Quality Of Online Learning Research Articles

Evaluating High School Students' Views on Online Learning with Meeting Apps during COVID-19

This descriptive qualitative research aims to explore students' experiences in online learning via meeting applications. The purposive sampling method was used to select 11 members of the "Ryca Study Group" as respondents. The interview results show that online learning through meeting applications has become the new norm during the Covid-19 pandemic. The majority of students feel able to understand some subjects well, but there are also technical challenges and a lack of direct interaction with teachers and classmates. Some students are happy with the flexibility of time and accessibility of online learning, while others feel less motivated and experience boredom. In improving online learning, students suggested more interesting material, use of on-cam features for better interaction, and more active teacher involvement. By combining these suggestions, schools can continue to improve the quality of online learning and provide a better learning experience for students.

ONLINE LEARNING IN UNDERGRADUATE ACCOINTING EDUCATION DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

When the COVID-19 outbreak hit, many educational institutions in Malaysia faced serious challenges. Using a qualitative approach, this study conducted face-to-face interviews with five accounting students and five accounting lecturers to gain insight into various issues of online learning in accounting education during this period. The study found that the flexibility of online learning benefits both students and lecturers, and it also provides them with the opportunity to improve their computing skills to live up to the demands of this period.The study revealed that the accessibility of video recordings and supplemental study resources are very beneficial in improving students' comprehension and performance in challenging courses like accounting. The use of teaching platforms such as Moodles or HLMS enable lecturers to manage assignments, respond to inquiries, and monitor students during tests and examinations. This improved monitoring capacity is a key benefit of online learning, allowing for more customised help and feedback for students. However, this mode of learning may not be suitable for students who lack self-discipline or seek attention and connection with lecturers and fellow students. Blended learning is recommended in the future to improve the quality of online learning. The technical support team can also help improve the smoothness of the online courses.

Analisis Pembelajaran Daring Mata Kuliah Praktek dengan Uji T Berpasangan dan Matriks Ipa

Online learning is an alternative to classroom learning, especially during the pandemic that occurred in early 2020. With physical distancing that allow for direct interaction, to stop the transmission of COVID-19. Online learning is used in UIN Walisongo Semarang. It is undoubtedly not difficult to adapt to some study programs that are dominated by theoretical or material courses. On the other hand, changes are required for study programs that include practical courses, the following in the Study Program of Ilmu Seni dan Arsitektur Islam (ISAI). According to the background, a paired t-test will be used to compare the performance and importance for implementing online learning, as well as ISAI students' impressions of online learning using the IPA (Importance Performance Analysis) matrix. 31 students were chosen at random for the sample. Using five service dimensions, perceptions of student satisfaction are assessed (Empathy, Assurance, Responsiveness, Reliability, Tangibles). The results showed that there was a difference between the importance and performance of students on the quality of online learning. The outcomes of the paired t test with a sig value of 0,000<0,05 and also t_hitung=11,396>t_(0,05;17)=2,109. There are several indicators at Quadrant I of IPA matrix that must receive attention because the student satisfaction is still low, including: attention from lecturers to students (item P1); lecturers' responses to student difficulties (item P9); and reliability of lecturers in online learning (item P13). Therefore, the perception of the quality of students' online learning can be improved by improving the attention, responsiveness, and reliability of lecturers.

Enhancing Blended Learning Quality: Perspectives of Omani University Students During and Beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic

The global COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of online learning materials, activities, and interactive tools, both synchronous and asynchronous, to enhance students' educational experiences. This research empirically evaluates the value that Omani university students assign to online learning and teaching, particularly in supporting their face-to-face education within the blended learning framework during the pandemic and beyond. The study used a mixed-methods research design to collect data through quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews. A total of 106 participants from Sohar University completed the survey, and 20 of them were selected for follow-up interviews. The findings indicate that, overall, students expressed satisfaction with the quality of online learning and teaching materials in the blended learning context. However, some students expressed dissatisfaction with the online interaction and teacher feedback. Specifically, the absence of individualised teacher feedback seems to have negatively affected students' motivation to engage in practice activities and discuss them with teachers during face-to-face sessions. The study offers pedagogical insights into effective integration of online technologies in educational programs and the utilisation of online platforms for technology-mediated instruction in higher education.

