Online Learning Courses Research Articles

Scaffolding Self-Regulation in an Online English Language Course: Utility of Contract Learning

As students’ achievement is correlated with self-regulation, finding interventions promoting self-regulated learning (SRL) in online courses is a current focus of research. However, few studies have explored the potential of contract learning in scaffolding and developing SRL in non-traditional learners who have work and family and are at risk of dropout. Here, we investigate the utility of contract learning using a qualitative approach. Using a qualitative approach, we collected data from the experience of one teacher and seven non-traditional learners in an online English for Specific Purposes (ESP) course. The data were collected from teacher logs over eight months and semi-structured interviews with the students. The results of deductive thematic analysis of the data indicate that contract learning positively affected the forethought, performance, and self-reflection phases. Further, despite the cognitive, emotional, external, motivational, and behavioral challenges aggravated by the pandemic, the teacher’s efforts to implement contract learning affected the persistence and effort, goal setting, strategic planning, and time management of most learners (N = 4). Possible reasons for the learners’ success and failure and the implications for developing SRL skills in students at risk of dropout in online English courses are discussed.

The effect of goal-setting prompts in a blended learning environment—evidence from a field experiment

We investigate how inviting students to set task-based goals affects usage of an online learning platform and course performance. We design and implement a randomized field experiment in a large mandatory economics course with blended learning elements. The low-cost treatment induces students to use the online learning system more often, more intensively, and to begin earlier with exam preparation. Treated students perform better in the course than the control group: they are 18.8% (0.20 SD) more likely to pass the exam and earn 6.7% (0.19 SD) more points on the exam. There is no evidence that treated students spend significantly more time, rather they tend to shift to more productive learning methods. The heterogeneity analysis suggests that higher treatment effects are associated with higher levels of behavioral bias but also with poor early course behavior.

Understanding college students' continuous usage intention of asynchronous online courses through extended technology acceptance model.

Asynchronous online learning has gained great popularity in higher education, especially due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic. However, few studies have investigated how to maintain students' continuous usage intention of asynchronous online courses in the context of higher education. This study incorporated four key factors (intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, perception of multiple sources, and cognitive engagement) associated with students' continuous usage intention of asynchronous online courses into technology acceptance model (TAM) to identify the influencing factors on students' continuous usage intention. A survey with 325 college students was conducted to explore their continuous usage intention of asynchronous online courses and structural equation modeling analysis was carried out to analyze the relationships between the key influencing factors and students' continuous usage intention. The results showed that cognitive engagement was the only factor that directly related to continuous usage intention. Intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and perception of multiple sources indirectly correlated with students' continuous usage intention through different pathways. The results of the study have several theoretical and practical implications. Theoretically, the study verified what key learning factors incorporated into TAM and in what way they relate to the continuous usage intention of asynchronous online courses. Practically, the present study indicated that it is required to take intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, perception of multiple sources, cognitive engagement and TAM into consideration when designing and conducting asynchronous online learning courses to ensure college students' continuous usage intention of asynchronous online courses.

Digital note-taking: An effective self-regulation tool in increasing academic achievement of Filipino students in a business mathematics online learning course

Online learning is a relatively new but emerging approach in Philippine education. The approach's rise in popularity warrants an emphasis on self-regulated learning (SRL). Hence, the current study aimed to propose and assess an intervention using a digital note-taking application as an SRL tool for Business Math. Data collection included the administration of a pre-test and a post-test and weekly ratings of digital notebook usage. Two-way ANCOVA results suggest that skillful self-regulators consistently achieved more than naïve self-regulators. Hierarchal regression analysis results imply that learners with better digital notebooks are likelier to achieve more in the course. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of the SRL intervention used in the study. Furthermore, repeated measures of ANOVA results suggest that different groups of learners use their SRL tools differently. Despite the effect of SRL tools on achievement, higher achievers are not certainly better self-regulators than lower achievers.

