonly adopted; (3) children's cognitive development received the most attention among all the research issues; and (4) young children generally like to use touchscreen mobile devices to learn. Moreover, teachers' and parents' concerns about young children's use of touchscreen mobile devices are analyzed, and future trends in integrating ICT in early childhood education are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Social annotation (SA) allows users to collaboratively highlight important texts, make comments and discuss with each other on the same online document. This would not only accelerate and deepen learners' cognitive understanding of information, but also help build a sense of rapport, which is critical especially because of the worldwide shift from face‐to‐face class to remote education as a response to the COVID‐19 pandemic. Objective: To provide a systematic review of empirical SA studies, so that current development as well as issues in SA practices and research are identified. Methods: A total of 32 studies were identified and bibliometrical, instructional, and methodological analysis were conducted. Results and Conclusions: The United States has published the most SA research and technology‐related journals are most receptive of SA research; one‐shot quantitative designs with a sample size between 30 and 100 have been adopted most often; there is a lack of theoretical support for SA studies; higher education settings have been more frequently researched than other educational levels; SA technological features and activities have focused more on student uses and outcomes than on those of instructors; self‐designed technologies were more preferred than commercial ones; both cognitive and affective outcomes were emphasized and nearly all studies reported positive findings. Implications: Future SA studies may conduct blended designs with larger sample sizes that is grounded upon solid theoretical frameworks; more customized and affordable SA technologies that support both students and teachers should be developed. Learning analytics and emotional design may be capitalized more to meet the demand of remote education during the pandemic. Lay Description: What is Already Known About this Topic: The behaviour of annotating often helps learners obtain deeper understanding and retain longer memorization of learning content.Social annotation, which capitalizes the advantage of digital tools and collaboration, allows learners to annotate on the same document, and view each other's annotations to ignite discussion and maximize their individual learning.Social annotation has been widely used in educational settings amongst all ages of learners. What this Paper Adds: Provides a systematic review of empirical social annotation studies between 2000 and 2020, highlighting the analysis of bibliometrics, research designs, and learning outcomes and effects.Proposes a conceptual framework (the WIRE model) to guide the design and assessment of social annotation activities.Identifies challenges and gaps in existing research designs as well as instructional practices. Implications for Practice: Instructors can use the results to locate desirable social annotation technologies and design effective activities.Researchers may utilize the trend and research gaps to design future social annotation studies.Programmers can use WIRE to make an initial assessment of social annotation tool designs, and develop more customized products for formal education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has always been a challenging issue to develop complex professional skills accompanied with sufficient professional knowledge and correct judgement. Previous studies have indicated that students have more opportunities for practice in flipped learning contexts. Basically, complex professional skills training is often risky in different real‐world applications. Therefore, most medical training lessons are done through case discussions, interpretation of mannequins, and watching videos. Such learning models are, however, not only ineffective, but students fail to solve real problems without sufficient drills. The advanced progress of 3D simulation technology provides good opportunities to solve these problems. Virtual reality (VR) provides simulations for real clinical scenarios, offering medical students the chance to practice standard complex medical skills repeatedly, as well as thinking about and responding to clinical problems in VR, where they can obtain immediate feedback from VR learning systems. Thus, to enhance medical students' complex medical skills, the study proposes a virtual reality‐based flipped learning approach. To investigate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, a quasi‐experimental design was conducted with two groups in a lumbar puncture course for postgraduate year (PGY) residents of a hospital The experimental group with 39 students was conducted with virtual reality‐based flipped learning (VR‐FL), while the control group with 37 students was managed by traditional flipped learning (T‐FL). The results showed that the complex medical skills of the experimental group were significantly better than those of the control group. In addition, the experimental group showed higher learning motivation and self‐efficacy. It can be inferred that VR‐FL has a positive impact on complex medical skills for PGY residents. Educators and researchers should consider integrating VR technology with learning strategies in medical simulation training. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic Flipped learning provides opportunities for medical students to practice professional technical operations to enhance students' knowledge and skills.Virtual reality (VR) situates students in a simulated environment that enables them to have deep experience regarding the learning contexts.What this paper adds A virtual reality‐based flipped learning approach is proposed to facilitate students' complex professional skills.In addition to promoting students' learning motivation, the results showed that the proposed approach is able to promote students' complex professional skills and self‐efficacy.Implications for practice and/or policy It is potentially worth using the VR technology in flipped learning to facilitate learners' knowledge and professional skills.VR‐FL is a potential learning strategy for implementing experiential learning activities; especially in improving students' ability to integrate knowledge and professional technology applications, as well as enhancing students' self‐confidence in performing professional technology.It is worth promoting the VR‐FL approach to strengthening skill practice since students use cell phones individually, without