Online Learning Courses Research Articles

Investigating the impact of gamification components on online learners’ engagement

As online learning and teaching are becoming an educational trend, online students’ engagement will directly impact the learning and teaching effects and outcomes. A scientific application of gamification in online learning, teaching, and online course design will improve online learners’ learning experience and help build a better virtual learning context for online learners worldwide. This study focuses on how gamification can engage online students from skills, emotional, participation, and performance perspectives. The gamification components investigated in this study are Points (also called Anar Seeds in the context of this study) and Badges, the most widely used components in gamification design in education, and online instructors have primarily used them to motivate students’ learning and acknowledge their achievements by timely rewarding specific learning behavior or performance. A mixed method has been applied to explore further the relationships between gamification components and online students’ engagement and how online students perceive the impacts of gamification on their online learning experience. The findings show a significant correlation between Points and online students’ skills, emotional, participation, and performance engagement, while it exists only between Badges and online students’ participation engagement. The findings also reveal mixed perceptions of online students towards gamification. Study limitations regarding lack of age criterion, limited measurement indicators, and oversimplification of survey responses have also been discussed. It is suggested that future research can be conducted from either the instructors’ or the gamification designers’ perspectives to determine any other factors that might contribute to the implementation of gamification in the online learning context.

Implementing Universal Design for Learning in Online Courses to Support Multilingual Students in Higher Education

Implementing Universal Design for Learning in Online Courses to Support Multilingual Students in Higher Education

Impact of Self-Efficacy and Self-Regulated Learning on Satisfaction and Academic Performance in Online Learning

During the COVID-19 pandemic, universities widely adopted online and blended learning highlighting the need to investigate students’ self-efficacy and self-regulation in such an environment. This study examines the impact of self-efficacy and self-regulated learning on students’ satisfaction and academic performance in online learning contexts. Data were collected from 442 university students across various disciplines focusing on six dimensions of online learning self-efficacy and self-regulated learning. The findings reveal that both online learning self-efficacy and online self-regulated learning are at high levels for students in general, with no significant gender differences. Younger students, those in lower semesters and those with reliable internet connectivity exhibited higher levels of these attributes. Non-graduates demonstrated greater self-efficacy in social and academic interaction while management science social science and humanities students exhibited higher levels of online self-regulated learning. Further analysis shows that total online learning platforms used and online learning quality significantly predicted both self-efficacy and self-regulated learning. However, the total semesters using online learning and total online courses taken had no significant effect on these factors. Online self-regulated learning was strongly determined by self-efficacy. Self-efficacy in computer or internet, in the online learning environment, and in time management were significant predictors of online learning self-efficacy. In contrast, environment structuring, time management, goal setting and help-seeking were significant predictors in online self-regulated learning. Self-efficacy in time management and environment structuring were the highest contributing factors for online learning self-efficacy and online self-regulated learning respectively. However, only online self-regulated learning significantly influenced academic performance.

A MODEL PROPOSAL WITH DEEP LEARNING: ON STUDENT SUCCESS

This study aims to investigate predicting student academic performance using interaction data from online learning environments and course and demographic information from student information systems using deep learning methods. Deep learning enables high-precision prediction in large and complex datasets, enabling more accurate and reliable student prediction. In this context, modelling student performance based on data from online learning environments and student information systems not only identifies students at risk of nonattendance, but also allows prediction of potential failures by the end of the semester, enabling timely intervention at an early stage in the process. This model can be used to grade student performance and provide feedback on an individual or group basis. In addition, it will make a significant contribution to tutors managing online courses by enabling them to monitor students’ overall performance levels and organise learning processes more effectively. The dataset used in the study includes interaction data from 4,470 students enrolled in various online courses at Ya¸sar University during the autumn semester of 2019-2020, as well as course and demographic information from the student information system. The deep learning model developed in the study achieved 99.81% classification accuracy on training data and 98.36% on test data, predicting students’ final grades.

Chinese nursing students’ academic self-concept and deep learning in online courses: Does psychological capital play a moderating role?

