arXiv subjects

Michael W. Asher

Publications and source records attributed to Michael W. Asher.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Language Preferences and Practices in Multilingual EdTech: Flexible Primary Language Use with Secondary Language Support

The benefits of learning in one's mother tongue are well documented, yet colonial languages dominate education, marginalizing local languages and limiting access for learners who rely on their mother tongue for understanding. With the rapid growth of educational technology, there is potential to integrate multilingual instruction supporting both colonial and local languages. This study is part of a larger quasi-experiment conducted in Uganda, where learners could choose to learn in English, Leb-Lango (a local language), or in Hybrid mode (a combination of both) in a remote EdTech course. We examined how learners who chose the Hybrid option navigated English and Leb-Lango. While many Hybrid learners did not consistently use both languages, those who did persisted longer in the course. Learners also shared how they managed language complexities. We provide the first empirical evidence of learner agency in bilingual remote EdTech instruction and offer insights for designing inclusive multilingual learning solutions.

cs.HC↗

arXiv2026

The Future of Feedback: How Can AI Help Transform Feedback to Be More Engaging, Effective, and Scalable?

With digital learning environments becoming more prevalent, the ease with which generative AI enables the scalable production of real-time, automated feedback holds the potential to reshape learning and teaching experiences. This meeting report synthesizes the interdisciplinary perspectives of 50 scholars from educational psychology, computer science, science education, and the learning sciences on the use of generative AI for feedback and its promises and risks in educational practice. We highlight points of convergence in the scholarship, identify areas of debate and unresolved challenges, and outline open questions and future directions for research and educational practice that emerged from structured small-group activities designed to bridge disciplinary barriers.

cs.CY↗

arXiv2026

Inclusive Mobile Learning: How Technology-Enabled Language Choice Supports Multilingual Students

Most learners worldwide are multilingual, yet implementing multilingual education remains challenging in practice. EdTech offers an opportunity to bridge this gap and expand access for linguistically diverse learners. We conducted a quasi-experiment in Uganda with 2,931 participants enrolled in a non-formal radio- and mobile-based engineering course, where learners self-selected instruction in Leb Lango (a local language), English, or a Hybrid option combining both languages. The Leb Lango version of the course was used disproportionately by learners from rural areas, those with less formal education, and those with lower prior knowledge, broadening participation among disadvantaged learners. Moreover, the availability of Leb Lango instruction was associated with higher active participation, even among learners who registered for English instruction. Although Leb Lango learners began with lower performance, they demonstrated faster learning gains and achieved comparable final examination outcomes to English and Hybrid learners. These results suggest that providing local language options to learners is an effective way to make EdTech more accessible.

cs.HC↗

arXiv2024

Does the Doer Effect Exist Beyond WEIRD Populations? Toward Analytics in Radio and Phone-Based Learning

The Doer Effect states that completing more active learning activities, like practice questions, is more strongly related to positive learning outcomes than passive learning activities, like reading, watching, or listening to course materials. Although broad, most evidence has emerged from practice with tutoring systems in Western, Industrialized, Rich, Educated, and Democratic (WEIRD) populations in North America and Europe. Does the Doer Effect generalize beyond WEIRD populations, where learners may practice in remote locales through different technologies? Through learning analytics, we provide evidence from N = 234 Ugandan students answering multiple-choice questions via phones and listening to lectures via community radio. Our findings support the hypothesis that active learning is more associated with learning outcomes than passive learning. We find this relationship is weaker for learners with higher prior educational attainment. Our findings motivate further study of the Doer Effect in diverse populations. We offer considerations for future research in designing and evaluating contextually relevant active and passive learning opportunities including leveraging familiar technology, increasing the number of practice opportunities, and aligning multiple data sources.

cs.CY↗