Embracing educational disruption: a case study in making the shift to a remote learning environment

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ida Fatimawati Adi Badiozaman ◽  
Hugh John Leong ◽  
Wallace Wong

PurposeAs an institution that has invested in e-learning infrastructure and technology for e-learning delivery, Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak conducted The Digital Educator Series as a means of embracing this educational disruption. In particular, this paper reports on the first three courses held under the Digital Educator Series that aims to equip teachers with practical and effective online teaching to school teachers in Sarawak. While the training is still in effect, preliminary results are shared, and implications for practice and recommendations for further research are considered.Design/methodology/approachApproximately 136 questionnaires containing close-and open-ended items were distributed to the teacher participants of the Digital Educator Series. Close-ended items were designed to gather general information about their perceptions of online teaching and learning. Items were constructed to gather insights on familiarity with online teaching and learning, perceived usefulness of platforms such as Microsoft Teams and Google Classrooms. The open-ended items were designed to gather information on areas of improvement for the courses and professional development needs of teachers for online teaching.FindingsThe findings revealed very mixed responses in terms of teachers' familiarity with online teaching and learning. Nonetheless, it was encouraging that the majority of teachers felt positively about the impact and usefulness of the courses in the Digital Educator Series and have expressed that would like to learn more about online teaching pedagogy. Teachers reported the greatest familiarity with Google Classroom and were very positive about the applicability the Google Classroom Course (91.2%) in their own teaching practice. Conversely, all of the participants reported they were unfamiliar with Microsoft Teams. Accordingly, the teachers did not perceive its applicability to be as high as the Google Classroom. The qualitative findings further corroborated this and expressed the need for specific professional development programmes that include pedagogical and technological support. Overall, the teachers are strongly focussed in their professional development in order to improve their online teaching,Research limitations/implicationsLike other research, this too has its limitations. The sample size in this study was restricted to those who attended the Digital Educator Series training. Hence the results of this study, whilst have been enriching, and to a certain extent are supported by the current literature, the accuracy of the description may be unique to this particular group of individuals, within this particular setting. Additionally, the study only relied on self-reports from both the questionnaire and the semi-structured interviews. This study accepts that self-reports have shortcomings. Not all experiences of the courses would have been readily accessible through the teachers' conscious reflections. This makes it difficult to construct a complete picture of the experience, challenges and identify all salient factors within a particular workshop or training.Practical implicationsAlthough the adoption of teaching and learning to online platforms is undoubtedly the way to maintain continuity of learning for students, it has also unveiled glaring inequities in Sarawak. Therefore, continuous and personalised professional development needs to be provided, focussing on pedagogical and technological support. There is a need to embrace these changes as a long-term response that will develop and improve over the next few years. That response should include better infrastructure, policies for quality improvement, accessibility standards and strategic plans for continuous access in the future. This includes advocating for platforms that can fit into the core technology environment and for teachers to adopt an innovative mindset.Originality/valueIn light of the complex and multifaceted challenge of transitioning to online learning in Sarawak Malaysia, it was evident that the need for innovative solutions to optimize educational endeavours has become accelerated. To ensure that students are well-supported and widening participation and access to education, it is imperative that the education disruption be embraced. This starts with addressing teachers' digital literacy through a professional development programme of online reaching.

Author(s):  
Jan Herrington ◽  
Ron Oliver

While telecommunications and telematics have been available in schools and universities for decades, the speed of adoption of the Internet into general use has been unprecedented. This has placed a great deal of pressure on university teachers to re-evaluate their roles in the light of new teaching and learning opportunities. The Internet has opened up possibilities beyond the simple acquisition of information, and has created teaching and learning challenges that many teachers feel ill-equipped to meet. This chapter examines the impact of the Internet on the teacher’s role and explores the types of skills and strategies that teachers will need to be effective and efficient in online learning environments. The professional development needs for the new role of online teacher will be discussed within the context of a Graduate Certificate in Online Teaching and Learning designed to encapsulate authentic approaches to learning.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Serdyukov

PurposeWith the rapid transition of education from the traditional, classroom- or campus-based to the online format, there grows a need for not only taking advantage of online technology but also assessing actual and potential effects it can make on the learners, learning, education, and society. One of the risks inherent in online learning is its growing formalization both in the organization of the learning and in its process, which may gravely affect students’ learning, health, cognition, behavior and quality of the learning outcomes. It can also produce serious implications for the society. This article investigates the origins of formalization, its forms and stages, and discusses asynchronous, precision, and automated learning formats from this perspective. Among many issues, the impact of formalization on the learner's development and socialization is considered. The author offers a pragmatic solution for deformalization of online learning.Design/methodology/approachQualitative analysis of contemporary research literature, educational trends and practices.FindingsIt was found that formalism permeates online education in many ways. It is present in asynchronous, precise and automated learning and may produce significant impact on students, their learning, and society.Research limitations/implicationsThis is a qualitative research based on the analysis of current research literature and teaching practices.Practical implicationsWhile formalism in education is an unavoidable evil, its impact must be diminished. Critical analysis and practical recommendations offered may help improve online teaching and learning.Social implicationsFormalism affects both students' socialization in the online learning environment, and patterns of socialization in the society. It also impacts students’ cognition and behaviors. So, counteracting formalism may benefit the society's well-being.Originality/valueThe authors could not find any publications on this topic. So this is an original material which may contribute to improving online teaching and learning.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (24) ◽  
pp. 10367
Author(s):  
Claudiu Coman ◽  
Laurențiu Gabriel Țîru ◽  
Luiza Meseșan-Schmitz ◽  
Carmen Stanciu ◽  
Maria Cristina Bularca