Introduction to the Special Issue

Every year, the Online Learning Consortium holds two flagship conferences: OLC Accelerate, held in the fall, and OLC Innovate, held jointly with MERLOT each spring. This past year, OLC Accelerate 2022, was held virtually November 1-2, 2022 and live, in Orlando, Florida, November 14-17, 2022. OLC Innovate 2023, was held virtually April 4-6, 2023 and live in Nashville, Tennessee, April 18-21, 2023. The Online Learning Journal solicits research papers from those who have presented at the most recent OLC Accelerate and Innovate conferences for the annual September issue. In this special section, we feature three articles that showcase some of the research that is being conducted related to online and blended learning. Much of the work showcased at our conferences presents case studies and research from faculty and practitioners in the field. The growing focus on online learning due to the pandemic has resulted in many new models, approaches, issues, and applications being deployed to address instructional needs in the virtual classroom. These provide a valuable opportunity to examine how faculty and researchers are adapting their instruction to provide quality online learning across various institutions and disciplines.

Students’ Perception of Online Learning Quality and Preference for the Online Learning Model

Aims: As a result of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the traditional face-to-face learning approach at tertiary institutions was replaced by an online learning model. This has a significant impact on tertiary students, teachers, and administrators, particularly in Ghana, where online learning has not been widely used in the past. The current study looked at how students' perceptions of the quality of their online learning experiences affected their acceptance of the paradigm before and after the COVID-19 prevalence.
 Study Design: The study adds to the body of knowledge by assessing how well the modified DeLone and McLean information systems success model applies to online learning.
 Place and Duration of Study: Technical Universities in Ghana between September 2021 and May 2022.
 Methodology: Structured questionnaires were used to obtain primary data from 1386 students at Ghana's technical universities. The study employed the multiple linear regression model to examine the effects of class and gender on students' opinions of the quality and preferences for the online learning model.
 Results: The study's findings revealed that the online learning system provided quality service to students, with a mean response value (MRV) ranging from 3.74 to 4.52.
 It was also discovered that 72% of students preferred online learning because of the system quality, information quality, and service quality provided.
 Conclusion: Students must be encouraged to pursue online education that is appropriate, cutting-edge, and useful if they are to succeed and remain relevant in the digital age. Tertiary institution administrators are being encouraged to improve the quality of the online learning environment for both students and teachers.

Subject Matter Expert (SME) Onboarding 101: Improving development efficiency and course quality through SME training

A common challenge for instructional designers and administrators of online programs is ensuring that projects are completed within the development timeframe and course content meets high standards for quality. This article describes a training course that was developed to meet those challenges. The course prepares subject matter experts (SMEs) to work with a design team made up of instructional designers and instructional technologists so that SMEs can plan their course content using a backward design framework. SMEs participate in a fully asynchronous online course with other SMEs where they can collaborate and brainstorm ideas. Having SMEs take an online course that resembles the online course they will later be designing allows them to gain insight from a learner perspective, which can help them design a learner-centered course. As a result, this training program has improved the course development process to help the university meet its goals for quality online learning.

An Empirical Investigation of Business Student’s Satisfaction on Online Learning Environment

This study aimed to identify the factors that explain the online learning environment of business students. The descriptive correlational research design was used to examine and explore the variables among 360 business students enrolled in three Higher Education Institutions in Northern Mindanao, Philippines. A Raosoft sample size calculator was utilized to compute the sample size reinforced with single-stage cluster sampling. The questionnaire was adapted from four different sources and the content was validated by experts in the field. Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation, and multiple regression were applied to the data gathered to determine relationships among the variables and examine the degree of predictive influence of the independent variables on the dependent variable. The results revealed that engagement strategies are important in online learning, and business students in higher education manifest a high level of the educational atmosphere, specifically on ethics and professionalism. Engagement strategy and educational atmosphere have a significant relationship to the quality of e-learning and student satisfaction; Educational atmosphere is a predictor of the quality of e-learning, while engagement strategies, educational atmosphere, and quality of e-learning are predictors of student satisfaction. Further, all dimensions of engagement strategies and educational atmosphere are important in online learning and can provide opportunities for students to explore the learning environment for a quality and satisfactory online learning experience.

