Background: Due to recent lockdown conditions, which restricted opportunities for face-to-face contact and the ability to be physically in schools, the need for novel, safe ways to train pre-service teachers emerged even more pressingly. Whilst virtual simulation has received some attention in pedagogy and its benefits have been demonstrated in…

This study intends to contribute to the methodological debate into L2 pragmatics research by examining the usability of immersive virtual reality (VR) for developing a pragmatics task. The study compared participants' speech act performance between two closed role-play tasks using different mediums: computer-based and VR-based. Sixty-two native…

Composite reliability, or coefficient omega, can be estimated using structural equation modeling. Composite reliability is usually estimated under the basic independent clusters model of confirmatory factor analysis (ICM-CFA). However, due to the existence of cross-loadings, the model fit of the exploratory structural equation model (ESEM) is…

In this study, we compared students' learning from two conditions in a unit on inclined planes: Virtual-then-Physical (V-t-P) (n = 50), where students conducted a virtual lab followed by a physical lab, or vice versa in the Physical-then-Virtual condition (P-t-V) (n = 60). We analyzed students' written explanations after each lab focusing on…

Teaching and learning introductory thermodynamics has drawn considerable research attention over the last two decades, especially in several disciplines of higher education. Under particular investigation is the First Law of Thermodynamics (FLT), which offers an expression of energy conservation in thermodynamic systems, as the evidence shows that…

In school mathematics, representations of solid figures and three-dimensional geometric objects generally rely on two-dimensional projective representation modes on students' textbooks. In learning environments, these representation modes create a kind of cognitive filter, which prevents students with low spatial ability to comprehend and envision…

Embodied cognition has been a useful means to support learning in science education. In this article, we describe a model of embodied cognition through analogical mapping that is supported through the participatory simulation and mathematical description of a link and pivot system. We look at the propensity for this model of embodied cognition to…

The implementation of computer-based simulations by teachers in the classroom can have a significant and varied impact on students' learning outcomes and engagement. In meta-analyses of the use of computer simulation in the classroom, several studies show a significant impact on students' learning and achievement outcomes. However, the…

Preparing students for the workforce is a balancing act that involves theory, practice, and assessment. As students navigate an educational experience that is, however, often distant from real-world needs, it is imperative that academia finds a novel way to bridge the gap. As many organizations utilize open challenges to attract ideas and talent,…

Providing teachers with innovative teaching approaches that combine simulation-based learning systems with entrepreneurship education helps create and recognize entrepreneurial opportunities. In this study, key antecedents are identified as critical drivers of flow experience and the impact of flow experience on learning performance and…

Historical empathy may be enhanced by virtual reality (VR) technologies, which provide varying degrees of immersion into other time periods and places. This study explored the effects of combining semi-immersive and fully immersive VR with a follow-up writing task to promote historical empathy with adult learners. Thirty-six participants were…

Massive open on-line courses (MOOCs) are effective and flexible resources to educate, train, and empower populations. Peer assessment (PA) provides a powerful pedagogical strategy to support educational activities and foster learners' success, also where a huge number of learners is involved. Item response theory (IRT) can model students'…

This study examined concerns that teacher candidates have about communicating with families and studied the use of three simulation techniques to enhance candidates' confidence and perception of preparedness for communicating with diverse families. Twenty-five teacher candidates in a senior-level education class participated in three simulation…

This study focuses on an educational game titled "Cellverse," a two-player cross-platform VR project intended to teach high school biology students about cell structure and function. In "Cellverse," players work in pairs to explore a human lung cell and diagnose and treat a dangerous genetic disorder. "Cellverse" is…

There is growing recognition of the importance of engaging postsecondary students in experiences that challenge them to solve complex socioscientific problems, transdisciplinary in nature, requiring students to integrate and synthesize knowledge, skills, and ways of thinking across disciplinary boundaries. Yet these student experiences are…