eInk versus paper: exploring the effects of medium and typographic quality on recall and reading speed

This study compares the effects of reading from paper and an eInk display on recall and reading speed alongside the effects of changes in typographic quality (fluent and disfluent conditions). Both medium and typographic quality were between-subject variables resulting in four groups of participants. Each participant was timed while they read one text. They then completed a general questionnaire before answering multiple-choice questions evaluating their recall of the content they had read. Comparable reading speeds for paper and eInk were recorded and these were slower for disfluent conditions. Improved typographic quality significantly enhanced recall on eInk, whereas for paper participants who read the disfluent condition recalled more. These findings suggest that typographic quality has a significant effect on reading, which is also influenced by the medium. Although recall was better in the disfluent paper condition, some caution should be observed in translating this into recommendations that would result in more effortful reading

What Drives Students' Loyalty-Formation in Social Media Learning Within a Personal Learning Environment Approach? The Moderating Role of Need for Cognition

Our study analyzes an educational experience based on the integrated use of social media within a higher education course under a personal learning environment approach and investigates the factors that determine students' loyalty to social media learning. We examined the moderating role of need for cognition (NFC) in students' formation of attitudes, satisfaction, and loyalty toward this learning experience. The results indicate that NFC has an influence on these variables, significantly moderating how loyalty toward social media learning is formed. For high-NFC students, satisfaction with the learning experience is the most important variable to explain loyalty; whereas for low-NFC students, attitudes have a stronger effect. Different strategies are suggested, according to the learners' NFC levels, for increasing the use of social media in personal learning environments. Practical implications for improving the integration of such informal resources into formal education are discussed.Junta de Andalucía – Programa Andaluz de I + D P12 SEJ 259

Theatre Arts Integration for Deeper Learning in the English-as-a-Foreign-Language Classroom

This quasi-experimental case study examines the impact of theatre arts integration in an English-as-a foreign language (EFL) course in a competency-based international high school. Aiming to engage students in a process of deeper learning through drama, this study focuses on the domain of speaking and oral communicative competence. Although widely recognized as one of the most important college-and-career-readiness skills, oral communication is often overshadowed by high-stakes testing priorities such as reading and writing. In particular, many Chinese students of English struggle to achieve confident oral fluency despite years of study. This research was designed to investigate whether theatre arts integration pedagogy contributes to enhanced learning outcomes using a treatment group of 14 Chinese students in an extant EFL classroom in China and a comparison group of 13 Chinese students taking the same level of English at the same school site that did not utilize an arts-integrated approach. Quantitative and qualitative data sources including astandardized EFL proficiency assessment, software analytics of oral interviews, and student artifact portfolios wereutilized to answer the guiding question: What is the impact of theatre arts integration on learning outcomes for Chinese students studying English as a foreign language? Analyses of the pre- and post- assessments revealed that the majority of the participants in both groups experienced significant growth in their overall as well as their spoken English performance, indicating that theatre arts integration pedagogy was as effective or more effective than other non-arts-based instructional methods in this case. For participants who did not demonstrate growth or received mixed results according to the two quantitative assessments, a qualitative analysis of their portfolio of performance assessments (artifacts) provided further insights into their progress and proficiency. This research suggests that theatre arts integration has the potential toenhance learning outcomes for spoken English proficiency and communicative competence, and the instructional design and assessment system can serve as models for educators everywhere who are considering arts-integrated or competency-based approaches. This research contributes to reducing barriers between the theory and practice of deeper learning, chief among them being the need for new pedagogical models that foster deeper learning

The Effect of Rule-Based Scaffoldings on Second Grade Students\u27 Digital Storytelling

Digital storytelling is a powerful method for revitalizing literacy instruction. Past research suggested that digital storytelling activities improve students’ writing skills through construction of various types of stories. However, little research has investigated in what ways educators can promote students’ interests and actual abilities to express narrative discourse in a digital format. Recent research indicated that the use of story grammars help students develop sophisticated stories. From this perspective, Labov’s story grammar emphasized two functions of good story structure: reference—the listeners (or readers) are told what happened, and evaluation—the speakers (or writers) reveal their attitude toward the events of the narrative. Meanwhile, current practitioner based research suggests that Lambert’s seven elements approach of digital storytelling emerged as a practical guideline for creating effective digital stories in elementary classrooms. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the potential of three instructional approaches: Labov’s story grammar only, Lambert’s seven elements only, and both instructional approaches, as scaffolding(s) for students’ digital storytelling. Specifically, a quantitative research design with three experimental groups and one control group, pre-test and post-test, was employed. Participants included 104 second-graders (largely from high socioeconomic status families), with 26 in each of four classrooms. Therefore, the three instructional scaffold approaches and one non-scaffold supported approach were randomly assigned to each of four classrooms respectively to support students’ story writing, storytelling, story design and construction using Movie Maker software. Students’ understanding of narrative writing was assessed before and after the implementation of the intervention. The results indicated that the instructional scaffolding positively enhanced students’ performance in story writing, storytelling, as well as verbal and visual expression. In particular, the story grammar scaffolding motivated students to produce coherent, more sophisticated stories. The seven elements scaffolding sparked students’ creative verbal and visual expressions and stimulated them to elaborate using a variety of adjectives in their digital stories. When both scaffolding approaches were implemented, students significantly outperformed the other groups on the quality of story content, story coherency and narrative knowledge. The implications of these findings and recommendations for future research are discussed