C4.5 Algorithm Implementation to Predict Student Satisfaction Level of Lecturer’s Performance in the Covid-19 Pandemic

Implementation of education during the emergency period of Covid-19 in Higher Education was carried out at home through online/distance learning. The lecturer is one of the key holders of success in the learning process. Lecturer performance is a main factor needed to improve education and service quality in online learning. In this study, the authors implemented the C4.5 algorithm using RapidMiner 9.10 app to predict student satisfaction with lecturer performance during the Covid-19 pandemic. The data in this study were obtained from a questionnaire distributed to active students in the Computer Science Study Program (class of 2016 - 2021) at the University of Nusa Cendana with 942 records. The attributes used in this study were the lecturer's age, gender, suitability of learning media (SLM), and the competencies of Pedagogic Competence (PeC), Professional Competence (PrC), Personal Competence (PsC), and social competence (SC), with the level of student satisfaction as the target class divided into two, namely Satisfied and Dissatisfied. The dataset is processed using RapidMiner and produces 11 decision rules which show that the attribute PeC has the most significant influence on the level of student satisfaction with lecturer performance during the Covid-19 pandemic and the test results of the decision tree model using cross-validation. The test results show that the C4.5 algorithm has a good performance in predicting levels of student satisfaction with an accuracy rate of 94.8%, precision for the prediction class Dissatisfied and Satisfied of 92.23 % and 95.52%, and recall of the actual Dissatisfied and Satisfied classes of 85.2% and 97.77%.

Influence of information presentation form on online learning based on dynamics theory of visual perception form

With the development of information technology, online learning has become an important way of teaching in colleges and universities. The importance of online learning is particularly prominent, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. How to improve online learning quality is a common problem faced by educators. Online learning quality is closely related to information presentation form, so it is necessary to study the influence of information presentation form on online learning. Based on the dynamics theory of visual perception form and its operating principle, this study compares the differences in post-test scores, cognitive load and satisfaction between the information dynamics presentation form and the traditional information presentation form through a two-factor random experiment. The data analysis shows that information presentation form plays a significant role in improving students’ academic performance and reducing cognitive load. To a certain extent, there search proves the effectiveness of the information presentation form based on dynamics theory of visual perception form in promoting online learning. Relevant improvement suggestions are proposed to provide a reference and basis for the in-depth development of online learning and the improvement of online learning quality.

Evaluating of Education Effects of Online Learning for Local University Students in China: A Case Study

The spread and persistence of the global COVID-19 pandemic has caused online education to gradually become the “new normal” in higher education, and a comprehensive and systematic study of the online course learning of college students in the context of the normalization of online teaching is urgently needed. Higher education is the main stage of cultivating innovative talents, and the evaluation of collaborative education through science and education in the context of online education is also a key content. Therefore, this study established a hierarchical evaluation system based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), including three second-level evaluation factors and fifteen third-level evaluation factors. Then, a judgment matrix for each level of evaluation factor was constructed and passed the consistency test. Finally, the weights of each factor were determined, and the feasibility and effectiveness of this method in online learning quality evaluation were verified through a case study. The evaluation results indicate that the cultivation of online learning ability for local college students is more important than online course resources and the online learning environment. In order to promote the realization of educational equity, it is not only necessary to focus on improving students’ academic performance, but also to find ways to enhance students’ learning abilities. In addition, the cultivation of communication and collaboration abilities between teachers and students is an important way to improve the quality of online learning for college students in the process of online learning for college students.

An exploration of institutional and personal barriers to online academic engagement at a Brazilian university

The recent global pandemic has raised institutional awareness around the world concerning the importance of having high quality online learning options for students. Learner engagement is often correlated with quality outcomes such as student academic success and student satisfaction. Learner engagement is commonly thought of as having three important dimensions: affective engagement, behavioral engagement, and cognitive engagement (ACE framework). Engagement is also enabled or limited by facilitators/barriers. Three important categories of facilitators/barriers are learner characteristics, personal environment, and course environment. Elements in each of these three areas enable or are barriers to students fully engaging in a course. This research explored what the barriers are to students fully engaging in their online courses at a Brazilian university to determine which areas will be most productive for the university program administrators and designers to focus on increase student academic engagement. A survey was applied to students from the Brazilian university under graduation online programs. It included items related to engagement facilitators barriers in the three areas described in the ACE framework and received 429 valid responses. The affective and behavioral dimensions were perceived by students as the lower engagement indicators in the ACE framework. Among facilitators or barriers for engagement, the ones under the course environment category were predominantly perceived as barriers, while learner characteristics and student environment were perceived as facilitators. However, all three categories were more barrier than facilitator for over 40% of the students. Although course environment is the barrier most under control of the institutions, understanding students´ personal environment and characteristics of learning can help them to provide support and facilitate full engagement in online courses.

