Virtual School Research Articles

Elevating STEM Learning: Unleashing the Power of AI in Open Distance eLearning

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into Open Distance eLearning (ODeL) represents a significant evolution in STEM education, offering transformative benefits in teaching, learning and administrative processes. This conceptual paper explores how AI-driven platforms are revolutionising ODeL by providing personalised learning experiences, real-time feedback, adaptive assessments and immersive simulations through technologies like Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR). These advancements not only enhance student engagement and understanding but also support the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The paper highlights successful case studies from institutions like Carnegie Mellon University and Stanford Online High School, showcasing practical implementations of AI in STEM education. However, the integration of AI also brings forth challenges, particularly concerning data privacy, security and the need for equitable access to technology. As AI continues to advance, it promises to play an important role in lifelong learning, offering modular and just-in-time educational opportunities. The paper concludes with a call for robust ethical frameworks to guide the responsible use of AI in education, ensuring that the benefits are maximized while potential risks are mitigated.

Exploratory Study On The Impact Of Online Virtual Classroom Education On Physical & Mental Health And Development Of Social Skills Of Children

Background: This study was done in the context of the sudden shift of educational system from the conventional classroom environment to virtual schooling at home through online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. Substantial literature has brought out the positive and negative impacts of virtual schooling; for example, few of the positive effects are increase in social connections using the technology, helps in accessing resources and knowledge, children are more safer at home, etc. However, the negative impacts are more severe, particularly, on the health of the children participating online classes through electronic devices. As the children spend most of their active time indoors and watching the small, lighted screen the children are prone to physical and mental health issues. In this context, this study attempts to explore the physical & mental health issues, social behavioural problems, and learning issues of children participated online classes. Materials and Methods: In this exploratory study, cross-sectional survey method and quantitative analytical process were applied. Data were collected from 200 children in the age group of 6 to 18 years both male and female and urban and rural locations, who participated the online classes. A structured closed-end selfreporting questionnaire was used. Results: This study established the negative effect on physical health, mental health, and learning & participation issues of children of online virtual schooling. Findings confirmed the significant and positive relationship between the screen time and the various issues experienced by the children. Gender, age, and location type differences were indicated

A retrospective study to assess adolescent nutritional deficiencies and the association with post-COVID-19 status

ABSTRACT Introduction: Adolescents represent 16% of the world’s population and around 21% of the Indian population. A study was done to assess the double burden of malnutrition, the proportion of inadequate intake of some important macronutrients and micronutrients, and the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on nutrient intakes among adolescents. Methodology: Retrospective data analysis of the adolescents presented at the Adolescent Health Clinic at a teaching hospital (tertiary care level) in Andhra Pradesh, India, between September 2022 and December 2022 was done in the current study. Results: A total of 800 adolescents were studied with the mean age of the participants as 15.8 (±2.38) years of age. Among the participants, the majority (59%) were immunized with Td vaccination at 10 years and/or 16 years, 21% were not immunized, and the rest 20% did not remember the status. Only 17 participants had a history of COVID-19 infection in the past. The majority (62.75%) of the participants belong to normal nutrition status as per BMI for age WHO growth charts. There is a significant difference in the nutrition status between males and females belonging to overweight and obese subgroups. There is no significant difference in the intake with respect to past COVID-19 status. Almost all the participants take inadequate amounts of carbohydrates (calories), pyridoxine, folate, iron, calcium, vitamin D3, and retinol. Protein intake is inadequate in 63% of participants, and the deficient intake rises with the age with respect to both EAR and RDA guidelines. Conclusion: A large proportion of adolescents suffer from the double burden of malnutrition in South India, and almost all the adolescents do not get the recommended intake of most of the macro- and micronutrients in their diet following the lockdown and online schooling due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Inteligencia artificial para la recomendación de recursos en educación en línea

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been used in online education for at least a decade, with recent emphasis on teaching-learning processes. The objective of this article is to share the preliminary results of a research on the development of a Recommender System (SR) of educational resources to be applied in an online high school. Under the Design-Based Research methodology, once the algorithm for the SR was developed, it was fed with information from the rubric of an activity and its grade, plus database of resources, made up of images, videos, audios and texts. The results show that SR applied to educational resources favor teaching and learning processes in online education. One of the limitations of the research is that, so far, the SR has only been tested in digital simulators and not in an institutional high school platform. However, with the results of this project, using AI solutions, we can verify contributions to the learning processes in online education. Among the conclusions, multidisciplinary work in AI and education is recognized as a strategy for strengthening learning processes in virtual learning environments.

