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Why feedback fails in conventional writing classrooms
No full textFeedback plays a pivotal role in second language writing classrooms. Despite a wealth of research and guidance on effective feedback practice, providing feedback on student writing has been acknowledged as a taxing task. Challenges include students’ limited engagement with feedback, as well as teacher frustration and burnout. In this article, drawing on existing research and personal experiences, and using the why, who, what, and how questions as an organizing framework, we examine the underlying reasons that elucidate common feedback failures in conventional writing classrooms. Subsequently, 10 effective principles are derived, also aligned with the wh-question framework of feedback. Building upon the insights gleaned from the examination of feedback failures and principles, this article provides pedagogical implications for writing teacher education and suggests areas for further research.</p
The features of visual models generated by primary school students in an online learning platform
No full textThe purpose of this study is to identify the features of student-generated visual models in an online learning platform. To this end, online-based learning activities were designed and applied to 123 primary school students. Specifically, the students were guided to generate visual models for three phenomena related to light and shadow, following three steps: (1) observing a phenomenon in a video and constructing the first visual model of the phenomenon, (2) evaluating two different models in a concept cartoon and choosing the better model, and (3) observing another similar phenomenon and constructing the second model. Six visual models per student (738 visual models in total) were collected and analysed in terms of using proper symbols and conceptual understanding. In using symbols to visualise how light travels, students were found to employ increasingly higher levels of symbols over the course of constructing the six visual models. In terms of conceptual understanding, students demonstrated their conceptual development in the visual models they used to explain simple phenomena; however, for complex phenomena, the development of the conceptual levels of their models was challenged. Based on the above results, educational implications are discussed in terms of fostering students’ visual models in an online environment
Factors associated with school teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs in delivering a tier 2 CBT-based programme in schools
No full textThis study explored factors associated with teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs in delivering a Tier 2 Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT)-based programme. Participants consisted of 103 teachers (mean age = 38.0 years, SD = 9.63) currently teaching in Singapore mainstream schools. Survey data on self-efficacy beliefs for teaching in general, teachers’ sources of self-efficacy beliefs, and demographic variables were collected. Participants also rated eight vignettes on how confident they would feel when required to deliver and facilitate sessions. Mastery Experience and self-efficacy beliefs for teaching in general were significant predictors. While quantitative results did not suggest that Vicarious Experience was a significant predictor, participants frequently highlighted qualitatively that opportunities to observe peers, professionals and other teachers with more experience, as well as role-play, would help them feel more confident to deliver such sessions. These results can be used to inform selection of educators for such a programme and in designing the training for these teachers.Accepted versio
Response to Lauren Kapalka Richerme, “Response to Victor Fung and Leonard Tan, ‘Love of all wisdoms’: Toward a multi-philosophical approach to music education,” Philosophy of Music Education Review , 32, No.2 (Fall, 2024): 185–189
No full textAccepted versio
Mind-body correlates in early adolescence: Insights from temporomandibular disorder pain and somatic symptoms
No full textBackgroundPrevious studies on temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) in early adolescence have predominantly featured Western samples, with a focus on mental ill-being.ObjectivesThis pioneering study investigated the relationships between TMD pain, somatic symptoms, and both mental well-being and ill-being. It also examined mind–body correlates in Asian young adolescents.MethodsParticipants, aged 14, were enrolled in a public school. They completed a survey that included socio-demographics, the TMD Pain Screener, Patient Health Questionnaire-15, Life Goals Questionnaire, Meaning in Life Questionnaire, Child and Adolescent Social Support Scale, Satisfaction With Life Scale, and Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales-21. Data were analysed using chi-square/Mann–Whitney U tests and Spearman's correlation (α = 0.05).ResultsAmong the 142 participants (52.8% female), 12.0% presented with TMD pain and 35.2% experienced medium-to-high somatic symptoms. Individuals with TMD pain and moderate-to-high somatic symptoms had significantly higher scores for somatic symptom burden/TMD pain, depression, anxiety and stress, while having substantially lower scores for the presence of life meaning and life satisfaction, compared to those without TMD pain and none/minimal-to-low somatic symptoms. Moderate correlations were observed between TMD pain and somatic symptoms (rs = 0.40), as well as between somatic symptoms and depression, anxiety and stress (rs = 0.51 to 0.57). Life satisfaction was negatively correlated with emotional distress (rs = −0.43 to −0.61).ConclusionsTMD pain was associated with somatic symptoms but not with emotional distress. The moderate relationships between somatic symptoms and depression, anxiety and stress highlight the concept of somatisation in Asian cultures, even during early adolescence.RS 1/18 MA
Motor competence development of children in Singapore: A cross-sectional and longitudinal study
