Quality Of Distance Education Research Articles

The quality of distance learning during COVID-19: Perspectives of Saudi university students

Education has rapidly shifted into distance learning after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Students with varying learning levels from Saudi Arabian universities started online lessons through programs and applications. Supporters and opponents of distance learning have different opinions about distance education. In this context, this study focused on actual quality standards of distance learning and identified five axes of education quality to improve learning and develop technical tools for learning. The findings of the study are relevant to the specific context of the crisis and aim to meet international quality standards. We adopted the social survey method using the five axes. A questionnaire and a study sample of 1240 respondents from 42 universities and colleges were used. The data determined the level of quality of distance education and the extent to which students benefit from it. The interactive axis achieved the highest average rating, whereas the evaluation axis achieved the lowest average rating. Furthermore, the study shows that students agreed that distance education was useful during the pandemic, but it is less effective than face-to-face learning, and they value the elements of live lessons and interactions. These findings can be used to develop teaching practices in distance learning through the adoption of technology in line with global trends; through the use of learning to overcome difficulties; through open, unlimited areas of learning during crises; and through the development and activation of these dynamics. These outcomes can deliver higher results at a desired scientific level.

Finger-vein Secure Access Based on Lightweight Dual-attention Convolutional Neural Network for Quality Distance Education

Finger-vein Secure Access Based on Lightweight Dual-attention Convolutional Neural Network for Quality Distance Education

Development of professional competencies of students with distance learning technologies in the School-College-University system

Relevance. The relevance of the study lies in presenting the problems faced by participants of the educational process during distance learning, and proposing possible mechanisms for their solution based on global experience. Here, it is necessary to develop a new way of professional implementation of remote technologies, considering modern achievements in science and technology. In addition, it is necessary to ensure the availability of material and technical equipment and the training of qualified specialists.Purpose. The purpose of the study is to develop a full list of recommendations for the qualitative comprehension of educational material through using distance learning technologies in educational institutions of different levels.Methodology. The methodology of distance learning is based on conventional approaches to the organisation of the educational process. Theoretical, empirical, statistical and other methods were used to achieve this purpose. In this study, the problem of assessing the quality of distance education in an educational institution was theoretically analysed.Results. Considering the experience of developed countries, distance learning is applied with some restrictions. These restrictions are related to the level of the educational institution, the educational programme, and other important circumstances. In terms of the academic hours distance learning can be compared with low-residency programme. At the same time, it is possible to study at a convenient time, combining classes with work or homework. Access to quality education, considering its definition within the framework of long-term socio-economic development, is the most important value to citizens.Conclusions. Distance learning was presented as a conscious, organised, and systematic process of independent control of knowledge, skills, and abilities under the guidance of remote teachers.

Study on Accurate Evaluation of Network Distance Education Quality Based on Analytic Hierarchy Process

Study on Accurate Evaluation of Network Distance Education Quality Based on Analytic Hierarchy Process

Emergency Remote Teaching and Learning and Teachers’ Digital Competence

The challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic forced schools to quickly mobilize toward emergency remote teaching and learning (ERTL) practices. Teachers’ digital competences were essential in this context. This study aims to identify the ERTL practices adopted in Portugal and how they were perceived by teachers of students aged 3 to 18. Data were gathered through a questionnaire administered online during April and May 2020 to 329 teachers. ERTL was perceived as an opportunity to develop their own and their students’ digital competences. Teachers expressed a moderately positive view of the process and reported an experience of work overload. The pedagogical practices implemented by teachers during this period were diverse and differed according to gender, self-assessment of digital competence, and level of education taught. Results point to the importance of continued teacher training to achieve quality distance education.

The relative importance of distance education challenges to instructors in higher education – A ranking-type Delphi study

The many challenges faced by instructors in distance education have been extensively documented in current literature. Nevertheless, the relative importance of such challenges has not been researched to the same extent. As instructors and institutions face limitations in terms of time and budget, the ability to effectively prioritise challenges becomes increasingly vital. This paper aims to investigate the relative importance of various distance education challenges to instructors. For this purpose, a ranking-type Delphi study of 90 instructors was conducted at a Swedish higher education institution of technology. In total 26 unique challenges were identified, out of which the top 13 challenges were further ranked by instructors. The ranking revealed that pedagogical challenges were regarded as being of highest relative importance, whereas technological and organisational challenges were of lesser significance. Instructors rated the following challenges as the most significant: lack of student responsiveness, diminished collaboration due to social distancing among students, substantial upfront course design investments by instructors, and limitations in instructor accessibility. These rankings were found to be largely consistent across different instructor characteristics. The findings of the study indicate the importance of investing in faculty training and support functions within higher education institutions to ensure the quality of distance education.

