RESUMO
This mixed methods sequential explanatory study identified and explained the features of engagement strategies for MOOC forum discussion that help low-achieving students make significant progress. Triangulated data were collected from MOOC learners' (n = 335) scores in two reading assessments, their posts to the embedded online discussion forum, and their self-reflection learning journals. Based on learning progress between pre- and post-assessment tasks, MOOC learners are divided into three groups: 1) little, 2) moderate, and 3) significant progress. According to a statistical analysis of the quantified posts, surprisingly, the low-scoring students from the pre-test who demonstrated significant progress later engaged in significantly fewer peer-peer and peer-teacher interactions in the online discussion forum. Guided by self-efficacy literature, the reflective journals of these learners suggested that 1) learner-content interactions may help them advance learning and obtain new information and linguistic knowledge from the peer-made learning materials in the discussion forum; 2) they did not share and exchange ideas and answers with their peers. Instead, they prefer learning from others' discussions and wish to get quick feedback and suggestions on their contributions to the discussion forum; and 3) peer-peer and peer-teacher interactions were proposed as two solutions to regulate their online learning experience as they lack self-discipline and time-management skills. Implications include teachers' continuous support to encourage low-achieving students to learn peer-generated content and quick feedback on their contributions to the discussion forum.
Assuntos
Educação a Distância , Pessoal de Educação , Humanos , Educação a Distância/métodos , Autoeficácia , Avaliação Educacional , EstudantesRESUMO
Traditional picture books for children come with colourful images and a multitude of elements to attract attention and increase the reading interest of typical-developing (TD) children. However, children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are less capable of filtering out unimportant elements in pictures and focusing on social items (e.g., human faces). This study proposed that the removal of background and less important elements in the pictures of children's storybooks could facilitate better attention and enhance children with ASD's focus on the main object and thus the intended meaning of the storybook. We adopted pictures from a well-known children's book and modified them by removing the inessential background elements. Then, ASD children with intellectual disabilities (ASD+ID) (n = 40), children with ID (n = 38) and TD (n = 40) were asked to view the original and modified pictures in an eye-tracking experiment, respectively. Additionally, brain activation of ASD+ID participants (n = 10) was recorded as they were viewing those pictures in an fMRI scan. Eye-tracking found that ASD+ID children viewed the modified pictures with significantly longer average fixations, fewer fixations, fewer saccades, and higher fixation/saccade duration ratio. Contrary to the original pictures, no significant differences were found among ASD+ID, ID only and TD. Especially, ASD+ID group showed highly similar visual patterns to the TD participants when viewing the modified pictures and particularly focusing on the main character in the pictures. Additional fMRI evidence on ASD+ID group also revealed that modified pictures were associated with enhanced activation in bilateral fusiform gyri as compared to those from original pictures, which might suggest increased visual attention. Theoretical and practical implications were discussed in light of our findings.
RESUMO
During the pandemic, the prevailing online learning has brought tremendous benefits to the education field. However, it has also become a target for cybercriminals. Cybersecurity awareness (CSA) or Internet security awareness in the education sector turns out to be critical to mitigating cybersecurity risks. However, previous research indicated that using education level alone to judge CSA level received inconsistent results. This study postulated Social Educational Level (SEL) as a moderator with an extended Knowledge-Attitude-Behaviour model, used students' year level as a proxy for the impact of education level, and used work exposure for the influence of social education level, to compare CSA among undergraduates, postgraduates and working graduates. The participants in the study were divided into six groups, namely year 1 university students, year 2-3university students, final-year students, postgraduate students, young working graduates, and experienced working graduates. The Human Aspects of Information Security Questionnaire was used to conduct a large-scale survey. The multivariate regression model analysis showed significant differences among the knowledge, attitude and behaviour dimensions across groups with different conditions of year-level and work exposure. However, it was found that SEL played a more significant role than an individual's education level. The study suggested that a greater endeavour be committed to educating the public at large together with individuals, institutes, corporate and governments to improve the national CSA level.
RESUMO
The study aims to construct and validate a rubric to assess the effectiveness of PLEs from an academic administrative perspective (PLER-AA) in tertiary education in China. A qualitative-quantitative sequential mixed-method design was used for the scale validation. A total of 206 teachers and administrative staff participated in the Confirmative Factor Analysis (CFA), which supported the 4-dimensional scale, with policy (n = 4), program design (n = 4), curriculum/instruction (n = 4), and capacity (n = 4). Meanwhile, another 189 teachers and administrative staff participated in the current sequence of PLE applications in higher education surveys, revealing a developing phase in China. Consequently, the rubric can be used as a benchmark that provides insight to educators and administrators in developing PLEs in tertiary education in China and worldwide.