The advent of online education has become indispensable for nursing students seeking to acquire knowledge. However, the efficacy of online education often falls short of initial expectations. Deep learning (DL) can assist learners tackle complex problems and make innovative decisions. Despite its potential, there has been limited exploration into the underlying mechanisms of DL among nursing students, both domestically and globally. This study examined the potential moderating effect of psychological capital (PC) on the association between academic self-concept (AS-c) and DL among nursing students from China enrolled in online courses. Conducted from October 2022 to January 2023, the survey involved 635 nursing students from four public universities in eastern China, utilizing convenience sampling. Data was collected using the AS-c scale, psychological capital scale, and DL scale in online courses. Correlation analyses, univariate analyses, multiple linear regression analyses, and the PROCESS macro were employed for a comprehensive examination. The results revealed a strong positive relationship between nursing students' DL and both their AS-c (r = 0.766, P < 0.01) and PC (r = 0.714, P < 0.01), respectively. Additionally, the effect of AS-c on DL was stronger among individuals with high PC (β = 0.34, SE = 0.03, P < 0.001) compared to those with low (β = 0.29, SE = 0.02, P < 0.001) or medium (β = 0.24, SE = 0.02, P < 0.001) levels of PC, indicating that PC exerts moderating effects and promotes DL among nursing students enrolled in online courses. Based on these findings, several implications are suggested for the theory and practice of facilitating DL.

Empowering Hearing-Impaired Learners for Digital Citizenship: A Thai MOOC-Based Design Thinking Approach

In today's technology-driven world, digital citizenship is vital in fostering responsible technology use and essential skills for learning, problem-solving, and community participation. However, a significant focus emerges within digital citizenship—empowering individuals with disabilities. This research addresses this crucial area by spearheading the creation of a specialized Thai Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) meticulously designed for hearing-impaired learners. The core objective is to equip these individuals with indispensable digital citizenship skills for seamless integration and active engagement in digital environments. The study progresses through three key phases. Phase 1 involves crafting the MOOC course to meet the needs of hearing-impaired individuals. Phase 2 develops a course on the Thai MOOC platform, using the MOOC-based Design Thinking Model and universal design learning principles. Phase 3 assesses 20 hearing-impaired learners in the "Utilizing Online Media as Digital Citizenship Course." The research reveals two significant outcomes, highlighting the course's impact. First, an evaluation of digital media quality and learning activities was conducted by five experts with 15 to 30 years of experience in the field, the result was an impressive performance rating of 4.56 on a 5-point Likert scale, indicating the course's high suitability for hearing-impaired learners. Such findings validate the precise alignment of the course with its intended objectives. Second, the outcomes of learning achievement tests on the Thai MOOC platform involving 20 high school hearing-impaired learners revealed that 15 learners scored above 70 (passing), representing 75%. The average post-test score was higher than the pre-test, with an average score of 72.05 points. These results demonstrate the course's effectiveness in improving learning outcomes and meeting predetermined criteria, while also indicating that adopting the MOOC-based Design Thinking model has led to the creation of high-quality media that delivers tangible results for hearing-impaired individuals. This research contributes to the eLearning field by addressing the specific needs of hearing-impaired individuals in digital citizenship education through tailored online learning courses designed to bridge existing gaps.

Evaluation of Two Online Learning Courses for Evidence-Based Trauma Treatments: TFCBTWeb2.0 and CPTWeb2.0

Web courses for evidence-based treatments (EBTs) are an important component of training models and broader treatment dissemination and implementation. However, there exists limited research on the efficacy of large-scale online training, as most studies exploring these trainings focus on web courses designed for a specific research project. This project explored participation and knowledge acquisition in two large-scale web courses for trauma-focused EBTs: TFCBTWeb2.0 and CPTWeb2.0. Data were extracted for 174,193 TFCBTWeb2.0 learners and 12,024 CPTWeb2.0 learners, including learner characteristics (e.g., degree, years of experience) and knowledge acquisition from course module pre- and posttest scores. Learners demonstrated significant increases in knowledge for all TFCBTWeb2.0 and CPTWeb2.0 modules. Examination of completion status (i.e., started vs. completed the course) indicated that learners who identified as trainees or early career professionals were more likely to complete a web course, compared to those with terminal degrees and 5+ years of experience. Learners who registered for TFCBTWeb2.0 prior to the COVID-19 pandemic also had slightly higher completion rates compared to peri-COVID-19 learners. Taken together, these findings suggest that web courses can be an effective tool for increasing EBT knowledge. Further, completion rates for both web courses suggest the potential importance of system-level factors (e.g., agency/supervisor support) to increase the likelihood of completing these types of trainings.

