Young Hoan Cho

Effectiveness of collaborative learning with 3D virtual worlds

Virtual worlds have affordances to enhance collaborative learning in authentic contexts. Despite the potential of collaborative learning with a virtual world, few studies investigated whether it is more effective in student achievements than teacher-directed instruction. This study investigated the effectiveness of collaborative problem solving and collaborative observation using virtual worlds. Secondary school students ( n = 101) participated in the study as part of their coursework in three geography classes. This study found that collaborative problem solving and observation were more effective in facilitating and maintaining intrinsic motivation than teacher-directed instruction. Students in the collaborative observation condition outperformed those in the other conditions when it came to knowledge gains. Lastly, collaborative problem solving and observation were more beneficial for group performance than teacher-directed instruction. These results were discussed in regard to the impacts of interactive learning and the cognitive load of using virtual worlds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring the links between pre-service teachers’ beliefs and video-based reflection in wikis

Abstract In teacher education, video has been used frequently for the development of competencies for effective teaching. However, few empirical studies have investigated reciprocal relationships between pre-service teachers’ beliefs and video-based reflection activities. The present study investigated the influences of epistemological beliefs about mathematics on video-based reflection in wikis. Elementary school pre-service teachers had carried out reflective writing and questioning activities after watching a video clip about mathematics learning or instruction in wikis for six weeks. This study also explored the relationships between video-based reflection activities and the change of mathematical beliefs for teaching (MBT). Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected to examine the links between beliefs and reflection activities. This study found that epistemological beliefs partially influenced reflective writing and questioning activities in wikis. In addition, video-based reflection activities were beneficial for the beliefs of mathematical knowledge and students. This study also identified a few reflection and question categories that were closely related to the change of MBT. Lastly, implications of this study were discussed in regard to video-based reflection practices in teacher education.

The role of co-explanation and self-explanation in learning from design examples of PowerPoint presentation slides

The current study investigated how people learn design principles from examples of PowerPoint presentation slides through self-explanation and co-explanation. This study also explored a strategy to improve the effectiveness of co-explanation by integrating it with a collaborative design activity. Preservice teachers (n = 120) studied the design examples of PowerPoint presentation slides in four research conditions: co-explanation with design, co-explanation, self-explanation, and no prompt (control). Pairs of learners in the co-explanation condition explained fewer strengths and weaknesses of the design examples than nominal pairs in the self-explanation condition. Moreover, co-explanation was not more effective than self-explanation when it came to individual learning outcomes. In contrast, pairs in the co-explanation with design condition were more actively engaged in co-explaining design examples than pairs in the co-explanation condition. This study shows that co-explanation with design is more beneficial for constructing and sharing knowledge of design principles than co-explanation only. This study discussed a trade-off between constructive/interactive learning effects and transactional activity costs in co-explaining design examples.

Content Analysis of Webzine for Gist-based Health Message Design

Gist-based message design is essential in the Internet in which a lot of health messages are created and shared constantly. This study intended to identify the characteristics of health messages in a webzine and explore a way to design gist-based health messages. A total of 72 webzine articles published in Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety were selected, and text and visual messages of the articles were analyzed in terms of content types, the frequency and position of gists, and intuitive expression. The articles were also categorized regarding the characteristics of health messages through cluster analyses. This study found that most texts of the health articles consisted of facts and methods, while most visual messages represented concepts. In addition, both text and visual messages had limitations in presenting a gist effectively. It was also necessary to explore an effective way to improve an intuitive understanding of jargon and quantitative information in health messages. Based on these findings, this study provided suggestions for the design of gist-based health messages in the Internet. ■ keyword :∣Message Design∣Gist∣Intuition∣Health∣Fuzzy Trace Theory∣ 접수일자 : 2014년 01월 09일 수정일자 : 2014년 02월 07일 심사완료일 : 2014년 02월 17일 교신저자 : 유명순, e-mail : msyou@snu.ac.kr 핵심정보 중심 건강 메시지 디자인을 위한 웹진 내용분석 193

Authentic Problem Solving and Learning for Twenty-First Century Learners

In line with the goal of developing learners for the twenty-first century, which is characterized by the emergence of knowledge-based economies, educators have strived to cultivate students’ competence in authentic problem solving. This book documents innovative practices of authentic problem solving and learning in Singapore and other countries with regard to three main approaches: authentic problem, authentic practice, and authentic participation. Concerning authentic problems, this book introduces the role and design of authentic problems and problem-based learning environments. The discussions on authentic practice emphasize authentic experience, tool-mediated action, and culture more than realistic problems themselves. The last key theme in the book, authentic participation, elucidates informal learning out of school and learners’ interaction with practitioners in a community of practice. Throughout this book, the dynamic interaction and tensions of authentic problems, learners, tools, and learning environments are discussed along with successful cases of authentic learning in K-12 school, higher education, and professional development. Blending contributions from Singapore-based and international authors, this book provides useful information, new insights, successful stories, and practical guides to school leaders, parents, teachers, and researchers who are willing to develop authentic learning environments for twenty-first century learners.

