Learner‑Created Math Walks in Informal Learning Settings

All-­day schools serving children from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. four times a week are still uncommon in Switzerland. In trying to implement an all-­day school schedule, teachers and social workers are requested to cooperate professionally during the day. A current study looks at the multi-­professional cooperation in order to clarify responsibilities and expectations. The results are based on interviews with two teachers and two social workers that were analysed by using hermeneutic sociology of knowledge. It becomes evident that the parental absence is used to legitimate the own profession. Informal learning settings, where the stakeholders need to act and think together beyond their traditional roles and where lines of responsibility are not as well-­demarcated as in formal learning settings, the potential for conflict among the stakeholders is the greatest.

Self-regulation with respect to informal learning

Children spend most of their time in out-of-school settings. As a result, informal learning settings can play a significant role in children’s learning development. Museums and science centers are informal settings that are intentionally designed to promote learning and interest development. Learning in these settings is highly participant structured. Participants’ interaction with each other and exhibits can direct their learning and understanding of the presented topics. Also, studies show that these settings are where children begin to develop competencies, skills, knowledge and problem-solving processes that support participation in STEM-related careers. For example, many engineering exhibits have been designed for children to promote their engineering skills and practices as well as their understanding of engineering careers. One engineering practice is troubleshooting; trouble-shooting is a practice used in many aspects of engineering work, including design, analysis and programming. We situate this study in the engineering design literature as the task that our participants engaged in was an engineering design task. The research literature suggests that expert engineers engage in diagnostic troubleshooting which includes focusing on problematic areas of the potential solutions, defining the cause of a problem, and proposing ways of fixing it. However, beginning designers tend to be unfocused and uncritical when looking at the performance of their prototype which would lead to a poor and flawed design. In this study, we focused on children’s engagement in troubleshooting throughout an engineering design activity. Previous studies have referred to children as natural engineers who take similar engineering process as experts. Hence, in this study, we examined ways children engage in troubleshooting and compared them with what previous studies showed about the ways expert and beginner engineers troubleshoot their designs. To do so, we asked 7-11 years old children with their caregivers to design a pneumatic ball run using pneumatic pistons in 30 minutes. The video data of 10 cases were then analyzed using an a priori codebook. We found that the children were mostly engaged in troubleshooting after testing the whole or segments of the ball run. Troubleshooting was observed very often due to the immediate feedback they received (i.e., falling the ball means a problem). In addition, while examples of children acting like beginner engineers were observed, most of the cases were involved in diagnostic troubleshooting.

The adult educator in Europe – professionalisation challenges and the alternative of validation of learning outcomes

It is often assumed that because the current generation of students is more technologically competent than previous generations, they would prefer to use technology for both formal and informal learning. The results of a series of empirical studies indicated that students in formal settings preferred face-to-face contact with their instructors and used Web 2.0 tools for communication and to complete specific class assignments; in their personal lives, these technologies were used for communication, music and video downloads, and online gaming. Although students did not use social networking in their classes, the use of these tools may provide educators with an alternative to course management systems. Results from a community sample indicated a preference towards using the Internet for information gathering, and even though respondents reported that the incorporation of social networking sites in informal education settings would be nice, it was not expected. Overall, both student and community participants utilized technology that was familiar to them. Thus, assuming technological competence in our students and implementing various technological applications in the classroom may be counterproductive if guidance and training are not provided.

Background Informal science learning environments, such as science centres, provide unique opportunities for students to engage in conceptual understanding through interactive and multimodal experiences. However, without structured support, student engagement may remain superficial in those environments. To help students engage in activities in science centres, such support can be provided through metacognitive regulation activities that play important roles in promoting deeper learning. Although these internal processes are difficult to observe, eye‐tracking technologies and metacognitive‐focused worksheets (MoWs) may offer promising ways to externalise and analyse students' self‐regulatory strategies in real‐world settings. Objectives This study aimed to explore how MoWs in combination with mobile eye‐tracking technology support and monitor metacognitive engagement and conceptual understanding of 7th grade students during collaborative learning in science centres. The study focused on three scientific topics: work and energy, mirrors and light absorption and the solar system and beyond. Methods Using a multiple case study design, data were collected from 72 seventh grade students participating in peer‐to‐peer collaborative learning sessions at two different science centres. Data sources included recordings from eye‐tracking sessions, video observations and student‐generated responses on MoWs. A multimodal data triangulation approach was used to identify metacognitive behaviours aligned with the orientation, planning, monitoring and evaluating phases. Coding schemes were developed and refined through iterative analysis of gaze data, verbal discourse and behavioural indicators. Results The findings suggest that MoWs can support students in these specific settings to activate prior knowledge, plan in real time and collaboratively monitor and evaluate their own learning. Monitoring was the most frequently observed metacognitive behaviour, followed by orienting and evaluating. Eye‐tracking data revealed shared patterns of visual attention, gaze synchronisation and strategic information processing during collaboration. Students' correct use of scientific concepts also varied across subjects. The highest accuracy was observed in the solar system and beyond unit , while the highest misunderstandings were found to be related to mirrors and light absorption . Implications This study demonstrates the value of integrating MoWs and eye‐tracking technology as learning and analytical tools to support and analyse students' metacognitive regulation in informal learning settings. The findings provide practical insights for designing structured yet flexible learning activities that encourage deeper cognitive engagement and promote conceptual understanding in science education. The study also attempts to make a methodological contribution to the field by proposing a gaze‐based framework for assessing metacognitive processes in authentic, collaborative learning environments.

