Online Learning Technologies Research Articles

Online Learning, Mobile Learning, and Social Media Technologies: An Empirical Study on Constructivism Theory during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The study’s main purpose was to discover the important factors that impact university students’ online learning and academic performance during the COVID-19 epidemic, as well as their usage of social media throughout the pandemic. Constructivism theory was used and developed with constructs mostly linked to leveraging social media for collaborative learning and student interaction during the COVID-19 pandemic, given the context-dependent nature of online learning during the epidemic. During the COVID-19 epidemic, additional components such as collaborative learning, student participation, and online learning were implemented. The enlarged model, which assesses students’ happiness and academic performance during the COVID-19 epidemic in connection to social media use, was validated using empirical data collected via an online survey questionnaire from 480 Saudi Arabian higher education students. AMOS-SEM was used to analyze the model’s various assumptions (Analysis of Moment Structures-Structural Equation Modeling). The findings revealed that (1) using social media for collaborative learning and students’ engagement has a direct positive impact on students’ interactivity with peers and teachers; (2) students’ interactivity with peers and teachers has a direct positive impact on online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic; (3) online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic mediates the relationship between students’ interactivity and satisfaction; (4) online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic mediates the relationship between students’ interactivity and satisfaction. Students, higher education institutions, and educational technology application suppliers would benefit greatly from the conclusions of this study, both theoretically and practically.

Digitally excluded: Inequalities in the access and use of online learning technologies in Scottish secondary schools.

ObjectivesOur overall aim is to analyse the patterns and impacts of inequalities in the access to and use of digital learning technologies in Scottish secondary schools, especially for young people experiencing socio-economic inequalities. ApproachUsing a novel dataset arising from the Scholar online learning platform (https://scholar.hw.ac.uk/), which (between June 2020 and June 2021) recorded usage data for c.133,000 students in 339 (95%) publicly-funded Scottish secondary schools, registered for Scottish Qualifications Agency exams: National 5 (age 15/16); Highers (age 16/17) and Advanced Highers (age 17/18). We focused on engagement, measured through average page visits and percentage of active users. We used descriptive statistics and visualisation to understand the patterns of usage across levels and portfolios/subjects, and multilevel negative binomial models to ascertain the extent of the variation across schools and its association with deprivation alongside other characteristics. ResultsWe have found emerging evidence of a socio-economic gradient in the use of digital learning technologies, whereby the students attending the most deprived schools (according to SIMD and FSM-eligibility) show the lowest levels of engagement. Overall, engagement varies substantially across all levels and portfolios/subjects, but it is most noticeably higher in Sciences and in rural areas, which may well be unveiling student needs unmet by rural schools. Focusing on Sciences, variations across schools can be large, highlighting the need to understand what makes students in certain schools engage more or less with online learning. Should the data allow it, we will draw comparisons pre- and post-pandemic to explore the differences in engagement across students and schools. ConclusionIn light of a widening socio-economic gap due to COVID-19 restrictions, these findings will help policymakers and practitioners better understand digital inequality, to assess the impacts of policy measures such as providing disadvantaged young people with laptops, to mitigate digital inequality and improve digital services to improve educational outcomes.

The impact of online learning technology on self-regulation and student success

The research purpose is to analyse the self-regulation of students who use the massive open online course (MOOC) technology to learn the exact sciences. The sample included 252 students: females were 47%, and males were 53%. The average age of students was 20.08 ± 0.72. The students were divided into two groups: group 1 consisted of students who learnt the Digital singular (nano) optics course online using the MicrosoftTeams platform with teacher’s support; group 2 consisted of students who learnt the MOOC course individually. The relationships between self-regulation and academic success were also analysed. The research found that the overall level of self-regulation of students using MOOCs was 40% higher. In students who learnt online using the MicrosoftTeams, the level of self-regulation was average and amounted to 24.96 ± 1.32. In students who learnt the course based on the MOOC technology, the level of self-regulation was high and amounted to 35.02 ± 1.44 (p < 0.05). The research of self-regulation shows higher results among the students who learnt using MOOCs platforms: flexibility – 46%, planning – 23% and results assessment – 15%; modelling and programming were no different. The average success score of students after learning the course on the MicrosoftTeams platform was 3.83 ± 0.36, and in the MOOC group, it was 4.43 ± 1.89.

