Learning Online Research Articles

Improving piano education during the pandemic: opportunities for developing online learning platforms / Mejorar la enseñanza de piano durante la pandemia: oportunidades para el desarrollo de plataformas de aprendizaje en línea

This study determined the feature set of the Simply Piano mobile app and WeChat online platform to engage students in piano instruction in a pandemic setting. A total of 116 first-year piano students were selected for the research process. The experimental method was used to test the hypothesis of a positive effect of experimental learning tools on student engagement. Upon completion of the training, participants’ average engagement score amounted to 3.55. The participants’ performance in the final course was at a very good level (83 points). This suggests that the students are working consistently, effectively and persistently to improve the performance technique, demonstrating a fairly convincing level of embodiment of artistic images of the performed pieces. The approaches to implementing mobile apps and online platforms in piano instruction to meet the online learners’ needs integrate technological and teaching methods of piano player training and open up opportunities for the development of digital music education. This study can help to build the expertise in cutting-edge technology in the context of increased student engagement.

Exploring the role of synchrony in asynchronous, synchronous, and quasi-synchronous online learner engagement

Abstract Synchrony, or the timing of information as it is exchanged between participants, has garnered increasing study in online learning. Within this domain is bichronous online learning (BOL), the blending of asynchronous and synchronous elements within one learning environment. Some research has identified mobile instant messaging as quasi-synchronous (able to be both synchronous and asynchronous), but this affordance has been largely unexamined. This study addressed the above gaps by comparing online learning across asynchronous, synchronous, and quasi-synchronous modalities. It was framed by online learner engagement (OLE) which considers affective, behavioral, and cognitive dimensions and various environmental affordances including synchrony. This convergent mixed-method study explored engagement across forums, video chats, and mobile instant messaging (MIM) via qualitative content analysis, text mining, descriptive statistics, and social network analysis. There were several findings: The time students had to prepare their responses before interacting related to all three dimensions of engagement. Affectively, the quasi-synchronous modality appeared the most positive and least negative. Behaviorally, the quasi-synchronous and asynchronous modalities were more like one another than to the synchronous modality. Logistical flexibility afforded by the asynchronous and quasi-synchronous modalities impacted behavioral engagement. The quasi-synchronous debate had a unique dialectical structure compared to the other two modalities. Some students made use of other features within the Zoom debate to create a quasi-synchronous experience toward better cognitive engagement. Although not directly connected to synchrony, navigability seemed related to all dimensions of OLE as well. Finally, evidence among the preceding findings support the proposition that MIM’s quasi-synchronicity supports BOL.

"It's like The Matrix. You have all the numbers, all the information, but no touch, no feeling": South African teachers' experiences of teaching oral hard-of-hearing learners (HoHL) during COVID-19 restrictions.

COVID-19 drastically impacted access to teaching worldwide. Furthermore, for children who are hard-of-hearing (HoH), these challenges were exacerbated, especially within contexts of infrastructural and resource constraints. Necessary COVID-19 protocols had implications for teaching HoH learners (HoHL) online and in-person, where, for example, connectivity and facemask-muffled speech impacted on teaching. Moreover, the reliance on technology during COVID-19 South African level 5 to level 1 restrictions revealed particular challenges for teachers of HoHL and the learners themselves. This qualitative, cross-sectional study explored the experiences of teachers of oral HoHL in South Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic. 11 teachers of grades 1-7 oral HoHL who were recruited through purposive and snowball sampling participated in individual, online, semi-structured interviews. Thereafter, interview transcriptions underwent thematic analysis. Participants reported that infrastructural constraints, information and communication technology resource limitations, interruptions in the continuity of education and COVID-19 precautions amplified challenges when teaching oral HoHL. Teachers reported behavioural and emotional challenges in the children whom they taught. Moreover, there seemed to be limited access to medical services for HoHL. Participants reported attempting to bridge the gap between the human and technology interfaces, notwithstanding the inconsistent and limited support services. This study revealed that, as a consequence of COVID-19, South African teachers had to amend their teaching and assessment methodologies which emphasised the inequality in access to education in South Africa, especially the particular challenges related to education for HoHL. Teachers had to navigate an unknown terrain using modified methodologies and were reliant on technology within the constrained South African context where structural limitations further complicated the teaching of HoHL. COVID-19 highlighted that the confluence of disability, constrained resources and poor support mechanisms in South Africa threatens educational provision for learners with special needs.