Critically Conscious Family Engagement: Positioning Families as Co-Teachers Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic

ABSTRACT This research article highlights how two dual language kindergarten teachers in an urban Title I school incorporated family relationships and cultural practices to support children’s learning through online schooling during the COVID-19 pandemic. We report from ethnographic work conducted during the 2020–21 school year through virtual classroom observations and teacher interviews. We combined the lenses of equitable family engagement and critical consciousness to examine how the teachers regarded the role of families as schooling entered homes. Our findings show that the teachers perceived families’ expertise as equally influential as teachers’ knowledge of children’s learning, considering them “co-teachers.” Rooted in their beliefs about families’ central role in education, the teachers’ approach exemplifies what we term “critically conscious family engagement,” a novel conceptualization of family engagement that connects critical consciousness to teachers’ active and consistent relationship-building with parents, caregivers, and children. Our implications highlight strategies for educators to build and sustain such relations in any instructional modality.

Award-winning virtual schools training package creates capacity to enable 78% of children to access hybrid closed loop therapy

Award-winning virtual schools training package creates capacity to enable 78% of children to access hybrid closed loop therapy

Psychological Anxiety of COVID-19 Pandemic and its Effect on Academic Performance of University Students

The problem and the aim of the study. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a worldwide emergency, with consequences for more than just physical health, including mental health and educational outcomes. University students are particularly vulnerable since they are dealing with a number of challenges at once, such as the health effects of the pandemic both directly and indirectly, the sudden shift to online schooling, and doubts about their future employment opportunities. Critical to understanding the far-reaching effects of the pandemic on student lives, learning processes, and mental health is research into COVID-19-related psychological anxiety and its impact on academic performance in higher education. This research subject seeks to investigate the extent to which college students are anxious about the COVID-19 pandemic and how this unusual stressor affects their participation in class, grades, and general satisfaction with their education. By looking at it from this perspective, we may identify the many ways in which the epidemic has affected the future generation of researchers and professionals, and then develop strategies to help them cope with the difficulties they will face. Research methods. The study employed a correlational descriptive approach to investigate the psychological distress caused by the COVID-19 epidemic and its influence on the academic performance of university students in Jordan. The sample consisted of 300 undergraduates (male and female) from the College of Educational and Psychological Sciences at Amman Arab University in the 2021–2022 school year, with the entire student body serving as the population. The survey tool was distributed online via social media, leading to 379 respondents, and a chance sample was used because it was feasible to reach a large number of participants—especially during the pandemic. Results. The study results show a detailed range of stress and worry, with average scores varying from 2.8 to 4.1 among 25 items. Major concerns involve social isolation, indicated by an average score of 4.1 for feeling alienated because of social distancing measures, and academic disruptions, with an average score of 4.0 for experiencing a lack of control over academic life owing to the pandemic. There is a significant gender gap between the reported levels of anxiety and its effect on academic performance; 40% of female students and 30% of male students express high levels of anxiety, and the average academic impact score for female students is 3.0 while the average score for male students is 2.5. The data also shows that anxiety levels and the detrimental effect they have on academic performance are getting worse over the years, with fourth-year students having the worst levels of anxiety (45%) and the greatest academic impact score (3.5). The findings highlight the importance of providing students with personalized support to help them cope with the psychological effects of the pandemic. Scientific novelty: Novelty resides in the study's exhaustive examination of COVID-19's psychological effects on Jordanian university students, with a particular emphasis on anxiety levels and how they relate to academic achievement. By looking at the effects of the pandemic across genders and academic years, it shows how anxiety levels rise over time and how there are clear differences between the sexes. The study offers important insights into the many ways in which the pandemic affected students' academic performance and mental health by using a large sample size, a correlational descriptive approach, and social media to reach a wide audience during the epidemic.

Keeping Students with Long-term Conditions Connected with Schools: Facilitators for Sustainable Virtual Connections.

