E-learning Practices Research Articles

Engineering students’ perceptions of e-learning in higher education: A two-university comparison

Acceptance of e-learning among students in higher education institutions is crucial to a thriving educational environment. In this context, the present research focuses on exploring e-learning practices and perceptions in engineering colleges of Kuwait and India with the help of the adapted technology acceptance model. The survey of 270 students from the two universities showed generally positive perceptions toward e-learning. Convenience was another factor affecting actual usage in Kuwait and motivation in India. Though some differences were observed in the perceived usefulness of e-learning among Kuwaiti and Indian students, both colleges’ participants recognized the benefits of e-learning and the acceptance of its application. The results stress the importance of cultural and institutional factors while implementing e-learning methodologies in engineering education. Consequently, explicit knowledge from this research extends the comprehension of e-learning effectiveness in various educative environments for educators and policymakers.

Investigating the Impact of E-Learning on Employees' Performance and Work Commitment: A Case Study of Private Sector School and College Employees in SWAT

This study investigates the impact of e-learning on employees' performance and work commitment; private sector schools and colleges in SWAT. The research aim is to find and provide insights into the effectiveness of e-learning initiatives taken in improving educational institutions and employee performance. A qualitative case study approach; semi-structured interviews and formal document analysis to conduct the study. An online survey was conducted where 200 employees participated. This included both closed-ended and open-ended questions. Descriptive statistics shows 45% of respondents were aged 25-34, with a gender distribution of 60% male and 40% female. Mostly participants (50%) had a Bachelor’s degree, and 30% had a Master’s degree. This method showed that E-learning practices adopted by employees at 30% participated daily, 40% weekly, and 20% monthly. The satisfaction with e-learning was found as 25% very satisfied and 40% satisfied in the educational setting. The study results finds that e-learning has significantly improved employee performance by enabling e-skill acquisition and knowledge transfer that leadins to improvements in teaching effectiveness and student outcomes. It also helps in improved employee work commitment by providing, continuous professional development opportunities. The finding reveals a positive correlations, found between e-learning participation and job performance (r = 0.65, p < 0.01) and, also between e-learning satisfaction and work commitment (r = 0.62, p < 0.01). This study is limited to private sector educational institutions in SWAT that may affect the generalizability of the findings towards public sector or other large organizations in educational sector. This research confirms the e-learning impact on employee performance and work commitment in private sector educational institutions. Therefore, future research could be expanded to the scope where other regions and sectors; public sector and non-profit institutions can be included, to provide a more valuable understanding of e-learning’s impact in such setting. The research findings and observations contributes to the existing body of knowledge by providing empirical evidence-the impact of e-learning on employee performance and work commitment in SWAT’s private sector schools and colleges. It mainly highlights the importance of adopting and practicing effective e-learning strategies to improve educational outcomes and to support professional growth.

Factors Affecting the e-Learning Implementation in UAE Public Sector Organizations

There is an increasing recognition among organizations that investment in learning and development interventions is necessary for a sustained improvement in organizational performance and excellence. E-Learning is becoming a popular delivery method across public sector organizations in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Organizations often consider developing the skills and knowledge of their employees by using advanced technologies and approaches. The present study aims to examine factors affecting E-Learning implementation among public sector organizations in the UAE. The review shows that the use of E-Learning has spread among organizations faster than any other method, particularly within the public sector organizations of the UAE. Therefore, this research aims to shed light on the current status of E-Learning implementation in the public sector organizations in the UAE. Moreover, the study explores different E-Learning technologies and approaches that are used in organizations. It also addresses the advantages and disadvantages of using E-Learning. In addition, it examines the barriers and challenges of using E-Learning methods in organizations and offers several recommendations to develop strategies and to improve policy and practice of E-Learning.

