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Approaches and Strategies of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Education and Approaches".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2023) | Viewed by 35391

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Faculty of Education, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
Interests: teaching and learning; pedagogy and education; higher education; teacher training; emotional intelligence; creativity; gifted

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Faculty of Education, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
Interests: higher education; teacher training; emotional intelligence; creativity; gifted; teacher competences

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Faculty of Education, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
Interests: higher education; teacher training; emotional intelligence; creativity; gifted; teacher competences

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The topic we tackle in this monograph is current and relevant considering the changes that are taking place in Higher Education, and the circumstances of the current context, as we can verify in the scientific literature. This Special Issue is devoted to Approaches and Strategies of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education the journal Sustainability is focused on those aspects that support the learning of students in Higher Education. Bearing in mind that these aspects have changed and evolved in recent years, the focus is being put on how students learn.

This has led to the appearance of a large number of studies that analyze in more detail some personal characteristics (creativity, emotional intelligence, academic capacity, motivation for learning, etc.), social or family support of the students, in addition, to considering other variables such as university degree, course, type of secondary education completed, gender, etc.

Furthermore,  it supposes an enormous amount of in-depth investigations into how both the characteristics and the competencies of the teachers facilitate this process, it is the case of the pedagogical competencies that they present, the interpersonal relationships that they establish with the students, or the use of certain teaching methods that benefit the teaching-learning process; these variables decrease the probability of student dropout during Higher Education.

In the end, it is extremely important to go in-depth into this topic in the following areas:

a) Those associated with the student in Higher Education, such as the profile, needs, characteristics, relevant training aspects for their professional practice during their initial training, etc.

b) Those linked to the figure of the university professor, such as those related to continuous training, pedagogical practices (use of IT, ways of evaluating...), teaching methodologies, and the different competency profiles of teachers, among others.

c) Finally, those that focus on the analysis of the relationships between the learning approach and the teaching approach in Higher Education.

Dr. Marta Sainz Gómez
Dr. María José Ruiz-Melero
Prof. Dr. Rosario Bermejo García
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • approaches
  • strategies
  • teaching
  • learning
  • higher education
  • teachers competences
  • students