gathering in the same classroom. It can prevent infectious diseases prevention in schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In artwork appreciation activities, visiting physical exhibitions in art museums is often limited by time, distance and cost. Thus, conventional teaching is mostly conducted through textbooks, presentation slides or videos. However, by presenting artwork appreciation through a lecture, it is difficult for students to feel the beauty of artworks, and they can hardly develop accurate appreciation knowledge and critical thinking. To tackle this problem, this study proposed an experiential learning‐based spherical video‐based virtual reality (EL‐SVVR) learning approach based on the experiential learning theory to guide students to browse world‐famous artworks and experience the features of artwork creation. This study developed an EL‐SVVR learning system and adopted a quasi‐experimental design to determine whether the EL‐SVVR learning approach improved students' performance in artwork appreciation in comparison with the conventional teaching approach. A total of 45 university students from two classes who participated in an elective art course were recruited in the study. One class was assigned to be the experimental group and adopted the EL‐SVVR learning approach, while the other class was assigned to be the control group and adopted the conventional technology‐supported learning (CTL) approach. The results showed that in comparison with the CTL approach, the EL‐SVVR learning approach enhanced students' learning achievement, learning motivation, self‐efficacy, critical thinking and performance in digital painting creation during artwork appreciation. Practitioner notes: What is already known about this topic Spherical video‐based virtual reality (SVVR) situates students in a simulated environment that enables them to have deep experience regarding the learning contexts.SVVR has great potential in promoting students' learning performance by providing them situational contexts. What this paper adds An SVVR‐based experiential learning approach is proposed to facilitate students' artwork creation.In addition to promoting students' learning outcomes, the EL‐SVVR learning approach could better facilitate students' learning achievement, learning motivation, critical thinking, self‐efficacy, and performance in painting creation. Implications for practice and/or policy SVVR is a potential technology for implementing experiential learning activities; in particular, in improving students' creative thinking for artwork creation.It is potentially worth trying to apply the SVVR technology to other courses related to artwork creation to promote learners' learning performances and perceptions.It is worth promoting the SVVR approach in school settings since it is a low‐tech and low‐cost solution with potentially positive impacts on students' learning outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, several studies have reported the potential of employing digital games in EFL (English as Foreign Language) courses to promote students' learning motivation. However, scholars have pointed out that students generally lack self‐learning ability, which is the key to the success of learning a foreign language. Therefore, it is crucial to foster students' self‐learning ability during the game‐based learning process. In this study, an expert system was developed to facilitate self‐regulated learning in digital game‐based learning contexts. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, a quasi‐experimental design was employed in a university English course. The experimental group students learned with the self‐regulated English vocabulary game (SR‐EVG) approach, while the control group students learned with the conventional English vocabulary game (C‐EVG) approach. The experimental results indicated that the use of the SR‐EVG approach could improve learners' English vocabulary achievement and self‐regulation compared with the C‐EVG approach without increasing students' English learning anxiety. Moreover, through qualitative interviews, it was found that students who used the SR‐EVG approach would focus on their learning due to goal‐setting in the game and would pay more attention to the learning strategies they used. Practitioner notes: What is already known about this topic Digital game‐based learning situates students in a realistic situational environment, enabling students to learn by experiencing and interacting with the situations.Without appropriate scaffolding during digital game‐based learning, students may become overly focused on the game, or perform many non‐learning behaviorsSelf‐regulated learning refers to students' ability to learn on their own via goal setting, strategic planning, self‐monitoring, and self‐adjustment. What this paper adds An expert system‐guided self‐regulated learning approach was proposed to facilitate EFL students' performance in digital gaming contextsDue to goal‐setting step, students using the proposed approach would focus on their learning and pay more attention to the learning strategies they used. Implications for practice and/or policy It is potentially worth using the expert system‐guided self‐regulated learning approach in EFL training to facilitate students' performances and perceptions.The proposed approach can further analyze and compare the students' gaming and learning behaviors in the digital gaming contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Training nursing students to make correct decisions when facing various nursing cases is an important and challenging objective. In the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) program for nursing students, the educational aim is not only nursing skills, but also critical thinking for making correct decisions and treatments. In this study, a contextual game-based flipped learning approach (GBFL) is implemented to improve nursing students' learning performances and promoting their positive perceptions in an intravenous injection course. Moreover, a quasi-experiment was implemented to assess the effectiveness of the proposed approach. The subjects were 56 students from two classes of a nursing school. One class was assigned to the experimental group learning with the GBFL approach, while the other class was the control group learning with conventional flipped learning. From the experimental results, it was found that the students learning with the proposed approach showed better intravenous injection comprehension as well as higher learning achievement, learning motivation, learning attitudes, flow experience and critical thinking tendency than those learning with conventional flipped learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, smart