A simplified virtual power system lab for distance learning and ABET accredited education systems

2021 ◽  
pp. 002072092199706
Author(s):  
Omar Mohamed ◽  
Zain Bitar ◽  
Alla Abu-Sultaneh ◽  
Wejdan Abu Elhaija
Keyword(s):  
Distance Learning ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Power System ◽  
Design Method ◽  
Electrical Power ◽  
Classroom Interaction ◽  
Power Engineering ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Learning Programs ◽  
Face To Face Learning

COVID-19 pandemic has had an adverse impact on higher education worldwide. In particular, the situation can be more crucial for electrical power engineering education due to the importance of the direct relationship between the students and their instructor embodied in the campus’ classroom interaction and the requisite face-to-face learning. Apparently, e-learning instructional design has provided a fairly accepted solution through online lectures and exams for power engineering courses. Nevertheless, the difficulty persists in moving the experiment equipment of the laboratories to the homes of the students since most experiments were likely to be carried out on the University campus’ dedicated power system panels. An urgent and reduced cost solution is therefore needed. This paper introduces a shortcut design method as a compensatory solution at no extra cost, which during this challenging period is suitable for teaching power system labs and also suitable for full online education programs. The work presented in the paper goes beyond that to discuss the relevance to ABET student outcomes. Two experiments are presented in the PowerWorld Simulator environment with systematic steps to facilitate the expansion of the rest of the laboratory experiments. The method is based on the simulation of a textbook example and the verification of results from another textbook followed by a discussion of the relevant students' outcomes of ABET. The paper may be used as an educational guide for instructors in the following academic year in institutions that embrace distance learning programs.

scholarly journals Distance Learning in Greece during Covid-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. p69
Author(s):  
Apostolou George ◽  
Papatsimpas Achilleas ◽  
Gounas Athanasios ◽  
Gkouna Ourania
Keyword(s):  
Distance Learning ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Educational Process ◽  
Statistical Hypothesis ◽  
Hypothesis Tests ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
The Future ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Face To Face Learning ◽  
Restrictive Measures

The purpose of this study is to investigate the reaction of Greeks to this new educational reality due to the Covid-19 outbreak. Since the first restrictive measures were implemented in March 2020in Greece, distance learning has become a dynamic part of people’s daily lives with the prospect of remain in gas such in the future. A total of N=170 students, parents, teachers, civil servants, private sector employees who were involved in the distance learning process either as instructors or as students in the period of Covid-19 pandemic in Greece, were selected with the use of snowball sampling. A questionnaire using demographic and satisfaction related variables was completed by the respondents, namely citizens across Greece, based on a Likert scale questionnaire which is a useful and multidimensional instrument, to assess satisfaction within the time frame from July 7, 2020 to October 20, 2020; the period when there occurred a loosening in the restrictive measures between the two lockdowns in Greece. It was investigated how the demographic factors, specifically gender, age, occupation, and place of residence, influence the attitude of the respondents towards synchronous and asynchronous distance learning as well as their intention to continue using online education services in the future after the lifting of the restrictive measures. Additionally, the customers’ preferences concerning the most enjoyable distance learning experience were examined, so that they will be available to the distance learning program designers. Descriptive statistical analysis and non-parametric statistical hypothesis tests were conducted in SPSS and R. Most of the respondents had not participated in online courses before the Covid-19 outbreak, 46 % did participate in e-learning courses before the Covid-19 lockdown while 54 % did not and 34.1% respondents prefer face-to-face learning, while 15.9% prefer e-learning. Also, 50% respondents prefer a combination of face-to-face learning and e-learning. Hypothesis tests showed that there are statistically significant differences between users’ preferences as well as regarding their demographic characteristics. Undergraduate and postgraduate university students continue to participate in online learning courses and are willing to invest financial resources and time in this new educational process (?2(4)=10.440, p=0.034), unlike high school students who prefer face-to-face learning (p=0.042). The present study will lead to practical implications, such as the formation of e-learning programs which aim for the best user experience and the best learning outcomes. Also, private educational organizations can include the results in the key elements to implementing a strategic marketing mix.

scholarly journals The The Impact of Demographic Characteristics on Academic Performance: Face-to-Face Learning Versus Distance Learning Implemented to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-110
Author(s):  
Ghaleb Ghaleb A. El Refae ◽  
Abdoulaye Kaba ◽  
Shorouq Eletter
Keyword(s):  
Academic Performance ◽  
Distance Learning ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Demographic Characteristics ◽  
Grade Point ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Al Ain ◽  
Learning Programs ◽  
Face To Face Learning ◽  
The Impact