Reimagining our future engagement with learners through an augmented reality (AR) lens offers a range of possibilities, on a continuum from rigid materials, created with generic learning outcomes, to learner-centred, personalised and emancipatory practice. Educational paradigms are shifting to include alternatives to physical classrooms and the controlled virtual learning spaces that support traditional content delivery. Augmented reality is part of a broader mixed reality where varying degrees of virtual enhancement to the real world can be integrated into traditional delivery practice but also allow learning spaces to be explored more imaginatively and collaboratively. For educators, there are significant challenges to utilise the potential of technology to meet the increasing demands of students, institutions, industry and the expectations of society. By carefully scaffolding educators into reframing their curricula to encourage, inspire and motivate a diverse student body, technology can act as a mediator – a proxy for what Vygotsky termed the ‘more capable peer’ (Cook 2010). AR applications in education, training, marketing, medicine and other industries demonstrate both the capability of the technology and the need for designers to be aware of the possibilities. Karakus et al (2019), in their bibliometric study of augmented reality in education, identify the work by Wu et al (2013) as the most influential across the sector. This paper suggests that AR not only bridges virtual and real worlds but alsocreates an enhanced reality through a creative process. They argue that the educational values of AR are not solely based on the use of technologies but are closely related to how AR is designed, implemented and integrated into formal and informal learning settings. The recent McKinsey report (Bughin et al, 2018) modelled skills shifts in automation and artificial intelligence going forward to 2020 and found a sharp acceleration in demand for these technologies that will transform the workplace, as humans work with ever smarter machines. Transferring technology for educational use, re-use and re-purpose are key emergent themes in research as employers demand ever more technology enabled graduates, with high-level cognitive skills.

Psychiatry’s Climate Reckoning: Time Is Now

Informal learning institutions like zoos, aquariums, science centers, and botanic gardens are popular among the American public. Many offer science-related activities, suggesting an “ecology” of sites varying in degree with regards to science and STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) learning in general. Understanding public perceptions of the STEM learning ecology can inform decisions about increasing STEM literacy in the United States. The current qualitative study used interactive workshops to understand the public’s perceptions of zoos and aquariums (Z/As) in particular, compared to other settings, for their potential to support STEM learning. Visitors identified a wide range of settings in institutions and their everyday lives where they experienced STEM learning opportunities. The primary STEM discipline they encountered was science, even though the opportunities were not explicit. They also recognized that these settings offer the potential for learning about technology, engineering, and math through staff facilitation. They distinguished Z/As from other cultural organizations because of opportunities to learn about science as it related to animals. Implications for STEM learning in informal settings are discussed for its potential to engage the public in STEM outside of the formal education context.

