Online Learning Approach Research Articles

The practicality of long-term blended teaching and learning at a South African institution

Background: The rapid revolutionisation of technology and other factors such as the recent COVID-19 pandemic, prompted higher education institutions to consider the possibility, necessity and implications of officially adopting a blended teaching and learning approach on a long-term basis.Aim: This research aimed to explore the practicality of a long-term blended teaching and learning model at a South African higher education institution.Setting: This research was conducted at a selected South African higher education institution.Methods: The article adopted a qualitative case study approach, and one-on-one semi-structured interviews were conducted. The data collected was then analysed using thematic analysis.Results: Although the institution was generally ready for blended teaching and learning during the pandemic, best practices such as further training and development for both lecturers and students on the pertinent systems and technology are imperative if a long-term blended teaching and learning is to be successful. There were also concerns regarding external, technological, and socio-economic issues that could hinder a successful long-term blended model.Conclusion: While the research revealed the institution’s overall ability to swiftly transition from face-to-face, to distance online and blended teaching and learning approaches during the COVID-19 pandemic, it also revealed that work still had to be done to fully prepare the institution for formalised blended teaching and learning in the future.Contribution: This research builds on limited research on blended teaching and learning at South African contact higher education institutions and adds new theory regarding some best practices for successful blended teaching and learning.

Effectiveness of Online, Traditional and Hybrid Learning Approaches

Effectiveness of Online, Traditional and Hybrid Learning Approaches

Towards Sustainable and Dynamic Modeling Analysis in Korean Pine Nuts: An Online Learning Approach with NIRS.

Due to its advantages such as speed and noninvasive nature, near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) technology has been widely used in detecting the nutritional content of nut food. This study aims to address the problem of offline quantitative analysis models producing unsatisfactory results for different batches of samples due to complex and unquantifiable factors such as storage conditions and origin differences of Korean pine nuts. Based on the offline model, an online learning model was proposed using recursive partial least squares (RPLS) regression with online multiplicative scatter correction (OMSC) preprocessing. This approach enables online updates of the original detection model using a small amount of sample data, thereby improving its generalization ability. The OMSC algorithm reduces the prediction error caused by the inability to perform effective scatter correction on the updated dataset. The uninformative variable elimination (UVE) algorithm appropriately increases the number of selected feature bands during the model updating process to expand the range of potentially relevant features. The final model is iteratively obtained by combining new sample feature data with RPLS. The results show that, after OMSC preprocessing, with the number of features increased to 100, the new online model's R2 value for the prediction set is 0.8945. The root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) is 3.5964, significantly outperforming the offline model, which yields values of 0.4525 and 24.6543, respectively. This indicates that the online model has dynamic and sustainable characteristics that closely approximate practical detection, and it provides technical references and methodologies for the design and development of detection systems. It also offers an environmentally friendly tool for rapid on-site analysis for nut food regulatory agencies and production enterprises.

Online learning from incomplete data streams with partial labels for multi-classification

Online learning from the data streams is a research hotspot due to adaptive responses to real-time data arrival and fleeting. Existing approaches can only handle real-world scenarios partially due to constraints such as binary classification, complete labels, and fixed feature spaces. Learning from incomplete data streams with partial labels for multi-classification is crucial but rarely investigated due to its complexity and variability. To address this issue, we propose a novel Online Learning approach from Incomplete Data Streams with Partial Labels for Multi-classification, named OLIDSPLM. OLIDSPLM includes three main ideas: a) exploiting feature similarity to re-weight the most informative features in incomplete feature space (IFS) to avoid bias caused by filling in missing features, b) using self-train to label unlabeled instances and filter outliers, and c) utilizing the difference in the distribution between instances and model generated to detect concept drifts adaptively. We experimentally evaluated OLIDSPLM and its rivals in handling the IFS, partial labels, and concept drifts to validate its effectiveness. The code is released at https://github.com/youdianlong/OLIDSPLM.