Using ChatGPT in Teaching Computer Programming and Studying its Impact on Students Performance

Given the recent emergence of artificial intelligence as an important topic that can contribute to improve curricula and lecture delivery, an increasing number of scholars are investigating its impact in various educational fields. The ChatGPT, which is an artificial intelligence model developed by OpenAI, represents a significant advancement in the generative artificial intelligence area. Since its announcement, integrating the ChatGPT into computer programming curricula - and into other scientific curricula - has yielded some challenges. The main challenge is clearly evident in the conduct of in-class tests and in-lab assignments, where the students are given specific tasks to be accomplished within a certain time frame. As they might seek help from ChatGPT, these types of assessments could be considered a potential threat to academic integrity and may be viewed as a form of academic dishonesty. This study aims at integrating ChatGPT into computer programming curricula, exploring its potential to enhance undergraduate education. It follows a mixed methods approach to examine the potential integration of ChatGPT in teaching computer programming as a supplementary tool. A quasi-experimental design is followed, in which an experimental group is allowed to use ChatGPT and compared to a control group that was not. A research sample of 26 undergraduate students (13 males, 13 females) from the College of Education at Sultan Qaboos University participated in the study. The methodology encompassed three research instruments: in-class exams, in-lab assignments, and semi-structured interviews. These research instruments were utilized to assess the impact of ChatGPT on students' academic performance, which served as both independent (use of ChatGPT) and dependent (student performance) variables. The quantitative analysis revealed a significant enhancement in students' performance, while the qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews indicated that participants view ChatGPT as a valuable support for learning. Feedback from participants suggested combining ChatGPT with traditional teaching methods to optimize learning outcomes. This study highlights the feasibility and educational benefits of incorporating AI tools like ChatGPT into teaching methodologies. It suggests that such integration can provide a more engaging and effective learning environment, potentially revolutionizing computer programming education. This paper supports e-learning practice by integrating AI-driven tools like ChatGPT into the educational framework and advances the e-learning area by demonstrating these technologies' potential to improve student academic performance in the learning environments. However, the study also acknowledges the need for further research to explore the long-term effects of AI integration in educational settings and to address any emerging challenges. These findings propose a promising direction for future curricular enhancements and suggest an effective method for the integration of AI technologies to support and enrich traditional educational frameworks.

Risks of AI Applications Used in Higher Education

As artificial intelligence (AI) tools become more widely used in higher education, we must pay attention to the risks that can emerge. AI projects, whether applied in classroom learning or used for decision-making regarding admissions, financial aid allocation, or hiring, must include attention to governance and compliance issues, regardless of the project’s scope and scale. Concerns highlighted in this work include transparency, user privacy, data confidentiality, data integrity, and system availability, however, we note that this is a non-exhaustive list of risks. In this paper, risk assessment is defined, and two examples of risk management frameworks, namely the United States National Institute of Standards and Technology Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Framework and the non-profit humanitarian effort ForHumanity’s Independent Audit of AI, Algorithmic, and Autonomous Systems are briefly described. We identify characteristics of AI applications that need to be assessed for vulnerabilities they may present, such as bias and discrimination. This paper aims to facilitate discussion among stakeholders about the risks that may be encountered from using AI in higher education, as well as to suggest ways developers, decision-makers, and users can mitigate these risks. Much discussion and published literature has focused on risk management frameworks designed for large organizations or enterprises or frameworks that do not consider risks specific to AI. We hope that decision-makers carefully consider the risks, perform due diligence when implementing AI applications, and create a plan for mitigating the risks. This research supports e-learning practice because students and faculty are embracing AI applications. Leaders and decision-makers in higher education need to be proactive in protecting their varied stakeholders. The paper asks what risks may be encountered by institutions of higher education when using AI tools and products in the classroom and for various aspects of decision-making and if published frameworks can mitigate these risks.