The Impact of Technology Identity on Student‘s Adoption of Social Media in Online Learning

This study examined the impact of social media identity on online learning through social media. Smart-PLS 3.3 was run to test the relationship between social media identity, self-efficacy, and social influence on online learning through social media. The Moderation effect of social influence and self-efficacy on the relation between social media identity and behavioral intention to use social media for online learning was examined. Questionnaires were distributed online and 362 valid responses received. Results showed significant positive impact of social media identity, self-efficacy and social influence on behavioral intention to use social media in online learning courses. The moderating effect of self-efficacy and social influence was affirmed. High self-efficacy led to the negative impact of social media identity on the use of the use of social media in online learning. The high social influence led to the positive impact of social media identity on social media use in online learning. The study recommends developing guidelines for integrating social media effectively in education, creating user-friendly platforms, and enhancing students’ self-efficacy through engaging projects. Additionally, promoting communication and considering emotional participation, self-efficacy, and social influence are essential. Further research could explore performance expectancy and academic achievement for deeper insights.

The role of feedback in building teaching presence and student self-regulation in online learning

In this research we studied usable strategies to promote student engagement and learning in the online classroom specifically connected to the development of teaching presence and student self-regulation. A design-based research approach (Barab & Squire, 2004) with multiple methods of data collection were used in the study's design, which was informed by the Garrison et al.’s Community of Inquiry framework and Zimmerman's cycle of self-regulatory phases. Qualitative sources of data included coursework and semi-structured interviews with three student participants, accompanied by text-based planning and debrief notes, and a semi-structured interview with one instructor. The study context was an online course connected to a Bachelor of Education program at a university in Ontario, Canada. Findings indicate students experienced teaching presence directly in the timely, strengths-based and personal feedback they received. Regular feedback helped students know their work was being seen and that they were “on the right track”. Strengths-based and personal feedback aided student motivation and self-regulation, which emerged as important for ongoing engagement and learning online. Recommendations that emerged from this study are of interest internationally to designers of online learning courses, online instructors and researchers in online learning.

Student support and motivation in online learning: evidence from pilot online course implementation

Teaching and learning in a virtual environment bring many changes in the implementation of study content. During online learning, the number of hours of contact learning between the lecturer and students decreases, more attention is paid to students’ self-study. Students lose the opportunity to receive informal emotional support from the academic staff and fellow students, and the sense of community and belonging to a higher education institution decreases. The research presented in the article aims to reveal students’ opinions about students’ support and their motivation during online studies while implementing a pilot online-taught study course. The research was conducted under the Erasmus+ project “Quality of Virtual Studies”. Students from four higher education institutions in Lithuania, Spain, Croatia, and Finland participated in implementing the pilot online learning course. Study courses taught remotely were designed based on the quality assurance criteria for virtual studies developed during the project. Students studied the pilot online-taught study course for three months. They completed questionnaires about their online learning experience twice: before and after they started participating in the course. The study results reveal that the most important source of support for students during online studies is communication with the lecturer. It was established that most students’ support during remote studies is provided by the following means: personal video or email from the lecturer, clear structure of the course studied remotely, clear procedures of the study course, and pre-announced hours of remote consultations with the lecturer. The study reveals that students are most motivated during online studies by receiving feedback from the lecturer, the interest of the academic staff in students’ motivation and motivational tools, a clear study plan of the course studied, the variety of innovative computer technology tools used during online studies, and the contribution of the lecturer, promoting cooperation between learners.

Enhancing technology leaders' instructional leadership through a project-based learning online course

<abstract><p>This study detailed the course design principles and implementation of project-based learning (PBL) in a technology-themed graduate-level online course. Students were trained to develop knowledge and skills in instructional leadership, such as the capability to design, deliver, and evaluate educational technology professional development programs. Pre- and post- survey data were collected to examine any change in students' knowledge and skills in instructional leadership by completing this course (N = 18). Quantitative findings revealed positive learning outcomes, and there was statistical significance regarding student improvement in knowledge and skills of instructional leadership, rendering the PBL approach viable.</p></abstract>

A Comparative Study of Learner Satisfaction in Synchronous and Asynchronous Online Courses Among Japanese EFL Learners

