The Role of Digital-Media-Based Pedagogical Aids in Elementary Entomology: An Innovative and Sustainable Approach
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Comments for author File: 
Comments.pdf
Author Response
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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
Review Report
Article title: The Role of Digital Media-based Pedagogical Aids in Elementary Entomology: An Innovative and Sustainable Approach
The authors of the present study investigated the impact of two learning aids for natural science learners at elementary schools: the 3D insect prototypes, and a set of photo cards of the 3D printed insect prototypes. These two aids were designed and used to improve learners’ learning achievement and learning motivation. The research sample consisted of 153 fourth-grade pupils at Long Pu Elementary School, Taipei, Taiwan. The pupils were divided into three groups. The experiment contained one control group that used a traditional e-book to learn about insects, and two experimental groups: one using insect prototypes, and the other one using photo cards with 3DP insect prototypes.
The authors of this study asked themselves the following research questions:
· What is the most effective learning aid(s) in terms of learning achievement and motivation: the traditional method of the multimedia e-book, the 3D insect prototype, or the photo-card approach?
· To which degree a sustainable solution like, e.g., a digital media application in the domain of 3D printing, would contribute to learning achievement and motivation?
The authors made a significant effort in guiding the reader through the overall research study. However, major issues related to the clarity and contribution of this study to the scholarly literature remain to be addressed. The issues are detailed below.
Specific comments:
1. The main objective of the study should be stated in the abstract of the manuscript.
2. The introduction should include the objective of the research and should define the purpose of the work and its significance, including specific hypotheses being tested. The text of the paper does not provide the main objective of the research and the exact wording of the research hypotheses.
3. In sub-section 2.2 it would be useful to inform the reader a little bit more about the content of teaching of the experimental group (EG) and control group (CG); that is to present, in more detail, the exact procedures that were followed during teaching this groups.
4. In Table 1 a gender comparison should be deleted as there is no mention of gender differences in the entire theoretical framework of the article.
5. It should be emphasized in the paper that the results of the research study are applicable to the chosen school. They cannot be generalized to the entire population of fourth graders. The research sample was chosen based on available sampling and not random sampling.
6. The conclusion section of the manuscript is relatively brief. The section needs to be expanded and used to highlight what are the practical recommendations for the teachers.
7. I recommend including pretest and posttest questions in the appendix of the manuscript.
Author Response
Please see the attachment.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Round 2
Reviewer 2 Report
Dear authors,
congratulations on improving your manuscript. You have significantly improved the clarity of your writing and have addressed most of my concerns.
Kind regards
The Reviewer