Implementing online learning of Diagnostic Criteria for the Temporomandibular Disorders (DC/TMD) protocol in undergraduate dental education.

The Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (DC/TMD) is part of the undergraduate dental curriculum. Online teaching has nowadays become common also in dentistry. To compare undergraduate students' self-assessed ability and satisfaction with learning DC/TMD Axis I between traditional and online learning and to evaluate the possible gains of online teaching. Third-year undergraduate dental students in 2018 (traditional learning, Group 1, n = 43/50) and in 2019 (online learning, Group 2, n = 34/50) at the University of Oulu, Finland evaluated their self-assessed ability and satisfaction with learning DC/TMD clinical examination and diagnostics on a 10-point scale. Additionally, those participating in online courses answered to two open-ended questions; Group 2 (n = 50) and another group from the University of Eastern Finland in 2019 and 2020 (n = 75, Group 3). Total of 105/125 students (84%) responded. Content analysis was used to open-ended responses. The online course reported significantly higher self-assessed ability in measurements (p = 0.004), identifying referred pain (p = 0.043) and statement for the diagnostics (p = 0.017) and also higher self-assessed satisfaction in measurements (p = 0.046). According to the content analysis, essential gains of online teaching were efficient learning, videos and exercises, and adjustability to own timetable. The online learning course can be considered as a good option for traditional learning of the DC/TMD protocol.

Curiosity promotes self-regulated learning and achievement in online courses for students with varying self-efficacy levels

The mass migration to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic has increased students’ burden of self-regulating their learning. Amid this change, students with low self-efficacy may struggle due to their tendency to exhibit poor self-regulated learning and course outcomes. This study investigated the potential buffering role of students’ curiosity in the impact of self-efficacy on self-regulated learning and course outcomes. Three surveys were administered to 363 undergraduates enrolled in online courses across a semester. Both self-efficacy and curiosity directly predicted self-regulated learning and course outcomes. The interaction between the two had significant effects on help-seeking and course grade. Students were less likely to seek help in online courses when either their efficacy or curiosity was low. High curiosity mitigated the negative effects of low self-efficacy on course grades. Students’ self-regulated learning mediated the link between motivation and course outcomes. These findings have implications for supporting students’ success in remote learning.

Patient Advocates for Clinical Research (PACER): A Step Toward Ethical, Relevant, and Truly Participatory Clinical Research in India.

Background Clinical research presents a promising path for improving healthcare in contemporary India. Yet, researchers identify gaps in trust, awareness, as well as misconceptions about being a '"guinea pig." We proposed building the capacity of training patient advocacy groups (PAGs) in patient-centered clinical research and through them creating aware patients as research partners. Methodology Patient Advocates for Clinical Research (PACER) is a tiered program to share information and education about clinical research with PAGs. Tier one is a self-paced online learning course, followed by workshops on clinical research, Good Clinical Practice, research consent, case studies, and group discussions. Results A total of 20 PAGs represented by 48 participants, active in areas of pediatric cancer, breast cancer, multiple myeloma, type I diabetes, spinal muscular atrophy, sickle cell disease, and inflammatory bowel diseases, participated. Among 48 participants 30 successfully completed the online course (multiple-choice question evaluation score cut-off >70%), attaining an average score of 23.9 ± 2.1 out of 30. Overall, 48 participants attended workshop 1 and 45 workshop 2, with 140 participants joining the focus group discussion (FGD). An overall improvement of 9.4% (𝜒2 = 46.173; p < 0.001) for workshop 1 and 8.2% (𝜒2 = 25.412; p < 0.001) for workshop 2 was seen in knowledge gain about clinical research. The FGD raised issues such as misleading information from research teams, unethical recruitment, incomprehensible information sheets, and limited trial-related knowledge fostering fear of participation in clinical research. Conclusions Multimodal and tiered learning of clinical research such as that used by PACER has a good participatory and learning response from PAGs and may be further explored.

