Wing Sum Cheung

• Doctor of Education
• National Institute of Education

Many organizations want to implement blended learningBlended learning. Many have invested resources in their efforts of implementing blended learningBlended learning. This study is aimed to find out the appropriate situations of using face-to-face activity, asynchronous online activityasynchronous online activities, and synchronous online activitys...

Blogs have been widely used in education for the numerous benefits the tool offers. Previous research has examined the use of blogs in various educational settings, but very few studies have been carried out at the primary level. This chapter provided an understanding of students' motivations to use blogs in a primary school context. A case study a...

Given the rapid increasing functional features of mobile devices, there are increasing interests of preschool educators and researchers in engaging students with mobile learning. The purpose of this study is to investigate how preschool educators and parents in Singapore perceive the values of using smart mobile devices for learning in preschools,...

Singapore has identified self-directed learning (SDL) as one of the key learning outcomes for her information technology in education master plan 3. However, teachers may not know how to design activities that could cater for student SDL, and students themselves may face difficulties in using this approach in their learning. We believe that the use...

In this paper, we share our experience of using the “First Principles” of instruction [1] to design a blended learning course: (a) Learning is promoted when learner are engaged in solving real-world problems, (b) Learning is promoted when existing knowledge is activated as a foundation for new knowledge, (c) Learning is promoted when new knowledge...

Blogs have been widely used in education for the numerous benefits the tool offers. Previous research has examined the use of blogs in various educational settings, but very few studies have been carried out at the primary level. This study explored students' motivations to use blogs in a primary school context. A case study approach was adopted an...

The ability to think critically along with an awareness of local and global issues have been identified as important competencies that could benefit students as they journey through life in the 21st century (Voogt and Roblin 2012). Social studies, as a subject discipline, could serve as a conducive environment for the development of such competenci...

In this chapter, we develop a programmatic research construct for blended learning based on an earlier framework proposed by Meyen et al. (J Special Educ Technol, 17(3):37–46, 2002). The use of this programmatic research construct will not only inform researchers of future possible research related to studying learner outcomes, but also expand the...

Factual knowledge is one of the most common types of knowledge that students are expected to learn. Factual knowledge may be described as the basic information about a particular subject or discipline that students must be acquainted with. This may include the terminology and the specific details or elements of a subject (Anderson and Krathwohl in...

Individuals encounter various problems every day in their workplaces. The problems might involve decision-making (e.g., Should I use a bell to help my trainees settle down quickly lunch?), trouble-shooting (e.g. How do I get this printer to work with the computer?), or design (e.g. How can I design a weather forecasting lesson activity for a 40-min...

Argumentative writing and oral proficiencies are two skills many students around the world are required to develop in their learning of the English language. However, these are two areas where not all students excel in. This chapter reports two studies that examined the effect of using blended learning approaches to improve students’ argumentative...

Many countries around the world desire their students to have a positive attitude toward their own nations. Although the task of fostering a positive student attitude toward country is an important one, it may not be easy to achieve. The goal of this chapter is to provide a brief review of the scholarly literature on citizenship education, followed...

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) are among the latest e-learning initiative to attain widespread popularity among many universities. In this paper, a review of the current published literature focusing on the use of MOOCs by instructors or students was conducted. Our primary goal in doing this is to summarize the accumulated state of knowledge c...

The increasingly prevalent use of online- or blended-learning in schools universities has resulted in asynchronous online discussion forum becoming an increasingly common means to facilitate dialogue between instructors and students, as well as students and students beyond the boundaries of their physical classrooms. This proposed academic book con...

This book discusses evidence-based practices related to the use of blended learning in both K-12 and higher education settings. Specifically,this book features evidence-based practices in relation to the following five learning goals: (a) Fostering students attitude change toward country, (b) Helping students solve ill-structured design task proble...

Evidence-based practice in education entails making pedagogical decisions that are informed by relevant empirical research evidence. The main purpose of this paper is to discuss evidence-based pedagogical approaches related to the use of Web 2.0 technologies in both K-12 and higher education settings. The use of such evidence-based practice would b...

Contemporary discussions of education in blended-learning environments increasingly emphasize the social nature of learning which emphasizes interactions among students, or among students and instructors. These interactions can occur asynchronously using a text based discussion forum. A text-based discussion forum, however, may not work well for al...

