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Yu-hui Ching - Boise State University

https://boisestate.academia.edu/YuhuiChing Archived on 2026-04-25 06:12 UTC

Yu-hui Ching - Boise State University

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Yu-hui Ching

Boise State University, Educational Technology, Faculty Member

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Papers by Yu-hui Ching

Infusing Computational Thinking in an Integrated STEM Curriculum: User Reactions and Lessons Learned

European Journal of STEM Education, 2021

This study describes the design and implementation of an integrated STEM + computational thinking... more This study describes the design and implementation of an integrated STEM + computational thinking (CT) curriculum, which was guided by project-based learning, for integrating CT in after-school programs. The study examined teachers and students' reactions to the curriculum and the challenges in implementing such a curriculum. Results show that most students and teachers reacted positively toward the curriculum. Main challenges to implementing such a curriculum were also identified. Lessons learned from the curriculum implementation are discussed. The study contributes to the integration of CT and development of CT in students. It also contributes to teacher professional development regarding CT integration.

Online Graduate Students’ Preferences of Discussion Modality: Does Gender Matter?

Audio/video discussion has been used increasingly in online courses due to its affordances in enh... more Audio/video discussion has been used increasingly in online courses due to its affordances in enhancing online communication. However, whether learners of different characteristics can benefit from this discussion modality has not been investigated extensively. This study examined whether gender plays a role in learners’ preferences and perceptions of audio/video discussion as compared to text discussion. The survey data of thirty-six participants’ perceptions were collected and studied after they participated in an audio/video discussion activity. The findings show that females preferred audio/video discussion more than males did, and more females reported that audio/video discussion strengthened their connection with peers. The top three benefits of audio/video discussion perceived by females and males are presented in this paper. Overall, using audio/video discussion to augment online communication and to connect learners is likely to be more effective and perceived more positive...

Enhancing STEM Majors' College Trigonometry Learning Through Building Mobile Apps

This study aimed to strengthen students’ trigonometry knowledge and skills by providing authentic... more This study aimed to strengthen students’ trigonometry knowledge and skills by providing authentic contexts for knowledge application. An innovative approach was applied to guide students to integrate trigonometry in programming mobile apps and in developing learning content. Three research questions guided this study: 1) How do students apply trigonometry concepts in developing their mobile apps? 2) How do students perceive the experiences of applying trigonometry concepts in developing their mobile apps? 3) What motivates students in a Trig-APPS course? We found students were overwhelmingly positive about their experiences of reviewing, revisiting, and utilizing trigonometry through programming mobile apps. The innovative approach is promising in motivating students to learn foundational mathematics while solving design problems. Objectives Many students enter colleges with a need to strengthen their foundational mathematics, such as trigonometry. In addition, college students in S...

format_quoteMobile app development fostered student motivation and confidence, allowing creative problem solving through the use of visual programming tools.format_quote

Effects of Animation on Multi-Level Learning Outcomes for Learners with Different Characteristics: A Meta-Analytic Assessment and Interpretation

Journal of Visual Literacy, 2006

This meta-analytic research assesses the effectiveness of animation in facilitating multi-level l... more This meta-analytic research assesses the effectiveness of animation in facilitating multi-level learning (factual knowledge, comprehension, and application) by summarizing the findings of 34 published experimental studies that involved 13,515 participants. All studies compared animation with static graphics in an instructional setting. Two hundred eighty one effect sizes were generated. Results indicated that generally animation has a small positive effect on facilitating multi-level learning. Results also indicated that animation is not equally effective for different levels of learning. This study provides the foundation for hypothesis generation related to future design and development and the instructional use of animations.

Interaction in asynchronous discussion boards: a campus-wide analysis to better understand regular and substantive interaction

Education and Information Technologies, 2021

Discussion boards can provide a glimpse into the regular and substantive interaction required in ... more Discussion boards can provide a glimpse into the regular and substantive interaction required in online courses. Advances in technology and an increased interest in learning analytics now provides researchers with billions of data points about instructor and student interaction within a learning management system (LMS). This study used LMS data to explore the frequency of interaction between instructors and students in discussion boards in online courses at one institution. Overall, 415 courses were analyzed spanning two semesters. Results from the study found that the average number of posts by an instructor was 32.9. The average instructor interaction was 1.49 instructor posts per student. 23% of courses had no instructor posts. Student posts averaged 470 per course and the average posts per student was 19.9. Based on the discussion board activity, the most discussion interaction occurred during the first two weeks of the semester. Results also suggested that there is no relationship between student satisfaction and the number of total posts in a course. The paper concludes with implications for research and practice.

