Why Students Should Be Taught Differently: Learner Characteristics, Learning Styles and Simulation Performance

Background Business simulation as an instructional tool helps in developing integrative thinking and decision making skills. It is being taught to audiences who differ considerably in age, work experience (learner characteristics) and learning styles. The use of simulations is likely to grow further with advancements in internet technology and the fact that simulations are very amenable to remote modes of instruction. Aim This study aims to assess how learner characteristics and learning styles impact business simulation performance. It further assesses the combined effect of learner characteristics and learning styles on performance in business simulations, we specifically consider the manner in which learning styles moderate the impact of learner characteristics (age) on simulation performance. Method The study was conducted with 605 students of full time MBA and executive MBA programs with age group varying from 21 years to 53 years. They were taught using the same business simulation by CAPSIM. The learning styles were measured using Felder-Solomon’s instrument ‘Index of learning style’. Regression analysis was conducted with predictor variables of learner characteristics and learning styles and outcome variable of simulation performance. The moderating effect of specific learning styles on learner characteristics was identified. Results The findings indicate that age is a significant predictor of simulation performance (younger, tech savvy students do better). Also, the use of reflective learning style enables better performance in business simulations. Older students are able to draw on experience and benefit more from reflective learning, for business simulations which involve integration across functions. Conclusion The study enhances our conceptual understanding of the factors enabling performance in business simulations and provides specific direction on how instructors must adapt facilitation approaches for different age groups of participants. Reflection is important for learning with business simulations; hence, the reflective learning style should be encouraged particularly among older students.

Reinforcement Learning Approach for Adaptive e-Learning Based on Multiple Learner Characteristics

We introduce a novel three stepwise model of adaptive e-learning using multiple learner characteristics. We design a model of a learner attributes enlisting the study domain, summary details of the student and the requirements of the student. We include the theories of learning style to categorize and identify specific individuals so as to improve their experience on the online learning platform and apply it in the model. The affective state extraction model which extracts learner emotions from text inputs during the platform interactions. We finally pass the system extracted information the adaptivity domain which uses the off-policy Q-learning model free algorithm (Jang et al., 2019) to structure the learning path into tutorials, lectures and workshops depending on predefined constraints of learning. Simulated results show better adaptivity incases of multiple characteristics as opposed to single learner characteristics. Further research to include more than three characteristics as in this research.

Crosslinguistic Influence (CLI) of Lexical Breadth and Depth in the Vocabulary of Bilingual Kindergarten Children – A Bilingual Intervention Study

Introduction: Research in recent years has explored the vocabulary size (lexical breadth) of bilingual children, but less is known about the richness of bilingual word knowledge (lexical depth), and about how knowledge of words in the two languages interact. This study explores how bilingual narrative intervention with vocabulary instruction in each language may modulate crosslinguistic influence (CLI) between the languages of bilingual kindergarten children, focusing on CLI of lexical knowledge, and which factors modulate performance.Methods: Forty-one typically developing English-Hebrew bilingual children (M = 64.63 months) participated. A bilingual adaptation of Story Champs narrative intervention program (Spencer and Petersen, 2012) was used to deliver vocabulary instruction in separate blocks of home language (HL) and school language (SL) sessions. Different intervention words were targeted in each language, but the children were tested on all target words in both languages. Lexical knowledge was assessed with a definition task four times throughout the study: prior to intervention, after each intervention block, and 4–6 weeks later. Learner characteristics (chronological age, age of onset of bilingualism and length of exposure) and proficiency in each language (standardized tests, familiarity with the vocabulary introduced in the intervention at baseline) were examined as possible modulators of performance.Results: Children showed growth in lexical breadth and depth in their HL/English after HL intervention and in lexical breadth in the SL/Hebrew following SL intervention, with CLI for semantic depth observed via a qualitative analysis, but not quantitatively. Better HL/English performance was correlated with later AoB (and shorter SL exposure) and higher HL language proficiency scores. Children with higher HL/English proficiency responded better to the SL/Hebrew intervention, gaining more than those with lower English proficiency. Children with SL/Hebrew vocabulary dominance at the outset of the study also gained more from the HL/English intervention. No correlations were found between learner characteristics and SL performance.Discussion: The current study indicates that bilingual narrative intervention with vocabulary instruction may be efficacious for improving the lexical breadth and depth of bilingual kindergarten children. It suggests that CLI may enhance bilingual children’s language learning success, and points to the importance of strengthening both languages of bilingual children.

Is a Preference for Realism Really Naive After All? A Cognitive Model of Learning with Realistic Visualizations

The use of realistic visualizations has gained considerable interest due to the proliferation of virtual reality equipment. This review is concerned with the theoretical basis, technical implementation, cognitive effects, and educational implications of using realistic visualizations. Realism can be useful for learners, but in several studies, more abstract illustrations have resulted in higher performance. Furthermore, a preference for realistic visualization has been declared as being based on misconceptions regarding the cognitive system. However, we argue that this perspective is unable to fully explain the conflicting results found in the literature. To fill this theoretical gap, we devised a model to describe and compare the various levels of realism found in visualizations. We define realism as a combination of three dimensions: geometry, shading, and rendering. By varying these dimensions, it is possible to create a variety of realistic graphics. Thus, when comparing different visualizations, the realism of each of these three dimensions needs to be considered individually. Based on this technical definition, we introduce a cognitive model of learning with realistic visualizations that includes three different stages: perception, schema construction, and testing. At these three stages, variables such as the perceptual load generated by the visualization, learner characteristics influencing how well details are processed, and test types that demand concrete or flexible representations can affect whether realism fosters or hinders learning. Using the cognitive model presented in this paper, more accurate predictions and recommendations concerning the use of realism can be formulated.

PENGARUH INTERACTION ENVIRONMENT DAN LEARNER CHARACTERISTIC TERHADAP KEPUASAN DALAM PENGGUNAAN SISTEM E-LEARNING

Studi ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui ada tidaknya pengaruh yang signifikan antara interaction-environment dan learner-characteristic sebagai variabel independen terhadap e-learning satisfaction sebagai variabel dependen. Disini faktor interaction- environment direpresentasikan melalui variabel-variabel Learner-content interaction, Learner- instructor interaction, dan Learner-learner interaction. Sedangkan faktor learner- characteristics direpresentasikan melalui variabel-variabel Self-efficacy dan Self- directed. Studi dilakukan pada sebuah perguruan tinggi swasta di Jakarta, dan sebagai sampel penelitian dipilih para mahasiswa di institusi tersebut dengan teknik purposive sampling. Metode analisis data menggunakan teknik regresi linier berganda. Hasil olah data menunjukkan bahwa semua variabel independen berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap variabel dependen, kecuali Learner-learner interaction tidak berpengaruh signifikan terhadap E-learning satisfaction.