Web-based Learning Activities Research Articles

Assessing Knowledge, Competence, and Performance Following Web-Based Education on Early Breast Cancer Management: Health Care Professional Questionnaire Study and Anonymized Patient Records Analysis.

Web-based learning activities are key components of continuing medical education (CME) for health care professionals (HCPs). However, the published outcomes of web-based educational interventions for early breast cancer (EBC) are limited. This study aims to objectively assess knowledge, competence, and performance among HCPs following participation in 2 EBC-focused CME activities and to identify the remaining educational gaps. We developed 2 CME-accredited web-based educational activities addressing high-risk EBC, including integration of shared decision-making to optimize patient care (touchMDT) and stratification for early identification of high-risk patients and novel treatment strategies (touchPANEL DISCUSSION). Knowledge, competence, and performance were assessed before and after the activities against an expanded outcomes framework (levels 1-5) using self-reported questionnaires and an analysis of anonymized data extracted from patient records. Six months after the launch of the activity, 7047 and 8989 HCP participants engaged with touchMDT and touchPANEL DISCUSSION, respectively. The overall satisfaction was 82% (a total score of 20.6 out of 25) for the touchMDT and 88% (a total score of 21.9 out of 25) for the touchPANEL DISCUSSION. For the evaluation of knowledge and competence (50 respondents before the activity and 50 learners after the activity), there was a significant increase in the mean number of correctly answered questions from pre- to postactivity (touchMDT: median 4.0, IQR 3.0-5.0 to median 5.5, IQR 4.0-7.0; mean 4.00, SD 1.39 to mean 5.30, SD 1.56 and touchPANEL DISCUSSION: median 4.0, IQR 4.0-5.0 to median 6.0, IQR 5.0-7.0; mean 4.32, SD 1.30 to mean 5.88, SD 1.49; both P<.001). A significant improvement in self-reported performance (50 respondents before the activity and 50 learners after the activity) was observed in a combined analysis of both activities (median 3.0, IQR 2.0-3.0 to median 4.0, IQR 3.0-5.0; mean 2.82, SD 1.08 to mean 4.16, SD 1.45; P<.001). Patient record analysis (50 respondents before the activity and 50 learners after the activity) showed that the HCPs used a range of measures to determine EBC recurrence risk and revealed no significant differences in adjuvant therapies used before and after the activity (P=.97 and P>.99 for Ki-67 <20% and Ki-67 ≥20% tumors, respectively). The remaining educational gaps included strategies for implementing shared decision-making in clinical practice and the use of genetic and biomarker testing to guide treatment selection. Brief, web-based CME activities on EBC were associated with an improvement in HCP knowledge, competence, and self-reported performance and can help identify unmet needs to inform the design of future CME activities.

Observed Interactions, Challenges, and Opportunities in Student-Led, Web-Based Near-Peer Teaching for Medical Students: Interview Study Among Peer Learners and Peer Teachers

Near-peer teaching (NPT) is becoming an increasingly popular pedagogical tool in health professions education. Despite the shift in formal medical education from face-to-face teaching toward encompassing web-based learning activities, NPT has not experienced a similar transition. Apart from the few reports on NPT programs hastily converted to web-based learning in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, no studies to date have explored web-based learning in the specific context of NPT. This qualitative study examined the nature of interactions among peer learners (PLs), peer teachers (PTs), and the learning content in a student-led, web-based NPT program for medical students. A 5-month-long voluntary NPT program to support first- and second-year medical students' biomedical science learning in the undergraduate medical curriculum was designed by 2 senior-year medical students and delivered by 25 PTs with 84 PLs participating. In total, 9 PLs and 3 PTs underwent individual semistructured interviews at the end of the program to explore general NPT experience, reasons for joining NPT, the effectiveness of NPT, the demand and importance of NPT, and the feasibility of incorporating NPT in the formal curriculum. Interview transcripts were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. The first general theme focused on the nature of student-student, student-teacher, and student-content interactions. Although PLs were engaged in web-based NPT, there was minimal interaction between students, as most PLs preferred to learn passively and remain anonymous. PLs believed the web-based NPT learning process to be a unidirectional transmission of knowledge from teacher to learner, with the teacher responsible for driving the interactions. This was in sharp contrast to PTs' expectation that both parties shared responsibility for learning in a collaborative effort. The second general theme identified the advantages and disadvantages of delivering NPT on a web platform, which were mainly convenience and teaching skills development and poor interactivity, respectively. Student-led, web-based NPT offers a flexible and comfortable means of delivering academic and nonacademic guidance to medical students. However, the web-based mode of delivery presents unique challenges in facilitating meaningful interactions among PLs, PTs, and subject content. A blended learning approach may be best suited for this form of student-led NPT program to optimize its efficacy.

