Teaching Online Courses Research Articles

Research on Real-time Evaluation Strategy in Mixed Teaching of Online Courses

The online course of mixed teaching combines the advantages of online learning and classroom teaching. It pays more attention to students' learning process and ability cultivation, and requires a diverse, comprehensive and real-time evaluation of the learning process. Based on the mixed teaching data of students in the online learning process, this paper analyzes the learning data of students at different stages in the learning process, and designs a standardized real-time evaluation strategy to provide guidance and basis for the mixed teaching. The evaluation strategy proposed in this paper has been applied to the course of Computer Foundation in Jiang Han University and achieved good results.

A Special SME : An Integrative Literature Review of the Relationship between Instructional Designers and Faculty in the Design of Online Courses for Higher Education

Along with the increase in online courses offered by higher-education institutions there is a corresponding increase in the number of instructional designers designing and developing these courses. A growing body of literature has emerged exploring the working relationship between instructional designers and faculty in designing online courses in higher education. The purpose of this study is to conduct an integrative literature review to gain a better understanding of the working relationships between faculty and instructional designers. The results provided insights as to how those two parties are working together in designing online courses, and they summarized the factors that affect their relationships. The literature specifically characterizes the relationship between the two parties as collaborative, although it neither defines the concept nor identifies the characteristics of collaboration. The study suggests exploring perspectives of faculty and administrators (who oversee the relationship) in future studies and suggests also that the concept of collaboration needs to be characterized more concretely and explicitly.

The move to online — Getting it done

In the wake of COVID‐19, colleges and universities moved their classes to online platforms. Some academics have previous experience teaching online courses, while others lacked home computers capable of handling Zoom or other necessary programs.

Об образовательной платформе, онлайн-курсах и дистанционных технологиях

Об образовательной платформе, онлайн-курсах и дистанционных технологиях

E-Pedagogical Support Strategies to Teaching Methodology of Economics Students at an Open Distance Learning University

A systematic review of the literature of e-pedagogical support strategies for an open distance learning context was done to explore the knowledge “gap” on existing scholarly works. This paper investigates the use of pedagogical support strategies employed to support student learning in an online Teaching Methodology of Economics course. The research followed a pragmatic approach—an explanatory mixed-methods design—to conduct the research. An online questionnaire and eDiscussion forum entries were employed to collect data. Convenient and purposive sampling of postgraduate students (n=179) in Teaching Methodology of Economics were selected. Students voluntarily completed the online survey. Findings and practical implications were formulated to advance online pedagogical strategies to support student learning and thus promote essential competencies for the course in the college of education at an open distance learning university. The current study has only examined a small sampling of student views regarding pedagogical strategies employed in a teacher education online course. More research is needed to establish whether a larger sample, comparing similar courses in the teacher education programme, will yield different results.

The Use of e-Learning Course during the COVID-19: A Systems Thinking Approach

In the era of theInternet, most educators have been supported by powerful tools ranging from e-books and e-learning sites to cloud services, and students’ learning environment has been a mix between traditional study (in class) and e-learning through some kind of online learning platform. Due to the uncertainty of the rapidly changing COVID-19 situation, all colleges and universities have to shutter their physical campuses and move their courses to remote and online formats hastily. This prompted many to wonder if all of the faculty are ready and qualified to teach online courses and/or if all of the students are ready to learn in the comprehensive online environment. If not, what ultimate impact will be to our higher education during this national emergency virus pandemic since there is no choice but depend on where they sit currently, not to mention the negative reviews and concerns regarding the online education. To make this transfer seamlessly and conflict mitigation, this paper applied systems thinking for an e-Learning course and proposed a flexible grading method for an e-learning environment, which will enhance students’ grades by allowing students to control their own study paces and the amount of efforts spent in the course, which can bring a successful online learning experience.

Lost in Translation? Critical Pedagogy in the Online Classroom

Critical pedagogies provide the tools for students and instructors to challenge the institutions and assumptions inherent in nonprofit education and practice that perpetuate the wicked problems of public service. Because of the high demand for online courses in nonprofit education, elements that have made critical pedagogy effective must find their place in the delivery of online education. We conducted a deep dive into the scholarship of nonprofit education to operationalize critical pedagogy. The discipline of nonprofit education possesses the tools of critical pedagogy in the faceto- face classroom but little evidence of online techniques. We synthesized pedagogical practice to incorporate critical pedagogy in the online nonprofit classroom. We provide a teaching schema rooted in critical pedagogy. Subscribe to JNEL

MOOCs and Medical Education: Hope or Hype?

