Biology education worldwide at different levels involves learning to identify plants and animals in nature. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a teaching and learning method for bird identification that combines active outdoor fieldwork with active online learning, testing the validity of our instrument. Altogether, 798…

In recent years, the lower secondary school curriculum in the Republic of Ireland has been subject to assessment-led reform, many elements of which, such as the increased focus on continuous school-based assessment, reflect those of similar initiatives introduced in other countries. This paper explores the extent to which this reformed approach is…

Research exploring the advantages and limitations of different laboratory modes on student learning is critical so that engineering instructors can design hybrid/blended laboratories to maximise student learning. However, limited research explores the impact of take-home laboratories on student learning. This article documents the impact that the…

This study investigated the impact of computer-aided assessment on the enhancement of critical thinking skills in non-routine problem-solving across three distinct learning delivery modalities: fully online, balanced blended, and predominantly face-to-face (F2F) blended. The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of computer-aided assessment in…

The prominent method to teach clinical reasoning in preclinical years is case-based discussions. It necessitates hours of sessions. A randomised-controlled study has been conducted to determine whether preclinical students can develop illness scripts only by taking online formative testlets. A pre-test-post-test randomised-controlled design has…

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of using a virtual patient (VP) software program in increasing clinical reasoning skills confidence among medical students. Design/methodology/approach: A quasi-experimental design was used to compare the outcomes of students' confidence levels on clinical reasoning between problem-based…

In this paper, we describe subskills of visual communication based on the skill structure outlined in the Common European Framework of Visual Literacy. We have developed this Framework further through assessing the development of subskills related to visual communication in the "produce" and "respond" domains of CEFR-VC in…

School readiness is recognized as one of the key starting points for children's further success in their school work and in their subsequent career. However, many kindergarten teachers still miss and long for a comprehensive, reliable and standardized diagnostic tool which could help them recognize the level of children's school readiness. That is…

The focus of this study was to investigate the coherence between the needs of industry and the curriculum offered at Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges. The context of this study was TVET colleges, which is a relatively recent sector in the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), in South Africa. There is…

Background: The assessment of cross-curricular skills is gaining attention in many countries. In Japan, the 'Information Literacy Survey for Upper Secondary Students' (the ILSUS) was designed to measure information literacy through Computer-Based Testing (CBT). It was the first large-scale survey based on Item Response Theory (IRT) implemented by…

Context: This research was conducted in the context of Finnish vocational education and training (VET) teacher training. The teacher training was work-based, meaning that each teacher trainee was already working as an unqualified VET teacher. Workplaces were comprehensively utilised as the learning environment, with teacher training support also…

Background and Context: Despite many initiatives to develop Computational Thinking (CT), not much is known about how early programmers develop CT and how we can assess their learning. Objective: Determine if the analysis of students' interactions with an online platform allows understanding the development of CT, how we can convert data collected…

The first-year undergraduate laboratory course in chemistry at the University of Bristol has been changed in an attempt to have students focus on learning practical skills, rather than on their experimental results. Analysis revealed a misalignment between the stated aims of the course--developing basic practical skills and developing laboratory…

Teachers' numeracy capability is essential for student learning in the classroom and important across all subject areas, not only within mathematics. This study investigated the use of online diagnostic tests as a form of assessment for learning, to evaluate and support teacher education students (TES) in developing their numeracy skills. Data…

Background: The healthcare professionals are in a vital position in providing apt and reliable support to HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis patients. However, there is dire need to carefully examine cross-disciplinary approaches to combat the burden of HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis in sub-Saharan African countries. In resolving this gap, e-learning a…