Online and Constructivist Learning Approach Based Obstetrics and Gynecology Nursing Course Experiment

This study aims to investigate the satisfaction of nursing students with online and constructivist-learning approach-based Obstetrics and Gynecology Nursing Course. This semi-experimental study included 101 nursing students. Data were collected between October 2020 and January 2021 using the course evaluation form, Satisfaction Scale for E-Courses and Scale on Assessing Constructivist Learning Environments. Kolmogorov Smirnov, Spearman’s correlation and Friedman tests were used in data analysis. The mean satisfaction scores of the students were 124.39±8.02, 120.01±19.42 and 118.15±21.10 in the 4th, 8th and 14th weeks (FX2= 4.617; p=0.099). The mean constructivist environment evaluation scores of them in the 4th, 8th and 14th weeks were 154.13±23.72, 150.63±28.83 and 146.10±29.09 (FX2=3.608; p= 0.165). A moderate and positive correlation was found between the students’ satisfaction levels with E-courses and their total scores regarding the constructivist learning environment (p

Factors influencing nurses’ satisfaction to online learning approach: a cross ICU analysis

BackgroundGiven the increasing complexity of illnesses and rapid pace of technological advancements in professional training, it is vital to offer nurses ample opportunities to hone their clinical expertise and skills, particularly in ensuring the delivery of premier medical care. This study aimed to determine the factors and predictors influencing nurses’ satisfaction with adopting mobile learning approaches in intensive care unit healthcare settings. Additionally, it sought to investigate the applicability of the technology acceptance model in explaining their inclinations and validating the measurement scales employed in the research.MethodsThe study employed a cross-sectional survey research design, utilizing a technology acceptance questionnaire and a learning satisfaction questionnaire. The survey was conducted in six intensive care unit departments. A total of 212 participants completed the survey as the primary instrument. Rigorous assessments were conducted to establish the content validity and ensure instrument reliability.ResultsThe findings demonstrated that perceived usefulness was the most influential factor affecting nurses’ intentions to embrace mobile learning approaches, with perceived ease of use emerging as the principal determinant of perceived usefulness.ConclusionsIncorporating mobile learning methodologies is paramount to increasing the calibration of professional nursing education programs. By effectively integrating digital information technology and tools, nursing educators can overcome teaching challenges, deliver innovative clinical nursing education content through mobile learning approaches, and foster optimal development in the field.

A Quarter-Century of Online Informatics Education: Learners Served and Lessons Learned.

The value and methods of online learning have changed tremendously over the last 25 years. The goal of this paper is to review a quarter-century of experience with online learning by the author in the field of biomedical and health informatics, describing the learners served and the lessons learned. The author details the history of the decision to pursue online education in informatics, describing the approaches taken as educational technology evolved over time. A large number of learners have been served, and the online learning approach has been well-received, with many lessons learned to optimize the educational experience. Online education in biomedical and health informatics has provided a scalable and exemplary approach to learning in this field.

Teaching Sensitive Subjects Online: Lessons Learnt From the Pandemic and the Implications for Contemporary Nurse Education

BackgroundCovid 19 and the associated restrictions necessitated for an abrupt change to the way education was provided to nursing students . AimsThis study aims to explore the views/opinions of third year children's nursing students and nurse educators of an online learning approach regarding children's palliative care during a global pandemic. MethodsData were collected via an online questionnaire with nursing students and a reflective diary with nurse educators. FindingsCovid-19 and the associated restrictions had a significant impact on students and academics learning and teaching experiences. This small scale study gave insights into practices when teaching sensitive subjects to students on line. Whilst more blended teaching is likely to be used in the future, we highlight the range of support that can be offered to students which has implications for contemporary nursing practice. ConclusionWhilst students and academics prefer face-to-face delivery for sensitive topics such as children's palliative care, achieving a true ‘blend’ through asynchronous and synchronous learning can enable a quality learning experience. Consideration needs to be given to provision of emotional and practical support for students and academics.

How learners’ achievement goal motivation influences their metacognitive skills in online social annotations context?