Aim/Purpose: This paper focuses on app review analysis techniques, driven by the rapid advancement of the mobile app market and NLP techniques in optimizing mobile app user experiences. Background: Owing to technological advancements, app review analysis has rapidly evolved. This study examines both conventional and emerging techniques, including current advancements such as large language models (LLMs) in app review analysis. It provides an overview of the various methods used across different categories of app review analysis, comparing effective strategies for identifying user concerns and enhancing app functionality. Methodology: A systematic review was utilized based on two major standard guidelines, PRISMA and Kitchenham’s guidelines, for the period of 2014 to 2024. After defining the review protocol, papers were identified through keyword-based searches on six major online databases: Scopus, Web of Science, IEEE Xplore, ACM Digital Library, Science Direct, and Springer. Following screening and excluding papers based on defined quality criteria, 53 papers were considered for this study. The use of PRISMA ensures a transparent and reproducible review process, while Kitchenham’s guidelines provide a structured and rigorous approach for evaluating and synthesizing the literature. Contribution: This review study aims to evaluate the current state of knowledge on app review analysis techniques to improve mobile app user experiences. This study categorized the existing state-of-the-art papers into eight different categories, such as sentiment analysis, review classification, summarization, and prioritization, and examined challenges related to app review analysis. Furthermore, the study emphasizes the potential of LLMs for optimizing and automating app review analysis and provides future directions to address gaps in user-centric app development. Findings: Among the eight main categories defined in app review analysis, sentiment analysis is the most prevalent, followed by review classification and information extraction. Most studies use a combination of these categories to achieve a comprehensive goal. Prioritization techniques such as risk matrices, thumbs-up count-based approach, and anomaly detection are widely used to identify emerging issues. Extracting meaningful information and evaluating the proposed approach are the most common challenges identified. Novel LLMs, like Chat-GPT, significantly enhance review analysis by automating the process, improving feature extraction, and enabling context-aware review classification. Recommendations for Practitioners: The combination of conventional approaches and novel LLM-based methods can enhance both the efficiency and accuracy in identifying and addressing critical issues raised through mobile app user reviews. It effectively prioritizes user concerns by leveraging the strengths of both traditional preprocessing techniques and advanced LLMs. Recommendation for Researchers: Researchers are encouraged to explore the integration of emerging technologies like LLMs to enhance the of app review analysis, particularly in feature-specific sentiment analysis. Impact on Society: The results of this study contribute to enhancing the mobile app user experience through effective app review analysis, which improves user satisfaction and supports user-centered app development. This ultimately leads to a better mobile app ecosystem, benefiting both users and developers. Future Research: In the future, this research can be extended in multiple directions. Researchers can address the existing research gaps that LLMs have yet to address, particularly in prioritizing user concerns. Additionally, there is potential for further research on tool implementations focusing on identifying persistent issues through time series analysis by considering the app version and date of the app reviews. Moreover, there is a need to develop comprehensive frameworks that are more generalizable across different apps and categories, with a focus on identifying user concerns related to specific features.

One of the biggest growth areas in e-mental health resources has been the development and use of mobile mental health apps for smartphones and tablet devices. Such apps are being downloaded at increasing rates, but there have been questions about their efficacy and the research methodologies used to examine this. A review of the major app marketplaces, the Apple App Store and Google Play store, was conducted to locate apps claiming to offer a therapeutic treatment for depression and/or anxiety, and have research evidence for their effectiveness, according to their app store descriptions. App store descriptions were also analyzed to determine whether the app had been developed with mental health expert input; whether they had been developed in association with a government body, academic institution, or medical facility; and, whether or not they were free to download. Overall, 3.41% of apps had research to justify their claims of effectiveness, with the majority of that research undertaken by those involved in the development of the app. Other results indicated that 30.38% of shortlisted apps claimed to have expert development input; 20.48% had an affiliation with a government body, academic institution, or medical facility; and, 74.06% were free to download. Future research must consider other methodologies that may facilitate more research being completed on a greater number of apps, and future development needs to incorporate greater levels of input by mental health experts. Ways in which app stores could play a key role in encouraging more scientific research into the effectiveness of the mental health apps they sell are discussed.

Informal learning settings have been shown to improve student achievement.The positive effects of museum-based learning may be increased if content knowledge activities are included before visiting the museum and if post-visit activities are planned to build upon the museum experience.The purpose of this study was to examine the use of classroom activities before, during, and after a visit to a science museum.Teachers were given a 17 item forced response selfreport instrument to complete that was designed by the researcher.Data analysis revealed more use of previsit activities than post-visit activities.Recommendations are made for further research and future practice.

Currently, interactive exhibits such as hands-on displays and multitouch tabletops have been introduced in science museums and centers. Such exhibits attract public toward science learning activities at these informal learning settings, and they can cultivate their scientific thinking and enjoy multisensory artistic experiences. Such facilities are means to teach the process of autophagy without using living cells with advanced technology and university’s researchers. This work-in-progress study describes how the visualized autophagy process using the advanced 3D printing technology was actually able to contribute to K-12 learning.

eShadow is a digital storytelling platform inspired by traditional Shadow Theatre. It enables the creation of digital stories within a project-based approach that may start from scenario development and include the creation of digital puppets and sceneries, the set-up and recording of story scenes and the final assembly of a digital story. This paper presents how eShadow can be enhanced to solve the problem of creating mixed reality installations to offer rich learning experiences in informal learning settings. This enhanced version is eShadow+ and it is evaluated via two installations which are described and compared. The evaluation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach thus offering new learning opportunities that are aligned with current trends in the use of mixed reality technologies.

In this paper we explore this relationship between social learning environments and the technological ecologies that practitioners, learners, and researchers develop to sustain them. Through an examination of ethnographic research conducted at an urban after-school learning program we gain insight into social, technological and power infrastructures that influence learning and interaction in this setting. Adopting a holistic approach we examine how technologies are integrated into activities in this program to support the learning of the after-school youth. We emphasize both positive and negative infrastructures that contribute to the learning environment and discuss how identifying these infrastructures are one of the first steps towards understanding and informing technology design in informal learning settings.