Off-campus Learners Research Articles

Assessing the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Graduate Learning Experiences in Higher Education: Insights and Recommendations

The COVID-19 pandemic has left a profound impact on higher education, prompting the need to assess its effects and provide guidance for future pandemics or disasters. While previous research has often focused on individual courses and short-term consequences, there is a limited understanding of the broader college experience. This study conducts a comparative analysis of graduate performance throughout different phases of the COVID-19 pandemic, utilizing a Graduate Learning Experience questionnaire with a five-point Likert scale. Scores for graduate attribute items were collected and compared across three distinct phases: pre-pandemic, pandemic era, and post-pandemic. The results reveal significant shifts in the student learning experience during these timeframes, with notable differences between on-campus and off-campus learners concerning their learning environments. The study also examines the reasons behind these variations, particularly among students living in on-campus hostels versus those off-campus. Additionally, it assesses the university’s response to the pandemic’s adverse effects and evaluates the effectiveness of these response measures. These findings offer valuable insights into the factors influencing graduate attributes in the context of online learning, with a specific focus on Hong Kong. They also provide policy recommendations for shaping the future of higher education in the aftermath of pandemics or disasters. Furthermore, these results can serve as a guiding framework for addressing similar challenges in other regions dealing with post-disaster recovery.

New Approach for Providing Adaptable Curriculum Enrichment through Teaching-Learning and Evaluation

Post-pandemic, the perspective -pof the stakeholders of the education industry has changed considering online teaching learning and evaluation. Most of the stakeholders feel that a hybrid learning methodology can be adapted for multiple reasons. However, designing a framework for hybrid teaching-learning and evaluation is not easy. In this paper, an attempt is made to propose one such approach for implementing a hybrid teaching-learning and evaluation mechanism. First of all, a survey of the students was conducted to understand their opinion about the type of teaching-learning process. Then a strategy is suggested where theory sessions will be conducted online and lab sessions will be conducted in an offline (face-to-face) manner. Further, the implementation strategy, teaching-learning tools, feasibility, applicability, and challenges associated with this are discussed. The successful implantation of the suggested teaching-learning and evaluation method can be a promising solution for accommodating on-campus and off-campus learners. Keywords— Hybrid learning; teaching-learning and evaluation; online learning; offline learning.

Digital research support services during COVID-19 pandemic: an analysis of the higher education institutions

This article attempted to evaluate digital research support services in the context of higher education institutions in Pakistan during COVID-19. Researchers opted quantitative study design to conduct an online survey. A well-structured questionnaire was sent to 6200 university students through an email address. A total of 3122 students participated in the study. The study findings showed that the digital research support services (access to e-books, e-journals, and audio/video materials) were provided to the off-campus learners through university libraries by connecting to different databases. The study suggested that digitization of education processes is vital to enhance educational activities through e-libraries.

Web-Based Platform for Don Bosco High School – Senior High School – Technical Vocational Education Track in Adoption of Hybrid Learning

In the last two decades, the hybrid or blended learning paradigm has emerged as a viable alternative to traditional classroom instruction. This study, such elements associated with adopting blended learning addressed numerous results, implications, and possible future paths for Senior High School where Technical Vocational Education in the Philippines progressively interacts and develops with each other. This study aimed at developing a web-based platform or portal for DBHSP – Don Bosco High School Paranaque to resolve some classroom challenges such as conventional teaching, which is time-consuming, and the perennial lack of classrooms in public schools by providing additional/alternative teaching tools. To this end, this study further endeavored to determine the level of project effectiveness of the web-based portal in terms of the ISO 9126-1 software quality model main characteristics, namely: functionality, reliability, usability, efficiency, maintainability, and portability. The data processing was analyzed using Fourth Generation Techniques (4GT), dissemination of innovations, and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), which is an information system theory that describes how users come to embrace and use technology. According to the paradigm, when users are presented with new technology, a variety of factors impact their decision about how and when they will use it. Hybrid learning predates modern instructional technologies. The authors conclude that its evolution will be inevitably linked to current information communication technologies and an encouraging environment for technology adopters teaching academics in a senior high school – Technology Vocational Education that is simulating some aspects of human thought perception processes. To evaluate the effectiveness, the author contends that Hybrid Learning integrates access, progress, and students' impression of their learning environments. The research technique used descriptive and developmental methodologies, and the DBHS – Senior High School were purposefully selected to benefit from the web-based approaches to teach both on and off-campus learners.

Asynchronous Learning Networks: A Sloan Foundation Perspective

This paper is based on a chapter in THE LEARNING REVOLUTION, the challenge of Information Technology in Academia (Diana G.Oblinger and Sean C. Rush, eds.), to be published this year by Anker Publishing Co., Boston, Mass.Over the years small numbers of motivated individuals have studied by themselves, away from university centers, to acquire knowledge in post-secondary subjects. Correspondence study began over a century ago and since then, other forms of "distance education" have become established. In spite of all this progress, off-campus learners have worked mainly in isolation, with only occasional contact with instructors and peers.Today’s low-cost communications and computer technologies, however, enable learning in Asynchronous Learning Networks (ALNs), in the process simultaneously overcoming barriers of isolation, distance and those imposed by rigid time constraints. The paper describes some projects at institutions of higher education funded by the Sloan Foundation, identifies some early results and possible evolution of ALN’s to large scale implementations.