Understanding Thai EFL Teachers’ and Students’ Perspectives on Digital Dictionary Use in the Post-Pandemic Era

Abstract This study examines EFL teachers and students in Thai universities’ perspectives on digital dictionary use, particularly in the context of technological advancements and the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey of 74 teachers and 900 students revealed significant differences in their dictionary preferences. While teachers preferred comprehensive online learners’ dictionaries for their accuracy and depth, students gravitated towards bilingual tools like Google Translate (GT) for their speed and convenience. The pandemic accelerated the shift to digital resources, with both groups increasingly relying on online tools for remote learning. Despite widespread technological readiness, teachers expressed concerns over the accuracy and educational value of quick-access tools such as GT, especially for complex tasks. The findings underscore the need for formal dictionary training that balances students’ preference for convenience with the necessity of deep language engagement. This study highlights how cultural and contextual factors have shaped dictionary use in the Thai EFL context, with implications for integrating more effective dictionary use strategies into EFL curricula. These insights contribute to a better understanding of how both teachers and students can navigate the evolving digital learning landscape in post-pandemic education.

The impact of using mobile apps on student engagement and involvement in the learning process

For modern education, mobile applications are actively becoming a key tool. They help increase student engagement and activity by providing access to educational materials, organizing time, completing tasks, and thus stimulating motivation. At the same time, mobile applications can adapt learning methods to the individual needs of each student. Of course, the use of mobile applications is often accompanied by problems: distraction and technical difficulties. The proposed article aims to analyze the impact of the use of mobile applications on students' academic performance, frequency, characteristics, and overall effectiveness of the learning process to investigate the impact of the use of mobile applications and digital technologies on student activity and involvement in the learning process. Special attention is paid to the context of academic performance. The methodology of the work is a cross-sectional survey. The survey involved 125 students from three universities. The survey results assessed the intensity of students' digital activity, their use of educational platforms, remote interaction, and time spent online for learning. In addition, the results indicate that students do not use mobile applications for in-depth learning but use them only for instrumental purposes. The work implemented a correlation analysis, which showed the absence of a significant impact of digital activity on academic performance. This emphasizes the need for a deeper study of the effectiveness of mobile applications in the learning process.

Aligning institutional resource commitment with strategic pedagogical development to create online distance learning provision in UK HEIs

PurposeThis study explores the various models influencing online distance learning growth in UK Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) due to the evolving politico-socio-economic environment and traditional educational challenges. It aims to understand their effects on teaching methods, resource allocation, and time investment. The research involves semi-structured interviews with 25 senior academic and management personnel involved in online education. The study uses theme analysis to understand current tactics and content generation processes, their benefits and drawbacks. The findings offer valuable insights for HEIs to align their resources with strategic pedagogical growth in online distance learning.Design/methodology/approachNetwork and referral sampling techniques were employed to access individuals with direct experience in developing online provision within UK higher education institutions (HEIs). To understand institutional responses to political and socio-economic shifts, as well as declining international student enrolment, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 senior academic and management staff from UK HEIs. The data were then manually analysed using thematic analysis, enabling an in-depth, nuanced interpretation through iterative reading and theme refinement. This study offers a comprehensive overview of the strategies adopted by UK HEIs, aiming to support strategic decision-making in online distance learning.FindingsThe results of this study demonstrate that UK Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) use a wide variety of methods to create online distance learning programmes. An examination of semi-structured interviews reveals the diverse procedures involved in content production for each model. The selected models have varying effects on the advancement of teaching methods, allocation of institutional resources, and time dedication. The benefits of this approach include increased adaptability and ease of use, while the drawbacks are difficulties in obtaining resources and possible limits in teaching methods. This study provides a fundamental paradigm for integrating institutional resources with strategic pedagogical growth, delivering useful insights for HEIs who are considering or actively involved in online distant learning.Originality/valueThis study is unique because it explores and examines the many approaches used by HEIs to construct online distance learning programmes. The research addresses the contemporary political, social, and economic context and the problems faced by traditional educational paradigms. It makes a unique contribution by conducting interviews with senior academic and management personnel who are actively involved in online education. An examination of the lived experiences provides detailed insights into the processes of content production, as well as the benefits and drawbacks of each model. This study is the first complete analysis that establishes an original basis for aligning institutional resources with strategic pedagogical growth in the ever-changing landscape of UK HEIs.

