Effects of Perceived Teacher Support on Student Behavioral Engagement in the Blended Learning Environment:Learning Experience as a Mediator

Blended learning(BL)has been widely adopted to improve students’academic achievements in higher education.However,its success relies mainly on student engagement,which plays an essential role in active learning and provides a rich understanding of students’experiences.The study utilized three self-designed scales-the Teacher Support Scale,Student Engagement Scale,and Student Learning Experience Scale-to gauge and examine the impact and relationship between perceived teacher support,student behavioral engagement,and the intermediary role of learning experiences.A cohort of 899 college students undertaking the obligatory College English course through BL modes across five Chinese universities actively participated by completing a comprehensive questionnaire.The results showed significant correlations between perceived teacher support,learning experience,and behavioral engagement.Perceived teacher support significantly predicted students’behavioral engagement,with socio-affective support exerting the most substantial predictive effects.All predictive effects were partially mediated by learning experience(learning mode,online resources,overall LMS-based learning,interaction with their instructor and peers,and learning outcome).The influence of perceived teacher support on behavioral engagement differed between students who reported the most positive(vs.negative)learning experiences.Suggestions for further research are offered for consideration.

Practices of caring for nursing students: A clinical learning environment

Objective:The purpose of this study was to explore,describe and illuminate nursing students'best encounters of caring in the clinical learning environment.Caring for nursing students was emphasized and recommendations provided to enhance caring for nursing students within their clinical learning environment.Methods:Qualitative data was collected by the researcher using semi-structured individual interviews and an Appreciative Inquiry(AI)methodology.Ten second year nursing students undertaking the bridging course leading to registration as general nurses in terms of Regulation 683 of the South African Nursing Council(SANC)were purposively sampled from 3 private hospitals within the Western Cape.Data was analysed using Giorgi's method.Results:The main theme included the best and'least best'caring practices embedded in the centrality of the heart.The subthemes comprised of the nursing students'experiences of caring literacy and caring illiteracy.The second theme included the creation of best caring practices within a conducive clinical learning environment.Within this theme,the subthemes comprised of the caring attributes required in reflecting best caring practices,as well the creation of a clinical learning environment to optimise caring.Conclusions:The significance and necessity of caring for the nursing student were clearly illustrated and confirmed by participants.Caring was equated to the heart as the core to the nursing students'being.Recommendations for nursing education,management,practice and research were therefore specifically formulated to enhance caring towards nursing students.

Design Path of Ecological Learning Environment Based on Spatial Resilience

Nowadays,the city’s focus on education makes the improvement of learning environment become a new demand for development.From the the perspective of ecology,the theory of"resilience"is introduced to break the stereotype of the existing learning environment and create a space for dialogue with nature from inside to outside.At the same time,the learning environment is divided into observation learning space,exploration learning space and communication learning space by theory and method of multiple intelligence integrating teaching and learning.Through the analysis on resilience characteristics of three types of space,eight basic unit forms of learning environment design are obtained.Arrangement and combination of its form can improve the campus environment,increase children’s learning efficiency and the risk response ability of campus environment,and give children the opportunity to interact with and understand nature in the learning process,so as to provide reference for the diversified development of education and learning space.

Tunisian DREEM: Nursing Students’ Perception of the Learning Environment

Objectives: The evaluation of the learning environment has become critical to professional development and student success. This study aims to evaluate the viewpoints of nursing sciences students on the learning environment using the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) at a Higher Institute of Nursing Sciences in Tunisia. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was performed on 200 students at the Higher Institute of Nursing Sciences. The Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure was used as a worldwide tool. Descriptive statistics and one-way analysis of variance with a post hoc Tukey-Kramer multiple comparisons test were used for data analysis. Results: The total mean score on the 50-item DREEM inventory was 111.9 out of a maximum of 200. Students’ perceptions of learning, their teachers, their academic self, and of the atmosphere were more positive than negative. Student social self-perception was negatively evaluated. Students were not satisfied with the support system in the institute. The DREEM score was significantly higher for the students in the first year of study (P Conclusion: This is the first study in Tunisia assessing the nursing learning environment;it showed a positive assessment. Therefore, improvements are required, especially in the learning and social domains of the educational environment.

