On-campus Courses Research Articles

What is important and why? Students’ experience of educational activities including technologies

Digital technology is now a central part of higher education and has led to high expectations of increased student activity, engagement, and learning. Drawing on two research projects about Norwegian bachelor’s students, this article explores how they experience educational activities, including the use of technologies in on-campus courses. It is vital to understand this from the students’ point of view. Data have been gathered from qualitative group interviews and an online survey. The analysis draws on socio-cultural perspectives on learning, focusing on what forms of activities and technologies the students experienced as important and useful, or challenging, in various contexts. The results suggest that, despite extensive access to digital technologies, the students experience that activities that support physical encounters on campus, such as lectures and group work, are more important and beneficial than flexible digital solutions. Technologies are basically experienced as a supplement for handling academic demands. The possible implications this has for students’ experiences of educational activities and technology use, and teachers’ facilitation, are discussed. The overall intention is to highlight the significance of the students’ experiences, as well as contribute to more realistic institutional expectations for the pedagogical use of technology.

‘It was building a plane as we were flying it!’ Adapting teaching through a crisis: lessons from educational leadership staff in Higher Education

ABSTRACT The coronavirus pandemic resulted in universities rapidly changing how courses are delivered. Many traditionally on-campus courses have been adapted to be taught online, or in a hybrid manner with a mix of online and on-campus classes. This rapid shift in pedagogy and delivery mode has disrupted long-standing patterns of teaching and learning in higher education and has also presented a unique challenge for university staff with leadership roles. This project uses a UK university as a case study to understand how staff with educational leadership roles have handled the challenge of supporting their staff to adapt their teaching, making key decisions about how to implement aspects of hybrid teaching, and how lessons from their experiences of the pandemic period can guide future decision-making and support from senior management.

Exploring independent learning (IL) and its relationship to mindset, motivated strategies for learning and academic performance

PurposeThis study addresses gaps in the existing literature on students' understanding of Independent Learning (IL), whilst exploring the link between levels of IL, growth mindset, motivated strategies for learning and academic performance.Design/methodology/approachThree hundred and eighty-six university students recruited via opportunistic sampling completed an online survey to measure: understanding and level of IL, Motivated Strategies for Learning (MSL) (Duncan and McKeachie, 2005) and growth mindset (Dweck, 2000). Interaction with the university Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and academic grades were also measured. A correlational design was implemented, and a Spearman Rho was calculated to explore the relationship between level of IL, MSL and growth mindset. A between-subjects design using independent measures t-test was employed to determine the significance of any difference in level of IL and VLE engagement according to academic grade.FindingsWhilst most students: considered themselves an IL and understood what IL was, the majority erroneously believed it meant learning alone or without help. Level of IL, however, was positively associated with motivational beliefs (self-efficacy and mindset), cognitive strategies (rehearsal, elaboration, organisation and critical thinking), and metacognitive strategies (time management and self-regulation). Further, those with grades A-C scored significantly higher than those with grades D and below on cognitive strategies (elaboration and organisation). Those attaining higher grades also interacted with the VLE significantly more frequently and regularly than those attaining lower grades.Originality/valueThis study adds to the existing literature by highlighting the positive relationship between level of IL, MSL, mindset and academic achievement. It also addresses the under-explored potential for VLE engagement in predicting grades amongst on-campus courses. Given that cognitive strategies and VLE engagement differentiate the high and low achievers, interventions to develop such skills may enhance academic achievement.

Evaluating programme-wide course redevelopment within a learning management system