Many countries view citizenship education as one of the main obligations of formal schooling. In this paper, we describe a case study involving a Singapore primary school (two primary five classes) to foster primary school students' affective commitment to their country. We describe a blended learning approach that combined the use of an asynchrono...

Almost all existing research studies on asynchronous online discussion focus on text-based forums. The use of text-based discussion could pose a significant challenge for participants who are weak in reading or writing. Participants may also run a higher risk of being misunderstood in text discussion due to the lack of verbal cues. In this chapter,...

This chapter presents various empirically based strategies or solutions from previous research to address the problem of limited student contribution in asynchronous online discussion. Limited student contribution is defined as students making few or no postings, students exhibiting surface-level thinking, or students displaying low-level knowledge...

In this chapter, we describe four studies that examined the possible factors which could motivate students to contribute in peer facilitated online discussions. The first study examined peer facilitators’ habits of mind, while the other three studies examined other possible factors. We offer the following findings or main lessons learned from the f...

In this chapter, we suggest several future research directions concerning the use of asynchronous online discussion in education contexts. These directions include the following possibilities: (a) examining the use of peer facilitation in different contexts such as fully online environments, (b) investigating the possible solutions to overcome the...

In this chapter, we present a study that examines the following question: Under what conditions do students prefer peer to instructor facilitation of an online discussion? The results of our study suggested that students preferred peer facilitation because: (a) they feel more comfortable in voicing their views, (b) they are able to take greater own...

Although asynchronous online discussions may afford certain advantages, such benefits can only be enjoyed if students choose to participate in the discussions. While students could participate by merely reading messages, such an act does not really encourage the exchange of ideas in the online discussion because if no messages are posted in the fir...

This chapter discusses five main strategy or solution dilemmas that educators might encounter in asynchronous online discussion environments. Strategy dilemmas refer to those strategies where previous empirical research shows mixed results when they are implemented. Acknowledging the dilemmas is essential for educators and researchers to make infor...

Up to this point, our focus has been on studies that examined the possible ways to increase student contribution in peer facilitated online discussion environments. However, another question that should also be asked is what makes an online discussion sustainable. The social constructivist learning perspective suggests that individuals learn by exc...

This chapter presents three studies that dealt with the challenge of understanding what factors may influence students’ higher level knowledge construction in peer facilitated online discussion environments. We defined higher level knowledge construction occurrences as the sum of the number of phases II–V measured using interaction analysis model....

Facebook has become one of the most popular social network sites among many students. However, current research on Facebook use has focused mainly on Anglo-American students. Relatively little is known about Facebook use in Singapore. Data were collected from 83 students (ages ranged from 15 to 23). This study uses a naturalistic case study wherein...

Peer facilitation is proposed as a solution to counter limited interaction in asynchronous online discussions. However, there is a lack of empirical research on online peer facilitation. This study identifies, through cross‐case comparison of two graduate‐level blended courses attended by Asian Pacific students, the actual peer facilitation techniq...

The main objective of this paper is to examine the use of audio- versus text-based asynchronous online discussions. We report two case studies conducted within the context of semester-long teacher education courses at an Asian Pacific university. Forty-one graduate students participated in Study I. After the online discussions (both audio-based as...

Although the literature on asynchronous online discussion is replete with references to its potential to promote student-centred learning and critical thinking, little is known about what factors may affect the learners’ satisfaction in using asynchronous online discussion in hypermedia design. This study examines whether accessibility, participati...

In the last decade, there are more and more hardware and software available for educators to consider moving from the face-to-face approach to blended learning approach. Some teachers and educators are putting an effort to convert their courses and programs to blended learning for a myriad of reasons such as to increase the number of student enroll...

Many scholars and educators around the world acknowledge that interactions among students as well as between students and instructors play a crucial role in a blended-learning environment. Such interactions can occur asynchronously using a text based discussion forum which allows students to participate at their own pace. However, participants in t...

This chapter discusses one of the key research foci of the Learning Sciences and Technologies academic group at the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Based on our empirical research, we describe two vignettes that examined student cognition in computer-supported collaborative learning environment. We de...

Prior research has suggested that higher levels of knowledge construction (e.g., where opinions are argued, challenged, or negotiated) have rarely been demonstrated in student online discussions. In this study, the authors replicate prior research on group size, discussion duration, and student facilitation techniques to examine the influence of th...

