Perceived value of interactive digital textbook and adaptive learning: Implications on student learning effectiveness

The authors studied the perceived value of an interactive digital textbook LearnSmart (McGraw-Hill Education, New York, NY) and examined its implications on adaptive learning and student learning effectiveness. Constructionism and constructivism provided the theoretical foundation. Data were collected from an American public university over three semesters. Multiple regression analysis results show that LearnSmart improves students’ perceived competency and their satisfaction with LearnSmart, thus increasing their perceived value of using LearnSmart. In addition, perceived value of LearnSmart varies across different course delivery formats and devices, while perceived challenge has no influence on perceived value. Pedagogical implications and future research directions are discussed.     

教材使用与医学英语教材建设

高质量的医学英语教材是保证专业英语教学质量优化的重要手段,是实现专业英语教学目的和医学专业人才培养目标的重要的中介因素。通过分析目前医学英语教材的特点,并从教材的实际使用情况探讨了医学英语教材建设的现状和存在的问题,提出了医学英语教材建设的对策,以及指出元认知能力能够促使师生最大限度地创造性地发挥教材的作用。     

Effects of free textbooks on academic performance: Evidence from China's compulsory education

Since little is known about the effects of free textbooks on compulsory school students in China, this paper examines the effects of free textbooks on the academic performance of Chinese middle school students. It combines propensity score matching and difference-in-difference estimation to control for both observable and unobservable factors that affect the probability of obtaining free textbooks as well as students' academic performance. Results indicate that free textbooks significantly improve the midterm scores of girls and rural students, and the effects vary across different subjects. Moreover, the impact mechanisms of free textbooks are different for different groups and different subjects.