A User Experience-Centered Design Framework for Optimizing English Learning on All-in-One Multimedia PC

The COVID-19 pandemic forced a rapid shift to remote education, posing significant challenges to student engagement when in-person learning resumed. This study aims to investigate the impact of active and blended learning on student engagement, with a specific focus on Padlet utilisation’s effectiveness in facilitating teaching and learning. The study explores affective, behavioural and cognitive engagement as indicators of student engagement and analyses Padlet’s role as a mediating tool in enhancing the educational experience. Data was collected through a questionnaire, and hypotheses were tested using Structural Equation Modelling-Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS). The findings reveal that affective and cognitive engagement in the classroom, facilitated by Padlet, positively influences student engagement. Furthermore, Padlet emerges as an effective mediating tool for enhancing active learning experiences. Nevertheless, contrary to expectations, no significant direct relationship was observed between behavioural engagement and Padlet utilisation, nor any significant indirect relationship between behavioural engagement, Padlet usage and student engagement. These results indicate that Padlet’s mediating role was insignificant in this context. This study highlights the limited relevance of traditional behavioural indicators in driving technology adoption or engagement with Padlet. To enhance technology integration, educators should prioritise fostering emotional and intellectual engagement while strategically integrating Padlet into the teaching methods. These insights provide valuable strategies for educators to promote student engagement and enrich the post-pandemic classroom experiences.

Perceived visual aesthetics is of great significance for the design of human-computer interaction interface. There is much research on interface aesthetics in the academic community. There is evidence that perceived visual aesthetics has an important impact on user experience and interaction, and many scholars have put forward the calculation model of perceived visual aesthetics. This study research the text overlay image. Compared with the traditional text surround image, the text overlay image changes the visual perception aesthetics of the image by embedding the text into the image. Text overlay image is usually superimposed on the image by a piece of text or several pieces of text, which blocks the background area of the image and affects the overall interface aesthetics. However, the text overlay image is applied to various places. In this study, the background white space calculation model (WBB) based on bounding box is used to calculate the perceived visual aesthetics. Explore the visual aesthetics of text overlay images under three proportions: golden section ratio (1:0.618), root mean square ratio (1:0.707) and integer ratio (1:1). The experiment uses the calculation model to obtain the proportion of the blank area of the text covered image in the image background. The subjects' subjective evaluation of different proportion interfaces is obtained through the Likert scale. The results of the two are compared to obtain the proportion of the optimal visual beauty under the text covered image. The results show that: ① in terms of the image length width ratio, the visual aesthetics of the text overlay image with the length width ratio of 1:0.618 is better when the text line spacing is 1 times, and the visual aesthetics of the image with the length width ratio of 1:0.707 is better when the text line spacing is 1.5 times. When the line spacing is 1 and 1.5 times, the visual aesthetics of the image with length width ratio of 1:1 is the worst; ② In terms of line spacing, when the line spacing is the same (1 or 1.5 times the line spacing), the subjects think that the proportion of the blank area of the text covered image with high visual aesthetics in the image background is 0.7218-0.9040. When the line spacing is different (1 and 1.5 times the line spacing), it can be speculated that the visual aesthetics of the text covered image is closely related to the blank area of the image background, In order to obtain a text overlay image with high visual aesthetics, we should consider not only the proportion of the image, but also the blank area of the image background.

Do VR and AR versions of an immersive cultural experience engender different user experiences?

Purpose This study aims to investigate the zombie learner phenomenon in Vietnamese higher education and examines its impact on students’ learning motivation and academic performance. Design/methodology/approach Based on the research model adapted from previous research, which considering “zombie learner” by its manifestations, and consolidating its scales through qualitative studies; using survey data from 999 university students in Vietnam, the authors applied structural equation modeling (SEM) to assess the impact of this phenomenon on academic motivation and performance. Findings The results reveal that the “zombie learner” phenomenon significantly negatively affects students' motivation to learn, which in turn leads to a decline in academic performance. Among the identified characteristics, “lack of autonomy” and “lack of engagement” from classmates have the strongest negative effects on students' motivation. Additionally, academic motivation is shown to have a direct positive impact on learning outcomes. Research limitations/implications The research focuses on university students in Vietnam and reveals the directions for further studies in other contexts. Practical implications This research provides valuable recommendations for educators and academic administrators to foster a more engaging learning environment that encourages participation, thereby mitigating the “zombie learner” effect and improving students' academic performance enhancing teaching quality and student motivation. Originality/value Besides the confirmation of the effect of the existence of zombie learners on motivation and learning outcomes, like other studies, this study adds two controlling variables with the “major” and “tuition fees” on the two dependent variables “learning motivation” and “academic performance.” Studying an attractive major will lead to higher motivation and academic performance. Similarly, having to pay high tuition fees can also be both a motivation and a pressure for students to study, thereby achieving better academic performance.

