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Making a makerspace in early childhood education: Effects on children’s stem thinking skills and emotional development
No full textThe open access publication is available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2025.101754Makerspaces are used to promote classroom change and creativity for the 21st century. Building on the learning theory of Constructionism, this intervention study used a curriculum intervention program, “Making a Makerspace” (MM), to integrate the makerspace into Chinese kindergartens. We used a quasi-experimental research design to evaluate the effects of this curriculum intervention, with 120 children enrolled in the experimental classrooms, while the other 111 children enrolled in the waitlist control classrooms. Teacher-report child performance (N = 231) showed that the MM program resulted in significantly higher scores in children's STEM habits of mind in the intervention group, relative to the control group. Analyses of parent-report child behaviors revealed that there was a significant effect of the MM program on post-intervention temperamental surgency. Our evidence shows that such a scalable program encourages and guides teachers to build a positive learning environment for supporting young children's making and thinking in everyday preschool experiences. The makerspace further sets a solid foundation for the development of children's STEM thinking skills and socioemotional skills in a rapidly changing digital society
Optimizing human potential: Interdisciplinary perspectives from the art, science, and technology of learning
No full textThe open access publication is available at https://doi.org/10.1080/23735082.2025.252748
Measuring digital literacy across ages and over time: Development and validation of a performance-based assessment
No full textThe open access publication is available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-025-13592-8Measuring digital literacy (DL) across ages and tracking its growth over time have remained challenging in the area of digital literacy assessment. The current analysis reports on the psychometric properties of a performance-based Digital Literacy Assessment (DLA) instrument grounded in the DigComp 2.1 framework. Utilising a longitudinal cohort study design, the DLA was administered to Hong Kong students across three age cohorts, from lower primary to upper secondary, over a two-year period. Data were collected in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, and in 2021, during the pandemic. The analysis provides validity and reliability evidence for using the DLA in longitudinal studies to assess DL from late childhood through late adolescence. The results further suggest that students’ DL improved with grade level, with secondary students outperforming primary students but also displaying greater variability in scores. Over the two years, students generally demonstrated improvement in DL while inter-individual differences in DL growth rates widened. These findings indicate the widening of digital divides and highlight the need to investigate factors that contribute to diversity in DL development. In conclusion, our study provides evidence for the robustness of the DLA as an instrument to assess DL growth across ages and over time. Further, the DLA allowed us to uncover the substantial overlap in DL ability across different age groups and the widening second-level digital divide as children move into higher grades, and that the digital divide aggravated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Implications and challenges to the learning and assessment of DL are discussed
A systematic review of differential item functioning in second language assessment
No full textThe growing diversity among test takers in second or foreign language (L2) assessments makes the importance of fairness front and center. This systematic review aimed to examine how fairness in L2 assessments was evaluated through differential item functioning (DIF) analysis. A total of 83 articles from 27 journals were included in a systematic review. The findings suggested that classical DIF techniques were dominant in use, particularly Rasch-based methods, the Mantel–Haenszel procedure, item response theory (IRT) approaches, logistic regression, and SIBTEST, but emerging methods such as DIF analysis based on cognitive diagnostic models were also identified. Most DIF studies examined manifest grouping variables such as gender and language background and were based on assessments of receptive language skills such as reading and listening comprehension. DIF analyses were mostly conducted in an exploratory fashion and causes of DIF were often justified on speculative rather than empirical grounds. In addition, the quality of DIF analyses was undermined by suboptimal reporting practices. Our results suggest the need to improve current DIF practices, to consider alternative DIF detection methods aligning with emerging views of measurement bias, and to adequately account for the heterogeneity of L2 test takers. The findings have implications for test design and use, fairness, and validity in L2 assessments
Magnetically separable Zn2FeOx@CN microcubes derived from metal-organic frameworks for efficient tetracycline removal
No full textRemoving tetracycline (TC) from water is vital for protecting both human health and aquatic life. One promising solution involves using magnetic carbon adsorbents derived from metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). In this study, we created a bimetallic MOF precursor, Zn2[Fe(CN)6]·3H2O (Zn/Fe-MOF), and applied a one-step pyrolysis process to produce Zn2FeOx@CN composite oxides with magnetic properties. This approach combines efficiency with practicality, offering a powerful tool for tackling water contamination challenges. The version of this adsorbent created at 500 °C, called Zn2FeOx@CN-500, demonstrated a strong ability to capture TC, with a capacity of 769 mg g-1, reaching equilibrium within just an hour at 298 K. This adsorbent remains stable across a wide pH range (3-11) and can work in various water conditions. Our analysis showed that the adsorption process is endothermic and involves a multilayer chemical adsorption, mainly driven by surface complexation, π-π stacking interactions, hydrogen bonding, and electrostatic attraction between Zn2FeOx@CN-500 and TC molecules. Moreover, Zn2FeOx@CN-500 can be easily separated magnetically and shows strong reusability, making it a practical choice for real-world water treatment applications.Accepted versionRP 1/22 EA
