Search Results for
"learning"

Integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into language learning has substantially enhanced accessibility and engagement by offering interactive and adaptive experiences. However, many AI-driven chatbots lack contextual relevance, limiting their effectiveness for vocational high school students who require career-oriented language instruction. This study aims to develop and evaluate EduNetPro (Education Network for Professional learning), a multilingual AI-driven chatbot designed to enhance French language learning among vocational students by incorporating adaptive learning pathways, interactive exercises, and gamification elements. Adopting a Design-Based Research (DBR) approach, this study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative assessments (pre-test and post-test evaluations) with qualitative analyses (student interviews and chatbot interaction logs) to assess EduNetPro’s effectiveness. The findings indicate a 24% improvement in language proficiency, with 80% of students reporting increased engagement and 90% highlighting the efficacy of real-time feedback. Despite these positive outcomes, the chatbot encountered challenges in processing complex dialogues, particularly those involving idiomatic expressions and context-dependent language, emphasizing the need for advancements in Natural Language Processing (NLP) models. This study contributes to the ongoing discourse on AI in education, demonstrating how chatbot-driven learning can address the unique needs of vocational students by providing contextualized, career-focused language instruction. Future research should further explore AI-driven emotional intelligence, enhanced personalization strategies, and long-term language retention to optimize AI-assisted learning environments. © 2025 by the authors.

Even though education is a widely acknowledged modelling purpose in the agent-based social simulation literature, we currently lack a sufficiently detailed and robust understanding of how computational models can be used for the training of new entrants and the upskilling or reskilling of current practitioners. Considering the potential benefits of readily actionable guidelines and recommendations, this text briefly addresses four macro-level dimensions that warrant consideration by those interested in incorporating agent-based simulation into their teaching practices: (i) the expected learning outcomes, (ii) the pedagogical approach, (iii) the curriculum organisation, and (iv) the institutional setting. The goal is not to provide an overarching rationale for simulation-based learning or detailed implementation procedures, but, rather, to suggest a starting point for practitioners (especially those unfamiliar with curricular and pedagogical issues) that are wondering how to transfer their professional expertise into the classroom. Best teaching and learning practices, the discussion will show, must transversely acknowledge and accommodate teaching and learning needs and restrictions across these four dimensions. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2025.

This study investigates the role of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in enhancing Apprenticeship Systems (ASs) by transforming Tacit Knowledge (TK) into Explicit Knowledge (EK), thereby improving Knowledge Transfer (KT) efficiency. A controlled experiment was conducted with 50 novice live-stream hosts, divided into the Experimental Group (EG) and the Control Group (CG). The EG used to train tools augmented with AI, while the CG used traditional methods. The experimental design included competency tests in seven areas, including on-camera presence, communication skills, and learning ability, and the use of statistical methods to compare the performance results of the two groups. The results established a significant improvement within the EG. The resultant indicators for expressiveness in shots (85 vs. 70), verbal expression (88 vs. 72), and learning capacity (86 vs. 71) exhibited statistically significant differences (p-values < 0.01). These outcomes suggest that the utilization of AI tools effectively enhances the development of various competencies, accelerates learning, enhances adaptability, and provides instant corrective feedback. The study's implication includes the utilization of AI in apprenticeship models, which have the potential for higher scalability, preservation of crucial TK, and workforce development, especially in industries that require Experiential learning (EL). © The Author(s) 2025

The cultivation of high-quality engineering talent in newly established undergraduate programs presents significant challenges, particularly in integrating theoretical knowledge with practical and innovative capabilities. This study proposes and implements a “triadic integration” teaching model that synergistically combines project-based learning, interactive teaching, and practice-oriented instruction to enhance students’ engineering competencies in a materials innovation course. Project-based learning forms the backbone of the model, guiding students through progressively complex tasks—from foundational to comprehensive and advanced projects—while integrating engineering-material innovation competitions to create a closed-loop “teach–learn–compete” pathway. Interactive teaching strategies, including heuristic, inquiry-based, and participatory methods, foster a student-centered learning ecosystem that enhances engagement, collaboration, and critical thinking. Practice-oriented instruction translates theoretical knowledge into practical application through laboratory experiments, simulation, and full-cycle research projects, cultivating problem-solving and innovation skills in authentic engineering contexts. The model’s effectiveness was evaluated through student performance, competition achievements, and iterative seminar-based reflection among instructors. Results indicate that the triadic approach not only improves students’ technical competence and innovative capacity but also provides a scalable, replicable framework for curriculum innovation in newly established undergraduate programs. This study offers valuable insights for the design and reform of engineering education curricula worldwide. © © 2025 Sun, Wu, Qian, Xu and Wang.

