Distance Learning: Problems and Solutions

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 74-88
Author(s):  
V.N. Lukin

Life has drastically revisioned the form of higher education, transitioning from the traditional face-to-face learning to the distance learning. What have we lost in the educational process? Have we managed to compensate the losses? If so, then how? What can be said about the graduates educational level? Are the prospects actually so dim?

Author(s):  
R J Singh

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.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. p69
Author(s):  
Apostolou George ◽  
Papatsimpas Achilleas ◽  
Gounas Athanasios ◽  
Gkouna Ourania

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.


Author(s):  
Svitlana Martynenko

In modern conditions of reforming the system of higher education, the introduction of time-based blended and distance learning, the mission of higher education is to ensure the efficiency and quality of university education. Therefore, the problem of using blended and distance learning technologies becomes relevant, which, taking into account the peculiarities of the conduct, should ensure the quality of educational services for students. Blended learning is defined as a hybrid of traditional face-to-face and online learning so that instruction occurs both in the classroom and online, and where the online component becomes a natural extension of traditional classroom learning. The article highlights the peculiarities of the introduction of mixed and distance learning at the university, analyzes and clarifies the essence and content of the concepts of « blended learning», «distance learning», identifies the main approaches, methodical principles underlying the organization of the educational process, the priority tasks and advantages of the introduced forms of education are singled out, the tendencies of their development are outlined, in particular in modern conditions. The methods, organizational forms and means used during blended and distance learning are described, specific examples of their introduction at Kyiv International University are given, as well as the schematic structure of the methodical system of the proposed forms of education that ensure the quality of university education. It is proved that blended and distance learning solves the problems of individualization, intensification and optimization of education, is the most effective evolution of the traditional model of learning7


2021 ◽  
Vol 127 ◽  
pp. 01015
Author(s):  
Nadezhda Mamatkulovna Glushkova ◽  
Karine Henrickovna Apresyan ◽  
Daria Aleksandrovna Mironova ◽  
Tatiana Nikolaevna Lyubimova ◽  
Natalya Vladimirovna Chernyishkova

The article is devoted to the study of differences in assessment methods of face-to face and online learning of a foreign language in higher education, in particular, the issue of the effectiveness of the assessment techniques used in different formats. Numerous questions that accompanied foreign language online learning in 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 academic years, as well as contradictory reviews about the assessment methods of students’ knowledge were the prerequisites of the study. The experience demonstrated that online learning differs significantly from face-to-face learning in a number of requirements for teachers and students. The aim of the study is to modify traditional methods of students’ knowledge evaluation and assessment in the form of credits or examinations towards greater independence and objectivity and achieve the autonomy of the assessment process. We carried a survey of students’ opinions on the effectiveness of the forms of assessment adopted at the higher education. Based on the survey results, recommendations are made for improving methods of students’ knowledge assessment system with respect to the educational format. The conclusions made on the basis of data analysis provide a number of changes in the methods of online assessment both in the educational process at higher education and in staff training programs.


Author(s):  
Fadi Abdul Raheem Odeh Bani Ahmad Bani

Various countries have shifted from face-to-face learning to distance learning in response to the challenges imposed by the spread of the COVID19. Worldwide distance learning has become a global phenomenon. The current study aims to evaluate the use of distance learning in Jordanian universities during the covid19 pandemic.  The study has developed standards for using distance learning in Jordanian universities and the current status of using distance learning in Jordanian universities. To achieve these aims, the descriptive approach is adopted. A list of the necessary standards for using distance learning is developed, and the current status of using distance learning in Jordanian universities is determined through five domains, and descriptive statistics (means and standard deviations) were calculated as well. The results show the weakness of the technological and human infrastructure necessary for distance learning, and its low ability to create an attractive educational environment, making the use of technology a formal matter that does not achieve the slightest added value to the educational process, along with the weak evaluation of the quality of electronic content. Therefore, the study recommends the necessity of providing modern technological and human infrastructure for higher education institutions to activate them neatly to support the continuity of the educational process.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (SPE1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Iryna Didenko ◽  
Olena Filatova ◽  
Lyudmyla Anisimova

The findings of this research allow to assume that after lockdown it might be worth reconsidering the format of learning for Master’s Degree Programs and shift from conventional face-to-face learning to blended or even distance learning.


Author(s):  
Lytvynchuk A.I.

