Blended Online Courses Research Articles

Instructors’ experience and acceptance of online mental health training: implementation considerations

ABSTRACT Objective: In 2020, with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated physical distancing restrictions, Mental Health First Aid® (MHFA™) face-to-face instruction was paused and existing courses were rapidly redeveloped for online delivery. The new MHFA Blended Online course comprises a self-paced eLearning component and 2 × 2.5-h synchronous video conferencing sessions led by an Instructor. This study uses a qualitative approach to explore Instructors’ experiences and perspectives on pivoting to online MHFA training and whether Instructors perceived whether their teaching style, skill instruction and capacity to engage students translated to an online mode. Methods: Online interviews with 20 Blended Online MHFA course Instructors explored their experiences of the course in six areas: (1) what worked well, (2) what did not work well, (3) feasibility, (4) acceptability, (5) ease of delivery and (6) perceived effectiveness. Results and discussion: Thematic analysis identified that Instructors had favourable experiences with online delivery. Experiences with technology, facilitation and engagement, beliefs about effectiveness, and perceptions of safety are explored, and key challenges discussed. Conclusion: This qualitative study identified that MHFA Blended Online courses are perceived by Instructors as acceptable and effective, though online delivery comes with specific challenges. Implications for future course implementation are discussed.

Comparing in-person, blended and virtual training interventions; a real-world evaluation of HIV capacity building programs in 16 countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

We sought to evaluate the impact of transitioning a multi-country HIV training program from in-person to online by comparing digital training approaches implemented during the pandemic with in-person approaches employed before COVID-19. We evaluated mean changes in pre-and post-course knowledge scores and self-reported confidence scores for learners who participated in (1) in-person workshops (between October 2019 and March 2020), (2) entirely asynchronous, Virtual Workshops [VW] (between May 2021 and January 2022), and (3) a blended Online Course [OC] (between May 2021 and January 2022) across 16 SSA countries. Learning objectives and evaluation tools were the same for all three groups. Across 16 SSA countries, 3023 participants enrolled in the in-person course, 2193 learners participated in the virtual workshop, and 527 in the online course. The proportions of women who participated in the VW and OC were greater than the proportion who participated in the in-person course (60.1% and 63.6%, p<0.001). Nursing and midwives constituted the largest learner group overall (1145 [37.9%] vs. 949 [43.3%] vs. 107 [20.5%]). Across all domains of HIV knowledge and self-perceived confidence, there was a mean increase between pre- and post-course assessments, regardless of how training was delivered. The greatest percent increase in knowledge scores was among those participating in the in-person course compared to VW or OC formats (13.6% increase vs. 6.0% and 7.6%, p<0.001). Gains in self-reported confidence were greater among learners who participated in the in-person course compared to VW or OC formats, regardless of training level (p<0.001) or professional cadre (p<0.001). In this multi-country capacity HIV training program, in-person, online synchronous, and blended synchronous/asynchronous strategies were effective means of training learners from diverse clinical settings. Online learning approaches facilitated participation from more women and more diverse cadres. However, gains in knowledge and clinical confidence were greater among those participating in in-person learning programs.

Change and challenge: An online course in Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

The development of information technology and portable devices has sparked a revolution in the field of education, facilitating access to diverse educational resources and lifelong learning. In particular, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the transition from face-to-face to distance teaching, which requires online education to be provided worldwide. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology are key basic medical courses in laboratory-based science that cover complicated theories and applications. The balance between traditional and online courses, and the effectiveness of online courses, are fundamental to the teaching quality of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. In this study, we explored the concepts, designs, and practices of a new blended online course and identified potential challenges. We hope that our experiences will provide new ideas for online teaching and promote teaching reform and the development of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology education.

Blended online courses: students’ learning experiences and engaging instructional strategies

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the digital shift in higher education and forced university faculty to transform their courses into a blended or online modality to comply with current public health measures. Many instructors have implemented blended online courses, which combine synchronous and asynchronous online teaching and learning activities. The purpose of this study is to document university students’ learning experiences in blended online courses during the pandemic, and to identify instructional strategies to support student engagement in these courses. It adopts a mixed-methods research strategy in which data were collected through questionnaires from students who took a blended online course in the summer semester of 2020, in a variety of disciplines and academic cycles at four Quebec universities (n = 482). Following the analysis of student responses to open-ended questions, five recurring themes were identified: the enhancement of student-student interactions, the dynamism of synchronous and asynchronous sessions, the structured presentation of the course, the explanations and feedback from instructors, and the accessibility and involvement of instructors. For each theme, suggestions from student feedback are provided to facilitate student engagement in blended online courses.