Playful pedagogies for future history educators
No full textThe open access publication is available at: https://hsseonline.nie.edu.sg/playful-pedagogies-for-future-history-educators/How can play serve as a powerful pedagogical tool for fostering joy and engagement in Singapore’s history classrooms, especially given the high-stakes and examination-driven context? Through insights from a study trip to Denmark and conversations with Singaporean student-teachers, this article examines the possibilities and tensions of adopting Playful Learning in the classroom as a means of enhancing student engagement, promoting historical thinking, and nurturing 21st-century skills and competencies. This article proposes several approaches to developing playful teachers who view the classroom learning process as one that is rich in possibilities for choice, delight, and wonder – the key ingredients of play.Published versio
GameFlow model: Evaluating the enjoyment and feasibility of a mobile-based story-listening game for preschoolers at cognitive risk for dyslexia
No full textEffective engagement is a critical element for the success of serious gaming interventions, as insufficiently engaging games can result in diminished participation and restricted learning outcomes. The GameFlow model was developed to guide developers in creating and evaluating enjoyable educational games; however, many language-focused serious games lack comprehensive assessments of both enjoyment and feasibility. This study examines the enjoyment and feasibility of a mobile-based story-listening game designed for preschoolers at cognitive risk for dyslexia, grounded in GameFlow principles. Additionally, it explores the game's potential to support early literacy development. As part of a preventive reading intervention, 53 five- to six-year-old preschoolers identified as cognitively at risk for dyslexia engaged with the game for 12 weeks, four days per week, either in conjunction with a phonics-based intervention or alongside control games. The game involved listening to narrated stories and responding to content-related questions. Enjoyment was evaluated using a questionnaire and GameFlow assessments. Feasibility was measured through story appreciation ratings, question response accuracy and total training duration. The relationships between enjoyment, difficulty, and feasibility were explored. Data from 53 participants suggested overall positive engagement, though the GameFlow evaluation identified areas for design improvement. Question response accuracy confirmed appropriate difficulty levels, and all participants completed the story-listening game with varying training durations. Greater initial story appreciation correlated with shorter training durations, whereas higher question response accuracy showed no significant relationship with total training time. The tablet-based story-listening game appears to be both feasible and enjoyable, though design refinements could further optimise the user experience.Published versio
Gender differences in motivation and problem-solving in a physics course online problem-based learning.
No full textThe open access publication is available at https://doi.org/10.11591/ijere.v14i4.31105Online learning has been crucial since COVID-19, yet its effectiveness, particularly in physics education, remains debated. Understanding students’ motivation and problem-solving abilities in online environments is critical. This paper examined and presented the gender difference in motivation and problem-solving skills using an integrated online problem-based learning (iON-PBL) in a physics course. Developed using analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation (ADDIE) mode, iON-PBL module of physics guided students through problem-solving activities over 13 weeks. A post-test–delayed post-test design was used to assess retention of motivation and problem-solving skills. The study involved 116 pre-university students from Universiti Malaysia Sabah (88 females, 28 males). Motivation was measured using the motivated strategies for learning questionnaire (MSLQ) (four components), and problem-solving skills were assessed with the problem-solving inventory (PSI) (three components). Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 28. Findings showed a significant gender difference in the ‘cognitive strategy’ component of motivation at the post-test, favoring female students. However, this difference was not sustained in the delayed post-test. In contrast, no gender difference was found in problem-solving at the post-test, but females scored significantly higher in ‘personal control’ in the delayed post-test. These findings suggest that female students are more likely to maintain cognitive strategies and personal control in online learning. Educators should consider targeted strategies to support male students’ motivation and problem-solving development in virtual environments to foster gender equity. Educators should consider targeted strategies to support male students’ motivation and problem-solving development in virtual environments to foster gender equity
Investigating the DNA binding properties of diruthenium complexes incorporating carboxylated chalcone ligands with phenyl, naphthyl or anthryl moieties
No full textSixteen diruthenium sawhorse and cationic complexes with carboxylated chalcone ligands incorporating phenyl, naphthyl and anthryl moieties have been synthesized and characterized. The cationic complexes were found to be more soluble in aqueous medium than the neutral sawhorse compounds. DNA binding studies carried out for the cationic complexes indicate that the presence of the phenyl, naphthyl and anthryl units influenced the selectivity of the complexes towards quadruplex or duplex DNA