Framework guidelines for students - collaborative learning in distance education

This research study explores theoretical framework guidelines for students engaged in distanceeducation through collaborative learning. Distance education has played an important role in the provision ofeducational equity for distance learners who live in remote Australian communities. Engaging students andacademic staff will always enhance student-learning outcomes to ensure a positive experience in distanceeducation. It can be effectively achieved through collaborative learning for off-campus learners. In distanceeducation, academic staff and students encounters a number of challenges such as lack of student motivation, highstudent attrition rates, and a sense of isolation from a university community. Collaborative learning experienceswill enhance learner-staff and learner-learner interactions in distance learning, which can be achieved throughdeveloping a learning process. The learning process for distance learners involves student-learning strategy, Staffinteractive sessions, peer-to-peer support, e-assessment, and self-realization of graduate learning outcomes. Thisdistance learning process and framework guidelines are confined for Deakin University learning environment,however the expectations is that the distance learning will be more mainstream in future of learning and teachingin Australian institutions. The focus of this research is to develop framework guidelines by analyzing collaborativelearning experience of distance learners (off-campus) in a particular unit. It helps to analyze the barriers indistance education and finding ways to initiate collaborative programs in future. It also helps to fulfill the distancelearners’ expectations on program delivery.

Learning through online discussion: a framework evidenced in learners’ interactions

Online learning, often supported through online discussion, is not only a popular means of supporting off-campus learners, but increasingly has a place within campus-based learning courses. Laurillard and others suggest that there are assumptions being made about learning through online discussion that have yet to be fully tested, and therefore there is a need to examine this area further. Tutors and learners may benefit from having a greater insight and understanding of how engaging in asynchronous online discussion presents opportunities for learning on an individual and a collective basis. This research study focused on learners’ engagement with online discussion and their perceptions of how engaging in online discussion impacts on learning. This paper revisits learning through online discussion and proposes a framework, which emerges from the analysis of learners’ experiences. A grounded theory approach was used in the collection and analysis of six learner case studies within a higher education setting, exploring learners’ interactions in online discussion, and their perceptions of learning through online discussion. Insights into the learners’ interactions were provided by the learners themselves through semi-structured interviews. The grounded approach to the analysis of the interviews enabled the learners’ voices to be heard in terms of what they thought about learning through online discussion. The insight enabled through the depth of description from the learners and the examination of the online interactions led to the development of a framework for learning through online discussion. The framework raises the importance of articulation as a key process in learning whilst highlighting the opportunities for collaborative informed thinking by engaging with the ideas of others. The focus given to the learning process through the framework will be of interest to tutors and learners who use online asynchronous discussion environments for learning. Keywords: computer mediated communication; learners’ experiences; asynchronous discussion; grounded theory

Transforming the student experience at a distance: designing for collaborative online learning

AbstractDistance learning programmes allow greater flexibility of learning. They are often necessary for those who wish to enhance their professional development and/or gain higher-level qualifications while simultaneously continuing to work, especially where appropriate courses of study are not offered locally. However, the isolation and lack of feedback experienced by off-campus learners are key factors in the low retention rates common to many programmes. Dependence on freelance, off-campus tutoring staff brings challenges for managing change. While there is no single solution for these problems, the student experience can be significantly improved by weaving the development of an online community into the fabric of the course of study and addressing challenges such as the relevance of curricula (including assessment and feedback procedures) through the use of appropriate technologies.This article describes the redevelopment of a series of distance learning modules through the application of establishe...

E-book Subscription in a Distance Education Institution: A Case of Indira Gandhi National Open University, India

The present study details e-book subscriptions at Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) Library, New Delhi, India, and describes the various publishers and aggregators of e-books, collections, pricing models, access, functionality, and other important features of various packages. It highlights the challenges to overcome in stabilizing e-book solutions for academic libraries, especially libraries operating for the benefit of off-campus learners. The study considers the elements and strategies of e-book collection development and access which must be adopted by academic libraries, especially for distance education facilities.

E-book Subscription in a Distance Education Institution: A Case of Indira Gandhi National Open University, India

The present study details e-book subscriptions at Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) Library, New Delhi, India, and describes the various publishers and aggregators of e-books, collections, pricing models, access, functionality, and other important features of various packages. It highlights the challenges to overcome in stabilizing e-book solutions for academic libraries, especially libraries operating for the benefit of off-campus learners. The study considers the elements and strategies of e-book collection development and access which must be adopted by academic libraries, especially for distance education facilities.