This article reports on a mixed method study that investigated the differences in Japanese EFL (English as a foreign language) learners’ satisfaction toward two different online teaching formats incorporated in universities during the COVID-19 situation: synchronous online courses (n = 324) and asynchronous on-demand courses (n = 323). Applying the items of the previously developed online satisfaction scale in the literature of online learning to EFL learning contexts, this study examined learner satisfaction from three main factors, engaged learning, agency, and assessment, as a quantitative inquiry. According to the Mann-Whitney U test, there were significantly higher results of engaged learning and assessment in synchronous online courses than in asynchronous ondemand courses, indicating a higher level of learner satisfaction in synchronous online courses. In addition, based on the qualitative textmining analysis of learner comments on their perceptions of the online courses they had taken, findings suggest that synchronous online courses accounted for higher percentages of positive comments compared to those in the asynchronous on-demand courses. This study shows that synchronous online teaching ensured higher satisfaction among Japanese EFL learners than asynchronous on-demand courses.

Self-directed learning in massive open online courses and its application at the workplace: Does employer support matter?

This paper explores how employer support for self-directed learning in courses that are created and controlled by third parties (specifically, massive open online courses—MOOCs) influences employed learners’ course performance, internal application of skills (their motivation to use the course content in their current job and organization, and their postcourse training transfer), and external application of skills (their motivation to use the courses to find a new job, and postcourse job search). While inducements (tuition reimbursement and time off from working hours) are negatively related to learners’ external application of skills, they do not increase training transfer at the current employer after the MOOC, possibly because they fail to strengthen learner effort during the course. Expectation-enhancing support for the MOOCs (including the courses in performance evaluations, and requesting that learners take courses) does increase the internal application of skills, but also their external application.

Ascertaining the Online Learning Behaviors and Formative Assessments Affecting Students’ Academic Performance during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of a Computer Science Course

Prior education research has focused on using learning analytics to predict the academic performance of Massive Online Learning Courses (MOOCs) and e- learning courses in universities. There is limited research on online learning that has been transitioned from physical classes and that has continued to use active learning approaches in an online environment. This study aims to determine the variables affecting students’ academic performance for a computing course in a research-intense university during the COVID-19 pandemic. Variables that are indicative of self-regulated learning such as time management, frequency of accessing learning materials and the Learning Management System (LMS), participation in assessment activities and discussions, and the results of formative assessments were extracted from the LMS reports and log files to predict the students’ total marks and final exam results. The findings revealed that good time management and active participation are important for academic success. The results also supported the model for the early prediction of summative assessment performance using formative assessment results. Additionally, this study concludes that the gap in predictive power between formative assessment results and online learning behaviors is small. This research is considered unique because it demonstrates predictive models for students’ academic success for an institution that was forced to transition from physical to online learning. It highlights the importance of self-regulated learning behavior and formative assessments in the contemporary era.

Investigation of Kyrgyz Learners’ Engagement in Online Courses

This study aimed to investigate Kyrgyz learners’ engagement in online courses. In this respect, the Student Engagement Scale and appropriate open-ended questions were employed in order to obtain data from learners. The sample covers 400 undergraduate learners studying at Kyrgyz-Turkish Manas University. The study has a mixed research design, hence both quantitative and qualitative approaches were employed. The results of the study revealed that behavioral engagement has a significant effect on learner achievement. The study also demonstrated that the engagement of Kyrgyz learners in online courses differs in terms of their gender and their prior online course experience. The majority of Kyrgyz learners had limited access to the Internet and computers; therefore, they experienced problems in online courses. The other problems facing Kyrgyz learners are due to insufficient house conditions, frequent power failures, health problems, and a lack of interactivity in online courses.

Instructional design with ADDIE and rapid prototyping for blended learning: validation and its acceptance in the context of TVET Bangladesh.

Following COVID-19, the global educational landscape shifted dramatically. Almost every educational institute in Bangladesh undertook a strategic move to begin offering online or blended learning courses to mitigate the challenges created by the pandemic. The TVET sector, particularly the polytechnic institute of Bangladesh, endeavored to explore the blended learning approach as an immediate and long-term solution to address the educational dislocation caused by the pandemic. This study attempts to conceptualize a pedagogical design based on the ADDIE and rapid prototyping model to make a reliable and robust instructional design to be used in the blended learning context. A content validity index (CVI) was used to validate the proposed model; a technology acceptance model (TAM) was employed to examine its acceptability to students; and finally, students' academic performances were analysed to evaluate the overall performance of the proposed instructional design. The findings reveal that the proposed instructional design can be a reliable and valid pedagogical approach to be implemented in the blended learning context for polytechnic students. The proposed instructional design may help TVET educators and course designers to create a robust blended learning environment in the TVET sector and in other similar disciplines, such as science and engineering education.