Learning to Escape or Escaping to Have Fun: Do Educational Escape Rooms Positively Impact Students’ Performance in Business Higher Education?

Interest in and the use of escape rooms (ERs) for educational purposes have increased recently (Taraldsen et al, 2020; Veldkamp et al, 2020). There are many benefits to using ERs in education, including improved engagement and motivation (Buchner et al, 2022; Taraldsen et al, 2020; Veldkamp et al, 2020). However, findings concerning the impact of the use of ERs on students' actual learning are mixed (Veldkamp et al, 2020). This study aims to investigate this impact by exploring a case in which a digital ER was implemented in a blended online course. This ER was designed to be used in a business course including more than 150 business undergraduate students distributed across 15 campuses. The specific learning objective of the escape room was to enhance students’ understanding of the most important concepts of the course in preparation for the midterm examination. The authors compare students’ performance across two different sections of the same course, i.e., a control section and another section in which the ER was implemented. In addition, the authors administered a survey to comprehend students’ ER perception. Results show that while students had a positive perception of the use of the digital educational ER, its usage did not affect their performance on the midterm examination.

Examining effects of instructional strategies on student engagement in blended online courses

AbstractBackgroundBlended online courses, which combine synchronous and asynchronous online activities, have expanded rapidly in higher education. How to enhance student engagement in such courses is unclear, although it is recognized that student engagement is malleable through instructional strategies.ObjectivesGiven the above, this study aims to examine the influence of categories of strategies on student engagement in blended online courses.MethodsA conceptual framework of instructional strategies indicated as fostering student engagement in the relevant literature was first presented, divided in eight categories (structure, pace, relevance, active, choice, relationships, explanations, guide). Then a research framework linking the categories of strategies to student engagement dimensions (emotional‐cognitive, social, behavioral) was built and tested in blended online courses. Data collected in various disciplines and university levels at four universities (n = 482) were examined using partial least squares structural equation modeling.Results and ConclusionsThe structural model examination confirmed the combined effects of categories of instructional strategies on student engagement in such courses in all disciplines. Particularly, this study revealed that 1) establishing trusting relationships, 2) demonstrating the relevance of activities, content, and resources, and 3) maintaining a sustained course pace significantly impacted student engagement in blended online courses in all disciplines.TakeawaysThis study draws upon the blended learning literature to bring together key instructional strategies that foster student engagement while highlighting empirical quantitative evidence of their effects on student engagement in blended online courses. Detailed measures of categories of instructional strategies and student engagement dimensions also provide reliable instruments for future research.

Gaining insight from survey data: an analysis of the community of inquiry survey using Rasch measurement techniques

This article presents the results of evaluating a dataset collected with the Community of inquiry (CoI) survey (Arbaugh, The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning 9:1–21, 2008) using Rasch psychometric techniques to evaluate instrument functioning. Data were collected over a two-year period yielding a sample of 704 survey responses from students who were enrolled in a blended online graduate program. The purpose of this article is to present a Rasch analysis of the CoI survey to provide insight into the functioning of the instrument beyond other statistical analyses of the CoI that have been conducted to date. The results of the analysis provide new insights into the functioning of this measurement instrument and demonstrate the usefulness of Rasch techniques. The rationale for using Rasch techniques as well as the implications of this technique when using the CoI survey when conducting research or evaluations of practices in blended online courses are discussed.

Teacher Practices in Using Learning Analytics to Enhance Learning in Blended Online Studies

While higher education institutions (HEIs) are exploring innovative ways to enhance and facilitate learning experience of students and so to improve the overall quality of studies, technology enhanced learning (TEL, henceforth) becomes inevitable. Having explored the possibilities and benefits of TEL, HEIs encourage teachers to develop blended online courses in virtual learning environments, to use new tools and solutions available for student learning monitoring and enhancement and to research how these practices are successful and what are the factors that make impact to teaching and learning success. This paper aims to identify teacher practices how the use of learning analytics in virtual learning environment may enhance learners’ engagement in blended online studies in HE.