A Scoping Survey to Inform Design of Digital Dementia Risk Reduction Interventions for Adults Concerned about their Cognitive Health.

Digital dementia risk reduction interventions are cost-effective and scalable. However, it is unknown how they are perceived by people already experiencing cognitive concerns or decline. To understand the current use, interest, and preferences for online learning courses and interest in learning about factors influencing brain health and dementia risk among adults ≥45. To explore potential differences between individuals experiencing cognitive concerns and those without. Adults aged 45 and older completed a survey on technology use and healthy ageing (n = 249, Mean age = 65.6, 76.3% female). The Memory Assessment Clinic-Questionnaire was used to assess subjective memory decline, and 153 participants met the study criteria for cognitive concerns (≥25). Almost all participants (98.4%) reported using two or more digital devices, and 51.8% reported increasing device usage following COVID-19. Most (92.1%) were interested in learning about healthy living and memory within an online course, and over 80% indicated a high interest in learning about dementia risk factors. People with cognitive concerns were more likely to report using a 'routine or system' to aid memory than people without (82.4% versus 62.9%, p = 0.001). However, no significant difference was found in technology use, course preferences, or interest in learning about different risk factors. We conclude that adults 45 years and over are interested in online methods for learning about brain health and offer unique insights into adapting dementia prevention programs for cognitive concerns.

Students satisfaction, self-efficacy and achievement in an emergency online learning course

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of an emergency online learning course on students’ satisfaction, self-efficacy and achievement. This study used a convergent mixed methods approach with an action research design to explore students’ experiences and outcomes in an emergency online science course. This study involved 25 voluntary participants from a private college in Manila, Philippines, who were enrolled in the Science, Technology and Society online course during the 2019–2020 academic year. Data were collected using a variety of instruments, including questionnaires, reflective journals and semi-structured interviews. The results showed that the developed emergency online learning course positively impacted students’ satisfaction, efficacy and achievement. Students were satisfied with their interactions with classmates and teachers and the course content. They also expressed confidence in their ability to perform online tasks independently and master the subject through pre-recorded videos. This study suggests that effective student-teacher interaction, peer relationships, relevant and relatable course content, well-designed lesson materials, clear assessment tasks, differentiated tasks to meet individual learning preferences and teacher creativity are essential factors for student satisfaction, efficacy and achievement in emergency online learning courses.

Framework For Performance Management, ICT-Based Digitalization in A Higher Education Institution

By improving teaching and learning, research, and governance, digital technology has altered the educational landscape in academic institutions. Adequate infrastructure, improved internet access, modern digital tools, a secure platform, and professionals with digital competency are all critically needed. Higher education institutions in India are clearly visible from the growing usage of ICT, cloud computing, AI, robotics, and virtual reality in daily operations, which improves competencies and aids in skill alignment with industry-based knowledge. Teaching in a regular classroom is becoming obsolete. The way that education is delivered has changed dramatically since the advent of technology. It provides the freedom for students to access learning at any time or location they want. The lines that were once drawn by understudies and educators being available in a similar spot simultaneously have likewise become more foggy because of education turning out to be more computerized. In the past ten years, internet and remote learning have grown in popularity in India. With the majority of the country now having access to digital technology, online learning courses are becoming more and more popular. Besides, understudy evaluation through digitalization technology is currently a chance on the grounds that to the improvement of learning management systems (LMS). Outside of the classroom, students can socialize with their peers. The pupils' soft skills have also been guided by the peer-centered learning component. LMS would enhance student evaluation and the teaching process.

