Online Teaching Environment Research Articles

Through their eyes: Student perspectives

Connecting with students has been shown to increase motivation, satisfaction, and perceived learning while decreasing anxiety. Connecting with students in an online or distance education environment can prove difficult. This study examined perceptions of higher education students who were enrolled in various modalities (e.g., hybrid, online asynchronous, and synchronous) during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States of America. The study found that a high perception of instructor connectedness in the asynchronous classes resulted in lower anxiety levels for students. Four themes emerged from the results: the importance of instructor empathy; sociability; feedback; and course organisation. These helped students to connect to their instructor—thus reducing anxiety.

Online education: Educational innovation the Integrative Project Educational Experience during the COVID-19 pandemic using the Eminus and Zoom platforms (Universidad Veracruzana)

We present the educational innovation and the results of a new exercise in the teaching practice of the Educational Experience (EE) of the Integrative Project, which belongs to the Educational Program of Computer Technologies (Faculty of Statistics and Informatics, University of Veracruz), in the school period February-July 2020. The purpose of this educational innovation is to achieve significant learning of students through an online education environment. We describe the strategies, the planned and organized activities, and the implemented skills and actions to change the teaching practice and student function during the new reality caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. We integrated the Eminus and Zoom to change from face-to-face to an online education environment. The results were significant; eighty percent of the students achieved the planned competencies necessary to accredit the EE and recognized the importance of ethics in their academic and professional performances.

Analysis of Learning Effect through Voice Signal Analysis in Online Education Environment

The new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) that appeared suddenly has permeated our daily lives and changed our way of life. In the field of education, education is being conducted in a non-face-to-face teaching method to prevent the spread of coronavirus. In the end, e-Learning, a new educational and training system that can provide a lifelong education environment in the 21st century information society, is increasing in use in the field of education. The biggest advantage of the online education system is that it provides an environment in which you can learn the necessary contents anytime, anywhere. However, there are cases in which the learning effect is reduced because various learning support is not available in the online space due to the sudden change of the educational environment due to the covid-19. Therefore, in this thesis, a study was conducted to analyze the learning effect of online education with voice signals for college students who are receiving education through an online education environment. To this end, the learning effect was classified into a group saying that the learning effect increased and a group that decreased due to online education, and the voices of the subjects in each group were collected. As a result of the experiment, the results of the vocal cord vibration (Pitch), Degree of voice breaks, Jitter and Shimmer were consistent among the elements of voice signal analysis between two groups.

Students' perspective on online learning during pandemic in higher education.

This research provides an insight into the students’ perspective on online learning during the pandemic. We conducted this research in one of the universities of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). A quantitative research design was employed, and cross-sectional research method was used. An online survey form was administered by using Google survey forms on Likert scale (N = 405). The online survey and use of social media tools were adopted owing to the pandemic. The Google survey form was disseminated among the students by means of teachers through social media tools using convenient sampling technique. Chi-square results showed highly significant association among the variables. Regression analysis found that lack of technology, learning skills, and disconnectedness of internet, marking and grading issues, and mental growth are the predictors of the bad educational performance of the students. It is, thus, concluded that the students’ educational performance is badly affected due to the online learning amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in AJK. It is suggested to the higher educational institutions to take the radical measures of preparedness during any such crisis to ensure the smooth online educational and learning environment to the students.

ПРАВОВА СОЦІАЛІЗАЦІЯ ТА ПРАВОВЕ ВИХОВАННЯ ДІТЕЙ І МОЛОДІ ЗАСОБАМИ ЦИФРОВИХ ТЕХНОЛОГІЙ

The article studies the problem of the activity of a social worker, a social teacher in legal socialization and legal education of children and youth by digital technologies. The European Recommendation on Key Competences for Lifelong Learning is considered, the requirements for a specialist who ensures a high level of legal socialization of the individual in society are analyzed. The Concept for the Development of Digital Competences describes digital competence, which means digital and information literacy, the ability to use digital technologies for learning, professional activities and life in society. Programs and methodological recommendations on legal socialization are characterized: Methodological recommendations on social work with juvenile offenders, the Program for the formation of tolerance, the prevention of conflicts and hate crimes «Building the Future Together». The experience of legal education in schools is being studied, they have a system for organizing legal education, conditions for the development of legal consciousness, culture and experience in the legal behavior of students, but there is no experience in using interactive digital technologies, creating an innovative online educational environment for the legal socialization of children and youth. Examples of digital technologies that are used by specialists to organize legal socialization are given: the formation of motivation for an independent search for legal information, the solution of legal problems, the creation of legal online crossword puzzles, the development of skills for quick orientation in social and legal situations, the independent creation of interactive legal games, the study of the level of legal awareness about rights and obligations, etc. It is determined that the use of digital technologies in socio-pedagogical activities makes it possible to diversify the process of legal education, make it modern, interesting, accessible and direct it to prevent manifestations of negative behavior, the formation of legal education of children and youth. Key words: legal socialization, children and youth, legal education, gamification, digital technologies, social teacher, social worker.

