Showing papers by "Robert Zheng published in 2010"

Effects of Situated Learning on Students' Knowledge Acquisition: An Individual Differences Perspective

Abstract: This study focuses on the effects of situated learning on students' knowledge acquisition by investigating the influence of individual differences in such learning. Seventy-nine graduates were recruited from an educational department and were assigned to situated learning and traditional learning based on a randomized block design. Results revealed differences between traditional and situated learning as well as between field dependent (FD) and field independent (FI) learners in situated learning. A correlation analysis showed that situated learning was significantly correlated with learners' performance and individual differences defined as FD and FI in this study. The findings of the study have significant implications in learning and research in that they: (a) revealed the differences between traditional and situated learning; (b) identified the interaction between individual differences and instructional condition that influenced learners' learning outcome; and (c) showed crucial relationships among t...

Toward an Integrated Conceptual Framework of Research in Teen Online Communication

Abstract: This article presents a conceptual framework for research exploring teen online communication. It brings attention to the influences of related elements such as social and individual factors on adolescent needs and behaviors in online communication. The proposed conceptual framework posits that adolescent online behaviors are linked to their needs pertaining to developmental, social-psychological, and cognitive demands. While adolescent needs are influenced by the social and individual factors, such influences also impose indirect impact on adolescent online behaviors. This framework provides a comprehensive picture of teen online communication in terms of the components involved in such communication. Suggestions for future studies are outlined with regard to the validation and implementation of the proposed framework. DOI: 10.4018/978-1-60566-926-7.ch001

Cross‐Language Priming of Word Meaning During Second Language Sentence Comprehension

Abstract: The experiment investigated the benefit to second language (L2) sentence comprehension of priming word meanings with brief visual exposure to first language (L1) translation equivalents. Native English speakers learning Mandarin evaluated the validity of aurally presented Mandarin sentences. For selected words in half of the sentences there was synchronized visual exposure for 100 ms of English translation equivalents. This reduced response times relative to sentences without L1 word exposure, and exposure of translation equivalents for an early word in a sentence was instrumental in reducing comprehension errors. Results are discussed with respect to (a) the unique demands on working memory of L2 speech comprehension, (b) the meaning first and sentence location principles of attention allocation in L2 comprehension, and (c) the potential utility of cross-language meaning activation to reduce the frequency of cognitive overload during L2 listening and thereby facilitate the acquisition of a broader range of L2 comprehension skills.

Designing Dynamic Learning Environment for Web 2.0 Application

Abstract: The growth of online resources and the advancement of Web 2.0 technology are changing the instructional landscape and have significantly impacted the practices in education. With its ill-structured learning and rapid incrementation of information in a non-linear fashion, Web 2.0 learning poses enormous challenges to online instructional designers and teachers. The traditional ID models are deemed less fit for Web 2.0 learning due to their linear, wellstructured design approach. This chapter proposes a new ID model that specifically addresses the cognitive demands involved in Web 2.0 learning, promotes learning that focuses on metacognitive thinking and self-regulation, facilitates knowledge integration and construction of schemas-of-themoment for ill-structured learning, and delivers an environment by connecting activities with behavior to form a dynamic learning environment in Web 2.0 application. IntroductIon The presence of new technology like Web 2.0 application has dramatically changed the instructional landscape in education (Brewer & Milam, 2006; Ellison & Wu, 2008; Glass & Spiegelman, 2007). Many universities, including K-12 schools, are already exploring the instructional use of Web 2.0 technologies such as blogs, wikis, iPods, podcasting, text messaging, and other social software like distributed classification systems (Glogoff, 2005; Ferris & Wilder, 2006). One of the challenges to use Web 2.0 application in education is to effectively design and develop instruction that prepares learners for discovery, change, and creativity in a highly complex and challenging learning environment. Research shows that as technology has increasingly become a key component in teaching and learning, the amount of effort and enthusiasm that goes into the development and implementation of new technology often fails to yield desired results (Oliver & Herrington, 2003). This is due partly to poor implementation of technology in learning and partly to a lack of effective instructional models DOI: 10.4018/978-1-60566-729-4.ch004