Introduction: Effective course design within the architecture of a learning management system (LMS) is crucial for achieving high-quality learning outcomes in blended and online courses (Bollinger & Martin, 2021; Spiceland et al., 2015; Vaughan, 2010). Implementing a consistent visual design template across multiple courses can promote student engagement and achievement of learning objectives (Ralston-Berg & Braatz, 2021). Other elements of effective course design include clear instructions, structured learning activities, and effective mechanisms for interaction and feedback (Baldwin et al., 2018; Martin et al., 2021). Method: A comprehensive redesign was conducted of the LMS component of 34 undergraduate course instances (20 blended on-campus courses; 14 online distance courses) across three programmes in the science and health faculties at a New Zealand university. The redesigned template aimed to improve the clarity and ease of navigation to important course information, structure student learning tasks, and provide a foundation for effective course delivery. The initial phase involved creating and testing the template. This was subsequently presented to faculty as a means to cultivate commitment and collaboration among academics, academic support teams, and administrative staff. The template was designed to minimise cognitive load to promote comprehension and retention (Schnotz & Kürschner, 2007). It incorporated evidence-based course components based on principles of effective course design, including detailed and comprehensive information on the course and assessments; weekly modules with clearly stated learning outcomes, task lists, lecture slides and recording links, required readings, tutorial and lab materials; assessment requirements; supplementary materials; and links to available course support (Bollinger & Martin, 2021). While maintaining a standardised visual design, the template was flexible to accommodate the specific needs of individual courses. Results and Discussion: An evaluation of the impact of the redesign project will be conducted. Data sources will include student surveys administered midway through and at the end of each course, as well as coded feedback from academic and support staff. The effect of the redesign on key student and instructor outcomes will be analysed. Based on research on effective blended and online course design, we expect our evaluation will uncover systematic benefits to student experience as measured by perceptions of course organisation and engagement of course material. For instructors, we anticipate that the standardised template will reduce time on administrative activities such as answering student emails, allowing them to focus on higher-value tasks. Conclusion: This study aims to provide valuable insights into effective practises for course design that promote student engagement and the achievement of intended learning outcomes. The project aligns with Ascilite 2023 subthemes. The focus on effective course design relates to subtheme 3 on digital pedagogy. Designing an effective online component of blended courses represents a key challenge for educators in a digital world. Additionally, the collaborations between academics, administrators, and support staff reflect subtheme 2 on building deeper partnerships within an institution. By evaluating a programme focused on enhancing blended learning through partnership and pedagogical research, this study will offer critical perspectives on key issues in teaching and learning in a digital world.

MOOC-Based Flipped Classroom for On-Campus Teaching in Undergraduate Engineering Courses

<italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Contribution:</i> This work studies how to integrate massive open online courses (MOOCs) into traditional, face-to-face, Undergraduate Engineering Courses. <p xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <i>Background:</i> MOOCs emerged as an innovative trend in online learning with distinctive and attractive features, such as ease of access and cost effectiveness for large audiences. For this reason, they have attracted a lot of attention for their potential in contributing to global challenges in contemporary Engineering education. However, the integration of MOOCs into traditional, on-campus courses and programs in higher education remains an open problem. <p xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <i>Research Question:</i> What is the most effective MOOC-blending strategy for traditional, on-campus engineering programs? <p xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <i>Methodology:</i> To answer this question, first a literature review was conducted on the utilization of MOOCs within face-to-face Undergraduate Education. Based on this literature review, this work advocates for the MOOC-based flipped (MBF) classroom as the strategy with the highest potential for MOOC-based blending. The main pedagogical and design principles of this methodology are described and a case study is presented on a cohort of students (<i>N</i> <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$~=~$</tex-math> </inline-formula>23) enrolled in a Digital Signal Processing course within an Undergraduate Electronics Engineering Program. This is a position paper based on evidence from the literature, but the case study is used to illustrate how the MBF design principles can be implemented in practice. <p xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <i>Findings:</i> The results suggest that the MBF methodology is a growing trend in Undergraduate Engineering Education with the potential to facilitate student’s active learning in synchronous face-to-face sessions while fostering the adoption and usage of MOOCs.

“It Ain’t What You Use, It’s the Way That You Use It”: How Virtual Learning Environments May Impact Student Mental Wellbeing

Concerns about university students’ mental wellbeing have been rising and various studies have attempted to unpick the factors that could impact their wellbeing. This focus group study explored the impact that virtual learning environments (VLEs) may have on undergraduate students’ mental wellbeing. Forty-four undergraduate students from on-campus courses at three UK universities participated in 12 focus groups in 2020. Using reflexive thematic analysis with an inductive approach, three themes were generated: (1) lecturer VLE-use supports or undermines students’ mental wellbeing; (2) access to the VLE affects students’ productivity, academic performance, and mental wellbeing; and (3) students’ mindset towards the VLE impacts their studies and mental wellbeing. The dominant pattern across the data set was that the way lecturers used the VLE impacted students’ motivation, ability to think clearly about their studies, and could provoke strong emotions. We discuss how the mechanisms described in self-determination theory and the technology acceptance model might explain how the VLE could impact student mental wellbeing.

The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a change in continuing education in nursing: From face-to-face to online education.

Prior to and up to 2019, the Training Center for Nursing Development, National College of Nursing, Japan (NCNJ) had provided education for nurses working at policy-based medical facilities in a face-to-face format. Since 2020 however, all on-campus courses have been cancelled due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The nursing directors of all participating facilities were subsequently surveyed; based on their responses, online education was implemented on a trial basis. As a result, all training since 2021 has been provided as online education. Online education has many advantages, such as there is no risk of contracting COVID-19 or other infectious diseases, no need for commuting or accommodations, courses can be attended remotely, and time can be used effectively. That said, there are some disadvantages. Potential improvements should be identified in the future.