The spread of COVID-19 presents an opportunity for many educational institutions to implement distance learning and ensure the provision of educational resources and services, secure income and revenues, and contribute to the control and prevention of the coronavirus. This study was conducted to investigate the impact of demographic characteristics on academic performance. Students’ grades and grade point averages (GPA) were collected from the Admission and Registration Unit, Al Ain University in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. The data were used to measure academic performance in face-to-face (F2F) learning and distance learning (DL) implemented by the university to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Statistical analysis including the Mann-Whitney test, Spearman’s rho test, and a regression test were used to answer research questions and verify hypotheses. Students demonstrated better academic performance in DL than F2F learning. It was found that the number of weak students in F2F learning dropped sharply by more than 11% in DL. Demographic characteristics demonstrated a significant impact on students’ academic performance and predicted at least 7.4% variation in F2F learning and DL. Findings of the study support the model developed by Tinto (1975) which proposed the impact of student’s attributes, experiences, and family backgrounds on academic performance. The findings suggest non-DL institutions should continue offering DL side-by-side with F2F learning programs.

scholarly journals How to improve students’ experience in blending learning? Evidence from the perceptions of students in a Postgraduate Master’s Degree

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Beatriz Garcia-Ortega ◽  
Javier Galan-Cubillo
Keyword(s):  
Distance Learning ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Blended Learning ◽  
Master's Degree ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Student Perception ◽  
Learning Context ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Master’S Degree ◽  
Face To Face Learning

This paper examines the perceptions of a group of students of a Postgraduate Master’s Degree in Cosmetics Industry at the Universitat de València, delivered with a blended learning modality, in relation to their experience in face-to-face learning and differentiating between those with or without a previous background in a remote online learning environment, with the added purpose of identifying strategies to enhance that experience, while offering further evidence for scholars, educators and institutions in this field. To this end, a survey with open questions devised ad hoc leaning on our literature review was submitted to a group of 114 students of the Master’s Degree in the period 2017-2020. Students were enquired about the pros and cons of their blended learning experience in relation to the traditional face-to-face learning, and which modality they would choose next time if both were offered, only considering the achievement, experience and satisfaction, regardless of the price. 77 students of our initial sample participated in the questionnaire, 38 of them without previous experience in blended or distance learning. The results show a certain predilection for face-to-face learning, especially in the group of newbies in blended or distance learning. They highlight how they miss a closer interaction with their peers and professors and the difficulties to assimilate certain content, while appraising the flexibility, autonomy, and the self-pace of the blended learning modality. Correspondingly, students with experience in remote online education settings generally show a better predisposal and find fewer disadvantages in blended learning. This suggests that the factor of experience and adaptation to new tools and methods improves student perception and confidence and shapes their preferences, with a foreseeable growing acceptance of blended learning in the future. Finally, the outcome allows us to define a series of strategies to improve the achievement, experience, and satisfaction of students in this learning context.

scholarly journals Problems of teaching foreign languages at Russian universities in the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 127 ◽  
pp. 01009
Author(s):  
Lyudmila Nikolaevna Petrova
Keyword(s):  
Distance Learning ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Legal Aspect ◽  
Mass Scale ◽  
Educational Process ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Face To Face Learning ◽  
Russian Universities

The relevance of the research is accounted for by the contradiction between the mass-scale transition of the Russian universities to the distance learning format and the insufficient readiness of the educational process participants in the conditions of COVID-19 pandemic. The following methods of theoretical (analysis, synthesis, systematisation, comparison) and empirical (review of literature, interviewing, questioning, observation) research were comprehensively used in the paper. The situation with distance education before the pandemic was analysed; the prerequisites of the problems and difficulties of transition to online education were identified. The analysis of difficulties encountered by the teachers and students of Russian universities made it possible to identify the objective and subjective factors of their emergence, as well as to develop recommendations for further continuation of distance learning in its combination with the traditional format of education. The purpose of the research was the analysis of the current experience of working in the conditions of COVID-19 pandemic by the example of teaching the disciplines “Foreign language” and “Foreign language (legal aspect)” to the students of Plekhanov Russian University of Economics. The authors analysed the reasons of success and problems, showed the contradictions between the remote and traditional forms of learning. The key models of learning organisation involving traditional and distant forms of education with the use of remote education technologies were reviewed. In addition, an analysis of works by a number of Russian and foreign researchers on the problem of distance learning was undertaken. As a result of the research, a conclusion was made that distance learning in the modern system of higher education in Russia may be considered as a complementary form of the already existing traditional (“face-to-face”) learning format, enhancing it, and this synthesis of forms may be considered as a solution of the emerging problems in the course of learning in the pandemic environment.

USE OF BLENDED LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION – SOME EXPERIENCES

2015 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
R J Singh
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Distance Learning ◽  
Blended Learning ◽  
Learning Experiences ◽  
Learning Opportunities ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Face To Face Learning ◽  
Made In

This article reports on the use of blended learning in higher education. Blended learning has become popular in higher education in recent years. It is a move beyond traditional lecturing to incorporate face-to-face learning with e-learning, thereby creating a blend of learning experiences. The problem is that learning in higher education is complex and learning situations differ across contexts. Whilst there is face-to-face contact at some institutions, others offer distance learning or correspondence learning. In each context, the mode of learning may differ. The challenge is to cater for various learning opportunities through a series of learning interactions and to incorporate a blended approach. The aim of this study was to examine various ways of defining blended learning in different contexts. This was done through an examination of experiences of the use of blended learning in different higher education contexts. The study presents a case of blended learning in a postgraduate course. The experiences from all these cases are summarised and conclusions and recommendations are made in the context of blended learning in higher education in South Africa.