An Overview of Arabic Language Open Educational Resources (OER) for Primary and Secondary Education and Their Use in Offline Environments

Open educational resource (OER) initiatives have opened new avenues for educational opportunities, yet OER adoption levels globally remain low. Two significant obstacles to more widespread adoption of OER are the challenge of internet connectivity that nearly half the world’s population still faces, and the lack of locally-relevant (e.g. in terms of language and curricula) OER resources. This article’s contribution is twofold. First, it presents a qualitative landscape analysis of existing primary- and secondary-level Arabic-language digital OERs and of the initiatives that provide these resources. Second, it details applied research via a case study, wherein appropriate resources identified in the analysis were subsequently curated for inclusion in an offline digital library currently being used in schools in Northeast Syria that offers all Open resources. Results from the landscape analysis indicate a limited quantity of Arabic-language OER content available for primary and secondary education. Furthermore, multiple challenges hinder the adoption of OER in resource-constrained settings. Accordingly, recommendations are made that could help to improve these resources' ability to be used, particularly drawing from the article’s applied case study for examples. Given the case study’s application of providing locally-relevant OER resources in an offline setting, this article provides a real-world example of furthering open e-learning, despite infrastructural, linguistic, and socio-political challenges. As such, it advances research supporting innovative e-learning practice, and should be of interest for scholars and practitioners interested in furthering the adoption of open e-learning in low-resource settings globally.

Assessment Of Effective Factors In E-Learning at Islamic Azad University

The rapid growth of information and communication technology has brought significant changes to the performance of education globally through the use of learning management systems facilitated by e-learning in higher education institutions. Despite perceived advantages such as flexible and widespread access, e-learning still faces challenges like identifying the needs of students, faculty, and staff, as well as delivering quality courses. Furthermore, there is a lack of assessment of existing e-learning initiatives and the determination of critical success factors for quality. This necessitates further research into e-learning practices to fill the identified gaps. This study presents a model for assessing the quality of e-learning systems by modifying and expanding existing frameworks for quality learning with other models and frameworks. A descriptive and exploratory research approach was employed using a cross-sectional survey of 180 respondents from Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch. Data were collected through questionnaires and interviews using stratified sampling methods. The validity of the conceptual model was assessed using structural equation modeling and regression analysis. This study revealed that course design, content support, administrative support, user characteristics, organizational factors, and social support impact quality. This research has contributed to the body of knowledge from theoretical, methodological, and practical perspectives.

On the Importance of Contextualizing an Educational Escape Room Activity

This paper describes the design and evaluation of "Enigma Bio", an educational escape room activity that aims to convey the abstract concept of biodiversity to children between 11 and 13 years of age, making them aware of the importance of climate change and its impact on biodiversity. The design of Enigma Bio is closely linked to the Biodiversity exhibition at the National Museum of Natural Sciences in Madrid, designed for a visit in groups of between 20 and 30 children, with an approximate duration of one hour, running on mobile devices and including augmented reality technology. The purpose of this research is to determine whether, in the case of educational escape room activities in museums with a limited time duration, it is more effective to have a pre-session introducing the topic. Our hypothesis is that without the context of the pre-explanation, the playful component of the game may be too powerful and may cause children not to pay enough attention to the message that the game intends to communicate, and even more so when dealing with a complex message such as the effect of climate change on biodiversity. To answer this research question, we follow an A/B testing experimental design involving two groups of children, one of which received an introductory talk on biodiversity and climate change before going to the museum and the other did not. The experimental design is completed with a pre-post evaluation of the children's environmental awareness by means of a previously validated questionnaire. The results of the experiment provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of the pre-session introduction in enhancing the learning outcomes of short educational escape room activities. Significant differences were observed between pre- and post-activity tests, indicating a moderate overall increase in awareness scores within both individual groups (A and B) as well as across the combined results. The findings suggest that the pre-session introduction indeed plays a role in enhancing students' awareness of the targeted message. These results represent a breakthrough in the e-learning practice that will be of value to other designers of educational escape rooms with a limited time duration.

