Synchronous Classes Research Articles

Commentary: What, exactly, is 'online' education?

As responsible educators, it is time we admitted that we do not know what 'online' education is. We also need to confront the discomforting realisation that no one else does, either. The term 'online' has reached the stage where it is now so inclusive as to be meaningless. In embracing too much, it describes nothing. What was once a useful term to describe using the internet as part of asynchronous distance education is now used universally, to describe almost anything. Lectured, synchronous classes are now 'online' (Johnson et al., 2022). Emergency remote teaching and learning during the Covid-19 pandemic was 'online'. Including additional resources on an LMS for students to refer to after class is considered ‘online’. Across much of the educational spectrum, to be 'online' now is far from unusual. In this commentary I make the case that the term 'online' needs a forced retirement, or, at the least, additional context when it is applied.

You’re Not Skyping Your Uncle Buck on Saturday Night: Proper Behavior in Online Learning Environments

With the availability of remote instruction anywhere in the world, students from all over the globe are participating together in academic programs. The growth of synchronous online learning has occasioned the development of rules for appropriate online behavior (i.e., Netiquette). Netiquette rules are needed because some students have a tendency to behave in online environments in ways that are incompatible with learning. The current article proposes rules for how students should behave in synchronous classes, including dress code, engagement, and behavior. The rules will be discussed in terms of how such appropriate behavior could influence student learning and performance.

Belonging as a gateway for learning: First‐year engineering students' characterizations of factors that promote and detract from sense of belonging in a pandemic

AbstractBackgroundA predictor of student success, sense of belonging (SB) is often inhibited for minoritized students in engineering environments and difficult to foster in online courses. A shift to remote learning formats necessitated by COVID‐19, therefore, posed an additive threat to SB for engineering first‐year students, especially those with minoritized identities. Research is needed to understand impacts of online learning to SB for engineering students.Purpose Hypothesis(es)The study examined factors that promoted or detracted from SB in engineering in remote courses and ways in which identity related to SB.Design MethodPart of a larger mixed‐methods study, this article examines focus group data from 31 first‐year engineering students in 2020 to characterize student experiences in engineering courses moved online during COVID‐19.ResultsIn addition to the mutually reinforcing nature of SB and learning, findings reveal that the major factors of (a) peer interactions, (b) instructor behavior and course design, (c) environmental identity cues, and (d) personal and psychological factors influenced SB. Examples of factors that positively contributed to SB in remote‐delivery courses included platforms for open communication with peers, “live” ability to ask complex questions, and a critical mass of peers of similar identity; example factors hindering SB included limited use of cameras in synchronous classes, elitist peer interactions, instructor focus on academic performance (vs. growth), and feelings of self‐doubt.ConclusionsBoth identity and COVID‐19 impacted SB for students, with results showing four pathways to support SB and learning for diverse students in engineering across course formats.

Providing the choice of in-person or videoconference attendance in a clinical physiology course may harm learning outcomes for the entire cohort.

