ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Predicting General Academic Performance and Identifying the Differential Contribution of Participating Variables Using Artificial Neural Networks
Author: Musso, Mariel F.
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Prediction,Academic Achievement,Networks,Learning Processes,Models,Artificial Intelligence,College Students,Outcomes of Education,Statistical Analysis,Accuracy,Comparative Analysis,Identification,Short Term Memory,Attention,Correlation,Learning Strategies,Foreign Countries,Tests,Cues,Reaction Time,Questionnaires,Student Characteristics,Anxiety,Time Management,Cognitive Processes,Classification,Grade Point Average

Many studies have explored the contribution of different factors from diverse theoretical perspectives to the explanation of academic performance. These factors have been identified as having important implications not only for the study of learning processes, but also as tools for improving curriculum designs, tutorial systems, and students' outcomes. Some authors have suggested that traditional statistical methods do not always yield accurate predictions and/or classifications (Everson, 1995; Garson, 1998). This paper explores a relatively new methodological approach for the field of learning and education, but which is widely used in other areas, such as computational sciences, engineering and economics. This study uses cognitive and non-cognitive measures of students, together with background information, in order to design predictive models of student performance using artificial neural networks (ANN). These predictions of performance constitute a true predictive classification of academic performance over time, a year in advance of the actual observed measure of academic performance. A total sample of 864 university students of both genders, ages ranging between 18 and 25 was used. Three neural network models were developed. Two of the models (identifying the top 33% and the lowest 33% groups, respectively) were able to reach 100% correct identification of all students in each of the two groups. The third model (identifying low, mid and high performance levels) reached precisions from 87% to 100% for the three groups. Analyses also explored the predicted outcomes at an individual level, and their correlations with the observed results, as a continuous variable for the whole group of students. Results demonstrate the greater accuracy of the ANN compared to traditional methods such as discriminant analyses. In addition, the ANN provided information on those predictors that best explained the different levels of expected performance. Thus, results have allowed the identification of the specific influence of each pattern of variables on different levels of academic performance, providing a better understanding of the variables with the greatest impact on individual learning processes, and of those factors that best explain these processes for different academic levels.
Exploring the Antecedents of Learning-Related Emotions and Their Relations with Achievement Outcomes
Author: Niculescu, Alexandra Corina
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Outcomes of Education,Role,Emotional Experience,Guidelines,Student Adjustment,Developmental Tasks,College Freshmen,Anxiety,Psychological Patterns,Mathematics Education,Statistics,Path Analysis,Schemata (Cognition),Predictor Variables

Recent work suggests that learning-related emotions (LREs) play a crucial role in performance especially in the first year of university, a period of transition for most students; however, additional research is needed to show how these emotions emerge. We developed a framework which links a course-contextualized antecedent--academic control in Pekrun's (2006) Control Value Theory of Achievement Emotions--with generic antecedents--adaptive and maladaptive cognitions and behaviors from Martin's (2007) Motivation and Engagement Wheel framework--to explain a classical problem: the emergence of LREs in a transition period. Using a large sample (N = 3451) of first year university students, our study explores these two antecedents to better understand how four LREs (enjoyment, anxiety, boredom and hopelessness) emerge in a mathematics and statistics course. Through the use of path-modelling, we found that academic control has a strong effect on all four LREs--with the strongest impact observed for learning hopelessness and secondary, for learning anxiety. Academic control, on its turn, builds on contributions from adaptive and mal-adaptive cognitions. Furthermore, adaptive cognitions have an impact on learning enjoyment (positive) and on boredom (negative). Surprisingly though, the maladaptive behaviors impact positively learning enjoyment and negatively learning anxiety. Following this, we predicted performance outcomes in the course and found again academic control as the main predictor, followed by learning hopelessness. Overall, this study brings evidence that adaptive and maladaptive cognitions and behaviours act as important antecedents of academic control, the main predictor of LREs and course performance outcomes.
Case Study on Teachers' Contribution to Children's Participation in Finnish Preschool Classrooms during Structured Learning Sessions
Author: Salminen, Jenni Elina
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Case Studies,Preschool Teachers,Preschool Children,Preschool Education,Teaching Methods,Student Participation,Qualitative Research,Content Analysis,Teacher Influence,Discussion (Teaching Technique),Classroom Techniques,Standards,Observation,Classroom Environment,Teacher Attitudes