Published Papers (16 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 291 KiB  
Article
Emotional Knowledge in a Sample of University Students
by Marta Sainz-Gómez, Rosario Bermejo and María José Ruiz-Melero
Sustainability 2024, 16(2), 846; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16020846 - 18 Jan 2024
Viewed by 721
Abstract
Background: One of the current challenges in higher education is the development of students’ emotional competencies, and consequently, how these competencies can be trained. Moreover, this must be addressed within the UN framework of inclusive, equitable, quality education (United Nations Agenda 2030; [...] Read more.
Background: One of the current challenges in higher education is the development of students’ emotional competencies, and consequently, how these competencies can be trained. Moreover, this must be addressed within the UN framework of inclusive, equitable, quality education (United Nations Agenda 2030; SDG 4). Methods: The present study the following objectives: (1) to study the degree of interest and the level of general knowledge that students studying for Education degrees perceive themselves to have; (2) to examine the perception of the participants of variables of emotional knowledge, according to their degree program and year of study; (3) to analyze the relationship between these emotional knowledge variables and perceived emotional intelligence (EI), using Spearman’s Rho test; and (4) to study the predictive capacity of the study variables on future teachers’ emotional knowledge variables through a linear regression analysis. The study sample contained a total of 434 university students from three degree programs at two universities in Spain. Two instruments were used: an ad hoc questionnaire, which assessed perceived emotional knowledge according to three variables (general knowledge of EI, where the level of training in EI is considered; intrapersonal knowledge of EI; and theoretical/practical knowledge related to teaching), and the Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS-24), which assesses metaknowledge of emotional states (attention, clarity, and repair). Results: The results of this study show that there are differences in students’ self-perceived knowledge of EI depending on their course and degree, and indicate that students present high interest, while their perceived level of knowledge is low. In addition, emotional clarity is the EI variable that was identified as being important in the emotional knowledge of future teachers, and therefore, a key skill to stimulate in a theoretical/practical way during their initial training. Conclusion: This study shows evidence of the importance of social–emotional competencies in initial teacher training. Full article
20 pages, 2770 KiB  
Article
Self-Reporting of Teacher–Student Performance in Virtual Class Interactions in Biological Sciences during the SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 Pandemic
by Aldo Bazán-Ramírez, Homero Ango-Aguilar, Víctor Cárdenas-López, Roberta B. Anaya-González, Walter Capa-Luque and Miguel A. Bazán-Ramírez
Sustainability 2023, 15(23), 16198; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152316198 - 22 Nov 2023
Viewed by 840
Abstract
We used an interbehavioral model of teacher–student didactic performance with six pairs of criteria, as follows. Exploration of competencies and precurrent for learning, explicitness of teacher criteria and identification of student criteria, teacher illustration and illustration—student participation, supervision of the practice by the [...] Read more.
We used an interbehavioral model of teacher–student didactic performance with six pairs of criteria, as follows. Exploration of competencies and precurrent for learning, explicitness of teacher criteria and identification of student criteria, teacher illustration and illustration—student participation, supervision of the practice by the teacher and pertinent student practice, teacher feedback and feedback—student improvement, and teacher evaluation and evaluation—student application. The objective was to determine the level of covariation, divergence and convergence between the constructs of teacher didactic performance and student didactic performance in virtual classes as a result of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, in November 2020. Three hundred-thirty undergraduate students of biological sciences from a public university in Peru completed two self-report scales in virtual modality through Google forms, one on the performance of their teachers and the other on their own performance. By means of confirmatory factor analysis and an analysis of the covariance of teacher–student performance constructs, three models were obtained with good fits for the convergent and divergent validities of six constructs of the two teaching performance scales. Adequate models of functional correspondence in each pair of the six teacher–student didactic performance criteria were obtained. Likewise, didactic performances related to the identification of teaching–learning criteria and to the evaluation—application criteria were the most frequent during teaching–learning, according to the students’ self-report. Full article
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14 pages, 313 KiB  
Article
English Classroom Anxiety, Learning Style and English Achievement in Chinese University EFL Students
by Meihua Liu
Sustainability 2023, 15(18), 13697; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151813697 - 13 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1743
Abstract
The present study examined the relationship between English classroom anxiety (ECA) and learning style and their predictive effects on students’ English achievement. In total, 691 Chinese university EFL (English as a foreign language) students answered the English Classroom Anxiety Scale, the Perceptual Learning [...] Read more.
The present study examined the relationship between English classroom anxiety (ECA) and learning style and their predictive effects on students’ English achievement. In total, 691 Chinese university EFL (English as a foreign language) students answered the English Classroom Anxiety Scale, the Perceptual Learning Styles Preferences Questionnaire and a background information questionnaire. Major findings were: (a) the two scales were highly reliable and significantly inversely related to each other, (b) the respondents generally had a medium ECA level and selected auditory, kinesthetic, visual, tactile, group and individual styles as their minor preferences, (c) no significant differences occurred in ECA levels between students of varying genders and disciplines, (d) male students preferred group learning significantly more and individual learning significantly less than their female peers, and engineering students preferred group learning significantly more and individual learning significantly less than their peers of social sciences and humanities, (e) ECA was significantly negatively correlated with and predicted students’ English achievement, and (f) each learning style was significantly positively correlated with students’ English achievement, and visual and group styles significantly positively predicated the latter. These findings confirm the role of foreign language anxiety and learning style in second/foreign language learning. Full article