Collaborative Weblog-Based (CWB) Project Approach in Developing Language Learners’ Writing Performance

Advancements in educational technology have kept teaching and learning undisrupted during unprecedented times. Individual and collaborative web-based learning activities have addressed language teachers’ dilemma on how to approach teaching and learning remotely. Weblogging characterised by online journals has been considered to address students’ difficulty in mastering writing as a productive skill. In this study, the effectiveness of a collaborative weblog-based (CWB) project approach was explored. Utilising a quasi-experimental design, 56 English pre-service teachers enrolled in a state university were purposively selected to be the study participants. The validated pre-post-test questionnaire, course syllabus, lesson exemplars, and scoring rubric were used to gather the needed data on students’ writing skills. Results of the paired t-test revealed a significant increase in the three aspects: organisation, elaboration and grammar, usage and mechanics. The CWB project approach is an alternative way to improve students’ writing performance. It is recommended that CWB project may be used by teachers handling writing courses and other related disciplines to address writing proficiency.

Understanding the complexity and dynamics of web-based pre-class peer discussions experienced by L2 readers: a qualitative case study

ABSTRACT This qualitative case study investigated L2 readers’ semester-long experiences with web-based pre-class peer discussions (WPPD). Data were collected from a university L2 reading course and included field notes on 21 students’ web-based learning activities and in-class learning activities, interviews with these students, and their reflections. Through a qualitative analysis of these data sources, the study revealed that the L2 readers felt that the WPPD created an engaging peer-learning platform for their pre-class learning. The students also felt that their WPPD, buttressed by their instructor’s in-class assistance, gradually facilitated their pre-class navigation of a new text, as exemplified by their questions and answers about the deep meaning of the text. The study concludes that despite the L2 readers’ individual differences regarding their need for teacher assistance, they perceived WPPD as useful for their pre-learning activities motivating them to engage in peer learning and develop subject knowledge, especially in L2 contexts, where understanding the deep meaning of L2 texts at the content level is emphasized.

FAST Heroes: Results of Cross-Country Implementation of a Global School-Based Stroke Education Campaign.

BackgroundEducating the at-risk population about stroke symptoms and requirement of calling an ambulance when stroke strikes is challenging. This exploratory cross-country study provides insights to the FAST Heroes educational campaign and outcomes hitherto achieved.AimsThe primary aim of the study was to measure the transfer of stroke-related knowledge to parents after a global school-based FAST Heroes educational campaign for 5- to 9-year-old children in 14 different countries. The secondary aim was to evaluate parents and teachers' acceptability toward the program.MethodsThe duration of the program was 5 h; 1 h per week, joining face-to-face educational sessions with workbooks, cartoons, web-based learning, and other fun activities. Outcomes were measured before implementation (t1), after implementation (t2), and at 6-month follow-up (t3). Program acceptability and stroke knowledge were evaluated by feedback surveys for teachers and parents.ResultsWorldwide, 4,202 parents completed the program with their children and answered surveys at t1 and t2. They increased their knowledge of three stroke symptoms from 48 to 83% (p < 0.001). All three surveys were completed by 86 parents, who improved their knowledge of stroke symptoms, 55% (t1), 79% (t2), and 94% (t3) (p < 0.001). Overall, the educational messages were successfully passed onward.ConclusionsFindings confirm the primary aim of the study that is knowledge about stroke transfer well from children to their families through the FAST Heroes program. Second, parents and teachers globally consider the program feasible and worthwhile. The results will inform further rollout of the campaign.