Clinical Physiology 1 and 2 are flipped classes in which students watch prerecorded videos before class. During the 3-h class, students take practice assessments, work in groups on critical thinking exercises, work through case studies, and engage in drawing exercises. Due to the COVID pandemic, these courses were transitioned from in-person classes to online classes. Despite the university's return-to-class policy, some students were reluctant to return to in-person classes; therefore during the 2021-2022 academic year, Clinical Physiology 1 and 2 were offered as flipped, hybrid courses. In a hybrid format, students either attended the synchronous class in person or online. Here we evaluate the learning outcomes and the perceptions of the learning experience for students who attended Clinical Physiology 1 and 2 either online (2020-2021) or in a hybrid format (2021-2022). In addition to exam scores, in-class surveys and end of course evaluations were compiled to describe the student experience in the flipped hybrid setting. Retrospective linear mixed-model regression analysis of exam scores revealed that a hybrid modality (2021-2022) was associated with lower exam scores when controlling for sex, graduate/undergraduate status, delivery method, and the order in which the courses were taken (F test: F = 8.65, df1 = 2, df2 = 179.28, P = 0.0003). In addition, being a Black Indigenous Person of Color (BIPOC) student is associated with a lower exam score, controlling for the same previous factors (F test: F = 4.23, df1 = 1, df2 = 130.28, P = 0.04), albeit with lower confidence; the BIPOC representation in this sample is small (BIPOC: n = 144; total: n = 504). There is no significant interaction between the hybrid modality and race, meaning that BIPOC and White students are both negatively affected in a hybrid flipped course. Instructors should consider carefully about offering hybrid courses and build in extra student support.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The transition from online to in-person teaching has been as challenging as the original transition to remote teaching with the onset of the pandemic. Since not all students were ready to return to the classroom, students could choose to take this course in person or online. This arrangement provided flexibility and opportunities for innovative class activities for students but introduced tradeoffs in lower test scores from the hybrid modality than fully online or fully in-person modalities.

INSTITUTIONAL LOYALTY PROGRAM AS A TOOL FOR RESILIENCY AMIDST THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND BEYOND: IMPLICATIONS, CHALLENGES, OPPORTUNITIES, AND FUTURE ORGANIZATIONAL DIRECTIONS

The Perpetual Group of Companies, primarily a health and academic community, had been challenged by the drastic effects of COVID-19 resulting in the deaths of some frontliners and creating fear among its managers, faculty, doctors, and allied medical personnel. Some students who presumably have higher immunity compared with their mentors have been reported to be sick, thus missing some synchronous class meetings. Given this scenario, it is imperative for top management to solicit members of the organization to find innovative solutions to ensure the continuity of the business units in helping their employees to cope with the unprecedented crisis. While the business managers had explored scientific strategies, COVID-19’s impact on its personnel continues to require innovations to help each other in surmounting their problems in life and at work. This paper discusses a general impression of perpetualite’s attempt to broaden the scope of an organizational intervention by exploring the impact of COVID-19 on its organization, more specifically, its human capital. It will attempt to revive the Institutional Loyalty Program as a way of identifying the main challenges and opportunities as a logical antidote to the pandemic towards using it as an organization development (OD) tool.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0001/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

The role of live transcripts in synchronous online L2 classrooms: Learning outcomes and learner perceptions

This study explored the role of live transcripts in online synchronous academic English classrooms by focusing on how automatically generated live transcripts influence the learning outcomes of lower-proficiency and higher-proficiency learners and on their perceptions towards live transcripts. The study adop ted a 2 × 2 factorial design, with the two factors being learner proficiency (high vs. low) and availability of live transcription (presence and absence). The participants were 129 second-year Japanese university students from four synchronous classes taught on Zoom by the same teacher under an academic English reading course. Learning outcomes in this study were evaluated according to the course syllabus through grades and participation in class activities. A questionnaire consisting of nine Likert-scale questions and a comment box was administered to explore participants’ perceived usefulness of, perceived ease of use of, and perceived reliance on live transcripts. Results showed that contrary to previous studies reporting the effectiveness of captioned audiovisual materials in L2 learning, live transcripts as a special type of captions were not effective in promoting the grades of learners of either proficiency. However, it significantly improved the activity participation of lower-proficiency learners, but not that of higher-proficiency learners. Questionnaire results showed that there were no significant differences between learners of two proficiencies in their perceptions towards live transcription, which contradicts previous findings that lower-proficiency learners tend to rely more on captions. Besides enhancement of lecture comprehension, participants reported innovative uses of live transcripts such as screenshots with transcripts for notetaking purposes and transcripts downloaded for later review.

Assessing the Comprehensive Training Needs of Informal Caregivers of Cancer Patients: A Qualitative Study.