Satisfaction with the quality of distance education at a medical university during quarantine measures

Problem statement . During the COVID-19 pandemic, basic medical education, traditionally strictly full-time, has been remote for a full academic year. This required significant changes in the structure of approaches to learning, which led to certain features in its quality and personal perception by the subjects of the educational process. The purpose of the study is to develop an approach to improving distance medical education based on data on the satisfaction of the subjects of the educational process. Methodology. Data from the Medical University Semey (MUS) and the Shakarim University Semey (USh) was analysed. The respondents were 450 students of the 4-6th courses of the MUS and 385 students of the 4-5th courses of the USh. A survey was carried out on 98 members of the teaching staff (TS) of the MUS and 105 members of the USh who participated in distance learning programs for the 2020-2021 academic year. Results. MUS students noted the insufficient activity of the teaching staff, the shortcomings of the existing methodological support, and problems of communication on the part of the student prevailed. In USh, the key problems were the lack of communications and equipment, insufficient activity and readiness of the teaching staff. In the opinion of the teachers of both universities, there was insufficient activity of students. The dishonesty of students was also noted. More significant in the medical school was the lack of training of teachers for the implementation of distance learning. Conclusion. Satisfaction of students and teachers with distance learning during COVID-19 remained high, but had problems related to both material and human resources.

Perceived quality of distance education during the COVID-19 pandemic by postgraduate students of a school of medicine

Introduction. When the government decreed the mandatory quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new way of exercising the pedagogical work in a synchronous or asynchronous way was initiated. Objectives. To know through the levels of dissatisfaction the perceived quality of distance education during the COVID-19 pandemic by postgraduate students. Methods. A descriptive observational study was carried out. The population consisted of 403 students, the variables were perceived quality and distance education. Descriptive statistics analysis and univariate analysis were applied. Results. Level of satisfaction with the perceived quality of distance education of the 413 students was indifference in 45.7%, dissatisfaction in 12.5% and satisfaction in 41.8%. The level of satisfaction of perceived quality corresponded mostly to the virtual learning environment and information received and content of the virtual classroom, while the highest level of indifference corresponded to distance education (78%), neuropedagogy (51.1%) and teacher (45.8%). Conclusions. Satisfaction responded to the environment, information, and materials, while dissatisfaction to the adaptation of pedagogical strategies and materials to virtuality.

Application of Decision Tree Classification Algorithm in Quality Assessment of Distance Learning in Colleges

INTRODUCTION: The quality assessment technology of distance education in colleges and universities, as the critical technology for identifying the quality of distance education in colleges and universities, is conducive to the improvement of the quality of distance teaching and the progress of the existing means and methods of distance education, which makes the means of distance teaching in colleges and universities rich in science.
 OBJECTIVES: Aiming at the evaluation methods of higher education institutions, there are problems such as insufficient objectivity and comprehensiveness of the evaluation system, single process, and inadequate quantitative analysis.
 METHODS:Proposes a decision tree and intelligent optimization algorithm for the college distance teaching quality assessment method. Firstly, the kernel principal component analysis method is used to carry out dimensionality reduction analysis on the index system of college distance teaching quality assessment; then, the decision tree parameters are optimized through the marine predator algorithm to construct a college distance teaching quality assessment model; finally, the robustness and efficiency of the proposed method are verified through simulation experimental analysis.
 RESULTS: The results show that the proposed method improves the accuracy of the assessment model.
 CONCLUSION: The problem of insufficient objective and scientific evaluation and low precision of distance teaching quality assessment methods in colleges and universities is solved.