Virtual Finger-Point Reading Behaviors: A Case Study of Mouse Cursor Movements on a Website

Web analytics has changed significantly in recent years. As part of the big data revolution, frequent low-level user actions, such as mouse movements and clicks, are often used in modern web analytics. Various studies show that when a user moves or clicks the mouse, the position of the mouse cursor is relatively close to the position of the eye gaze on the screen. Accordingly, mouse cursor positions can indicate user attention and interest in specific areas of web pages. This study focuses on mouse movement directions and speeds rather than on mouse cursor positions. A statistical analysis of mouse movements on an online learning website, which was selected for this study, sheds light on several interesting patterns. For example, most mouse movements in the examined usage data are either approximately horizontal or approximately vertical, and horizontal mouse movements are more frequent than vertical mouse movements. Besides, horizontal movements to the left are not equivalent to horizontal movements to the right, in terms of moving time and speed. As this study shows, these statistical findings are related to Pointer Assisted Reading (PAR), a reading behavior consisting of moving the mouse cursor (also known as the mouse pointer) along sentences, marking the reading position, similarly to finger-pointing when reading a book. Associating mouse movements with text reading may potentially highlight content that most users tend to skip, and therefore, might not interest the website's audience, as well as content that many readers read more than once or slowly, suggesting a lack of clarity or ambiguity. As discussed in this paper, this could be useful in locating issues in the textual content of websites and especially in online learning and educational technology applications.

Students’ experiences in relation to the use of online learning and collaborative technologies during COVID-19 outbreak in South African Universities

Students’ experiences in relation to the use of online learning and collaborative technologies during COVID-19 outbreak in South African Universities

Система образования в условиях посткоронавирусного состояния общества: оценки рисков и направления развития

The article analyzes the strategic tasks of the higher education system in a pandemic. The limited conditions of development of the system of professional and higher education are revealed, the factors influencing the decision of students to choose the place of study are revealed. The influence of the coronavirus pandemic on the choice of the form of education and the active use of online learning technologies is analyzed. On the example of the countries of Northern Europe and the Baltic sociological data on the influence of distance learning technologies on the quality are given.

Relationship between medical students’ perceived instructor role and their approaches to using online learning technologies in a cloud-based virtual classroom

BackgroundStudents can take different approaches to using online learning technologies: deep and surface. It is important to understand the relationship between instructor role and student approaches to using online learning technologies in online learning settings supported by cloud computing techniques.MethodsA descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted to analyze the relationships between medical students’ perceptions of instructor role (instructor support, instructor-student interaction, and instructor innovation) and students’ approaches to using online learning technologies in cloud-based virtual classrooms. A 25-item online questionnaire along with a sheet with basic demographic was administered to all medical students at Qilu Medical Schools of Shandong University China. Overall, 213 of 4000 medical students (5.34%) at the medical school participated in the survey.ResultsThe results showed high levels of medical students’ perceived instructor support, instructor-student interaction and instructor innovation. Most students adopted the deep approaches to using online learning technologies. Instructor support, instructor-student interaction and innovation were positively related to students’ deep approaches to using online learning technologies. Instructor support was negatively related to students’ surface approaches to using online learning technologies.ConclusionsThe relationship between instructor role (instructor support, instructor-student interaction and instructor innovation) and students’ approaches to using online learning technologies highlight the importance of instructor support and innovation in facilitating students’ adoption of desirable approaches to learning from the application of technologies.

MASSIVE OPEN ONLINE COURSES(MOOCS) AND INDIAN EDUCATION

Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) enrollment has grown significantly in recent years. After the US, India is leading the world in enrollment growth in MOOCs Programme. India has initiated a number of programmes to provide MOOC courses in response to the rising enrollment from the nation and to meet their educational needs. As an alternative to physically attending classes at a traditional educational institution, online learning technology, which is now a fundamental requirement of modern civilization, is also developing into an affordable, practical information provider as well as a provider of professional courses and educational degrees and this option has just been available through MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses), particularly in India. India now uses NPTEL, mooKIT, IITBX, and SWAYAM as its course delivery platforms. This paper discusses the aspects of these platforms and provides a theoretical background and technological underpinning for them. The implementation of MOOCs in India and the main obstacles need to be addressed to make the programme a great success.

