A review of integrating AI-based chatbots into flipped learning: new possibilities and challenges

This mini review examines the emerging concept of integrating AI-based chatbots into flipped learning and its potential to enhance students’ learning experience. We investigate the design and practice of chatbot-supported flipped learning, as well as the benefits and challenges associated with this approach. Despite an extensive database search, only 10 empirical articles were found, indicating that this cutting-edge research topic requires further exploration. The findings of this review suggest that this emerging instructional approach could result in benefits such as increased student interaction with learning content, improved class preparation, and data-driven teaching and learning. However, potential challenges included limited technical functionality, lacking authenticity, and insufficient student motivation. The review offers insights into future research and development to advance the knowledge and practice of integrating AI chatbots into flipped learning

A review of research methodologies used in studies on mobile handheld devices in K-12 and higher education settings

Mobile handheld devices are increasingly being used in education. In this paper, we undertook a review of empirical based articles to summarise the current research regarding the use of mobile handheld devices (personal digital assistants/PDAs, palmtops, and mobile phones) in K-12 and higher education settings. This review was guided by the following four questions: (a) How are mobile handheld devices such as PDAs, palmtops, and mobile phones used by students and teachers? (b) What types of research methods have been applied using such devices? (c) What data collection methods are used in the research? and (d) What research topics have been conducted on these handheld devices in education settings, as well as their related findings? We summarise and discuss some major findings from the research, as well as several limitations of previous empirical studies. We conclude by providing some recommendations for future research related to mobile handheld devices in education settings. Introduction In the last few years, mobile handheld devices have emerged as a tool for teachers and students to use in K-12 and higher education settings. In this article, we adapted Becta's definition (cited in One of the promises that mobile handheld devices hold is that of a one device to student ratio The purpose of this article is to review the empirical literature pertaining to the use of mobile handheld devices in K-12 and higher education settings. In this article, we limit our review of handhelds to devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), 154 Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 2009, 25(2) palmtops, and mobile phones. PDAs are shirt pocket sized devices equipped with computer capabilities Significance of this review This review of research not only helps researchers and educators identify the contemporary research topics, research methodologies, and usage of mobile handheld devices in K-12 and higher education settings, but also suggests directions for future research as well as some guidelines for the nature of that research. Method Searching and selection procedures The search for relevant literature was completed in two stages. First, we examined peer reviewed articles that we found in electronic databases using keyword searches including mobile learning, wireless learning, and handheld devices. We used Academic Search Premier, Business Source Premier, Communication and Mass Media Complete, ERIC, Library, Information Science and Technology Abstracts, and PsycARTICLES. In the second stage, we used the "snowball" method by searching for journal articles, as well as articles presented in peer reviewed conferences that are cited in some of the articles that we had read. Altogether, as at 28 December, 2008, we read 136 articles and deleted 92. The 92 articles were discarded because they were opinion papers, conceptual articles, non-empirical descriptions of program implementations, and literature reviews. The Appendix includes the remaining articles (n=44) which we included in our review of research. The 44 articles are listed according to the authors, year of publication, purpose, research method, data collection method, and context. Data analysis The basic unit of analysis was the individual empirical article. To answer the first research question, "How are mobile handheld devices such as PDAs, palmtops, and mobile phones used by students and teachers?", we used Churchill and Churchill's (2007) framework to guide our initial analysis and coding. This framework originally explicates a set of five ways in which PDAs may be used, namely as: (a) multimedia access tools, (b) communication tools, (c) capture tools, (d) representational tools, and (e) analytical tools. (See the Results section for a fuller description.) Although Churchill and Churchill's framework was used a priori, we did not forcefully impose any of the coding categories onto our data corpus. During the course of our analysis, we also allowed for new categories (if any) to emerge inductively. To address the second, third, and fourth research questions, "What types of research methods have been applied using these handheld devices?", "What data collection methods are used in the research?", and "What research topics have been conducted on these mobile handheld devices?", we employed the constant-comparative or grounded approach espoused by 156 Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 2009, 25(2) Results Uses of mobile handheld devices At the conclusion of our analysis, we had seven major categories of the uses of handheld devices such as PDAs, palmtops, and mobile phones in education. The seven categories include: (a) multimedia access tool, (b) communication tool, (c) capture tool, (d) representational tool, (e) analytical tool, (f) assessment tool, and (g) task managing tool. The first five categories originated from Churchill and Churchill's Multimedia access tools This refers to employing the PDAs, palmtops, or mobile phones as tools for accessing multimedia resources such as e-books, databases, web pages, PowerPoint presentations, audio files and video clips Communication tools This refers to employing the handheld devices to communicate information from one person to others Capture tools This refers to utilising the devices to capture various data and media Representational tools PDAs, palmtops, or mobile phones may also be used by students to create representations that demonstrate or showcase their thinking, ideas, experiences and knowledge Analytical tools This refers to employing the devices to manipulate certain data or variables such as graphic calculators Assessment tools This refers to the employment of handhelds for students to answer examination questions, tests, or quizzes. For example, Task management tools This refers to utilising the devices as personal information managers which store and organise a user's address book, contact information, calendar, task lists (i.e. 'to-do-list'), documenting or recording student grades, attendance rates, or submission of homework (e.g. Further analysis suggested that the three most frequent uses of the handhelds centered on utilising the devices as communication (21.8%), multimedia access (20.5%), and task management (17.9%) tools. These were followed by the use of handhelds as assessment (14.1%), capture tools (12.8%), representational (6.4%), and analytical tools (6.4%) (Se