healthcare technologies used to facilitate precision medicine in clinical practice have increasingly become a topic of discussion. Nurses and nurse preceptors are critical professionals in hospitals, and are also the frontline staff using smart healthcare. The purpose of this study was to investigate nurses’ and nurse preceptors’ perceptions of smart healthcare (including learning motivation, learning attitudes, and personal innovativeness) and the differences in their conceptions of learning in smart healthcare technology contexts. The research findings showed that nurse preceptors had higher mean scores than nurses for learning motivation, learning attitudes, and personal innovativeness in smart healthcare, especially for learning attitudes and personal innovativeness. The nurse preceptors’ conceptions of learning in smart healthcare technology contexts were also more diverse than those of nurses. The main differences are that nurses’ drawings showed a healthcare setting where learners (both patients and nurses) use computers to connect to cloud services for online visits, and where patients can engage in online health education learning activities via computers or mobile devices. The nurse preceptors’ drawings focused on the delivery of nursing knowledge and skills to learners via VR technologies, helping diagnose patients, analyzing medical data, and predicting healthcare through smart healthcare technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite seamless vocabulary learning studies having been implemented for about 10 years, little is known about what seamless vocabulary learning studies are, how they were conducted, what the learning outcomes were, or the issues and trends of seamless vocabulary learning. This literature review aimed at addressing these questions. Adopting Webster and Watson's (2002. Analyzing the past to prepare for the future: Writing a literature review. MIS Quarterly, xiii–xxiii) method of keyword searching and examination of refereed journals, 26 eligible articles were selected and analyzed under the framework of analyzing seamless vocabulary learning studies. The research findings show that the majority of reviewed studies focused more on the seamless features of "ubiquity and continuity" of artifact creation, situated and personalized learning, less on instructional designs on the features of "knowledge synthesis, activities that that apply multiple language skills in different combinations, and co-construction of linguistic knowledge" premised on vocabulary learning theories. In addition, more studies focused on vocabulary learning performance and perceptions of learners' learning experience in a short term in primary or higher education for prescribed learning tasks. Future research is encouraged to focus on innovative seamless vocabulary instructional designs premised on sound theoretical underpinnings to improve underexplored seamless features from varied perspectives in a longitudinal study, especially at a secondary level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In professional healthcare training programs, field experience after physical courses is essential for students to become professionals. However, the outbreak of the pandemic has restricted such field experience, and so students’ problem-solving awareness when facing clinical emergencies in a professional field after graduation has become a critical issue. In conventional teaching, video-based instruction with case-based learning sheets is usually adopted for healthcare training. In this teaching mode, students generally lack opportunities to experience the process of dealing with authentic cases, and hence might be unable to immediately judge and solve problems when entering the workplace. To enhance students’ critical thinking and problem-solving awareness, the present study proposed a reflective cycle-based virtual reality (RC-VR) approach to provide a realistic environment and enable repeated practice. To examine its effectiveness, this study adopted a quasi-experimental design and applied it in a healthcare training program for risk assessment of maternal labor. The results indicated that the proposed RC-VR approach effectively enhanced students’ learning achievement, sense of presence, critical thinking, and problem-solving awareness in comparison to the conventional teaching approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Educators have indicated the need to foster students' ability to solve problems by acquiring up‐to‐date knowledge as well as promoting their competences for making decisions from diverse perspectives based on the acquired knowledge. Traditional courses mainly use lecture‐based instruction without providing sufficient opportunities for students to practice and interact with the teacher; therefore, it is difficult to deliver such up‐to‐date knowledge via traditional instruction, not to mention fostering students' critical thinking. In this study, the Mobile technology–supported Decision, Reflection and Exercise (MDRE) model is proposed to address this problem. Moreover, a learning system is developed based on the proposed approach. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, a quasi‐experiment was conducted in a university with a two‐group pretest posttest design to assess participants' learning achievement, critical thinking and learning satisfaction. The participants were two classes of undergraduate students. One class with 37 students was the experimental group learning with the MDRE learning approach, whereas the other class with 37 students was the control group learning with the conventional technology‐based learning approach. Analysis of covariance was performed to evaluate the effect of the intervention on the target outcomes. It was found that the experimental group showed better learning achievement, critical thinking and learning satisfaction than the control group. This implies that the MDRE approach has good potential in helping learners think from diverse perspectives and promoting their learning performance and engagement, which is important in higher education aimed at fostering students' competence of acquiring up‐to‐date knowledge for solving problems. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic Fostering students' problem‐solving competence is an important educational objective.The advancement of mobile and wireless communication technologies provides opportunities for students to acquire up‐to‐date information for solving problems.In the conventional technology‐enhanced professional learning mode, instructors generally use computers to present learning content and exemplary cases. In such a learning mode, learners have few opportunities to think in depth.What this paper adds A Mobile technology–supported Decision, Reflection and Exercise (MDRE) approach is proposed to guide students to make decisions and think from diverse perspectives via acquiring up‐to‐date information using a mobile application.An experiment was conducted to show the effectiveness of the proposed approach.The experimental results showed that the MDRE approach is able to boost students' creative thinking tendency and learning satisfaction as well as promoting their learning achievement.Implications for practice and/or policy The MDRE approach has great potential for professional training aiming to foster students' learning achievement, critical thinking and learning satisfaction.It is suggested that researchers and school teachers can apply the MDRE approach to other professional courses, such as nursing training programs and business planning courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research reviews 56 robots in science education (RSE) research articles published in SSCI (Social Sciences Citation Index) journals in the Web of Science (WoS) database. The analysis results showed that there were three clusters of RSE studies: robots in elementary science education, robot-based STEM activities, and robot-facilitated computational thinking. In terms of the research issues, more studies were conducted across-disciplines. Regarding thematic classifications, “general benefits of educational robots” was the most frequently investigated issue, while “diversity and broadening participation,” and “creativity and motivation” were less frequently discussed. The most adopted research methods were quantitative and mixed methods, focusing on measuring learners’ cognition and affect. Most of the interventions in the empirical studies adopted pedagogical interventions. In terms of the interaction issue, LEGO was adopted the most, followed by self-made robots; moreover, robots frequently played the role of tools in science education. From the perspective of specific robotics content knowledge, “control” (e.g. programming) comprised the majority. The most adopted learning strategy was project-based learning, followed by issue-based discussion. Regarding assessment issues, the most adopted evaluation approaches to evaluating students’ performance were questionnaires, observation, verbal interviews, and artifacts to assess the quality of learning activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Review strategies after learning new knowledge are essential for students to consolidate the key points, understand the subject content, analyze aspects of the learning topics, and summarize the knowledge content of learning while mastering new knowledge. However, educators have found that students generally have difficulties seeking help when they encounter learning problems. This could significantly affect their after-class review performances. To cope with this problem, an after-class review approach with an AI (Artificial Intelligence)-based chatbot is proposed in this study to provide students with immediate and quality feedback during the learning process. Moreover, a quasi-experiment was conducted to explore students' learning motivation, attitude, and academic performance when using the AI-based chatbot. Participants were two classes of students from a university in Taiwan. One class with 18 students was the experimental group and the other with 20 students was the control group. The experimental group used the AI-based chatbot in the after-class review, while the control group used the conventional after-class review approach. Research results showed that the application of AI-based chatbots in the review process of public health courses could improve students' academic performance, self-efficacy, learning attitude, and motivation. In other words, chatbots could help students become more active in the learning process. It is noted that after students asked questions, providing them with sufficient feedback during the review process could make them feel recognized and help to establish a relaxing and friendly interaction, thereby improving their academic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: This study aimed to identify high‐impact papers on global nursing to determine and analyse the publication of articles on core competencies in nursing‐related journals and the research trends in the era of globalization. Background: Bibliometrics has been shown to be an effective method for analysing publications. Through bibliometrics, nursing managers and researchers can understand the trends of high‐impact international nursing core competencies research, identify mainstream research directions and obtain relevant knowledge and information, thereby facilitating the translation of research outcomes into nursing management practice. Evaluation: The study adopted bibliometric analysis and the VOSviewer software to explore dynamic publication trends and analyse the current situation of nursing research from a comprehensive development perspective, which was realized by searching for nursing core competencies papers in the Web of Science (WoS) database, calculating citations and determining the trends of the most influential papers. Key issues: Nursing core competencies research grew rapidly between 1997 and 2022. Countries with the most core competencies publications were the United States, England, Australia and Canada. The Journal of Nursing Management has attracted substantial attention from researchers worldwide. Education, Management and Nurses were the most frequently used keywords in the study. A total of 534 papers were retrieved from the WoS database with the main research fields, including nursing, business economics, public environmental occupational health and health care science services. Conclusion: Equipping nursing graduates with core competencies has always been an important goal of global medical and nursing education. This study analysed papers across 35 years, most of which were published in the Journal of Nursing Management. In addition, the study identified some of the main research topics of nursing management, such as the integration of education with nursing management and the cultivation of nurses' core competencies. The study also provides a fresh review of highly cited articles. The results of the study show that high‐quality articles play the role of improving both the quality and the quantity of related research. By analysing the trends of the research on core competencies, this study lays a bibliometric foundation for researchers regarding international journals, hot topics and relevant fields. In addition, the highly cited articles reveal new perspectives for the nursing field, providing inspiration for