Enhancing incident reporting systems: insights from JOL online and the emergency services

Abstract Learning from past events is essential to improve future performance and enhance safety. One method of learning is the use of incident reporting systems where employee experiences are logged, translated into lessons, and then shared for wider learning across the organisation. To enhance learning and performance within the UK Emergency Services, a national online incident reporting system has been developed: Joint Organisational Learning (JOL) Online. However, this system is underutilised. The goal of this research was to explore user experiences of JOL to provide recommendations for its redevelopment and future use. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 25 participants who had experience of using JOL. Using reflexive thematic analyses, we first sought to identify how to increase use of JOL. Three themes were identified: (i) create an open and safe learning culture; (ii) enhance inclusivity and usability of JOL Online; and (iii) tailor incentives to align with personal motivations for incident reporting. Second, we asked participants about how to facilitate the sharing of lessons from JOL Online to employees and organisations. Three themes were identified: (i) support organisations to identify applicable lessons; (ii) develop assurance mechanisms; and (iii) increase capacity and investment across the emergency sector. This research provides unique insight into how organisations can improve incident reporting systems to enhance learning, safety, and performance.

EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN ENHANCING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF DISTANCE EDUCATION: THE MODERATING ROLE OF STUDENT ENGAGEMENT

As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the approach to learning in education has transitioned from traditional to online (distance learning). It is undeniable that distance education has become a new approach to learning. In the past decade, many institutions have offered distance learning approaches. However, the effectiveness of distance education is still doubted and questioned due to the lack of direct physical contact between teachers/lecturers and students. This research aims to examine the impact of artificial intelligence and student engagement in enhancing the effectiveness of distance education and to test whether student engagement strengthens the impact of artificial intelligence usage in improving the effectiveness of distance education. In this study, criteria for respondents were established, namely students who use AI and have undergone online learning for at least one semester, and the research involved 281 participants as the research sample. The collected data was then analyzed using SmartPLS v.4 by running bootstrapping and the PLS algorithm. The results of the study prove that the impact of artificial intelligence and student engagement can enhance the effectiveness of distance education, and student engagement also plays a role in strengthening the impact of artificial intelligence usage in improving the effectiveness of distance education, with p-values < 0.10, < 0.05, and < 0.05, respectively. This study highlights the importance of synergy between AI technology and student engagement, thus providing insights for educators and policymakers to optimize distance education strategies to improve the effectiveness of distance education.

Collaborative autoethnography: The potential for health professional education research

Collaborative autoethnography (CAE) is a qualitative methodology that enables new knowledge through a process of collective meaning making. Common in higher education, the paucity of CAE in health professional education scholarship indicates that its value remains underexplored in the field. This paper describes the experiences and processes underpinning one example of CAE applied in higher education and how this approach informed the use of CAE as part of a clinical education research project. We offer one means of conducting CAE, highlighting our own experiences as well as the potential for health professional education scholarship. In the context of a centrally sponsored curriculum redesign project that promoted online modes of teaching, we detail how CAE data can be generated through a mix of written reflections and structured collaborative conversations over a defined period of data collection. Data was analysed individually, collectively and iteratively and, ultimately, drew on theory. We experienced shifts in our relationships and selves as the university increased its online and blended modes for teaching and learning, impacting both professional and personal identities. We then describe how the CAE processes have been translated into the health professional education context. In conclusion, the rich collaborative conversations inherent in CAE offer more than just the exploration of research questions: they foster collegiality and professional relationships that resonate well beyond the study period. In this paper, we illustrate how CAE can be a robust method in educational research when it is undertaken systematically and over time, allowing for non-hierarchical conversations and collective analysis to form new knowledge.