The main aim of this study was to identify different teaching practices and explore the types of opportunities that they provide for children's participation in four different Finnish preschool classrooms for 6-year olds during structured learning sessions. Observational data of four preschool teachers were analyzed according to the principles of qualitative content analysis. Three themes of teachers' practices were identified, which described the key practices through which teachers influence children's participation, namely, through discussion and conversations; by referring to shared rules and managing the classroom; and through demonstrating pedagogical sensitivity and understanding towards children's active participation. Further, each teacher was observed implementing these practices in a unique combination in their classrooms, thus, creating different opportunities for participation. The four teachers showed a constructive, enabling, reserved or restrictive/unbalanced stance towards children's participation. The results of this study highlight the importance of teachers' pedagogically sensitive attitude as the key to children's participation. Given that the advantages of participation to learning and development are well established, the results also point to a need to evaluate the prevailing pedagogy and practices more closely from the perspective of participation.
Does Personalisation Promote Learners' Attention? An Eye-Tracking Study
Author: Zander, Steffi
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,College Students,Individualized Instruction,Attention,Eye Movements,Multimedia Instruction,Learning Motivation,Mixed Methods Research,Cognitive Processes,Difficulty Level,Outcomes of Education,Multilingual Materials,Statistical Analysis,Effect Size,Hypothesis Testing

The personalisation principle is a design recommendation and states that multimedia presentations using personalised language promote learning better than those using formal language (e.g., using &quot;your&quot; instead of &quot;the&quot;). It is often assumed that this design recommendation affects motivation and therefore allocation of attention. To gain further insight into the processes underlying personalisation effects we conducted an eye tracking experiment with 37 German university students who were presented with either personalised or formal learning materials. We examined group differences in attention allocation parameters (fixation rate, mean fixation duration, transition count, reading depth). The eye-tracking data was combined with self-reports concerning motivation, cognitive load, and learning outcomes. Eye-tracking data revealed a higher reading depth for the main picture areas of interest in the personalised condition. Additionally, participants found the personalised version more appealing and inviting. For learning outcomes, there was a positive effect of personalisation. However, after Bonferroni correction effects and therefore the pattern expected did not reach significance. The results are discussed in regard to their importance for methodological and practical implications for instructional design.
Longer Bars for Bigger Numbers? Children's Usage and Understanding of Graphical Representations of Algebraic Problems
Author: Lee, Kerry
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Elementary School Students,Mathematics Instruction,Word Problems (Mathematics),Algebra,Mathematical Concepts,Graphs,Learning Strategies,Age Differences,Grade 2,Grade 5,Problem Solving,Mathematics Tests,Visual Aids,Elementary School Mathematics,Statistical Analysis,Mathematics Skills

In Singapore, primary school students are taught to use bar diagrams to represent known and unknown values in algebraic word problems. However, little is known about students' understanding of these graphical representations. We investigated whether students use and think of the bar diagrams in a concrete or a more abstract fashion. We also examined whether usage and understanding varied with grade. Secondary 2 (N = 68, M[subscript age] = 13.9 years) and Primary 5 students (N = 110, M[subscript age] = 11.1 years) were administered a production task in which they drew bar diagrams of algebraic word problems with operands of varying magnitude. In the validation task, they were presented with different bar diagrams for the same word problems and were asked to ascertain, and give explanations regarding the accuracy of the diagrams. The Küchemann algebra test was administered to the Secondary 2 students. Students from both grades drew longer bars to represent larger numbers. In contrast, findings from the validation task showed a more abstract appreciation for how the bar diagrams can be used. Primary 5 students who showed more abstract appreciations in the validation task were less likely to use the bar diagrams in a concrete fashion in the production task. Performance on the Küchemann algebra test was unrelated to performance on the production task or the validation task. The findings are discussed in terms of a production deficit, with students exhibiting a more sophisticated understanding of bar diagrams than is demonstrated by their usage.
When Knowing Is Not Enough--The Relevance of Teachers' Cognitive and Emotional Resources for Classroom Management
Author: Seiz, Johanna
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teacher Competencies,Cognitive Processes,Emotional Response,Classroom Techniques,Stress Variables,Teacher Behavior,Psychological Patterns,Hypothesis Testing,Predictor Variables,Secondary School Teachers,Knowledge Level,Statistical Analysis,Interaction,Foreign Countries,Factor Analysis,Structural Equation Models,Burnout,Measures (Individuals)