nursing management and education researchers. Implications for Nursing Management: This study provides scholars and managers with an overview of the current situation of nursing management research and the development of benchmark journals. The study provides researchers not only with a better understanding of various international journals, allowing them to transition out of traditional thinking in the era of science and technology, but also with innovative thinking by combining research with nursing management. The results of this study invite nursing managers to study relevant topics of core competencies and integrate information technology to education, management and nurses, thereby contributing to nursing management and educational research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly cited articles have been revealed as being informative for research fields, topics, and trends. Through reading highly cited articles, researchers can gain fruitful results from previous studies and can identify essential clues and potential future research directions for their own research. Aiming at exploring the possibility of the application of and innovations in flipped learning, this study reviewed 100 highly cited articles related to flipped learning. By performing a literature review of the highly cited studies on flipped learning, we have discovered the proposed new learning strategies and flipped learning applied to the research topics that seldom draw attention, and the research fields that are less-frequently examined, including those research issues that are rarely discussed. We have also noticed that many studies have focused on comparing different flipped learning modes and identifying more effective flipped learning approaches. Only a minority of studies have compared the influences of flipped learning and traditional learning. Moreover, we found that researchers have tended to focus more on students' learning achievements and learning behaviors. Lastly, based on the reviews of the past flipped learning articles, this study provides suggestions from different perspectives. We hope to provide a reference for researchers and teachers to conduct flipped learning studies and design flipped learning activities in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigates the effect of online learning vs. blended learning (BL) in developing English language skills by nursing student. The participants of the study included sixty students of Asadabad Nursing Faculty. They were randomly divided into three groups. The control group received general English instruction through the communicative approach and did exercises based on the tasks for developing general English skills. The online group received general English instruction through LMS instructional model. The BL experimental group received general English instruction through blended learning instructional model. Students then took a posttest of standard general English (TOFEL). The results showed that the blended learning group performed better than the other groups in developing general English skills. These results have pedagogical implications for curriculum designers, developers of training programs for future nurses, material producers, and all who are involved in nursing education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

English speaking is a challenging learning objective for EFL (English as Foreign Language) learners owing to the lack of practicing environments. In this study, Interactive Spherical Video-based Virtual Reality (ISVVR) was adopted as the learning mode to provide realistic sociocultural contexts for English speaking. In addition, an experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of the SVVR approach on the English speaking performances and anxiety of the EFL students with different cognitive styles. A pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design was conducted to investigate the effects of the interaction between cognitive style and multimedia learning mode on students' learning motivation, speaking anxiety, oral presentation, and move analysis. The student sample consisted of two classes of 93 students. All of the students took the Group Embedded Figures Test (GEFT) to identify whether their cognitive style was field dependent or independent. The results showed a significant effect for the interaction between the cognitive styles and the learning modes on the students' oral presentation and speaking anxiety. Their structural moves in oral presentations with the ISVVR learning mode showed more similar spoken genre patterns to those of TED speakers. Findings further support the benefit of incorporating cognitive styles into the ISVVR learning mode for EFL learners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing learners' sense of presence is important in professional training, in particular, when aiming to foster their competences of making judgements and solving problems when facing real cases. However, in conventional training programmes, sometimes it is difficult to situate learners in real cases owing to several considerations, such as cost and potential danger. Scholars have indicated that the lack of opportunities to experience real contexts could seriously affect the training outcomes. To cope with this problem, the present study proposes a spherical video‐based virtual reality (SVVR)‐based professional training (SVVR‐PT) approach based on the attention, relevance, confidence and satisfaction (ARCS) model to situate learners in an authentic training environment to experience the process of solving practical cases before facing real cases. To evaluate the effectiveness of the approach, a true experiment was conducted in a hospital by randomly assigning 70 nurses to an experimental group learning with the SVVR‐PT approach and a control group learning with the conventional training approach. The experimental results show that the proposed approach outperformed the conventional approach in terms of promoting the learners' sense of presence and learning achievement as well as their problem‐solving tendency and critical‐thinking awareness. Moreover, the SVVR‐PT learners also showed higher technology acceptance than the conventional training group. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic?Spherical video‐based virtual reality (SVVR) immerses learners in an authentic environment that enables them to have more opportunities to experiment and practice.Attention, relevance, confidence and satisfaction model has great potential in promoting learners' motivation and engagement.What this paper adds?A motivational model‐based virtual reality approach is proposed to facilitate learners' professional training performance.In addition to promoting learners' training performance, the results claimed that the proposed approach could promote students' sense of presence, problem‐solving tendency and critical‐thinking awareness.Implications for practice and/or policyIt is potentially worth using the motivational model‐based virtual reality approach in professional training to facilitate learners' performances and perceptions.The proposed approach can further analyze and compare the effects of the cooperative learning strategy on learners' performance and recorded learning process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has illustrated the potential of flipped learning for assisting teachers in designing meaningful activities to promote students' higher order thinking skills; however, several previous studies have challenged the effects of flipped learning on students' learning. One of the key problems is the lack of an effective learning approach or tools to engage students in the flipped learning activity. In this study, a concept mapping-based Prediction-Observation-Explanation (POE) approach was incorporated into flipped learning (called CPOE-FL) to enhance students' scientific learning. Furthermore, a three-group experiment was conducted to assess the effects of the three flipped learning models, comprising the CPOE-FL approach, the POE-FL (incorporating POE into flipped learning) approach, and the C-FL (conventional flipped learning) approach. The experimental results displayed that the CPOE-FL approach can benefit the learning achievements and self-efficacy of the students with respectively lower prior knowledge and lower initial self-efficacy, in comparison with the POE-FL and C-FL approaches. Both the CPOE-FL and POE-FL approaches promoted the students' inner learning motivation, while the CPOE-FL approach enhanced the students' critical thinking. This proposed approach could provide a good reference for researchers or school teachers intending to implement POE-based flipped learning in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the Technology-Based Learning Model, the present study reviewed open online language learning research published in the Scopus database from 2009 to 2018, with a focus on research design, sample size, learning devices, target languages, language skills, the learners' education level, the learners' language proficiency level, learning methods, and the foci of investigation. In terms of research design, quantitative empirical studies accounted for the most, followed by mixed method studies. As for the target languages, English was investigated the most, with few studies focused on other languages. In terms of language skills, the number of studies related to vocabulary and speaking was less than those concerning reading and writing. With regard to learning methods, self-directed learning, blended learning, and peer review were the most commonly adopted. There was little research on collaborative learning, flipped classrooms, adaptive learning, or thematic-oriented learning. As for the foci of investigation, motivation, interest, and satisfaction were the focus of the majority of the studies. On the other hand, little research was found to examine self-efficacy or confidence. A discussion based on the analytic results is presented along with proposed suggestions for future research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effectiveness of digital game-based language learning (DGBLL) has been recognized by scholars. With the development of computer technology and multimedia learning environments, computer agents have been widely used in game systems to provide learning guidance or assistance. A computer agent is a virtual character created in a digital learning system to achieve instructional goals. However, in traditional teaching systems, computer agents are designed to perform a single role, such as a teacher or a student. Computer agents with a single interactive logic often lack the functionality required to understand students’ conditions and needs from various perspectives, and cannot adapt for better learning support. Therefore, this study proposed an adaptive role-switching strategy that allows computer agents to adjust their roles and functions according to students' needs in digital games to promote their learning achievement. An adaptive computer agent-based digital game was developed to investigate the impact of this model on English vocabulary learning achievement, motivation, self-efficacy, and English anxiety among EFL (English as Foreign Language) students. A quasi-experiment was designed and 56 middle school students in four classes were recruited. Two classes (n = 30) were arranged to be the experimental group which used an adaptive computer agent-based digital game (adaptive computer agent-based digital game, ACA-DG), while two classes (n = 26) were arranged to be the control group which used the conventional computer agent-based digital game (conventional computer agent-based digital game, CCA-DG). The results showed that students in the experimental group had significantly higher learning achievement and self-efficacy than those in the control group. On the other hand, students in the experimental group had significantly lower English anxiety than those in the control group. There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding learning motivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the contemporary society, it is important to cultivate students’ visual literacy. However, there has been a lack of sufficient training for students to improve their visual literacy in the classroom. A problem-posing approach (Visual Thinking Strategy, VTS, a learning strategy with question sequences to facilitate critical inquiry) has been proposed to achieve this objective. However, problem-posing should be supported with scaffolds to help learning deeply. And concept mapping is such a scaffold to aid problem-posing in visual literacy cultivation. In this study, a quasi-experiment was conducted on two classes of undergraduate students in Shanghai to evaluate the effects of the proposed approach. An online learning system was developed based on the proposed approach; moreover, a quasi-experiment was conducted on two classes of undergraduate students to evaluate the effects of the proposed approach. The experimental results show that the concept mapping-based online problem-posing approach improved the depth of students’ visual analysis, which indicates sharpening of students’ visual literacy and their critical thinking tendency. The interview results further showed that the students perceived the approach as being effective from the perspectives of “increasing visual analysis capability,” “developing thinking