Online Delivery Modes Research Articles

Interprofessional team-based education: A comparison of in-person and online learner experiences by method of delivery and health profession.

Building capacity for teamwork, communication, role clarification and recognition of shared values is essential for interprofessional healthcare workforce development. Requirements to demonstrate interprofessional practice competencies have coincided with pivots to online delivery. Comparison of in-person and online delivery models for interprofessional education is important for future curriculum design. This article presents an evaluation of in-person and online delivery modes for interprofessional team-based education and compares learner experiences across different health professions. Students from 13 health professions (n=2236) participated between Spring 2020 and Fall 2021. In-person and online delivery models were compared, assessing learner perceptions of efficacy for interprofessional practice, using reflective pre-post responses to the Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Scale (ICCAS). Mean ICCAS scores improved for in-person and online delivery (0.79 vs 0.66), with strong effect (Cohen's D 2.03 and 1.31 respectively; p<0.001). Statistically significant differences were observed across professions, although all experienced ICCAS score improvements. Logistical benefits were evident for online delivery. In-person and online interprofessional team-based education can provide valuable learner experiences for large student cohorts from multiple professions. ICCAS score differences should be weighed against potential logistical benefits of online delivery. Timing of delivery and determinants of differences in student response across professions warrant evaluation for future curriculum design.

ONLINE EXERCISE CLASS EXPERIENCE AMONG OLDER ADULTS' MEMBERS OF COMMUNITY CENTERS IN HONG KONG DURING COVID-19

Abstract Due to the social distancing measures, community-centres in Hong Kong has been converting exercise classes to online delivery mode through video-conferencing software since the outbreak of COVID-19. The phenomenon is new, and no research has been done to investigate older adults’ experience on it. This study adopted a descriptive qualitative methodologically orientation to understand the phenomenon. Twenty-three older adults (aged 55-89 years), with experience of participating online exercise class since COVID-19 participated in the study. Six major themes regarding their experiences emerged. Regarding positive experiences, older adults experienced convenience, increased exercise regularity, technical transformation and motivation in this new form of home-based exercise. At the same time, they experienced specific technical barriers and compensated supervision quality from the instructor. The findings of the study gave important future research direction and implications to the development of smart aging in community centres in Hong Kong.

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Sustaining evolving teaching practicum models in higher education: A conversational ethnodrama between South African teacher educators

This article explores the evolving trajectory of the Teaching Practicum (TP) models within a selected South African teacher education institution (TEI) to accommodate the localised challenges of shifting from face-to-face support of professional learning towards online modes of delivery during Covid-19 times. Over time, even before the onset of Covid-19, the specific institution was characterised by increasing diversification of its student body and increased enrolment of student teachers resonating with similar patterns across other TEIs nationally. The study draws on the ethnographic tradition of celebrating participants’ lived experiences within the field of teacher education by capturing how a teaching practicum coordinator attempted to deal with complex and multiple challenges to enact and sustain a re-imagined TP programme. The pattern of responsiveness continues even as the pandemic (potentially) wanes. A reconstructed dialogue represents the responses of the internal coordinator within the institution (foregrounding changing operational concerns) and a senior teacher educator external to the institution (foregrounding shifting theoretical and policy considerations). Drawing from ethnodrama traditions, this dialogical conversation acknowledges the lived experiences of everyday designing, delivering and using TP models. It includes the hesitance of school mentors, student teachers and teacher educator supervisors to adopt alternative practices to conventionalised rituals of TP. The conversation questions the academic rationale of the various models of TP in their bolstering of student teachers’ professional learning. The study’s findings indicate that the successful implementation of a meaningful and contextualised revised TP curriculum necessitates re-imagining the roles of the various partners involved in the TP endeavour: who are co-responsible for conceptualising and ensuring transformative professional growth and development.

Technology devices: Can it enhance pre-service teachers' teaching?