Geriatric Oncology: Cognition and Communication

With the dramatic increase in the older adult population, assessment and care of chronic diseases of aging, notably cancer, cognitive impairment and functional decline, have increasing clinical importance. Most healthcare practitioners (HCPs) receive minimal education in geriatrics and/or communication skills and are not optimally prepared to treat older cancer patients. Geriatric Oncology: Cognition and Communication (Geri-Onc CC) trains HCPs to identify cognitive impairment and/or functional decline and improve communication with patients and caregivers. Geri-Onc CC is a 2-day virtual training. Day 1 covers depression, dementia, delirium, pharmacology, cognitive rehabilitation, language barriers, and decision-making capacity. Day 2 focuses on communication skills experiential practice in geriatric syndromes, cognitive syndromes and shared decision making. In addition, HCPs engage in 6 bimonthly web-based collaborative learning activities post-training. Thus far, three cohorts have participated (n=56). Participants were primarily female (88%), 68% non-Hispanic White, and represented multiple disciplines [psychologists (29%) social workers (25%), physicians (21%), others(25%)] and they work in various settings: comprehensive cancer centers (43%),community hospitals (18%), and others (33%). Most (48%) have been caring for older cancer patients for 1-5 years. All reported the training had value to them as a clinician, increased their knowledge of geriatrics, and helped them meet their training goals and 84% were extremely satisfied with the program. Recruitment has been successful. Participants have been diverse in terms of race/ethnicity, profession, practice characteristics and the populations they serve. Overall, participants have found the training valuable, future work will describe outcomes of the training.

Learning Management Berbasis Web : Efek pada Proses dan Hasil Belajar

The purpose of this research is to improve the process and student learning outcomes through the implementation of Web-based learning management. This research method using descriptive method. The subjects in this study were 30 students of SMP Negeri 27 Surakarta. Data collection techniques using interviews and observations. While the data analysis technique used quantitative and qualitative descriptive analysis. The results showed that at the preliminary study stage, the teacher observed student characteristics and learning conditions to determine appropriate activities. At the implementation stage, the teacher designs the lesson plan, determines learning resources, and carries out Web-based learning activities. At the evaluation stage, the teacher analyzes the increase in student learning outcomes with the impact of Web-based informatics learning outcomes that have been able to improve student learning outcomes.

Enhancing developmental-behavioral pediatric rotations by teaching residents how to evaluate autism in primary care.

Most physician preparation programs do not provide enough practical experiences in autism-related care. This is especially true for how to assess for and diagnose autism. Without this training, many pediatricians are not well prepared to implement appropriate care for children with autism and their families. We designed a curriculum to improve training for medical residents that involved explicit hands-on training in diagnostic identification and care coordination for toddlers at risk for autism. We collected data to assess whether our enhanced curriculum led to increased comfort level across recommended practice behaviors. Almost all the residents were able to complete the training within their rotation and our surveys indicated significant increases in residents feeling more comfortable identifying symptoms of autism, providing feedback about diagnostic decisions, and effectively connecting families with services. A significant majority of residents considered it appropriate or very appropriate for children to receive a diagnosis solely from a primary care provider. Our results suggest feasibility of the enhanced model, and this project reflects the first step in advancing incorporation of autism training into pediatric residency programs.

Learning Activity Effectiveness based on Web towards Students’ Change of Cognitive Level

This study aims to assess the effectiveness of web-based learning activities in increasing students’ cognitive level. This study uses pre-test and post-test to evaluate the effectiveness of web-based learning activities students’ cognitive level based on Bloom’s taxonomy which proposes the following six levels of cognitive thinking: knowledge, understanding, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation. Studies on pre- and post-test achievement were conducted (Campbell &amp; Stanley, 1963). The respondents of the study consisted of 34 students undertaking the subject SPM 4342 (Web Based Multimedia Development) for the Bachelor of Education degree programme at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. The findings show that the students’ cognitive level after the web-based learning activities incresed as demonstrated in their improved test scores.

Registered nurses' perception of self-efficacy and competence in smoking cessation after participating in a web-based learning activity.

To describe how registered nurses having undergone a web-based learning activity perceive their self-efficacy and competence to support patients with smoking cessation in connection with surgery. Smoking cessation in connection with surgery reduces postoperative complications, and the support patients get from registered nurses may be important in helping them become smoke-free in connection with their surgery. Therefore, registered nurses are in need of enhanced understanding about which kind of counselling is the most effective for smoking cessation. Educating large groups of registered nurses in a digital environment appears to be a flexible and cost-effective way. A convergent mixed-method design with data collection was done using questionnaires (n=47) and semistructured interviews (n=11). Inclusion criteria were registered nurses in surgical wards. The samples were nonprobability and modified nested. Descriptive statistics and content analysis were used for data analysis. After completing the web-based learning activity, the registered nurses perception was that of good self-efficacy and increased competence in supporting patients with smoking cessation in connection with surgery. They improved their understanding of how to talk about smoking cessation with patients in dialogue using open-ended questions. Nevertheless, the registered nurses requested opportunities for dialogue and interaction with colleagues or topic experts. The results indicate that registered nurses can enhance their competence in supporting patients to embrace smoking cessation by learning in a digital environment. Self-efficacy and understanding of the topic seems to motivate registered nurses to counsel patients about smoking cessation. Findings from this study will be of particular interest to educators in healthcare settings who can devise further development of web-based learning activities.

Using hypermedia annotations to teach vocabulary on the Web

This project measured the effect of using hypermedia annotations on short and long-term vocabulary retention in teaching vocabulary through Web-based language learning activities. A total of 62 university students were randomly assigned into two homogeneous groups; and then both groups were given a pretest. Both groups covered 12 expository passages selected by the researchers from the BBC website. The subjects had to sit for an immediate quiz to measure the short-term effect of the treatment and finally, at the end of the course and a twoweek interval, subjects sat for their post-test. Findings revealed that there was a significant effect of the hypermedia annotations on the retention of vocabulary in the short term ( p <0.05). However, the post-test results indicated that the effect of the treatment in the long term faded away, and the significance of the means was not sufficiently high to reject the null hypothesis. Keywords: hypermedia annotations; plain text; vocabulary retention; WBLL

A Comparative Web-Based Learning Activity for Teaching Family Theory

A Comparative Web-Based Learning Activity for Teaching Family Theory

Supporting participants in web-based collaborative learning activities from a holistic point of view: a tale of seven online and blended courses

Supporting participants in web-based collaborative learning activities is important to avoid inefficient contributions, improve learning process, and realize learning goals. The present paper introduces and evaluates a new holistic supporting approach to guide the interactions between participants and help them take part in group activities consciously. The holistic approach proposes a new supporting mechanism, completed through addressing the learning context which facilitates the approach utilizations and the possible outcomes resulting therefrom in a col- laborative learning activity. Utilizing the proposed approach in seven online and blended courses with hundreds of students has revealed its significant impact on making learning forums more informative and organized which would favor greater gains in individual learning outcomes. The study has also provided valuable in- formation about the context in the form of human factors which might be over- looked in similar researches that often observe the environment in short periods. The approach can be utilized in almost all typical learning management systems and would be more applicable if such systems possess embedded tools for social interactions.

Collab-Analyzer: An environment for conducting web-based collaborative learning activities and analyzing students’ information-searching behaviors

&lt;p class="abstract"&gt;Researchers have found that students might get lost or feel frustrated while searching for information on the Internet to deal with complex problems without real-time guidance or supports. To address this issue, a web-based collaborative learning system, Collab-Analyzer, is proposed in this paper. It is not only equipped with a collaborative mechanism for helping group members solve problems on the web, but also facilitates teachers and researchers in analyzing students’ collaborative information-searching behaviors and performance by providing eighteen quantitative indices. To examine the effectiveness of the proposed learning system, a total of 224 university students and 16 teachers participated in an experiment, in which a web-based problem-solving activity for a social studies course was conducted. The experimental results show that the teachers gave positive evaluations of Collab-Analyzer in terms of promoting students' web-based problem-solving ability and information searching skills. Moreover, the students showed high agreement with both the usefulness and ease of use of the system. The research findings also show that high interactive type students have more significant learning performance than moderate and low interactive students. Finally, implications and suggestions for how to accommodate the needs of students after adopting the proposed Collab-Analyzer system are given.&lt;/p&gt;

Engaging student interpreters in vocabulary building: Web search with computer workbench

AbstractThis paper investigates the usefulness of Web portals in a workbench for assisting student interpreters in the search for and collection of vocabulary. The experiment involved a class of fifteen English as a Foreign Language (EFL) student interpreters, who were required to equip themselves with the appropriate English vocabulary to handle an interpreting task they had been assigned. The subjects were given the same topic for vocabulary building in two stages – one stage without and the other stage with the use of the workbench. They were not allowed to repeat vocabulary items in the two stages. They documented their experience in vocabulary preparation in the first stage, and provided think-aloud protocols for the second stage. They also completed a questionnaire and submitted two portfolios. The vocabulary portfolios compiled during the two stages were then compared. The results indicate that, with the use of the workbench, the subjects were more efficient in performing the task of building vocabulary by searching for the required vocabulary, and were able to build a vocabulary portfolio that was larger in size and richer in variety. The data also reveal that most students make use of Web portals that have a specific focus, rather than general search engines. The findings provide important information to support the use of the workbench as a tool for training EFL student interpreters in vocabulary building, and also show that guided Web portals are essential for users who need to perform Web-based language learning activities to achieve efficient search results.

