Online Learning In Institutions Research Articles

ASSESSING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ONLINE LEARNING IN AN INSTITUTION OF HIGHER LEARNING

There is a rich body of research done in online teaching and learning in the context of developing countries. However, there is a gap in research on challenges in the implementation of online learning in institutions of higher learning. Lecturers and students' readiness for this shift from classroom-based to online learning is pivotal. The implementation of online learning strategies demands lecturers’ skills on integrating technology with content. This study examines the perceptions of lecturers as they transit from face-to-face to online learning in an institution of higher learning in one developing country. The study is framed theoretically by Suzuki and Keller's Five-E Model for selecting the right model and techniques for appropriate purposes in online design. It used a qualitative research methodology and employed a convenient sampling technique to select three lecturers from each of the three institutions of interest. An open-ended questionnaire was used to collect data and follow up interviews were made. The study used a thematic approach to analyse data. The findings reveal that the lecturers embrace online learning mostly because they are aware that students enjoy learning technology and thus enhance understanding. The challenge raised is the shortage of gadgets which are needed by lecturers to support blended learning. Also, some of the students do not have access to the internet due to socio-economic challenges.

THE NECESSITY OF FOSTERING EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE IN TEACHING A FOREIGN LANGUAGE TO UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN THE CONTEXT OF ONLINE LEARNING

The article analyzes the online and offline education of students of the Faculty of Romance and Germanic Languages of the National University of Ostroh Academy during the Covid-19 pandemic and Russian military aggression against Ukraine through the prism of the development of emotional intelligence. The article provides an analysis of the influence of the emotional state, and feelings of the participants in the education process on the perception of the material, learning a foreign language and learning outcomes. The paper emphasizes that in the process of language learning, thinking and reproduction of the learned material are as important as the conditions of learning material that involve taking into account the feelings and emotions of students. In addition, the authors point out that since emotions and thinking are interdependent, teachers of foreign languages can get better results when they pay attention to the peculiarities of the development of students’ emotional intelligence during the formation of their reading, listening, and writing and speaking skills. The influence of the development of emotional intelligence on the process of learning a foreign language has become of particular importance in connection with the mass transfer to online education, which was caused by the Covide-19 quarantine back in 2020 and intensified with the start of the war of Russia against Ukraine. Moreover, online learning in institutions of higher education during this period has changed not only in terms of methods and approaches to teaching a foreign language but also prompted teachers to take the emotional state of students into account more seriously. Positive learning outcomes are often directly related to the general emotional states of students, which depends on factors such as recognition of their achievements, encouragement, motivation and engagement in learning. This article presents the results of a survey on motivation to learn and the general mood of students during online and offline learning. The survey was conducted among first-year and fourth-year students of the Faculty of Romance and Germanic Languages of the National University of Ostroh Academy. The survey showed that students are more motivated to learn when they learn offline. So, there is an urgent need to study the impact of students’ emotional intelligence on the process of teaching a foreign language.

Influence of Educational Strategies on Online Learning in Kenyan Institutions of Higher Learning amid COVID 19 Pandemic

The study sought to establish the influence of educational strategies on online learning in Kenyan institutions of higher learning amid COVID 19 Pandemic. Higher learning institutions, like every other educational institution were forced to close down to curb the spread of covid-19. As centers of innovation across the world, universities were expected to come up with solutions. Higher learning institutions in Kenya embraced online learning. Naturally, there were concerns as to whether such institutions can handle such a massive transformation seemingly overnight. These institutions had to initiate online lectures as well as exams in some cases in order to continue with a school calendar that had already suffered greatly as a result of the covid-19 pandemic. The transition has not been perfect and has faced a number of challenges. The paper used a desk study review methodology where relevant empirical literature was reviewed to identify main themes. A critical review of empirical literature was conducted to establish the influence of educational strategies on online learning in institutions of higher learning in Kenya. The study concludes that the educational strategies have a positive influence on online learning and can be applied individually or collectively depending on the circumstances. The study recommends that institutions of higher learning in Kenya should apply cooperative learning activities in online learning. The study also recommends that institutions should also use differentiation strategy so as to use different techniques for different students and that institutions of higher learning apply the behavioral approach technique by encouraging good behaviors by praise and motivation. Keywords: Educational Strategies, Online Learning, Covid 19, Higher Learning

