ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
EFL Learners&apos; Peer Negotiations and Attitudes in Mobile-Assisted Collaborative Writing
Author: Yeh, Shiou-Wen
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Second Language Instruction,Second Language Learning,English (Second Language),Collaborative Writing,Handheld Devices,Telecommunications,College Students,Student Attitudes,Writing Assignments,Peer Relationship,Writing Instruction,Computer Software,Discourse Analysis,Learning Experience,Asynchronous Communication,Computer Assisted Instruction,Teaching Methods,Usability,Foreign Countries

Based on the advantages of collaborative writing and the advanced development of mobile technology, this study investigated the communication process and attitudes of a group of college students toward collaborative writing using a &quot;Google Docs&quot; app on an English writing course. Online collaborative writing assignments were assigned by the instructor in class, while the English as a foreign language (EFL) students were required to work on the writing assignments online. The researchers examined participants' peer negotiations in this mobile-enhanced, collaborative writing project, focusing on these EFL learners' negotiation discourse patterns and strategies. With the aid of mobile technology, participants practiced English writing in a collaborative way. Their discourse functions, peer negotiation strategies, attitudes, and learning experiences were investigated. A mixed methodology was applied. The findings revealed that participants had a generally positive attitude toward the collaborative writing experience. The results are also discussed in terms of learners' peer negotiation strategies and types of discourse functions.
Revisiting Communicative Competence in the Teaching and Assessment of Language for Specific Purposes
Author: Whyte, Shona
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Communicative Competence (Languages),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Linguistic Theory,Languages for Special Purposes,Applied Linguistics,Language Research,Teaching Methods,Language Tests,Theory Practice Relationship

The term &quot;communicative competence&quot; captures the notion that the ability to use language in interaction requires not just control of linguistic form but also awareness of rules of use in different contexts (Hymes, 1972). Communicative competence is a slippery term: different actors in second language (L2) research, education, and assessment interpret the term in a variety of ways and use it for a range of purposes, perhaps particularly in the field of languages for specific purposes (LSP). This is unfortunate because it is a key concept in LSP, as in applied linguistics more generally. Communicative competence can be considered to be the target of second language acquisition, a main goal of second or foreign language teaching and learning, or the object language testers seek to measure via performance tests. In addition, current interpretations of communicative competence may be somewhat questionable adaptations of Hymes' concept, modified and often simplified to reflect current approaches in both formal and functional linguistics, and to respond to practical concerns in language teaching and testing. This paper seeks to re-examine communicative competence from three perspectives -- L2 research, teaching, and testing -- highlighting problems in terms of theory and practice with respect to LSP. Drawing on recent research on indigenous assessment criteria, the paper concludes with a revised model of communicative competence for LSP, offering a richer interpretation closer to the original concept and to current concerns in the field.
Peer Assessment: Channels of Operation
Author: Topping, Keith
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Peer Evaluation,Definitions,Program Effectiveness,Models,Design,Classification,Technology Uses in Education,Student Evaluation,Evaluation Criteria,Educational Benefits,Communication Skills,Psychological Patterns,Prompting,Feedback (Response),Reinforcement,Generalization,Metacognition,Self Efficacy,Learning Processes

The present paper offers a definition of peer assessment and then reviews the major syntheses on its effectiveness. However, the main part of this paper is preoccupied with how to do PA successfully. A typology of 44 elements explains the differences between the many types of peer assessment. Then a theoretical model outlines some of the processes which may occur during PA. Initially, only a few of these will be used, but as those engaged in PA become more experienced, an increasing number of elements will feature. However, these may not appear in the linear order set out here, and indeed may be recursive. The implications for the design and organisation of PA are outlined, as well as the implications for future research.
Mapping Spontaneous Cooperation between Children in Automata Construction Workshops
Author: Bidarra, Graça
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: STEM Education,Workshops,Children,Automation,Elementary School Students,Cooperation,Child Behavior,Foreign Countries

This work analyzes spontaneous cooperation between children who participated in Automata for STEM, European Union funded Erasmus+ project workshops. Taking into account the characteristics of automata, that involve a narrative part and a mechanism, the project used them to implement contextualized and interdisciplinary STEM activities. The pedagogical method involved the presentation of automata, and children being challenged to plan and construct their own. Although no cooperative learning strategies were imposed during the workshops, this research aimed to identify types of spontaneous cooperation that could emerge among children. Data was gathered through participant observation and a questionnaire. Core dimensions of spontaneous cooperation were identified as well as specific dimensions, pointing to a divergent type, characterized by involvement between pairs of children in different projects, and to another type, convergent, involving work between pairs of children in the same project. Spontaneous cooperation also varied according to the children's age or the workshop structure. During workshops with children aged 6-7 years, the class teacher was present and provided guidance, the children were seated in pairs or in a presentation arrangement. During workshops for older children of 8-9 years of age, there was less guidance and the class teacher sometimes was not even in the room the children worked at round tables.
An Empirical Investigation of Leadership and Human Resources Capacities as Key Actors in the Implementation of Smart Education
Author: Wang, Xuhui
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Technology Uses in Education,Adoption (Ideas),Leadership,Human Resources,Investment,Technology Integration,Postsecondary Education,School Personnel,College Faculty,Influences