Creating Optimal Language Learning Environment

From the viewpoint of psycholinguistics, this paper concerns how to create an optimal language learning environment in language learning, to stimulate students enthusiasm to participate in classroom activities and to make language learning easier and more pleasant.

Nursing Students’Clinical Learning Environment in Norwegian Nursing Homes:Lack of Innovative Teaching and Learning Strategies

Background: Nursing students hesitate to choose aged care as a career, and the aged care sectors are on an edge regarding nursing positions. Clinical learning environments may influence nursing students’ career choices. Few studies have explored learning environments in nursing homes, although students increasingly have placements there. Objectives: The aim was to produce information for developing nursing students’ learning opportunities in nursing homes. Design: A cross-sectional survey design was used. Settings: The study was conducted at a university college in southeast Norway. Participants: Students in two cohorts of a bachelor degree program in nursing participated, N = 499. Methods: Data were collected on nursing students’ perceptions of clinical learning environments during placements in five nursing homes. A 42-item validated questionnaire with the subscales personalization, individualization, involvement, task orientation, innovation, and satisfaction was used. Data analysis used descriptive statistics, t-tests, and linear regression analysis. Results: Total scores showed overall satisfaction with clinical learning environments in nursing homes. However, innovation subscale scores were very low. First year students had significantly higher scores than third year students on the total scale, and most subscales. Age was significantly associated with total scale scores and subscale satisfaction scores. Higher education and work experience before entering nursing education were significantly associated with involvement subscale scores. Conclusions: Students are more positive than negative about their clinical learning environments. Low valuation of innovation seems to be a consistent finding in studies in both nursing homes and hospitals internationally. For innovative learning strategies to function they must be anchored at the organizational level. Future research should develop and test more innovative learning strategies for nursing students.

Intercultural Education in a Technology-Enhanced Foreign Language Learning Environment Implementing the TPACK Approach:Challenges and Possibilities

In the plurilingual and multicultural contemporary international setting,the educational systems opt for successfully meeting as well as adapting to the rapid social,economic,and technological changes.Based on the premise that intercultural communicative competence holds a significant potential for foreign language instruction,focus should throw into combining teachers’intercultural knowledge with pedagogy and technology.The prospect of introducing intercultural material within the context of teaching scenarios in the curricula of a technology-enhanced foreign language learning environment where the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge(TPACK)approach is implemented,can positively contribute to the teaching process.Under this perspective,cultural and digitally competent teachers can create a framework which will enable learners to fully develop their interactive and linguistic skills and to effectively communicate in a foreign language promoting its social and multicultural dimension whatever the intercultural context.

A virtual learning environment of the Chinese University of Hong Kong

This paper introduces a scalable virtual learning environment of the ChineseUniversity of Hong Kong;an explicitly geographical, immersive, and sharable 3Dlearning space with comprehensive social elements. It is characterized by multiuser collaborative modeling, group learning approaches of geo-collaboration,social space-oriented hierarchical avatars, and knowledge exchanging and sharingbased on virtual geographic experiments. Applications for the purpose of publiceducation and virtual geographic experiment, and indicated future works provethe possibility to offer a greater opportunity to foster interdisciplinary collaborations, revitalize teaching patterns and learning contents, improve learners’cognitive abilities to solve problems, and enhance their understanding of scientificconcepts and processes.

