Harrison Hao Yang

The impact of interactive whiteboards on education

This study examines key ideas, evidences, and works of interactive whiteboards on education over the ten-year period from 2002 to 2011. It focuses on seven research hotspots and priority areas: teaching strategies and methods, instructional effectiveness, technology diffusion and infusion, users, mathematics education, science education in primary schools, language teaching and learning.

Study on the research hotspots of interactive whiteboards in education

Based upon 107 research studies on educational applications of interactive whiteboards (IWBs) from ERIC database in the latest decade, this study selects 36 high-frequency descriptors to conduct co-word analysis for exploring the research hotspots of IWBs on educational applications. The results show that over the past decade, the research hotspots of IWBs on educational applications are mainly concentrated on seven areas, including: teaching strategies and methods, instructional effectiveness, technology diffusion and infusion, the users, mathematics education, science education in primary schools, and language teaching and learning.

A preliminary study on developing computer games for information literacy education

To educate undergraduate students with information literacy (IL) and help them become lifelong learners is one of the crucial missions for higher education. Traditional IL education approach is low in efficiency. Computer games have become an influential force in peoples life, and have great potentials in education. How to design and develop computer games to implement more efficient IL education is still not fully studied. This study reviews the previous literature in the field of game studies, educational function of games, game-based learning and IL education, and identifies the key issues of computer games-based IL education. Based upon the Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education of the US, a model of the design and development of computer games for IL education is proposed, which includes 10 instructional modules and 6 difficulty levels.

Technological Factors and Student-to-Student Connected Classroom Climate in Cloud Classrooms:

In an effort to address student engagement challenges, much research has explored student-to-student connected classroom climate (CCC). Research positively associates CCC to the benefits of student integration, learning, and retention in face-to-face environments. However, few studies have examined CCC in computer-mediated environments. This study provides empirical evidence of the relationships between key technological factors and CCC in cloud classrooms. A survey was administered to 641 college students, and the results indicate that four of the five technological factors examined were positively associated with CCC: advanced computer self-efficacy, program/software computer experience, Internet/entertainment computer experience, and computer importance. Basic computer self-efficacy was not related to CCC. These findings identify mechanisms that can improve CCC in cloud classrooms. Researchers and practitioners should use this knowledge to develop, implement, and assess the cloud classroom. In addition, this study contributes knowledge that can direct student training of digital literacies for improving the learning processes of cloud classrooms in higher education.

Hybrid Learning: Innovation in Educational Practices

Virtual Reality (VR) technologies bring new opportunities and challenges to teaching and learning. Virtual Reality Learning Environment (VRLE), a VR-based interactive environment incorporating instructional design for educational purposes, nowadays draws great attention of interdisciplinary scholars. In this paper, we first introduce the current status of VRLE-based research studies from various perspectives and then summarise the on-going challenges based on previous research studies and our own experience in this research area.

Understanding College Students’ Acceptance of Cloud Classrooms in Flipped Instruction: Integrating UTAUT and Connected Classroom Climate

Cloud classrooms provide many advantages in higher education. However, little is known about the social influence of peer relationships on students’ acceptance of cloud classrooms. This study utilized structural equation modeling to examine a model that integrates the Universal Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and Connected Classroom Climate (CCC). Effort expectancy, social influence, and CCC were found to significantly impact cloud classroom acceptance by college students. Performance expectancy and facilitating conditions, however, did not affect acceptance. These findings contribute understanding that can support decision-making for the cloud classroom, with particular emphasis on increasing college students’ acceptance and use of such technology. Administrators, researchers, and practitioners can use this knowledge to guide their implementation, improvement, and assessment of cloud classrooms. In addition, beyond the cloud classroom, our identification of this relationship between CCC and students’ acceptance represents new knowledge to guide other contexts of online learning.

Interactive Whiteboard-Based Instruction Versus Lecture-Based Instruction: A Study on College Students’ Academic Self-efficacy and Academic Press

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of interactive whiteboard (IWB)-based instruction on students’ academic self-efficacy and academic press. A quasi-experiment study was conducted using a sample of 103 freshmen from a university in central China. While students in one class employed the IWB-based instructional approach, students in the other class employed the traditional lecture-based instructional approach. Students in both classes studied English for three months. The pre- and post- surveys showed that the students with the IWB-based instructional approach had a higher level of academic self-efficacy and academic press than did the students’ with the lecture-based instruction approach, which indicated that the use of IWB can increase students’ self-efficacy and academic press when cooperated with an appropriate instructional approach.

Investigating Factors Influencing K-12 Teachers’ Intention to Integrate Mobile Devices in Teaching

The purpose of this study was to explore the key factors influencing K-12 teachers’ intention of mobile devices integration in teaching. A structural model of the factors influencing teachers’ intention to integrate mobile devices in teaching was proposed based on an extensive literature review. Based on the proposed model, a survey was administered which included six categories: (1) Attitude and technology belief; (2) Mobile-based pedagogical knowledge; (3) Mobile device skills; (4) Institutional support; (5) Self-efficacy of mobile-based teaching; and (6) Intention to integrate mobile devices. Partial Least Squares (PLS) were employed to validate the proposed model and hypotheses, using the data collected from 22 primary school teachers via surveys. The results indicated that teachers’ attitude and technology belief, and self-efficacy of mobile-based teaching had significant impacts on their intention to integrate mobile devices in teaching. Meanwhile, teachers’ mobile device skills strongly influenced their self-efficacy of mobile-based teaching. Finally, the authors provided suggestions for teachers, school leaders, and researchers.

An Investigation of Factors Influencing College Students’ Mobile Learning Behavior

The purpose of this paper is to explore the factors affecting college students’ mobile learning (M-learning) behavior based on mobile phones. An extended model was proposed by integrating information processing theory into Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). Quantitative methods including Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) were employed to validate the proposed model using the data collected from 206 college students via survey questionnaires. The results indicated that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, resource representation, perceived entertainment, learning style, learning strategy, prior experience, facilitating conditions and satisfaction all had significant impacts on college students’ M-learning behavioral intention or behavior. Meanwhile, the study put forward several guidelines for educators and M-learning developers in terms of providing successful M-learning experiences.

Visualizing and Understanding the Digital Divide

The aim of the study is to visualize the status quo of the research on digital divide via co-citation analysis. A total of 494 papers were retrieved from the Web of Science database with full bibliographic records including authors, titles, abstracts, and reference lists. CiteSpace II was used to conduct visualization analysis about the research on digital divide by identifying the most influential authors, representative countries, and essential papers, as well as research hotspots, evolution path and research frontiers in the field of digital divide.