The increasing demand for cancer services is projected to overwhelm the cancer care system, leading to a potential shortfall in human resource capacity. Informal caregivers (unpaid family/friend caregivers of cancer patients) provide a significant amount of care to patients and the cancer care system could not cope without them. The aim of this study was to analyze the needs of informal caregivers (CGs) through interviews with cancer patients and CGs, and to assess the content and utility of a comprehensive caregiver training course. Cancer patients and CGs were recruited from an academic cancer centre to elicit their thoughts and perceptions of cancer CG education needs through a qualitative, phenomenological design using semi-structured interviews and a curriculum review activity. Six patients and seven CGs were interviewed. Patients averaged 53.8 years of age and CGs averaged 53.1 years. Caregiver participants reported that they were unprepared for their caregiving role. Depending on the severity of the disease, CGs reported significant emotional strain. Most participants wanted more practical information, and all expressed the desire for greater social support for CGs. While there were differences in terms of desired modality (e.g., online, in-person), support for greater CG education was strong. CGs experience a significant learning curve and receive little to no direct training or education to help them acquire the knowledge and skills they need to support a cancer patient. This is especially challenging for new CGs, for whom emotional and informational needs are particularly acute. Participants shared a great deal of endorsement for a comprehensive training course for new CGs. Given the multiple demands on their time, some participants suggested that consideration be made to establish synchronous classes. Participants held that having the course take place (online or in-person) at a specific time, on a specific date could help CGs prioritize their learning. Participants also endorsed the idea of "required" learning because even though CGs may recognize that a course could be beneficial, some may lack the motivation to participate unless it was "prescribed" to them by a healthcare provider.

Impact of Synchronous Class Attendance on the Academic Performance of Undergraduate Students

Due to the pandemic, open and flexible learning has become the norm for schools and universities, where students get lessons through online classes or study modules. Acknowledging the difficulties of remote learning, many institutions allowed more flexibility by providing learners with increased choice and accessibility to suit their learning conditions. One is making online class attendance less mandatory compared to the pre-pandemic when attendance was strictly implemented in most schools. To a certain extent, this allowed students to study at their own time and pace and even assume work and home responsibilities. Hence, this study aims to determine the impact of attendance on students’ academic performance in online synchronous classes in one of the state universities in the Philippines. Using descriptive quantitative analysis, the 210 students’ attendance in online classes were recorded, while their final grades served as an indicator of academic performance. The results showed that synchronous online attendance positively impacts students’ academic performance. In general, students who regularly participate in online classes get a higher final grade. Furthermore, results showed a moderately positive relationship between these two factors using the Pearson correlation coefficient. Meanwhile, instructional support such as recorded lectures and supplementary materials prevented asynchronous students or those who could not participate in synchronous online classes from failing the course. This study recommends implementing more active learning strategies and in-class group work to avoid non-essential absenteeism and promote and encourage lecture attendance.

Using online STACK assessment to teach complex analysis: a prototype course design?

We describe a new course design, informed by our experience of the pandemic, that we think could be used in other high-level mathematics courses. The course’s main resource was a set of interactive STACK workbooks containing the course notes, automatically-marked comprehension and practice questions for self-assessment, and short videos of examples, calculations, and high-level motivation. This freed up synchronous class time to address conceptual understanding using interactive polling. We describe the course and discuss how it worked in practice.

Linking the choice of the class format and preclass learning experiences sheds light on a step further in blended medical education