Students' Perspectives on Innovation of Mathematics Learning Online Course on Their Ability to Develop Innovative Textbooks

The responsibility for developing professional and high-quality teacher candidates lies with the Education Institution for Educational Personnel (LPTK). However, achieving this goal is certainly challenging to achieve during this pandemic. This research explores student perspectives on the effectiveness of lectures in developing the ability to create innovative textbooks. The research employed quantitative descriptive methods and involved students from the mathematics education study program Universitas Negeri Semarang who were enrolled in the Innovation of Mathematics Learning course. The data were collected through questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results of the study indicate that preparing learning resources in modules is crucial during lectures. Additionally, activities such as synchronous lecture activities, use of Learning Management System (LMS), resources like videos, discussions with colleagues, virtual face-to-face, discussions using WhatsApp Group, presentation of each assignment, group assignments, and projects should be prepared during lectures. These results highlight the necessity of implementing a team-based project model to develop students’ abilities in developing innovative textbooks.&#x0D; Keywords: innovative textbooks, mathematics learning online course, students’ perspectives.

Large-Scale Evaluation of Satisfaction, Intent to Use, and Confidence with an Online Learning Course for a Well-Established, Evidence-Based Trauma Treatment: TFCBTWeb2.0

ABSTRACT Web-courses for learning evidence-based treatments (EBTs) are increasingly being used to improve the dissemination and implementation of evidence-based practices in psychology. Most research on web-courses has focused on engagement and knowledge acquisition, and limited research has evaluated learner satisfaction with training and intent to use EBTs. Further, even when aspects of satisfaction and learner intentions are examined, factors that may contribute to these variables are often overlooked. The current study sought to address these limitations by examining individual, training, and system level factors related to web-course satisfaction, intent to use EBTs, and confidence working with trauma-exposed families following completion of TFCBTWeb2.0, a publicly available web-course for trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy (TF-CBT). Data from 80,749 learners who completed TFCBTWeb2.0 and who represented a wide range of professionals were examined. Most learners (>90%) were satisfied with the course, intended to use the material, and had high confidence about working with trauma-exposed families. Moreover, those learners who completed the course more slowly (vs. faster completion time) and had more knowledge gain, as well as those who enrolled during the COVID-19 pandemic (vs. pre-pandemic), reported higher satisfaction with the course. Collectively, these results highlight the need to examine both individual and system level factors when considering web-course satisfaction, intent to use EBTs, and confidence working with client populations. Suggestions for TF-CBT trainers and supervisors are provided for how to improve training and learners’ willingness to use TF-CBT.

Investigating the effects of different levels of students' regulation support on learning process and outcome: In search of the optimal level of support for self-regulated learning

Students in higher education who actively manage and control their own learning processes have better learning outcomes, more efficient learning progress, and other non-academic benefits than those who do not. However, students often have poor self-regulation practices, lack reflective thinking, and fail to monitor their learning against defined goals. Therefore, a variety of advanced learning technologies and features have been developed to support students with regulation. Nevertheless, the optimal level of regulation support and the most effective combination of these features remain unestablished in the existing research literature. Therefore, this study employs quantitative research to examine the effectiveness of two learning environments with different levels of self-regulation support (less and more) on students' learning academic outcomes, learning process, and satisfaction. Both variants combine the elements of learning dashboards, goal-setting activity, self-assessment task, reflection support, and personal recommendation, with differences in the level of supporting students' regulation. Our findings reveal that students who received higher levels of self-regulation support tended to be more active readers and visited online learning materials and course overviews more frequently. While they outperformed students in the control group, it's noteworthy that these students did not necessarily outperform their peers who received less support, particularly in the context of self-assessment tasks. This study has also highlighted the need for further research in this area (e.g., self-assessment accuracy), including the development of an instrument that can objectively measure and evaluate the level of self-regulated learning support.

The roles of online courses’ design and evaluation in nursing student satisfaction with online learning

One of the essential criteria in determining the quality of online learning is student satisfaction, this study looked into the influence of infrastructures on nursing student satisfaction with online learning. In this cross-sectional study, 300 nursing students filled out the online questionnaire (demographic, student perceptions of an online course, student satisfaction) from September to November 2021. Multiple linear regression model showed that the remaining variables, namely the design and organization of online learning and student evaluation in online courses, explain about 69.2% of the variance of satisfaction with online learning ( p &lt; .05). The critical criteria in determining students’ satisfaction with online learning are “how to design and arrange online learning” and “how to evaluate students in online courses,” among other things. As a result, optimal planning should focus on these two variables, particularly the student assessment system, in order to reach a better level of satisfaction.