capability,” and “improving self-reflection in learning.” [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dialectical thinking is a way of discussing and analyzing things from different viewpoints to reach a solution. It is often taught in language courses by conducting argumentation activities. However, without providing effective strategies or tools, learners generally encounter difficulties in structuring their viewpoints during the argumentation process. To solve this problem, this study proposed dialectical constructivist scaffolding-based argumentation mapping (DCS-AM), which integrates a structured, four-stage process to support students’ dialectical thinking and oral and dialogical argumentation complexity. The argumentation map refers to a visualized tool that enables learners to structure their viewpoints for making arguments. A quasi-experiment was conducted in an English as a Foreign Language course. A total of 26 students were in the DCS-AM group, while 22 students were in the conventional constructivist scaffolding-based argumentation mapping (CS-AM) group, which adopted a more conventional format, emphasizing direct discussion and teacher-led knowledge transmission. The experimental results found that students in the DCS-AM group exhibited significantly better dialectical thinking than those in the CS-AM group. Also, an epistemic network analysis (ENA) of oral and dialogical argumentation revealed that students in the DCS-AM group frequently developed more complex argumentation than those in the CS-AM group in terms of the structural component and discourse activity, including the process of students’ dialectical thinking that was found in both groups. This finding shows that technology-supported dialectical constructivist scaffolding can help students improve their dialectical thinking and argumentation skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) is reported to be beneficial for improving English as a foreign language (EFL) learners' language learning skills. Although some studies have concentrated on utilising a MALL application's (app) affordances for improving EFL learners' overall speaking performance, there is as yet little empirical evidence of its effectiveness in terms of developing EFL learners' speaking skills and motivation-relevant factors. To tackle this knowledge gap, the current study adopted a sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach to explore the utilisation of a MALL app's affordances for developing EFL learners' speaking skills (including fluency and coherence, lexicon, grammatical range and accuracy, and pronunciation), foreign language enjoyment (FLE), and language-specific grit (LSG). With this aim in mind, we used blocked randomisation applying computer-generated random numbers to equally distribute 66 EFL learners across two groups. Corroborating the adequacy of the sample size via power analysis, the two groups were randomly assigned to a MALL group (33 EFL learners) and a face-to-face group (33 EFL learners). The MALL learners had interactive speaking activities inside the class and utilised the MALL app for their out-of-class interactive speaking activities. On the other hand, the face-to-face learners had interactive speaking activities both inside the class and in a language learning laboratory in addition to the class time serving as supplementary interactive speaking activities. An IELTS speaking test, an FLE scale, and an LSG scale were used to collect the required quantitative data, and an individual semi-structured interview was conducted to gather the qualitative data. Running one-way ANCOVA to analyse the quantitative data, the findings indicated that both MALL and face-to-face instruction developed the EFL learners' overall speaking performance, speaking skills, FLE, and LSG; however, the MALL learners outperformed their face-to-face counterparts on all measures. Furthermore, the qualitative analysis uncovered several themes and categories addressing the MALL learners' positive and negative attitudes towards and perceptions of the utilisation of the MALL app's affordances, which could explain the quantitative findings. The findings are useful for EFL learners and instructors interested in utilising MALL apps' affordances in their interactive speaking courses. • Mobile app affordances help develop EFL learners' speaking skills. • Mobile app affordances enhance EFL learners' foreign language enjoyment. • Mobile app affordances improve EFL learners' language-specific grit. • Learners hold positive perceptions towards the affordances of mobile apps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scholars and researchers generally believe that scientific inquiry is an important activity for cultivating students' applied knowledge and high‐level thinking ability. The process of scientific inquiry can promote students' learning motivation and trigger their higher‐order thinking ability. However, students may not have enough prior knowledge or they may lack inquiry experience, which may influence the effectiveness of their inquiry learning. Besides, in a scientific inquiry environment assisted by technology, students must face abundant and diverse learning resources, and may not effectively organize and carry out advanced cogitation to solve problems. Therefore, this research proposed an integrated concept mapping and image recognition (IR) approach to help students effectively acquire and organize knowledge in the process of scientific inquiry. This study applied a quasi‐experimental design to verify the effect of this proposed approach. The experimental group conducted the concept mapping‐based IR (CM‐IR) learning approach, whilst the control group conducted the conventional IR‐based learning approach to evaluate the students' performance in terms of their learning motivation and learning achievements. The participants were two classes of 10th‐grade students in northern Taiwan. One was the experimental group with 22 students, whilst the other was the control group with 22 students. The experimental results show that the students learning with the CM‐IR learning approach had better learning achievement, attitudes and intrinsic motivation, as well as higher mental load than those learning with the conventional IR‐based learning approach. Accordingly, several suggestions are provided for future research in this field. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topicWith the development of information technology, AI has attracted the attention of researchers.Image recognition (IR) is one of the AI applications, and has been used to support learning in various educational fields.Researchers have indicated that concept mapping is an effective instructional strategy and promotes students' knowledge construction.What this paper addsA concept mapping‐based IR (CM‐IR) learning approach is proposed to improve students' scientific inquiry performance.A quasi‐experimental design was conducted with 10th‐grade students on the 'Plant identification' unit of the scientific inquiry course.The experimental results show that the proposed approach can significantly improve students' learning achievement, learning motivation and learning attitude.Implications for practice and/or policyThe CM‐IR learning approach could be an effective method to facilitate students' learning performances and motivation in scientific inquiry.It is worth promoting the CM‐IR learning approach in school settings since it is low‐cost and enables learning anywhere using mobile devices.Scholars and educators are encouraged to work on how AI technologies applications can be applied to support learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Analects of Confucius has been identified as an important and influential philosophy around the globe. However, in traditional instruction, it is difficult to express the spirit of this philosophy. Therefore, many students consider it as a big challenge to study the Analects of Confucius. To cope with this problem, in this study, an interactive e-book system has been developed based on the contextual learning model to interpret the Analects of Confucius in an interactive way. A quasi-experiment was conducted to evaluate the performance of the proposed approach. The participants were 38 fifth graders from 2 classes in an elementary school located in northern Taiwan, who were divided into an experimental and a control group. The experimental group used an interactive e-book learning mode to learn the Analects of Confucius course while the control group used a conventional technology enhanced teaching mode. The results showed that adopting the interactive e-book teaching mode to study the Analects of Confucius in the elementary school course can promote students' learning achievement and motive. It was also found that the interactive e-book learning mode can trigger learners' deep motive, and hence promote their learning achievement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flipped learning has received significant emphasis in recent years. Through this approach, students' self-learning ability can be cultivated and the time for in-class practice and teachers' and students' interaction are increased. In the past, there has been much research confirming its benefits in learning performance. Meanwhile, some studies have also pointed out that with proper educational strategies, students can be guided to have better learning engagement and higher-order thinking, which could improve their learning performance. In this study, a WSQ (Watch-Summary-Question)-based flipped learning approach was implemented in a dance course. Moreover, an experiment was conducted to investigate the impacts of the proposed approach. The participants were 173 college students from 2 classes, which were assigned to learn with the WSQ-based flipped learning approach and the conventional flipped learning approach, respectively. From the 12-week experiment, it was found that the WSQ-based flipped learning approach effectively promoted the students' dance performance and guided them to make more reflections. Furthermore, the proposed approach also engaged the students in making more efforts to think and to perfect their dance techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intracultural learning emphasises the importance of understanding one's own culture and that of foreign countries; furthermore, it involves sharing relevant opinions with people from around the world and developing an understanding and acceptance of differences. In order to immerse students in foreign countries to experience the cultures and environment, this study used spherical video‐based virtual reality (SVVR) to present authentic contexts. By referring to previous research and the constructivism learning theory, this study proposed the question, observation, and organisation (QOO)‐based SVVR approach. The aim of the proposed approach was to strengthen students' presentation performance, enrich their discussion, and increase their engagement. To investigate the effects of the QOO‐based SVVR approach, a quasi‐experiment was conducted in a cultural course, with a total of 60 high school students from two classes. The experimental group students used the QOO‐based SVVR approach to learn knowledge of world cultures, while the control group students learned with the conventional SVVR approach by observing in the SVVR environment, and then having team discussions and completing worksheets. The findings showed that the QOO‐based SVVR approach significantly enhanced the students' world cultures presentation performance in terms of accuracy, organisation, and relevance. The results showed a significant difference between the different learning approaches regarding acceptance of the use of SVVR. The interview results further indicated that the students learning with the QOO‐based SVVR approach had a greater tendency to learn to make more accurate, organised, and relevant presentations due to the benefits of the graphical learning methods, and to express their thoughts freely. On the other hand, there was no significant difference between the two groups' classroom engagement. Accordingly, discussion of the findings, limitations, and suggestions for future research are provided. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topicThe potential of spherical video‐based virtual reality (SVVR) in educational domains has been highlighted by researchers.In the VR‐supported learning process, a proper teaching approach should be considered to guide students to engage in meaningful learning.What this paper addsThe Question, Observation and Organization (QOO)‐based SVVR approach based on constructivism learning theory was proposed to promote students' intracultural learning.The QOO‐based SVVR approach promoted students' world cultures presentation performance in terms of accuracy, organization, and relevance, as well as the acceptance of the use of SVVR.Implications for practice and/or policyThe QOO‐based SVVR approach is a potential approach for teachers to guide students in VR‐supported learning process.The tools utilized in each stage can be replaced by other tools with similar functions for different learning contexts, such as using the repertory grid method in the "Organization" stage for science learning.Future research can integrate the QOO‐based SVVR approach into other teaching modes, such as flipped classrooms or inquiry‐based learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]