The Impact of Technology Adaptation on Academic Engagement: A Moderating Role of Perceived Argumentation Strength and School Support.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted routine activities such as attending to school and transferring education online. This study explores students’ perceptions of technology adoption and academic engagement using data from a survey (N = 465), with perceived argumentation and school support serving as moderators. The data were collected using a convenience sampling technique. The authors examined the association between perceived utility, perceived digital competitiveness, and perceived ease of use and academic engagement. While perceived utility and ease of use of online learning technologies do not appear to be connected with academic engagement, digital competence is. It is argued that there is a need to introduce an improvised mechanism for technology in schools. Academic involvement has no effect on perceived reasoning power, but social support has a considerable effect on academic engagement.

Recommendation System Based on Video Processing in an E-Learning Platform

With online learning technology fatly growing, especially with the Сovid-19 pandemic, learning resources are produced in massive amounts, with high heterogeneity, and in numerous media formats. The key issue for today’s learners is how to access the required learning resource based on their preferences and skills? Learning videos have become the central role in e-learning of higher education institutions. As a learning content, videos prove it is an important and necessary content delivery tool in all online platforms such as online, flipped, and blended classes. Hence, indicating suitable videos in seminal years possibly will help to do research in a better way. In this article, we present a recommender system that will suggest and guide learners in choosing appropriate learning videos per their requirements. Our system is based on collective intelligence. Indeed, we analyze the comments of Internet users on the videos to extract their opinions and then compare them with the evaluations to obtain a better recommendation.

Teaching in Uncertain Times: Expanding the Scope of Extraneous Cognitive Load in the Cognitive Load Theory.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused an unprecedented and highly threatening, constrained, and confusing social and educational environment, we decided to expand the traditional focus of the extraneous load in Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) acknowledging the psychological environment in which learning occurs. We therefore adapted and implemented principles of the CLT to reduce extraneous load for our students by facilitating their educational activities. Given previous empirical support for the principles of CLT, it was expected that the adoption of these principles might enable our students to cultivate attitudes and skills across multiple domains such as online learning and presentation technologies, implementing and maintaining a “classroom atmosphere” in a virtual environment, participating in discussions among large online groups of students, facilitating group work, providing virtual office hours for students, and proactively planning for upcoming semesters.

Learning Online amid COVID-19 pandemic: Exploring students' lived experiences

This paper explores the lived experiences of online learning by 2020 first year students in institutions of higher education in South Africa, students with no prior experience of online learning before COVID-19. Using a qualitative approach, a sample of 50 students was interviewed. Findings indicate that students’ online experiences were impacted upon by various factors which resulted in both positive and negative experiences. Factors that impacted learners’ online experiences include those linked both directly and indirectly to technology and learning online. Such factors include online preparedness, lecturer support, student-to-student engagement, flexible learning pathways, connectivity, learning technologies, digital literacy and self-management skills. Generally, students who received proper induction and support from their lecturers and institutions experienced online learning in a positive manner. Some institutions were not prepared for online learning and offered less support to students which affected students’ experiences of online learning. The paper thus argues that there is need for institutions to invest in online learning technologies, for Government to address issues of digital literacy and readiness and ensure that the right infrastructure is available. With the fourth industrial revolution having been fast-tracked by COVID-19, it is prudent to ensure that learners are technologically savvy.

EXTERNAL EVALUATION OF SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING SKILLS: ONLINE EDUCATION

Self-isolation measures implemented during the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in a quick transition to online instruction. As a result, teachers and students must master online learning tools and technologies in educational institutions. In addition, the problems with online education are frequently reported in scholarly sources. Many participants in the educational process faced difficulties during this period. In our opinion, many difficulties in online education were caused by insufficient training of self- directed learning skills in students and corresponding skills in teachers. At the same time, this group of universal learning skills is a mandatory part of education in Russian schools. The skills of self-organization and self-control are included in the Russian federal state educational standards requirements. A considerable number of scientific publications are devoted to the formation of assessment skills in school children. At the same time, the problem of training self-directed learning skills in online classes has not been sufficiently studied. This article examines the results of an independent assessment of self-directed learning skills and training in online classes for both primary school students and primary school teachers. As a result of the study, the following skills were identified as important for teaching primary school online learners: Planning, Self-Monitoring, Self-assessment, and selecting effective approaches for online learning. Empirical data were collected as part of the study. From this, the following points can be made: Primary school teachers are not prepared for online teaching; time demands on teachers have increased due to the specifics of teacher self-monitoring under the new conditions. Consequently, students need to learn the following skills during online teaching: self-monitoring, use of automated assessment and monitoring tools, self- and peer-assessment in the digital educational environment, and planning. The empirical data obtained show the importance of training self-monitoring skills for online teaching. Therefore, the proposed recommendations for improving teacher training education programs in pedagogical universities and in the teacher professional development system have practical relevance and can be implemented through appropriate educational programs.

