Kan Kan Chan

1. Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly becoming embedded in the everyday environments of young children, from voice assistants and recommendation algorithms to interactive games and adaptive le...

The interest in Computational Thinking (CT) development among young learners increases with the number of studies located in literature. In this study, a meta-analysis was conducted to address two main objectives: (a) the effectiveness of empirical interventions on the development of CT in children aged of 3–8 years; and (b) the variables that influence the effectiveness of the interventions. Following PRISMA procedures, we identified 17 empirical studies with 34 effect sizes and 1665 participants meeting the inclusion criteria from Web of Science database. Overall, we found a statistically significant large effect size (d = .83 [95% CI: 730, .890]; p < .001) on the CT development of 3–8 years old children, which provides empirical support for having young children to engage in CT experiences. The effect size was significantly influenced by moderating variables including gender, scaffolding, and education level. Intervention length showed a marginally significant effect. Therefore, educators could refer to the significant moderators when designing tailored interventions for CT development in early childhood education while a call for more empirical studies of CT development in young children is proposed.

Research has shown that massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) have the potential to offer language learning opportunities. However, there is a dearth of research exploring student attitudes about the potential of these games for language learning. We used the language learning principles framework proposed by Brown and Lee ( 2015 Brown, H. D. , & Lee, H. (2015). Teaching by principles: An interactive approach to language pedagogy. Pearson education ESL. [Google Scholar] ) to explore the attitudes of informal Iranian EFL gamers about the potential of the MMORPG environment for language learning. Using a mixed-methods approach, data collected by means of a questionnaire (N = 500) and semi-structured interviews (N = 20) showed that participant attitudes aligned with eight language learning principles (i.e. autonomy, transfer, reward, self-regulation, identity and investment, interaction, languaculture, and agency). The findings of the study highlight the potential of the MMORPG environment for language learning. Parents and EFL teachers should consider the potential affordances of the MMORPG environment as an alternative or complement to formal English language learning environments.

Students’ beliefs and attitudes have a direct impact on their behavior and engagement in the learning of mathematics. This study examined students’ beliefs of dynamic mathematics lessons through the lens of the contemporary theory of metaphor. Participants of the study were grade 10 students in a Macao private secondary school. 51 students attended dynamic inquiry-based lessons and used dynamic geometry software. After the lessons, students’ attitudes of the dynamic lessons were uncovered using open-ended questions and a Likert-item questionnaire. Students held a polarized view regarding the dynamic mathematics lessons claiming they were rewarding but challenging. In order to develop students’ positive attitudes towards the dynamic mathematics lessons, teachers should plan more diversified pedagogy to meet the different learning approaches of students.

Teaching artificial intelligence (AI) is an emerging challenge in global school education. There are considerable barriers to overcome, including the existing practices of technology education and teachers’ knowledge of AI. Research evidence shows that studying teachers’ experiences can be beneficial in informing how appropriate design in teaching sustainable AI should evolve. Design frames characterize teachers’ design reasoning and can substantially influence their AI lesson design considerations. This study examined 18 experienced teachers’ perceptions of teaching AI and identified effective designs to support AI instruction. Data collection methods involved semi-structured interviews, action study, classroom observation, and post-lesson discussions with the purpose of analyzing the teachers’ perceptions of teaching AI. Grounded theory was employed to detail how teachers understand the pedagogical challenges of teaching AI and the emerging pedagogical solutions from their perspectives. Results reveal that effective AI instructional design should encompass five important components: (1) obstacles to and facilitators of participation in teaching AI, (2) interactive design thinking processes, (3) teachers’ knowledge of teaching AI, (4) orienteering AI knowledge for social good, and (5) the holistic understanding of teaching AI. The implications for future teacher AI professional development activities are proposed.

Computational thinking is considered a necessary skill in the 21st century. However, few teacher-education programs offer training for pre-service teachers to learn how to integrate computational thinking into the classroom. Pre-service teachers need to gain the knowledge and experience of computational thinking so that they are confident about designing relevant instructions in the future. The purpose of this chapter is to show how a free elective course in the teacher education program provides learning opportunities for them to develop their computational thinking skills and knowledge through the use of tangible objects. Samples of their works were analysed at different stages of learning to illustrate the technological pedagogical content knowledge of computational thinking. Overall, the study demonstrates that pre-service teachers were able to develop knowledge and attitudes towards computational thinking with their experience in the teacher education course.

Visual analytics (VA) technology has become a significant tool for business decision-makers to explore novel insights. One of its key features is analytical reasoning through interactive visualization that users have direct sensemaking in problem-solving processes. Few studies have examined how VA can be applied in business education for improving educational purpose. Social cognitive theory grounded in the current study as a framework to guide a qualitative exploration. The investigation was guided by two research questions: (1) What are the benefits and challenges of VA used in business education? (2). How do students interact with VA to improve knowledge construction in problem-solving? In-depth interviews and focus groups were conducted to derive data for thematic analysis from 25 informants. Three researchers conducted coding and data analysis through Nvivo 11.0. Five themes were identified in the corpus of data: (1). Perceived benefits to learning, (2). Prerequisite conditions, (3). Application context, (4). Motivational engagement, and (5). Knowledge construction. The study suggests that incorporating VA technology with problem-solving facilitates students’ knowledge organisation and acquisition.