An Environmental Learning Support System Incorporating the Life Cycle Concept

The need for environmental education, which incorporates the life cycle concept into the learning program, will become increasingly greater all over the world. In the present study, an e-learning system, which is made up of 3 parts including text-based learning materials, quizzes to review the content of the learning materials and CO2 emission simulation, was designed and developed with the purpose of supporting environmental learning. Targeting a wide range of people, the operation period of this system was 1 month. Based on the results of questionnaire survey for users, it was evident that the quiz function and the simulation function of CO2 emission contributed to the efficiency in environmental learning, and the format of the e-learning system was effective and helpful for environmental learning. Additionally, with the users’ awareness related to environmental conservation before and after using the system, significant changes in awareness were seen in areas such as behavioral intention, sense of urgency and sense of connection. Furthermore, as it was revealed that 62% of the total access numbers were from mobile devices, it was effective to prepare an interface optimized for mobile devices enabling users to use the system from their smartphones and tablet PCs.

Comparison of Higher Education between China and New Zealand in Learning

At present,many students finish high school and enroll the university education.University learning is very important education part in students'life,they are thinking about themselves,improve their identity and values,change their aims,produce knowledge and take skills into the future life and working.University offer different courses to learn,they interest in Arts,Commence and Science and satisfy all students'needs.There is an increasing number of Chinese students choose to study in New Zealand because they believe it is a safe place,it is cheaper than the other countries,and because New Zealand is an English speaking country.Most of the New Zealand universities offer foundation courses which give international students the opportunity to bring their English language skills and academic performance up to university entrance standard.This study is to find out Chinese and New Zealand higher education with some different aspects from curriculum,learning environment and evaluation.

A Hybrid Virtual Cloud Learning Model during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the educational systems worldwide,leading to the near-total closures of schools,universities,and colleges.Universities need to adapt to changes to face this crisis without negatively affecting students’performance.Accordingly,the purpose of this study is to identify and help solve to critical challenges and factors that influence the e-learning system for Computer Maintenance courses during the COVID-19 pandemic.The paper examines the effect of a hybrid modeling approach that uses Cloud Computing Services(CCS)and Virtual Reality(VR)in a Virtual Cloud Learning Environment(VCLE)system.The VCLE system provides students with various utilities and educational services such as presentation slides/text,data sharing,assignments,quizzes/tests,and chatrooms.In addition,learning through VR enables the students to simulate physical presence,and they respond well to VR environments that are closer to reality as they feel that they are an integral part of the environment.Also,the research presents a rubric assessment that the students can use to reflect on the skills they used during the course.The research findings offer useful suggestions for enabling students to become acquainted with the proposed system’s usage,especially during theCOVID-19 pandemic,and for improving student achievementmore than the traditional methods of learning.

TELF-PSPOC: Three-layer Ensemble Learning Framework for Predicting Student Performance of Online Courses

Virtual learning environment(VLE)MOOC provides large-scale data of resources,activities,and interactions within a course structure for predicting student performance.But it is challenging to extract and learn efficient features from student behaviors.In this paper,a three-layer ensemble learning framework for predicting student performance of online courses(TELF-PSPOC)at an early phase is proposed to analyze data collected from Open University Learning Analytics Dataset(OULAD).First,feature augmentation of student behavior is proposed to enrich current features of student performance,including pass rate and grades of all staged tests,daily clicks of online resources.Second,three-layer ensemble feature learning with heterogeneous classifiers(TEFL-HC)is proposed to benefit the integration of tree model and neural network.Compared with current two-layer ensemble learning,pretraining of features prevents overfitting while using nonlinear regression.The experiment shows that our TELF-PSPOC performs better than several baseline models.Besides,the relationship of the learning results and student behavior via VLE is further discovered.

Collaborative Virtual Learning in Education in STEM Education

There has been a recent explosion of interest from academics across a wide range of disciplines in the use of Multi-User Virtual Environments for education,driven by the success of platforms such as Internet Communication Technology learning skills in higher education.While digital virtual worlds are used in the 21st century learning,advances in the capabilities and the spread of technology have fed a recent boom in interest in massively multi-user 3D virtual worlds for entertainment,and this in turn has led to a surge of interest in their educational applications.As these platforms are used more often as environments for teaching and learning,there is increased need to integrate them with other institutional systems,Web-based Virtual Learning Environments(VLE)in particular.In this paper,we briefly review the use of virtual worlds for education,from informal learning to formal instruction,and consider what is required to turn a virtual world from a Multi-User Virtual Environment into a fully fledged 3D Virtual Learning Environment(VLE).In this we focus on the development of Moodle—a system which integrates the popular 3D virtual world of Second Life with the open-source Virtual Learning Environment.

