Distance Education University Research Articles

Partial Severance: Distance Education and Parent Universities in Ghana

Distance Education has come to stay and it is very significant in the advancement of making education accessible to a broader popular. This distance education stems from a parent university, however, there seem to be a partial disconnection between the distance education and their parent university. The purpose of this study is there to explore the factors that account for the partial severance and the perceptions of distance education students regarding their sense of connection with the parent university. The qualitative research approach was adopted for the study. Consistent with the approach, case study design was used for the study. Purposive sampling technique was used to sample twenty-five (25) participants for the study, twelve (12) lecturers and thirteen (13) students. Interview guide was the research instrument used to collect data for the study. The thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. The study revealed that inadequate integration and communication between distance education students and the main campus significantly contribute to their sense of disconnection. Moreso, Distance Education students perceive their connection with the parent university as weak and insufficient due to feelings of isolation and exclusion from campus activities. They face significant communication gaps and lack access to resources and support services equivalent to those available to on-campus students. Based on the key findings, it is recommended that, parent universities who have established distance education should launch regular channels of communication to keep distance learners informed about campus events, resources, and opportunities for engagement. Also, parent universities must prioritize equitable access to resources and support services for distance education students. By creating a more inclusive and supportive environment, there will be a strong connection between parent universities and distance education, ultimately enriching their academic journey and overall satisfaction.

게더타운 플랫폼을 활용한 대학 원격교육에서 실재감과 학습몰입이 학습성과에 미치는 영향

Objectives The purpose of the study is to analyze the impact of presence and learning flow on learning outcomes in university distance education using metabus and to examine its educational effects. Methods The subjects of this study are 124 students who answered all of the remote-centered and blended learning students established at J University. An analysis was conducted using SPSS 28.0 and simple regression analysis and multiple regression analysis were conducted to verify the research hypothesis. And to verify the mediating effect, it was analyzed according to the three-step procedure of Baron & Kenny. Results The results of the survey are First, cognitive, social presence and learning flow had a significant impact on learning outcomes. Second, the teaching presence did not have a significant impact on learning flow and learning outcomes. Third, learning flow has been shown to have a significant impact on learning outcomes. Fourth, it has been verified that immersion in learning has a complete mediating effect in relation to cognitive, social presense, and learning outcomes, and that the teaching presence has no mediating effect. Conclusions Through this study, confirmed evidence that in university distance education using the Gathertown platform can improve students learning outcomes. In addition, raised the need to find ways to improve the teaching presence in the Gathertown environment, and discussed ways to activate distance education using the Gedatown platform.

Revolutionising classrooms with AI: Educators' insights on transformative opportunities and challenges

This paper examines the transformation opportunities of AI in education, focusing on its benefits and challenges from the perspectives of educators. The research methodology involves a qualitative study with practising educators who were students enrolled in a master's program in education at an open distance education university in South Africa. Data collection is conducted through an online discussion forum. The paper concludes that while AI offers exciting transformative opportunities such as personalised learning and effective education, it should be used wisely, complementing traditional teaching methods. It emphasises addressing biases, overuse, plagiarism, and data privacy issues. The study emphasises the need for more information on educator’s use and perceptions to pave the way for AI to complement educators and, in so doing, benefit all educators and students equally.

Les origines du terme enseignement à distance et les racines de l'enseignement et de l'apprentissage numériques

By no means is the digitalization of learning and teaching a new phenomenon (cf. Inglis, et al., 1999). Since the 1960s and 70s, open and distance teaching universities have spearheaded new and emerging technologies to bridge the distance between students and teachers. Since the turn of the millennium, online learning has spread worldwide, particularly in countries with a long tradition of distance education (e.g., Canada, Australia, India, or South Africa, see Qayyum & Zawacki-Richter, 2018; Zawacki-Richter & Qayyum, 2018). Online study programs have also been increasingly established at campus-based universities. In 1999, Alan Tait observed that the boundaries between distance teaching and conventional campus-based universities were blurring: "The secret garden of open and distance learning has become public, and many institutions are moving from single conventional mode activity to dual mode activity" (Tait, 1999, p. 141).

Student disciplinary policies at a distance and online university in South Africa

Academic integrity is at the core of the academic project and is threatened if universities and the academics and students in them, do not take the quest of achieving academic integrity seriously. If other universities, businesses, and the general public lose trust in a specific university due to a perceived lack of academic integrity in the institution and its qualifications, this creates a threat to the sustainability of the university. In this paper I evaluate the student disciplinary policies and codes of a distance education university against the core elements of an exemplary academic integrity policy (Bretag, Mahmud, Wallace, Walker, James, Green et al., 2011). The five core elements identified by Bretag et al. (2011) are access, approach, responsibility, detail, and support. The university’s policies were evaluated against these elements and rated on whether each one has been achieved or not. This analysis is done at the policy level and also encompasses the policy experiences of this university during COVID-19, by unpacking how these policies played out when a major challenge was applied to them. Apart from the policy analysis, this paper is based on 10 months of fieldwork undertaken during 2021 when 28 people were interviewed; an analysis of policies; and an analysis of five years’ worth of records from student disciplinary procedures. I argue that the five elements for effective student disciplinary policies need to be present for the institutionalisation of academic integrity to occur.

