Distance Learning Research Articles

Family Social Capital and Sustainable Well-Being: Navigating Chinese Adolescents’ Well-Being During COVID-19 Lockdown

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic caused widespread disruption as governments took actions to limit the spread of the virus. Measures such as physical distancing and lockdowns changed living conditions, leading to challenges such as social isolation and reduced connectedness. This study explores COVID-19’s impact on adolescents’ well-being, emphasising family social capital, which refers to supportive adult-child relationships that foster well-being and enhance remote learning. Quantitative data was collected through an online survey from August 2022 to August 2023, involving 4008 students and 3511 parents. Semi-structured interviews with six students and their parents (either the mother or the father) provided in-depth insights into the perceived role of family social capital in shaping adolescents’ well-being during quarantine. Quantitative data revealed that parental education level significantly influenced adolescents’ self-reported well-being and resilience, and family income influenced parents’ perceptions of their children’s well-being. Qualitative data highlighted the importance of strong family bonds, effective parent-child relationships, and robust family support in mitigating the adverse effects of prolonged home quarantine. The research also discovered the role of adolescents’ agency in building social capital through web-based communities. The study contributes to understanding Chinese adolescents’ well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing implications for supporting their well-being in the post-pandemic era.

Intervention with institutional caregivers for the purpose of supportive education for disadvantaged children: 3C

IntroductionChildren in institutional care may have limited access to educational opportunities compared to children in parental care. Improving and enriching the educational practices of these children is important for their well-being. In this study, the Child Development, Communication and Care (3C) Training Program was prepared by the researchers. The 3C education approach emphasizes early childhood development and education. Particular focus is on the use of communication techniques in the education of young children. Our goal with 3C is to increase caregivers’ knowledge of child development and support them to communicate effectively with children. Through this curriculum framework, children are encouraged to interact effectively and empathically with others. Therefore, the curriculum framework emphasizes understanding emotions and building trusting relationships as key components in the holistic development of young disadvantaged children.MethodsA quasi-experimental design with pre-test-post-control group was used in the study. 16 sessions of 3C were applied to the personnel in the experimental group via distance education. Data were collected from the participants before and after the start of the training program by using the Child Education Competence Scale-Parent Form, Personal Information Form, and Training Evaluation Questionnaire.ResultsAs a result, significant differences were obtained between the experimental and control groups in favor of the group receiving training (z = 3.57, p<0.05). Accordingly, it can be said that 3C contributes to the holistic development of the child.DiscussionIt is hoped that such work could enhance the developmental outcomes of young children in institutional care and improve the quality of early childhood education.

Students’ Challenges with Online Remote Teaching and Learning in South Africa

ABSTRACT Online remote teaching and learning strategies have become part of tertiary institutions worldwide. This knowledge delivery method became more profound during the COVID-19 era, forcing institutions to keep this method even after the COVID-19 pandemic. Most tertiary institutions in African countries, including South Africa, have also embraced online remote teaching and learning strategies. This study investigated the challenges of built environment tertiary students with online remote teaching and learning methods. A qualitative approach was adopted using open-ended interview questions to solicit the views of the built environment tertiary students regarding the challenges they experience with the online remote teaching and learning method. A thematic content analysis method was used to categorize the data into themes and sub-themes. The results show that students face several online remote teaching and learning challenges. These challenges were categorized into power, schedule, technology issues, lack of focus, communication, and cost-related issues. The tertiary institution authorities must address these challenges to ensure the sustainability of online remote learning and teaching as many students work and attend schools, thus relying on this method to acquire knowledge. The study used data from tertiary institutions in South Africa; hence, the findings may not be generalizable to other countries.