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in schools being closed around the world. Globally, most children are outside the classroom. As a result, education has changed dramatically, with the advent of typical e-learning, where teaching is done remotely and on digital platforms. These conditions are very demanding on information skills, media, and technology as a solution to these problems. All school activities had been shifted to an online delivery mode, which causes the implementation of teaching practices to be carried out online. This transfer forces pre-service teachers to have different teaching practice experiences. Technological devices are the facilities they use to support online learning. This study aims to describe the implementation and perceptions of pre-service teachers on their teaching practice experiences during the pandemic. Class observations are made on the implementation of English pre-service teachers’ teaching by implementing technological devices in three public junior high schools in Semarang. To evaluate how the teaching and learning process in applying technological devices, the Technological Integrated Matrix (TIM) by Florida Center for Instructional Technology is used as a framework for analyzing the data. TIM provides a framework for describing and targeting the use of technology to enhance learning. Questionnaires and interviews are also administered to obtain information about the pre-service teachers' perceptions of online learning during the pandemic era. Therefore, despite the limitations of its implementation, teaching practice programs tend to form a positive mindset and teaching attitude for pre-service teachers.

Three Popes: Lessons in Leadership—The Powerful Learnings of Predecessors in Developing One’s Leadership Style and Approach

As educators, we seek engaging ways to demonstrate how crucial leadership is to advancing organizational success. This exercise uniquely emphasizes how much leaders may learn from their predecessors in the same role. Participants explore leadership by researching two former Bishops of Rome—John Paul II and Benedict XVI—and the incumbent pontiff, Francis. Participants investigate the personal traits, biographies, and accomplishments of each pope to understand each leader’s style and effectiveness and make recommendations to Pope Francis using this situational data of his predecessors. In doing so, the exercise creates a perspective for how participants might enhance their own leadership skills within their own professional organizations. Variations for other organizational contexts where leadership is essential are included as well as variations for online delivery modes.

491-P: Ten Years of the National Diabetes Prevention Program: Scaling the Lifestyle Change Program across the United States

The National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP) is a public-private partnership to build a nationwide delivery system for an evidence-based lifestyle change program (LCP) proven to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes in adults with prediabetes. Using data collected through the Diabetes Prevention Recognition Program (DPRP) , which certifies programs as official National DPP sites since 2012, this study shows how programmatic milestones have impacted enrollment trends over the past years. At the end of 2012, only 13 states had enrolled participants, with the highest number reported by MT (269) . By 2013, the number of states with programs increased to 41, with the highest number of enrollees reported by OH (931) and FL (840) . In 2015, online delivery modes were introduced, this allowed participants to enroll in programs located outside of their current states of residence and led, to an increase in enrollment across 50 states and DC. Notable increases were then seen in IL (13 to 670) , KS (9 to 786) , and LA (59 to 1362) . In January 2018, the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP) was launched, which allowed eligible Medicare beneficiaries to enroll in the LCP as a covered service. By the end of 2018, in-person (IP) enrollment sharply increased in organizations approved as MDPP suppliers, and large increases in IP enrollment from 2017 to 2018 were seen in AL, MO, NJ, and NV. The ongoing COVID-pandemic significantly impacted National DPP enrollment trends. Most states’ online enrollment increased by at least 20% from March 2020 to March 2021, with NC, CO, and NY showing large increases of 176%, 243%, and 590%, respectively. In contrast, CA, DE, and MS had decreases in online enrollment of 7%, 8%, and 26%, respectively. Enrollment trends have proven to be important reflections of milestones in the evolution of the National DPP. Expanding the number of organizations offering the MDPP, as well as those offering virtual delivery, allows the Program to continue to scale. Disclosure A.Chappell: None. E.Ely: None.

Online Engagement during COVID-19: Comparing a Course Previously Delivered Traditionally with Emergency Online Delivery

The COVID-19 pandemic caused major disruptions worldwide to teaching and learning activities across the education sector. We investigated the impact of COVID-19 on student engagement and performance in a third-year undergraduate science course by comparing student activity during emergency online delivery and traditional mode delivery. We found that the rapid transition to fully online teaching without any physical face-to-face teaching caused by COVID-19 resulted in learning resources being accessed at a slower rate throughout the semester. Student engagement decreased as evidenced by lower attendance at tutorials, despite this being the only virtual face-to-face activity available to students in this course. Thus, despite the smooth transition to fully online mode, it was not sufficient to prevent a decrease in student activity and participation in the online environment, and we observed a downward spiral in student engagement and motivation. Results indicate the importance of providing structure and teacher-student-peer interaction in online delivery modes.

