Learner Engagement with YouTube Videos in Informal Online Learning: An Investigation of the Effects of Segmenting, Signaling, and Weeding

Millions of educational videos available on YouTube offer unprecedented opportunities for online learning. As it invites open-ended and self-paced exploration of almost any topic, YouTube has emerged as an important platform for informal online learning that occurs outside the formal classroom. A considerable number of studies have been directed toward YouTube educational videos. However, research on learner engagement with YouTube educational videos is limited, despite the central role of engagement in learning and the increasing popularity of YouTube videos in informal online learning. This paper addresses this research gap. We adopt the conceptualization that learner engagement has three dimensions – behavioral, emotional, and cognitive - and investigate how the features of segmenting, signaling, and weeding (SSW), the three multimedia learning principles, in YouTube educational video presentations collectively affect learner engagement in informal online learning. Our analysis shows that different SSW features have various associations with the three dimensions of learner engagement. These findings substantiate the empirical knowledge of learner engagement with YouTube educational videos. Our study corroborates extant video engagement research and extends its relevance to informal learning on social media. It also informs video designers and developers on adding video presentation features to optimize video engagement on social media

Impact of Unified Communications on Communication, Relationship Building and Performance

Unified Communications (UC) integrates multiple communication and multimedia services such as voice, email, fax, voice messaging, video conferencing and chat into a unified user experience. In this research, we study the use of UC in global virtual teams in a multinational corporation. Specifically, we conduct a case study to examine how the use of UC enhances individuals’ ability to communicate, helps them create and build relationship, and then how such relationship building in turn improves their performance. This research will contribute to the theoretical understanding of the use of UC in organizational settings. This research also has practical significance as it can help organizations to make better decisions in regards to their investments in and usage of communication technologies in a global environment

Using Cognitive Maps of Mental Models to Evaluate Learning Challenges: A Case Study

Mental models are organized knowledge structures that individuals form to make sense of the world around them. Cognitive maps are the externalized portrayals of mental models in graphical format. Mental models and cognitive maps have been used as an instructional design method, an assessment tool, and a learning strategy in college education. In this paper, we propose a novel use of mental models and cognitive maps as a device to elicit students’ challenges in learning course materials. Our case study in an Information Systems class illustrates how cognitive maps are constructed from students’ mental models, how learning challenges are identified from cognitive maps, and how learning challenges can be coped with in teaching. Our proposed use of cognitive maps and mental models can provide educators with insights into the learning challenges from students’ perspectives, and help design instructional strategies for more effective teaching

Challenges in Learning Unified Modeling Language: From the Perspective of Diagrammatic Representation and Reasoning

Unified modeling language (UML) is widely taught in the information systems (IS) curriculum. To understand UML in IS education, this paper reports on an empirical study that taps into students’ learning of UML. The study uses a concept-mapping technique to identify the challenges in learning UML notational elements. It reveals that some technical properties of UML diagrammatic representation, coupled with students’ cognitive attributes, hinder both perceptual and conceptual processes involved in searching, recognizing, and inferring visual information, which creates learning barriers. This paper also discusses how to facilitate perceptual and conceptual processes in instruction to overcome learning challenges. The study provides valuable insights for the IS educators, the UML academic community, and practitioners

The Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Managing Project Processes and Targets: A Systematic Analysis

Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as the defining technology of the 21st century and has far-reaching impacts on project management (PM). This study assesses the applications of AI in managing project processes and targets through a systematic analysis of publications from 2017 to 2021. The analysis has revealed interesting insights, trends, gaps, and issues. This study informs the researchers and practitioners of the status of AI applications in the management of project processes and targets. It helps stimulate research efforts that can lead to more advances in applying AI to augment PM practices

Effects of Signaling on Learner Engagement in Informal Learning on YouTube

Millions of educational videos available on YouTube offer unprecedented learning opportunities. A considerable number of studies have been directed toward YouTube educational videos. Yet, research on learner engagement with YouTube educational videos is scarce, despite its central role in learning. This paper addresses this research gap. We adopt the conceptualization that learner engagement has three dimensions - behavioral, emotional, and cognitive- and investigate how signaling in YouTube educational video presentation affects learner engagement in informal learning. Our analysis shows that signaling positively affects behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement. These findings substantiate the empirical knowledge on learner engagement with YouTube educational videos. Our study corroborates traditional video engagement research and extends its relevance to the social media learning environment. It also informs video designers and developers on adding features in the video presentation to optimize learner engagement with YouTube educational videos

Educative Sensemaking on Social Media: An Empirical Investigation of Informal Learning on YouTube

Educational videos on social media are widely used in informal learning. However, empirical studies hardly look into sensemaking, a key aspect in the construction of meaning and knowledge, of educational videos on social media in informal learning, despite the growing interest and practice in educative sensemaking. This study addresses this research gap. We draw upon sensemaking theories and investigate how the physical properties of educational videos affect sensemaking. Our research shows how information control, anchor, and noise are associated with committed interpretation in the learning communities to understand the scientific inquiry at hand with data from YouTube educational videos. This study makes timely contributions to the literature on the educative sensemaking in informal learning on social media. It also offers insights into the better design of educational videos to facilitate sensemaking and informal learning

Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 and -9 Secreted by Leukemic Cells Increase the Permeability of Blood-Brain Barrier by Disrupting Tight Junction Proteins

Central nervous system (CNS) involvement remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality in acute leukemia, the mechanisms of leukemic cell infiltration into the CNS have not yet been elucidated. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) makes CNS become a refugee to leukemic cells and serves as a resource of cells that seed extraneural sites. How can the leukemic cells disrupt this barrier and invasive the CNS, even if many of the currently available chemotherapies can not cross the BBB? Tight junction in endothelial cells occupies a central role in the function of the BBB. Except the well known role of degrading extracellular matrix in metastasis of cancer cells, here we show matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and -9, secreted by leukemic cells, mediate the BBB opening by disrupting tight junction proteins in the CNS leukemia. We demonstrated that leukemic cells impaired tight junction proteins ZO-1, claudin-5 and occludin resulting in increased permeability of the BBB. However, these alterations reduced when MMP-2 and -9 activities were inhibited by RNA interference strategy or by MMP inhibitor GM6001 in an in vitro BBB model. We also found that the disruption of the BBB in company with the down-regulation of ZO-1, claudin-5 and occludin and the up-regulation of MMP-2 and -9 in mouse brain tissues with leukemic cell infiltration by confocal imaging and the assay of in situ gelatin zymography. Besides, GM6001 protected all mice against CNS leukemia. Our findings suggest that the degradation of tight junction proteins ZO-1, claudin-5 and occludin by MMP-2 and -9 secreted by leukemic cells constitutes an important mechanism in the BBB breakdown which contributes to the invasion of leukemic cells to the CNS in acute leukemia