Creativity disposition on entrepreneurial attitude and intentions: A comparison between regular and distance (blended) learning university students

This study examined the entrepreneurial intentions (EIs) of conventional and blended learning students at a technical university in Ghana, using the theory of planned behaviour as a framework. Hypotheses were formulated to examine the moderating role of university support systems on the relationship between creativity disposition and entrepreneurial intentions. Data from 372 students were gathered through an online survey and analyzed using Smart-PLS software. Results indicated that creativity and attitudes toward entrepreneurship positively influenced entrepreneurial intent in both student groups, with attitude partially mediating the creativity-intent link. However, university support negatively moderated this relationship. A multi-group analysis showed no significant difference in EIs between the two student cohorts. Recommendations were made for the adoption of hybrid learning and policy considerations for universities.

Veterinary medicine under COVID-19: a mixed-methods analysis of student and practitioner experiences in Austria

BackgroundThis study aimed to provide a detailed analysis of the pandemic’s impact on the veterinary profession and education in Austria.MethodsTwo online surveys were conducted from November 2022 to January 2023, inviting all veterinarians and veterinary students in Austria to share their experiences on the impact of the pandemic on their veterinarian work and education in a free text question.ResultsA total of n = 289 veterinarians and n = 272 veterinary students provided an answer. In summary, 39.8% of veterinarians reported no impact by the pandemic, while others experienced changes in workload (19.7%), changes in client behavior (14.9%), implementation of safety measures (13.1%), and organizational changes (13.1%). Additional impacts included effects on mental health, private life, finances, as well as physical health. Changes were more frequently mentioned in veterinarians working with pets compared to those working with livestock. In the student panel, only a minority reported no significant impact (8.1%) but 44.9% reporting changes due to online and hybrid learning. Key issues included impaired learning conditions (34.9%), and social distancing (34.6%) leading to social isolation. Some students appreciated increased flexibility and reduced commuting (10.7%), while others experienced mental health challenges (10.7%). Further impacts were related to the implementation of safety measures (5.5%), organizational changes (4.8%) and impaired physical health due to infection (1.1%). Negative changes related to distance learning were mainly reported by students in the final study phase, whereas those in the first study phase reported more positive aspects related to online/hybrid learning.ConclusionOverall, this study highlights the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on veterinary education and professional practice in Austria, revealing diverse challenges for students and relatively lower but still notable effects on practicing veterinarians. Future research should monitor these impacts longitudinally and explore the integration of beneficial practices into standard veterinary education and care, such as effective digital learning platforms and appointment-based systems.

Mixed reality strategies for piano education

Head-mounted mixed reality interfaces, in which a user perceives a seamless blend of real, virtual or remote content, have great potential in a wide range of educational contexts. In this paper, we explore the use of mixed reality (MR) in piano education. We begin with a review of previous examples of virtual and mixed reality for piano teaching and learning, identifying four major categories of functionality: remote teaching, learning to read musical notation, providing alternative notation systems to Western musical notation, and enhancing users’ understanding and experience of music. Following this review, we present an application designed to demonstrate the use of MR for facilitating remote student-teacher piano lessons. Additionally, hand-tracking enables real-time, bi-directional visualization of both the student’s and teacher’s hand movements while playing, which is a crucial communication channel in piano instruction. We also present the Piano Theory Hub, an interactive area for independent learning and practice designed to compliment remote instructions. The Piano Theory Hub uses MR to provide spatial in situ explanations and exercises on notes, intervals, scales, and chords. User studies were conducted to evaluate both remote and solo aspects of the application. The first study with 10 participants revealed a strong sense of immersion and co-presence with the teacher during remote lessons. Trials also revealed that, in addition to virtual hands, visual highlighting of key-presses was found to improve visualisation of the remote users’ play. The second study, with 15 participants found the Piano Theory Hub to be helpful for beginners and some intermediate players, with feedback suggesting improvements in user experience and highlighting the limitations of replacing traditional piano teachers. Our experiments demonstrate that MR can be successfully employed for the following strategies for piano education: hand interaction coaching, flexible virtual hand and piano visibility, augmented feedback including key highlighting, gamified learning elements, and flexible teacher positioning options. Overall, the findings suggest that mixed reality holds promise as an effective tool for remote piano learning and music education, offering immersive and engaging learning experiences.