Purpose. Investigation of the peculiarities of psychophysiological characteristics of experiencing a sense of security by participants in the educational process in the process of introducing distance learning.Methods. A narrowly directed questionnaire was used developed by a team of specialists in the field of psychology. Its structure consisted of collecting general information; study of the features of the organization of distance learning and associative ideas about the full-time and distance forms of the educational process (a list of associations to the words-stimuli “distance learning” and “full-time education”); determination of the subjective level of personal safety in various forms of organization of the educational process: in an offline and online environment (5 point scaling: 1 – absolutely safe, 5 – absolutely dangerous environment).Results. There is a contextual significance of the conditions in which the individual feels protected. The organization of educational in a situation of transformation produces new risks and is perceived as a threat. The vast majority of respondents consider distance and face-to-face learning to be safe. The same percentage of respondents as distance learning consider full-time education unequivocally dangerous. It has been found that there is a significant direct link between a sense of security in online and offline learning.Conclusions. It was determined that the subjects who feel dangerous in the educational process feel insecure in any form of training organization. It is shown that respondents who felt comfortable in the traditional form of education will feel some anxiety and require a certain amount of time to adapt to new conditions. It has been proven that distance learning is predominantly perceived as a negative phenomenon that requires a change in the usual order of life. Face-to-face learning is associated with habitual behaviors that are generally perceived as comfortable.A group of associations is identified, which reflects the reflection of the psychophysiological states of the respondents during distance and full-time education. The peculiarity of the representations that are attributed to the group of “psychophysiological” is due to the educational situation in which the participants of the educational process find themselves. Two subgroups have been identified, which are characterized as “somatic” and “psychosomatic” manifestations.Key words: applicants for higher education, scientific and pedagogical workers, subjective sense of security, educational process in the HEI, psychophysiological manifestations of danger in educational activities. Мета. Дослідження особливостей психофізіологічних характеристик переживання почуття безпеки учасниками освітнього процесу впродовж упровадження дистанційної форми навчання.Методи. Було використано розроблений колективом спеціалістів у галузі психології вузько спрямований опитувальник. Його структура складалася зі збору загальної інформації; вивчення особливостей організації дистанційного навчання та асоціативних уявлень про очну та дистанційну форми освітнього процесу (переліку асоціацій до слів-стимулів «дистанційне навчання» та «очне навчання»); визначення субєктивного рівня особистої безпеки за різних форм організації навчального процесу: в офлайн та онлайн середовищі (5-бальне шкалювання: 1 – абсолютно безпечне, 5 – абсолютно небезпечне середовище).Результати. Існує контекстуальна значущість умов, в яких особистість почувається захищеною. Організація освітнього процесу в ситуації трансформацій продукує нові ризики та сприймається як загроза. Переважна більшість респондентів уважає дистанційне та очне навчання безпечним. Однаковий відсоток респондентів уважає однозначно небезпечною як очну форму навчання, так і дистанційну. Встановлено, що існує значущий прямий зв’язок між відчуттям безпеки в онлайн- та офлайн-навчанні.Висновки. Визначено, що досліджувані, які себе почувають небезпечно в освітньому процесі, відчуватимуть незахищеність за будь-якої форми організації навчання. Показано, що респонденти, які почували себе комфортно в традиційній формі навчання, відчуватимуть деяку тривогу та потребуватимуть певного часу на адаптацію до нових умов. Доведено, що дистанційне навчання переважно сприймається як негативне явище, яке вимагає зміни звичного порядку життя. Очне навчання асоціюється зі звичною поведінкою, яка зазвичай сприймається комфортною. Виокремлено групу асоціацій, яка відображає рефлексію психофізіологічних станів респондентів упродовж дистанційного та очного навчання. Особливість уявлень, які віднесено до групи «психофізіо-логічних», зумовлена навчальною ситуацією, в якій опинились учасники освітнього процесу. Виділено дві підгрупи, які охарактеризовано як «соматичні» та «психосоматичні» прояви. Ключові слова: здобувачі вищої освіти, науково-педагогічні працівники, суб’єктивне відчуття безпеки, освітній процес у ЗВО, психофізіологічні прояви безпеки.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 400-410
Author(s):  
Agus Susilo ◽  
Andriana Sofiarini

education in the current Covid-19 pandemic era must be shifted from face-to-face learning systems to distance learning. This online learning requires suitable and appropriate media without reducing the quality of learning. The purpose of this research is the use of WhatsApp Group as a learning medium in universities during the Covid-19 pandemic. The research method used is quantitative research methods. The instrument in this quantitative research is a research questionnaire. To find out the number of research results, it is known by knowing the percentage. The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on education, namely the existence of Covid-19, has changed the education system in Indonesia from various levels. Online learning was carried out after the ban on face-to-face learning during the Covid-19 pandemic. Online learning is carried out by utilizing online media that is relevant to needs. WhatsApp Group as a learning media in Higher Education, which is an online media commonly used in the communication process during a pandemic, was chosen to be used as a medium to support the distance learning system. WhatsApp Group apart from having powerful features, is also easy to reach and cheap in terms of data packages used for distance learning. WhatsApp Group media is a recommendation in the implementation of online learning today. The conclusion is that in the current pandemic era, online distance learning systems must use appropriate and comfortable online media without reducing their quality. WhatsApp is an online learning solution during the pandemic.


2021 ◽  
Vol 127 ◽  
pp. 01009
Author(s):  
Lyudmila Nikolaevna Petrova

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.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document