Disentangling the mechanism of student engagement in online language classrooms from the perspective of Community of Inquiry

Background/Purpose: In order to change the status quo of children's low levels of physical activity due to excessive academic pressure, a large number of studies have explored the improvement of children's academic performance through physical activity interventions without increasing the burden of learning. With the depth of the studies, the focus has been shifted from the quantitative (exercise time, intensity, and frequency) to the qualitative (e.g., type of exercise), and the cognitive stimulation hypothesis has proposed that the cognitive engagement during exercise has a better facilitating effect on children's academic performance, but there is no consistent definition of cognitive engagement in physical activity. Investigating the effects of different types of cognitive engagement on academic performance not only enriches the body of results in the field of research, but also provides a new avenue of physical activity for students in compulsory schooling. Method: 198 third grade students (M/F=132/110, age=9.42) were recruited and randomized into physical activity intervention conditions of 2 different intensities (high and low intensity) and 3 different types of cognitive engagement (math engagement, skill engagement, and math + skill engagement) on a class-by-class basis. Academic performance in math was tested using a modular math test. Results: Physical activity affected children's math test performance as indicated by significantly higher math test scores post-intervention than pre-intervention (F=63.99, p < 0.01), a significant interaction of test time with intervention intensity (F=8.43, p < 0.01), a non-significant interaction effect of test time with intervention type and test time, but a three-way interaction between intervention intensity and intervention type (F=3.13, p < 0.05). Conclusion/Discussion: Physical activity with cognitive engagement improved children's math test performance, with high-intensity. Mathematically-engaged physical activity had a better promotion effect on math test performance. The present study found that acute physical activity improved children's math test performance, that physical activity with cognitive engagement in subject learning has a better facilitation effect on subsequence subject learning. Considering this finding, it is recommended that physical activity that integrates motor learning with academic learning be organized to further integrate physical education with intellectual education to achieve a win-win situation for both physical and academic excellence in schools by promoting children's academic performance.

Object. The purpose of the article is to analyze the impact of innovative trends in UI/UX design on the promotion of web resources, identify their relationship with user behavior metrics and SEO effectiveness, and outline the primary challenges and prospects for further development in this area. Methods and methodology. The study employs a comprehensive analysis of current UI/UX design trends, including micro-animations, dark mode, VR/AR technologies, adaptive and personalized content, and their effects on user experience and SEO factors. Special attention is given to methods integrating UI/UX principles with modern SEO strategies, specifically the SXO (Search Experience Optimization) approach. Scientific novelty. It consists in the systematization and comprehensive analysis of the relationship between innovative trends in UI/UX design and the effectiveness of web resource promotion from the standpoint of UX metrics and SEO. For the first time, attention is focused on the need for an integrated approach to implementing innovations, in particular by applying the SXO concept, which allows you to simultaneously satisfy the requirements of users and search engine algorithms. The results. The primary results include identifying key innovative UI/UX trends such as micro-interactions, adaptive content, immersive experiences (VR/AR), dark mode, and personalization. These trends significantly influence user experience by reducing bounce rates, increasing user engagement, and improving conversion rates. It has been proven that search engines increasingly factor user experience indicators into rankings, demonstrating the growing convergence of UX and SEO, culminating in the SXO (Search eXperience Optimization) concept. Essential implementation methods were systematized, highlighting user-centered design, A/B testing, prototyping, and the application of design systems. Conclusions. Innovations in UI/UX design are pivotal for the successful promotion of web resources in today's digital landscape. Effective implementation of UI/UX trends contributes not only to enhanced user experiences but also positively affects business outcomes, such as improved conversions, user retention, and SEO visibility. Future research directions include exploring deeper integrations of UX and SEO strategies, maximizing personalization and context-awareness, and developing standards and educational programs for evaluating and implementing effective UI/UX solutions.

Investigating relationships among blended synchronous learning environments, students’ motivation, and cognitive engagement: A mixed methods study

Both cognitive engagement and motivational engagement play important roles in academic performance. Grounded in goal theory, this study examines whether educators can tailor their pedagogical approaches to engage students from a motivational perspective. Using a two-wave questionnaire, we provide evidence of the educator-facilitated classroom climate affecting student engagement at both cognitive and motivational levels. In addition, the study highlights that motivational processes, stemming from individual students’ achievement goal orientations, are an important determinant of academic performance. This provides insight regarding how achievement orientations can be leveraged during the design and innovation of marketing courses. Motivational engagement in particular, can present opportunities for meaningful engagement and improved grade outcomes through targeted pedagogies that align with students’ educational goals.

Digital technology has become a central aspect of higher education, inherently affecting all aspects of the student experience. It has also been linked to an increase in behavioural, affective and cognitive student engagement, the facilitation of which is a central concern of educators. In order to delineate the complex nexus of technology and student engagement, this article systematically maps research from 243 studies published between 2007 and 2016. Research within the corpus was predominantly undertaken within the United States and the United Kingdom, with only limited research undertaken in the Global South, and largely focused on the fields of Arts & Humanities, Education, and Natural Sciences, Mathematics & Statistics. Studies most often used quantitative methods, followed by mixed methods, with little qualitative research methods employed. Few studies provided a definition of student engagement, and less than half were guided by a theoretical framework. The courses investigated used blended learning and text-based tools (e.g. discussion forums) most often, with undergraduate students as the primary target group. Stemming from the use of educational technology, behavioural engagement was by far the most often identified dimension, followed by affective and cognitive engagement. This mapping article provides the grounds for further exploration into discipline-specific use of technology to foster student engagement.