The research focuses on identifying the way in which Romanian universities managed to provide knowledge during the Coronavirus pandemic, when, in a very short time, universities had to adapt the educational process for exclusively online teaching and learning. In this regard, we analyzed students’ perception regarding online learning, their capacity to assimilate information, and the use of E-learning platforms. An online survey based on a semi-structured questionnaire was conducted. Data was collected from 762 students from two of the largest Romanian universities. The results of the research revealed that higher education institutions in Romania were not prepared for exclusively online learning. Thus, the advantages of online learning identified in other studies seem to diminish in value, while disadvantages become more prominent. The hierarchy of problems that arise in online learning changes in the context of the crisis caused by the pandemic. Technical issues are the most important, followed by teachers’ lack of technical skills and their teaching style improperly adapted to the online environment. However, the last place was assigned by students to the lack of interaction with teachers or poor communication with them. Based on these findings, research implications for universities and researchers are discussed.


2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (03) ◽  
pp. 110-115
Author(s):  
Ubaidillah Kamal Faseh ◽  
Septi Gumiandari

The Covid-19 pandemic has caused many activities to stop, including activities teaching and learning conventionally. Until a solver or deep solution is needed respond to these problems. Teaching and learning activities carried out online is a way to overcome that problem. Destination The research was to determine the use of online learning e-learning media for students at a university in Indramayu. The research instrument carried out on the collection of information and data is by means of questionnaires and library research. As a result of this research shows that online learning has been implemented well, and takes advantage of various learning media such as WhatsApp, Google Classroom, Zoom and Google Meet so learning becomes more varied and makes students not bored quickly and understand faster material delivered. There are several obstacles faced in implementation of online teaching and learning activities, namely the internet network that is not stable, lacking maximum availability of physical references and minimum data quota Internet. Online learning needs to be used as best as possible in activities learning and teaching because it is an innovation in learning so that students and lecturers can conduct lectures efficiently and effectively.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-98
Author(s):  
Harisa Mardiana

The author's interest is to investigate the lecturers' attitudes towards online teaching in the learning process which is the teaching for the 21st-century learning process and to seek the relationship among lecturers’ attitudes, online teaching and learning process. The problem is many lecturers in Tangerang City area are afraid of using technology and some of them are stuttered and technology illiterate. The lecturers still prefer face to face learning in the class more campuses have provided Moodle as a platform of learning. With the circumstances of Coronavirus, the learning has moved to e-learning. In this research, the author used a mixed-method and the number of respondents was 104, data collection was obtained from questionnaires sent via Google Form and distributed through WhatsApp to the lecturers in Tangerang City area. Data is translated into frequency and regression linear. The result showed that 73 lecturers change them toward e-learning and remain 27 lectures had difficulty in teaching online and preferred traditional learning. Keywords: Lecturers' attitudes, online teaching, and learning process


2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (02) ◽  
pp. 199-214
Author(s):  
Fatia Inast Tsuroya

The purpose of this study was to identify and obtain information about the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the learning process of the Koran using the Yanbu'a DI method in grade 2 at MI At-Taqwa Bondowoso. The research used an exploratory case study method and the research approach used a qualitative case study method which was used to obtain information on the constraints and consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on teaching and learning activities at MI At-Taqwa Bondowoso. Sample size is based on attainment of depth and richness of description. According to Guetterman, sample size is not a matter of representative opinion and views, but rather a matter of information wealth. The results of this study were that the researchers found several problems and obstacles experienced by students and class teachers in online teaching and learning activities, including: students were not active in depositing their reading results due to network constraints, no quota, students did not have communication tool or handpohne itself, the enthusiasm of students in learning begins to decline, therefore the goals and targets to be achieved by MI At-Taqwa Bondowoso are like their original ideals, that students are able to read the Koran properly and correctly, including in the form of letters, characteristics Characteristics of letters and proper fashohah experience many obstacles as a result of online learning.


2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 121-124
Author(s):  
Daniela-Elena Duralia

Abstract Various studies on the impact of online teaching and learning have shown the importance of a teacher’s presence in the classroom, in terms of the efficiency of conveying knowledge. With online teaching, students show that they still require their teacher’s involvement as well, demonstrating that his/her guidance and management of a class remains an important component of pedagogy. However, not all students decide to get equally involved in in-class activities, considering the issues that four groups of students in a university revealed during their online learning experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their need for better interaction with the teacher and their hesitancy to participate due to possible bullying, demonstrate that a teacher’s presence is necessary. The Peer-Review Approach and the Flipped Classroom Strategy were both helpful to the students as they were involved in activities under the teacher’s observation. The latter could check the students’ knowledge acquired before the start of the classes and monitor their learning process, which enhanced their feeling of self-confidence. As a result, the students could better concentrate and became more self-confident as they succeeded academically.


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