17 pages, 842 KiB  
Article
An Empirical Study of SETA Program Sustaining Educational Sector’s Information Security vs. Information Systems Misuse
by Binglong Zheng, Daniel Tse, Jiajing Ma, Xuanyi Lang and Yinli Lu
Sustainability 2023, 15(17), 12669; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151712669 - 22 Aug 2023
Viewed by 1457
Abstract
Information systems misuse and data breaches are among the most common information security threats at the organisational and individual levels. Security, Education, Training and Awareness (SETA) program can be effective tools in addressing and preventing such risks for sustaining the educational sector’s information [...] Read more.
Information systems misuse and data breaches are among the most common information security threats at the organisational and individual levels. Security, Education, Training and Awareness (SETA) program can be effective tools in addressing and preventing such risks for sustaining the educational sector’s information security, although it is costly to implement and achieves limited results. Several studies have shown that SETA implementation can improve corporate employees’ information security protection behaviours. This study adopts the method of quantitative research, deterrence theory with selected perceived cost and information security awareness (ISA) as intermediate variables and explores how SETA programs affect information system abuse on campuses. The results show that implementing the SETA program positively impacts perceived cost and ISA; perceived cost and information security positively impact reducing misuse behaviour of information systems. At last, we provide rationalisation suggestions for individual students and schools to help SETA programs to be better implemented. Full article
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18 pages, 653 KiB  
Article
Understanding Innovation Resistance on the Use of a New Learning Management System (LMS)
by Sunyoung Kim and Taejung Park
Sustainability 2023, 15(16), 12627; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151612627 - 21 Aug 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1246
Abstract
As innovation barriers and inertia work against the application of new technologies in educational settings, reducing them will help overcome innovation resistance and increase the acceptance and adoption of this technology. This study aims to examine what types of innovation barriers and inertia [...] Read more.
As innovation barriers and inertia work against the application of new technologies in educational settings, reducing them will help overcome innovation resistance and increase the acceptance and adoption of this technology. This study aims to examine what types of innovation barriers and inertia there are (as perceived by users), how the types of users who perceive innovation resistance could be divided, and which characteristics differ depending on the type of user in a situation where a university adopts a new LMS as a learning technology tool for innovation. This study derived risk barriers, usage/value/tradition barriers, image barriers, and inertia as four factors that affect innovation resistance. The results of the study suggest that new LMS-related personalized support and training programs should be developed according to the specific needs and characteristics of each user cluster. Full article
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11 pages, 717 KiB  
Article
Competence Development in an Undergraduate Physiotherapy Internship Program during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Blended Learning Approach
by Beatriz Ruiz-Ruiz, María García-Arrabé, Rebeca del Prado-Álvarez, Alberto Bermejo-Franco, Raquel Diaz-Meco Conde, Laura González-Fernández and Arian Ramón Aladro-Gonzalvo
Sustainability 2023, 15(15), 12052; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151512052 - 7 Aug 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 961
Abstract
Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the creation of different teaching adaptations shared in health degrees, such as blended teaching methods, including face-to-face learning combined with online learning. Objectives: One objective was to compare the academic performance scores aligned to worked competencies [...] Read more.
Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the creation of different teaching adaptations shared in health degrees, such as blended teaching methods, including face-to-face learning combined with online learning. Objectives: One objective was to compare the academic performance scores aligned to worked competencies during physiotherapy internships between two groups: one exposed to a blended learning (b-learning) educational model and another exposed to a face-to-face teaching system during internships. Another objective was to study the correlation of the marks of the following year’s internship subject. Design: Analytical study of retrospective cohorts. Settings: Physiotherapy university degree program. Participants: Three hundred students working towards attaining Physiotherapy degrees. Methods: Two groups were studied: the Non-Exposed Cohort, which had 100% face-to-face attendance at the clinical center, and the Exposed Cohort, which experienced b-learning and had 50% attendance at the clinical practice center and 50% completion of asynchronous online complementary training during lockdown. Results: The results show that both in the Exposed Cohort and in the Non-Exposed Cohort, the qualifications and, therefore, the competence development achieved by the students were similar. A stronger correlation with skills activities developed in the Exposed Cohort in relation to the final mark of the following year’s internship subject has been found. Discussion and Conclusions: For all the competencies developed during CS II, participants obtained the same grades in both groups, so it is concluded that the online activities implemented during confinement mixed with face-to-face teaching were useful for the achievement of these skills. Thus, b-learning is a good method for developing clinical practice competencies in physiotherapy students. Contribution of the Paper: Blended teaching (b-teaching) is useful for developing internship competencies. It is necessary to align the activities developed in internships with the evaluated skills. Full article
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15 pages, 1211 KiB  
Article