Due to the novelty of the smart education phenomenon, a quantitative investigation of the variables that will influence the implementation of 'smart education' was needed. Therefore, based on a probability simple random survey of 349 Grenadian employees from tertiary institutions in the education industry, the influence of leadership and human resource capacities on smart education were investigated. Results produced from SPSS analysis software and Smart PLS revealed that leadership and human resources capacities have sufficient confidence to have a significant influence on smart education, producing a positive association with 'smart education.' However, this relationship is positively moderated by additional investments, such as infrastructural innovation. These findings enrich the current literature on smart education (SE) by increasing knowledge of the phenomenon through the lenses of the Actor-Network Theory and Technology Adoption Model. Accordingly, policymakers should bear these findings in mind when developing holistic strategies to guide SE's successful enactment.
Relations between Instructor Feedback, Self-Regulation, Assignment Completion and Academic Achievement in Thai Higher Learning Institutions
Author: Suamuang, Wuttiporn
Date: 2021-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Feedback (Response),Self Control,Assignments,Academic Achievement,Foreign Countries,College Students,Time Management,Self Efficacy,Help Seeking,Structural Equation Models

Purpose: Assignments have been linked with various benefits, including a higher quality of learning and academic achievement. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between assignment completion and academic achievement in higher education. Specifically, it investigated the impact of instructor feedback and three constructs of self-regulation (self-efficacy, time management, and help-seeking) on assignment completion (time spent on assignments and number of assignments completed) and academic achievement. Methodology: The study employed a correlational research design and a self-report survey. Data was collected from 1,106 undergraduate students in six universities in Thailand through a convenience sampling approach. Structural equation modelling was used to establish the strength of the relationships among the constructs of the model. Findings: The number of assignments completed was found to have a strong association with academic achievement. Time management was the strongest predictor of the number of assignments completed as well as time spent on assignments. Time management was also the mediator between self-efficacy and the number of assignments completed. However, help-seeking was negatively associated with both the number of assignments completed and academic achievement. Significance: These results have educational implications, and should be helpful for instructors, instructional designers and educators who may use the information to offer undergraduate students appropriate learning tools, strategies and environments for supporting assignment completion and academic achievement.
Scaffolding the Formal Analysis Assignment in Art History Courses to Promote Learning
Author: Kutis, Barbara
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Scaffolding (Teaching Technique),Assignments,Art History,Introductory Courses,Online Courses,Self Management,Feedback (Response),Integrated Learning Systems,Scoring Rubrics,Student Evaluation,College Students,College Faculty,Teacher Student Relationship

This article provides a discussion on how to promote self-regulated learning by employing scaffolding assignments using the learning management system (LMS) Canvas. With many college courses transitioning to the online environment, students are expected to complete large, complex assignments that meet higher order learning outcomes. Challenges of the online course include allowing for faculty-student interaction and the lack of real-time guidance for these complex projects. A way to increase student success, as research has shown, is to scaffold assignments--that is, create smaller assignments that build toward a larger, more complex assignment. Scaffolding not only allows students the opportunity to practice skills they need to develop but also gives faculty the opportunity to provide feedback to enhance learning. I explain how I adapted the standard formal analysis assignment from an introductory art history course into a series of smaller assignments using the Canvas LMS. By creating assignments that ask students to address select aspects of the larger task, I give students the means by which to repeatedly practice their visual analysis (and writing) skills as well as the opportunity for frequent instructional feedback, both recognized as best practices in teaching and learning. Quantitative evidence supports this practice and suggests student learning and success have improved.
Improving Student Success by Incorporating Instant-Feedback Questions and Increased Proctoring in Online Science and Mathematics Courses
Author: Law, Yu Kay
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Academic Achievement,Feedback (Response),Formative Evaluation,Integrated Learning Systems,Learning Strategies,Computer Assisted Instruction,Scores,Difficulty Level,Online Courses,Introductory Courses,College Science,College Mathematics,College Students,State Universities,Learner Engagement,Performance Factors,Testing,Supervision