Authentic Problem Solving and Learning in the 21st Century

Authentic tasks are widely acknowledged by educators to foster desirable twenty-first century (21C) learning dispositions in students, particularly in terms of motivated and engaged learning. In mathematics education specifically, authentic tasks are commonly upheld as essential to the development of positive student affect towards mathematics, as well as mathematical problem-solving competencies and its encompassing socio-cognitive processes—reasoning, communication and connections—among learners (Beswick K, Int J Sci Math Educ, 9(2):367–390, 2011). Despite this widespread belief in the value of authentic tasks, there is surprisingly limited empirical evidence on the relationship between the use of authentic tasks in classrooms and productive learning dispositions (Pellegrino and Hilton (eds) Education for life and work: developing transferable knowledge and skills in the 21st century. National Academies Press, Washington, DC, 2013), particularly from the perspective of students as a critical stakeholder group. This chapter attempts to address this knowledge gap. Drawing from a comprehensive study involving more than 4,000 students across 129 classrooms from 39 secondary schools in Singapore, this chapter foregrounds the extent to which the use of authentic tasks predict a suite of productive 21C learning dispositions. These comprise positive beliefs, attitudes and motivational dispositions that lend themselves towards deeper learning, namely, masteryapproach and performance-approach goal orientations, self-efficacy and task value and individual and collaborative learning engagement. Hierarchical linear modelling results underscore the significance of authentic tasks in predicting students’ individual engagement levels and mastery-approach and performance-approach goal orientations, as well as the extent to which they consider mathematics to be interesting, useful and important. Authentic tasks, however, were not a significant predictor of students’ collaborative engagement and self-efficacy in learning mathematics. The implications of these results are discussed, particularly in light of current understandings of Singapore secondary school students’ self-reported dispositions towards learning mathematics and their strong global performance in international mathematics achievement tests. J.P.-L. Tan (*) • Y. Nie National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore e-mail: jen.tan@nie.edu.sg; youyan.nie@nie.edu.sg

Usefulness of Peer Comments for English Language Writing Through Web-Based Peer Assessment

Peer assessment is an educational activity where students evaluate peers’ performance quantitatively with ratings and/or qualitatively with comments. Quantitative and qualitative feedback given and received by students is the core of the peer assessment process, and acts as references offered for the author’s consideration for amendments to his/her work which leads to knowledge construction. However, the effects of peer comments on students’ writing revisions have rarely been studied with research on peer feedback commonly emphasizing the reliability and validity of peer ratings. Through this paper, we share the qualitative findings of students’ peer comments on their English language writing. The case study was conducted in a secondary school in Singapore where a web-based peer assessment tool, was used to support part of the secondary three English language curriculums to help improve students’ competence in writing argumentative essays.

Gist-based design of graphics to reduce caffeine consumption among adolescents

Background: Health message design plays an important role in knowledge acquisition and changes in attitudes towards a nutrient or substance, such as caffeine. To foster the effectiveness of health education, greater attention should be paid to the gist-based design of health messages that include visual representations. Fuzzy-trace theory indicates that gist knowledge can be influential in decision-making about health and medical problems. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of different graphic types (i.e. gist, verbatim and decoration) on knowledge of gist and verbatim messages, which may in turn influence attitudes and intentions towards caffeine control. Method: Middle school students (n = 315) in South Korea individually studied reading materials on caffeine under three research conditions with respect to graphic types. Results: This study found an interaction effect between sex and graphic types when it came to student perceptions of gist representation and the visual design of graphics. Graphic types also significantly influenced gist knowledge but not verbatim knowledge. Gist and verbatim graphics were more effective in acquiring gist knowledge about caffeine control than decorative graphics. In addition, gist knowledge significantly influenced attitudes and intentions towards caffeine control. Conclusion: The main finding of this study is the importance of acquiring gist knowledge from health messages, which can be enhanced through the effective use of visual representations.

Authentic Learning Research and Practice: Issues, Challenges, and Future Directions

Authentic learning research has focused on diverse topics and applied multiple perspectives including cognitive, affective, and sociocultural aspects. The chapters of this book present theoretical and practical issues in the authentic problem, practice, and participation approaches. We suggest that future research efforts focus on developing a robust theoretical framework, examining the effectiveness of authentic learning for the development of twenty-first century competencies, investigating transition from traditional pedagogy to authentic learning practices and exploring the novel research topics of authentic learning that were presented in the earlier chapters. Researchers, practitioners, and other stakeholders need to make collective efforts to improve authentic learning theory and practice and to resolve contradictions between the new practice and other elements of the current school system.

Mathematical Intuition and Storytelling for Meaningful Learning

Although people often encounter mathematical phenomena or problems in their everyday lives, they are not likely to use their mathematical knowledge acquired in school to understand the phenomena and solve the problems. To address this inert knowledge issue, educators and researchers should pay more attention to mathematical intuition. The mathematical intuition plays an important role not only in making sense of new mathematical knowledge but also in solving real-world problems based on mathematical concepts and principles. To enhance mathematical intuition in school, we suggest two instructional approaches, intuitive instruction and learning by intuiting, and provided storytelling examples in regard to each of the approaches. Although both approaches emphasise the importance of mathematical intuition, the latter focuses more on student-centred learning activities, which occur in formal and informal settings, than the former.