Teachers’ Experiences and Role in the Design Process of Online Degree Programmes in Higher Education

Background The study was conducted at a university of applied sciences in Finland. The viewpoint is of those online degree programme teachers involved in the initial steps of design and implementation of the first online degree programmes in the organisation that follows a pedagogical strategy in all its operations.
 Objectives The teachers as implementers of the intended pedagogical solution have an important role in the design process. Their views were sought to gain information about their experiences of the intended design of online degree programmes in the local context.
 Methods This study presents the results of the second cycle of a design-based research (DBR) process in the holistic design of online degree programmes. Focus group interview and thematic analysis were used to gain the teachers’ experiences of the holistic design to further develop the initial design created in the first cycle. 
 Findings The results reveal teachers’ positive and negative experiences of the holistic online degree programme design in three layers: organisational, pedagogical and online degree programme. Results include several new considerations, including management support, collegial support, collaboration and co-creation, online degree community, extended online and onsite teaching environments, blended education, and international aspects.
 Conclusions The results indicate that it is important for higher education organisations to involve teachers in the design process of online degree programmes. The resulting design principles may be of interest to those managers, coordinators and educators developing higher education online degree programmes.

Survey on Online Learning at Universities of Slovakia, Czech Republic and Kazakhstan during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The article points out some of the challenges faced by students at the University of Ostrava, Comenius University in Bratislava and Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, who had almost no previous practice in online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic situation. The students from the mentioned universities were interviewed to share their experiences with online teaching and learning during the COVID-19 lockdown. In this paper, qualitative pedagogical research in the local conditions of the three mentioned universities is used, with the processing of answers of selected students who were interviewed as an available sample. The students were also asked to describe their impressions of this situation from their social and personal points of view. The focus is on the positive and negative aspects, boundaries, and problems of online university teaching during the pandemic situation, as well as changes in the personal life of the students. The aim of this introductory small-scale study is to provide a basis for future research on the impact that the COVID-19 situation has had on the educational process at the above-mentioned universities, as well as to assist educational providers in foreseeing and eliminating the possible problems of lecturers when establishing an online educational environment. Some conclusions are drawn from the interviews that offer potential for further research in educational science, because many difficulties from the students’ point of view are related to their social status, lack of social contact, technical problems with Internet connections, the carrying out of lectures and the exams of students. The students’ answers are categorized, and each category is described.

Student physiotherapists perceptions of online curriculum delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundAs a result of the COVID-19 pandemic a rapid transformation from face-to-face curriculum delivery to an online teaching and learning environment, was adopted in a number of higher education institutions globally. Allied Health Profession courses such as physiotherapy, traditionally utilising an in person teaching model to prepare students for practice, needed to swiftly adopt new methods of delivery, involving both synchronous and asynchronous approaches. Understanding physiotherapy student perceptions of this transition is important to allow faculty to develop their delivery of online teaching and provide an evidence base for future course curricula.MethodsCross-sectional survey of UK higher education students studying either an undergraduate or post-graduate pre-registration degree in physiotherapy was conducted between October 2020 and February 2021. The survey investigated the student’s perception of the transition to either an online or hybrid model of learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. A mixed method approach was adopted allowing respondents to share their experiences and facilitate the exploration of questions which required in-depth thought.ResultsTwo hundred thirty-six respondents completed the questionnaire. Online learning was perceived to be a flexible (49%, n=116,CI 95% 43 to 55) and convenient (49, 116, 43 to 55) method of learning. Despite this, 79% of the students surveyed felt that the online learning experience had a negative impact on their understanding of the subject and were disadvantaged compared to traditional face-to-face teaching provision (mean 4.14 ± SD 1.06). Online physiotherapy delivery produced low student satisfaction, leaving respondents feeling disadvantaged. Decreased levels of engagement and the lack of ability to practice ‘hands-on’ skills were detrimental aspects of the online approach, with 55% (n=106) reporting they did not perceive the academic staff had the necessary skills to deliver effective online content.ConclusionsThe majority of UK physiotherapy students surveyed were dissatisfied and lacked engagement with an online learning approach within the curricula, compared with the traditional face-to-face delivery. Although several positives of both a synchronous and asynchronous delivery were highlighted, faculty must consider how they best deliver online learning content, making use of pedagogical strategies that will create as many learning and engagement opportunities as possible.

