Exploring perceived cognitive load in learning programming via Scratch

The purpose of this study is to investigate the perceived cognitive load and its effects on the academic performance in Scratch-based programming. The four main concepts of programming (sequences, operators, conditions and loop) were delivered in the instructional package. Participants were 12 sixth-grade students enrolled at a public secondary school. The results from quantitative and qualitative instruments indicated that students’ perceived cognitive loads were close to each other among four programming concepts. The attractive interface of Scratch was somewhat useful but some parts of the interface were problematic for achieving the programming tasks. This study concludes with suggestions for Scratch practitioners and researchers to pay attention to the sources of cognitive load effects

Evaluating students' perspectives about virtual classrooms with regard to Seven Principles of Good Practice

This study assesses the quality of distance learning (DL) in higher education assessed by considering the Seven Principles of Good Practice (SPGP). The participants were 77 second-year students from the Computer and Instructional Technologies Program (CEIT) of a Faculty of Education in Turkey. A questionnaire was developed in line with the SPGP and administered to collect data after 14 weeks of teaching. The author's observations were added to a discussion of the connections between student perspectives and the SPGP. The lessons were delivered in a virtual classroom. It is a synchronous online learning environment with online meetings, chat, forums, whiteboards, desktop sharing, document sharing and other online features. The analysis of the results of the questionnaire indicate that this questionnaire as it has been developed in this study can be effective in understanding and evaluating the perspectives of learners on the quality of distance learning in virtual classrooms. This study also presents some new evidence on the potential of virtual classrooms for teaching, learning and learner interaction. Finally, some suggestions regarding the expectations of distance learners were also provided for instructors who wish to utilize virtual classrooms in their teaching

Community of Inquiry in Web Conferencing: Relationships between Cognitive Presence and Academic Achievements

In an increasingly digital society, educators are encouraged to use synchronous online technologies. This study attempts to explore the community of inquiry in a web conferencing system through synchronous interactions and focuses on the relationships between cognitive presence and academic achievements. Participants were teacher candidates enrolled in a one-semester synchronous course at an online program of a public university. Community of Inquiry Questionnaire, final exam scores and student discussion messages were used to gather data. Results indicated that while moderate positive relationships were found between cognitive and social presences, no significant correlation was addressed between teaching and social presences and also between teaching and cognitive presences. In addition, cognitive presence was found moderately positive correlated with academic achievements. The role of the instructor and the affordances of web conferencing system positively influenced the students’ cognitive presences. Further research directions and practical implications about the synchronous instructions were also included

Microanalytic evaluation of students’ self-regulated learning in flipped EFL instruction

The aim of this study is to examine the development of self-regulated learning (SRL) of university students in an EFL course via Flipped classroom through a novel measurement roadmap. Microanalytic techniques were used throughout the process rather than students’ perceptions at a given moment. SRL skills scores are reported as well as sample testimonies from students as qualitative data used to explain the analytic measures. The study was conducted with 12 students studying at a public university and lasted for 6 weeks. A new system FCMWEB is designed throughout to monitor online SRL development taking Zimmerman (2008) SRL model as a basis. While the forethought phase was monitored in the online sessions and the performance and self-reflection phase were associated with the face-to-face sessions. Records from FCMWEB as microanalytic, worksheet, observation notes and self-reflection form were used as data collection tools. During the study, the sub skills of forethought phase, self-reflection phase and performance phase are analyzed and validated through students’ perspectives. The developments in the skills of the forethought and self-reflection phases were between sufficient and advanced levels. The performance phase was mostly sufficient, but also included poor and advanced levels. The results provide implications for course designers and instructors who desire to provide a better flipped classroom experience in EFL for university students

An Analysis of the Journey of Open and Distance Education: Major Concepts and Cutoff Points in Research Trends

In an effort to understand trends in open and distance education more comprehensively, this study aims to identify the research trends, major concepts, and cutoff points in the articles published between 2009 and 2016. From five major peer-reviewed journals, a total of 989 articles were analyzed through a systematic literature review process using content analysis. The articles were coded based on the following three categories: level, topics, and sub-topics. The results indicated the followings: (1) emerged main themes in the articles were foundations of open and distance education, instructional process, and effects of applications; (2) there was an upward growth in the publishing of the articles on massive open online courses, open educational resources, and students’ perspectives; (3) new pedagogical approaches and online learning design played a triggering role in the research topics; and (4) technological and pedagogical developments between 2011 and 2012 had an influence on the tendency of the articles. In addition, we explored cutoff points so that they may provide insights and valuable hints for researchers to design new studies in open and distance education field. Discussions about the gaps in the state-of-the-art trends and directions about future research were also included