Exploring the effect of improved learning performance: A mobile augmented reality learning system.

Students are commonly in a high cognitive load state when they encounter sophisticated knowledge. Whether the novel augmented reality (AR) technology can be utilized in an online learning course to explain complicated scientific concepts in a more understandable manner to students during the COVID-19 period is an unaddressed issue. This study aims to investigate the influences of reducing the physical touch or face-to-face teaching/learning practices via using mobile augmented reality learning systems (MARLS) on students' perceived learning effectiveness. The information feedback viewpoint, flow theory, and cognitive load theory are integrated to examine the effects of the information feedback of MARLS on students' learning effectiveness. This study recruited 204 participants from ten universities to complete a learning task via a MARLS and fill out a questionnaire to collect data for the proposed research model. The empirical results revealed information feedback positively and significantly affected flow experience, perceived learning effectiveness, and continued intention. The improved learning performance of learners was positively related to their continued intention. Also, the extraneous cognitive load negatively and significantly moderated the relationship between information feedback and perceived learning effectiveness. This study proposes meaningful implications and suggestions for future research based on the findings of this experiment.

Vaccination in aged patients: breaking barriers. The impact of educational programs

Background. Prevention of the diseases is the cornerstone of medicine. Preventing of the diseases improves the quality and life expectancy, and also reduces the costs for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. The main preventive measures include maintaining a healthy lifestyle (proper nutrition and regular exercise) and vaccination. Purpose: to study the influence of distance learning programs on the knowledge of doctors about the vaccination. Materials and methods: a distance learning cycle of lectures was conducted on the vaccination of elderly patients. Before and after the course of lectures, an anonymous voluntary survey of the course participants was conducted. The questionnaires included questions for free completion, questions for assessing attitudes on a scale from 0 to 10 (where 0 strongly disagree and 10 strongly agree) and multiple choices questions. Physicians were informed before the survey that the data would be subsequently analyzed and published. Results: 556 people took part in the first stage of the survey, of which 469 (84.3%) were women. 328 people took part in the second stage of the survey, of which 271 (82.6%) were women. The experience of doctors was on average 27±11,8 years, specialists from 72 specialties took part. Before the course of the lecture, on average, the opinion of doctors on vaccination was 8.7±0.1 out of 10, after the course of the lecture it became 9.1±0.1 out of 10 (p < 0.05). Before the start of the course, on average, doctors assessed their knowledge at 6.9±0.1, after the end of the course 7.7±0.1 (p < 0.05). After a course of lectures, 95% of the respondents answered that they would recommend vaccination to their older patients and relatives. Conclusion: on-line learning course of lectures has been shown to be an effective method of improving the quality of doctors' knowledge about the importance and safety of vaccination of people of older and senile age.

Faculty as Designers of Authentic Learning Projects in Online Courses

This study investigated similarities and differences in faculty’s interpretation of authentic learning and how their interpretations were manifested into their design and implementation practices in competency-based, fully online courses. From a theoretical perspective, designing for authentic learning calls for a holistic approach, which considers various aspects, such as real-world relevance, personal meaningfulness, authentic assessment, disciplinary authenticity, and teacher authenticity. In terms of similarities across participants in this study, most faculty interpreted authentic learning as including “real-world” characteristics -- that is, authentic learning is a type of learning that is situated in real-world contexts and is relevant to learners’ future careers. In terms of differences, only a few participants emphasized that authentic learning requires removing the dichotomy of a hierarchical classroom environment based on the principles of co-learning. The findings of this study also highlighted examples of authentic learning and challenges associated with implementing authentic learning in competency-based online courses. The study further provides implications for future research and practice.