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. The use of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) in medical education is evolving and the potential of these learning and teaching resources has not yet been fully explored. Having previously integrated MOOCs within our medical undergraduate curriculum in a variety of contexts, in this study we focused on the attitudes of staff and students to the perceived utility of MOOCs in both undergraduate and postgraduate medical education. The results of an online survey demonstrate an openness to, yet in many cases, an unfamiliarity with, this technology in both educators and students. Further exploration of the data reveals a desire for greater levels of guidance in this ever expanding field, and specific curricular areas were highlighted where potential for the use of MOOCs seems particularly enticing. These insights may be helpful in the ongoing debate as to the direction of the field as educators seek to maximise the effectiveness of a blended approach to medical education.

Digital didactics: technologies & practices

On April 25, 2020, MGIMO University held the inter-institutional scientific and practical seminar (with international participation) “Digital Didactics: Technologies and Practices” organized by the Department of Pedagogy and Psychology. Educators and researchers from Russia, Belarus and Moldova met in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which sent students and professors online, to discuss the problems related to teaching and learning from home and share the immediate experience of the first month in quarantine conditions. MGIMO welcomed colleagues from Moscow Pedagogical State University, Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, Moscow Polytechnic University, Academy of Labour and Social Relations, Esenin Ryazan State University, Pushkin State Russian Language Institute, Belarusian State University, Komrat State University (Moldova), Federal Research Centre Computer Science and Control of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The participants of the seminar discussed the place and role of online courses in university education, ways of presenting teaching material and teaching methods as well as pedagogical and psychological problems in online education.

Scaling workforce development: using MOOCs to reduce costs and narrow the skills gap

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to examine both benefits and managers’ perceptions of open, online educational courses, as compared to more traditional means of employee training and development both to better engage workforce personnel as well as a cost reduction tool.Design/methodology/approachUsing empirical survey data along with supporting background literature, the authors use a qualitative and practical approach to recommend best practices in the OD and training field.FindingsAntiquated in-house training and development programs are costly and may not meet the needs of the 21st century workforce. Managers must be open to online, free-sourced training options as a way to reduce T&D budgets and attract and retain top talent.Originality/valueWhile MOOCs continue to receive academic attention, this article is novel insofar as it analyzes the value of non-traditional educational options mainly from the organizational and management perspective. By surveying hiring managers and offering specific implementation steps, the depth of field in this body of literature is rightfully expanded.

Examining Student Perception of Readiness for Online Learning: Importance and Confidence

The last two decades have seen a steady increase in the number of online courses in higher education. This survey-based study examines student readiness for online learning in 2018, through the dimensions of importance and confidence as measures of readiness. An instrument with four subscales of competencies (online student attributes, time management, communication, and technical) that measures student readiness for online learning (SROL) was developed. Reliability of student responses to an online readiness instrument and factors related to student perception are examined. Descriptive statistics and item level means for the competencies are provided. Two repeated measures ANOVAs with one-within subject factor (four subscales for importance and competency) were conducted. Online student attributes, time management, and technical competencies were rated high for importance compared to communication competencies. Students were confident in online student attributes and technical competencies compared to time management and communication. Data was also analyzed based on demographic differences. MANOVA showed significant differences based on the race (white and non-white) of the students and course format (asynchronous, synchronous, and blended) on their perceptions of online learning competencies.

Designing Online Courses: 12 Tips for Health Professions Educators.

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. With the changes brought on by the public health concerns during the spring of 2020, face-to-face teaching was replaced by remote teaching in a rapid fashion. Learning management systems (LMSs) and video conferencing services were rapidly utilized to deliver online learning of previously in-person sessions. As the familiarity with remote teaching increases, designs of previously taught face-to-face courses will be revisited. Online teaching and learning provide great options for self-paced education in the dynamic environment of health professions education. Creative use of tools and collaborative web-based technology enables learner-centered pedagogy and the establishment of a community of learners. We offer practical tips for designing and implementing a generalized online course for health professions educators that appeal to diverse learners through meaningful use of different types of media.

Reflective Study of Online Faculty Teaching Experiences in Higher Education

Despite the popularity of online course and degree offerings in higher education, a lack of data persists on the unique challenges and opportunities online faculty face. Gaining insights about these experiences is important to ensure the quality of online teaching as colleges and universities continue expanding e-learning programs. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine the online teaching experiences of two faculty members through the implementation of reflective study methods. Major findings show that faculty access to professional development and mentoring, isolation and connectedness to the campus community, and academic freedom and curriculum control have significant implications for online teaching and student learning. In the wake of COVID-19 as colleges across the nation suddenly are faced with moving to exclusively online learning, this study is needed more than ever.