The inability of vocational electrical technology (VET) students to transit from school-to-work after graduation shows that the practical skills needed for employability are far from being achieved. This has caused an increased unemployment rate among VET students. Hence, this study ascertained the relationships between problem-based intervention via tasks-based conduit wiring scenarios in VET students’ practical skills acquisition (PSA). Specifically, this study determined the sequential mediation effects of intrinsic motivation and ability beliefs on problem-based and practical skills acquisition relationship. A cross-sectional study design was adopted for the study. Data was collected from 78 VTE students that gave their consent to participate. The outcome revealed that problem-based intervention is a positive and significant predictor of VET students’ practical skills acquisition tasks. The result also revealed sequential mediating effects of intrinsic motivation and ability beliefs on problem-based and practical skills acquisition relations. This study is unique in that it examines how intrinsic motivation and ability beliefs sequentially mediate the link between problem-based interventions and the development of practical skills in vocational electrical technology (VET) students. By addressing the critical gap in employability skills through task-based conduit wiring scenarios, it provides novel insights into enhancing school-to-work transitions for VET graduates. © 2025 The Author.

Based on group dynamics theory, this study employs a mixed-methods approach to explore the cultivation mechanisms and interactive relationships between leadership emergence and team psychological cohesion in English project-based learning (PBL). The research selected 160 tenth-grade students from a provincial model senior high school, with the experimental group engaging in a 12-week English PBL program. Data were collected through questionnaire surveys, classroom observations, social network analysis, and in-depth interviews. The findings reveal that: (1) Leadership emergence exhibits three-stage characteristics—exploration, differentiation, and integration phases. Individual factors such as English proficiency and personality traits, along with contextual factors including task complexity and group size, jointly influence leadership development, with 65% of teams forming distributed leadership structures. (2) Team cohesion demonstrates a four-dimensional structure encompassing task, social, learning, and emotional dimensions. The experimental group showed significantly higher cohesion than the control group (4.20 vs. 3.33), with clarity of shared goals, collective efficacy, and group norms identified as key influencing factors. (3) A bidirectional interactive relationship exists between leadership and cohesion, with leadership exerting a total effect of 0.72 on cohesion and cohesion demonstrating a reciprocal effect of 0.55 on leadership, forming a positive spiral. (4) Project activities such as collaborative tasks, cross-cultural themes, multimodal presentations, and reflective dialogues exhibit differentiated effects on cohesion cultivation. This study unveils the unique group dynamics mechanism in English PBL, providing theoretical foundations and practical guidance for optimizing instructional design and promoting students' core competencies development. © 2025 by author(s).

The United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development underscores the significance of high-quality education and equitable learning opportunities. As a critical component of educational practice, teachers' professional competency development profoundly influences educational quality. Grounded in Social Cognitive Theory and Career Motivation Theory, this study explores the sustainable development of Chinese vocational undergraduate faculty’s professional competencies, focusing on the interactive effects of socio-psychological factors (e.g., motivation, cognition, group dynamics) and environmental factors (e.g., organizational support, resource availability) on career development. Employing a mixed-methods approach, a questionnaire survey was conducted with 267 vocational undergraduate teachers, supplemented by in-depth interviews with 21 faculty members. The findings revealed an average professional competency score of 3.81, indicating a moderately high level, with development influenced by both organizational environmental factors (perceived resource accessibility, institutional trust) and socio-psychological factors (self-efficacy, career identity, achievement motivation, group dynamics, research engagement, and experiential learning). Recommendations include enhancing achievement motivation, fostering organizational equity, and strengthening institutional trust to promote the sustainable development of teachers' professional competencies. © 2025 by author(s).

Purpose – Simulations have been explored and used as effective educational tools to support active learning. However, despite the increasing adoption of simulation-based learning, there is a need for the design of comprehensive simulations that can support the acquisition of a range of competencies linked to the current construction industry demands. With an aim of determining the current situation, this study conducts a systematic literature review (SLR) on simulations for teaching construction management to undergraduate students. Design/methodology/approach – The articles were selected through a systematic literature review following the PRISMA guidelines, and utilizing Scopus and Web of Science databases. Findings – This study shows that a total of 94 simulations were identified from the literature and can be categorized in terms of their composition by virtual, real or virtual and real elements. The majority of the simulations have been designed with virtual elements. This study shows that 22 competencies and skills were developed in the 94 simulations. Also, the most frequent competencies and skills developed are not aligned with the most valued, according to construction professionals. Furthermore, most simulations currently implemented focus on development, often limited to technical aspects. In addition, this study shows that simulation evaluation should be generally improved. Practical implications – The findings from this review would help researchers, simulation developers and construction management developers identify the current situation of simulations in terms of their composition, validation and competencies linked to digitalization, sustainability and human-centered skills, particularly relevant in the emerging paradigms of Construction 4.0 and 5.0. This review also suggests that to improve simulation designs, future studies should apply more rigorous experimental designs, integrate real-time feedback mechanisms and validate simulation outcomes across different institutional and cultural contexts. Originality/value – This study undertakes a comprehensive SLR of studies about teaching construction management to undergraduate students published in the past 30 years, which indicate the latest trends. It is the first attempt internationally to provide a description of the current situation of simulations in terms of their composition, validation and competencies linked to the current construction industry demands. © 2025 Emerald Publishing Limited