Case-Guided Multi-Project Synchronized Implementation Strategy in Object-Oriented Analysis and Design Course Teaching
by Dunhong Yao and Yanxia Gao
Sustainability 2023, 15(13), 10347; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151310347 - 30 Jun 2023
Viewed by 1133
Abstract
To address the challenges in teaching object-oriented analysis and design, such as abstract course content, limited practical skills among students, difficulty stimulating interest, and difficulty in achieving high-quality and inclusive education, based on an in-depth analysis of the course’s knowledge system and teaching [...] Read more.
To address the challenges in teaching object-oriented analysis and design, such as abstract course content, limited practical skills among students, difficulty stimulating interest, and difficulty in achieving high-quality and inclusive education, based on an in-depth analysis of the course’s knowledge system and teaching objectives, we proposed an innovative teaching strategy from the perspective of sustainable development. This strategy takes the analysis and design of software projects selected by students as the main focus and teacher case guidance as the entry point, connecting theoretical knowledge and teaching practice, and is called “case guidance multi-project synchronous implementation”. Simultaneously, we reshaped the teaching process and reformed the course assessment to adapt to this new teaching strategy. The results of its implementation show that this strategy not only helped students to better understand and apply object-oriented analysis and design but also enhanced their interest and sense of access to the course, successfully improving the achievement of the course objectives and significantly promoting students’ innovation and practical skills, providing an effective way to achieve high-quality and inclusive education and the promotion of lifelong learning. The successful implementation of this teaching strategy provides a strong reference for teaching reform in similar courses. Full article
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17 pages, 650 KiB  
Article
Interdisciplinary Teaching Reform of Financial Engineering Majors Based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process in the Post-Pandemic Era
by Lihui Xiong, Ximiao Dong and Jiaqi Fang
Sustainability 2023, 15(11), 8652; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15118652 - 26 May 2023
Viewed by 1042
Abstract
In the post-epidemic era, the labor market has become increasingly complex, making it even more crucial to incorporate sustainability into employment demand. As we enter the post-pandemic era, a globalization trend has become more apparent. It is crucial to modernize employability through educational [...] Read more.
In the post-epidemic era, the labor market has become increasingly complex, making it even more crucial to incorporate sustainability into employment demand. As we enter the post-pandemic era, a globalization trend has become more apparent. It is crucial to modernize employability through educational reform in order to assist employees in enhancing their professional skills. This study began by analyzing the importance of financial engineering practice instruction and graduate employability in the post-epidemic era. Second, the study proposed the content and a plan for inter-disciplinary teaching reform to address talent cultivation needs based on labor market requirements. Third, a face-to-face survey and interview were conducted with students affected by changes in teaching, and the results were analyzed and summarized. On this basis, the impact of education reform was evaluated using both the expert scoring method and the analytic hierarchy approach. The results indicated that the suggested financial engineering teaching reform program improved the school’s discipline strength, enrollment rate, employment rate, and competition awards, especially discipline strength. This research can be used to inform the teaching of financial engineering majors in various countries, assist job candidates in enhancing their professional skills, and build a formidable talent pool for the labor market. Full article
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22 pages, 1176 KiB  
Article
Exploring Students’ Opinion towards Integration of Learning Games in Higher Education Subjects and Improved Soft Skills—A Comparative Study in Poland and Romania
by Cosmina-Simona Toader, Ioan Brad, Ciprian Ioan Rujescu, Carmen-Simona Dumitrescu, Elena Claudia Sîrbulescu, Manuela Dora Orboi, Raul Pașcalău, Małgorzata Zajdel, Małgorzata Michalcewicz-Kaniowska and Codruța Gavrilă
Sustainability 2023, 15(10), 7969; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15107969 - 13 May 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1535
Abstract
This study aimed to explore and compare Polish and Romanian students’ opinions towards the integration of learning games in Higher Education subjects and to highlight the improved soft skills by participating in learning games. This article reports the results of a quantitative study [...] Read more.
This study aimed to explore and compare Polish and Romanian students’ opinions towards the integration of learning games in Higher Education subjects and to highlight the improved soft skills by participating in learning games. This article reports the results of a quantitative study that was designed to explore and compare the opinions of 103 students from 2 universities towards the integration of learning games in the Project Management subject. The students ranked 71 items found in the questionnaire in 7 scale questions. The items are presented in the form of skills that can be developed by participating in educational games and aspects that are important in Project Management. In the analysis of the data, the T test—two sample test—was used, and the nonparametric Wilcoxon rank-sum test, using the SAS Studio application to assess whether the average responses are different between the two groups (α = 0.05). There were significant differences in the case of some items related to the skills that can be developed by participating in two educational games (communication, empathy, awareness, problem-solving, work productivity, and time management), but also items that help students understand the importance of some aspects related to Project Management after participation in educational games (work productivity, team dimension, time management, and following request). Full article
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28 pages, 6950 KiB  
Article
Stakeholders’ Perceptions of the Vocational Competences Acquired by Students Enrolled in Accounting Master’s Programmes in Romania
by Ștefan Bunea and Flavius-Andrei Guinea
Sustainability 2023, 15(9), 7406; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15097406 - 29 Apr 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1300