Enhancing Maritime Higher Education through Technology in a Developing Context

Improving access to higher education and enhancing citizens’ skills and knowledge can play a crucial role in South Africa’s development. Twenty-five years ago, most of the population in South Africa did not have access to higher education. The situation has changed significantly, although there is room for improvement. This study explored the educators’ awareness of the benefits and impediments of blended learning, online distance learning, and virtual exchange or virtual engagement versus face-to-face teaching and learning on campus at maritime higher education and training institutions in South Africa. The study included the educators’ readiness to adopt novel forms of knowledge transfer based on emerging technology. The methodological approach is a case study. Interviews and questionnaires were used as data collection tools, and 30 experienced educators from the South African maritime higher education and training institutions were involved. The findings of the study should assist these South African institutions to model and evaluate the feasibility of using technology as an agent for transformative education and as an enabler for the development and accreditation of online distance learning programmes. The results support the use of the best possible blend of cutting-edge digital technology, creative pedagogical approaches, and classical pedagogy. Once successfully implemented and supported by new technologies, online distance learning programmes can serve as a model for maritime higher education and training institutions in South Africa and similar developing environments.

AN IDENTIFICATION OF THE PAIN POINTS EXPERIENCED BY ONLINE ENGLISH LEARNERS USING OPEN UNIVERSITY PLATFORMS

Objective: This paper aims to identify the piantpoints that the online English learners encountered in the journey of experiencing the online Bachelor of Arts in English program at an open university, Ho Chi Minh City Open University (HCMCOU) Theoretical Framework: focuses on online training system worldwide and in Vietnam, the positive and negative experiences of online learners, some previous online learning models and learners’ pain points. Method: The research methodology adopted is a qualitative approach with the tool of in depth interviewing 30 online learners completing one semester of experencing this course at HCMCOU. Each research participant takes about 15 minutes to share their learning experences and paintpoints struggled with. Then, the qualitative collection, is grounded to understand learners’ meanings, experiences, and perspectives for theory developing. Results and Discussion: The research findings demonstrates that while online learners value flexibility and skill improvement, they struggle with scheduling, group work, lecturer communication, and monotonous content. Crucial painpoints include technical issues, outdated content, limited interaction, poor organization, slow support, and demotivation. Research Implications: This writing has scientific and educational significance, providing evidence to help improve the quality of training, support students to overcome challenges and help them proactively find effective learning solutions. Originality/Value: This study contributes to providing in-depth insights into the unique challenges faced by online English learners at an open university, using qualitative interviews to capture their lived experiences. Its value lies in informing data-driven improvements to program design, support services, and teaching practices, ultimately enhancing learning outcomes and learner retention.

Особенности возрастных изменений академической мотивации подростков при разных формах обучения

<p>This study aims to identify changes in academic motivation among adolescents with age-related changes under different forms of education. The article presents the results of an empirical study conducted on a sample of 874 students from secondary schools in the Moscow region attending offline classes and 616 students receiving education through homeschooling (grades 5–9) and self-education (grades 10–11) entirely in an online format at the “Foxford” home school. The respondents’ ages ranged from 10 to 18 years (mean age 14.2 ± 1.7 years). The “Schoolchildren’s Academic Motivation Scales” (SAMS) developed by T.O. Gordejeva and colleagues was used to assess academic motivation. The analysis of the results revealed that academic motivation exhibits a specific age-related dynamic and varies depending on the form of education. Regardless of the type of education, internal motivation becomes more pronounced with age, while both positive and negative external motivation tend to decrease. At all ages, cognitive motives, achievement, self-development, and self-esteem motives are more pronounced among online learners, while amotivation is more pronounced among offline learners. The findings are of particular interest in the context of the increasing spread of distance and online forms of education.</p>

A Gaze Estimation Method Based on Spatial and Channel Reconstructed ResNet Combined with Multi-Clue Fusion.