Supporting the Delivery of Infection Prevention and Control Training to Healthcare Workers: Insights from the Sector.

Infection prevention and control (IPC) cannot be implemented without healthcare workers (HCWs) being properly trained and competent. The provision of training is essential, yet there is a gap in our understanding of the factors impacting the implementation of IPC training. This paper reports the results from in-depth interviews that explored the current landscape around IPC training delivered across low-, middle-, and high-income countries. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the key stakeholders involved in policymaking or IPC implementation in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Australia. Although the training was mandated for many HCWs, participants indicated that only some training elements were mandatory. Participants spoke about covering various topics, but those in low-resource settings spoke about the challenges of delivering training. Classroom-based training dominated, but online delivery modes were also used in some locations. Whilst HCW’s training was postulated to have improved during the COVID-19 pandemic, the capacity to deliver training did not improve in some settings. More research is needed to establish the essential elements that could underpin the development of training packages.

Negative effects of distance learning accentuated by COVID-19 outbreak: a perspective of learners and teachers

ABSTRACT Set in a French higher education context, this paper contributes to the knowledge management literature by arguing that the digital transformation of knowledge transfer via distance learning includes negative outcomes, in addition to many benefits. Based on quantitative and qualitative data, via an online survey from learners and instructors, our findings show that while online modes of delivery are convenient and cost-effective, they overlook many aspects that enable users to engage in knowledge transfer.

Developing and Delivering a Remote Experiment based on the Experiential Learning framework during COVID-19 Pandemic

The students following Engineering disciplines should acquire a conceptual understanding of the concepts and the processors and attitudes. There are two recognizable learning environments for students: classroom and laboratory environments. With the COVID-19 Pandemic, both environments merged to online environments, impacting students' processes and characteristic attitudes development. This paper introduces a theoretical framework based on experiential learning to plan and deliver processes online. A case study based on the power-factor correction experiment was presented. The traditional experiment that runs for 2 hours was broken into smaller tasks such as pre-lab activity, simulation exercise, PowerPoint presentation, remote laboratory activity, and final report based on the experiential learning approach. The delivery of the lab under online mode delivery was presented. Then students' performance was compared before and after the online mode of delivery. It was found that students' performance on average has a distinct improvement. In order to obtain students' reflections about the online experiential learning approach, a questionnaire that carries close and open-ended questions was administered. The majority of the students liked the approach followed and praised for allowing them to experiment in a novel way during the COVID-19.

The Future of Design Studio Education: Student Experience and Perception of Blended Learning and Teaching during the Global Pandemic

Urban design studio education aims to prepare future urban designers to more effectively understand how cities work and critically engage with the role of design intervention in the built environment. A design studio is an appropriate setting where this can take place. This paper details the design and delivery of a postgraduate urban design studio subject in the MA Urban Design programme at Cardiff University during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK. We particularly investigate the capacities and challenges of blended learning and teaching, with a primary focus on the experience and perception of students in the context of design studio pedagogy. To this end, we discuss the findings from an online survey of postgraduate urban design students and reflect on their experience and perception of the related learning and teaching activities, assessment, feedback, field study visits, workshops, and digital platforms during the subject delivery period in the 2021–2022 academic year. The outcomes of this paper can inform future practices of blended learning and teaching incorporating a mix of face-to-face and online modes of delivery in relation to design studio education, particularly in the context of unprecedented global health challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

University Students’ Classroom Emotional Climate and Attitudes during and after COVID-19 Lockdown

With the advent of COVID-19, universities around the world have been forced to move to a fully online mode of delivery because of lockdown policies. This led to a flurry of studies into issues such as internet access, student attitudes to online learning and mental health during lockdown. However, researchers need a validated survey for assessing the classroom emotional climate and student attitudes towards learning in universities that can be used for online, face-to-face or blended delivery. Such a survey could be used to illuminate students’ perceptions of the experiences that make up learning at university level, in terms of such factors as care from teachers, collaboration and motivation. In this article, we report the validation of a University Classroom Emotional Climate (UCEC) questionnaire and an Attitudes to Learning scale, as well as their use in comparing the classroom emotional climate and attitudes during COVID-19 lockdown (fully online delivery) with post-lockdown (mixed-mode delivery). Female students experienced the post-lockdown condition significantly more positively than during lockdown for all scales except Care, while the only significant difference for males between the during and post-lockdown was their choice to engage with learning (Control) and the degree of Challenge that they found with the learning materials.

Exploring the Online EFL Classroom Ecology of Middle Schools During the COVID-19 Lockdown

The outbreak of COVID-19 has induced an abrupt shift from face-to-face instruction to online delivery mode for academic continuity. This research aims to explore the ecology of the pandemic-induced online English as foreign language (EFL) classrooms in Chinese middle schools and perceptions held by the English teachers, students, and parents. By analyzing data collected from 10, 576 questionnaires and eleven interviews, this study revealed how these participants played their respective parts in online EFL classroom ecology. Also, it was found that teachers’ evaluations of students’ learning performance (learning engagement and outcomes) and teacher-student interactions (in-class interaction, after-class interaction, and teachers’ feedback about homework) and their overall satisfaction of the online EFL classrooms were lower than that of the other two groups. In addition, major concerns of the participants about online EFL teaching and learning were identified, such as students’ vision damage and inadequate self-discipline, lack of face-to-face communication, and unstable Internet connection. Through presenting and discussing the research findings, this study is expected to provide implications and insights for foreign language educators, learners, and parents worldwide in adapting to online classrooms during public crises.

The enhancement of academic integrity through a community of practice at the North-West University, South Africa

This article was motivated by the need to academically frame and share the response of the North-West University (NWU) to the perceived increase of academic dishonesty during Covid-19. Within the ambit of the online (hybrid) teaching and learning approach that became dominant during the Covid-19 pandemic, the NWU established a Community of Practice for Academic Integrity (CoPAI) to enhance Academic Integrity (AI) in a holistic manner. By critically discussing the NWU’s response through their CoPAI, the lessons learned, and strategies developed in the process, the NWU can hopefully assist other Higher Education institutes to progressively enhance AI in the future. This is important, because many contextual shifts in teaching and learning approaches, pedagogy, assessment, and the application of technology, that were enforced in an online mode of delivery during the pandemic, will prevail in future.In writing this article, we focused on contextualising the NWU CoPAI within current literature on community of practice (CoP) and Academic integrity (AI) and emphasising the unique strategy and holistic nature of this CoPAI. The establishment of the CoPAI is discussed within the appreciative inquiry as methodological framework. This methodology is commonly used by CoPs, but it is particularly relevant to the CoPAI since CoPAI sought answers to all the AI questions that presented itself due to disruptions in the higher education landscape. The appreciative inquiry method allowed for the opportunity to find some answers in a holistic manner. Some of these answers or insights gained through the activities of CoPAI is further discussed in the latter part of the article. In conclusion, some of the outcomes and shortcomings of CoPAI at the NWU are highlighted.The main finding of this article concluded that the establishment of a CoPAI can enhance AI at HE institutions in a holistic manner. The applicability, relevance, and success of this CoPAI was realised through its holistic approach which included the valorisation of institutional aspects, the engagement and empowerment of lecturers, and the engagement and empowerment of students. This novel and unique approach to promote AI in HE could fill the existing knowledge gap in the South African context, where the establishment of a CoPAI, the application of appreciative inquiry as methodology, and the inclusion of a holistic approach are still absent. It might however also be an example for other HE institutions to follow globally.

Effective Implementation of Online Academic Delivery through Innovative Practice League (IPL) Competition

Covid-19 pandemic forced academic Institutes to switch from 100% offline to 100% online delivery mode in very short amount of time. Most of academic Institutes were not ready for this change in terms of required faculty training. Also many Institutes lagged essential computing hardware, software, and Internet bandwidth support for effective implementation of ICT based education. Due to pressure from apex bodies like AICTE, peer Institutes, students and parents almost all academic Institutes started implementation of the online academic delivery in hurry. However, this unprepared start caused increased level of frustration among students and faculty community. Very soon a need of effective implementation of online academic delivery was recognized by the different Institutes. The paper presents how our Institute implemented and ensured effective implementation of online academic delivery using Innovative Practice League (IPL) competition. The paper explains methodology adopted by the Institute in details for improving quality of online academic delivery. The Institute undertook various initiatives at faculty-level, department-level, and Institutelevel for the same; the paper discusses the same in details. The paper also presents details of IPL competition and discusses how IPL helped to have awareness of quality issues related with online academic delivery. Keywords— Covid-19; Pandemic; Online teaching learning; effective implementation; Online tools for activity-based learning; Active learning; Innovative Practice League (IPL).