This study expands the discussion on teacher competence by investigating the relevance of teachers' combined cognitive resources and emotional resources for effective classroom management. While research on teacher qualification stresses the importance of knowledge for effective teaching, research on teacher stress focuses on their emotional functioning, often without connection to their in-class behaviour. Drawing on findings from health psychology showing that high levels of emotional exhaustion can impair cognitive performance, we hypothesised that teachers' pedagogical/psychological knowledge would predict their classroom management behaviour only when their level of emotional exhaustion was low. We administered a test to assess the pedagogical/psychological knowledge of 205 secondary school teachers, measured their emotional exhaustion, and assessed their classroom management using ratings of their 4,672 students obtained one year later. Data were analysed using latent moderation analyses, a novel statistical approach that rarely has been employed in research on learning and instruction. Our findings confirmed our hypotheses and indicated an interaction between teachers' cognitive resources and emotional resources, which together predict their classroom management behaviour. Thus, the new theoretical and empirical integration of two distinct areas of teacher quality broadens our understanding of teacher resources necessary for effective instruction. We argue that teacher education should acknowledge the interplay of the different resources teachers have and help them develop their emotional resources to ensure effective instruction.
An Experimental Study of Satisfaction Response: Evaluation of Online Collaborative Learning
Author: Cheng, Xusen
Date: 2016-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Satisfaction,Electronic Learning,Cooperative Learning,Program Effectiveness,Educational Experiments,Causal Models,Undergraduate Students,Foreign Countries,Simulation,Learning Theories,Comparative Analysis,Attitude Measures,Questionnaires,Correlation,Statistical Significance

On the one hand, a growing amount of research discusses support for improving online collaborative learning quality, and many indicators are focused to assess its success. On the other hand, thinkLets for designing reputable and valuable collaborative processes have been developed for more than ten years. However, few studies try to apply thinkLets to online collaborative learning. This paper introduces thinkLets to online collaborative learning and experimentally tests its effectiveness with participants' responses on their satisfaction. Yield Shift Theory (YST), a causal theory explaining inner satisfaction, is adopted. In the experiment, 113 students from Universities in Beijing, China are chosen as a sample. They were divided into two groups, collaborating online in a simulated class. Then, YST in student groups under online collaborative learning is validated, a comparison study of online collaborative learning with and without thinkLets is implemented, and the satisfaction response of participants are analyzed. As a result of this comparison, YST is proved applicable in this context, and satisfaction is higher in online collaborative learning with thinkLets.
The Relationship between Successful Completion and Sequential Movement in Self-Paced Distance Courses
Author: Lim, Janine M.
Date: 2016-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Distance Education,Electronic Learning,Online Courses,Higher Education,Sequential Learning,Technology Uses in Education,Curriculum Design,Instructional Design,Correlation,Undergraduate Students,Individualized Instruction,Pacing,Academic Persistence,Student Behavior,Learner Controlled Instruction,School Holding Power

A course design question for self-paced courses includes whether or not technological measures should be used in course design to force students to follow the sequence intended by the course author. This study examined learner behavior to understand whether the sequence of student assignment submissions in a self-paced distance course is related to successful completion of the course. The study included 543 students in 89 different general education courses at a private university in the United States during a two year period. Results indicate that students who completed at least one assignment or exam out of the intended sequence of instruction were more likely to complete the course. Results were consistent when replicating the analysis with subsets of the data by course characteristics such delivery type, content, course format, and course level; and student demographics such as ethnicity, gender, GPA, and class standing. Learner control and self-direction within online self-paced courses should be included in course design to increase the likelihood of learner successful completion. Additional research could benefit course design and student support to promote higher rates of completion in self-paced courses.
A Cognitive Style Perspective to Handheld Devices: Customization vs. Personalization
Author: Hsieh, Chen-Wei
Date: 2016-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Handheld Devices,Technology Uses in Education,Educational Technology,Cognitive Style,Preferences,Student Attitudes,Scores,Questionnaires,Pretests Posttests,Individualized Instruction,Likert Scales,Foreign Countries,College Students

Handheld devices are widely applied to support open and distributed learning, where students are diverse. On the other hand, customization and personalization can be applied to accommodate students' diversities. However, paucity of research compares the effects of customization and personalization in the context of handheld devices. To this end, a customized digital learning system (CDLS) and personalized digital learning system (PDLS) were implemented with the handheld devices and they tailored to the needs of different cognitive style groups. Furthermore, we conducted two empirical studies to examine the effects of cognitive styles on the use of the CDLS and PDLS. More specifically, Study 1 identified the preferences of each cognitive style group while Study 2 investigated how students with different cognitive styles react to the CDLS and the PDLS. The results from these two studies showed that student with the CDLS and those with the PDLS obtained similar task scores and post-test scores, regardless of their cognitive styles. However, cognitive styles affected the efficiency of completing tasks and perceptions for customization and personalization.
Using Positive Visual Stimuli to Lighten the Online Learning Experience through in Class Questioning
Author: Lai, Chia-Hung
Date: 2016-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Online Courses,Visual Stimuli,Diagnostic Tests,Anxiety,Teaching Methods,Questioning Techniques,Feedback (Response),Rewards,Accuracy,Scores,Nonverbal Communication,Emotional Response,Tests,Attention Control,Affective Behavior,Teacher Student Relationship,Vocational High Schools,High School Students,Design,Pretests Posttests