The role of expressed emotions in online discussions

We investigated relationships among expressed emotions, perceived motivation, perceived emotions, and three dependent variables (i.e., behavioral engagement, cognitive engagement, and student achievement) in the context of a blended online course. We defined “expressed emotions” as emotions detected by an affective computing tool in messages that students posted to online discussion forums in a blended undergraduate writing course. The results of two-step hierarchical multivariate regressions revealed that expressed emotions differentiated positive emotions from negative emotions better than perceived emotions did. Moreover, while no significant effect emerged for perceived motivation and perceived emotions, expressed fear was a significant predictor of student achievement (i.e., final score). Although affective computing is in its infancy, our findings suggest the potential use of expressed emotions for educational research and practice.

Assessing the Efficacy of Online Lecture Modules in a Core Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Course

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in flipped delivery of undergraduate courses. There has also been an interest in blending online learning with traditional, in-class learning. In this paper, the efficacy of a blended online course is assessed based on the second-year mechanical engineering course “Computing Tools for Engineering Design” for the Fall 2016 semester. This is an extension of a Fall 2015 study in the same course where traditional lectures were used. This study examines how the online modules are used by the students, as well as students’ opinions on the video effectiveness. The results of the study painted a picture of a typical flipped delivery student: one who streams the content on a personal device/computer before the in-class session, and tends to stop/rewind the content rather than playing it continuously. Student impressions of the mode of delivery were generally positive, indicating that a combination of online lectures and in-class practice sessions support learning.

An online academic writing and publishing skills course: Help Syrians find their voice.

Purpose:A group of Arab-American physicians and researchers in the United States organized a blended online course in academic writing and publishing in medicine targeting medical students and physicians in war-torn Syria. This was an effort to address one of the reasons behind the poor quantity and quality of scientific research papers in Syria and the Arab region. In this paper, we report on the design, conduct, and outcome of this course and attempt to evaluate its effectiveness.Methods:The educational intervention was a 2-month blended online course. We administered a questionnaire to assess satisfaction and self-reported improvement in knowledge, confidence, and skills of academic writing and publishing.Results:The course succeeded in reaching more than 2588 physicians and medical students from the region; 159 of them completed most of the course. Eighty-three percent of the participants felt that they were confident enough to write an academic paper after the course and 95% felt the learning objectives were achieved with an average student satisfaction of 8.4 out of 10.Conclusion:Physicians in Syria and neighboring countries are in need of training to become an active part of the global scientific community and to document and communicate the crisis their countries are going through from a medical perspective. Low-cost online educational initiatives help respond, at least partially, to those needs.

Implementing a Collaborative Online Course to Extend Access to HPC Skills

Progress in science and engineering is increasingly tied to the effective use of computational modeling on high-performance computing systems. Expertise in parallel computing techniques is therefore required, given the current architecture of those systems. Many campuses don't offer such a course because of course load limits, a lack of faculty expertise, and/or lack of access to appropriate computing resources. As part of the XSEDE project, an initial MOOC-style course on parallel computing proved to be ineffective at resolving this problem. A subsequent blended online course with collaborating faculty from multiple institutions where students receive academic credit has proven to be a much more effective approach to creating a STEM workforce with the requisite parallel computing knowledge.

Blending online asynchronous and synchronous learning

&lt;p&gt;In this article I will share a qualitative self-study about a 15-week blended 100% online graduate level course facilitated through synchronous meetings on Blackboard Collaborate and asynchronous discussions on Blackboard. I taught the course at the University of Tennessee (UT) during the spring 2012 semester and the course topic was online learning environments. The primary research question of this study was: How can the designer/instructor optimize learning experiences for students who are studying about online learning environments in a blended online course relying on both synchronous and asynchronous technologies? I relied on student reflections of course activities during the beginning, middle, and the end of the semester as the primary data source to obtain their insights regarding course experiences. Through the experiences involved in designing and teaching the course and engaging in this study I found that there is room in the instructional technology research community to address strategies for facilitating online synchronous learning that complement asynchronous learning. Synchronous online whole class meetings and well-structured small group meetings can help students feel a stronger sense of connection to their peers and instructor and stay engaged with course activities. In order to provide meaningful learning spaces in synchronous learning environments, the instructor/designer needs to balance the tension between embracing the flexibility that the online space affords to users and designing deliberate structures that will help them take advantage of the flexible space.&lt;/p&gt;

Comparing communities of inquiry of Portuguese higher education students: One for all or one for each?