No full textThe open access publication is available at https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.19698IntroductionUnderstanding the motor competence development of young children requires both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. This is crucial for identifying relative age effects and tracking individual developmental trajectories. However, there are limited data in Southeast Asia, particularly in Singapore.MethodsThis study monitored the development of motor competence of 75 children in Singapore, aged 3–4.5 years, over an 18-month period. Four data points were conducted using the Movement Assessment for Children, 2nd Edition (MABC-2) at six-month intervals. Data were analyzed using repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and post-hoc multiple comparisons.ResultsCross-sectional analysis revealed a positive age effect across all eight motor tasks, with older children demonstrating higher fine and gross motor competence. Longitudinal analysis showed significant improvement in seven out of eight motor tasks over the 18-month period, except for the task of jumping on mats.ConclusionThe most pronounced age effect was observed between children aged 3.5 and 4.0 years, suggesting a potential period of accelerated motor development within this age range. The significant improvements in motor competence observed over the 18-month period underscore the critical nature of early childhood for motor skill acquisition. Additionally, the study highlights the importance of frequent monitoring (e.g., every 6 months) to identify children with motor delays and facilitate timely interventions
Parental perceptions of environmental factors on preschoolers’ outdoor play in 19 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries
No full textThe open access publication is available at https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2024-0615Background: Environmental factors influence children’s development. However, their impact on outdoor play among children from international settings remains understudied. This study examined associations between parent perceptions of environmental factors and outdoor play among an international sample of preschool-aged children. Methods: Data were sourced from the pilot phases of the SUNRISE International Study of Movement Behaviors in the Early Years. Parents completed a questionnaire about their child’s outdoor play and environmental factors that influenced their child’s participation in outdoor play in the past 3 days. Results: 1855 children from 19 countries (16 low- and middle-income countries) were examined. Heat (−25.6; 95% CI, −44.6 to −6.6), cold (−26.9; 95% CI, −45.9 to −8.4), and rain (−24.8; 95% CI, −43.3 to −6.6) were negatively associated with weekday outdoor play. Cold (−41.2; 95% CI, −62.4 to −20.0) and social instability (−40.7; 95% CI, −61.5 to −20.3) were negatively associated with weekend outdoor play. Playing at friend’s or relative’s homes (29.5 [95% CI, 18.6 to 40.5]; 37.9 [25.6 to 50.4]), greenspaces (23.1 [95% CI, 9.6 to 36.6]; 30.4 [95% CI, 15.1 to 45.8]), and on the street (41.4 [95% CI, 26.9 to 55.7]; 34.9 [95% CI, 18.2 to 51.3]) were associated with weekday and weekend day outdoor play, respectively. Playing on the family’s property was also associated with weekend day outdoor play (25.5 [95% CI, 18.2 to 51.3]). Conclusions: The environmental context is important to consider when developing interventions to promote outdoor play in young children across diverse international
settings. Future research from representative populations is needed to confirm these findings.OER 04/19 TW
Teaching biology with narratives: Examining the impact of affective and cognitive variables on undergraduate student learning
No full textThe open access publication is available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s11251-025-09723-wDespite the challenges posed by expository instruction materials, including unfamiliar text structure and abstracted and isolated representation of the contents, they constitute a primary means of studying scientific concepts in higher education. Conversely, utilizing narratives to present the to-be-learned content was conjectured to mitigate some of these limitations. Yet, empirical evidence at the undergraduate level remains inconclusive. In this design-based research experimental study, we examined the effects of expository and narrative instruction on the recall, understanding, and transfer of core biological concepts among 109 undergraduate natural science students. Moreover, we investigated diverse affective and cognitive mechanisms that may be differently influenced by the instruction. To enhance our analyses beyond traditional significance testing, we conducted complementary bootstrapped effect size comparisons and Bayesian analyses to be able to additionally quantify the results, estimate the uncertainty of the findings, and incorporate means to compensate for potential violations of normality and homogeneity assumptions. We found that learning with narratives resulted in higher knowledge transfer. Further, there was tentative evidence that students with less prior biology knowledge may benefit more from narrative instruction concerning understanding and recall, while expository materials appeared to rather support those with more background in biology. Furthermore, examining the learning mechanisms revealed that narratives may lead to higher self-efficacy and more effective working memory resource allocation. There was also some evidence for higher levels of satisfaction, cognitive engagement, and situational interest with less prior knowledge and narrative instruction. In contrast, the learning mechanism-related results for students with more prior biology education were comparable when reading the expository text. Overall, the study offers preliminary insights into when and why narratives might be better suited to teach scientific concepts than expository texts, also in light of closing achievement gaps in education, but underscores the need for additional research in this field
Lithium-air batteries
No full textLithium-air batteries (LABs) have been recognized as a potential energy storage solution for extending the range of electric vehicles. Due to their significant theoretical capacity and acceptable voltage levels, LABs have led to direct parallels being drawn with lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Nonetheless, the study of LABs encounters obstacles stemming from issues such as anodic corrosion, irreversible conversion of lithium peroxide (Li2O2), and undesirable parasitic reactions. These hurdles have been systematically tackled by battery specialists, leading to significant progress in safeguarding the anode, optimizing electrolyte composition, and enhancing cathode/catalyst configuration. This section provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges prevailing in LABs and the corresponding solutions proposed by experts in the field
