Immersive Virtual Reality Teaching in Colleges and Universities Based on Vision Sensors

With the progress of society and the development of economy, people pay more and more attention to education, and traditional teaching methods are gradually unable to meet the modern teaching system. As a leader in modern information technology, virtual reality technology has developed rapidly in recent years, and virtual reality technology has also been introduced into many fields, such as teaching. Based on the immersive and extended characteristics of virtual reality, this paper proposes a virtual reality active visual interaction method based on the visual sensor. Based on virtual teaching, after 3 months of learning, the average, standard deviation, and average standard error of the experimental group’s performance are higher than those of the control group. Compared with the control group, the experimental group’s performance has increased by 8.25%. The difference is statistically significant. Learning significance ( P < 0.05 ), immersive virtual reality teaching has played a significant role in the effect, which can greatly improve the cognitive experience of students and achieve a good learning experience and effect.

Students as Community Vaccinators: Implementation of a Service-Learning COVID-19 Vaccination Program

Background: Service-learning is an integral component of medical education. While the COVID-19 pandemic has caused massive educational disruptions, it has also catalyzed innovation in service-learning as real-time responses to pandemic-related problems. For example, the limited number of qualified providers was a potential barrier to local and national SARS-CoV-2 vaccination efforts. Foreseeing this hurdle, New York State temporarily allowed healthcare professional trainees to vaccinate, enabling medical students to support an overwhelmed healthcare system and contribute to the community. Yet, it was the responsibility of medical schools to interpret these rules and implement the vaccination programs. Here the authors describe a service-learning vaccination program directed towards underserved communities. Methods: Weill Cornell Medicine (WCM) rapidly developed a faculty-led curriculum to prepare students to communicate with patients about the COVID-19 vaccines and to administer intramuscular injections. Qualified students were deployed to public vaccination clinics located in underserved neighborhoods across New York City in collaboration with an established community partner. The educational value of the program was evaluated with retrospective survey. Results: Throughout the program, which lasted from February to June 2021, 128 WCM students worked at 103 local events, helping to administer 26,889 vaccine doses. Analysis of student evaluations revealed this program taught fundamental clinical skills, increasing comfort giving intramuscular injection from 2% to 100% and increasing comfort talking to patients about the COVID-19 vaccine from 30% to 100%. Qualitatively participants described the program as a transformative service-learning experience. Conclusion: As new virus variants emerge, nations battle recurrent waves of infection, and vaccine eligibility expands to include children and boosters, the need for effective vaccination plans continues to grow. The program described here offers a novel framework that academic medical centers could adapt to increase vaccine access in their local community and provide students with a uniquely meaningful educational experience.

Understanding the Effects of Structured Note-taking Systems for Video-based Learners in Individual and Social Learning Contexts

Video-based learning is widely adopted by online learners, yet, learning experience and quality may be negatively affected by asynchronous and remote natures of video-based learning. As note-taking is a common practice employed by video-based learners and is known to be an effective way to trigger active construction and processing of knowledge, yet as a meta-skill, it is challenging to most learners. In this study, we aim to approach the goal of providing cognitive and social scaffolds to video-based learners by structuring their note-taking process. We presented and evaluated structured note-taking systems designed for learners in two contexts, namely, individual learning context and social learning context. With an online controlled study involving 43 participants, we compared the structured note-taking systems with two baseline systems (for individual learning and social learning contexts respectively) and found that structured note-taking significantly improved certain aspects of video-based learning such as and higher cognitive engagement and lower distraction. We discussed our results to inform the design, iteration, and adoption of note-taking tools in video-based learning.

Communication and Language Learning in Virtual Environments through an Eco-semiotic Lens

The paper explores the interface between the new theoretical approach of ecolinguistics and language educational practices in the new digital environments that we have plunged into during 2020-2021. From the standpoint of ecological communication and eco-semiotics, the exploration highlights its impact on language learning and education in general, as re-contextualized in the new digital spaces we have all been experiencing as educators and learners. The theoretical input from semiotics and conceptual linguistics on the one hand, and educational ecology on the other hand, is paired with a direct empirical analysis of the students’ language learning experience at the USAMVBT University of Timisoara, Romania, the University of Tetova, North Macedonia, and Lomza State University from Poland. Our aim is to better understand how to sustain students’ communicational skills and their overall adaptation to the emerging digitalised educational environment across fields of study.

Effects of an Internationalization at Home (IAH) Programme on Cultural Awareness among Medical and Nursing Students in Hong Kong and Indonesia During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Mixed-Methods Study

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted the learning experience of students by limiting their opportunities for face-to-face intercultural exchanges. Given the importance of cultural competence in medical education, there is a need to develop a programme that promotes cultural awareness, but that offers more flexibility in terms of outbound mobility. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an internationalization at home programme and to explore the learning experiences of medical and nursing students from Hong Kong and Indonesia. Methods: Students were recruited from two universities in Hong Kong and Indonesia. They attended an online internationalization at home programme designed by members of the research team from both countries. A mixed-methods study was conducted. A pre-test post-test design was used to evaluate the effects of the programme on cultural awareness, and four focus group interviews were conducted to explore the students’ experiences in the programme. Quantitative and qualitative data were analysed by T-test and thematic analysis. Data were integrated via triangulation. Results: One hundred and forty-eight students from Hong Kong and Indonesia participated in the study. After the programme, there was a significant improvement in cultural awareness. Three themes were identified: (1) learning process: enjoyable, but a desire remains for face-to-face cross-cultural communication; (2) learning outcomes: gained cultural awareness, developed cultural sensitivity, had an opportunity to practice language and learn about new learning styles; (3) factors influencing learning outcomes: facilitators (micro-movie and active communication) and barriers (language barrier, inappropriate time arrangement, insufficient prior briefing). Conclusion: This programme achieved the learning outcomes by successfully enhancing the cultural awareness of students during a time of pandemic when outbound student exchanges were not possible. Further adaptations of the programme are required to further enhance learning outcomes.