Repurposing African teachers for sustainable development: Online global trends

This intellectual piece aims to repurpose African teachers for the achievement of Standard Development Goals (SDG) 2030 target through online global trends. To achieve this, a qualitative review method was adopted to gain insight to previous studies that have established the positive impact of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills and competencies in teaching and learning processes. The findings show that many African teachers need to be adequately equipped with ICT skills as captured in the UNESCO framework. The study, therefore, concludes that teachers are inevitably becoming reskilled and reequipped with a virtual learning-based framework so that the SDG 4 can be achieved. Hence, the virtual learning space model with potential to equip teachers with necessary and requisite skills and competencies was developed and recommended. This will enable teachers to transit into an online teaching environment, where the teaching and learning processes are sustained without being hampered by any future unprecedented circumstances.
 Keywords: African teacher, COVID-19, ICT-CFT, online global trends, sustainable development.

Influence of Teachers' Effective Teaching Behavior on Knowledge Transfer of Students in Online Teaching

With the rapid development of information technology, the online education environment has become a reality. In specific online education practices, most teachers exhibit effective teaching behaviors by using multimedia technologies positively to stimulate the learning initiative of students, improve their learning performances, and promote their knowledge transfer. Based on theories of knowledge transfer and effective teaching behaviors, a measurement model that focuses on the effects of effective teaching behaviors of teachers on knowledge transfer of learners was constructed in this study. Moreover, the influencing mechanism of effective teaching behaviors of teachers (clear teaching, diversified teaching, task orientation, and guidance of student engagement) on knowledge transfer of students was discussed through questionnaire survey and multiple regression analysis. In addition, differences in knowledge transfer caused by different online learning platforms were analyzed. Results demonstrate that for the designed questionnaire, the general Cronbach’s α=0.796 and KMO values 0.820, indicating that the designed questionnaire has very good reliability and validity. Four aspects of clear teaching, diversified teaching, task orientation, and guidance of student engagement have significant positive correlations with knowledge transfer. Diversified teaching, task orientation, and guidance of student engagement can also promote knowledge transfer of students significantly. According to the Kruskal-Wallis test statistics, online learning platforms have significant effects on the knowledge transfer at the 0.05 level. Research conclusions have important references to recognize components of effective teaching behaviors of teachers, promote knowledge transfer improvement of students comprehensively, and facilitate the positive transformation of teachers to online teaching modes and strategies.

Internet-Mediated Joint Construction: Engaging Second Language Learners in Synchronous Online Writing Instruction Through ClassIn

This article introduces the use of Internet-mediated joint construction (JC) to engage second language (L2) writers to participate in virtual classroom activities in an online teaching environment. Affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, schools and universities in the People’s Republic of China were required to rapidly transit to remote teaching. The switch from the traditional classroom-based scenarios to the online environment was challenging for teachers. One of the extreme difficulties is to engage students in virtual-class activities. To address this issue, the authors designed an Internet-mediated JC teaching practice and implemented it on ClassIn, an online teaching platform for one semester. Analysis of students’ after-class online surveys and interviews suggested that the Internet-mediated JC practice helped students to build a connected network and thus engaged them in actively interacting with both the teacher and peers in the online environment. Pedagogical implications are discussed to contribute to the teaching practice of L2 online writing instruction.

Functionality of the learning platform and its effect on the satisfaction of students in the online teaching environment

The objective of this article is to identify the results of the functionality of the learning platform and its effect on the satisfaction of mechanical and electrical engineering students, the results will serve as a basis for the continuous improvement of teaching-learning online from the higher institution. The research findings indicate that the indicators that present a better perception regarding the functionality of the learning platform are related to the design and ease of navigation. However, 21.4% of the students are not entirely satisfied with its functionality due to the technical problems presented when downloading the study material. According to the results, we can point out that the functionality of the learning platform generates an effect of 70.87% on student satisfaction, the relationship was validated through the Chi-square test, in which it is determined that the indicators that generate a Greater satisfaction in students refers to the design, availability (connectivity) and the ease of communication and interaction with the teacher and classmates.