Sustaining blended and online learning during the normal and new normal conditions in a Saudi higher education institution: health science students' perspectives

BackgroundHigher education institutions (HEIs) shifted from in-person attendance to blended and online learning due to the COVID-19 lockdowns. ObjectiveThis study investigated the students' perception of satisfaction, convenience, engagement, and learning towards blended and online courses conducted before, during, and after the COVID-19 lockdowns. MethodsA longitudinal study design was adopted to examine the students' perception of online and blended learning courses before, during, and after the COVID-19 lockdowns. The subjects consist of Health science students (N = 130) belonging to two different colleges of a public university and the study period includes three academic years (i.e., six semesters) (2018–2021). A survey tool was developed to collect data from students studying the computer fundamentals course through blended and online learning modes from 2018 to 2021. ResultsOver 95% of students have been satisfied with the course offered through various blended learning formats since 2018. The blended 0.50-course format is the most preferred one for the students; however, the Blended 0.75-course format is highly rated by the students regarding their satisfaction and engagement than other learning formats during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Following adaption after COVID-19, the students reported a high perception of learning towards the course when delivered through 100% online learning mode. ConclusionStudents' achievement is significantly associated with the learning modes, exam modes, and various student batches. The blended 0.75-course format group shows a higher achievement than the other three-course format groups. Likewise, those students who appeared in their exams online showed higher achievement than those who appeared physically. Further, the students felt equally convenient with Blended 0.75 and 100% online learning course formats. These findings would also help HEIs choose appropriate learning and examination modes while designing courses.

Interplay of Motivating and Demotivating Factors in an Online English Language Learning Classroom in Light of the Self-Determination Theory Continuum

The online world has brought us together on one diverse platform, and communicating in a language that is acceptable to all becomes crucial, thus making English language a priority for students and professionals alike. However, the success of online English learning depends on a lot of factors that can motivate or demotivate the students in the learning process. This study aims to identify such factors and develop models to depict how the interactions among them can lead to success or failure of online learning courses. The paper applies method of literature review, focus group discussion, and the technique of interpretive structural modelling (ISM) to analyse the interplay between the factors which have been analysed in light of the self-determination theory continuum. Further, the analysis also supports an understanding of which ones are the primary drivers of student success, thus providing insights on ways to maximize those that motivate student learning and minimize those that demotivate.

An emotion analysis dataset of course comment texts in massive online learning course platforms

ABSTRACT Datasets are critical for emotion analysis in the machine learning field. This study aims to explore emotion analysis datasets and related benchmarks in online learning, since, currently, there are very few studies that explore the same. We have scientifically labeled the topic and nine-category emotion of 4715 comment texts in online learning platforms using the “three-person voting label method” based on the “sentence-level” and multi-category labeling dimensions with our self-developed system. After testing the consistency of the labeling results using the Fleiss Kappa method, we found that the consistency of the dataset was about 0.51, representing a moderate strength of agreement. Based on the dataset, the prediction accuracy of the Long-Short Term Memory (LSTM) method is about 0.68. This dataset provides a benchmark for the multi-category emotion dataset in the Chinese online learning field. It can provide a basis for the subsequent solution of emotion analysis, monitoring, and intervention in the education field. It can also provide a reference for constructing subsequent datasets in the education field.

Influence of Online Learning Environment and Student Engagement on International Students’ Sustainable Chinese Learning

The outbreak of COVID-19 has forced Chinese international education to move online. An emerging number of studies have been published on online teaching and learning during the pandemic, few of which, however, focus on international students in China. This study examined the predictive effects of an online learning environment and student engagement on international students’ learning of Chinese as a foreign language (CFL). Self-reported data were collected in an online questionnaire survey involving 447 international CFL students at eight universities located in different geographical regions in China. Descriptive statistics revealed the participants’ favorable perceptions of an online learning environment, student engagement and Chinese learning achievement. The results of multiple linear regression revealed that three online learning environment factors, i.e., course accessibility, student interaction, course organization, and student engagement exerted significant positive effects on Chinese learning achievement. The implications of the study are discussed for the sustainable enhancement of the online learning environment to improve international students’ online language learning.