Self-directed learning (SDL) requires students to take initiative to learn and control their own learning process. Literature highlights the importance of SDL for lifelong learning. Yet, little understanding is known regarding how to support SDL at the school level, specifically for out-of-class learning context. To fill up this gap, this research…

Intelligent Personal Assistants (IPAs) are becoming more prevalent in daily and educational contexts, increasing the possibility of using them as learning partners that can provide more personalized and learner-centric learning opportunities. However, research has primarily focused on educational advantages that IPAs may provide, overlooking…

Self-directed learning (SDL) ability, its usefulness in higher education and life-long learning have been highlighted in previous literature. However, there has been much less understanding of the effects of SDL ability in the school settings, specifically the effects on learners' SDL behaviors and processes. To address this limitation, this study…

In recent years, the emerging trend of mobile learning (hereinafter "m-learning") has obtained increasing attention from educators and higher popularity among students worldwide. Partly due to its short history, there seems to be a lack of comprehensive and in-depth understanding on the distinctiveness of m-learning. It is maintained in…

The present study employed virtual reality technology to develop online learning environments that facilitated student cultural and self-directed learning. Junior high school participants engaged in creating virtual tours, sharing them with peers online, and implementing self-directed learning strategies. A one-group posttest-only design was…

In recent years, English instruction has emphasized the importance of listening comprehension; however, playing CDs in class is still the most widely used approach to practicing English listening skills in Taiwan. It is obvious that this training approach cannot satisfy individual needs, thus reducing the effect of promoting English listening…

This study examines Grade 9 students' mathematics achievement and cognitive engagement under three different instructional approaches: traditional learning, flipped learning with gamification, and online independent study with gamification. The duration of the study lasted an entire school year. The central theories underpinning flipped learning…

The purpose of the present study was to design reflective writing mechanisms in a web-based portfolio assessment system and evaluate its effects on self-regulated learning. Participants were two classes of juniors majoring in data processing and taking a course called "Website design" at a vocational high school in Taiwan. One class was…