In this paper, we share two blended learning approaches used at the National Institute of Education in Singapore. We have been using these two approaches in the last twelve years in many courses ranging from the diploma to graduate programs. For the first blended learning approach, we integrated one asynchronous communication tool with face to face...

Previous research studies on factors influencing student higher-level knowledge construction in asynchronous online discussions have largely focused on the instructors’ role, student learning style, and the complexity of the discussion task. This study explores the issue from a different angle – that of student facilitators’ habits of mind. Partici...

Current trends in education favor the use of collaborative learning environments. Social technologies such as an asynchronous online discussion board (AOD) enable students to communicate without time or place constraints. Unlike many past studies that merely focused in student posting, this study examines what motivates graduate students to log in,...

Evidence-based practice involves making pedagogical decisions that are informed by the available relevant research evidence. This paper reviews the current literature on the use of Web 2.0 technologies in K-12 school settings in order to discuss possible evidence-based practice that could inform educators and researchers who are interested in foste...

This study is concerned with the challenge of understanding what factors may influence students’ higher level knowledge construction. We defined higher level knowledge construction occurrences as the sum of the number of phases II to V measured using Gunawardena et al.’s (J Educ Comput Res 17(4):397–431, 1997) interaction analysis model. This paper...

Background: In the last decade, asynchronous online discussion forums have become a primary focus of many educational researchers. Some advocates believed that the process of typing out messages in itself can promote in-depth critical thinking skills. Nevertheless, empirical research has not provided much support for this claim in natural settings....

The purpose of this study was to examine students’ affective commitment toward Singapore. Affective commitment refers to the sense of attachment to the nation state. The sample was taken from 286 students in a primary school. In the first section of the paper, we described the design of a Likert-type Affective Commitment to Country questionnaire. F...

The increasingly prevalent use of Internet in schools and homes has resulted in asynchronous online discussion becoming an increasingly common means to facilitate dialogue between instructors and students, as well as students and students beyond the boundaries of their physical classrooms. This article is organized into two main sections. In the fi...

Solving ill-structured problems is regarded as an important learning outcome in education as it allows learners to apply theories learnt into real practice. An asynchronous online discussion, with extended time for reflection, is an appropriate learning environment to engage learners in solving ill-structured problems. However, scaffolds may be nee...

This study investigated possible factors that might influence the degree of student participation in asynchronous online discussion forums. Degree of participation refers to the number of messages posted by the students. Data were collected from 41 forums, students' reflection logs, and students' interviews. Of these 41 forums, the top third forums...

Asynchronous online discussion has been widely used by faculty members and students in schools and universities. Previous research has examined how factors such as the discussion activity, knowledge about the discussion topic, and the behaviour of other participants can affect learner participation. This study explored student facilitators' influen...

Prior research has suggested that higher levels of knowledge construction e.g., where opinions are argued, challenged, or negotiated have rarely been demonstrated in student online discussions. In this study, the authors replicate prior research on group size, discussion duration, and student facilitation techniques to examine the influence of thes...

In this paper, we review past empirical research studies on the use of three-dimensional immersive virtual worlds in education settings such as K-12 and higher education. Three questions guided our review: (1) How are virtual worlds (eg, Active Worlds, Second Life) used by students and teachers? (2) What types of research methods have been applied?...

Asynchronous online discussion forums have been widely used in schools and universities. They form an integral part of e-learning and blended learning. Many researchers and educators use asynchronous online discussion activity to develop student thinking skills, problem solving skills, and others. There are many factors that may affect student part...

This study examined the factors and peer facilitation techniques that influenced students' participation in sustained asynchronous online discussion. A case study approach was used, with data collected through interviews, questionnaires, and online discussion transcripts. The findings revealed that factors such as interesting topic, familiarity wit...

Abstract This study extends the research on asynchronous online discussion (AOD) by providing a perspective on: (1) the growth patterns of discussion threads and (2) the influence of peer- or student-facilitation techniques on thread development. Using the Pointing, Questioning, Resolving and Summarizing (PQRS) facilitation techniques framework, th...