Challenges and Opportunities for Online Practical Work in Sub-Saharan Africa

Practical work is an integral part of teaching and learning in STEM. It can help to deliver many learning outcomes - manipulative skills, observation and description, motivation, creative thinking, problem-solving abilities, and critical attitudes, as well as conceptual understanding. In recent years the already weak provision of the STEM practical curriculum in Sub Saharan Africa SSA has been undermined further by pandemic constraints. Online practical work is expanding rapidly in both scale and sophistication worldwide and it offers a credible means of mitigating such problems and improving access in SSA. This study examines issues and prospects for online practical work in SSA. It includes a brief summary of the present position and presents the views of stakeholders gathered using semi structured interviews. These focused on their attitudes towards introducing new learning technologies and related approaches in the teaching and learning of practical work in science. The results showed that many of the educators interviewed are enthusiastic about the opportunities afforded by online practical work and see such innovation as a useful response to the pandemic. They also assert their readiness to embrace new technologies in STEM practical work but warn of the challenges, notably access to resources and the lack of the teaching skills required to engage learners in effective online practical work. The students have been disappointed by online versions of conventional face to face teaching and many are sceptical about online practical work. Resource and cost issues dominate their thinking. Science educators will require extensive training if online learning technologies are to be harnessed successfully to provide practical science activities in SSA.

Peran Guru dalam Pemanfaatan Media WAG untuk Meningkatkan Pembelajaran di Masa Pandemi Covid-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all aspects of life. One of them is in the field of education. Teachers must be able to use technology to improve learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Learning activities must continue to prioritize educational goals, namely integrating knowledge, skills, attitudes, and mastery of technology. Online learning is an alternative that can overcome these problems. In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, teaching and learning activities are endeavored to use innovative online learning media. Various media can be used to carry out online learning. This study aims to explain the role of teachers in the use of online learning technology during the Covid-19 pandemic. This study uses a qualitative approach. The research method used is literature study. The results showed that the teacher's role in the use of WhatsApp Group media could improve learning during the Covid-19 pandemic. In an effort to support the continuity of the education and learning process, WhatsApp Group can be used as a learning medium, so that learning can take place without being limited by space and time. WhatsApp Group is one of the easy online learning media and provides online classes through the group chat feature. By using WhatsApp Group educators can provide encouragement to arouse, stimulate, and increase students' learning motivation, so that learning objectives can be achieved properly. . Through the WhatsApp Group application, a teacher can provide material briefly to students.

Changes in the education landscape caused by COVID-19: Opportunities and challenges from UAE perspective

The study aim is to identify the opportunities for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) educational sector during COVID-19. A survey was conducted among a sample of 100 teachers from 20 UAE higher education institutions. Teachers use online learning tools that cannot fully provide the benefits of face-to-face meetings with students. The research methodology is based on primary and secondary data analysis. Teacher questionnaire was formed; it contains 9 questions on distance learning actualization in a pandemic. Only 25% of those surveyed agreed with the inclusiveness and ease of remote learning technologies use, 20% expected that after a lockdown, learning could return to the status quo; 55% disagreed that the technologies used stimulate creativity and have an evidence base. Among key findings are that almost all respondents (95%) see the necessary reform of distance education for its further adaptation in the post-COVID-19 period. The study shows a significant imperfection of the applied online learning technologies. Studies from around the world have shown that school shutdowns have had similar consequences for most education systems.
 
 Keywords: COVID-19; education; online learning; pandemic outbreak; teaching and learning.