Evaluation of E-Learning Platforms under the EASTRIP Project: Enhancing Competency-Based Education and Training through Holographic Technology in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

This study delved into the use of hologram technology to bridge the practical learning gaps in the Competency-Based Education and Training framework when using E-learning platforms. The study utilized a convergent mixed-method, combining quantitative and qualitative approaches. The study focused on 26 public tertiary learning institutions located in Dar es Salaam. It selected 14 widely used e-learning platforms for a comprehensive analysis, ensuring diverse representation. The study's statistical treatment included descriptive statistics and content analysis. The study concluded that the platforms are crucial in delivering content and in teaching, uploading lecture notes and administering tests. However, the use of technology in final examinations and practical assignments indicates notable gaps that need addressing, requiring advanced technologies such as hologram. Addressing these gaps will require technological advancements and continuous professional development for academic staff to optimize the use of e-learning platforms and ensure they meet the comprehensive needs of modern education. This holistic approach will strengthen the alignment of e-learning practices with the CBET framework, fostering a more effective and inclusive learning environment.

Technostress Impact on Educator Productivity: Gender Differences in Jordan's Higher Education

This research examines the effects of technostress on educators' productivity within Jordan's higher education sector, highlighting gender differences. Technostress, characterized by techno-overload, techno-invasion, techno-complexity, techno-insecurity, and techno-uncertainty, adversely affects productivity. The study gathered data from 500 educators through a structured online survey, achieving a 73% response rate. Analysis revealed that technostress generally decreases productivity, with a more pronounced negative impact on male educators than females. The findings underscore the necessity for targeted interventions to mitigate technostress, particularly among male educators. Strategies recommended include training programs, policy adjustments, and organizational support to enhance the digital teaching environment. This study contributes to the understanding of technostress in Jordanian educational settings. It offers practical recommendations for enhancing e-learning practices and improving the overall educational experience and productivity in Jordan's higher education sector.

Enhancing E-learning in higher education: Lessons learned from the pandemic

This study delves into the intricate realm of evaluating and refining e-learning practices, drawing upon insights from esteemed higher education professionals. Through a qualitative lens rooted in phenomenology, the research engages in semi-structured interviews with 30 faculty members from seven public universities in Tehran, ensuring theoretical saturation. Employing inductive content analysis, the data examination unveils three core categories of challenges: educational assessment, research evaluation, and university services. Emphasizing the significance of internal task performance, adaptability to dynamic environments, and external institutional promotion, the study advocates for the development of a comprehensive evaluation model and tools to uphold program quality, efficiency, and effectiveness. Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, the research highlights the pressing need for Iranian higher education to bolster productivity through strategic resource allocation across education, research, services, and human capital development domains. Such efforts are pivotal in shaping a more prosperous future and bolstering societal scientific and cultural standing.

E-learning, assessment competency and academic performance: A structural equation modelling approach

E-learning practices and the competency in assessing should facilitate ones’ academic performance. The main purpose of this study is to explore the degree of influence of e-learning practices and competency in assessment on academic achievement of students. This study is a quantitative approach using survey method involving the process of data collection through the administration of constructed instruments. The population of the study involves student teachers from the three selected universities in Selangor and Perak. Sample selection is made using random sampling technique. 460 student teachers are selected. The questionnaire for e-learning practices is adapted from OLES (Renee, 2011) and for the competency in assessment comes from Zahari (2018). The structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis is used to test the hypothesized relationship. The results show that, e-learning practices, knowledge and skills in assessing and attitude in assessment significantly influence academic achievement of students. E-learning practices has a highest value and a significant standardized regression coefficient with students’ achievement (0.39) followed by skills in assessment (0.27), knowledge in assessment (0.09) and lastly is attitude in assessment (0.08). The core findings of the study have few implications for higher education and practice, measurement and theory development, and future research.