Students with Long-Term Conditions (LTCs) experience prolonged absences that can impact their school connectedness and belonging. Inclusive education policies in New Zealand advocate for equitable learning opportunities for students with disabilities. Students with LTCs are included under this purview, but responses to their unique learning and connectedness needs are not well articulated. Literature suggests the potential of technology to enable virtual connections to keep these students' continued presence and engagement in class (i.e., sustainable connections). Studies internationally and in New Zealand, argue that virtual connections with schools can enhance educational opportunities and a sense of belonging for students with LTCs. However, limited research is available on developing and nurturing such ongoing connections with schools. This article reports on a qualitative study investigating New Zealand stakeholder perspectives on the facilitators of virtual connection with schools for students with LTCs. Findings from a thematic analysis of 18 individual interviews with stakeholders highlighted six facilitators for virtually connecting these students with schools, indicating the need for a flexible approach tailored to students' needs, strong support systems and purposeful, safe and inclusive connection opportunities. The stakeholders indicated these facilitators as essential for the virtual school connections to be sustainable and enhance students with LTCs' presence, belonging and social connection in schools.

사이버폭력 실태 및 피해자 보호 강화 방안 - 사이버 불링(Cyber-bullying)을 중심으로

With the advancement of modern science and technology, such as artificial intelligence, cyberbullying is becoming more diverse and brutal. Among the types of cyberbullying, continuous or repeated cyberbullying seriously violates the victim's personal rights. However, the current law cannot properly regulate new types of cyberbullying, such as acts that alienate and exclude victims, online impersonation using deepfake technology, and image bullying. Thus it fails to fully protect victims. As the damage caused by cyberbullying is becoming more serious, with an increasing number of youths experiencing suicidal or self-harming impulses, it is necessary to introduce independent criminal punishment provisions for serious cyberbullying targeting children and youth by referring to legislation in North Carolina, USA and New Zealand, prior to criminal regulation of adults. As regulations and responsibilities for information and communication service providers are being strengthened worldwide, it is necessary to take note of these legislative trends and ensure that information and communication service providers actively respond to victims’ requests to delete harmful information related to cyberbullying in addition to illegal information subject to criminal punishment. Also, it is urgent to introduce a system that requires information and communication service providers to promptly provide anonymous information on the perpetrators in order to prevent the victim's damage from expanding as quickly as possible and to prevent secondary damage. With reference to Australian legislation, a procedure should be established where the Korea Communications Commission directly requests information and communication service providers to provide personal information and contact information even if the victim does not file a civil or criminal suit. In addition, in order to quickly secure evidence when cyber school violence occurs among youth, school principals and teachers in charge should be given the authority to inspect and confiscate cell phones. In this way, in cases where it is difficult to secure evidence, such as when the victim commits suicide, the true nature of school violence should be properly revealed and the youth should be subject to appropriate punishment.

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) and Cyber Schooling: An Exploratory Study

ABSTRACT Research has established the importance of social-emotional learning (SEL) in traditional public schools, but not cyber schools. In this correlational regression study, we use students (n = 18,206) from a national cyber charter school network to examine whether items in the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) SEL index inter-correlate in cyber schools, and whether CASEL has statistical relationships with club membership, synchronous class attendance, and academic outcomes. Cross sectional analyses find that for cyber charter students, CASEL individual items correlate with each other, and that CASEL from 1st semester (T1) to 2nd semester (T2) correlates at .63; thus, CASEL may have reasonable reliability for cyber students. Yet, in contrast to physical schools, CASEL does not correlate with SEL-related variables like club attendance and synchronous class attendance and has a weak (though positive) relationship with cumulative grade point average (GPA), suggesting important differences from its application in physical schools. Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regressions examining SEL associations with relevant demographic intersectional characteristics reveal that Black students perform similarly to other students, but that Free and Reduced Meal (FARM) and especially Individualized Education Plan (IEP) students have lower measured SEL. Using OLS regression to examine relationships between students’ GPA and demographic characteristics (controlling for CASEL) show that generally, FARM and IEP students have lower GPA, but Black students have the same mean GPA as others, and Black students with IEPs actually have higher than average GPAs. We discuss implications and directions for future research.

Financial strain, schooling modality and mental health of US adults living with children during the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic upended contexts for families; relatively little work has studied the influence of rapidly changing contexts on the mental health of parents. We aimed to assess the relation...