An insight of undergraduate students’ attitude and satisfaction with online home-based learning system

The purpose of this study is to investigate different factors associated with remote online home-based learning (thereafter named OHL), including technical system quality, perceived quality of contents, perceived ease of use, and perceived usefulness in relation to the satisfaction of undergraduate students following the post-COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia. Additionally, the mediating roles of attitude are also investigated. Two hundred questionnaires were distributed using judgmental sampling method and 156 completed responses were collected. The data were subsequently analyzed using PLS-SEM. The findings imply that the OHL system is an effective method although it is challenging to operate. In terms of perceived technical system quality, OHL is currently more gratifying for students; however, some have reported that the quality of the content delivered via the remote system is still unsatisfactory. Moreover, the study found that attitude is a significant determinant of undergraduates’ satisfaction with OHL. This study contributes to the advancement of current knowledge by inspecting the factors of the Undergraduate Level OHL System using the mediating roles of attitude. In terms of underpinning theories, Technology Acceptance Model and Information System Model were employed as the guiding principles of the current study.

Methodical Principles of Using Mobile Applications in the Professional Training of Future Biology Teachers

The article explores the methodical principles of using mobile applications during the professional training of future biology teachers in higher educational institutions. It is determined that the significance of using modern mobile learning tools is driven by the informatization of the educational process and the necessity to develop key information and digital competencies among future teachers. It is emphasized that forced distance learning requires new teaching methods and tools. It has been found that recently almost all students in general secondary education institutions possess and use mobile phones at a professional level. It is proven that smartphones or tablets can be effective learning tools for the educational process, provided that teachers are skilled in their application. The possibilities of using mobile applications in the educational process of the professional training of future biology teachers are analyzed, revealing methodical approaches to their use: in lectures and laboratory sessions on the methodology of teaching biology, in completing independent work tasks, and in informal or non-formal education.

Teaching asylum and immigration law in a hostile environment: online education’s role in navigating social work challenges

ABSTRACT The impact of COVID-19 restrictions and the shift to online teaching has contributed to a growing interest in distance learning across social work education. The authors of this paper are from the Open University, which has over 50 years of experience in distance learning and over the past 30 years e-learning through blended and fully online methods. The paper shares insights from teaching a social work law module to nearly 400 students across the UK. This paper addresses the challenges of integrating social work values and human rights into teaching asylum and immigration law amidst a UK legal discourse that often creates a ‘hostile environment’ for people with precarious immigration status. It explores teaching from a social justice perspective in the context of restrictive domestic laws. Highlighting the co-production of learning materials with civil society groups through videos and podcasts, the paper emphasizes the importance of including practitioner and migrant, asylum seeker or refugee voices to enrich content. Insights into the practicalities of incorporating these elements into e-learning, along with reflections on the challenges and opportunities, are discussed.

Encourage self-learning and collaborative learning through gamification during COVID-19 pandemic: A case study for teaching biochemistry.

During COVID-19 pandemic, there was a change in the teaching mode from face-to-face to online teaching. It was especially challenging for teachers to motivate students to learn through distance learning. This shift in teaching mode also lowered student-student and student-teacher interactions. In this project, a biochemistry courseware, Metabolism Metro (Adventure Mode), was designed which aimed to motivate students learning metabolic pathways in a fun and interactive way. The Metabolism Metro (Adventure Mode) was based on a role-play game design and contained quizzes with questions covering the topics of carbohydrate, lipid, protein, and nucleotide metabolism. In order to enhance the courseware usage, and to encourage collaborative learning, the class teacher had organized a prize-winning competition. Students could join the competition either individually or in groups to complete the game. By including challenging quizzes in the courseware, some students tended to form groups to solve the problems together. They either discussed the problems over the phone, or sat together and answered the questions using one computer. Besides reading the lecture notes, the students also tried to read the textbook, found the answers from the internet, or sought help from the class teacher. Students were attracted to self-learn metabolic pathways to complete the quizzes.