Using in-class questions is an efficient instructional strategy to keep abreast of the state of student learning in a class. Some studies have found that discussing in-class questions in synchronous learning is helpful. These studies demonstrated that synchronous questions not only provide students with timely feedback, but also allow teachers to change the pedagogy adaptively. However, some studies have also shown negative results of synchronous questions in that students may resist being questioned because of anxiety. Therefore, this paper proposes an idea of showing students funny images in order to reward them for providing correct answers. The effect of connecting questions with funny image rewards was examined by collecting data on student test scores, on facial expressions and on electroencephalogram (EEG) responses elicited using this strategy. The data on students' facial expressions indicated that being presented with funny images for correct answers consistently helps to arouse positive emotions in participants. Also, the data on the EEG responses showed that the participants receiving the rewarded questions demonstrated a trend toward increasing levels of attention and relaxation. However, the results also revealed that significant improvements in test scores were not apparent regardless of whether or not amusing visual stimuli were used. The findings imply that showing funny images as a stimulus enhances students' affective states in student-teacher interactions during online learning activities.
Does Navigation Always Predict Performance? Effects of Navigation on Digital Reading Are Moderated by Comprehension Skills
Author: Naumann, Johannes
Date: 2016-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Reading Skills,Reading Comprehension,Electronic Publishing,Reading Tests,Handheld Devices,Books,Telecommunications,Navigation (Information Systems),Hypermedia,Web Sites,Distance Education,Online Courses,Predictor Variables,High School Students,Foreign Countries,Search Strategies

This study investigated interactive effects of navigation and offline comprehension skill on digital reading performance. As indicators of navigation, relevant page selection and irrelevant page selection were considered. In 533 Spanish high school students aged 11-17 positive effects of offline comprehension skill and relevant page selection on digital reading performance were found, while irrelevant page selection had a negative effect. In addition, an interaction between relevant page selection and offline comprehension skill was found. While the effect of relevant page selection was strong in good offline comprehenders, it was significantly reduced in weak offline comprehenders. The effect of offline comprehension skill was strong in students showing high rates of relevant page selection, while it was weak and insignificant in students showing low rates of relevant page selection.
Analysis of Learning Achievement and Teacher-Student Interactions in Flipped and Conventional Classrooms
Author: Sun, Jerry Chih-Yuan
Date: 2016-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Teaching Methods,Technology Uses in Education,Educational Technology,Blended Learning,Homework,Video Technology,Experimental Groups,Control Groups,Teacher Student Relationship,Interaction,Satisfaction,Qualitative Research,Interviews,College Freshmen,Physics,Academic Achievement,Comparative Analysis,Web Based Instruction,Shared Resources and Services,Resource Units,Distance Education,Quasiexperimental Design,Student Characteristics,Student Attitudes,Conventional Instruction

This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of two different teaching methods on learning effectiveness. OpenCourseWare was integrated into the flipped classroom model (experimental group) and distance learning (control group). Learning effectiveness encompassed learning achievement, teacher-student interactions, and learning satisfaction. The experimental method was supplemented with qualitative interviews. Overall, 181 freshmen taking a course on physics were allowed to choose their own class based on their preferred teaching method (experimental or control group). The findings indicated that learners in the experimental group scored higher for learning achievement. When selecting a teaching method, if sufficient resources are available, it is suggested that teachers provide learners with the combination of OCW and flipped classroom. Although there was no significant between-group difference in terms of teacher-student interactions and learning satisfaction, the interactions in the flipped classroom had positive effect on students' learning achievement. The use of the flipped classroom model allows for adequate teacher-student interactions, as teachers can provide guidance and assistance to students in person, while there are greater opportunities for collaborative learning among learners. In addition, since the flipped classroom model emphasizes the process of learning rather than its outcomes, information technology tools should be used to keep detailed records and follow the learning process in order to assess various aspects of the learners' growth. The results of this study can serve as a reference for future studies on the flipped classroom model and OpenCourseWare, as well as for teachers and researchers in related fields.