Knowledge Management in E-learning Practices

Knowledge Management in E-learning Practices

Online Course Design Review: Quality e-Learning Practices in Higher Education

This article presents the importance of online course revision to improve best practices in distance higher education, increase student success and raise retention rates. A year-long, systematic, unified approach to online course review was conducted by a committee of Humanities professors. The aim of this paper is to share the significant enhancements made to an online course design, using the 7th Edition of Quality Matters Higher Education Rubric to boost student engagement, performance, and satisfaction. This study discusses how each standard was applied to refine an online course. The purpose of the revision was to systematically address the standards as proposed by the QM rubric. Findings revealed areas to strengthen in each of the eight general standards resulting in the actualization of the course design to be more accessible and practical for student use. A few of the specific enhancements because of the revision were the creation of a course content map, clear and predictable design, weekly email reminders, and rubrics. Student feedback confirmed positive outcomes after the successful implementation of best practices using the QM rubric.

E-Learning Instructional Management For Students with Intellectual Disabilities

Online teaching is inevitable during the COVID-19 pandemic as schools and educational institutions globally are forced to close. This sudden paradigm shift from the traditional classroom to remote online teaching has disrupted the education system in general. The study aims to examine the e-learning practices of a school-to-work transition program using TPACK Framework for students with intellectual disabilities (IDs). An in-depth study was conducted with 25 students with IDs on the process of curriculum design, technology setup, as well as roles of all stakeholders. Findings show the importance of collaborative support with clear roles and planning are essential to achieve effective management in online and individualized learning. This paper highlights the challenges and problems encountered by both teachers and students. Practical guidelines, processes, and teaching strategies of the e-learning system are proposed for the betterment of e-learning management of teaching and delivery.

Enhancing Learning Continuity: A Case Study on the Effective Utilizations of eLearning to Mitigate Class Suspensions at St. Paul University-Surigao

This study investigated the effectiveness of eLearning designs and learning outcomes at St. Paul University-Surigao's College of Business and Technology. A mixed-methods approach was employed, utilizing a descriptive survey (n=220) and a qualitative thematic analysis of student feedback. A survey revealed generally positive student perceptions of instructional design and learning outcome achievement. However, these perceptions varied across programs, suggesting a need for tailoring. Qualitative analysis, importantly, identified both positive aspects (flexibility, self-learning) and challenges (limited interaction and engagement, technical issues, instructor quality). These challenges, crucial for educators and researchers to be aware of, resonate with broader discussions on the barriers to effective eLearning implementation. This study contributes to the understanding of effective eLearning practices in higher education. The findings emphasize the importance of well-designed online courses that balance student autonomy with strategies to address engagement, social interaction, and access barriers.

How teachers support secondary school students to become self-regulated learners in technology-enhanced language learning

Despite evidence indicating the importance of self-regulated learning (SRL) for academic achievement and lifelong learning, there remains a lack of understanding regarding how teachers can effectively support their students in enacting SRL with e-learning tools/resources (SRL e-learning). The purpose of this study is to investigate how teachers can support English as a second/foreign language (ESL/EFL) learners’ SRL e-learning. The participants were 1473 seventh (n = 714, 48.5%, 12–15 years old) and eighth (n = 759, 51.5%, 12–16 years old) grade students in China. The proposed framework of teacher support included five dimensions, namely, SRL strategy instruction, resource support (linking SRL and e-learning practices), capacity support (scaffolding students’ e-learning experience), emotional support (communication of expectations and encouragement), and creating a constructivist learning environment. According to the Multivariate Analyses of Variance (MANOVAs), high, average, and low achievers reported different levels of SRL e-learning, suggesting that SRL e-learning contributes to English learning achievement. The structural equation modeling (SEM) results revealed that teacher support for SRL e-learning plays a crucial role in students’ SRL e-learning in ESL/EFL.