COVID-19 Pandemic and Higher Education: Leveraging on Digital Technologies and Mobile Applications for Online Learning in Ghana

Since mid-March 2020, educational systems worldwide and particularly Ghana were under increasing pressure to use the new Digital Technologies (DTs) and mobile applications (apps) to assist teachers in guiding students to continue with online learning activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The study is aimed at assessing the utilization of DTs and apps tools by students during the COVID-19 pandemic and how those technologies have affected online learning in institutions of higher education in Ghana. The researcher adopted an online survey and exploratory-based design that utilized quantitative and qualitative approaches to purposively collect data from N=784 students from three major public universities in Ghana. Also, the study applied Uses and Gratification as the theoretical basis in understanding the utilization of DTs and their possible limitations for remote learning during the peak of COVID-19 in Ghana. This study reported that the specific DMTs and mobile apps used by students in higher education for online learning are smarts phones and apps such as Class In, Zoom, Skype, and Instagram live stream. This study also revealed that Personal Learning Network (PLN) such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter were also actively used by students for remote online learning. Again, the study shows that 77.1% of students in the sampled three universities were fully aware of the DTs and apps utilized for online learning during COVID-19. Also, the findings from this study report that students in higher institutions identified unstable electricity for continuous online learning, especially for those students in rural areas, unreliable internet service, poor WiFi connections, expensive smartphones / laptops, and high cost of inter bundle as key challenges of using DMTs and mobile apps for online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, on the perceived usefulness of DTs and mobile apps among students for online learning in higher educational institutions, the findings from this study suggest that DMT’s and apps were of great benefit to students for remote online learning.

Pendekatan Kualitatif Pada Persepsi Mahasiswa terhadap Kualitas Pendidikan Online

The quality of online learning in institutions of higher education has become a growing concern in recent years. While some studies have focused on faculty and administrator perceptions, there is a lack of research conducted on students' perceptions of the quality of online education.This study uses qualitative methods to investigate students' perceptions from two universities and one community college regarding the quality of online education based on their own online learning experiences.Interviews and observations were conducted with three students. Various documents are collected, digitally, and printed. Positive and negative experiences of students are examined. Factors contributing to the experiences were also identified. The findings of this study reveal that flexibility, cost-effectiveness, availability of electronic research, easy connection to the Internet, and a well-designed classroom interface are positive experiences for students. Student negative experiences are caused by delayed feedback from the instructor, lack of technical support from the instructor, lack of self-regulation and self-motivation, a sense of isolation, monotonous teaching methods, and poorly designed course content. These findings can be used by instructors to understand students' perceptions about online learning, and ultimately improve their online learning practices.

Award-Winning Faculty Online Teaching Practices: Roles and Competencies

Given the explosive growth of online learning in institutions of higher education, we are in dire need of guidelines for instructing new and continuing online instructors on how best to teach in online spaces. The purpose of this study was to identify the roles of the online instructor and categorize critical competencies for online teaching based on a review of research, and the perspectives of award-winning online faculty. We interviewed eight award-winning online faculty members from across the United States. Based on interviews, it was found that online instructors were assuming five different roles: Facilitator, Course Designer, Course Delivery, Subject Matter Expert, and Mentor. Participants’ common tasks when designing and teaching an online course fell in two areas, either Course Design or Teaching. This research has clear implications not only for the literature research base, but for our institutions as well as we continue to offer increasing numbers of effective online courses and programs to our students.

Traditional Versus Online Learning in Institutions of Higher Education: Minority Business Students’ Perceptions

For decades, scholars have debated which mode of education is superior. Some argue that online is superior and others argue that online is less effective than traditional face-to-face courses. Still others suggest that the hybrid mode (e.g., online blended with face-to-face lectures) is the most desired and productive content delivery method for students. However, students’ perceptions towards online learning as compared to traditional face-to-face learning have largely been overlooked. This paper intends to fill this void in the literature and explore minority students’ perceptions towards online learning versus traditional face-to-face modes of education in higher education.