Improving argumentative writing: Effects of a blended learning approach and gamification

This study investigated the effectiveness of a blended learning approach—involving the thesis, analysis, and synthesis key (TASK) procedural strategy; online Edmodo discussions; online message labels; and writing models—on student argumentative writing in a Hong Kong secondary school. It also examined whether the application of digital game mechanics increased student online contribution and writing performance. Three classes of Secondary 4 students (16- to 17-year-olds) participated in the 7-week study. The first experimental group (n = 22) utilized the blended learning + gamification approach. The second experimental group (n = 30) utilized only the blended learning approach. In the control group (n = 20), a teacher-led direct-instruction approach on the components of argumentation was employed. Data sources included students’ pre- and post-test written essays, students’ online Edmodo postings, and student and teacher interviews. We found a significant improvement in students’ writing using the blended learning approach. On-topic online contributions were significantly higher when gamification was adopted. Student and teacher opinions on the blended learning approach were also examined

Toward a flipped 5E model for teaching problem-solution writing in ESL courses: A two-year longitudinal experiment

Many English-as-Second-Language (ESL) learners find it highly challenging to write problem-solution essays. This difficulty is partly caused by the pedagogies commonly used in traditional classroom settings, which have two major in-vivo constraints: time limits and low student engagement. This study proposes an innovative theory-driven instructional model for teaching problem-solution writing, namely the flipped 5E PSW (problem-solution writing) model. The flipped 5E PSW model is built upon three theoretical or conceptual models: (a) Jonassen’s design theory for case/policy analysis problem-solving, (b) the flipped learning model, and (c) Bybee’s 5E learning model. Two groups of 23 ESL secondary school students, both taught by the same teacher, were assigned to either the flipped or non-flipped versions of the instructional model. The students were assessed individually over a two-year longitudinal experiment to measure the impact of the intervention. The results, as measured by mixed ANOVAs, indicated that the flipped 5E PSW model was more effective than the non-flipped version for improving students’ performance in problem- solution writing. This application of the flipped 5E PSWmodel in a two-year real-world school environment has demonstrated its capacity for overcoming traditional classroom constraints

Knowledge for games, games for knowledge: designing a digital roll-and-move board game for a law of torts class

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Knowledge-Sharing in an Online Community of Health-care Professionals

Purpose – The purposes of this study are twofold: (1) to examine the types of activity that nurses undertake on an online community of practice (APN-l) as well as the types of knowledge that nurses share with one another and (2) to examine the factors that sustain knowledge sharing among the nurses from their local perspectives. Design/methodology/approach – An in-depth case study with mixed methods was adopted to obtain rich and naturalistic data including online observations of the messages posted in APN-l, interviews with twenty-seven members of APN-l, and content analysis of online messages. Findings – The most common type of activity performed by members of APN-l was “Knowledge sharing,” followed by “Solicitation.” Regarding the types of knowledge shared, the most common were “Institutional practice” and “Personal opinion.” The factors that have helped sustain knowledge sharing within the online community of practice include: (1) a self-selection, (2) validation of one’s practice with others who share a similar working situation, (3) a need to gain better understanding of current knowledge and best practices in the field, (4) a noncompetitive environment, (5) the asynchronous nature of the online communication medium, and (6) the role of the listserv moderator. Originality/value – This study contributes to the growing knowledge base of communities of practice that span organizational boundary. Administrators can use the coding schema developed in this study to gauge current activities of existing online communities of practice. Additionally, they can use the six factors to sustain knowledge sharing community for fostering new/existing online communities of practice