ABSTRACT Background The core principle of HyFlex (‘hybrid’ and ‘flexible’) learning is to maintain learning equity under most circumstances. Within a blended framework in precision medical education, how different preferences of synchronous learning environment influence learning process and outcome is limited. We investigated students’ preclass online video learning experiences and their choices toward synchronous class formats. Methods This was a mixed-methods study. During the 2021 academic year, all 5th-year medical students who had viewed online video clips presenting core concepts were asked to complete a survey on their preference for future synchronous class format (face-to-face, online, or HyFlex) and asked to provide reflective comments on their self-learning. Anonymous survey data, online records, and summative assessment scores (short-term learning outcomes) were collected. Kruskal – Wallis or Chi-square tests were used to compare differences between groups, and multiple linear regression was managed to select the factors associated with various choices. The students’ comments were coded in a descriptive thematic analysis. Results Among 152 medical students, 150 responded to the questionnaires, and 109 provided comments. Medical students spent a median of 32 min online, significantly shorter in the face-to-face group than in the online and HyFlex groups. The online group had a lower preclass video completion rate for certain concepts. The choice was not associated with short-term learning outcomes. Student feedback revealed a higher frequency of multiple themes for each student in the face-to-face and HyFlex groups, and these themes fell into the categories of learning efficiency, focus concentration, and course attractiveness. Conclusions Linking the choice of the class format and learning experiences of preclass online videos sheds light on a step further within a blended framework of precision medical education. Supplement of online interactive elements may help secure learning engagement among students choosing ‘online only’ class format of HyFlex learning.

Teaching with Chunking in Synchronous Classes: The Influence on University Students’ Intrinsic Motivation

Virtual education has allowed for the formation of new forms of teaching during the synchronous classes, thereby replacing traditional expository teaching. The aim of this study was to analyse the influence of chunking synchronous classes on the intrinsic motivation of university students enrolled in different academic programs in a public university in Peru. A total of 114 students and three professors participated in the study. The classes were systematised to consider the beginning, development, and closing of the educational process. In the stages of chunking, strategies for the recovery and consolidation of learning were used through the implementation of technological tools. This study focuses on the methodology of participant-active research under the systematisation of experiences. Three categories emerged in the results: active participation in interactive spaces, active listening in virtual spaces, and the use of technological tools allowing for the managing of a new way of directing the online teaching-learning process through teaching via chunking. The opportunities for students to interact were thereby increased, avoiding dissatisfaction, fatigue, and distractions, as well as the incorporation of activities that served to motivate, provide feedback, consolidate, and reinforce the capacities of attention, concentration, and the assimilation of the lesson content. This study concludes that teaching through chunking in synchronous classes that influence the intrinsic motivation of university students, as well as consolidating their learning and improving teachers’ pedagogical practices.

Enhancing EFL students' engagement in online synchronous classes: The role of the Mentimeter platform.

The present research aimed to evaluate teachers' attitudes toward the use of the Mentimeter platform in synchronous education. This study also sought to delve into teachers' perspectives on the role of the Mentimeter platform in improving students' engagement in online synchronous classes. To that end, the study was carried out in Palestine in response to the ongoing shift to synchronous online teaching to raise teachers' consciousness about the importance of using online tools to boost students' engagement and make them feel connected in synchronous classes. A quantitative approach was used to collect data, and 44 Palestinian teachers from various educational institutions completed closed-ended questionnaires. The study's outcomes demonstrated that teachers had positive attitudes toward employing the Mentimeter platform in synchronous education. The results also indicated that almost all educators perceived that the Mentimeter platform serves a vital role in increasing student engagement in online synchronous sessions. Teachers asserted that Mentimeter presentation styles decrease the probability of boredom among students, which in turn encourages them to actively participate in online synchronous classes. Enhancing students' engagement in online synchronous classes was still a main challenge for educators. Therefore, to increase students' involvement in synchronous learning environments, it is necessary to regularly train the teaching staff of schools, learning institutions, and colleges in the use of Mentimeter. Future studies in Palestine and other countries are also recommended to simultaneously concentrate on teachers' and students' viewpoints.