고학력 성인학습자가 기대하는 대학교육의 학습성과 탐색

This study aimed to examine the growing trend of adult learners with bachelor's degrees or higher returning to university education, prompted by the widespread accessibility to higher education. Additionally, it sought to explore the learning outcomes they expect from their re-engagement with university education. To achieve this goal, the perceptions of the importance of 16 learning outcomes and the current performance of universities were investigated among adult undergraduate students enrolled at a 4-year distance education university. The responses of 841 participants were analyzed using IPA(Importance-Performance Analysis), Borich Needs Assessment, and the Locus for Focus model. The analysis revealed that while there were high expectations for higher-order thinking skills, information technology proficiency, writing skills, and fostering civic awareness, there was a need for intensive improvement efforts by universities as they were not rated highly in current performance. Conversely, degree or certification attainment, achieving high grades, and acquiring general knowledge were identified as areas where universities are overly focused compared to the expectations of highly educated learners, indicating a need for improvement in university education strategies. Based on these findings, discussions and implications are presented.

Design and implementation of an interactive virtual laboratory in distance education in Argentine universities

<p>The adoption of distance education (DE) in Argentine universities has long been in practice and was accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The effectiveness of online learning (OL) in such situations has contributed a lot, but it has limitations, especially in delivering practical laboratory-based education. Interactive virtual laboratories (IVLs) are being designed within the framework of this attempt in order to address these types of issues. The purpose of these virtual laboratories is to provide learners who have recently graduated from DE courses in science and engineering with the potential to get hands-on training. The layout and creation of an IVL application that attempts to recreate face-to-face laboratory experiences within an online environment is the subject of examination among the researchers of the current research. This method of HE focuses on integrating college-level teaching with real-world use to provide learners with a complete education subject to their physiological limitations. The program’s goal is to address immediate challenges and provide an architecture for Argentina’s higher education (AHE) system’s constant evolution.</p>

대학원격교육지원센터(UDEC) 학습 콘텐츠 현황 분석 및 발전을 위한 제언

대학원격교육지원센터(UDEC) 학습 콘텐츠 현황 분석 및 발전을 위한 제언

The use of WCAG and automatic tools by computer science students: a case study evaluating MOOC accessibility

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) have been the de facto standard for Web accessibility evaluation for more than two decades and therefore have been introduced into legislation and university curriculum in Computer Science. At The National Distance Education University (UNED) in Spain, we have been teaching the guidelines for the last 15 years but learning how to apply WCAG criteria is complex. In this paper, we present the results of the analysis of students’ performance in applying accessibility heuristic evaluation of an online resource (a Massive Open Online Course – MOOC) using WCAG. The experiment was carried out over two academic years to evaluate how accurate and easy it is to understand and use WCAG criteria by trained students as well as their perceptions of usefulness to evaluate accessibility barriers using automatic tools in combination with manual evaluation. Results from the study show that errors identified are aligned with accessibility evaluation literature: 65% of success criteria in WCAG do not reach 80% of agreement among raters which confirms the complexity of WCAG conformance. In total 62 (86%) criteria are marked as not being correctly addressed by automatic tools with an overlap of those showing false positives, and 25 criteria (34%) are indicated as difficult to evaluate manually. While all areas where raters disagree are potential opportunities for WCAG improvement, this research reinforces that WCAG evaluations are complex and difficult even with current automatic tools, and that the possible solutions for the way forward are: (1) a well-defined evaluation protocol including a combination of automatic tools and manual evaluations; (2) better training and professional development opportunities.

A Model of Adaptive Assessment for Mobile Learning in an Open and Distance Education University of Pakistan

The use of technology has become inevitable in every field of life including the education. The distance learning is also shaping towards smart online learning, therefore, posing many challenges of content development and delivery through the smart devices. One of the challenges is the development of adaptive assessment for anytime and anywhere mobile learning. The COVID-19 has posed an extra requirement of reshaping pedagogies on hand-held devices. The current study takes up these challenges and proposes a model of adaptive assessment for mobile learning. The Item Response Theory has been employed to estimate the learning ability and tailor a personalized learning trajectory. The model was implemented on a bachelor level course offered by an open university of Pakistan. A mobile application was developed and one hundred and eighteen students were enrolled. They used the app in addition to other traditional activities for a duration of one semester. The result of final examination of adaptive batch was compared with the previous same course offered through the traditional distant learning mode. The result showed sizeable improvement in the knowledge level of the distant learners. This research opens up an avenue of anywhere and anytime learning through the use of smart devices. It can help policymakers, educationists and technologists to align their online learning practices during the current pandemic. 