scholarly journals Faculty’s and Students’ Perceptions of Online Learning During COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zakaryia Almahasees ◽  
Khaled Mohsen ◽  
Mohammad Omar Amin
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Data Privacy ◽  
Privacy And Security ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Learning Challenges ◽  
Face To Face Learning ◽  
Method Of Instruction ◽  
Self Learning

COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted teaching in a vriety of institutions. It has tested the readiness of academic institutions to deal with such abrupt crisis. Online learning has become the main method of instruction during the pandemic in Jordan. After 4 months of online education, two online surveys were distributed to investigate faculty’s and Students’ perception of the learning process that took place over that period of time with no face to face education. In this regard, the study aimed to identify both faculty’s and students’ perceptions of online learning, utilizing two surveys one distributed to 50 faculty members and another 280 students were selected randomly to explore the effectiveness, challenges, and advantages of online education in Jordan. The analysis showed that the common online platforms in Jordan were Zoom, Microsoft Teams offering online interactive classes, and WhatsApp in communication with students outside the class. The study found that both faculty and students agreed that online education is useful during the current pandemic. At the same time, its efficacy is less effective than face-to-face learning and teaching. Faculty and students indicated that online learning challenges lie in adapting to online education, especially for deaf and hard of hearing students, lack of interaction and motivation, technical and Internet issues, data privacy, and security. They also agreed on the advantages of online learning. The benefits were mainly self-learning, low costs, convenience, and flexibility. Even though online learning works as a temporary alternative due to COVID-19, it could not substitute face-to-face learning. The study recommends that blended learning would help in providing a rigorous learning environment.

Key Factors for Maximizing the Effectiveness of Blended E-Learning

2014 ◽  
pp. 410-437
Author(s):  
Maria Pavlis-Korres
Keyword(s):  
Distance Learning ◽  
Adult Education ◽  
Educational Process ◽  
Educational Outcome ◽  
Learning Program ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Scientific Staff ◽  
Learning Programs ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Program Content

The chapter focuses on the main factors, which should be met in order to maximize the effectiveness of a blended e-learning program for adult learners. The factors discussed in this chapter are derived from the perspectives of the learners, scientific staff, administrative staff, and the technical staff engaged in the distance learning process. Specifically, these factors have emerged through the internal evaluation of a national program, Design and Implementation of Distance Learning Programs, implemented in Greece via the Distance Adult Education Center for Lifelong Learning. Findings on the strengths and weaknesses of the program as well as suggestions for implementation of future related programs are also discussed in the chapter. The findings indicate that harmonization of program content and the educational process with the principles of adult education both in face-to-face and online environment has a positive effect on the educational outcome of the program. In addition, the appropriate use of the communication tools in the Learning Management System (LMS) is very important for the effectiveness of the program.

Massive Online Open Course Assisted Mechatronics Learning

2015 ◽  
pp. 245-268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bo Xing
Keyword(s):  
Online Education ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Course Structure ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Learning Modalities ◽  
Learning Content ◽  
Education Environment ◽  
Massive Online Open Course ◽  
Face To Face Learning

Massive open online courses (MOOCs), also known as kind of free and accessible online education environment, have been deeply appeals to people and broadly covered in different medium. Nowadays, it seems MOOCs are everywhere. Originally, MOOCs are designed to offer learning content to the participants who do not have an adequate educational infrastructure, or where cost has become a barrier to educational access. However, as the MOOCs become more popular, an important question need to be asked: how do traditional face-to-face learning students benefit from MOOC environments as well? This chapter introduces MOOCs as an assistant platform to rebuild the course structure in order to tie education more closely to work. The major advantage of this hybrid teaching and learning model is that it is flexible as it allows students to work through materials at their own pace and at a time that is most convenient to them. Although the successful integration of such different teaching and learning modalities is a big challenge, the presented case study and the preliminary experimental results demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed hybrid methodology.

Development of E-Learning in Niger

2010 ◽  
pp. 114-125
Author(s):  
Aissetou Drame Yaye
Keyword(s):  
Distance Learning ◽  
Institutional Support ◽  
Course Delivery ◽  
Digital Campus ◽  
Virtual University ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Official Opening ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Face To Face Learning ◽  
The University

The University Abdou Moumouni (UAM) of Niamey in Niger mainly focused on traditional face to face learning, and even the existence of the African Virtual University since the years 1999 did not change the situation. It is only after the official opening at the University of the Francophone Digital Campus in December 2003 that lecturers and students started overseeing and taking advantages of all the benefits of e-Learning and distance learning. The present paper builds on the author’s personal initiatory experience in e-Learning to highlight some specific challenges that traditional universities such as the UAM face in their efforts to introduce e-Learning and distance learning as a new mode of course delivery. The study shows that even though challenges are big, political and institutional support can freshen the perspectives and change opportunities into realities.

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