Factors Affecting the Adoption of E-Learning Systems in Public Higher Learning Institutions in Tanzania: A Case of Institute of Accountancy Arusha (IAA)

In most developing countries, governments attempt to enforce the movement from analogue to digital for all their sectors, from public to private. These technological advancements have been noted to bring necessary and unavoidable changes to businesses and learning environments. Higher learning institutions have adopted various e-learning systems to support learning, research, and publication activities to stay competitive in global academic systems. However, most public higher learning institutions in Tanzania lag behind in the adoption of these systems. Thus, research shows a failure of these institutions in utilising the full benefit that today’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) can offer in learning environments. Thus, this study examines factors affecting the adoption of such a system in developing countries like Tanzania, taking the Institute of Accountancy Arusha (IAA) as a case study. The study used a mixed methodology where thematic and descriptive analysis was used to analyse both qualitative and quantitative research data. The study population was 187 teaching staff, a sample size of 126 was obtained, and 157 study participants were involved in the study. The study found that factors affecting the adoption of e-learning systems in public higher learning institutions in Tanzania include lack of ICT infrastructure, lack of technical and managerial support and lack of computers and e-learning knowledge among facilitators. Thus, the study recommended investments in adequate and reliable ICT facilities, high intermate speed and bandwidth, and policies that support e-learning and training programs about e-learning knowledge and use. Also, this study recommends the use of the Multi-Factors Adoption Model (MFAM11) for the successful adoption of an e-learning system in public higher learning institutions in Tanzania.

Perception of Nursing and Midwifery Trainees towards Clinical Environment at Cape Coast in the Central Region of Ghana

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the perception of students’ nurses in the nurses training colleges towards clinical environment. Methodology: A cross-sectional survey approach was used. Nursing and Midwifery trainees at Cape Coast were the respondents. Simple random sampling was used to select 605 respondents for the study. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed to analyze the data. Results: The majority of the respondents were female, Christians, singled and attended Cape Coast Nursing and Midwifery Training College (CCNMTC). The staff were helpful, friendly and considerate. There were repetition of student’s tasks in every shift but new and different ways of teaching were used. The students had positive perception of clinical learning environment. There were statistically significant differences in perception towards clinical learning environment among students based on academic class (levels). Conclusion: It was recommended that the staff nurses should assign students with varied task depending on their level.

The effectiveness of shared clinical teaching in nursing

Aim: Clinical learning is a critical component of a nursing curriculum.Student satisfaction in clinical environment is crucial to foster a positive learning experience.Faculty shortages have made clinical teaching more challenging;as such,alternate models of clinical teaching must be explored by nursing programs.The purpose of this study was to measure the perception of student satisfaction in regard tothe effectiveness of shared clinical teaching in nursing.Methods: Utilizing Chan's Clinical Learning Environment Inventory (CLEI),this quantitative comparative study examined nursing students' preferred and actual clinical learning environment.The CLEI contains 42 questions in six subscales: Individualization,Innovation,Involvement,Personalization,Task Orientation,and Satisfaction in both the actual and preferred clinical learning environment.The sample consisted of 202 nursing students in two groups: the first group had 91 students who experienced shared clinical teaching with two faculty,whereas the second group had 111 students who experienced the traditional,single faculty model.The results were analyzed using independent sample T-tests.Results: The preferred learning environment was rated highest in all six subscales.Scores of the Satisfaction subscale and the Innovation subscale for Actual Learning Environment,and the score of the Innovation subscale for Preferred Learning Environment of students experiencing shared clinical teaching with two faculty were higher than the scores of students experiencing traditional,single faculty model,with statistically significance (P< 0.05).Conclusion: The results indicated students preferred the shared clinical teaching model with two faculty over the single faculty model.Nursing programs can utilize this model and apply these results to develop and maintain quality clinical teaching.