Understanding teachers' online professional learning: A “community of inquiry” perspective on the role of Chinese middle school teachers’ sense of self-efficacy, and online learning achievement

Teachers' online professional development (PD) has been valued as a crucial and effective way to promote teaching competencies. Forming a professional learning community has been recognized as a means to promote effective PD. Within this realm of research, the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework was deemed as a collaborative-constructivist process model that describes successful online learning experiences. The CoI has been associated with many psychological and educational variables, such as learning achievement and self-efficacy. This study leveraged on the CoI framework to assess teachers' online professional learning quality and explored its relationship with their self-efficacy and online professional learning achievement. A total of 456 teacher participants from Chinese middle schools participated in our study. A suite of questionnaires (the Community of Inquiry Questionnaire, the Teacher Efficacy Scale, and the Perceived Online Learning Achievement Scale) was distributed. Linear regression, PROCESS Macro mediation, and moderation analyses were run on the data to answer the research questions. Results revealed a significant relationship between teachers’ online learning quality and their self-efficacy and learning achievement. The mediating roles of self-efficacy and learning achievement were confirmed. The moderating role of time spent on receiving online professional learning was also recognized. Implications and future directions were discussed.

Assessing Students’ Perception towards Lecturer’s Online Teaching of Al-Ghazali’s Dialogue: English Communication using TPACK Framework

The COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia catalyses HEIs to fully utilise technology in teaching and learning, indirectly supporting one of the major shifts of the Malaysia Education Blueprint (Higher Education). Regardless, the readiness of lecturers in terms of their knowledge to teach online effectively is necessary to be investigated to enhance students’ learning and ensure the quality of online learning is at par with traditional learning during the pandemic, as the full adoption of online learning is a new norm in education. This study assesses students’ perception of applying the Technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) framework in teaching Al-Ghazali’s Dialogue: English Communication by lecturers in their online teaching. A quantitative approach and a correlational research design were conducted, and data were collected from 445 UPNM undergraduates through a questionnaire and then analysed using SPSS Version 25.0. The finding reveals that lecturers have a high level of content knowledge to provide relevant issues in selected case studies for students to evaluate critically in line with the course learning outcomes (CLO) outlined by this course. However, lecturers need to be more competent in resolving their technical problems instantly when dealing with digital platform compatibility issues. Additionally, the effectiveness of online teaching can be determined using student achievement as the indicator. These findings support the TPACK framework to describe the lecturers’ technology integration, and it assists lecturers in improving their knowledge. The study implies that a high level of lecturers’ TPACK creates quality online learning and enhances student achievement.

Designing online teaching curriculum to optimise learning for all students in higher education

AbstractDisruptions to higher education teaching have raised significant concerns over the best curriculum design for teaching online and for the inclusion of all students. Universal design for learning (UDL) together with curriculum research models – taxonomy of significant learning and integrated curriculum design (ICD), provides a curriculum approach to optimising students' learning and building engagement with learning online. This paper outlines the redesign process and decisions made to improve the curriculum design in an online sociology course in teacher education. The goals of the redesign were to optimise all student learning, engagement and perceived satisfaction. Data collection included student responses (pre and post), course evaluation, analytics and reflections from an expert reviewer. Analysis was guided by the UDL curriculum design principles of engagement, representation and action/expression. Emerging from this research is the need to ensure that online learning redesign is user‐friendly and engaging, with multiple supported learning opportunities for the students. This redesign strengthens the quality of online learning, with learning becoming more meaningful and learning activities incorporating elements that are reflective, instructional and social. One interesting aspect that emerged was the importance of the partnership between the academic and the instructional designer in the redesign process.