An Interactive Feedback Model for Enhancing Teaching and Learning in Dental and Undergraduate Medical Science Education

Introduction and ObjectiveAs higher education institutions transitioned to fully online teaching and learning environments due to the Covid‐19 pandemic, the importance of effective pedagogical models was reinforced. This unexpected and abrupt change of curriculum delivery from previously well‐established educational programs has not been without challenges, and subsequently identified a need for improvements in online teaching and learning practices. In September of 2020, a group of dental students and motivated faculty at Western University Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry came together in response to the pandemic and established an online feedback model (V1). This feedback model created the foundation for a Students as Partners program (SaP). SaP programs provide students and faculty the opportunity to foster academic partnerships and together be part of the teaching and learning process. This program allowed dentistry students to provide real‐time feedback on curricular content and delivery as teaching and learning shifted online. In order to evaluate the impact a real‐time feedback model has in enhancing teaching and learning, it is crucial to determine whether the feedback model closes the feedback loop. Closing the feedback loop is a systematic process where student feedback is shared with students and faculty, timely actions are taken to implement changes from the student voice, and the effectiveness of actioned improvements is monitored.Materials and MethodsTo assess if the V1 feedback system closes the feedback loop to enhance teaching and learning, we distributed Qualtrics surveys with 7‐point Likert scale statements and free‐text response questions to obtain student and faculty perspectives on their awareness, use, and perceived effectiveness of the V1 feedback system.ResultsAfter collecting pilot data from students and faculty on their perspectives of the V1feedback system, changes were made to the model of SaP and essential elements were re‐established. The student perspective reported that 73% (n=11) of students disagreed that they were well aware of the V1 feedback system and its intended use, 78% (n=10) disagreed that the V1 feedback system provided a solution for real‐time improvements, and 80% (n=5) disagreed that they were notified of changes being made to the feedback they provided. These results identified closing the feedback loop was not taking place in this V1 model.ConclusionSince increasing the awareness of the SaP program, an updated feedback system (V2) that closes the feedback loop to enhance teaching and learning in dental and undergraduate medical science education was developed and is being evaluated. Further analysis will determine if the V2 feedback system closes the feedback loop in a real‐time feedback model.SignificanceThis research is intended to assist researchers in dental and undergraduate medical science education with a feedback model that elicits student voices while enhancing the teaching and learning experience.

The Study on the Efficiency of Smart Learning in the COVID-19

This paper raised the need to examine how the online education environment triggered by COVID-19 and the smart learning environment can be established in consideration of the improvement of education and learning through learning analysis. Many studies are being conducted in Korea, and the Ministry of Education is continuously striving to build a smart school by promoting strategies for promoting smart education on the way to a talent powerhouse. Nevertheless, there is no unified definition of smart learning, and it can be seen as customized (individualized) learning using smart devices. However, most of the discussions on the construction of smart schools so far have limitations in that they are limited to physical spaces. Accordingly, the opinions of teachers and learners were not sufficiently reflected in the establishment of the facility. This study intends to study smart learning in various departments. In addition, the subjects students in charge of the co-researcher of this study were analyzed. The total number of subjects was 951, and 434 responded to this study survey. In addition, students were well accepting the online environment, and in the future, regardless of COVID-19, research will be presented to improve mutual communication between professors and students in smart learning.

Policy concern about university students’ online professionalism in the post-pandemic era in UK context

The extensive and intensive online teaching and learning during the pandemic has provided good opportunities for academic staff and students to experiment with learning and teaching using synchronous communication technology and learning platforms. This experience is highly valuable for helping higher education institutions move learning and teaching practices forward after the pandemic. Indeed, many universities are considering adopting blended learning in the new era. However, it is worth noting that a number of emerging issues related to student behaviour also appeared during online learning, such as teaching to blank screens, students’ inappropriate use of social media icons, languages and their inappropriate outfits. It appears that these issues have not yet been investigated properly, and are not addressed by the existing codes of conduct, since these have been written mainly for face-to-face teaching. This study offers some important insights into students’ unprofessional online behaviour from tutors’ perspective, and also the experiences of academic tutors in managing such behaviour in formal online learning and teaching environments. It used semi-structured interviews to collect data, and analysed the narratives of 20 academic staff working in UK universities. The findings report and describe students’ unprofessional online behaviours witnessed by academic tutors in different academic disciplines. The findings also suggest that special attention needs to be paid to policymaking regarding online learning, in particular, in the area of students’ online professionalism.

Virtual Coverboarding: Using Local Biodiverity to Engage Science Majors

There is a current need to develop engaging, informative online activities for science majors and potential future citizen scientists, particularly given the increase in the online teaching environment following COVID-19. Given this potential for online teaching to continue to increase, it becomes ever more essential to provide undergraduate students with methods that allow students to remotely access common methods used for sampling species while still engaging students in learning about local species diversity. This study assessed the potential for an interactive, online course-specific website to connect and inform first-year undergraduate biology majors (pre-health majors to environmental science) on local leaf litter species diversity. The website included species encountered as part of an ongoing on-campus biodiversity monitoring project using coverboards. Students navigated to the website, answered questions on the types of organisms, and completed a short survey. The survey questions reviewed whether the website was engaging and informed students on campus biodiversity of both reptiles and arthropods. Students overwhelmingly responded positively that the website was helpful to advise them on local species and their natural histories and engaged and piqued their interest. Therefore, we recommend incorporating course websites as teaching tools to catalog local species to teach undergraduate biology majors.