Pediatric critical care nursing empowerment through distance education and simulation in Accra, Ghana

BackgroundThe study assessed a distance simulation and education intervention designed to improve nursing empowerment in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) in Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) in Ghana. MethodsThis was a single center, mixed methods, longitudinal simulation-based pilot study. A distance pediatric critical care nursing curriculum that combined interactive learning via Zoom and distance simulation using the Virtual Resus Room was designed and delivered from the United States to KBTH PICU nursing staff. ResultsThe Clinical Teamwork Scale, used to assess team performance after each simulation, demonstrated an upward trend over time in all categories. The modified Simulation Effectiveness Tool was utilized to evaluate the learners' perceptions of the effectiveness of the simulation in meeting their learning objectives. Qualitative content analysis of this free-text feedback highlighted the course's educational content, organizational aspects, learning experience, simulation case scenarios and relevance to pediatric critical care in Ghana. ConclusionsA distance pediatric critical care nursing curriculum, relevant to local practice and resources, was implemented through an international partnership and contributed to nursing empowerment through improved learning and confidence.

THE IMPACT OF IMPOSED COVID-19 MEASURES ON BELGIAN HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENTS

Objective: The objective of this study is to explore how higher education students behave when they are confronted with imposed measures that provide temporal cues, also called organizational temporal structures, and how their behavior evolves with time. Theoretical Framework: The Temporal Cognitive-Affective Processing System (T-CAPS), developed by Shipp and Richardson (2021) is used as the overarching theory to study the phenomenon. The theory describes five possible behavioral responses when individuals are confronted with organizational temporal structures. Method: The study uses a mixed-method design including surveys and interviews during three large COVID-19 waves in Belgium. In total, 1246 students filled in the survey and 30 interviews were carried out. Results and Discussion: The findings suggest that, in general, students mostly complied to the imposed measures. Especially in the beginning of the pandemic, resistance was almost non-existent. However, resistance increased over time, particularly when measures interfered with social life. Our qualitative data provides more insight into the reasoning behind indicated behavioral responses. Convenience appeared to be an important reason for compliance with remote learning and resistance towards the restrictions in social contact increased because of their deteriorating effect on mental health. Research Implications: Our research gives rise to recommendations aimed at governments, educational institutions and people entrusted with educational policy making, as it provides better insight into when and why students comply to new regulations. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the literature by applying the conceptually developed T-CAPS in an empirical setting and as a result validates propositions related to the theory.

School travel behaviors: How the pandemic impacted communities

The global pandemic in early 2020 significantly disrupted life for many families, and the trip to and from school was not immune to these disruptions. Parents and children alike made travel adjustments depending on their preferences with regard to personal health and safety, social distancing, and aversion to risk. Each school district and individual school also made decisions with regard to in-person or remote learning during this period of uncertainty.In this study, a research gap was filled by examining the effect of the pandemic on school transportation-related decisions for hundreds of families living in the United States. An online survey was developed and administered with the help of Qualtrics, an experience management company. Over 600 responses were gathered from across three Pacific Northwest states. In addition to collecting demographic data about the respondents, the survey asked about travel mode choices and characteristics of the trip to and from school. The collective results were then analyzed to determine which factors directly contributed to pandemic-related changes in travel behavior.The study concluded that parent education level, household income, and age of child were all statistically significant variables that affected behavioral change. Additionally, common travel assumptions associated with rural students, when compared with urban students, were confirmed. These factors included a greater reliance on a yellow school bus and lesser availability of critical infrastructure.

Analyzing the interplay between social media analytics and nudges in pandemic control

This study employs a data-driven approach to examine the government's use of data insights and nudges to promote social distancing during the pandemic. Drawing from well-established technology adoption theories, a nationwide online survey was conducted among professionals and postgraduate students adapting to remote work and learning. The study unveils that access to suitable information and communication technology (ICT) significantly influences people's willingness to adhere to social distancing and work from home (WFH). Moreover, respondents' expectations of WFH's impact on job performance emerged as a critical driver for sustained social distancing, with individuals' habits playing a pivotal role in enhancing WFH performance expectancy. Notably, the study pioneers in exploring the psychological effects of government nudges during a pandemic, shedding light on an uncharted aspect of pandemic control strategies.