Keterlibatan Konsumen Dalam Kebaruan Produk

Involvement is a key word in the context of product novelty, when businesses are required to become more competitive in product innovation. This point of view forms the basis for understanding the two concepts of business existence. First, the demand to develop new products is directed to product innovation because technology is increasingly developing. Novelty needs to keep pace with technological advances as well as be market-oriented. Second, the business builds a collaborative commitment with its customers. This indicates a position where the relationship with the market demands an equal role. Businesses no longer take distance in building relationships with their markets. Thus consumers will gothrough a dynamic process in the experience of using the product, and businesses will continue to consistently motivate consumer learning in the process of product novelty adoption. This study aims to explain consumer’s learning experience on product novelty from the process of consumer involvement in the holistic experience of responding to product novelty. A combined quantitative-qualitative approach (mixed-method approach) is applied. The quantitative approach was carried out using SEM analysis with the SmartPLS tool on 113 respondents, while the qualitative approach was carried out using the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) technique on participant narratives. Furthermore, from the two approaches, an integration process was carried out to find the grand theme of consumer learning experiences in the context of their involvement in responding to product novelty. Through this research, it can be seen that the product novelty learning experience is formed through initial involvement to recognize, andcontinued involvement in using the product. The product novelty learning experience is the involvement of consumers in realizing essential realities, practical realities, and contextual realities.

An Evaluation of Online Edcraft Gamified Learning (EGL): Understanding Motivation and Intention of Recycling Among Youth During COVID-19 Period

Recycling is a process carried out by various organizations and individuals to enhance the environment’s long-term sustainability. Some youth think that recycling is a monotonous action as it may seem inconvenient, less aware of the environmental issues and more time-consuming than they think and rather go for video games. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the relationship between motivation and recycling intention in gamified learning among youth. To address the research aim, this study uses gamification as a motivational driver for a game-like learning experience to improve recycling intentions among youth. Self-determination theory (SDT) and the theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) will be this study's main motivational and behavioural theories. (n=124) high schools and college students were invited to take part in an online gamified recycling activity, Edcraft Gamified Learning (EGL), consisting of two levels of gamified unused plastic-crafting recycling activities. After the activity, the participant will answer a post-event questionnaire and the data collected were analyzed. The result shows that both controlled motivation (CM) and autonomous motivation (AM) positively influenced youth attitudes and social norms. Besides, attitude is the only psychosocial determinant that positively influences the recycling intention of the youth. Gamification only moderates positively between attitude and recycling intention. This study has clearly shown the effectiveness of gamified learning activity towards recycling intention directly and as a component that moderates the relationship between attitude and recycling intention, which shows a favourable evaluation towards recycling intention with gamified learning involved. Moreover, findings show that not all relationships are positive in a gamified learning environment, and it gives a good view on the weakness and strengths with the guide of SDT and TPB.

Effects of First Language Background and Learning Experience in Perceiving Mandarin Lexical Tones: Learners and Nonlearners From English- and Japanese-Speaking Backgrounds

Purpose: This research compared individuals from two first language (L1) backgrounds (English and Japanese) to determine how they may differ in their perception of Mandarin tones (Tones 1 vs. 2 [T1–T2], Tones 1 vs. 3 [T1–T3], Tones 1 vs. 4 [T1–T4], Tones 2 vs. 3 [T2–T3], Tones 2 vs. 4 [T2–T4], Tones 3 vs. 4 [T3–T4]) on account of their L1. Method: The participants included two groups of learners of Mandarin (23 English speakers, 18 Japanese speakers), two groups of nonlearners of Mandarin (24 English speakers, 21 Japanese speakers), and a control group of 10 Mandarin speakers. A four-alternative forced-choice discrimination task that included 360 trials was presented in three blocks of 120 trials. Results: The native Mandarin group was more accurate in their tonal discrimination of all six tone pairs than all the nonnative groups. While Japanese nonlearners generally outperformed English nonlearners in their overall perception of Mandarin lexical tones, L1-based differences were less extensive for the two groups of learners. Both learner groups were least accurate on T2–T3 and most accurate on T3–T4. Conclusion: The results suggest that with classroom experience, English speakers can overcome their initial disadvantage and learn lexical tones in a new language as successfully as speakers of Japanese with classroom experience.

Optimizing pre-clerkship medical education at the University of Ottawa

COVID-19 has brought forth unprecedented changes in the delivery of medical education. With concerns rising over a new variant and an upheaval in vaccine distribution, institutions have had to re-strategize and, in many cases, implement provisional shutdowns to contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2. For medical schools, providing an optimal balance between in-person training and virtual learning has been challenging. At the University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine, key components of the undergraduate medical education, including in-class lectures, interactive practical sessions, and clinical placements, have been affected by the pandemic. In this paper, we highlight barriers to an optimal learning experience among pre-clerkship students at the University of Ottawa and propose ways in which this can be overcome.