Clinical education and student satisfaction: An integrative literature review

The clinical component of undergraduate clinical education is a critical area in nursing programs. Faculty shortages have made recruitment of clinical faculty and clinical teaching more challenging. As such, alternate models of clinical faculty assignments are being explored to address faculty shortages. This article contains an extensive literature review conducted to survey models of clinical education and student satisfaction with the clinical environment. The purpose of this paper is to examine student satisfaction in the clinical learning environment using articles employing the Clinical Learning Envi-ronment Inventory (CLEI) along with examining the use of alternate clinical staffing models in differing levels of undergraduate nursing students. A literature search focusing on studies published between 2002 and 2015 was conducted from 5 electronic databases. Thirty-five articles were reviewed and 22 were selected for this literature review. The studies reviewed concluded that students favored a more positive and favorable clinical environment than they perceived as being actually present. A supportive clinical learning environment is of paramount importance in securing positive teaching learning out-comes. Nurse educators can apply the results of this review in order to develop and maintain quality clinical teaching and to promote a positive, student-centric, clinical learning environment.

Habitual physical activity levels and sedentary time of children in different childcare arrangements from a nationally representative sample of Canadian preschoolers

Background:Children spend substantial time in childcare,and the reasons parents choose a particular childcare type may differ by family.However,little is known about how childcare type influences habitual(full day)activity levels among children.Therefore,exploring patterns between childcare type and habitual physical activity(PA)(i.e.,light,moderate-to-vigorous PA(MVPA),and total PA)and sedentary time(ST)in young Canadian children is needed.Methods:A nationally representative sample of preschoolers from Cycles 3 and 4 of the Canadian Health Measures Survey was used in this cross-sectional study.Childcare type(e.g.,center-based childcare,home-based childcare,home with parent,kindergarten)was reported by parents.Preschoolers wore an Actical accelerometer for 7 days.Device and population-spcific cut-points were applied to delineate PA intensities and ST.Population means and sample totals were calculated to examine average daily and hourly rates of activity.Results:Preschoolers’rates of MVPA and total PA from the 4 childcare arrangements ranged from 65.99 min/day to 74.62 min/day(5.48-6.18 min/h)and 274.20 min/day to 281.66 min/day (22.69-23.21 min/h),respectively,while ST ranged from 443.13 min/day to 460.57 min/day(36.80-37.31 min/h).No significant differences were observed in daily or hourly rates of activity.Conclusion:This study provides a snapshot of the levels of PA and ST among preschoolers in various childcare settings at a national level,with no differences observed in habitual activity levels based on childcare enrollment.Additional research is needed to clarify the relationship between young children’s PA and childcare type,with consideration given to the quality of the childcare settings.

The Management of Digital Transformation in Higher Education:An Assessment Proposal

The impacts of the current digital era are growing more and more on the way in which higher education(HE)offers learning programs at every level.Smart learning(SL)represents the evolution of educational approaches and techniques that capitalizes on all the opportunities deriving from new digital ecosystems.This study argues that the usefulness of HE can benefit from rethinking the traditional active learning(AL)model to smart ones.Thus,this research aims at investigating how to adapt the performance evaluation when the operations of HE turn to digitalized models.Therefore,this paper designs a research approach that allows accounting for the effects that the adoption of some SL strategies and tools has on the engagement of students and the aggregate performance of HE programs that adopt AL.The results of this study would help academics and HE managers assess the effectiveness of SL initiatives they plan to adopt.

