Strategies to Maximize Asynchronous Learning

This chapter provides suggestions on how educators and learners can thrive in asynchronous learning environments. A review of what constitutes an asynchronous environment and how it contrasts to synchronous learning environments is discussed. Constructivist, social constructivist, constructivist learning environments, and active learning strategies are reviewed in the context of asynchronous learning. In addition, key tools, applications, and strategies that can be used to support successful asynchronous learning environments are reviewed. This includes the inherent tools within a learning management system, video, and collaboration tools. Finally, educator best practices and recommended areas of future research are discussed. Within the best practices section, strategies to create a more effective and empathic learning environment are discussed.

Integrating Constructivist Learning Environments (CLEs) in Designing a Multimedia Learning Application for Cyber-Bullying Intervention

Constructivism is a learning theory that emphasizes learners’ intervention through self-guided exploration, reflection, and evaluation. This study discusses on the integration of the Constructivist Learning Environments (CLEs) in designing a multimedia learning application for cyber-bullying intervention among adolescents. The application has been evaluated using Alpha Testing and Beta Testing technique to ensure its quality. From this evaluation, the researcher was also able to identify weaknesses or problems associated with the usage of the application, from the viewpoint of the content and multimedia expert and also the target user group which are the adolescents. By integrating CLEs, it is expected that knowledge and awareness is constructed by the learners as they reconcile new information with past experiences, analyze various source materials, and work collaboratively with others. As CLEs stimulates active learning, it is hoped that leaners will develop advanced skills such as critical thinking, analysis, evaluation, and creation. As CLEs promotes diverse viewpoints, it encourages students to reflect, evaluate their work, and identify intermediary skills to acquire based on their needs. It is also expected that the development of the multimedia app in this study will contributed to an increase in the number of computer-based applications intended to expose adolescents to the issue of cyber-bullying, which is still under-developed, particularly in the context of adolescents in Malaysia.

EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN CONSTRUCTIVIST LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND CRITICAL THINKING ABILITY OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

Constructivist learning environments are a core instructional factor affecting students’ critical thinking (Mathews & Lowe, 2011). However, few classroom environment research have specifically investigated relationships between students’ perceptions of their learning environment and their critical thinking ability (e.g., Fraser, 2012), especially in the context of Chinese learners. Therefore this study would fill this research gap by investigating the relationships between constructivist learning environments and critical thinking ability among Hong Kong secondary school students. The study used a cross-sectional survey design to collect data from a convenience sample of 967 students studying Liberal Studies or Integrated Humanities in Secondary Three (Grade 9) in Hong Kong. The respondents completed a self-administered questionnaire which included the Constructivist Learning Environment Survey (CLES), Cornell Critical Thinking Test Level X, and demographic information on age and gender. The findings showed that students perceived their learning environment to be moderately constructivist in nature, and scored a moderate level of critical thinking ability. Both age and school banding differences were identified in which younger and students in schools with higher banding tended to perceive a higher degree of constructivist characteristics in their learning environment and they obtained higher critical thinking ability scores. Multiple regression analyses indicated that five of the seven independent variables were predictors of critical thinking ability. Shared Control was the strongest predictor and negatively associated with critical thinking ability. Personal Relevance, Critical Voice, and Uncertainty were positively while age was negatively related to critical thinking ability. The hypothesized model of seven demographic and CLES variables accounted for 10% of variance of critical thinking ability, suggesting a medium effect size. Findings of the study are discussed with reference to developing students’ critical thinking ability in classrooms.

The Success Factors of Implementing Web-Based Gamification According to the Viewpoint of Female English Teachers for Public Education Stages

Currently, one of the main concerns among teachers is to prepare a generation that emulates the knowledge society, and has the ability to keep pace with the renewed global changes; during creating socially interactive and constructivist learning environments such as gamified environments. The implementation of gamification in education needs to be carefully designed, which assures the importance of investigating the factors affect its use in education. Thus, this study aims to identify the factors that influence the success of applying web-based gamification in the educational process using a questionnaire adopted from the GAMEX scale. A total of 249 female English teachers participated in this study. To achieve the aims of this research, the researcher used the analytical descriptive method. The results showed that the most effective factors in the success of applying web-based gamification were entertainment, engagement, comprehension, creative thinking and the absence of a negative effect.

The Outcomes of Constructivist Learnıng Envıroments from the Perspectives of Secondary School Students

Constructivist learning environments are those in which individuals absorb knowledge by conducting in-depth research and analysis. In these environments, the individuals are aware of why and how to learn the information, realize their mistakes by testing the knowledge they have learned before and reach new information by correcting these mistakes. The purpose of this research is to determine the secondary school students’ levels of perception about constructivist learning environments in terms of different variables (gender, access to a suitable place to study, grade level, and mother and father educational attainment). The research was held in the central district of a province in the Central Anatolia Region in the spring semester of the 2018-2019 academic year. The study group of the research, selected on voluntary basis with simple random method, consists of 205 students; 100 male and 105 female, who continue their education in the 6th, 7th and 8th grades of a secondary school affiliated to the Ministry of National Education. The results of the research revealed that students have a moderate constructivist learning environment perception. It was found that there was no statistically significant difference in their perceptions in terms of gender and grade level.

Educational Scenario of a Technological – Vocational course, using ICTs, in the context of Constructivism, Pragmatic model and Cross-thematic integration

In this paper an Educational Scenario of a Technological – Vocational course is documented and presented. In this the potentials of ICTs are exploited, as management tools of the information and as back up tools of the teaching method such that Constructivist learning environments can be established inside the classroom and achieve a smooth and successful integration of the ICT in the main cognitive subject of the Technological – Vocational course, which is examined at the Higher Education entrance exams. The Scenario has characteristics of a model useful for other Technological – Vocational courses as it suggests Practical Educational Techniques and Cross-thematic integration approaches and promotes the Metacognitive skills of the Vocational Upper Secondary School (EPAL) students with a specialization.