The complexity of various factors influencing online learning makes it difficult to characterize learning concentration, while Accurately estimating students' gaze points during learning video sessions represents a critical scientific challenge in assessing and enhancing the attentiveness of online learners. However, current appearance-based gaze estimation models lack a focus on extracting essential features and fail to effectively model the spatio-temporal relationships among the head, face, and eye regions, which limits their ability to achieve lower angular errors. This paper proposes an appearance-based gaze estimation model (RSP-MCGaze). The model constructs a feature extraction backbone network for gaze estimation (ResNetSC) by integrating ResNet and SCConv; this integration enhances the model's ability to extract important features while reducing spatial and channel redundancy. Based on the ResNetSC backbone, the method for video gaze estimation was further optimized by jointly locating the head, eyes, and face. The experimental results demonstrate that our model achieves significantly higher performance compared to existing baseline models on public datasets, thereby fully confirming the superiority of our method in the gaze estimation task. The model achieves a detection error of 9.86 on the Gaze360 dataset and a detection error of 7.11 on the detectable face subset of Gaze360.

PERSONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL RELATED FACTORS AFFECTING FRESHMEN STUDENTS IN ONLINE DISTANCE LEARNING: BASIS FOR INTERVENTION MEASURE

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted traditional education, necessitating a shift to online distance learning. This study investigates the personal and environmental factors affecting the academic productivity of freshmen students at Pamantasan ng Cabuyao during the new normal. Employing a mixed-method exploratory design, the research gathered qualitative and quantitative data from 332 first-year students across eight programs and five guidance counselors. Key personal factors examined include motivation, study habits, and mental health, while environmental factors encompass parental support, home learning environment, and community quarantine status. Findings reveal that both personal and environmental factors significantly influence students' academic performance. Motivation and study habits were consistently applied, while mental health challenges highlighted the need for stress management and resilience-building strategies. Parental support and a conducive home learning environment were critical in sustaining academic productivity, even amidst community quarantine restrictions. The study also identified mild challenges encountered by students in adapting to online learning. A proposed intervention measure, including a stress management module, was developed and deemed acceptable by guidance counselors for its potential to enhance academic and personal growth. The study concludes that addressing both personal and environmental factors is essential for improving the online learning experience and recommends targeted interventions to support students' holistic development. KEY WORD: Online Distance Learning, Academic Productivity, Personal Factors, Environmental Factors,Intervention Measures

Reducing stigma and discrimination: A case study of a ‘Human Library' Reading event

Mental health disorders are widespread, affecting millions of people globally, creating a significant disease burden and leading to premature mortality. Stigma, discrimination, and social exclusion remain key barriers to mental healthcare, often preventing individuals from seeking help. Cultural differences shape the experience of stigma. To reduce stigma, three main intervention strategies are commonly used: education, social contact, and activism. Educational initiatives aim to replace harmful stereotypes with facts, while social contact programs, such as the ‘Human Library’, facilitate direct interactions between individuals drawn from stigmatised groups to improve understanding, reduce stigma, and discrimination. In the ‘Human Library’, people from marginalised groups, known as ‘Books’ share personal experiences with small groups of ‘Readers’. These interactions foster empathy and reduce prejudice. In this case study, we describe how we integrated the ‘Human Library’ into the curriculum of a postgraduate programme. Feedback across two consecutive cohorts of students indicated that the event was highly informative and encouraged students to challenge their own biases. The project’s success has led to plans for its continued use, with hopes to further assess its impact on mental health literacy and prejudice as well adapting it for our online distance learning students.

The use of digital tools in teaching general mathematics among senior high students

This quasi-experimental study sought to find out the difference on the level of academic performance of students who used online learning modules in General Mathematics for the second quarter during school year 2021-2022 with self-learning modules provided by DepEd. This study used a control group with 30 randomly selected students and experimental group with another 30 students that were purposively selected. The online learning modules utilized digital and online tools such as Kahoot, Seesaw, personalized tutorial videos uploaded in YouTube, Quizziz applications, which were used to improve online assessments, as well as PowerPoint presentations used as supplement materials. Quantitative data were collected through post-tests, which were analyzed in concordance with the qualitative data from the focus group discussion. The findings found that the students' academic performance in General Mathematics in the experimental group was satisfactory while the control group did not meet expectations. Furthermore, there is also a huge disparity in the academic performance between those who chose modular distance learning and those students who opted online distance learning. It can be concluded that the use of digital tools in teaching General Mathematics is effective. Hence, the use of online learning modules in teaching General Mathematics is recommended as it promotes better student learning.