One of the many recent technologies to appear in the educational landscape is the wiki. Drawing on literature until end of January 2008, we review past empirical research studies on the use of wikis in K-12 and higher education settings. This review is organised into three topics: the settings in which research on wiki was conducted, effects of wik...

blockquote>Mobile handheld devices are increasingly being used in education. In this paper, we undertook a review of empirical based articles to summarise the current research regarding the use of mobile handheld devices (personal digital assistants/PDAs, palmtops, and mobile phones) in K-12 and higher education settings. This review was guided by...

Studies have shown that electronic discussion can be used effectively to teach critical thinking and can achieve greater understanding. The use of online discussions is common in polytechnics and universities, and many schools in Singapore have begun to introduce online forums for discussion beyond the classroom. This research investigates lower se...

Previous research studies on how to promote student participation in asynchronous online discussions have largely focused on the role of the instructor or tutor as facilitators. Not many investigated student facilitation. This article reports a qualitative study examining the facilitation techniques used by student facilitators to attract their cou...

Although a number of researchers have examined response pad systems (RPSs) in higher education, there has been very little research at the K-12 level. This paper investigated the impact of using an RPS in the learning of physics concepts in a secondary school in Singapore. Two classes (n = 35 students in each class) of secondary five students parti...

The study investigated the effects of computer collaborative group work, facilitated by an adult, on peer acceptance of a junior boy with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). It aimed to ascertain whether collaborative group work on a computer, with the facilitation of an adult, could help to raise his peer acceptance among his classmat...

The use of online-and blended-learning is growing very fast in universities. Given this interest in online-/blended-learning, understanding how to promote participation among learners in asynchronous online discussions, which is considered an integral part of online-/blended-learning has become increasingly crucial. Previous research has examined h...

The use of online learning is growing very fast in universities. Consequently, understanding how to promote student contribution in asynchronous online discussions, which is considered an integral part of online learning, has become increasingly crucial. Previous research has examined how factors, such as instructor facilitation techniques may infl...

This study explores the relative effectiveness of in class online discussion and face to face, tutor led discussion in preservice teachers' recall of concepts. Two groups of preservice teachers, who engaged in different discussion modes, were tested two weeks later on how many concepts they could recall. No significant difference in the recall scor...

Most educators increasingly regard ill-structured problem solving as an important objective of learning and have sought various means to achieve it. In this article, we describe a learning environment to help pre-service teachers in Singapore solve ill-structured problems. There are four key dimensions in our learning environment: tutor-led face-to...

In this paper, we suggest that case-based resources, which are used for assisting cognition during problem solving, can be structured around the work of narratives in social cultural psychology. Theories and other research methods have proposed structures within narratives and stories which may be useful to the design of case-based resources. Moreo...

Recent developments in learning theory have emphasised the importance of context and social interaction. In this vein, the notion of a learning community is gaining momentum. With the advent of asynchronous online discussion forums, learning communities now need not be confined to any specific geographical locations, as people can now interact with...

One of the main challenges of designing hypermedia projects in traditional classroom environments is the limited opportunity for students to receive feedback from their classmates about their own projects. However, the use of asynchronous online discussion might provide a solution to the aforementioned challenge. In this paper, we consider how asyn...

A survey of 24 English-as-a-Second-Language teacher trainees in Singapore elicited their top five criteria for evaluating language-learning software and their interpretations and understanding of one criterion, "user-friendliness." It was found that in general, this was the first criterion listed for software evaluation; the others were, in descend...

Literacy learning programs using computers have been developed on a variety of assumptions about language, language learning and instructional design. This paper will explore a number of criteria for the assessment of computer assisted language learning (CALL) programs based first, on a functional model of language and literacy and second, on a num...

The main objective of this study was to investigate how a group of pre-service teachers perceived the opportunities and limitations of using an asynchronous online discussion forum to learn hypermedia design concepts. To achieve this, a case study of two classes was carried out. Data was collected through student interviews, examination of students...

This paper reports a case study in Singapore that examined the impact of object owners' anonymity on learners' participation rate and quality of critical thinking in an AOD environment. Results suggested that when there was anonymity, more participants tended to post their comments and viewpoints in the online discussions, as well as showed more ev...

This study is part of a funded research project that examines possible factors that may influence students' advanced level of knowledge construction. This study examines if group size of the online discussion is related to the frequency of advanced level of knowledge construction occurrences. Group size of an online discussion refers to the number...

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Northern Illinois University, 1989. Dept. of Curriculum and Instruction. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 123-135).