Simuladores para el mejoramiento de las competencias de pensamiento estratégico en la Administración

Objetivo: Fortalecer las competencias de análisis prospectivo y diagnóstico empresarial a través de herramientas de aprendizaje inmersivo desarrolladas por la Institución Universitaria Politécnico Grancolombiano, en los estudiantes de la modalidad virtual. Método: El laboratorio de experiencias de aprendizaje inmersivo desarrolló una metodología fundamentada en el referente ADDIER (Analysis, Desing, Development, Implementation, Evaluation, Research) con la que se hizo el diseño e implementación de dos ambientes inmersivos. A través de una encuesta, se presenta la percepción de los estudiantes sobre el impacto de estas herramientas en su proceso formativo. Resultados: Los estudiantes expresaron un alto nivel de satisfacción asociado a la eficiencia y eficacia de su proceso formativo, derivado del uso de los ambientes inmersivos. Específicamente, se reportaron valoraciones positivas en ahorro de tiempo, minimización de errores, mejora en la calidad de los análisis empresariales y retroalimentación del tutor. Discusión y Conclusiones: Un rasgo innovador de esta propuesta es que permite que se trabaje con base en experiencias reales y no en datos simulados. También se concluye que el éxito de esta experiencia se debe al trabajo de los tutores, en el sentido de su apertura y dedicación para la introducción de herramientas innovadoras en los cursos de educación virtual.

The Impact of an Online Training Program About Cancer Clinical Trials on Primary Care Physicians' Knowledge, Attitudes and Beliefs, and Behavior.

Participation in cancer clinical trials (CCTs) is critical to improving cancer treatments and quality of care. However, rates of patient participation remain low. Research has shown that a trusted physician recommendation is an important influence on patients' decisions to enroll in a CCT. Improving primary care providers' (PCPs') knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about CCTs is a promising potential path for improving CCT participation. The aim of this pilot study was to test the effect of an online educational course for PCPs about clinical trials on primary care providers' knowledge, attitudes and beliefs, and behavior. Forty-one PCPs in the New York City area participated in a 1-h online training session on cancer clinical trials. These PCPs had self-selected to complete the training in a previous survey. The objectives of the training module were to (1) educate the PCPs about clinical trials, with a focus on overcoming misconceptions; and (2) discuss roles of PCPs in partnering with oncologists to help patients gain access to clinical trials. The training module included didactics, audio excerpts, and case descriptions. Participants completed a pre-test immediately before taking the course, a post-test immediately after taking the course, and a 3-month post-course survey. All three assessments included a general T/F knowledge test, a 7-item attitude/belief scale, and a knowledge test focused specifically on local resources and access for clinical trials. Forty-one PCPs completed the module and the pre-post course surveys. Eighty percent (33/41) also completed the 3-month post-course survey. General knowledge and local knowledge increased significantly (p < .05) from pre- to post-course. At 3months post-training, both general and local knowledge scores remained significantly increased from baseline. For those who completed the 3-month post-course survey, attitudes and beliefs increased significantly from pre- to post-course, but this change was not sustained at 3months post-training. At 3months post-training, 52% of the PCPs who had an interaction with a recently diagnosed cancer patient reported speaking with patients about CCTs as a result of the training. A brief online course showed significant and sustained improvement in PCPs' general and local knowledge about cancer clinical trials, which translated into self-reported behavior change. Future dissemination of the course and further research into its impact are important next steps.

International Experience and Trends in E-Learning Development in World Economy

This paper describes and synthesizes the international experience with e-learning in order to draw lessons for its development in Vietnam’s higher education. The e-learning development policies of selected countries are analyzed to measure the success of such policies against their specific national context. This paper also discusses Vietnam’s experiences in terms of national policy goals, the scope and subject of the policies, the investment resources and their allocation, and their approach to e-learning and massive open online courses (MOOCs) in higher education in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the policies.

Examining How Online Professional Development Impacts Teachers’ Beliefs About Teaching Statistics

With online learning becoming a more viable option for teachers to develop their expertise, our report shares one such effort focused on improving the teaching of statistics. We share design principles and learning opportunities in an online course developed specifically to serve as a wide-scale online professional development opportunity for educators, thus deemed as a massive open online course for educators (MOOC-Ed). In this report we focus on a subset of 412 participants who identified themselves as classroom teachers. We use multiple data sources, quantitative and qualitative, to characterize changes in teachers’ beliefs and perspectives about statistics and identify triggers in the course that appear to influence teachers’ sense making about issues related to teaching statistics. Implications about specific course experiences that served as triggers for critical reflection and change are discussed.