Abstract
The objective of this research was to analyse the differences in stakeholders’ perceptions of the vocational competences acquired by students enrolled in master’s programmes for preparing future accounting professionals in Romania. We collected rich information on twelve master’s programmes at the four biggest [...] Read more.
The objective of this research was to analyse the differences in stakeholders’ perceptions of the vocational competences acquired by students enrolled in master’s programmes for preparing future accounting professionals in Romania. We collected rich information on twelve master’s programmes at the four biggest universities in Romania. We proposed two indicators for the comparative analysis: the integration index (INTINDEX) and convergence index (CONVINDEX). We expected very specialised programmes focused on several competences necessary for certain professional certifications to have a lower integration level than general programmes aimed at making students familiar with various professional services they may further provide for the labour market. A low level of convergence was expected for the disciplines providing vocational rather than technical competences. The qualitative analysis of the syllabi pertaining to the disciplines studied helped us establish the existence of provisions concerning vocational competences. Two surveys were conducted (among students and educators). We applied Howcroft’s model (2017) to identify the differences in the stakeholders’ perceptions. For a deeper understanding of different perceptions, we conducted interviews with students, educators and employers. Our results may have a series of positive implications for the academic environment, the business environment and professional bodies. This study brings forward evidence that may be used by students when making decisions such as pursuing a career in accounting, or may be used to improve the educational process to train the youth who meet employers’ needs and continue their professional training within professional bodies. Full article
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15 pages, 967 KiB  
Article
Improving Sustainability of Learning Outcomes: An Empirical Study of Medical Students’ Autonomous Learning
by Lei Zhao, Ruijie Zhu, Xu Cai and Junchao Zhang
Sustainability 2023, 15(7), 5668; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15075668 - 23 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1420
Abstract
Achieving sustainable learning outcomes for medical students requires the assessment of their engagement in autonomous learning, and the development of sustainable autonomous learning skills. This study examined the relationship among autonomous learning, academic support, school satisfaction, and learning outcomes. It used structural equation [...] Read more.
Achieving sustainable learning outcomes for medical students requires the assessment of their engagement in autonomous learning, and the development of sustainable autonomous learning skills. This study examined the relationship among autonomous learning, academic support, school satisfaction, and learning outcomes. It used structural equation modeling to analyze data from 725 medical students studying at Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan. The findings showed that autonomous learning was positively related to academic support, school satisfaction, and learning outcomes. Furthermore, both school satisfaction and learning outcomes were positively correlated with academic support. Similarly, school satisfaction was positively correlated with learning outcomes. Academic support and school satisfaction mediated and serially mediated the relationship between autonomous learning and learning outcomes, respectively. Additionally, autonomous learning had positive direct and indirect effects on learning outcomes through the serial mediation of academic support and school satisfaction. The serial mediating effects of academic support and school satisfaction were significant. Thus, autonomous learning was considered to be an important aspect of sustainable learning outcomes; educational administrators could systematically encourage students’ autonomous learning to increase their invested time and effort, and help students improve their learning outcomes. Full article
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20 pages, 4410 KiB  
Article
Augmented Reality: An Emergent Technology for Students’ Learning Motivation for Chemical Engineering Laboratories during the COVID-19 Pandemic
by Diana Guaya, Miguel Ángel Meneses, Ximena Jaramillo-Fierro and Eduardo Valarezo
Sustainability 2023, 15(6), 5175; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15065175 - 15 Mar 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2107
Abstract
In higher education, the learning of Unit Operations in Chemical Engineering and the development of practical activities became a real challenge. Therefore, the use of emerging technologies became necessary to develop practical laboratory activities of the Unit Operations due to the inaccessibility to [...] Read more.
In higher education, the learning of Unit Operations in Chemical Engineering and the development of practical activities became a real challenge. Therefore, the use of emerging technologies became necessary to develop practical laboratory activities of the Unit Operations due to the inaccessibility to the equipment infrastructure. In this study, Project-Based Learning methodology was assisted with the Augmented Reality (AR) technology for the development of subjects. The development of a real educational experiment for the application of a basic topic of the course as a project for each subject was proposed. The results were presented using the Zappar application, and a unique rubric was used for the evaluation of project. The evaluation of students’ motivation for learning was measured using Keller’s Attention, Relevance, Confidence and Satisfaction (ARCS) model of motivation by Instructional Materials Motivation Survey (IMMS). The attention, confidence and satisfaction demonstrate an acceptable reliability in comparison to relevance, which was considered as moderate reliability. Above 96% of students considered that the activities, materials, and organization of information used for the AR project caught their attention and encouraged their interest towards the fundamentals applied in the project. Around 80% of students expressed concern about the ease of AR technology use, and understood the learning aim of the project. Above 85% of students recognized the relevance of activities and their usefulness, and considered AR as a meaningful educational tool. 90% of students considered that AR technology helped them to develop the subject competencies. Cronbach’s Alpha was used to indicate an acceptable reliability of IMMS instrument. Regarding IMMS, values were superior to 0.7, which could be considered acceptable. For the individual ARCS dimensions, values of Cronbach’s alpha reached values of 0.94. Full article