Filipino Neophyte ESL Teachers amidst Covid-19 Pandemic: A Phenomenological Inquiry

This phenomenological study investigated the lived experiences of Filipino neophyte ESL teachers amidst Covid-19 pandemic. Data were collected from seven (7) ESL teachers who already have three (3) months to one (1) year teaching experience in handling non-native speakers of English language. Based from the thematic analysis, the experiences of the identified participants were anxiety as initial reaction, fear of committing grammatical and pronunciation errors, difficulty of motivating students, students’ lack of knowledge on the target language, difficulty on students’ pronunciation and grammar, improves teachers; communicative competence and evaluating students’ four macro skills. Moreover, the different teaching strategies used were using reinforcement, various teaching methodologies, utilizing interactive materials, building rapport, tracking students’ performance and scaffolding. The findings of this study are valuable in the field of language teaching and applied linguistics to understand the various strategies that can be employed to address the needs of non-native speakers of English language. Further, this can be used by future ESL teachers in improving their pedagogical competence in handling ESL synchronous classes.

College students’ perceptions of online learning: A study on learners’ satisfaction and experiences in online general English course

Objectives The purpose of this study is to investigate the perceptions of Korean EFL college learners toward online learning based on their level of satisfaction as well as their experiences of online learning. Methods A total of 111 college students who enrolled in online general English course were asked to complete a survey including 22 closed- and open-ended questions. Descriptive statistical analysis was conducted using the IBM SPSS statistical package to examine learners' satisfaction with online classes. Regarding responses of participants’ experiences on online learning, all the narrative data was examined and divided into themes that emerged in the data. Results The findings showed that learners were generally satisfied with online learning and in particular, they were highly satisfied with pre-recorded video lectures than synchronous classes or combined classes. In addition, the level of satisfaction on ‘teacher-centered lectures’ was high, and those of ‘cooperative learning’ and ‘peer feedback activities’ were relatively low. Furthermore, students recognized accessibility, flexibility, and the possibility of repetitive learning as advantages of online learning while perceiving technical problems, communication with others, and lack of immediate feedback as disadvantages of online learning. Conclusions Based on the findings, discussion and suggestions on effective teaching methods and activities for online classes were presented.

Inverted classes as a successful tool to overcome teaching and learning challenges imposed by COVID-19 lockdown to food microbiology laboratory classes

This study evaluated if the online inverted classes (IC) model maintained high students’ learning engagement and performance on the laboratory component of Food Microbiology during an academic year dominated by COVID-19-lockdown, compared to pre-pandemic years. Porto University students from 2 courses (n = 36-Pharmaceutical Sciences; n = 59-Nutrition Sciences) were engaged. A high rate of students answered they prefer the IC rather than lecture-only style delivery mode and were involved in the IC learning process (prepared classes asynchronously; participated in case-studies resolution during synchronous classes). Very good laboratory final performances were maintained as in pre-pandemic years. Variable perceptions about work volume and adaptation to face-to-face laboratory classes were observed among both groups, potentially related to different course organization and defined learning outcomes/competences.

De repente online: uma proposta de ensino de química com as ferramentas tecnológicas

Due to the pandemic state experienced, education, in all spheres, needed to reinvent itself to promote quality education. Thus, many questions arose as to how remote classes could replace presences, mainly in practical disciplines, such as Chemistry. Thus, the objective was to identify technological tools that could assist in remote Chemistry classes in basic education and to propose classes that can be carried out remotely. For this, searches for scientific works were carried out in different databases, such as Periódicos Capes; Scielo; Google Scholar and SciFinder Scholar. Also, we sought to identify simulators and videoconferencing platforms that could be used synchronous classes. Thus, 6 platforms were identified for such purposes, in addition to technological tools that can assist in the construction of the class. From these technologies, it was possible to propose a remote class on the construction of atomic models so that students actively participate in the class, being the subject of learning. Therefore, it is understood that despite the difficulties imposed by remote activities, it is possible to develop a quality and interactive class, always taking into account the specificities of all students, as it is necessary to be viable for both teaching and learning.