E-Learning for Universiti Teknologi MARA Malaysia (UiTM): Campus Wide Implementation and Accomplishments

The e-Learning Centre (i-LeC) of UiTM was established in December 2005, to serve as the core unit in initiating and implementing e-learning on a campus wide level. The main function of the centre is to implement and provide services to create a learning environment where lecturers provide Web-based contents and online learning activities. Universiti Teknologi MARA, with fifteen branch campuses spread throughout the country offers indeed vast untapped resources as far as expertise and infrastructure are concerned. This paper attempts to describe the University's efforts to embark on e-learning in a big way after a span of four years of implementation efforts and the achievements.

Value of Web-Based Learning Activities for Nursing Students Who Speak English as a Second Language

There is an increasing need to address the educational needs of students with English as a second language. The authors assessed the value of a Web-based activity to meet the needs of students with English as a second language in a bioscience subject. Using telephone contact, we interviewed 21 Chinese students, 24 non-Chinese students with English as a second language, and 7 native English-speaking students to identify the perception of the value of the intervention. Four themes emerged from the qualitative data: (1) Language is a barrier to achievement and affects self-confidence; (2) Enhancement intervention promoted autonomous learning; (3) Focusing on the spoken word increases interaction capacity and self-confidence; (4) Assessment and examination drive receptivity and sense of importance. Targeted strategies to promote language acculturation and acquisition are valued by students. Linking language acquisition skills to assessment tasks is likely to leverage improvements in competence.

LESSON: A system for lecture notes searching and sharing over Internet

In this paper, we present a system LESSON for lecture notes searching and sharing, which is dedicated to both instructors and students for effectively supporting their Web-based teaching and learning activities. The LESSON system employs a metasearch engine for lecture notes searching from Web and a peer-to-peer (P2P) overlay network for lecture notes sharing among the users. A metasearch engine provides an unified access to multiple existing component search engines and has better performance than general-purpose search engines. With the help of a P2P overlay network, all computers used by instructors and students can be connected into a virtual society over the Internet and communicate directly with each other for lecture notes sharing, without any centralized server and manipulation. In order to merge results from multiple component search engines into a single ranked list, we design the RSF strategy that takes rank, similarity and features of lecture notes into account. To implement query routing decision for effectively supporting lecture notes sharing, we propose a novel query routing mechanism. Experimental results indicate that the LESSON system has better performance in lecture notes searching from Web than some popular general-purpose search engines and some existing metasearch schemes; while processing queries within the system, it outperforms some typical routing methods. Concretely, it can achieve relatively high query hit rate with low bandwidth consumption in different types of network topologies.

Improving English Language and Computer Literacy Skills in an Adult Refugee Program

With a focus on ways of improving English language and computer literacy skills of adult refugees in Australia, the study reported in this article examines the usefulness of a community program offered for five female Sudanese refugees who had very limited English language proficiency and very little or no computer experience. Main teaching strategies used for this group were repetition, content and language integrated learning (CLIL) and computer-assisted language learning (CALL). By analysing data collected from questionnaires, interviews and tests, the study looks at and discusses the possibility and opportunity of using the computer as an educational tool during contact sessions and the participants' experience with Web-based language learning (WBLL) activities. The results of the study indicate that the computer can be used to encourage learners in a refugee program to engage with their learning and online activities are helpful for them in improving their English language and computer literacy skills.

'Going blended': experiences from the implementation of blended learning design and the perspective of a model

This study discusses the design and implementation of blended learning activities at graduate level, in an effort to explore the potential of this approach to flexibly address student needs. The course was offered twice (in consecutive semesters), implementing varied blending proportions of traditional onsite sessions and web-based asynchronous learning activities. Research results indicate that there are at least three important factors strengthening the efficiency of the blended design, namely: a) introduction of blended activities that engage students in productive learning experiences; b) selection of media that fit to the characteristics of the learning activity; c) accomplishment of a balance between onsite and online activities so that teacher-student dialogue does not result in work overload with detrimental effects for learning. These factors are further determined as the 'cohesiveness', 'media suitability' and 'transactional distance' dimensions of a proposed theoretical construction aiming at modelling the transition process from fully onsite to blended design.