scholarly journals Switching from Face-to-Face to Online Instruction Midsemester

Author(s):  
Debora Herold ◽  
Tina Chen

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted higher education during Spring 2020 by forcing all face-to-face classes to unexpectedly transition to online learning. To better understand how switching to remote learning affected students and the factors that impacted their ability to successfully complete classes, 168 undergraduate students in three different psychology classes (six sections total) were asked in the last week of the semester about their experiences from before and after the switch. Students reported some decreased access to technology, changes in work responsibilities, some amount of physical illness, and the need to care for others who were physically ill. Notably, students consistently reported increased stress and decreased ability to focus. Students varied in how much they prioritized classes after the switch, which predicted their performance in the class, measured by exam grade, overall grade, and completion of attendance before and after the switch. Importantly, survey respondents significantly differed from non-respondents in their class performance, which suggests that results from voluntary surveys may capture a limited perspective and possibly underestimate the detrimental effects of the shift to online instruction. Implications for planning for future online classes in a global pandemic are discussed.

Author(s):  
Christine Yeong Ying Pung ◽  
Seok Tyug Tan ◽  
Seok Shin Tan ◽  
Chin Xuan Tan

The outbreak of Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) has upended education systems. The pandemic switched traditional face-to-face classes to online classes. Poor eating behaviors in undergraduate students’ lives may affect the well-being of their later stages of life. This study aimed to investigate the eating behaviors among online learning undergraduates during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 122 students were recruited. The results revealed more than half of the respondents (52.46%) skipped meals. Breakfast (46.72%) was the most skipped meal. The majority of the respondents (94.26%) snacked between meals. Biscuits (88.52%), bread (84.43%), and fruits (80.33%) were the most common snacked foods. Meal skipping was found to be associated with gender (χ2 = 6.83, p < 0.05). In the future, more health interventions program aimed to promote healthy eating behaviors among undergraduates are highly warranted.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
M Nurul Ikhsan Saleh ◽  
Ratna Sari ◽  
Puji Alim

The spread of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in many countries around the world has changed the learning-teaching process in higher education sectors from face-to-face learning to online learning. This study aims to understand undergraduate students’ views on the implementation of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. This research was conducted on 4th to 8th-semester students at the Islamic higher education, Universitas Islam Indonesia, using a qualitative case study. Findings of the study have consisted of three broad themes; firstly, the advantages of online learning: increasing technological literacy, flexibility in learning, improving self-ability, being financially efficient, and supported various learning media; secondly, the weaknesses of online learning: heavy tasks, less effective and decreased enthusiasm, little control from the lecturers, and technical problems; thirdly, constructive feedback on the implementation of online learning: the creation of interesting learning videos, fun learning strategies, holding quizzes, notification of lectures to be multiplied, free internet quota, and additional time for working on assignments. The findings reinforce other studies where the implementation of online learning still requires improvements, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. This research can be a reference in policymaking. Further research is needed from the perspectives of lecturers and policymakers to complement the findings.


2021 ◽  
Vol 75 (1) ◽  
pp. 64-66
Author(s):  
Michael A. Nash

The SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted higher education across the globe. As of early November 2020, Europe now finds itself in the middle of a second wave that is even more destructive than the first. The Swiss Federal Council declared on 28 October, 2020 that face-to-face teaching at Swiss Universities was to cease within days. With large introductory lectures in natural science faculties forced entirely online, educators in Switzerland are facing new challenges and dealing with the limitations of remote instruction. Through a series of anecdotes and observations, this article identifies challenges associated with scalable online learning, and explores methods to mitigate them. Additionally, several advantages to scalable online instruction are identified. By focusing on areas where online instruction has significant advantages, I argue that we can deliver high quality instruction in the chemical sciences remotely.


Author(s):  
Novrika Nartiningrum ◽  
Arif Nugroho

Covid-19 pandemic brings changes in many aspects of peoples’ lives throughout the world. The spread of Covid-19 in Indonesia affects the education system in this country. Face-to-face instructions are shifted into full online learnings from home. Despite this quite drastic change, the literature on students’ insights of this matter has still been silent. Thus, the present study elucidates 45 EFL students’ challenges, suggestions and needed materials during these online classes. Rely on qualitative data analysis from written responses and semi-structured interviews, the findings disclosed that these EFL students’ main challenges in attending online courses were the unsteady networks and the less direct interactions. These students mainly suggested the use of video conferencing applications such as zoom or Google meet, though some students chose assignments over those applications. The students also mentioned that they basically needed grammar related materials within the online classes. The findings bring forward the picture of full online learning condition during Covid-19 outbreak on EFL setting in Indonesia.