Utilizing ubiquitous learning to foster sustainable development in rural areas: Insights from 6G technology

Rural education frequently grapples with demanding situations such as isolation, confined assets, and a virtual divide. The emergence of the sixth generation (6G) era, characterized by its speedy connectivity, minimal latency, and robust reliability, stands out as a beacon of desire, promising to revolutionize these educational landscapes by adopting ubiquitous Learning (U-Learning) environments. This research delves into the transformative skills of the 6G generation in rural schooling through U-Learning. It highlights 6G's position in ensuring identical entry to advanced instructional materials, fostering immersive and tailored learning stories, and permitting immediate interplay within virtual school rooms. Employing a combined-methods framework, this look intertwines an in-depth literature assessment with empirical inquiries, such as case studies, surveys, and dialogues with critical rural schooling stakeholders. It scrutinizes the prevailing situations of pastoral training, 6G's technological advancements, and the conditions for deploying green U-Learning ecosystems. The findings indicated significant improvements in educational resource access, student engagement, and learning outcomes due to implementing 6G technology. The key benefits observed were high-speed connectivity, reduced latency, and enhanced reliability, facilitating more interactive and immersive learning experiences. 6G emerges as a pivotal pressure in reshaping rural education, addressing essential problems of accessibility, pupil engagement, and academic excellence. Achieving this vision needs concerted efforts in infrastructure improvement, instructional programming tailored to 6G, and collaborative endeavors amongst all stakeholders. Future research should focus on developing specific 6G deployment strategies and educational programs tailored to the unique needs of rural populations.

Virtual Learning in Kindergarten Through Grade 12 During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Chronic Absenteeism

Chronic absenteeism among kindergarten through grade 12 students has increased considerably after the COVID-19 pandemic. To examine the association between virtual learning during the 2020-2021 school year and chronic absenteeism during the 2021-2022 school year at the school district level. This cross-sectional study used a panel of 11 017 school districts throughout the US comprising kindergarten through grade 12 for the 2018-2019 and 2021-2022 school years. The key covariates were the percentage of hybrid and virtual school days in the previous school year, with an assumption that these values in the 2018-2019 school year were zero. Chronic absenteeism rates at the district level, which were regressed on the percentage of school days in a learning mode in the previous school year, demographic characteristic and socioeconomic status controls, plus district and year fixed effects. Observations were weighted by district enrollment, and SEs were clustered at the district level. The dataset includes 11 017 school districts for 2 years and 22 034 observations. Chronic absenteeism rates increased by 13.5 percentage points, from a mean (SD) of 15.9% (8.1%) in the 2018-2019 school year to 29.4% (13.2%) in the 2021-2022 school year. Students whose schools had 100% virtual instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic had chronic absenteeism rates that were 6.9 percentage points (95% CI, 4.8-8.9 percentage points) higher than those that were 100% in person. Hybrid instruction was not associated with increased absenteeism. The association between virtual learning and chronic absenteeism varied by socioeconomic status, with the conditional correlation much larger for at-risk students; chronic absenteeism rates were 10.6 percentage points (95% CI, 7.2-14.1 percentage points) higher among students with 100% of days in virtual learning from districts in the top quintile of poverty rates compared with 100% in-persion districts. In this cross-sectional study, chronic absenteeism rates were substantially higher in school districts that used virtual learning during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with in person. Understanding how to reduce chronic absenteeism and use virtual learning without potentially negative consequences are key policy questions moving forward.

Impact of COVID-19 early in the pandemic on the mental health and wellbeing of adolescents in Australia and Cambodia: a cross-national comparison using a quantitative descriptive and comparative approach.

The impact of COVID-19 on the mental health and wellbeing of adolescents is a major concern. Most research has been conducted only in more economically developed countries. Using data from two similar surveys administered during July-September, 2020 in Australia (a high-income country) and Cambodia (a low-middle income country), this paper examined the impact early in the pandemic on the mental health and wellbeing of adolescents in the two countries. We found that COVID-19 had mostly negative impacts on participants' mental health; threats to personal safety; education; support for schooling; basic necessities such as food, income, employment, and housing; and responsibilities at home. This finding suggests that even short-term disasters may have negative repercussions, and regardless of differences in wealth, culture, and government response. We found that threats to personal safety appeared to be more prevalent in Cambodia than in Australia, the impact on mental health of the Cambodian participants may have been greater than reported, and that, in both countries, support for online or distance schooling during periods of lockdown was wanting, particularly at the state and school levels. This study will contribute to our understanding of the impact of major disruptive global events on young people in both more economically developed and developing countries.

Websites, mobile apps, and social media: Premier online educational tools for radiology

Demand for online educational tools has risen steadily as technological innovations have evolved over the past several decades. Websites were the first platform to be introduced, and eventually used for online schooling, soon after the advent of the World Wide Web. Access to information and updated content in a short period of time on a wide-screen device such as a computer made websites popular early in their development. With the technological revolution of smart phones, mobile applications have been developed on various operating systems and, through this progress, a new form of educational platform was initiated. The portable features of mobile applications represent a pioneer era of educational tools for medical professionals. Online communications have transformed into social media over the last decade and have since been adopted by much of the world. All three of these educational platforms have created a significant impact on medical education communities, specifically in radiology. We describe the relative strengths of each platform and illustrate how our experience over more than two decades guides our recommendations.