University lecturers’ conceptions of online teaching in distance education courses in Vietnamese higher education

This study aimed to characterise academics’ conceptions of teaching in fully online undergraduate distance education courses with no on-campus component. The study aimed to fill a gap in the literature, as previous research had examined conceptions of teaching in face-to-face courses, with a few studies of blended teaching via the Internet in on-campus courses. Fourteen academics from five faculties in a Vietnamese regional university were interviewed, with the study taking place shortly after the outbreak of Covid-19. Grounded theory was used for data analysis. The results revealed four categories of conceptions of online teaching, namely online teaching (1) as transmitting structured knowledge and skills, (2) as guiding students to acquire knowledge and skills, (3) as facilitating students’ understanding via interaction and (4) as developing students’ understanding and capabilities. The four categories of conceptions were defined and distinguished by a set of six dimensions, which included e-Learning/LMS. The set of categories had some similarities to those found for face-to-face teaching, but also some distinctions which could be explained by the nature of online teaching and learning. The study, therefore, makes a major contribution by establishing a category scheme for conceptions of teaching in online distance education, with detailed characterisation of the four categories of conceptions. The descriptors of the conceptions showed cultural influences, particularly from a Confucian heritage, which is of significance as research into face-to-face conceptions had not found cultural variations.

The relationship between student self-efficacy and learning engagement at Chinese vocational colleges during internship

Introduction. The global education community is currently facing a learning crisis in the instructional process, as learning outcomes frequently fail to meet expectations due to insufficient engagement in classrooms. The promotion of student engagement in learning has become a significant issue of concern within the education sphere. Self-efficacy has been identified as a predictor of learning engagement; therefore, the study seeks to establish the empirical link between self-efficacy and learning engagement in the pedagogical process. Study participants and methods. A survey research design was utilized, involving 204 interns who were randomly selected from five vocational colleges in Wenzhou City, China. The collected data were subjected to Factor Analysis and correlation analysis for analysis purposes. Self-efficacy, emotional engagement, effort quality, psychological adjustment, and colleague interaction all had Cronbach's alpha values of 0.902, 0.918, 0.892, 0.849, and 0.847, respectively. Results. Emotional Engagement, Quality of Effort, Psychological Adjustment, Colleague Interaction, and Self-Efficacy had positive correlation coefficients of 0.455, 0.426, 0.376, and 0.4, respectively. These correlations were both significant at the 1% level. The regression model's R square indicates that self-efficacy accounted for 20.7%, 18.1%, 14.1% and 16% of the variance in each component of learning engagement: emotional involvement, quality of effort, psychological adjustment and colleague interaction respectively. Findings revealed a strong impact of selfefficacy on several facets of interns' learning engagement. Practical significance. Self-efficacy plays a crucial role in shaping students' learning engagement, both within traditional on-campus courses and during their internships. Enhancing the selfefficacy of vocational college interns is imperative to improve their learning experiences, both inside and outside the classroom.

Finding effective parameters for mitigating traffic congestion near universities

This paper intends to assess the effect of different parameters on traffic congestion around universities. On the basis of the model outputs, it is possible to propose economic countermeasures for reducing traffic congestion, especially in developing countries. Structural equation modelling was used to assess the relevance between characteristics of students, features of different modes, environmental conditions and daily demand variations with traffic congestion. The Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman in Iran was considered as a case study. The results showed that it is necessary to decrease the demand first. For this purpose, rescheduling courses is essential to distribute classes more effectively within a week. Virtual classes can be used more frequently as a substitute for traditional on-campus courses. The probability of using buses should be increased by reducing waiting time and fares, and promoting their safety. Similarly, taxi use can be increased by improving safety and waiting time. To reduce the likelihood of using private cars, pricing strategies must establish more limitations for using university carparks.

Understanding the Benefits of Residential Field Courses: The Importance of Class Learning Goal Orientation and Class Belonging.

While previous literature finds many benefits to participation in undergraduate field courses, the mechanisms for how these benefits develop is still unknown. This study explores these mechanisms and any unique benefits of field courses by examining results from pre and post surveys about scientific literacy, future science plans, and motivation and belonging for undergraduate students who took courses in one field station setting (n = 249) and one traditional on-campus setting (n = 118). We found positive associations between the field station setting and scientific literacy as well as future science plans. In addition, this study finds support for the serial and multiple mediation of class learning goal orientation and class belonging in explaining the relationships between the field station setting and scientific literacy as well as future science plans. The results of this study have implications for enhancing field course design and increasing access and inclusion.

