ICALT 2025
Emerging Technologies in Education Panel

This panel brings together leading scholars from National Taiwan Normal University’s (NTNU’s) Institute for Research Excellence in Learning Sciences (IRELS) to share cutting-edge research on how emerging technologies including artificial intelligence is transforming education. The discussion spans from broad educational implications to specific applications in scientific inquiry, cognitive processes, and immersive learning experiences.

Host: Prof. Chun-Yen Chang, Principal Investigator of IRELS

Emerging Technologies (ET) is revolutionizing education through innovative tools and methodologies that enhance learning experiences and improve educational outcomes. This panel features distinguished researchers from the Institute for Research Excellence in Learning Sciences at National Taiwan Normal University who will explore ET’s multifaceted impact on modern education.

The panel will begin with a macro-level perspective from Prof. Tsai Chin-Chung, Editor-in-Chief of Computers & Education, who will examine how ET is reshaping traditional teaching paradigms and enhancing student motivation. Building on this foundation, Prof. Chang Hsin-Yi will demonstrate AI’s applications in science education and interdisciplinary learning, followed by Prof. Yang Fang-Ying’s insights into the cognitive dimensions of ET-supported learning tools. Finally, Prof. Lee Wen-Yu will showcase how ET integration with immersive technologies creates powerful new approaches to science education.

Together, these experts will provide a comprehensive exploration of ET’s educational applications—from theoretical frameworks to practical implementations—aiming to inspire educators, researchers, and policymakers to effectively harness ET’s potential while addressing its challenges in contemporary educational contexts.

Prof. Tsai Chin-Chung: ET Transformations in Educational Paradigms

As Editor-in-Chief of Computers & Education, Prof. Tsai will provide a broad overview of ET’s impact on educational landscapes. His presentation will share how students and teachers conceptualize ET for learning. He will also address barriers and challenges faced by educators adapting to these transformations, setting the foundational context for the more specialized discussions to follow.

Prof. Chang Hsin-Yi: AI-Enhanced Scientific Inquiry and Epistemic Agency

Building on Prof. Tsai’s framework, Prof. Chang will focus on AI’s role in science education, particularly in inquiry-based learning. She will introduce two science inquiry units for junior high school students, developed by her research team, in which AI is integrated as either a teammate or a teaching assistant. Her presentation will address a common issue: students’ overreliance on AI tools to complete learning tasks with minimal effort, leading to limited learning and thinking. Drawing on design-based research, she will explore how students can be scaffolded within these units to take up epistemic agency in their use of AI, enhancing both their idea development and inquiry learning.

Prof. Yang Fang-Ying: Cognitive Processes and Epistemic Beliefs in ET-Supported Learning

Extending the conversation to cognitive dimensions, Prof. Yang will investigate how ET-supported learning tools affect students’ cognitive processes. Drawing on her eye-tracking studies, she will demonstrate how ET influences attention, conceptual understanding, and reasoning performance. Her presentation will also explore the role of epistemic beliefs in learning with ET and their implications for educational design, bridging theoretical understanding with practical applications.

Prof. Lee Wen-Yu: Enhancing Science Learning through Immersive ET

This presentation discussed the educational potential of virtual technologies, with a particular focus on affective and metacognitive factors in Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR). Findings from studies involving elementary students using IVR for science learning will be presented. These studies investigate the interplay between IVR affordances, pedagogical design, and learners’ engagement and science learning outcomes. Results suggest that incorporating metacognitive design can enhance student learning. Additionally, the studies examine how affective factors and learners’ perceptions of VR influence engagement and learning outcomes. Notably, some perceived affective factors may hinder learning. The presentation concludes with suggestions for designing effective IVR-based instruction.