ABSTRACT Online learning requires high self-regulated abilities facilitated by metacognitive skills. Achievement goal motivation impacts metacognition, but their relationship in online learning contexts lacks consensus. One of the components of achievement goal orientation is mastery goal orientation which focuses on learning and self-improvement. The other component, performance goal orientation, emphasises demonstrating competence. This quantitative study collected questionnaire and behavioural log data from 39 learners and examined the interplay between achievement goal motivation and metacognitive skills within an online social annotation environment. Findings revealed that mastery goal orientation positively correlated with metacognitive planning and regulation, while performance goal orientation was predominantly associated with metacognitive regulation. Neither goals significantly correlated with metacognitive monitoring. Cluster analysis indicated that ‘balanced achievers’ with higher performance goal orientation may play a pivotal role in promoting social cognition. These insights deepen understanding of motivating learners and creating effective online learning approaches by leveraging the influence of achievement goal motivation on metacognitive strategies.

Medical school students' perspectives on virtual anatomy education in a developing country.

Understanding the fundamental role anatomy education plays in medical training and taking into consideration the nascence of online education in Nigeria, this study evaluated the perceptions of medical and allied-health students toward online anatomy education both during the COVID-19 lockdown in Nigeria and for the future. For this study, Google Form questionnaires were distributed via different social and academic platforms to medical and allied-health students in Nigeria between September 28 and December 17, 2020. A total of 954 students participated in the study and 947 valid responses were recorded. The results showed that 77.6% of the students had reported computer/IT skills and 12.1% admitted that they had never attended an online class. Interestingly, 60% of the respondents disapproved of online learning approaches as effective tools for instructions in the anatomical sciences. Majority of the students (84%) agreed that their performance in anatomy would have been better if the classes were face-to-face, while 55% found the online anatomy classes uninteresting. Furthermore, 91.5% agreed that anatomy educators needed advanced skills for online education, while 94.2% agreed that anatomy online teaching needs more advanced technology to be implemented in Nigeria. This study revealed an overall negative perception about the suitability and effectiveness of online anatomy education in Nigerian medical/health training. This study recommends further investigations into the challenges that were presented during online anatomy education at the peak of the pandemic. This will help direct the development and implementation of a workable and sustainable online education model for anatomical sciences in Nigeria.

Multidisciplinary approach to diagnostic radiology education: a novel educational intervention for Turkish medical students.

Teleconferencing can facilitate a multidisciplinary approach to teaching radiology to medical students. This study aimed to determine whether an online learning approach enables students to appreciate the interrelated roles of radiology and other specialties during the management of different medical cases. Turkish medical students attended five 60-90-minute online lectures delivered by radiologists and other specialists from the United States and Canada through Zoom meetings between November 2020 and January 2021. Student ambassadors from their respective Turkish medical schools recruited their classmates with guidance from the course director. Students took a pretest and posttest to assess the knowledge imparted from each session and a final course survey to assess their confidence in radiology and the value of the course. A paired t-test was used to assess pretest and posttest score differences. A 4-point Likert-type scale was used to assess confidence rating differences before and after attending the course sessions. A total of 1,458 Turkish medical students registered for the course. An average of 437 completed both pre- and posttests when accounting for all five sessions. Posttest scores were significantly higher than pretest scores for each session (P < 0.001). A total of 546 medical students completed the final course survey evaluation. Students' rating of their confidence in their radiology knowledge increased after taking the course (P < 0.001). Students who took our course gained an appreciation for the interrelated roles of different specialties in approaching medical diagnoses and interpreting radiological findings. These students also reported an increased confidence in radiology topics and rated the course highly relevant and insightful. Overall, our findings indicated that multidisciplinary online education can be feasibly implemented for medical students by video teleconferencing.

Signifikansi Model Blended Learning dalam Pembelajaran Pendidikan Agama Kristen di Lembaga Pendidikan

Learning activities should be carried out innovatively so that the material can be delivered well and students can understand it completely. Learning activities that are carried out innovatively can be implemented with a blended learning model, including Christian Religious Education learning which is able to collaborate offline and online learning approaches in schools as part of educational institutions. The aim of this research is to discuss the significance of the blended learning model in teaching Christian Religious Education in educational institutions. The method used is literature study by using scientific literature as a data collection tool. Any data that has been collected will be analyzed reductively through information filtering, organizing, and summarizing the discussion, so as to be able to explain the research results that the application of the blended learning model is very significant in the continuity of learning in educational institutions because it produces effective and efficient learning by combining face-to-face learning with online learning. The existence of the blended learning model is very significant because it helps students carry out Christian Religious Education learning activities in a fun way and increases students' enthusiasm and focus on learning in class. The blended learning pattern in the context of PAK learning which combines face to face and online learning can act as a forum for transferring and integrating religious values ??that support students' spiritual growth and form moral, ethical and social character in accordance with Biblical values.