Empowering Undergraduates to Fight Climate Change with Soil Microbes.

The burning of fossil fuels to meet a growing demand for energy has created a climate crisis that threatens Earth's fragile ecosystems. While most undergraduate students are familiar with solar and wind energy as sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels, many are not aware of a climate solution right beneath their feet—soil-dwelling microbes! Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) harness energy from the metabolic activity of microbes in the soil to generate electricity. Recently, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic transformed the traditional microbiology teaching laboratory into take-home laboratory kits and online modes of delivery, which could accommodate distance learning. This laboratory exercise combined both virtual laboratory simulations and a commercially available MFC kit to challenge undergraduate students to apply fundamental principles in microbiology to real-world climate solutions.

Being Innovative in Running an Online Food Research Project in Consumer Sciences during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic challenged many higher education institutions to accelerate the implementation of teaching and learning through an online mode of delivery. The unpredicted shift to online learning created unprecedented challenges for Consumer Sciences students which usually perform laboratory-oriented research projects; however, any employable skills acquired during undergraduate studies should be transferable to new circumstances within different working contexts. The aim of this article is to provide educators with a basic 10-step approach to complete an online food research project and to consider students’ engagement, reflections and experiences. The article consists of three parts. The first part provides ten research steps to complete an online food research project, followed by students’ reflections of the research project. The second part presents the results on students’ online engagement with an e-learning platform. The third part presents the results of students’ experiences from the university’s student survey of the lectured module. Recommendations made from students’ reflections stimulated their higher-order thinking as they comprehended the value and importance of research, project based-learning and critical evaluation for future improvement. Educators are responsible for helping students discover their own support networks, to provide opportunities and events to share their values and work, and to motivate and encourage student engagement and reflective discussions in the online environment to stimulate higher-order thinking and enhance students’ professional and sustainable development.

The Clinical Effectiveness of Virtual Nursing Process Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Educational Evaluation and a Quasi-experimental Longitudinal Study

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the mode of education, causing universities to shift from face-to-face to online delivery mode for offering various courses and programs. Thus, it is essential to focus on the curriculum content to tackle the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and provide methods to effectively educate nursing students in nursing practice. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the clinical effectiveness of virtual nursing process (NP) education in undergraduate nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This educational evaluation study with a quasi-experimental longitudinal design was applied in four educational steps over six months for first-year undergraduate nursing students (n = 30) using Iran's national learning virtual environment. Results: The paired t-test results showed a significant difference in the mean and overall scores of nursing diagnosis and nursing outcomes/goals before and after the virtual intervention (P &lt; 0.001). Six months after virtual education, the students registered for the ‘clinical nursing process (CNP) unit in the third semester. In the final step of the study, the overall mean score of the students' nursing care plan was 16.59 ± 2.31, which was higher than the mean score, meaning virtual NP education was effective in a clinical setting. Conclusions: Virtual mode of teaching can be effective for theoretical and CNP education.

COVID-19 Challenged Me to Re-Create My Teaching Entirely": Adaptation Challenges of Four Novice EFL Teachers of Moving from 'Face-to-Face' To 'Face-to-Screen' Teaching"

Language teaching is noted to be a stressful profession at the best of times, but in 2020 it became even more difficult for all teachers because of the spread of COVID-19 pandemic worldwide. Teachers were required to switch suddenly to deliver their lessons on online platforms, with many having little or no prior training. This has certainly been the case for language teachers, language students and language schools because most language courses, initially designed for face-to-face instruction, were suddenly ‘forced’ to move to online platforms. This sudden move meant that language schools, language teachers and their students needed to adapt fast to a new virtual world that for many was an unknown teaching world. For language teachers the main challenge was how to adapt their courses and lessons to make them suitable for this new online delivery mode. This paper reports on the reflections of the adaptation challenges of four English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers at a prominent English language institution in Costa Rica, Central America, as they suddenly had to shift to online lesson delivery due to the COVID-19 pandemic.