Student adaptation to distance learning: An analysis of the effectiveness, benefits and risks of distance education from the perspective of university students

The research study provides an analysis of the effectiveness of distance education from the perspective of university students and contributes to the reflection of the current trend of introducing combined studies in higher education. The research was carried out during the Covid-19 pandemic, when most of the higher education was primarily shifted to distance learning. The aim was to identify factors influencing students' adaptation to this “new” learning model. The findings of the mixed (qualitative and quantitative) investigation, in which students commented on two open-ended questions focusing on the positive and negative effects of distance learning via an online survey form, were processed using content categorical analysis. The frequencies of responses by category were then evaluated using binary logistic regression based on odds ratios. Ordinal and cardinal data were assessed using both descriptive and inductive statistical analysis.The results showed that, in addition to teaching methods and content, the adaptation of the students themselves to distance education plays an important role and that there are significant differences in this adaptation among students depending on gender, type of study programme and their learning preferences. We also found that contact with teachers remains a key element of student success, and that maintaining communication with teachers is essential for setting an adequate pace of learning and for minimizing student frustration. We identified key factors of adaptation that influence student success in distance education, such as personality profile, motivation, study skills, and self-study competences. An important outcome of this study was the finding that it is necessary to specify educational contents that can be taught at a distance and those that require only face-to-face instruction. This appears to be a key prerequisite for the effective implementation of distance education in universities. The study also points to the need to evaluate the effectiveness of different teaching methods for learning in terms of their impact on student success in distance education mode. Based on the results obtained, we consider it necessary for universities to invest sufficiently not only in technical equipment and in training teachers in the use of available technologies, but also in strengthening the pedagogical and psychological competences of all teachers.

Higher education, and the future of distance teaching and perceptions of academics; An investigation in Turkey

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to analyze distance education and explore the implications for tourism education from the perspective of academics in the higher education system. Design - This study was designed as exploratory research in order to measure its effects on the university academics. Methodology - A questionnaire-based survey was used to collect data. A total of 408 questionnaires from participants were found to be a satisfactory sample. Simple random sampling technique was used by selecting a sample of academics who were teaching distance education in universities in Turkey, of which 228 were from tourism and the rest were from other social science departments. Findings - The system entails an excessive workload for faculty to provide satisfactory preparation, while some technical problems such as interruptions and disconnections occurred frequently. It was also found that the system is less interactive, does not provide control over students’ examination, and it is difficult to keep students interested in active participation. This system was found to be less effective and impractical than traditional on-site instruction in subject areas, especially where hands-on practice is required. Originality of the research - This study reveals the views of instructors during and immediately after the Covid 19 pandemic, and it is also one of the first studies to examine instructors’ opinions on distance education, including suggestions for professionals as their scholarly and applicable contributions.

O Plágio a partir da Percepção dos Alunos da Educação Superior a Distância

ABSTRACT This study aimed to investigate the knowledge of plagiarism among undergraduate students at a distance education university. A questionnaire was applied to the students, and the content of two courses and institutional documents were analyzed to identify guidelines regarding plagiarism. Plagiarism was not discussed in the courses, and institutional documents provided inconsistent guidance on how to address it. Although students claim to know what plagiarism is, the majority associate it solely with copying content without proper referencing or citation. According to the students, the main reasons leading to plagiarism are a lack of organization and motivation for studying, and a lack of skills for academic writing.

Hands-on lab practices on control in a distance education university

Hands-on laboratory practices are a crucial component of control education. However, delivering this type of practices to distance education students poses significant challenges. This article presents a solution that utilises a low-cost experimental kit that is shipped to students’ homes. The kit, developed and used during an Erasmus+ project for a wide variety of engineering practices, is complemented with the necessary components to perform experiments related to control engineering concepts; in particular, building an analogue PID controller and using it to control a motor. The effectiveness of the kit is evaluated through a small study involving distance education students. The results indicate that the kit is a viable solution for delivering some hands-on laboratory practices in control engineering.