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15 pages, 293 KiB  
Article
Educational Loss at Times of Crisis: The Role of Games in Students’ Learning in Palestine and Iraq
by Kareema Ali, Daniel Burgos and Saida Affouneh
Sustainability 2023, 15(6), 4983; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15064983 - 10 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1608
Abstract
This study examines the role of educational games in compensating for educational loss and their impact on students’ motivation towards learning during crises in Palestine and Iraq. Additionally, the study considers the challenges facing the employment of this strategy and ways to overcome [...] Read more.
This study examines the role of educational games in compensating for educational loss and their impact on students’ motivation towards learning during crises in Palestine and Iraq. Additionally, the study considers the challenges facing the employment of this strategy and ways to overcome these challenges. By performing separate open semi-structured interviews with a group of 10 educators from university professors, teachers, and educational supervisors, the study used the qualitative descriptive approach which designs multiple case studies. The results showed the prominent role that educational games play in increasing students’ motivation towards learning and compensating for educational loss through what they add to the fun and suspense in the learning process and how they shorten time and effort and help students to engage and cooperate in acquiring knowledge, skills, and values. The results also reveal common challenges that face the employment of educational games. These challenges are social, economic, technological, challenges related to school environment, and psychological challenges. The study shows the possibility of overcoming these challenges by providing funding sources, preparing plans to employ educational games, and developing teachers’ capabilities to implement them in their teaching practices. Full article
17 pages, 2380 KiB  
Article
Innovation Performance Prediction of University Student Teams Based on Bayesian Networks
by Xueliang Zhang, Jiawei Liu, Chi Zhang, Dongyan Shao and Zhiqiang Cai
Sustainability 2023, 15(3), 2335; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15032335 - 27 Jan 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1382
Abstract
Many studies have been conducted on the impact of dualistic learning, knowledge sharing, member heterogeneity, and their influencing factors on team performance in enterprises. However, research on the substantial differences between university student teams and enterprise teams is scarce. To address this void, [...] Read more.
Many studies have been conducted on the impact of dualistic learning, knowledge sharing, member heterogeneity, and their influencing factors on team performance in enterprises. However, research on the substantial differences between university student teams and enterprise teams is scarce. To address this void, this empirical study explores how the mechanism of dualistic learning affects university student teams’ learning performance facing rapid changes in higher education. Using the questionnaire, two modules of dualistic learning were identified through reliability and validity tests, and the research data set was formed. After preprocessing the data set, two team innovation performance prediction models were established based on the Bayesian network (BN). According to the characteristics of BN, the probability reasoning of the model was calculated and the posterior probability table was obtained under different dualistic learning levels. The results show that dualistic learning has significant impacts on innovation performance, and the improvement of dualistic learning can stimulate team innovation performance. This research can provide important theoretical guidance for teams to improve their ability, gain competitive advantages, and stimulate the creative enthusiasm of college students. Hopefully, this research will enrich the existing theoretical connotation to a certain extent and promote the development of relevant empirical research. Full article
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29 pages, 1568 KiB  
Article
Determining Ergonomic Appraisal Factors Affecting the Learning Motivation and Academic Performance of Students during Online Classes
by Ma. Janice J. Gumasing and Francee Mae F. Castro
Sustainability 2023, 15(3), 1970; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15031970 - 19 Jan 2023
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 10565
Abstract
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, students face intolerable mental and physical discomfort when taking online classes, directly impacting their learning motivation and academic performance. Related studies indicated that students had negative sentiments regarding online learning. This may be an alarming notion for students, particularly [...] Read more.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, students face intolerable mental and physical discomfort when taking online classes, directly impacting their learning motivation and academic performance. Related studies indicated that students had negative sentiments regarding online learning. This may be an alarming notion for students, particularly regarding their learning ability and participation in school. To overcome this nuisance, the primary objective of this study was to examine the factors affecting students’ learning motivation and academic performance during online learning using a novel framework of ergonomic appraisal. A total of 316 respondents answered the online questionnaire using a purposive sampling approach through social media platforms. Ergonomic-based indicators for physical, cognitive, and macro-ergonomics were analyzed simultaneously using partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results showed that the design of the workstation, the use of LMS, access to technology, teaching delivery, temperature level, and visual learning style were found to significantly influence students’ learning motivation, which then impacts the student’s academic performance. Thus, it is essential for those who are facilitating distance learning to keep in mind the factors that could motivate the student. As a result, this paper becomes an avenue to help appropriately plan the course program to ensure its viability and productively engage the students since online learning is becoming increasingly necessary. Further, this article also provides recommendations and implications on assisting schools, educators, and students in aiding a student’s learning motivation and academic performance. Full article
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Review