Teaching online Physical Education during social distancing using Google Sites

Covid-19 has resulted in the implementation of social distancing measures and school closures worldwide. This study explores some of the impacts, such as pedagogies, teaching strategies, reflections, and barriers of the teacher as he suddenly moved to an online teaching environment and taught PE lessons with the use of technology (Google Sites). A self-study methodology with thematic analysis was used to investigate the lead author’s experiences. Findings and discussions highlight how the teacher had to find new forms of teaching online, ways of making the students not be exclusively in front of the screen, and simultaneously be concordant with the social and dynamic characteristics of PE. Ultimately, the experiences and the process of reflection demonstrated the need to be coherent with teaching beliefs, assumptions, theoretical approaches and practices as a teacher. This article foregrounds and contributes to future ways of teaching PE online by understanding one teacher’s praxis.

Profiling Students for Online Teaching and Learning Environments: A Case for the University of Namibia, Rundu Campus

The purpose of the study, through a survey 1) established the devices that students have access to and the mode of internet connection, 2) described students’ level of digital literacy, 3) established their preferred mode of learning, and 4) established their frequency of access to the devices. About 441 1st year students enrolled for Integrated Media and Technology Education 1 at the University of Namibia, Rundu Campus were targeted. About 63 students responded to the web-based questionnaire items via a WhatsApp group. The study found that students limitedly access their work via smartphones and laptops. Participants preferred to work in groups and were able to regulate their own learning. Therefore, educators need to use a variety of instructional materials in order to align to students learning styles during Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic when moving teaching and learning activities to online-learning environment as a strategy for remote learning.

Linear Predictors of Perceived Graduate Employability among South Africa’s Rural Universities’ Learners during the Covid-19 Pandemic

After the outbreak of Covid-19, universities in South Africa adopted blended learning and learning continued online. The outbreak of Covid-19 brought to light inherent problems that South African rural universities are facing in the utilisation of educational technologies. These problems include inadequate online support technologies, inadequate electricity supply and poor educator and learner technological skills. Resultantly, questions have been raised on rural university graduates’ employability prospects and how these can be enhanced. This study provides evidence revealing that learner career ambition can be used as an intervention mechanism to enhance graduate employability among rural university learners. This study sought to determine whether online teaching and learning predict perceived graduate employability among rural university learners in South Africa. In addition, the study investigated whether learner career ambition moderates the relationship between online teaching and learning and perceived graduate employability. Quantitative data was gathered from 150 rural university undergraduate learners. Random sampling was used to select them. A survey approach was used to gather primary data and the research instrument was a self-administered questionnaire. Simple linear regression, and hierarchical regression analyses were performed. Results reveal that online teaching and learning predict perceived graduate employability, and learner career ambition negatively moderates the relationship between online teaching and learning. The study recommends that more research is needed to shed light on how ambition can be used to enhance graduate employability especially in online teaching and learning environments marred by poor information and communication technology infrastructure.

The relationship between students' psychological security level, academic engagement and performance variables in the digital educational environment.

In connection with the situation with COVID-19 almost all universities in the world were transferred to e-learning format, therefore new factors started to influence academic engagement and performance. Psychological security is one of these factors. Many researches have studied the importance of psychological security level among students, some of them proposed the methodology of assessing the indicator. Nevertheless, there are few studies that demonstrate the relationship between psychological security level of students and their academic engagement and performance. The aim of the current study is to close this scientific gap. For the assessment the Trustworthiness Factors survey, Academic Engagement Scale and academic performance results were used. A total of 351 students aged between 19 and 21 (M = 19.57, SD = 0.59), mainly female (57%), were integrated in the sample. Online surveys were conducted to reveal the level of students’ psychological security, their academic engagement and performance in the process of e-learning and analyze the associations between these variables. The female students analyzed showed higher levels of psychological security, and especially in the communication of own ideas in webinar rooms. The same tendency was found in the levels of academic engagement and performance. The findings obtained by using the linear regression analysis technique indicated that psychological security predicted academic performance positively. In contrast to earlier studies, student safety is considered not only as an aspect of personal data security, but more as a psychological one. It was possible to conclude that the influence of psychological security on students’ engagement and academic performance is particularly visible in the online educational environment.