Unpacking the opportunities and challenges in learning speaking online during Covid-19 outbreak: A case-study of Indonesian EFL college students

The challenges brought by Covid-19 have threatened not only the economy and health fields but also the educational sectors. In light of education, this issue has led to the swift migration of the learning process from conventional mode to online learning which has resulted in another bottleneck. The current study explores the perception of EFL Indonesian college students about the challenges and benefits of learning speaking through the online system during the Covid-19 outbreak. Forty-five college students participated in this study and were inquired through a semi-structured questionnaire in the weeks following the final term examinations for the academic year 2020-2021. The data was probed by using grounded theory proposed by Creswell. The findings exposed that effectiveness, online benefits, and improvement opportunities were the benefits obtained by students from the online learning. Meanwhile, distraction and information overload, a technical error in online learning technology and internet connectivity matters as well as limited interaction and inadequate support were hindrances that often hampered the students. Consequently, this scholarly paper also provides advice on the essence of the readiness of adequate facilities and the collaboration from stakeholders; government, teachers, students, and parents to successfully implement online learning.

Perceived Usefulness and Ease of Use of Online Examination System: A Case of Institute of Accountancy Arusha

Online examination systems have revolutionised the learning process for many learning institutions around the globe, especially in developing countries, and have proven effective during the COVID-19 pandemic to maintain social distance. This study employed the Technological Acceptance Model (TAM) to evaluate the perceived usefulness and ease of use of such systems when adopted in developing countries like Tanzania, where such systems are not well known by the learners. Also, the perceptions of such examinations among learners are not well explored. The Institute of Accountancy in Arusha was used as a case study where the population was 125, which is all third-year undergraduate learners of computer-based subjects. A descriptive analysis through SPSS version 26 showed a mixed perception about supporting online examinations in higher learning institutions. Furthermore, the study analysed different factors for perceived usefulness and ease of use of online examinations for learners, such as participant technical consigns, academic contributions, and security consigns. Based on the findings, the study recommended that the institution's management support is needed, and dedicated funds should be set aside to support reliable technologies for online learning and examinations.

An Extended UTAUT Model to Explain Factors Affecting Online Learning System Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic: The Case of a Developing Economy.

From a developing country perspective, this study explains the factors affecting online learning amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper empirically tests the proposed extended unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (e-UTAUT) model in the students' intention and use behavior toward the online learning system. Understanding the acceptance of online learning technology is crucial, especially among developing countries caught off-guard by the abrupt transition of face-to-face classes to pure online learning. The enjoyment, interactivity, flexibility, and quality of online learning systems were added as antecedent variables to the UTAUT model. Eight hundred eighty valid responses from selected college students in the Visayas regions, Philippines, were collected. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to verify the research hypotheses. The results supported the proposed model with acceptable fit measures and substantial explanatory power. The extended constructs provide different views on online learning based on the significant cluster of antecedents to explain technology acceptance through behavioral intentions and actual system usage. The paper implies that despite the challenges of connectivity in developing countries, the variations still conform with emerging literature about the topic. Insights for higher education institutions and policy directions are recommended.

Grade Prediction Modeling in Hybrid Learning Environments for Sustainable Engineering Education

Since mid-March 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, higher education has been facing a very uncertain situation, despite the hasty implementation of information and communication technologies for distance and online learning. Hybrid learning, i.e., the mixing of distance and face-to-face learning, seems to be the rule in most universities today. In order to build a post-COVID-19 university education, i.e., one that is increasingly digital and sustainable, it is essential to learn from these years of health crisis. In this context, this paper aims to identify and quantify the main factors affecting mechanical engineering student performance in order to build a generalized linear autoregressive (GLAR) model. This model, which is distinguished by its simplicity and ease of implementation, is responsible for predicting student grades in online learning situations in hybrid environments. The thirty or so variables identified by a previously tested model in 2020–2021, in which distance learning was the exclusive mode of learning, were evaluated in blended learning spaces. Given the low predictive power of the original model, about ten new factors, specific to blended learning, were then identified and tested. The refined version of the GLAR model predicts student grades to within ±1 with a success rate of 63.70%, making it 28.08% more accurate than the model originally created in 2020–2021. Special attention was also given to students whose grade predictions were underestimated and who failed. The methodology presented is applicable to all aspects of the academic process, including students, instructors, and decisionmakers.