Modes of Study Abroad Learning: Toward Short-Term Study Abroad Program Designs Beyond the Study Abroad Effect

When a class is considered a study abroad rather than on-campus course, new criteria of learning, evaluation, and vocabulary often apply. Calling it “study abroad effects”, this article examines such effects on short-term study abroad programs in the US by introducing the notion of the “mode of study abroad learning”, a kind of study abroad effect that guides how students’ study during study abroad. The article investigates three syllabi and identifies four modes of study abroad learning: the course content without specificity, the use of the notion of immersion, the lack of theoretical engagement, and the use of non-academic vocabulary. Arguing that short-term study abroad programs are often positioned nominally as “academic” but substantially as “non-academic”, this article suggests ways to make such programs academically rigorous.

대학생 글쓰기에 나타난 표절 양상 연구

The purpose of this study is to find a way to educate university students on writing ethics. For this study, 3,374 liberal arts class assignments were analyzed using Copy Killer test results. As a result of analyzing the plagiarism rate based on students’ gender, class method, and type of assignment, there was no difference in the plagiarism rate according to the gender of the student. There is a difference in the plagiarism rate between online and on-campus courses. This may indicate that an undergraduate student is more likely to engage in plagiarism when writing an assignment for an online course. There was also a correlation between the type of assignments and the plagiarism rate. Book reviews, columns, and academic essays showed the highest frequency with a plagiarism rate of 0 to 10%, and books with a plagiarism rate of 60% or higher showed the highest frequency in book reviews. Instructors should pay attention to students’ assignments and make it mandatory to check for plagiarism. However, since plagiarism is reduced only by checking the plagiarism rate, it is necessary to repeatedly teach writing ethics in class.

“Switching to the Online MA TESOL Program”: Experiences and Decision-Making Processes of International Learners

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the curricula and mode of instruction for many postgraduate taught and research programs. Before the pandemic, many MA TESOL programs included on-campus tutorials as requirements, as the curricula were designed based on on-campus activities. However, as the United Kingdom restricted face-to-face teaching due to social distancing, most of the courses were switched to online learning platforms during the pandemic. Although most courses returned to on-campus teaching during the 2021/2022 academic year, a group of East Asian international students decided to continue their MA TESOL program online as an alternative option. The purpose of this study is to understand the experiences and decision-making processes about this group of MA TESOL students and their decisions to finish their degrees via the online completion option. In line with social cognitive career and motivation theory, the results indicated that flexibility, career development through online learning options, and concerns about job security were the main three themes that arose within this group of students. The outcomes provide suggestions to university leaders and program directors in regard to developing additional online courses and programs to meet the needs of adult and postgraduate students who cannot attend on-campus courses, particularly MA TESOL learners.

Using Interactive Online Pedagogical Approaches to Promote Student Engagement

The COVID-19 outbreak in late 2019 required a complete shift to online learning across all educational institutions, including universities. The rapid transition to online learning globally meant that many educators were suddenly tasked with adapting their classroom-based pedagogy to the online space. While this was undoubtedly challenging for teachers and students, it also opened up possibilities for reimagining the delivery of content, along with creating increased access for students who had barriers for studying remotely before the impact of COVID-19. The study discussed in this paper examines the experiences of students studying at a regional Australian university that already offered online courses, and whose instructors were already using a diverse range of online delivery tools. Specifically, the study sought to investigate how instructors used interactive strategies to promote student engagement, and how the interaction between learner and content influences student engagement. With research showing that online students typically have higher attrition rates than their on-campus counterparts, engagement has been identified as an important factor in online learning. Online interaction in particular is considered to be instrumental in influencing student engagement and positively impacting student satisfaction, persistence, and academic performance. Data collected from interviews conducted with two different cohorts of students, studying two different courses (mathematics education and Chinese language) at the same university, demonstrated ways instructors utilised interactive online pedagogies to engage students with potentially challenging course content. The study has implications for online educators who are looking for ways to adapt their on-campus courses to online delivery, with a focus on engaging and maintaining online students’ interest and ongoing participation in their courses.

A Gap Between Children's Rights and Curricular Content in Health, Social Care, and Teacher Education Programs: An Exploratory Cross-Sectional Study.