An Immersive Virtual Learning Environment for the Development of Hard Skills: A Scientometric Analysis and Systematic Review

A scientometric analysis and systematic review of an immersive virtual learning environment (IVLE) designed to improve the development of hard skills comprised this study. The review focused on the period between 2016 and 2023 and was conducted using the Scopus database. This study employed a scientometrics analysis and systematic review methodology. In this study, a comprehensive analysis was conducted on a corpus of 12 scholarly articles that have been published within the last 8 years. This study looked at the aggregate magnitude and trajectory of scholarly publications and looked at a number of trends in scholarly research, including annual reports, article counts, article distribution across different sources, finding the most useful sources, keyword analysis, looking into the best collaboration groups, looking at how themes have changed over time, judging contributions, and practical implications. The primary findings regarding the data and document types indicated that a total of 12 articles were published across 10 different sources within the timeframe of 2016 to 2023. The research conducted on IVLE for the development of hard skills exhibited fluctuations in its pace, alternating between deceleration and positive acceleration. The growth rate of the articles peaked in 2022. The primary publication with the greatest of source is “Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems.” Keyword Plus growth rate for terms like “virtual reality,” “e-learning,” and “teaching” The nations exhibit a high degree of collaboration in the field of research. The findings indicated that the authors hailing from Mexico and Colombia exhibited the greatest frequency (n = 2). The thematic evolution of the study indicated two significant advancements: firstly, the emergence of e-learning studies that have propelled the field of e-learning, and secondly, the integration of virtual reality into e-learning practices. The classification of applications encompasses various components: title, solution, learning strategy, and learning tasks.

Transforming workplace English in distance education: Exploring e-learning preferences and experiences in the digital age

In transforming digital progression in professional contexts, effective communication and career growth hinge significantly on mastering workplace English. Despite the increasing reliance on e-learning tools as a promising alternative in higher education, there exists a dearth of research focusing on individual preferences and experiences, particularly within distance education. This article fills this gap by conducting qualitative research firmly rooted in the community of inquiry theory. The primary objective of this study is to scrutinize the efficacy of e-learning tools and highlight factors that influence the preferences of first-year students engaged in distance education. Some key considerations encompass flexibility, interactivity, personalized learning, and accessibility. The research methodology involves observation of various e-learning platforms, in-depth interviews, and open-ended evaluation questions with first-year students who speak English as a second language in a South African open-distance e-learning university. The findings highlight an inclination towards virtual classrooms and customized online modules. Noteworthy aspects highlighted by participants include the significance of collaborative learning, real-world scenarios, continuous feedback mechanisms, and the integration of adaptive technologies. The significance of this research lies in its contribution to the advancement of distance education, which specifically focuses on workplace English skills. This research expands on distance education and provides specific implications for enhancing e-learning practices and their pivotal role in guiding the future workforce.

Innovation in surgical trauma care education: assessment of a Panamerican Trauma Society online surgical skills course hosted by the Spanish Surgical Association.

Incorporating surgical skills education in trauma care is essential for young surgeons and surgical trainees. This study describes an innovative e-learning course for teaching trauma care surgical skills in an international cooperative setting. Furthermore, it aims to offer valuable insights on enhancing e-learning practices. The Panamerican Trauma Society and the Spanish Surgical Association have joined forces to launch an online course focusing on advanced trauma care surgical skills. This report provides an in-depth examination of the project and scrutinizes participant feedback through a post-course survey. The survey thoroughly evaluates their satisfaction level, the usefulness of the course content, and their view on its clinical relevance. Three hundred eighty-two surgeons from 16 countries completed an online course. Three hundred seventy-nine of them responded to the post-course survey. The mean age was 36, with 64% females and 36% males. The course consisted of 9.9h of academic content, including 5h of video lectures and 4.9h of live discussions. Ninety-seven percent of the participants were practicing general and acute care surgeons, and only 2% were exclusively dedicated to trauma surgery. Sixty-one percent of participants highly valued real-time interaction with faculty, and 95% believed their trauma surgical skills would improve. Additionally, 93% of the participants were satisfied or very satisfied with the e-learning experience. The use of video-based instructional materials has revolutionized surgical education. With online courses in trauma surgery, surgeons can now improve their skills and better prepare themselves to handle severe trauma cases. This innovative approach to surgical education has proven to be very effective and can potentially enhance patients' quality of care.