Dr. Hanxiang Du Publishes Three Influential Articles on Engineering Design, Teacher Learning Networks, and Social Annotation

Dr. Hanxiang Du, jointly appointed in Computer Science and the SMATE program at Western Washington University, has made notable contributions to educational research with

three recently accepted articles in prominent academic journals. Each article offers unique insights into learning behaviors, digital environments, and online community interactions.

The first study, titled "What Distinguishes Students’ Engineering Design Performance: Design Behaviors, Design Iterations, and Application of Science Concepts," is accepted for publication in the Journal of Science Education and Technology. Co-authored by Dr. H. Du, G. Zhu, W. Xing, and C. Xie, this research investigates the key factors that impact students' success in engineering design. Through an analysis of design behaviors and iterations, along with the use of scientific principles, the study identifies distinct elements that differentiate high-performing students from others, providing insights for educators aiming to strengthen design skills in science and engineering curricula.

Dr. Du also contributed to another study, "Mining Teacher Informal Online Learning Networks: Community Commitment in Unstructured Learning Environments," accepted in the Journal of Computer Assisted Learning. This research, co-authored by G. Zhu and W. Xing, examines informal online learning communities where teachers collaborate and exchange knowledge without structured guidance. It reveals how teachers engage and commit to learning within these networks, contributing valuable information on the ways educators build professional knowledge outside formal environments. The article is now available online via Wiley’s digital library here.

Finally, Dr. Du and collaborators X. Huang, J. Zheng, S. Li, T. Zhong, C. Hou, G. Zhu, and S.P. Lajoie explore social annotation and emotional tone in the third paper, "Investigating the Effect of Emotional Tone on Learners’ Reading Engagement and Peer Acknowledgment in Social Annotation," which has been accepted by the Australasian Journal of Educational Technology. This study examines how different emotional tones in annotations affect students’ engagement and recognition of peer contributions. Findings suggest that emotional tone in social annotations can significantly influence reading engagement, fostering a more interactive and supportive learning environment.

Together, these publications highlight Dr. Du’s dedication to advancing educational technology, collaborative learning, and engineering education, with practical implications for educators, instructional designers, and academic communities worldwide.