Achieving SDG 4, Equitable Quality Education after COVID-19: Global Evidence and a Case Study of Kazakhstan

This study investigates the impact of two years of emergency distance schooling on achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4—equitable quality education, both globally and in Kazakhstan. The study used a qualitative research design. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 teachers and 30 parents, while focus group discussions (FGDs) were utilised to gather the perspective of 28 students. The conceptual framework developed puts effective pedagogy at the heart of quality distance education, nested within four supportive factors—digital infrastructure; policy guidelines about pedagogy; curriculum and assessments; professional development in digital pedagogy; and the home environment. The study found that distance schooling in Kazakhstan has undermined progress on SDG 4 and worsened inequalities in access to quality education despite the distribution of digital devices to disadvantaged children and teachers. While mainstream public school teachers transitioned to distance school without any systematic preparation, provision of digital resources or clear policy guidelines, schoolteachers at elite public institutions received meticulous guidance and support. Despite later receiving professional development in digital pedagogy and access to digital resources and platforms, public school teachers in rural and deprived urban areas still faced challenges due to fragmented internet connectivity. This limited interactive and communicative pedagogy, particularly in rural and public schools, and hindered teachers’ ability to assess the impact of their teaching on student outcomes. Policy initiatives failed to mitigate disadvantages in the home environment for low-income families, parents with limited education and working parents, especially mothers, who primarily supported homeschooling. Recommendations are offered for adapting education provision and envisioning more robust education quality to achieve SDG 4 and address historical inequities in a post-pandemic world.

Interactive Music Distance Education Platform Based on RBF Algorithm

INTRODUCTION: Since the 21st century, Internet technology has been developing rapidly, and the field of education has gradually broken through the traditional offline teaching mode; utilizing the Internet mode for distance education to break the time and space constraints of education and music education is more restrictive on time and space. However, if distance education can be better utilized to promote the development of online music education, it will promote the development of music education. OBJECTIVES: This paper combines the past research results of the RBF algorithm, music education and distance education to study the construction of an interactive music distance education platform based on the RBF algorithm. The algorithm is used to improve the quality of the construction of the distance education platform, and the algorithm mainly optimizes the information dissemination path of distance education in the construction of the interactive music distance education platform and improves the reliability of the platform construction. METHODS: The RBF algorithm is used to optimize the construction of the platform, and the case method is used to study individual schools to detect the actual application of music distance education and to find the strengths and weaknesses of the interactive music distance education platform, and to improve the weaknesses to enhance the platform. RESULTS: The study found that constructing an interactive music distance education platform will not guarantee the quality of distance education; teachers and students can not quickly realize the effective communication between teachers and students, and some teachers can not better apply the distance education platform. However, there is still room for developing interactive music distance education platforms. CONCLUSION: The research of interactive music distance education platforms based on the RBF algorithm has a significant positive effect on the development of distance education, art distance education, music education and so on in China. Therefore, it is necessary to continuously improve music education by utilizing online teaching methods and teaching resources.

The Algorithm for Assessing the Effects of Distance Education in General Education on Students’ Academic Results

Distance education has gained great interest during the COVID-19 pandemic, when schools all over the world faced the challenge of transferring the traditional education processes to digital platforms. In this context, school communities not only discovered the new opportunities, but also encountered a number of problems when trying to provide high quality distance education and minimise learning losses for students. The rapid transition to distance education has had a negative impact on the academic results and daily routines of the students from all social groups, especially socially vulnerable families. Thus, it has become relevant to research various aspects of students’ learning losses. The purpose of this article is to theoretically substantiate the algorithm intended for assessing the effects of distance education on students’ academic results. The research was based on the methods of scientific literature analysis, secondary data analysis, theoretical modelling, inductive content analysis, and expert evaluation. The algorithm is intended for general education institutions. Results: After conducting scientific literature and secondary data analysis, the theoretical model for assessing the effects of distance education on students’ academic results was developed and substantiated. The model consists of four structural parts, represented by 11 criteria, which reveal the effects of distance education in general education following the appropriate algorithm.