VARIOUS METHODS OF NOTE-TAKING AND HOW THEY COMPARE IN TERMS OF INFORMATION RETENTION

The use of electronic devices to take classroom notes rather than writing them using pencil and paper is increasingly common. Previous studies have attempted to establish a connection between the use of devices in the classroom and decreased classroom performance, hindered memory, and poor attention. These studies have mainly examined students' ability to multitask and the effect of distraction when laptops are used for note-taking. The intent of this study was to examine how varying methods of note-taking compare by measuring how much information is retained immediately after a simulated lecture and a week after first exposure. To add to previous findings, this research focused on how context of note-taking and test-taking interact to influence information retention as well. Lastly, individual differences among students, such as their Need for Cognition, Sensation Seeking, and Optimal Level of Arousal impact test performance, based on note-taking method. Analyses conducted as part of this study found that there are no significant differences in how well students retain information based on note-taking method, match/mismatch in context between note-taking and test-taking, or various individual differences. The only significant finding of the current research is that taking notes, regardless of method, leads to better information retention than not taking notes at all

Teacher Clarity Strategies of Highly Effective Teachers

Teacher clarity supports both cognitive and affective learning for all learners. The scholarly literature lacks research related to teacher clarity in nonlecture learning environments. The purpose of this qualitative study was to discover teacher clarity strategies that effectively promote student learning, particularly in nonlecture learning environments. The conceptual framework involved cognitive load theory and constructivism. The research questions explored how highly effective teachers experience clarity to promote student learning in nonlecture learning environments and what innovative strategies highly effective teachers practice to ensure clarity in nonlecture learning environments. For this in-depth qualitative interview study, data were collected through virtual synchronous focus groups and interviews with 10 State Teachers of the Year and State Teacher of the Year finalists and analyzed using manual and digital coding of emergent themes. Key nonlecture teacher clarity strategies discovered emphasized the importance of interaction, facilitation, and responsiveness through the establishment of safe and inclusive learning environments, active monitoring of student work and understanding, individualized application of strategic ambiguity, and utilization of technology tools. Further research is recommended in strategic ambiguity, interaction through facilitation, safe and inclusive environments, and teacher clarity through technology tools. By contributing to the body of knowledge of educational practices that improve student learning, my study has the potential to empower individual teachers to benefit all learners, and to support organizations in delivering equitable instruction in diverse secondary school settings

Features of iPad language applications for speech-language therapy with children

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master in Speech-Language PathologyBackground: Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) worldwide are using apps in their interventions. Despite this growing trend, there is limited literature on the use of apps for language intervention. Reports indicate that SLPs are selecting apps by word-of-mouth and popularity. One of the difficulties in evaluating apps is related to the lack of consensus about which features are important in an app when providing speech-language therapy to children. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the features of apps that SLPs regard as valuable for language intervention with children and how SLPs were using apps in their intervention. Method: The study employed an explanatory, sequential mixed-method approach using SLPs in 6 predominantly English-speaking countries. A self-developed online survey (N = 338) identifying the features of apps was distributed to SLPs who use apps. This was followed by a semi-structured interview with some participants (n = 16) in order to obtain further insights from the survey. Descriptive statistics were used to examine the survey results. Interview data were explored using thematic analysis. Findings: The findings show that SLPs view apps as an engaging and motivating tool for therapy to facilitate their intervention goals. The lack of guidelines to support SLPs in their selection of apps has contributed to the selection of apps based on popularity and word-of-mouth rather than feature matching. Findings showed that specific content and design features of apps may support effective intervention, however these features need to be carefully evaluated in terms of the underlying principles of language intervention, multimedia learning and learning. Features that may impede effective intervention must also be considered. In addition, the social and pragmatic aspects of communication must be contemplated when using apps. Conclusions: A feature-matching checklist was developed in order to assist SLPs select apps based on feature matching. The findings from the study highlight the need for SLPs to engage more deeply with the theory underlying multimedia learning so that this information can be used to contribute to evidence-based practice when using apps for intervention. This study, calls for SLPs to make a concerted effort to engage in research around apps and app use.MT201