Lifeworld dimensions in language education and the integration of refugee students in Germany: Results from a study with Ukrainian refugees

This paper examines the educational challenges and language acquisition processes of newly immigrated students in Germany, with a focus on children and adolescents who have fled Ukraine. Utilizing qualitative interviews with Ukrainian refugees, the study explores the impact of migration, particularly due to the Russian war against Ukraine, on the language education of these individuals in German as a Second Language settings. The interviews, which were conducted with women who have fled Ukraine, and include their perspectives on familial language practices and educational orientations, reveal the complexities faced by this population in their host country. The paper discusses the implications of experiences of flight, language use within the family, structural changes in educational approaches, and the Ukrainian online schooling in sustaining educational continuity. The findings underscore the need for trauma sensitive, culture informed, and language specific pedagogy, alongside the importance of considering the emotional and psychological wellbeing of refugee students. The paper calls for more nuanced research, and didactic considerations that align with the diverse linguistic and educational backgrounds of refugee students.

Impact of Personalized Learning Paths on Student Motivation and Achievement in Online High School Programs in Pakistan

Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of personalized learning paths on student motivation and achievement in online high school programs in Pakistan. Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: Tailored learning experiences boost intrinsic motivation by offering autonomy and relevance, while goal-setting and progress tracking contribute to improved academic performance and engagement. These findings highlight the potential of personalized learning to meet diverse student needs and enhance educational outcomes in Pakistani online high school settings. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Self-determination theory (SDT), social cognitive theory (SCT) & constructivist learning theory may be used to anchor future studies on the impact of personalized learning paths on student motivation and achievement in online high school programs in Pakistan. Implement ongoing professional development programs for educators to effectively implement and support personalized learning strategies. Develop and advocate for educational policies that support the implementation of personalized learning paths in online high school programs. Policies should address funding allocations, technology infrastructure upgrades, and guidelines for equitable access to personalized educational resources.

Cyber versus Brick and Mortar: Achievement, Attainment, and Postsecondary Outcomes in Pennsylvania Charter High Schools

Abstract The charter school sector has expanded beyond brick-and-mortar schools to cyber schools, where enrollment grew almost tenfold between 2015 and 2020. While a large literature documents the effects of charter schools on test scores, fewer studies explore impacts on attainment or postsecondary outcomes and there is almost no work exploring the consequences of cyber charter enrollment for these outcomes. In this paper, I examine the impacts of Pennsylvania's charter high schools on student attendance, achievement, graduation, and postsecondary enrollment, distinguishing the impacts of brick-and-mortar from cyber schools. I find that brick-and-mortar charters have no or positive effects across outcomes, and that effects are concentrated in urban districts and among Black and economically disadvantaged students. By contrast, attending a cyber charter is associated with almost universally worse outcomes, with little evidence of heterogeneity. Students who enroll in a cyber charter at the beginning of ninth grade are 9.5 percentage points (pp) less likely to graduate, 16.8 pp less likely to enroll in college, and 15.2 pp less likely to persist in a postsecondary institution beyond one semester. These results suggest that additional regulation and oversight of cyber charter schools is warranted and also bring into question the efficacy of online education.

School alienation in online schooling scale (SAOSS): development of a measure to assess school alienation among students

ABSTRACT This study reports on developing and validating the School Alienation in Online Schooling Scale (SAOSS). School alienation in online schooling is conceptualized as opposed to school belonging and the main reason for minimal participation, reduced educational benefits, and school dropout in school aged-children, especially during the online learning forced due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. This study includes three phases. The first study included item generation and analysis. After the initial analysis, 13 items from the tool were retained. In the second study, exploratory factor analysis was conducted. Two factors emerged from principal component analysis (PCA). In the third study, we investigated the confirmatory factor analysis of SAOSS with a sample of urban students in Iran (grades 7–9, n = 317). The SAOSS has important implications for researchers, school counselors and psychologists, policymakers, and stakeholders. Implication for theory, practice and future research is discussed.

South Dakota

The state of P-12 and higher education funding in South Dakota for fiscal year 2022–2023 is provided. Descriptions of current trends in statewide funding priorities, changes or modifications to state funding formulae, nontraditional funding issues in the state (such as vouchers, charter, and virtual schooling), and critical issues in education finance in the state are discussed.