Asian Journal of Contemporary Education

Enhancing academic achievement and artistic appreciation in music students through inquiry and task-based learning: An experimental study

Meng Zhang — 2025-02-14

This study examines the effectiveness of a blended instructional approach combining Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) and Task-Based Learning (TBL) in enhancing academic achievement and artistic appreciation among music performance students. Methodology: Fifty second-year students from Beijing City College participated divided into an experimental group using the blended instructional approach and a control group following traditional teaching methods. The intervention lasted two months and its impact was evaluated through pre- and post-intervention comparisons of academic achievement and artistic appreciation. Findings: Results revealed significant improvements in the experimental group with mean academic achievement increasing from 115.12 ± 4.53 to 117.56 ± 4.16 (P<0.05) and mean artistic appreciation rising from 75.24 ± 3.40 to 76.84 ± 3.91 (P<0.05). Additionally, the experimental group outperformed the control group in academic achievement (t=-6.866, Cohen's d=1.373) and artistic appreciation (t=-7.333, Cohen's d=1.467). Practical Implications: These findings suggest that integrating IBL and TBL provides a robust framework for improving cognitive and artistic outcomes in music education, offering teachers an effective alternative to traditional teaching methods.

Addressing mistakes of ChatGPT from an educational perspective

Chi Hong Leung — 2025-02-14

This paper explores the efficacy of ChatGPT, a generative artificial intelligence in educational contexts, particularly concerning its potential to assist students in overcoming academic challenges while highlighting its limitations. ChatGPT is suitable for solving general problems. When a student comes across academic challenges, ChatGPT may conveniently provide a solution. However, ChatGPT may create mistakes in its responses that become detrimental to the learning process. The study discusses the technical principles underlying ChatGPT and identifies factors that contribute to incorrect responses. It categorizes various errors such as outdated information, mathematical inaccuracies and cognitive biases illustrating these with concrete examples. The analysis reveals that although ChatGPT is trained on extensive datasets, it can produce statistically plausible but factually incorrect answers. This can hinder the learning process and lead students astray if they rely solely on its outputs. The paper offers practical recommendations for students and teachers to mitigate the risks associated with using ChatGPT. These include verifying sources of information, formulating questions in diverse formats, supplementing queries with additional context, and reporting inaccuracies to OpenAI. Implementing these strategies can enhance the educational utility of ChatGPT while minimizing potential pitfalls. Understanding both the strengths and weaknesses of ChatGPT is a proper way of using a new technology efficiently.

Innovative integration of situated and collaborative learning: Enhancing third-grade students' Chinese reading comprehension and social abilities

Xu Zhao — 2025-02-14

This study explores the integration of situated and collaborative learning to enhance third-grade students' Chinese reading comprehension and social abilities, addressing a critical gap in primary school education research. Situated learning immerses students in realistic contexts while collaborative learning emphasizes teamwork and interaction. The study introduces an innovative pedagogical approach to improve academic and social outcomes by combining these methods. A quasi-experimental design was implemented with two groups of students from a primary school in Shandong, China. The experimental group used the hybrid teaching method while the control group followed traditional instruction. Data collected through reading comprehension tests and social abilities assessments revealed significant improvements in the experimental compared to the control group with large effect sizes in both domains. These findings underscore the combined approach’s effectiveness in fostering deep learning, improving communication skills, and enhancing teamwork. Practical implications highlight the method’s potential to address challenges in traditional teaching by integrating real-world scenarios and collaborative tasks. The study is limited by its short-term focus and sample size, suggesting future research should examine longitudinal effects, broaden participant diversity, and evaluate its impact on other competencies such as writing skills and creativity despite its success. This study contributes to the field by demonstrating a transformative approach to primary education, bridging theoretical learning and practical application.

A quasi-experimental study on projected-based and inquiry-based approaches in fourth-grade mathematics: Effects on teamwork skills and critical thinking

Yongzhi Zhou — 2025-02-14

This study scrutinizes the influence of project-based learning (PBL) and inquiry-based learning (IBL) on fourth graders' teamwork skills and critical thinking in math classes. A historical review reveals that while they have positive effects in multiple fields, their sole use in elementary math teaching is yet to be explored. 55 fourth-grade students from Manas No. 1 Primary School in Xinjiang were randomly chosen using a quasi-experimental design. They were divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group was taught with a combination of PBL and IBL while the control group received traditional teaching. Quantitative assessment of teamwork skills and critical thinking shows that the combined method is more effective. The results emphasize the importance of developing shift-based and inquiry-centered learning programs. Nevertheless, the study has limitations such as a small sample and a short time frame. Further examination in different cultural, educational, subject, and class-level contexts is required for process reliability before generalizing the findings.