Perceived Partial Severance: Distance Education and Parent Universities in Ghana

Perceived Partial Severance: Distance Education and Parent Universities in Ghana

Reflections of COVID-19 on Teacher Education: A Metaphor Study for Distance Education

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, distance education replaced face-to-face education in the 2019-2020 academic year in Turkey. This basic qualitative study was conducted to show the metaphorical perceptions of teacher candidates about synchronous distance university education. In this study, 178 teacher candidates, including 79 secondary mathematics, 49 science, and 50 elementary teacher candidates studying in a public university in the Central Anatolia Region in the 2019-2020 academic year, were selected with the convenience sampling method. The data were collected online due to the pandemic with an online form which includes the phrase “Distance university education is like… because…”. The teacher candidates provided 173 well-structured metaphors about distance education. The content analysis method was used for data analysis. The findings obtained in this study showed that comfort, YouTube, home, incomplete, comfort, holiday, and emptiness metaphors were particularly used. Metaphors used by teacher candidates were collected under 17 different categories as "hardware", "satisfaction", "interaction", "future", "need", "complex", "comfort", "obligation", "motivation", "spiritual", "virtual", "systemic", "responsibility", “accessibility”, “suitability”, “efficiency” and “time”. The content analysis results revealed thatmetaphors differed according to the needs and nature of the departments. It is recommended to create solutions specific to the departments and prefer distance education methods suitable for the lessons.

Speaking Personally – with Otto Peters

ABSTRACT Professor Otto Peters (*06 May 1926 in Berlin, Germany) is one of the leading pioneers and scholars of distance education and founding rector of the FernUniversität in Hagen, Germany. Professor Olaf Zawacki-Richter, Otto Peters’ last doctoral student, conducted the interview. Otto Peters talks about how he first came into contact with distance learning as a student during World War II. While working at the German Institute of Distance Education, as head of the department for distance education abroad, he invented the term “distance education.” He talks about the development of distance education in Europe, the establishment of the FernUniversität in Hagen, and how he was appointed as the first rector of the new distance teaching university in Germany. Finally, Otto Peters reflects on the impact and reception of his theory of distance education as the most industrialized form of education, which has made him a globally recognized theorist in the field of distance education research.

Teachers’ teaching and professional competences assessment

This research is part of a project led by the Catholic University of Santiago de Guayaquil (Ecuador) and the National Distance Education University - UNED (Spain) aiming at designing a teaching/professional competences training model for teachers. The purpose of this study is to assess the meaning of professional competences and their significance within teachers’ teaching and training processes. Using the mixed methods approach, an ad hoc questionnaire was designed and given to discussion groups, achieving participation of more than a hundred teachers. Quantitative data analysis was carried out using the Logit model while Atlas ti 23 allowed analysis of the qualitative data. The results evidenced high scores in the competences evaluated, being leadership and research the lowest. In general, the teachers value, preferably, planning, communication, evaluation, methodology, digital, and tutoring competences, with a lower value among teachers ranging from 25 to 30 years old; those older than 55 stressed the importance of digital and innovation competences. Thus, it is recommended that training programs for teachers should focus on the set of related competences, especially on the digital competence, considering the challenges represented by investigation and pedagogical leadership.

Application of Decision Tree Classification Algorithm in Quality Assessment of Distance Learning in Colleges

INTRODUCTION: The quality assessment technology of distance education in colleges and universities, as the critical technology for identifying the quality of distance education in colleges and universities, is conducive to the improvement of the quality of distance teaching and the progress of the existing means and methods of distance education, which makes the means of distance teaching in colleges and universities rich in science.
 OBJECTIVES: Aiming at the evaluation methods of higher education institutions, there are problems such as insufficient objectivity and comprehensiveness of the evaluation system, single process, and inadequate quantitative analysis.
 METHODS:Proposes a decision tree and intelligent optimization algorithm for the college distance teaching quality assessment method. Firstly, the kernel principal component analysis method is used to carry out dimensionality reduction analysis on the index system of college distance teaching quality assessment; then, the decision tree parameters are optimized through the marine predator algorithm to construct a college distance teaching quality assessment model; finally, the robustness and efficiency of the proposed method are verified through simulation experimental analysis.
 RESULTS: The results show that the proposed method improves the accuracy of the assessment model.
 CONCLUSION: The problem of insufficient objective and scientific evaluation and low precision of distance teaching quality assessment methods in colleges and universities is solved.

대학 원격교육에서 학습관리시스템(LMS) 품질이 학습자 만족도에 미치는 영향

The purpose of this study was to analyze the relative impact of LMS quality recognized by learners in university distance education on learner satisfaction, and to analyze whether there were differences depending on the media used. To this end, a survey was conducted on 669 D university students, and multiple regression analysis was conducted. The results of the study that analyzed the data are as follows. First, it was found that there was a positive correlation among LMS system quality, information quality, service quality, and learner satisfaction. Second, the three factors explain 73.9% of learner satisfaction. Information quality, service quality, and system quality were found to have an effect in order. Third, Third, there was a difference in the effect on learner satisfaction by medium. Therefore, in order to increase learner satisfaction, LMS quality factors should be comprehensively improved.