Online Course Design and Development among College and University Instructors: An Analysis using Grounded Theory

Online Learning, 2018

In this study, a grounded theory approach was used to investigate the process college and univers... more In this study, a grounded theory approach was used to investigate the process college and university instructors undergo to design and develop online courses. Fourteen instructors who created online courses for four-year colleges and universities were interviewed about their experience designing and developing online courses. Results showed that participants begin the process with objectives and/or with existing course outlines, typically taken from online and face-to-face courses. Next, the instructors structure the course and chunk content. The instructors interviewed rarely use formal instructional design principles, but their design tasks show a striking similarity to those formalized in the ADDIE model. Student feedback (evaluation) motivated the instructors in their development efforts after initial course delivery. The study discusses practical implications and suggests opportunities for future research.

Guidelines for Designing Online Courses for Mobile Devices

TechTrends, 2019

College students frequently use mobile devices (e.g., smartphones and tablets) to access online c... more College students frequently use mobile devices (e.g., smartphones and tablets) to access online courses yet online course designers often do not design courses with mobile learning in mind. This research identified seven national and statewide online course design evaluation instruments and examined the criteria that guide course designers designing online courses for learning with mobile devices. Currently, minimal guidance on course design for mobile learning is offered in most of the national and statewide online course design instruments. Researchsupported design tips that promote device compatibility, content readability, format optimization, and mobile-friendly navigation are suggested in this paper to guide future online courses design for mobile delivery.

Elementary School Student Development of STEM Attitudes and Perceived Learning in a STEM Integrated Robotics Curriculum

TechTrends, 2019

Robotics has been advocated as an emerging approach to engaging K-12 students in learning science... more Robotics has been advocated as an emerging approach to engaging K-12 students in learning science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This study examined the impacts of a project-based STEM integrated robotics curriculum on elementary school students' attitudes toward STEM and perceived learning in an afterschool setting. Three elementary school teachers and 18 fourth to sixth graders participated in an eight-week-long program. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analyzed, and showed students' attitudes toward math improved significantly at the end of the robotics curriculum. Three specific areas of learning were identified, including STEM content learning and connection, engagement and perseverance, and development and challenge in teamwork. The findings also identified the opportunities and challenges in designing a STEM integrated robotics afterschool curriculum for upper elementary school students. Implications for future research studies and curriculum design are discussed.

Faculty Perceptions of Online Teaching at a Mid-Sized Liberal Arts University in the Pacific Northwest: A Mixed Methods Study

Faculty resistance to online teaching is a problem that can affect institutions looking to increa... more Faculty resistance to online teaching is a problem that can affect institutions looking to increase online learning options for students. Prior research has identified a number of encouraging and discouraging factors that may affect faculty motivation to teach online. Given limited institutional resources, it would be difficult for an institution to address all of the factors identified in prior research. Furthermore, faculty at liberal arts colleges have not been studied as a specific population of interest in prior research. Therefore, to increase acceptance and participation in online teaching at Pacific Lutheran University (PLU), this study employed a convergent, parallel mixed-methods research design to investigate faculty perceptions of online teaching among faculty not currently teaching online. The Decomposed Theory of Planned Behavior (DTPB) provided a theoretical lens to examine the influence of attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control on an individual's willingness to engage in an innovative practice, i.e. online teaching. Latent qualitative content analysis examined faculty perceptions of online teaching and identified six themes in the dataset. Using descriptive statistics, an examination of 21 quantitative factors identified 17 factors reported by more than 50% of respondents to influence their decision to teach or not teach online. Merged analysis found strong agreement between the two datasets, with only minor areas of divergence. Study participants perceived online learning as attractive to students but they wanted any online courses carefully regulated, in part because online learning was seen as contrary to their teaching values. Participants were influenced by personal preferences but also the v desire for robust faculty resources, and more effective technology and infrastructure.