Implementation of innovative technologies in the training process of martial artists

Purpose: to establish leading directions for the implementation of innovative technologies in the practical activities of coaches and athletes in martial arts. Material and methods. A systematic review of scientific publications for the period from 2020 to 2024 related to the application of innovations in the sports field was carried out. The search was conducted in Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science databases using the following keywords: «innovative technologies», «digital technologies», «sports», «training», «martial arts». The search was conducted by article titles. Full-text articles of a practical or review nature were analyzed. Results: it was established that the use of innovative technologies in the training of martial artists is an important component of the modernization of the training process. It contributes to improving the organization and control of training, increasing their effectiveness, forming training programs using remote technologies. This helps to create flexible training programs and predict their effectiveness. As a result of the bibliographic analysis of relevant studies, it was established that the key directions of the introduction of innovative technologies in the process of training martial artists are: digitization of individual components of training activities of athletes; introduction of technologies based on artificial intelligence; use of virtual and augmented reality technologies; systematic use of mobile applications and personal trackers in the training of athletes; the use of distance learning technologies in the organization of training activities. Along with the established advantages of using innovations in martial arts training, the problems of their implementation in the process of training athletes were identified, which consists in: limited availability of modern technologies to athletes and martial arts coaches; the need to develop programs for the use of technologies by participants in the training process. Conclusions. The use of innovative technologies is an important factor in the modernization of the training process of martial arts athletes. They are aimed at optimizing the training of martial arts athletes, reducing the risk of injuries and increasing the level of individualization of training. Despite the identified potential, the number of studies devoted to the practical implementation of innovations in sports training of martial artists is insufficient. This is due to the complexity of the wide application of technologies and the rapid pace of their modernization, which makes it difficult to assess their long-term effectiveness in various types of martial arts. In general, the findings of this study confirm that innovative technologies are a key driver of qualitative changes in the process of training martial arts athletes. Further research will focus on the development of comprehensive programs using digital technologies at the initial stage of multi-year martial arts training.

Development of the preschool teachers’ partnership competence

The aim of this research was to study the current level of preschool teachers’ partnership competence in the aspect of interacting in the teaching staff. During the research, questionnaires and statistical methods of analysis were conducted. The results of the study show that 82% of the respondents describe the psychological climate in the team as moderately favourable, 6% note its high level, 9% feel low favourableness, and 3% see it as unfavourable. The conducted research revealed a positive moderate correlation between the partnership competence level and the psychological climate level in the team of preschool teachers. Therefore, a positive psychological climate, characterized by mutual understanding, support and openness, contributes to creating a favorable environment for partnership interaction. When teachers feel comfortable and supported in the team, they are more inclined to work together, share experiences and provide mutual support. The area of further research is to identify the relationship between the professional development of teachers and their partnership competence, as well as to study the impact of distance learning on partnership interaction between teachers and ways of its development in the digital environment.

Sporun Fiziksel Aktivite Boyutunun Psiko-Eğitimle Desteklenmesinin Sonuçlarının İncelenmesi