Anatomizing online collaborative inquiry using directional epistemic network analysis and trajectory tracking

AbstractAccurate assessment and effective feedback are crucial for cultivating learners' abilities of collaborative problem‐solving and critical thinking in online inquiry‐based discussions. Based on quantitative content analysis (QCA), there has been a methodological evolvement from descriptive statistics to sequential mining and to network analysis for mining coded discourse data. Epistemic network analysis (ENA) has recently gained increasing recognition for modelling and visualizing the temporal characteristics of online discussions. However, due to methodological restraints, some valuable information regarding online discussion dynamics remains unexplained, including the directionality of connections between theoretical indicators and the trajectory of thinking development. Guided by the community of inquiry (CoI) model, this study extended generic ENA by incorporating directional connections and stanza‐based trajectory tracking. By examining the proposed extensions with discussion data of an online learning course, this study first verified that the extensions are comparable with QCA, indicating acceptable assessment validity. Then, the directional ENA revealed that two‐way connections between CoI indicators could vary over time and across groups, reflecting different discussion strategies. Furthermore, trajectory tracking effectively detected and visualized the fine‐grained progression of thinking. At the end, we summarize several research and practical implications of the ENA extensions for assessing the learning process.Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic Assessment and feedback are crucial for cultivating collaborative problem‐solving and critical thinking in online inquiry‐based discussions. Cognitive presence is an important construct describing the progression of thinking in online inquiry‐based discussions. Epistemic network analysis is gaining increasing recognition for modelling the temporal characteristics of online inquiries. What this paper adds Directional connections between discourses can reflect different online discussion strategies of groups and individuals. A pair of connected discourses coded with the community of inquiry model can have different meanings depending on their temporal order. A trajectory tracking approach can uncover the fine‐grained progression of thinking in online inquiry‐based discussions. Implications for practice and/or policy Besides the occurrences of individual discourses, examining the meanings of directional co‐occurrences of discourses in online discussions is worthwhile. Groups and individuals can employ different discussion strategies and follow diverse paths to thought development. Developmental assessment is crucial for understanding how participants achieve specific outcomes and providing adaptive feedback.

Past experiences and preferences for LGBTQ + sex education among LGBTQ + college students

Background: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and others (LGBTQ+) students experience more negative sexual health outcomes than their cisgender, heterosexual peers and do not have access to relevant sex education. This denial necessitates comprehensive sex education in college for LGBTQ + students. Objective: Given the rise of online learning and that LGBTQ + students are already drawn to online spaces, this research seeks to determine preferences in virtual LGBTQ + sexuality education content and delivery LGBTQ + college students. Methods: We conducted a survey with US college students who identified as LGBTQ+ (N = 91) to identify past experiences with sex education, desires for future sex education, and preferences for online learning. Results: Past sex education, resources used, consequences, preferences for LGBTQ + sexuality and online education are discussed. Conclusions: Overall, we find high comfort with online learning, heteronormative and cisnormative past sex education courses created negative physical and mental health outcomes, and desires for tailored sex education.

Autorregúlate, a Methodology to support self-regulated learning in MOOC courses

Global education is facing major challenges, including the lack of strategies and methods to ensure that students are truly engaged in the learning process, self-regulating their learning, and promoting successful completion of the educational process. In this research, we introduce Autorregúlate, a methodology to support self-regulated learning in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), which from the design of the MOOC contributes to maintaining motivation and self-regulation throughout the course. Autorregúlate provides concrete and easy-to-implement guidelines for diverse teams in the creation of MOOCs, based on Zimmerman's self-regulation model. The methodology was validated in real MOOC courses using two evaluation instruments, the Questionnaire OSLQ and the Keller's Motivation Survey. Results show high levels of motivations (M=3,83; SD=0,7). On the other hand, results revel self-regulation strategies adoption by the participants, in particular, Goal setting (M=4,0; SD=0,7), Environmental structuring (M=4,1; SD=0,7), Task strategies (M=3,7; SD=0,7), Time management (M=3,84; SD=0,8), Seeking help (M=4,1; SD=0,8) and Self-evaluation (M=4,0; SD=0,7). Therefore, Autorregúlate support students on self-regulating their learning while achieving a sustained motivation.