Online learning in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic: Mixed methods analysis of student views by demographic group

Various aspects of online learning have been addressed in studies both pre- and during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, most pre-pandemic studies may have suffered from sampling selection issues, as students enrolled in online courses were often not comparable to those taking classes on campus. Similarly, most studies conducted during the initial stages of the pandemic might be confounded by the stress and anxiety associated with worldwide lockdowns and the abrupt switch to online education in most universities. Furthermore, existing studies have not comprehensively explored students' perspectives on online learning across different demographic groups, including gender, race-ethnicity, and domestic versus international student status. To address this research gap, our mixed-methods study examines these aspects using data from an anonymous survey conducted among a large and diverse sample of students at a mid-size university in the Northeastern United States. Our findings reveal important insights: (1) Females are nearly twice as likely as males to prefer online asynchronous classes and feel self-conscious about keeping their cameras on during online synchronous (e.g., Zoom) classes. However, gendered views and preferences align in other aspects of online learning. (2) Black students show a stronger preference for Zoom classes compared to online asynchronous classes and emphasize the importance of recording Zoom meetings. Hispanic students are twice as likely to prefer asynchronous online classes, which offer greater flexibility to manage multiple responsibilities. (3) International students value the ability to learn at their own pace provided by online learning but express dissatisfaction with the lack of peer interaction. On the other hand, domestic students are more concerned about reduced interaction with teachers in online education. Domestic students also exhibit a higher tendency to turn their cameras off during Zoom classes, citing reasons such as self-consciousness or privacy. These findings carry significant implications for future research and educational practice, highlighting the need for tailored approaches that consider diverse student perspectives.

On the one hand, excessive workload; on the other, lack of concentration: the relationship between teachers and students from private and public school in Porto Alegre, Brazil, in emergency remote teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic

Emergency remote teaching observed from 2020 to 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, reverberates questions beyond this extraordinary time frame when seen from the perspective of students and educators of a state school and a private school in Porto Alegre/RS, and additional situated knowledge. The ethnographic research, conducted in two main stages – interviews with teaching teams and participant observations of synchronous classes –, identified factors that until the pandemic were not at the center of reflections on educational inequality (technological, family, emotional, and domestic infrastructure), together with different behaviors, personalities, languages, and cultural references depending on the student’s social class and gender. From the point of view of educational professionals, the harsh reality of educators in public institutions (accumulation of subjects, extensive workload, and triple shifts) was compounded by discoveries concerning the teacher-student relationship and online methodological choices.

Sudden Shift to English Online Learning: Nursing Students’ Anxiety Levels

COVID-19 pandemic has forced educational institutions in Indonesia to convert face-to-face learning into online learning. This sudden change certainly brings many challenges, one of which is related to students’ anxiety. This research aims to identify the anxiety level of nursing students at Pelita Harapan University while learning English virtually. Quantitative method was applied, with a Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) questionnaire as an instrument. Second year nursing students who had passed the English for Nurses course were the population of this study. To generate the sample, the researchers utilized convenience sampling technique, resulting in 182 respondents. The results showed that 69.8% of respondents felt moderately anxious during the English online class. In addition, test anxiety was the most common anxiety category experienced by nursing students. It made students afraid of failing to get good grades, being overwhelmed in understanding the material, nervous when they must speak English, and panicking when they do not comprehend the oral feedback given by the teacher in synchronous class. The results of this study are expected to provide insight to educators to develop strategies to reduce students' anxiety levels.
 Keywords: Anxiety, English, Nursing, Pandemic

Learners’ Perceptions and Preferences in Distance Learning in the New Normal Era

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many school shutdowns and pushed millions of learners out of the classroom, resulting in shifts in teaching-learning modalities. The study uses a descriptive quantitative design to explore learners’ preferences and perceptions of distance education. Through a convenient sampling technique, senior high school students were surveyed about their preferred study habits and learning practices and their feelings and insights toward distance education. The study found that low access to the internet and gadgets has been a great cause of worry for them. Despite the physical distance, students like to interact and maintain communication with teachers and peers and receive feedback about their work. However, learners are ambivalent about the conduct of regular synchronous classes. The majority also believe that distance learning is more difficult than the pre-pandemic setup. It is suggested that relevant educational stakeholders find ways to help students who struggled during this sudden shift in education.