Combining learning and control in linear systems

In this paper, we provide a theoretical framework that separates the control and learning tasks in a linear system. This separation allows us to combine offline model-based control with online learning approaches and thus circumvent current challenges in deriving optimal control strategies in applications where a large volume of data is added to the system gradually in real time and not altogether in advance. We provide an analytical example to illustrate the framework.

Critical success factors of service learning in tertiary education: Challenge of online learning approach in Ergonomics Product Design Course

This study intent to investigate critical success factors of implementing online learning approach in ergonomics product design course embedding SULAM Project during COVID-19 pandemic. The first objectives are to interrogate suitable teaching approach implemented for PDET. Next is to assess students' satisfaction with the course in comparison to their grades after SULAM was embedded in SULAM in PBL component, as well as the impact of the pandemic on satisfaction levels. The third aims are to evaluate student perceived and experiences, as well as to discover relevant student recommendations that may be integrated into the next course offering. To achieve the study aims, a systematic literature review was conducted to investigate the current teaching and learning implementation in PDET course. OMR Forms and User Experience Questionnaire (UEQ) were distributed to access students’ satisfaction and perceive experiencing in online learning approach. As a results, the course has been identified commonly deploys an inclusive design approach and integrating an interdisciplinary approach. However online learning and team cognition approach has been a significant change during COVID- 19 pandemic outbreak. This study extends significantly to the preparation of teaching and assessment techniques for future students, especially in unpredictable conditions such as pandemic and endemic scenarios, when lectures and students confronting various problems.

Exploring Blended Learning Models Supported by Mobile Interactive Technologies in Higher Education

With the widespread adoption of mobile interactive technologies and the evolving landscape of higher education, blended learning models have increasingly become a focus of educational reform. These models integrate traditional face-to-face teaching with modern online learning approaches, enhancing learning flexibility and interactivity through mobile technologies. Although blended learning has shown significant advantages in enhancing teaching efficiency and meeting individual student needs, research on its impact on student emotional interaction remains relatively limited. Emotional factors play a crucial role in the learning process, affecting student motivation and outcomes. Current research on emotional interactions in blended learning primarily relies on traditional methods, such as surveys, which frequently do not offer real-time and precise emotional data. Therefore, this paper aims to explore the effective selection of emotional sensing nodes and the accurate extraction of emotional features through mobile interactive technology-supported blended learning. The findings of this study aim to enhance the quality of teaching interactions but also to provide theoretical and practical support for optimizing blended learning models.

'[M]y own pace and space, without the pressures': Online learning experiences of audiology students.

Online learning has been used to improve students' learning experiences and to allow students to engage with their own learning in various spaces. However, there is a dearth of literature on students' experiences with online learning in the field of audiology. This study aimed to describe the conditions of online learning, explore the challenges and benefits of online learning and determine strategies that students employ while engaging with online learning. An exploratory qualitative research design was employed. Audiology students from the second to the fourth year participated in the study. Qualitative data were collected online via MS Teams using a semi-structured interview schedule with the participants. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the participants' interviews. Most of our participants were females in their fourth year of study. The students accessed the online learning platforms procured by the university from their homes, with reported benefits such as the flexibility and independence of learning, and time and cost-effectiveness. However, challenges such as limited internet connectivity, issues with time management and inconsistent power supply restricted positive experiences with online learning. The online learning benefits that were reported by the students and the compensatory strategies they employed facilitated self-regulated learning. The study's findings highlighted the need for continuous checking-in with students regarding their experiences with the learning approaches intended to improve engagement with their courses. These results could be used as a guide for curriculum planning that is student-focused.Contribution:Students' experiences explored in our study provided a guide for online learning approaches that were suitable for audiology students. Student-centred and self-regulated learning practices were highlighted and future studies may further explore these frameworks and theories.