Today, especially after the pandemic, the importance of physical activity, in which individuals remember its value once again, stands out even more. During this period, it has become indisputable to what extent physical activity provides benefits to the social, emotional, physical and psychological development of individuals. So much so that physical activity applications have also found a place among the contents added to the distance education activities. Dec. However, the problem of overweight and obesity, which is rapidly becoming one of the most important health problems in the world, is also effective in spreading physical activity practices Decently. Considering the benefits of regular physical activity in general, it contributes to healthy growth and development, helps to protect against unwanted habits, prevents socialization and the formation of certain long-term diseases that may be encountered during adulthood, as well as treating and supporting the treatment of disorders that may occur, ensuring that they last an active old age, in other words, it can make important contributions to improving the quality of life throughout life. In this context, psycho-education as a complementary element of physical activity is also defined as empowering education aimed at promoting individual's awareness and entrepreneurship. Psycho-education is not only to inform the individual and his family about the problematic situation or to offer them solutions, but also the process of providing education and training about the factors that cause this situation. In this way, the person understands the situation better and develops a sense of control, so that the problem can gradually decrease. The human body, which was created in order to be able to do physical activity, can encounter various problems every day due to inactivity. Besides the well-known health benefits of physical activity, it should not be overlooked that along with its cognitive effects, it may also contribute to increasing academic achievement in the sense of its positive role on mental processes at different age levels depending on these effects, and ultimately as a result of these processes. At the same time, it is known in past and recent studies that physical activity has a direct or indirect effect on many topics, from the use of individuals experiencing mental or mental problems in treatment processes, to coping with stress, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder treatments, in addition to conditions such as self-confidence, self-esteem, and well-being. Key Words: Special Ability, Special Ability Students, Physical Activity

"I Learned as I Went": an online distance education case study.

Interactions between deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) students and instructors in online distance education (ODE) increased exponentially during the COVID pandemic. To understand this phenomena, we conducted a comprehensive literature review about evolving ODE formats customized for deaf student's needs. This literature shows increasing multimodal, multilingual, and interactive features. Next, we examined empirical data from a collective case study implemented to better understand ODE phenomena from the perspectives of DHH students and faculty in higher education. We used 4 data collection strategies: (1) in-depth, semi-structured faculty interviews, (2) observations of teaching-learning interactions, (3) focus-groups featuring undergraduate and graduate DHH students, and (4) curriculum document analyses. We coded the dataset using MAXQDA software and uncovered 10 triangulated themes; 4 focus on instructors, 4 center students, and 2 describe student-faculty interactions. Overall, this qualitative analysis is a particularizing account of our participant's lifeworlds; however, we close with general recommendations for improving ODE practices through research.

Determinants of AI performance and their effect on national GDP: an empirical study

Abstract. Artificial intelligence is one of the most widely discussed topics in recent years, remarkably following the pandemic. During the pandemic, numerous industries and organizations have focused on the development of artificial intelligence due to the shift to remote learning and working. This shift also caused expanded investments and research on AI driven by the growing demand of for AI-powered tools across various sectors such as education, healthcare, and business. This paper analyses the determinants of AI performance and examines the relationship between a countrys AI performance and its economic growth, measured by Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This paper employs Pearson Pairwise Correlation Multiple Linear Regression, and Simple Linear Regression models with a sample of 62 different countries to uncover the most influential factors impacting a country's AI performance and its subsequent influence on GDP. During the process of constructing the multiple linear regression model, this paper also evaluates the collinearity diagnostics such as VIF and tolerance level to prevent multicollinearity. This study finds that a countrys innovation skill, featuring its research and development capabilities, is the primary driver influencing its success in AI development. Subsequently, this paper concludes that advanced AI performance can significantly contribute to a countrys economic growth, further emphasizing the importance of progressive AI development.

Implementation of the course “good chemistry: methodological, ethical and social implications” – a case study

Abstract The article describes the practical implementation of the course titled “Good Chemistry: Methodological, Ethical, and Social Implications” available on the EuChemS e-learning platform. This MOOC course has been used in various ways at several European universities and through blended learning at Jagiellonian University in Krakow (Poland), which is discussed in this article. Since the groups of students participating in the course were not large and it is worth taking a closer look/insight at this issue, the case study method was used. Sample materials and activities for this course are presented. The survey responses of lecturers and students, as well as the activities and posts of Jagiellonian University in Krakow students on the remote learning platform, were analyzed. The strengths and weaknesses of the course were identified, and the need for continuous efforts by lecturers to develop ethical attitudes, critical thinking, and communication skills in students, especially in the field of socioscientific issues, was emphasized.