Classroom engagement is often referred to as a crucial factor for students’ academic achievement. However, within the realm of second language acquisition, only a limited number of scholars made empirical investigations into the association between engagement in the English classroom and English academic achievement. In particular, research on second language learners at the basic education stage is lacking. Therefore, this study examines the current state of English classroom engagement among high school students and its relationship with English academic achievement through a case study of students in Henan China. This study found that high school students’ overall English classroom engagement was high, but individual-based agentic behavior engagement was low. Furthermore, male students exhibited significantly lower levels of various dimensions of English classroom engagement compared to female students. Moreover, interaction-based emotional engagement, individual-based cognitive engagement, individual-based behavioral engagement, and interaction-based conventional behavioral engagement were found to significantly predict students’ English academic achievement. Furthermore, gender is found to exert a significant moderating influence on the association between individual-based cognitive engagement and English academic achievement among students. Implications of these findings for English instruction are discussed.

This study examines the effectiveness of gamified learning environments in improving grammar mastery and engagement among Jordanian secondary school EFL learners in Saudi Arabia. The research aims to explore the impact of gamification on learners' cognitive, emotional, and behavioral engagement while addressing the challenges faced in grammar instruction within this educational context. A quantitative experimental research design was employed, involving 120 students divided into an experimental group (exposed to a gamified grammar intervention) and a control group (taught using traditional methods). Data were collected through pre-tests, post-tests, and engagement questionnaires. Statistical analyses, including ANCOVA and effect size evaluation, were conducted to determine the impact of gamification on grammar proficiency and student engagement. The results indicate a significant improvement in grammar mastery among students in the gamified learning environment, with a 41.91% increase in proficiency compared to 13.41% in the control group. The experimental group also demonstrated higher scores in behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement, confirming that gamification enhances both learning outcomes and student motivation. Effect size analysis revealed a large impact of gamification on grammar achievement and engagement levels. This study provides empirical evidence supporting gamified learning as an effective strategy for enhancing grammar acquisition in EFL contexts. The findings highlight the role of gamification in fostering engagement and improving learner performance, suggesting that it can serve as a transformative approach in language education. The study offers valuable insights for educators, curriculum developers, and policymakers, emphasizing the need to integrate gamification into EFL instruction. By incorporating game-based elements, teachers can create a more engaging and effective learning environment, potentially improving long-term grammar retention and student motivation. Additionally, cultural considerations should be taken into account when implementing gamified learning to ensure its effectiveness across diverse educational settings.

Gamification brings the possibility of novel form and expression via visual aesthetics of interactive nature. Gamification can be seen as the communication form that results in active user engagement and participation through the visual aesthetics and the game-like experiences it accommodates. While current interactive designs expand a number of digital technologies genres, the use of gamification excels the process of taking audience as the subject matter and visually engage. Thus, the audience can react to the aesthetics the goal of behavioral change comes into play due to the application of game aesthetics, game design, and gamification elements. However, in doing so, most of the users are not always able to see the complete design in the user experience or interface that could be misleading or just involved around certain commercial purposes. We call it dark patterns; a modern tactic used by user experience designers and gamification designers to make the interface visually misleading to serve their own interests and not the users. It presents the two diverse perspectives of the use of visual aesthetics in games and gamification; one is positive and another is negative. This chapter highlights the visual aesthetics and related elements of these genres, associated principles, and notions on important implications for the gamification designers to be considered in their practices and future projects.

The purpose of this study is to determine visual aesthetic attributes for user experience. As interactive digital media and their associated content have diversified, there are difficulties in finding universal visual aesthetic guidelines. While previous studies look into each unique user experience, there is little focusing on meta-analysis of visual aesthetics in providing user experience. Thus, by means of content analysis, this study attempts to determine visual aesthetics attributes for sense-based user experience. As a result, a consolidated model which comprises of visual aesthetics attributes and its inter-connections with regard to human senses is developed. This model offers guidance for creative industry practitioners in designing and developing aesthetic interactive digital media and creative content.

Students face challenges in literacy and autonomy in distance learning, particularly due to the lack of faculty control over their participation, which impacts their academic performance. This research aims to analyze the impact of multimedia use, online interaction, and cognitive engagement on students' learning outcomes in Indonesia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using the ex post facto method, data were collected from 588 students through multistage random sampling techniques and analyzed using Measurement Model Assessment and Structural Equation Modeling. The research results show that the use of multimedia in learning, active interaction between students and lecturers, as well as a clear learning orientation, enhance students' cognitive engagement, which ultimately contributes to improved academic performance. Better interactions, such as discussions with lecturers and peers, as well as the use of data analysis tools, have been proven to enhance the effectiveness of learning. In addition, the use of multimedia in delivering materials and reviewing learning also has a positive impact on students' understanding. This study contributes by identifying effective online learning strategies, including the use of the Zoom platform and multimedia tools, to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes.