Tools for simultaneous online and in‐person teaching in a Linear Circuit Analysis subject

Abstract

AbstractDuring the first semester of 2020–2021, classes for Linear Circuit Analysis subjects (Mechanical Engineering Degree, Miguel Hernandez University of Elche, Spain) were taught in a dual way because of the COVID‐19 pandemic: students were able to attend in‐person or online, as long as the in‐person attendance limit was not surpassed. The same strategy was used for exams: each student decided whether to take the exam in‐person or online. Specific software tools were used for the in‐advance seat reservation and simultaneous online and in‐person class attendance, and examination tools and strategies, with a special emphasis on avoiding online cheating. Online attendance was preferred by students (averaging 64.9% of global attendance for lectures and 84.5% for exams), with abrupt increases during the worst episodes of the pandemic. Video recordings of the lectures were made available to all of the students, with the most viewed video being accessed over 200 times. Concerning evaluation, no statistically significant differences were found between in‐person or online average examination marks (p = .133), which may be an indicator of low online cheating. Student feedback showed their satisfaction with the dual teaching strategy, despite their initial doubts at the beginning of the course.