Jump to: Research

21 pages, 1649 KiB  
Review
EFL Learners’ Collocation Acquisition and Learning in Corpus-Based Instruction: A Systematic Review
by Wei Sun and Eunjeong Park
Sustainability 2023, 15(17), 13242; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151713242 - 4 Sep 2023
Viewed by 2218
Abstract
This systematic review critically examines 32 previous empirical studies on corpus-based collocation acquisition and learning in EFL contexts, aiming to identify the research contexts, corpus types, instructional methods, and how corpus-based training affects EFL students’ acquisition and learning of collocations. This review provides [...] Read more.
This systematic review critically examines 32 previous empirical studies on corpus-based collocation acquisition and learning in EFL contexts, aiming to identify the research contexts, corpus types, instructional methods, and how corpus-based training affects EFL students’ acquisition and learning of collocations. This review provides a comprehensive understanding of corpus-based collocation instruction and its effectiveness in enhancing learners’ collocation acquisition and learning. It makes use of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) approach to achieve these objectives. The findings reveal a progressive growth in research and publications on corpus-based collocation acquisition and learning, indicating its increasing significance in language education. This review highlights the wide applicability of corpus-based approaches across different language learning contexts, particularly among English language learners in foreign language settings. It also underscores the global significance of corpus-based collocation instruction, with attention and research conducted in various countries, notably, in Asian regions. This review discusses the positive effects of corpus-based tools and data-driven learning on collocation acquisition and learning, demonstrating the improvement in learners’ collocation knowledge, usage, and retention by comparing and summarizing research results. However, conflicting results regarding implicit and explicit instruction methods warrant further investigation. The collective findings of the reviewed studies contribute valuable insights into the effectiveness of different instructional methods and call for further research to optimize collocation instruction strategies with both theoretical and pedagogical implications. Full article
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