2021 ◽  
pp. 381-397
Author(s):  
Nasrin Altuwairesh

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc and caused world-wide disruptions to daily activities, including education. Numerous mitigation measures were taken to slow down the rapid spread of this pandemic. The situation, subsequently, entailed utilizing technology to ensure the continuation of the educational process. The abrupt shift to online education presented significant challenges to teachers and learners alike. Uncovering students’ perceptions of their online education experience will help address and deal with these challenges. This study attempted to explore the perceptions of Saudi female undergraduate students of their online education experience amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The total of 241 female students at the College of Languages and Translation at King Saud University in Riyadh answered a multi-item online survey. The results revealed that many of the respondents were happy with their online learning experience, enjoyed learning online and looked forward to their online classes. However, when asked to compare online learning to brick-and-mortar classes, more than half of the participants stated that they prefer traditional, face-to-face learning. The results of this study also revealed that the significant problems students faced in online education related to staying motivated, technical issues and the absence of face-to-face interaction. Despite the many challenges they face when learning online, the most cited advantage for online education mentioned by the participants is that it is more convenient. The results also indicated that this education mode seemed to suit shy students more, as they stated that they participate and ask questions more in online classes.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nasrin Altuwairesh

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc and caused world-wide disruptions to daily activities, including education. Numerous mitigation measures were taken to slow down the rapid spread of this pandemic. The situation, subsequently, entailed utilizing technology to ensure the continuation of the educational process. The abrupt shift to online education presented significant challenges to teachers and learners alike. Uncovering students’ perceptions of their online education experience will help address and deal with these challenges. This study attempted to explore the perceptions of Saudi female undergraduate students of their online education experience amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The total of 241 female students at the College of Languages and Translation at King Saud University in Riyadh answered a multi-item online survey. The results revealed that many of the respondents were happy with their online learning experience, enjoyed learning online and looked forward to their online classes. However, when asked to compare online learning to brick-and-mortar classes, more than half of the participants stated that they prefer traditional, face-to-face learning. The results of this study also revealed that the significant problems students faced in online education related to staying motivated, technical issues and the absence of face-to-face interaction. Despite the many challenges they face when learning online, the most cited advantage for online education mentioned by the participants is that it is more convenient. The results also indicated that this education mode seemed to suit shy students more, as they stated that they participate and ask questions more in online classes.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irish Chan Sioson

ABSTRACT A recent challenge in the field of education has been met as a shift to online classes from traditional face-to-face classes has been attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hence, certain issues arise from such a sudden shift to an online learning environment, especially for those who have been mainly (or for others, solely) taught in a face-to-face setting. This paper aimed to determine the attitudes of Thai English learners towards online learning of speaking. The study involved fifty-four fourth year English majors in a university in southern Thailand. A survey questionnaire was developed to collect data. It consisted of a 5- point Likert scale asking for the students' level of agreement with statements and open-ended questions. The results show that the teacher being perceived as supportive and the students having a positive feeling when they had a stable Internet connection were the two areas that had the highest mean scores. On the other hand, being given enough opportunities to interact with classmates and preferring to participate in discussions using video (with microphone and video on) had the lowest mean scores. Moreover, the learners’ comments provided insights into their attitudes toward online learning in terms of preferences and challenges. Implications for teaching are then drawn from the results. KEYWORDS: attitudes, online learning, speaking


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 78-85
Author(s):  
Pham Thi Thu Hoa

Information technology has created tremendous chances in higher education across the globe. With the availability and flexibility of learning online, there are increasing competitions between online learning and traditional, face-to-face classroom. These two types of learning both have their pros and cons. From the advantages and disadvantages of online learning, universities have recently changed the way of their teaching through combining online learning and traditional classroom. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate and understand the advancements of the combination of the two types of learning. In this paper, we will introduce the advantages and disadvantages of online learning and the combined learning. We also share our experience on teaching at Flinders University, South Australia through Flinders learning online system. From this knowledge, we will suggest some solutions about building a combined learning system which is suitable for Vietnamese universities.


2021 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
pp. 168-174
Author(s):  
Cherie Chu-Fuluifaga

The importance of maintaining connections and relationships across tertiary education for students is discussed as a way of examining the nature of Pacific education in challenging times, particularly in terms of fractured face-to-face learning. Universities have been thrust into an unpredictable time of remote/distance/online learning in a short period of time. The process has been unsettling and challenging for people across the world. As Pacific students and staff experience the unchartered waters of Covid-19 and global disturbances, they are searching out ways to build purposeful connections, shape-shifting and ways to maintain communities of academic togetherness while harnessing the tools of their knowledge trajectories in research. This article will focus on four key principles: valuing personal and academic connections beyond the textbook; discovering heart-warming methods of connection; and connecting for growth and wellbeing.


2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 116-130
Author(s):  
K. Fuchs ◽  
S. Karrila

Introduction. Online learning is a well-established pedagogical paradigm that has been researched and discussed from a number of perspectives. Educators associate a variety of opportunities and challenges with online education, and recently an unprecedented global pandemic, COVID-19, made traditional classroom teaching temporarily impossible. Emergency remote teaching (ERT) is a newly emerging sub-paradigm that possesses characteristics and challenges that differ from traditional online learning.Methodology and research methods. This study quantitatively examined undergraduate students' (n = 219) perspectives on the most important attributes that are associated with ERT. Moreover, the students' satisfaction with ERT was assessed, and the relationships between socio-demographic factors were analysed.Results and scientific novelty. A descriptive analysis revealed that most students preferred a traditional on-site classroom arrangement, while they were satisfied with the alternative ERT having fully virtual delivery. Also, the study highlighted that the students rated being knowledgeable, friendly, and patient as the most important characteristics of their lecturer in these unusual circumstances.Practical significance. The current research informs educators about student perceptions and preferences during these extraordinary circumstances of uncertain duration.


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