Online Course Design

The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 2019

The evaluation of online courses is an important step in providing quality online courses. There ... more The evaluation of online courses is an important step in providing quality online courses. There are a variety of national and statewide evaluation tools used to help guide instructors and course designers of online courses (e.g., Quality Matters, OSCQR). This paper discusses a newly released course evaluation instrument from Canvas, the second largest learning management system (LMS) used by higher education institutions in the United States. The characteristics and unique features of the Canvas Course Evaluation Checklist (CCEC) are discussed. The CCEC is also compared to established national and statewide evaluation instruments. This review is helpful for those interested in online course design and developments in the field of online education.

Using a Multifaceted Robotics-Based Intervention to Increase Student Interest in STEM and Computational Thinking Skills

This work is dedicated to my husband and children who put up with, supported, and listened to me ... more This work is dedicated to my husband and children who put up with, supported, and listened to me as I worked my way through the dissertation process and to my running buddies who let me rattle on about educational robotics mile after mile. I am very grateful to these individuals for their patience, encouragement, and support through the years! v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank my committee members, Dr. Ching and Dr. Rice for their supportive feedback and my committee chair, Dr. Baek for helping me find my focus, stay on track, and complete this process. Thank you to my colleagues, Dr. Chris Wirszyla for writing the grant that made educational robotics part of my life and Teresa Sutton and Krystal Howard for implementing my research in their classrooms with such care and fidelity. And, finally, thank you to the families and children who put their faith in me and agreed to participate in my research.

Developing Computational Thinking with Educational Technologies for Young Learners

TechTrends, 2018

This article aims to provide an overview of the opportunities for developing computational thinki... more This article aims to provide an overview of the opportunities for developing computational thinking in young learners. It includes a review of empirical studies on the educational technologies used to develop computational thinking in young learners, and analyses and descriptions of a selection of commercially available technologies for developing computational thinking in young learners. The challenges and implications of using these technologies are also discussed.

Microblogging for strengthening a virtual learning community in an online course

Knowledge Management & E-Learning: An International Journal, 2011

This paper examines how a microblogging tool (i.e., Twitter) can be effectively used to strengthe... more This paper examines how a microblogging tool (i.e., Twitter) can be effectively used to strengthen a virtual learning community (VLC) in the two sections of a fully online graduate course. Students in this course were consisted of K-12 teachers, school technology specialists, corporate trainers, and military personnel. The microblogging activities were designed to allow quick peer interaction to build the momentum of social learning in the VLC. In this study, we collected quantitative data on sense of community through a Likert scale survey, and rich qualitative data on students’ perception about microblogging activities. It was found that students’ sense of community was generally high and students were positive about their microblogging experiences. In addition, microblogging was found to be useful and valuable in sustaining students’ learning by doing such as sharing real-world design examples, critiquing design examples with technical knowledge learned in class, and quick and sh...

An online course design checklist: development and users’ perceptions

Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 2018

This study examines users' perceptions of an online course design checklist. We created the Onlin... more This study examines users' perceptions of an online course design checklist. We created the Online Course Design Checklist (OCDC) to help highlight very basic criteria that may improve the quality of online courses. The OCDC highlights criteria that should not be ignored during online course development. It is based on components of established instructional design principles and existing online course design evaluation instruments. To understand course designers' perception of the OCDC, we surveyed nineteen current and prospective online instructors on their use of it. Participants found the OCDC facilitated online course design by providing criteria to consider before, during, and after online course design.

Exploring the impact of role-playing on peer feedback in an online case-based learning activity

The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 2014

This study explored the impact of role-playing on the quality of peer feedback and learners’ perc... more This study explored the impact of role-playing on the quality of peer feedback and learners’ perception of this strategy in a case-based learning activity with VoiceThread in an online course. The findings revealed potential positive impact of role-playing on learners’ generation of constructive feedback as role-playing was associated with higher frequency of problem identification in the peer comments. Sixty percent of learners perceived the role-play strategy useful in assisting them to compose and provide meaningful feedback. Multiple motivations drove learners in making decisions on role choice when responding to their peers, mostly for peer benefits. Finally, 90% of learners reported the peer feedback useful or somewhat useful. Based on the findings of this study, we discussed educational and instructional design implications and future directions to further the line of research using role-play strategy to enhance peer feedback activity.

format_quoteFeedback under role play increased the frequency of problem identification to 22%, significantly outperforming non-role play methods.format_quote

Online Course Design in Higher Education: A Review of National and Statewide Evaluation Instruments

TechTrends, 2017

This research identifies six online course evaluation instruments used nationally or in statewide... more This research identifies six online course evaluation instruments used nationally or in statewide systems. We examined the characteristics (i.e., number of standards and criteria) and coded the criteria that guide the design of online courses. We discussed the focus of the instruments and their unique features.