Quality Evaluation for Online Distance Education Based on Grey Relational Degree

<p>Aiming to address the problems of low accuracy and long time consuming of existing education quality evaluation models, a new online distance education quality evaluation model based on grey correlation algorithm is proposed. Firstly, calculate the membership of education quality data, and complete the data collection through cluster mining. Secondly, construct the evaluation index system according to the set evaluation principles. Finally, the grey correlation degree algorithm is used to mine the correlation degree relationship of education quality index data and complete the construction of the evaluation model. The comparison test results show that the evaluation accuracy of the built model is 0.98, the response time is only 0.7s, the CPU proportion is only 27%, and the satisfaction rate is more than 0.97. Therefore, the model has higher application value.</p> <p> </p>

Distance education quality: First-cycle university students’ position

It is obvious that the COVID-19 pandemic has completely changed learning and study processes. It has become a serious test for university students. Although distance study organization, implementation, effectiveness, and the like are actively researched, it is not entirely clear which way of organization studies is the most appropriate and prospective. Too little attention is still paid to the model of distance studies, its implementation and improvement, especially in the future development of distance and mixed distance study organization and implementation. An empirical qualitative study was conducted, the aim of which was to analyze first-cycle (bachelor study) university students’ position on the study quality issue. 132 students in the field of social sciences from three Lithuanian universities participated in the study conducted in January-May 2022. The verbal data obtained were analyzed using quantitative content analysis. The extracted semantic units were grouped into subcategories and categories. It was established that the main advantages of distance studies were convenience and cost-effectiveness, while disadvantages were the deterioration of the study organization and the deterioration of quality. The ways (directions) of quality distance study improvement can also be seen, i.e., the study process realization improvement (e.g., the content presentation improvement, an increase in interactivity), and study organization improvement (e.g., teacher competence improvement and optimization of the schedule). Despite the revealed shortcomings, more than two-thirds of students positively value the possibility of continuing the study process remotely after the pandemic. More detailed research is needed on the impact of the pandemic on university studies and the further organization and implementation of distance studies.<i> </i>

Online teaching styles and age, sex, and degree program: A correlational - descriptive study

Diverse online teaching styles have become essential tools for developing quality distance education in private tertiary schools. This study explores college students’ preferred online teaching styles conceptualized by Rodriguez and Fahara. It also investigates and assumes no significant relationship exists between online teaching styles and students’ age, sex, or degree program. Three-hundred-three students from The College of Maasin participated in the study via Zoom. Utilizing a Google Form, data from the validated questionnaire was collected. According to the findings, students favored the “designer-oriented” style. Their age and sex correlate with their online teaching styles. However, insufficient evidence cannot establish a correlation between degree programs and online teaching styles. The paper also addressed implications and recommendations regarding how school administrators can assist instructors in adapting their teaching strategies to students’ preferred online teaching style, as well as how instructors can incorporate age-appropriate and sex-sensitive activities in their instruction in online distance education. In conclusion, this study provides a case study for future reference.

Teaching methods in light of e-learning between reality and hope

In our research, we seek to shed a spot of light on one of the most important and controversial issues, given the excitement that this topic is characterized by, especially in our era today, the era of globalization that has upset the balance of life, and perhaps the post-Corona world has contributed significantly to changing the lifestyle of people, as education to virtual reality through new technological technologies that have changed the course of human lives.Education has been and still is the pillar of the development of any nation and is the main engine for advancing sustainable development. Education in the world has made great strides as many new technologies have been introduced that undoubtedly contribute to raising the quality of education and achieving scientific renaissance, which raises many important questions. And the focus on the reality and challenges of distance education in the Arab world, perhaps the most prominent of which are:_ To what extent can we talk about the development of distance education in the Arab world?_ How can Arab governments work to raise the efficiency of professors and teachers in various educational stages to keep abreast of recent developments in distance education techniques?_ What are the real ways and tools that can be embodied on the ground to advance distance education in the Arab world?_ How can Arab scientific competencies as well as businessmen have a prominent role in supporting new projects on distance education to advance sustainable development?Through the foregoing, we will work according to the two mechanisms of disassembly and analysis, to stand on the reality and challenges of distance education in the Arab world, in an effort to work on finding new ways and techniques to raise the quality of distance education in the Arab world and to confront the trend of cultural globalization, in order to keep pace with new global developments that have reached degrees Very high quality.

The impact of the physical environment on the quality of distance education

PurposeThis study aims to discuss the impact of the physical environment on the quality of distance education from the viewpoint of a number of teaching staff in Jordanian universities during the COVID-19 pandemic.Design/methodology/approachA total of 308 lecturers were selected using a snowball sampling method from different social media websites. The researcher used a descriptive analysis method by conducting social surveys.FindingsThe results reveal that there is a negative impact of the physical environment on the quality of distance education from the perspective of the teaching staff in Jordanian universities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results also show that there are statistically significant differences between males and females in terms of the quality of distance education in favor of males. In addition, there are no statistically significant differences in the quality of distance education based on the place from which the lecture is given and the faculty type.Practical implicationsThe study recommends improving teaching staff’s performance in the teaching process, boosting their comfort level and reducing stress and anxiety which may be caused by the surrounding physical environment during distance education.Originality/valueThe topic of the study is of great significance to quality assurance in education, i.e. online learning and teaching.