Developing Information Literate Off-Campus Learners: Pedagogical Issues and Current Practice

This study examined the potential and actual roles that academic librarians play in supporting the development of information literate off-campus learners. It reviews the literature, concentrating in particular on issues related to the institutional context in which off-campus learners are supported and the teaching role of the academic librarian. A series of 12 interviews and a questionnaire survey of 70 academic librarians provided the basis for a detailed analysis of the current situation in Scotland and a Web survey was used to confirm key findings, extending the study to include academic librarians across the United Kingdom. The research concludes that the most critical issue to be addressed is the integration of academic library professionals within course teams. These librarians are willing to become involved in teaching and to take responsibility for the delivery of information literacy courses for off-campus learners, but in order to do so effectively they must operate and interact with students within the same learning space as the academic staff.

A Comparative Analysis of the Academic Performance of Distance and On- campus Learners

This study examined (i) the profile of the distance and on-campus learners, (ii) the academic performance of distance and on-campus learners, (iii) the advantages and disadvantages of learning through distance education and on-campus education, and (iv) how the disadvantages of learning through distance education could be reduced. The study found that the majority of distance and on-campus learners were female, single, and unemployed. Most off-campus learners were more than 20 years old, whilst on-campus learners were less than 20 years old. Off-campus learners tended to perform better than on-campus learners. Advantages of distance learning included application of acquired knowledge and skills if working; earning income if working; and studying at own pace, time and place. Disadvantages of studying off-campus included use of all Saturdays for face-to-face tutorials; inability to use library facilities on Saturdays due to tight schedule; some modules were not available on time for learners to use resulting in issue of photocopied handouts and notes by tutors and lecturers; and photocopied handouts were not serving a useful purpose since they were not appropriate for distance learning. Subsequently, off-campus learners suggested that the library should close late on Saturdays; lecturers and tutors should be available in their offices for consultations on Saturdays and during the week; lecturers should pin consultation schedules on their office doors; and lecturers and tutors who absent themselves should be reprimanded and/or requested to repay off-campus learners for the costs incurred travelling to regional learning centres.

The Virtual Reserve Room

SummaryThis paper explores the challenges of implementing an electronic reserves program which extends library services to off-campus distance education students. Using the University of Massachusetts Amherst as a case study, the paper briefly describes the project's context and history, with a focus on the practicalities, problems, and solutions in starting an electronic library reserves service. The discussion also covers issues integral to the service and which affect off-campus learners, including budgeting, staffing, partnering with affiliated campuses, addressing faculty concerns, managing copyright permissions, utilizing e-books and incorporating full-text databases.

CAN SELECTED LEARNING STRATEGIES INFLUENCE THE SUCCESS OF ADULT DISTANCE LEARNERS IN AGRICULTURE?

The purpose of this study was to determine whether providing information about learning strategies to agricultural distance learners through a professionally developed videotape would result in their achieving intended learning outcomes to a greater degree and result in increased satisfaction with the distance learning experience. At the beginning of fall and spring semesters of the 1999-2000 academic year, 110 of the 218 students enrolled in 25 off-campus courses offered by 14 different departments in the Iowa State University College of Agriculture were randomly selected to receive the videotape and a book mark outlining six learning strategies that were recommended in the literature. At the end of each semester, all off-campus students were asked to complete a learning survey. Students who viewed the tape rated it very favorably in terms of its value to off-campus learners. Even so, students who watched the videotape did not earn higher grades for the semester in which they were involved in the study nor did they express a more positive attitude toward the distance-learning environment than students in the control group. Further analysis revealed that students who chose to participate in the study achieved a semester GPA 32% higher than students who did not participate. Those who may have been able to benefit most chose not to participate.

Comparative Performance Analysis of On- and Off-Campus Video-Based Engineering Graduate Students

Early analyses and anecdotal data support the efficacy of graduate engineering education delivered to off-campus students studying in moderately-sized groups with ``tutorial'' support. However, data now indicate that off-campus learners often study individually or in very small groups of three or fewer viewers. This trend will only develop further as increased uses of satellite technology affords teachers and learners cost-effective mechanisms of addressing the educational needs of single individuals spread throughout the nation. The following study addresses this concern by determining how well off-campus viewer/learners, studying in very small groups, perform in comparison to their on-campus peers.

Physiology for Off-Campus Learners

Research Article| March 01 1987 Physiology for Off-Campus Learners Marlene Moore Wilson Marlene Moore Wilson Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar The American Biology Teacher (1987) 49 (3): 184–185. https://doi.org/10.2307/4448474 Views Icon Views Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Peer Review Share Icon Share Twitter LinkedIn Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Cite Icon Cite Search Site Citation Marlene Moore Wilson; Physiology for Off-Campus Learners. The American Biology Teacher 1 March 1987; 49 (3): 184–185. doi: https://doi.org/10.2307/4448474 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentThe American Biology Teacher Search This content is only available via PDF. Copyright 1987 National Association of Biology Teachers Article PDF first page preview Close Modal You do not currently have access to this content.