Several studies have explored the use of iconic gestures to improve the learning of foreign vocabulary. In this quest, words for abstract concepts have been largely neglected, under the assumption that abstract concepts have poor or non-existent sensory-motor representations. Yet, the Conceptual Metaphor Theory suggests that they are grounded on…

When Virtual Reality (VR) is used to present learning content, the three-dimensional image is often not sufficient and additional text is required, either in the form of visual or auditory text. Such additional instructional text could be particularly beneficial due to the many visual stimuli and the risk of visual working memory overload.…

School inspections are a key component of the accountability system in many education systems, including England. The judgments and reports produced through these inspections are widely used by parents when they are choosing a school for their children. But should they be? This paper presents new evidence on this issue. We illustrate how parents…

This study compared individuals from two first language (L1) backgrounds (Italian, Mandarin) to determine how they may differ in their perception of Japanese consonant length (i.e. singleton vs. geminate) according to the phonemic status of length in L1 and experience with Japanese. The participants included two groups of non-native learners of…

Chinese subtitling of English trailers is essential for marketing foreign films in China, and there is a need to focus on audience reception. Ideal subtitles are expected to provide a necessary aid to the audience but to attract as little attention as possible. Paralinguistic factors like punctuation can influence the audience's attention and…

Self-regulated learning (SRL) has been promoted as playing a key role in proactive, life-long learning. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of different types of teacher feedback on students' self-regulated learning (SRL) in a special educational needs (SEN) context. It employed a mixed method, quasi-experimental with…

The study evaluated students' experience of learning with virtual classrooms facilitated by Google Classroom at the Institute of social work, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The study employed the Activity Theory (AT) as a theoretical framework using the first triangle of the activity system, which includes three components - Subject-Tool-Object (STO).…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper aims to discuss the outreach strategies of higher education institutions (HEIs) to promote the inclusion of refugees, focusing on two case studies of programs in southern Brazil. Design/methodology/approach: This paper analyzes two outreach programs of Brazilian universities: the Welcome Program for Immigrants…

This research aimed to investigate the effects of giving learners self directed learning (SDL) instruction based on the Staged Self-Directed Learning Model (SSDLM) during distance English learning on their SDL readiness, achievement, attitudes toward English course and distance education. The study sample consisted of one hundred forty-six…

Previous studies compare quantitative feedback ratings of student peers and instructors, but new presentation-feedback technologies enable qualitative-feedback comparison. This study extends previous research by comparing qualitative feedback and business professionals' feedback. Compared to the professionals, the instructors provided similar…

This research was prompted by a perceived lack of meaningful interaction between home and international students in one UK university that has a long history of internationalisation. The study sits within an interpretative paradigm, and it explores the perceptions and experiences of academics and home students. Five focus groups were held with…

High-quality mentoring relationships help college students to achieve their academic potential and career goals. However, less is known about factors that shape the antecedents of mentoring relationships (e.g. mentor-protégé psychological similarity), or the impact of similarities on the development of high-quality mentoring relationships. The…

This study aimed at evaluating how students perceive the linguistic quality and scientific accuracy of ChatGPT responses to physics comprehension questions. A total of 102 first- and second-year physics students were confronted with three questions of progressing difficulty from introductory mechanics (rolling motion, waves, and fluid dynamics).…

Introduction: In this study, the authors investigated visual impairment and its associated psychological factors, with emphasis on depression, anxiety, stress, self-esteem, and perceived social support. Methods: A mixed-method approach was used by integrating a focus group discussion and a cross-sectional survey. The study was conducted with 444…

This paper explores and sheds light on how various designs of game-based learning materials benefit music education. The developed games followed Gordon's music skill learning sequence of discrimination, and aimed to teach listening and visual skills for the middle C octave. Two genres of game-based learning materials were proposed, one with most…