Language Learning and the Linguistic Environment

这篇《语言学习与语言环境》,旨在反驳一种曾经颇为流行的观点,即认为儿童是通过消极被动地摹仿所接触到的人(特别是父母)说的话而学会第一语言的,儿童的语言环境在其语言学习中起着主导作用,而儿童自身则被降低到类乎一架不完善的录音机的地位。这种观点还认为,父母或别人通常在儿童摹仿得正确时给予肯定或赞许的表示,而在摹仿不正确时则不作这种表示,他们通过这种叫做“强化”(reinforcement)的行为在儿童的语言学习中发挥积极的作用。 本文的论题牵涉到哲学上两种观点,即经验论和唯理论的对立,也牵涉到心理学上两种观点,即行为主义和心灵主义的对立。这些观点中,没有一种原则上完全否定或排除先天禀赋或后天环境在人类认识(包括语言学习)中的作用,争论的焦点在于哪些源于先天,哪些得自后天。本文引证了多种对儿童学习母语进行观察和实验所得的材料,具体论证语言学习中有些东西的学得不靠摹仿,也无从摹仿,不靠强化,也无由强化,而是儿童先天具备的,随着心智的发育不学而能。 全文共四节。第一节引证语音、词法、句法、语义四个方面的例证说明有哪些东西不可能依靠被动的摹仿学会,而是一种受抽象的规则支配的语言表现。这种表现在不同的儿童身上(包括学习不同母语的儿童)是相同的,而其所体现的规则与Chomsky等生成转换语法学者所描述的规则颇多相似之处。 第二节论证行为主义心理学所谓的“强化”并不是教给儿童语言的重要手段。儿童学会语言不依靠缓解某种生物需求,如饥饿之类(即便动物的学习,如老鼠走迷宫,也不尽然)。而且,成年人对儿童的语言表现所作的肯定与否定、赞许与不赞许等等表示,即或算是一种强化,也多半是针对话语内容真假、意思当否而发的,而不是着眼于语言形式的正误。 第三节通过自幼失聪因而无从接触语言的儿童的手势交际活动的形成和发展,来证明儿童学习语言有许多地方不需要从语言环境中吸取知识,即使与语言环境完全隔绝,也可以认识到语言体系中的某些方面。儿童可以能动地对语言结构提出自己的假设,而他的假设则受到与语言交际本质有关的遗传倾向的制约。作者引用观察材料说明,生而聋哑的儿童能自行创造和使用一套表达情意的手势,这种手势表达方法在结构上与处于同一发育阶段的正常儿童所说的语言有惊人的相似之处。不同的地方往往是一些随具体语言而异的特点,例如这种手势语没有相当于词尾变化和助动词的成分。 文章还引证“母式语言”(motherese)对儿童语言学习的影响,说明母亲对幼儿不论使用怎样的语言,对于儿童语言的基本命题结构(basic propositional structure,按指由名词成分和动词成分结合而成的基本句式)没有多少影响,能有所影响的同样也限于那些随具体语言而异的特点,如词尾变化和助动词之类。但即便是这一方面也离不开天生素质的作用。 第四节从成人语言体系的特性中找出例证,说明语言中有些具有抽象性质的结构关系,不可能依靠来自语言环境的知识,通过摹仿或归纳的方法来掌握。文章引用了Chomsky举过的两个例子,其中一个是英语中陈述句That is a cow中第一个动词is移置句首即构成疑问句Is that a cow?但是儿童从来不会根据这类例子错误地类推出与陈述句The man who is here is your father对应的疑问句是Is the man who here isyour father?Chomsky认为儿童不可能从接触到的语言材料中认识到这一规则,因为这里需要考虑到陈述句中用作主语的名词短语这一结构单位,而不能单纯根据一串平列的词的位置,把第一个动词is移置句首。本文作者引用目前语言研究中新兴的“可学性理论”(learnability theory)来分析儿童如何能够掌握比较抽象的语言结构。这一理论先设定:儿童所学语言的语法(即语言体系)为G,所接触的语言材料为D,所采用的学习程序为 P,然后分析儿童有无可能凭借D,应用P,学得G。如果答案是否定的,那么除了改变关于G,D,P的假设,就只能假设儿童先天地掌握了在上述假设条件下所不可能学到的东西。作者认为,这后一可能解决办法最有吸引力。有人有力地论证了,儿童需要知道一些关于语法规则的运用的非常抽象的性质,才有可能学会运用它。这是本文所持论点的又一条根据。