IntroductionExposure to child maltreatment is a social and public health challenge that will require interprofessional collaboration to overcome. Evidence indicates that professional students in health, social care, and teacher education programs receive inadequate training in recognizing and responding to child maltreatment. The aims are to 1) assess the extent to which these students found that their uniprofessional education and a large-scale interprofessional learning (IPL) course had taught them about children in general, children’s rights, and vulnerable/at-risk children; and 2) explore differences in student responses according to age and educational background.MethodsA cross-sectional study. Students (n=2811) completed questionnaires prior to or after IPL courses held in 2019 and 2020 (hybrid case-based, small-group, on-campus courses targeting children, young people, and their families as end users).FindingsThe majority (>90%) agreed that it was important to learn about child-related topics. Only 4.3% disagreed that it was important to learn about vulnerable/at-risk children. Health and social care students enhanced their insight into all the child-related topics (p<0.001) after the IPL course. Teacher education and child welfare students reported decreased insight into children in general (p<0.001 in 2019 and p=0.008 in 2020) but increased insight into vulnerable/at-risk children in 2020 (p=0.001). According to stratified analyses, there was a significantly increased insight into all child-related topics among physiotherapy and Mensendieck physiotherapy students (p<0.001), decreased insight into children in general among teacher education students (p<0.02), and increased insight into vulnerable/at-risk children among teacher education students (p ≤ 0.001) in both 2019 and 2020. Age was of minor importance. The response rates ranged from 16.0% to 36.0%.ConclusionAfter the IPL course, the health and social care students significantly enhanced their insight into child-related topics, whereas the students in teacher education and child welfare gained increased insight into vulnerable/at-risk children.

Visualization Design Sprints for Online and On-Campus Courses.

We present how to integrate Design Sprints and project-based learning into introductory visualization courses. A design sprint is a unique process based on rapid prototyping and user testing to define goals and validate ideas before starting costly development. The well-defined, interactive, and time-constrained design cycle makes design sprints a promising option for teaching project-based and active-learning-centered courses to increase student engagement and hands-on experience. Over the past five years, we have adjusted the design sprint methodology for teaching a range of visualization courses. We present a detailed guide on incorporating design sprints into large undergraduate and small professional development courses in both online and on-campus settings. Design sprint results, including quantitative and qualitative student feedback, show that design sprints engage students and help practice and apply visualization and design skills. We provide design sprint teaching materials, show examples of student-created work, and discuss limitations and lessons learned.

Increasing the effect of a remedial mathematics course by switching to an online format during the COVID-19 crisis: evidence from a German university

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, many courses have been offered digitally. Using data from n = 1,173 business students participating in a preparatory mathematics course at a German university that covered the same content as in 2018, 2019 and 2020, we examine how students’ participation and the effect of the preparatory course changed. The data show that the participation rate has fallen slightly, but students’ participation is rather similar to preceding years. Interestingly, students have participated more intensively. There are clear signs of dishonesty in the self-test (use of a calculator) and significant changes in predictors of performance. In particular, the effect of students’ engagement in the course on their performance substantially increased. Further, we found a gender gap in performance affecting women. Finally, the data show that digital courses can be as effective as on-campus courses.

Transitioning your course to online: High-yield modifications for success

IntroductionFaculty everywhere are struggling to transition their on-campus courses to an online format due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We transitioned our graduate pathophysiology and clinical pharmacology courses for advanced practice providers from the classroom to completely online several years ago. These are content heavy courses with relatively high enrollment. PerspectiveSince transitioning we have identified challenges and gathered extensive student feedback that has guided substantial refinement of these courses. In this article we highlight how our approaches to online teaching focus on four basic pillars: organization, course content delivery, communication, and assessment. ImplicationsExamples of high-yield improvements that enhance learning are provided.

Instructor Presence and Student Satisfaction Across Modalities: Survey Data on Student Preferences in Online and On-Campus Courses

Post-COVID-19, many, if not most, college and university instructors teach both online and face-to-face, and, given that online courses historically have higher attrition rates, designing and facilitating effective online courses is key to student retention. Students need online and on-campus courses that are well designed and facilitated, but even well-designed classes can be ineffective if students feel lost in the course or disengaged from the instructor. We surveyed 2,007 undergraduate students at a public, metropolitan university in the United States about the best and worst classes they had taken at the university. The resulting data revealed important consistencies across modalities—such as the importance of clear instructions and instructor availability. However, students responded that instructors matter more in face-to-face courses, where they can establish personal relationships with students, whereas assignments “stand in” for instructors in online classes. These findings support the need for increased faculty professional development in online course design and facilitation focused on student experience as well as faculty expertise.