Design-grounded assessment: A framework and a case study of Web 2.0 practices in higher education

Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 2011

This paper synthesises three theoretical perspectives, including sociocultural theory, distribute... more This paper synthesises three theoretical perspectives, including sociocultural theory, distributed cognition, and situated cognition, into a framework to guide the design and assessment of Web 2.0 practices in higher education. In addition, this paper presents a case study of Web 2.0 practices. Thirty-seven online graduate students participated in a small-group collaborative concept mapping activity using Web 2.0 applications (e.g. Webspiration) to construct sophisticated understanding of instructional design processes. The analysis of this case focuses on different assessment strategies adopted to ensure students' successful participation in such technology-rich collaborative context. This case study concludes that a shared goal needs to be in place to establish a purpose of collaboration. The collaborative nature of learning afforded by Web 2.0 applications needs to be acknowledged through the award of grades. That is, both the processes and products of collaborative knowledge...

Learners’ Interpersonal Beliefs and Generated Feedback in an Online Role-Playing Peer- Feedback Activity: An Exploratory Study

The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 2016

Peer feedback affords interaction and critical thinking opportunities for learners in online cour... more Peer feedback affords interaction and critical thinking opportunities for learners in online courses. However, various factors prevent learners from taking advantage of these promising benefits. This study explored learners’ perceptions of the interpersonal factors in a role-playing peer-feedback activity, and examined the types of peer feedback that learners generated when playing a role. Participants were 16 graduate students engaged in an online role-playing peer-feedback activity. The results from survey responses revealed learners’ positive interpersonal beliefs, including psychological safety and trust, toward the role-playing peer-feedback activity. In addition, more than sixty percent of the participants reported being more comfortable critiquing peers’ work when playing a role. The content analysis of the peer-feedback entries indicated that learners were able to generate highly constructive feedback entries. In addition to adding supportive comments, those feedback entries...

Mobile microblogging: Using Twitter and mobile devices in an online course to promote learning in authentic contexts

The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 2012

This research applied a mixed-method design to explore how best to promote learning in authentic ... more This research applied a mixed-method design to explore how best to promote learning in authentic contexts in an online graduate course in instructional message design. The students used Twitter apps on their mobile devices to collect, share, and comment on authentic design examples found in their daily lives. The data sources included tweets (i.e., postings on Twitter), students’ perceptions about mobile microblogging activities, and self-reported Twitter usage. Based on the tweet analysis, we found that the students appropriately applied the design principles and design terms in their critique of design examples. While the students were mainly engaged in assignment-relevant activities, they spontaneously generated social tweets as they related peers’ authentic design examples to their own life experiences. Overall, they had positive perceptions toward the mobile microblogging activities. The students also indicated that the design examples shared by peers through mobile microbloggi...

format_quoteOn average, students posted 14 original tweets and 28 replies, exceeding minimum requirements by 56%, indicating high engagement with mobile microblogging.format_quote

Mobile app design for teaching and learning: Educators’ experiences in an online graduate course

The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 2013

This research explored how educators with limited programming experiences learned to design mobil... more This research explored how educators with limited programming experiences learned to design mobile apps through peer support and instructor guidance. Educators were positive about the sense of community in this online course. They also considered App Inventor a great web-based visual programming tool for developing useful and fully functioning mobile apps. They had great sense of empowerment through developing unique apps by using App Inventor. They felt their own design work and creative problem solving were inspired by the customized mobile apps shared by peers. The learning activities, including sharing customized apps, providing peer feedback, composing design proposals, and keeping design journals (blogging), complemented each other to support a positive sense of community and form a strong virtual community of learning mobile app design. This study helped reveal the educational value of mobile app design activities and the web-based visual programming tool, and the possibility...

format_quoteUsing a drawer analogy in App Inventor reduced cognitive load for novices, enhancing their learning experience.format_quote

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