Introductory courses in mathematics and physical sciences are challenging for students and often have lower success rates than other comparable courses. In online courses, this is compounded by students employing surface learning strategies. Furthermore, it has been shown that students often do not utilize learning materials that are provided in the structured course modules, such as lecture videos. To combat this problem, we have implemented two different solutions to improve student engagement and retention of knowledge in courses in general chemistry and precalculus. First, using the Quick Check tool in our learning management system (LMS), we have incorporated auto-graded questions that students answer directly after viewing the course materials. These aim to promote the viewing of course materials beyond homework and quizzes, including engagement with course lecture videos. Second, using an online proctoring option integrated into our LMS, we have moved to increase the extent to which exams are proctored. This encourages students to engage in more frequent reinforcement prior to exams as they will not be able to access external information sources. We show that these measures led to greater improvement in student performance between the midterm and final exam, particularly on application questions. However, the incorporation of Quick Check questions reduced student performance on formative assessments particularly on more challenging topics. The implications are discussed in terms of cognitive load theory.
Self-Regulated Learning through ePortfolio: A Meta-Analysis
Author: Segaran, Meerita Kunna
Date: 2021-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Self Management,Portfolios (Background Materials),Portfolio Assessment,Electronic Learning,Cooperative Learning,Metacognition,Student Motivation,Personal Autonomy,Instructional Effectiveness,Elementary Secondary Education,Higher Education,Foreign Countries,Educational Research,Second Language Instruction,Second Language Learning

Purpose: Self-regulated learning (SRL) has been established in the literature as beneficial for students in language learning. It is believed that SRL promotes learner autonomy and successful academic outcomes. Although SRL strategies are quite popular and heavily researched, their functionality through the medium of ePortfolio is uncertain. Therefore, this research analysed how SRL contributes to positive academic outcomes with ePortfolio as a medium. Methodology: A meta-analysis was carried out to identify the patterns and gaps in this research area. A total of 204 studies were identified based on a keyword search related to SRL and portfolio. These studies were further analysed to fit the criteria set for this research. Only nine studies fulfilled these criteria and were thus selected for the study. Findings: It was found that all nine studies included in this review emphasised different research methods and reported significant changes in students' academic outcomes. Eight of the studies were quantitative in nature, while only one study was qualitative. Based on our interpretive findings, three themes were discovered, namely metacognition, collaboration and motivation. Significance: By clarifying the roles played by SRL and how ePortfolio as a tool can promote SRL, this study offers insights to those who wish to use ePortfolio as a medium to foster self-regulated learning. The results of the meta-analysis may also help researchers to explore this area of study and address research gaps in relatable contexts.
Seven Ways of Engaging the Online Learner to Develop Self-Regulated Learning Skills
Author: Barth, Dylan
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Learner Engagement,Electronic Learning,Learning Strategies,Self Management,Integrated Learning Systems,Online Courses,Instructional Design,Asynchronous Communication,Discussion Groups

This article provides several strategies for using a learning management system to engage online students and to promote the development of self-regulated learning skills in a 4-week accelerated summer course.
Sign Language Learning and Assessment in German Switzerland: Exploring the Potential of Vocabulary Size Tests for Swiss German Sign Language
Author: Haug, Tobias
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: German,Sign Language,Language Tests,Test Items,Vocabulary Development,Guidelines,Rating Scales,Translation,Instructional Materials,Item Analysis,Interrater Reliability,Correlation,Content Validity,Foreign Countries,Phonology,Test Format

In German Switzerland the learning and assessment of Swiss German Sign Language (&quot;Deutschschweizerische Gebärdensprache,&quot; DSGS) takes place in different contexts, for example, in tertiary education or in continuous education courses. By way of the still ongoing implementation of the Common European Framework of Reference for DSGS, different tests and assessment procedures are currently been developed and their potential is explored to support the learning and assessment of DSGS. Examples of this are two vocabulary size tests. The first is a web-delivered Yes/No Test, the second a Translation Test from written German to DSGS. For both tests, the same set of items was used. The items were sampled from DSGS teaching materials. For the development of the two vocabulary size tests, 20 DSGS adult learners of ages 24 to 55 (M = 39.3) were recruited as test takers. An item analysis of the test results yielded candidates for removal from the item set. Cronbach's Alpha showed good results for both tests (&gt;0.90), and inter-rater reliability of the Translation Test also indicated promising results (Cohen's Kappa = 0.613, p &lt;0.001). Evidence contributing to content validity was collected based on the sampling method of the test items. Due to the lack of a second DSGS vocabulary test that could be used to establish concurrent validity, external variables were identified and investigated as possible external criteria contributing to the performance of the test takers. One variable, number of courses attended, showed a significant correlation with the test results.
Lecturer Readiness for Online Classes during the Pandemic: A Survey Research
Author: Junus, Kasiyah
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: COVID-19,Pandemics,Online Courses,School Closing,Distance Education,Educational Technology,Teacher Effectiveness,Readiness,Barriers,Teacher Attitudes,Technological Literacy,Integrated Learning Systems,Foreign Countries,College Faculty,Adjustment (to Environment),Teacher Expectations of Students