The purpose of this study was to report evidence obtained in a survey based on the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework (Garrison, Anderson & Archer, 1991; 2000) carried out in different groups. The study comprised 510 higher education students enrolled in blended online courses offered through Moodle platform during one semester. It considered students from different private and public Portuguese polytechnic schools and universities. Moreira & Almeida (2011) have suggested that CoI framework is a valid, reliable, and efficient measure of its dimensions within the Portuguese population. Although similarities in aspects of social presence were discovered among polytechnic and universities students, the two groups showed some differences. In particular, it was observed that the polytechnic students appear to be a more robust community when compared to university students.

Online nephrology course replacing a face to face course in nursing schools' bachelor's program: A prospective, controlled trial, in four Israeli nursing schools

Online learning is growing rapidly worldwide, especially in the health related sectors such as medicine and nursing. Our trial wished to measure the objective (i.e. final exam results, courseware usage patterns) and subjective (satisfaction) efficiency of online vs. face-to-face learning in a prospective, controlled trial, a first of its kind in Israel. The trial tested a blended online course, teaching introduction to clinical nephrology. The course was filmed and edited into a learning platform to fit computer based learning. 90 nursing students, from 4 bachelor's nursing programs in Israel participated in the study. The intervention group included 32 students who studied using the online course, accompanied by 3 frontal meetings dealing with technical and content issues. The reference group included 58 students from 3 nursing programs, studying in a traditional face-to-face course. The final exam results were significantly higher in the intervention group compared with the reference group (9.6 ± 2.57 vs. 8.4 ± 2.72; p<0.05). Student satisfaction was very high in the intervention group: 97% thought the course was well organized, 100% thought the teacher taught clearly and consistently, 90% thought the teacher encouraged self-thinking,100% thought the teacher used clarifying examples, 91% thought the teaching aids helped the learning process and 97% thought the teaching method contributed to the learning process. The average usage of the online course was 4:10h vs. 14 academic hours (10:30 h) in the traditional course. The daily usage habits of the courseware were also followed, indicating that most learning took place between 12 PM and 1 AM, peaking between 5 PM and 7 PM, and dipping between 3 AM and 10 AM. The online course had higher efficiency compared to the traditional face-to-face course. The subjective feedback of the intervention group proves high satisfaction with online learning.

Self-Learning Skills Perceived in Communities of Inquiry of Portuguese Higher Education Students

The purpose of this study was to report evidence obtained in Communities of Inquiry (CoI) as framed by the work of Garrison, Anderson and Archer (2000) that was carried out in different groups, and identify the emergent learning skills of its students. The study comprised 510 undergraduate students enrolled in blended online courses offered through Moodle platform during one semester. It considered students from different Portuguese schools, of University and Polytechnic in Health, Education and Psychology Courses. Moreira and Almeida (2011) have suggested that CoI framework is a valid, reliable, and efficient measure of its dimensions within the Portuguese population. Assuming the CoI survey as a useful evaluation tool for providing feedback about the effectiveness of online courses in the construction of effective learning communities, we’ve studied the skills students recognize they acquire in virtual environments of learning, using the adapted Self-Learning Competence Scale (Lima-Santos, Rurato, & Faria, 2000). We’ve concluded that in both institutions, University and Polytechnic, relevant learning experiences have been fostered, towards the emergence of communities of inquiry, in which the students perceived that they have developed self-learning competences.

Reflections on Three Types of Teaching and Learning in a Model-based, Blended Online Course

Reflections on Three Types of Teaching and Learning in a Model-based, Blended Online Course

Building a validity argument for the community of inquiry survey instrument

The purpose of this study was to provide empirical evidence to support the validity of the Community of Inquiry (CoI) model survey. The participants for this study were undergraduate and graduate students ( n = 1173) enrolled in fully online (57%) and blended online courses (43%) offered through WebCT during the spring 2008 semester at a mid-sized western university. One half of the student responses were randomly selected for exploratory factor analysis while the remaining half was subjected to confirmatory factor analysis. Results from the exploratory analysis identified a three factor model which was tested through confirmatory factor analysis and found to be an acceptable fit to the predicted population model. Results from this study suggest that the CoI survey holds promise as a useful evaluation tool for providing formative and summative feedback about the effectiveness of online courses and programs.