PECULIARITIES OF DISTANCE EDUCATION IN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER MEDICAL EDUCATION

This article describes the specifics of distance learning for students during the COVID-19 pandemic and martial law. Educational institutions are faced with new challenges, among with there is a task to get equipped and prepared to master and apply new methods of digital media technologies and implement digitalization at different levels of the doctor’s training process. Digitalisation of teaching and learning formats in education and training in medicine requires the creating of digitally supported didactic formats, the use of the relevant digital and communication tools as well as digital literacy from both parties. The implementation of the various digital resources will enable to significantly improve the results of distance learning among medical students in obtaining sound theoretical knowledge and mastering practical skills. The positive and negative aspects of distance learning in the institutions of higher medical education were also identified and outlined. The analysis points out that providing high quality distance education requires an investment of much time and considerable costs. The educational process must be equipped with special software, accessories, create and purchase appropriate computer programs and technical devices.
 It is important to stress a special role teaching staff, who must be ready to create various teaching and learning scenarios, master technical skills including uploading documents and videos, providing online instructions for self-directed learning and assessment, video conferencing as a part of classroom evens. Medical education, over time, would be increasingly supplemented by computers with combinations of multimedia elements and new strategies for using teaching and learning technologies. Providing the educational process with simulators and other smart technologies will help medical students to acquire the complex practical skills. In the near future, systems of artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality technologies will be introduced into the educational process of higher medical education institutions that will make a significant breakthrough in ensuring high-quality distance learning.

Research on Recognition and Analysis of Teacher–Student Behavior Based on a Blended Synchronous Classroom

Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, many students are unable to attend face-to-face courses, Therefore, in this case, distance education should be promoted to replace face-to-face education. However, because of the imbalance of education in different regions, such as the imbalance of education resources between rural and urban areas, the quality of distance education may not be guaranteed. Therefore, in China and some regions, there have been efforts made to carry out blended synchronous classroom attempts. In hybrid synchronous classroom situations, teachers’ workloads have increased, and it is difficult to fully understand students’ learning efficiency and class participation. We use deep learning to identify the behaviors of teachers and students in a blended synchronous classroom-based situation, aiming to automate the analysis of classroom videos, which can help teachers in classroom reflection and summary in a blended synchronous classroom or face-to-face classroom. In the behavior recognition of students and teachers, we combine the head, hand, and body posture information of teachers and students and add the feature pyramid (FPN) and convolutional block attention module (CBAM) for comparative experiments. Finally, S–T (student–teacher) analysis and engagement analysis were carried out on the identification results.

THE CONCEPT OF DEVELOPMENT AND CURRENT TOPICAL ASPECTS OF THE DISTANCE LEARNING SYSTEM IN AZERBAIJAN

The present paper aims to review distance learning. There is noted that with the development of modern technologies, the channels for transmitting information and knowledge are also expanding. The rapid development of telecommunications creates ample opportunities for knowledge acquisition and greatly facilitates this process. In such conditions, distance education has a wider scope of application. Distance learning allows anyone, even in the most remote part of the world, regardless of income level, to take courses at the most prestigious universities. The article touches upon the current issues of distance education in Azerbaijan in modern times. Trying to answer this question: What current trends are observed in distance education and what forms of it are used in Azerbaijan? The author notes that distance learning, which began to be applied during the pandemic, has created a negative public opinion about education to some extent: «If remote, then poor quality». Currently the most serious problem is to change the opinion formed in society. Today, distance education should be perceived as inevitable step in terms of solving the crisis emanating from the pandemic. This is also a non-alternative approach from the standpoint of ensuring the sustainability of education. As a result, it is concluded that education definitely needs to change. This is primarily due to the development of new technologies, globalization and digitalization. That is, education should be digitalized, distance education should be provided. The use of distance learning should not become a subject for discussion. We need to think about the quality of distance education.