Online Learning Quality Measurement Application for Higher Education: Development and Analysis Using ISO 9126

This study aims to develop an application for measuring the quality of online learning in higher education using the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) model and analyze the quality of the application using the ISO 9126 standard. This is a Research and Development study. The application development process uses the software development life cycle (SDLC) method with the waterfall method. Furthermore, the application quality analysis process uses the ISO 9126 standard, consisting of functionality, reliability, efficiency, maintainability, usability, and portability. The results showed that the application for measuring the quality of higher education online learning based on the AHP model had been successfully developed using the SDLC method with the waterfall model. Furthermore, the results of the analysis of application quality using the ISO 9126 standard show that the average results are excellent and suitable for assessing the quality of online learning in higher education.
 Keywords: online learning, higher education, analytical hierarchy process (AHP), ISO 9126

Exploring vocational students' satisfaction with online learning

This study aimed to explore the factors that influence vocational students' perceptions of their online learning experiences and assess the quality of online learning that has an impact on student satisfaction. This research used structural equation modeling and partial least square (PLS-SEM) analysis. The purposive sampling technique was chosen to determine the sample of respondents. A total of 3206 students who participated in online learning from various vocational schools in Indonesia filled out an online survey. The results indicate that communication, digital media, interaction, facilities and tutorials have a direct effect on the quality of online learning. Schools that offer online education must prioritize the essential factors required for successful implementation to ensure that students have an enjoyable online learning experience. Teachers should focus on improving the quality of online learning to increase student satisfaction with it. Furthermore, teachers should consider the findings of this research when developing strategies for vocational education in online settings.

The Adoption of Blended Learning as an Emerging Mode of Learning among EFL Students: Current Challenges and Future Directions

Blended learning is one of the well-known concepts that has emerged as a result of the significant impact that technology has had on learning and teaching. The latter has created obstacles that have greatly influenced learning while also bringing new opportunities to learn from. In order to ascertain students’ perceptions of this type of learning and weigh the advantages and disadvantages to ensure best practices that support the quality of online learning, the current study was conducted among EFL students at three Moroccan universities (Dhar Mehraz University, Sais University, and Moulay Ismail University). 304 EFL students who successfully completed an online survey were included in the study. According to the quantitative and qualitative data collected, it was found that EFL students are thrilled with this approach to learning as they are prepared to switch from traditional learning to blended learning due to its benefits, such as self-paced learning, increased student engagement, flexibility, and cost effectiveness. The findings also indicated that EFL students encounter several difficulties while employing blended learning, which include procrastination, distraction, content overload, technical issues, and plagiarism.

A pragmatic evaluation of university student experience of remote digital learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on lessons learned for future practice.

The Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent national lockdowns resulted in drastic changes to the way that higher education was delivered. A mixed-methods research study was conducted to explore university students' perceptions of online learning during the 2020/21 academic year. Students from across all Welsh higher education institutions were invited to participate. First, a series of focus groups (n = 13) were conducted to explore students' experiences of online learning during the pandemic. Two were conducted in Welsh, the remaining eleven in English. Thematic analysis led researchers to develop eight key themes: Seeking the positives, Facilitators to learning, Barriers to learning, Lost sense of community, Let down by University, Workload, Assessment, and Health and well-being. These themes informed the design of a quantitative survey which was completed by 759 students. It was found that students were largely satisfied with the quality of online learning, however there were specific challenges associated with a lack of community, wellbeing concerns, and challenges with loneliness and isolation. Data from the focus groups and survey informed recommendations for practice in three key categories; teaching practice, institutional level recommendations, and student health and wellbeing considerations.

Accessibility of Online Learning for Students with Disabilities Amidst Pandemic

Abstract: This comparative study examined the accessibility of online learning for students with disabilities amidst the pandemic in five purposively selected countries: the Philippines, the United States of America (USA), South Africa, Italy, and Australia. A qualitative research design was used to determine and compare the accessibility of online learning in the selected countries in terms of policy, curriculum, teacher-student ratio, accommodations and supports, challenges, and improvements. Results revealed that online learning accessibility varies significantly from country to country in offering national curricula and strategies to provide accessibility and carry out inclusive education amidst the pandemic. It was found that the USA had shown a solid commitment to policy, curriculum, teacher-student ratio, accommodations, and support among the five selected countries. On the contrary, the Philippines show immense challenges in accessing online learning for students with disabilities. It is concluded that limited learning resources, lack of internet connectivity, inadequate digital literacy for teachers and students, and lack of concentration and coordination persisted as significant challenges in achieving quality online learning accessibility in a country. It is recommended that countries facing the same challenges may observe countries having quality and accessible online learning, such as the USA.