Bandit approach for unmanned aerial vehicle-centric low earth orbit satellite selection

In this paper, the problem of optimal low earth orbit satellite (LEO-Sat) selection by unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in space air ground integrated networks (SAGINs) will be investigated. The primary objective is to maximize the UAV's achievable data rate while ensuring a prolonged remaining visible time for the selected LEO-Sat. This problem poses significant challenges due to the highly dynamic nature caused by the substantial relative velocity between UAV and LEO-Sats, making LEO-Sats' features, e.g., elevation angle, remaining visible time, and the available bandwidth strongly time-dependent. Moreover, some LEO-Sats will appear/disappear from UAV visibility within short time intervals. An online learning approach will be proposed to efficiently address this highly dynamic problem, where it will be modeled as contextual multi-armed bandit (MAB) with dynamic arms. Through this modeling, the time varying LEO-Sats' features as well as their dynamic appearance/disappearance will be taken into account while selecting the best LEO-Sat. Through extensive numerical analysis, the performance of the proposed approach nearly matches that of the highly complex optimal performance based on exhaustive searching with negligible time complexity, and it outperforms conventional schemes that individually maximize one of the LEO-Sats' features.

Development of Virtual Classes and Laboratories with Remote Access

When comparing a few decades ago to now, the educational system has undergone various technological revolutions, particularly with the usage of Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs), which have changed the process of teaching and learning. VLEs with internet services play a major role in the storage of information and its dissemination. With the use of VLEs, there emerges the challenge of bringing practical classes online, engaging the students in practical sessions as it is in traditional laboratories. Though, there have been various simulators but they are not geared towards educational sessions but practically for industrial use and are not curriculum-based, this has been a major concern in engaging the students practically at a distance level according to the instructor’s plan. Hence, in this work, a robust VLE has been designed and implemented. The system has an evaluated model that was developed with MySQL and PHP, which served as the database and server-side programming, respectively. The proposed VLE offers an interactive web-enabled approach for online learning and practice, practical recordings are uploaded, and practical simulations are handled. Qualitative assessments were carried out on the gathered data from the 100 respondents through the use of the questionnaire. Performance metrics such as response time, latency, availability, reliability and scalability were used to conduct a comparative analysis between the existing VLEs and the developed VLE. The findings of the study showed that the utilisation of the proposed VLE has the potential to cause a positive transformation and a paradigm shift in educational institutions.

Feasibility of online learning among Indian students of dentistry during the CoVid-19 outbreak

Even though there were several online dentistry academic programs available, the pandemic accelerated the development of e-learning processes and presented unprecedented obstacles to dental education. The pandemic has given rise to a technology-powered teaching style that replaced the centuries-old chalk-talk method. However, because it was a quick change, it had flaws and limitations and has caused turmoil and confusion among many educational teams, particularly in the academic sector. As a necessary consequence, this study is performed to evaluate undergraduate dental students' lived experiences, as well as their capability, willingness and frame of mind for the adoption of online teaching and learning approaches as part of blended learning. Hence, the use of online tutorials should be an effective method of providing meaningful insights for undergraduate dental students.

The Performance of the Junior High School Students in Online Learning and Blended Learning Approach

The study identifies and examines the performance of the junior high school students in the Blended and Online learning approach. The purpose of the study is to compare the academic performance of the Junior High School students between the two modes of learning: Online learning and blended learning. The 2019 Pandemic has forced students to take online classes, increasing their stress levels and negatively impacting their academic performance. This issue urges the development of a mechanism to make online learning more effective in this nerve-racking time. By the year 2022, Arellano University implemented blended learning as other schools do so. Students attend in-person or face to face classes and online classes. The respondents in this study are the Junior High School Students of Arellano University Plaridel Campus. This will be a quantitative research, specifically the Ex-Post-Facto Research Design. The respondents are not assigned or not randomly selected. The mean of the grades of the students in blended and in online learning in three subjects will be determined and compared using the t - test. Based on the data gathered, it has no significant relationship between the performances of the three subjects. This implies that the learners’ performance is not affected by the learning approaches used in teaching. This indicates that all throughout the school year online or blended learning doesn’t affect the grades of students. Strategies/Methods in teaching that can attract the students’ interest were recommended. Teaching lessons in the simplest way may help the students to understand the lessons easily.