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most educational institutions across the world have shifted their teaching and learning processes and put efforts into preparing online distance education to ensure education continues uninterrupted. Some did not face difficult tasks or challenges during this process because they were already implementing online or blended learning before the pandemic. However, some institutions, lecturers and students were not ready to adapt to the conditions, and it is therefore important to examine to what extent lecturers are ready to teach online. This research aims to evaluate the readiness of lecturers during a pandemic that arises unexpectedly. It also aims to investigate the weaknesses and obstacles that lecturers must overcome in order to teach an online class. This research applies a mixed-method approach. Lecturers were surveyed through online preparedness questionnaires, and several themes were constructed from the gathered qualitative data. The results show that lecturers have strong baseline technical skills to use e-learning platforms for online courses; they have quickly adapted to using a Learning Management System (LMS), and most have a tactical solution for most online classes with insufficient feasibility, but they do not have a strategic solution. Their sufficiency for teaching online courses was not optimised since they did not fully believe the learning goals could be achieved. This paper elaborates on the theoretical and practical implications.
The Effect of Cohesive Features in Integrated and Independent L2 Writing Quality and Text Classification
Author: Tywoniw, Rurik
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Language Tests,Second Language Learning,Connected Discourse,Essays,Computational Linguistics,Writing Tests,Computer Software,Form Classes (Languages),Decision Making,Predictor Variables,Writing Evaluation,Language Usage,Correlation

Cohesion features were calculated for a corpus of 960 essays by 480 test-takers from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) in order to examine differences in the use of cohesion devices between integrated (source-based) writing and independent writing samples. Cohesion indices were measured using an automated textual analysis tool, the Tool for the Automatic Assessment of Cohesion (TAACO). A discriminant function analysis correctly classified essays as either integrated or independent in 92.3 per cent of cases. Integrated writing was marked by higher use of specific connectives and greater lexical overlap of content words between textual units, whereas independent writing was marked by greater lexical overlap of function words, especially pronouns. Regression analyses found that cohesive indices which distinguish tasks predict writing quality judgments more strongly in independent writing. However, the strongest predictor of human judgments was the same for both tasks: lexical overlap of function words. The findings demonstrate that text cohesion is a multidimensional construct shaped by the writing task, yet the measures of cohesion which affect human judgments of writing quality are not entirely different across tasks. These analyses allow us to better understand cohesive features in writing tasks and implications for automated writing assessment.
Implementation of a Pilot Elementary Mathematics Specialist Endorsement Program
Author: Henrikson, Robin
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Program Implementation,Pilot Projects,Mathematics Education,Elementary School Teachers,Mathematics Teachers,Specialists,Teacher Certification,Rural Schools,Instructional Leadership,Coaching (Performance),Faculty Development,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Self Efficacy,Teaching Skills,Time on Task

We present the results of a mixed methods study focusing on the implementation of a pilot elementary mathematics specialist (EMS) endorsement program implemented in partnership with the several educational organizations to provide teachers in high needs rural areas an opportunity to earn the EMS endorsement through coursework and instructional leadership experiences. The data presented draw from social cognitive theory and andragogy to describe the experiences of the EMS candidates throughout their endorsement program and to provide recommendations for programmatic improvements. We sought to explore ways in which the EMS candidates' experiences within the program and school-based internship impacted their levels of self-efficacy and perceived success within the program. We also sought to determine the opportunities and barriers that exist with the EMS candidates' respective learning environments as they implemented professional learning plans with a core set of teachers they collaborated with to improve mathematics instruction. The results of this study indicate that both EMS candidates and the teachers they worked with increased their levels of mathematics content knowledge. EMS candidates also improved their levels of self-efficacy regarding mathematics teaching and leadership skills. Furthermore, both EMS candidates and their core set of teachers improved in time spent focused on ongoing professional learning activities. Recommendations include a need to support teachers as they expand their role into instruction as well as equip school leaders to ensure they can support teacher leadership candidates in their professional growth.