The Neurological Correlates of Leadership and their Relevance to Education 5.0

From an organizational standpoint, Neuroleadership has been described as a leadership style where the leader is aware of the neurological and neuroscientific basis of behaviour and utilizes this understanding to create a positive workplace climate. Education 5.0 is a paradigm shift in the teaching-learning process resulting from digital transformation revolving around changes in IT mainframes. The shift from Education 4.0 to Education 5.0 marked by online classes and distance learning was accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for sound academic leadership concurrently acquired salience. The goal of this research is two-fold: First, to gain a scientific understanding of the mechanisms involved in the integration of cognitive neuroscience into the field of educational leadership. Second, to investigate the dynamics of the teaching-learning process and accompanying deviations from a neuroscientific perspective. The present study is a review article based on Scopus-indexed papers published in the last 5 years (2019-2023). A keyword search of the reputable database was carried out using the string “Neuroleadership” or “Neuroscientific Leadership” or “Neuro-based Leadership” with the TITLE-ABS-KEY as “Education”. The review provides a comprehensive account of research on the link between neuro-based leadership and educational outcomes - a research domain still at the nascent stage. The results indicate that leaders, whether administrators or teachers, who view the teaching-learning process from a neuroscientific perspective can deal with a vast array of academic challenges such as cultivating creativity, empathy, goal striving, and dealing with rejection sensitivity. A brain-based understanding of student behaviour can help facilitate modification of their responses in the classroom. A major outcome of this research is a theoretical framework derived from neuro-behavioural data contained in various studies. The study highlights that research on neuroscience and educational leadership has practical implications for curriculum design, modification of pedagogical techniques, and special education programs.

Mental health outcomes following a four week online training on social emotional and ethical learning for public school teachers

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a 4-week social, emotional and ethical learning online training (SEELOT) on public school teachers’ stress, well-being, social-emotional learning literacy, positive and negative emotions, attention, motivation, and frustration, and to assess the impact on their classes and personal lives. During the Covid-19 pandemic, teachers from public schools in Brazil (N = 333) were invited to participate and were divided into two groups: an active group (SEELOT) and a waiting-list group (WLC). They were evaluated before and after one month. A robust trimmed means ANOVA was used for data analysis. The SEELOT group showed improvements in their well-being, attention, motivation, and frustration, and decreased their stress levels compared to the WLC group. Additionally, a subset of the active group participated in semi-structured interviews and reported developing new skills and knowledge related to human values, emotional management, and the ability to handle the challenges of education.

The Effectiveness Index of Online Distance Learning Environments in Malaysia

The Effectiveness Index of Online Distance Learning Environments in Malaysia

ASSESSING ADVANCED GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS' PERFORMANCE AND COURSE ASSESSMENT PLANS (CAP) DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

The effects of COVID-19 on instruction and learning have been discussed in education. This study evaluates the students' performance before, during, and after the COVID-19 Movement Control Order (MCO) in the Advanced Geotechnical Engineering course. The methodology consists of data analysis of students’ grades of Civil Engineering students in UiTM Penang throughout nine semesters, from March 2019 to October 2023. The semesters before COVID-19 are March 2019 and September 2019. When the MCO was announced in March 2020, all Teaching and learning were ordered to be conducted via Online Distance Learning (ODL). There was only one semester involved during the MCO, which was the semester of September 2020, since this course was not offered during the semester of March 2020. The semesters from March 2021 onwards are conducted physically after lifting the MCO. The findings show that the students' performance drastically declined after the MCO. The Course Assessment Plan (CAP) was revised to better represent the computer modelling component. Then, good results were obtained. Many students can improve their CO (Course Outcomes) and PO (Programme Outcomes) attainment by excluding the final exam component in the assessment. The mean scores indicate that, on average, CO1-PO2 has the lowest performance, while CO3-PO12 has the highest average performance. The standard deviation reflects the variability of the scores. CO3-PO12 has the highest variability, indicating a wider range of student scores. In contrast, CO2-PO3 has the lowest variability. Overall, students' performance on project-based learning assignments is better than final exam assessment based on the student’s grade in March 2023. It is preferable to practise the final exam assessment for foundational courses rather than the application course, which involves hands-on computer modelling. This will help the students to equip them with essential skills before entering the real working environment.