Instructor Prompts and Student Engagement in Synchronous Online Nutrition Classes

ABSTRACT The number of online courses in higher education is on the rise. However, empirical evidence elucidating best practices for synchronous online instruction is needed to best implement these courses. The research purposes were to examine synchronous online class sessions to (1) quantify interaction type, frequency, and rate, (2) quantify student engagement frequency, and (3) quantify instructor prompt frequency in three areas in order to investigate relationships with each category of student engagement. A total of 24 previously recorded synchronous sessions including oral and textual chat interactions were transcribed. Every line of student interaction was determined to be either superficial or containing evidence of at least one instance of engagement according to five categories from the Seven Principles and the National Survey for Student Engagement. Every line of instructor interaction was concurrently coded for at least one of the following forms of prompt: social, organizational, or intellectual. Inter-tester reliability of coded interactions from Cohen’s kappa = 0.91. Social prompts were the best predictor of supportive campus environments (r = 0.79); organizational prompts were the best predictor of enriching academic experiences (r = 0.72); and intellectual prompts were the best predictor of instructor interactions, active/collaborative learning, and academic challenge (r= 0.77, r= 0.78, r= 0.54, respectively); with all of these being significant (p< .01). The conclusions are: (a) online synchronous class sessions can be used to promote student engagement across all NSSE categories, (b) online synchronous class sessions can be moderated via differing instructor-prompts to promote student interaction and engagement.

A Study on the Use of Massive Open Online Courses in Otorhinolaryngology After Graduation.

The use of massive open online courses (MOOCs) in medical education and postgraduate education is becoming more and more widespread across the world. A survey study was carried out in Turkey to collect information and raise awareness about the use of MOOCs for educational and training purposes in the field of otorhinolaryngology after graduation. The prepared survey questionnaire was published on the online communication platform of the Turkish Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Association, and volunteers were asked to fill-out the questionnaire by clicking the given link. A total of 210 volunteers participated in the survey study. Most of the volunteers (26.2%) were in the 36-40 age range. At the time of the study 53.8% of the volunteers were working as specialist doctors, 19.5% as residents, 10.5% as professors, 8.1% as associate professors, and 8.1% as assistant professors. Only 19 (9%) respondents ticked "yes" in response to the question "Are you familiar with the MOOC programs?" and only six (2.9%) of these respondents had attended a MOOC program. Evaluation of the correlation between academic title and awareness of MOOC programs showed that the instructors had a significantly higher level of MOOC awareness compared to the specialists and the residents (p=0.032). Results of the survey revealed that the use of MOOC programs in postgraduate otorhinolaryngology education was low and the volunteers were not well-informed about this practice.

Empirical study on the influence of flipped classroom teaching mode on college students' professional help-seeking attitudes

Objective To explore the influence of flipped classroom teaching mode on college students' attitudes towards psychological help-seeking. Methods The small private online course and experiential teaching method were combined to teach the course of mental health. Before and after the course, the Attitudes toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale (Hao Zhihong 2007 Revision) and the Self-Stigma of Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale (Vogel et al.) were used to measure the professional help-seeking attitudes and self-stigma of 258 randomly selected subjects. SPSS 22.0 and paired sample t-test were used and related data were analyzed. Results A total of 242 valid scales were collected. The teaching mode of flipped classroom reduced self-stigma (t=2.067, P=0.040) and increased the willingness of professional psychological help-seeking among students (t=2.483, P=0.015). Before the course, there was no significant difference between the high-input group and the low-input group in the attitudes of help-seeking (t=0.515, P=0.607) and self-stigma (t=0.432, P=0.666). After the course, the scores of help-seeking attitudes in the high-input group were significantly higher than those in the low-input group (t=2.401, P=0.018), and the self-stigma scores in high-input group were significantly lower than those in low-input group (t=2.185, P=0.031). Conclusion The teaching mode of flipped classroom helps to reduce self-stigma evaluation and forms a more positive attitude towards seeking help. Attitudes changed significantly in those students who have higher commitment in knowledge learning, self-expression and self-reflection. Key words: Mental health; Flipped Classroom; Professional help-seeking attitude; Self-stigma; Course involvement