scholarly journals The Perceived Effectiveness of Student Engagement Strategies in Open and Distance Learning

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Zaemah Abdul Kadir ◽  
Faizah Mohamad ◽  
Nor Azah Mohd Rathi ◽  
Muhammad Haziq Abdul Rashid

Student engagement is critical in online learning because it makes students feel more satisfied and motivated to learn. This study investigated how university students perceive various engagement tactics employed in online courses during the Covid 19 pandemic. Student engagement was measured using Moore's interaction framework. It implemented non-experimental quantitative research design through a survey with descriptive and causal-comparative approaches. A 29-item survey on learner-to-learner, learner-to-instructor, and learner-to-content engagement strategies was completed by 181 students from School of Engineering at Universiti Teknologi MARA. The students considered learner-to-content interactions to be the most engaging technique, according to the research. Learner-to-instructor interactions were the next most engaging method, while learner-to-learner interactions were the least engaging. Additionally, the most engaging technique is for them to search for and select appropriate materials in the learner-to-content category depending on their interests. Working jointly using online communication technologies to accomplish case studies, projects, or reports was deemed the most interesting technique by students in the learner-to-learner category. In the learner-to-instructor category, an email reminder or periodical notification is likewise regarded as the most engaging method. All three engagement mechanisms were shown to be interrelated, with learner-to-learner interactions heavily influencing learner-to-learner interactions. Mechanical engineering students were shown to be better at perceiving and implementing these tactics than students from the colleges of electrical, chemical, and civil engineering. It is believed that the findings of the present study will assist teachers and lecturers in increasing their participation in online courses.

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Florence Martin ◽  
Doris U Bolliger

Student engagement increases student satisfaction, enhances student motivation to learn, reduces the sense of isolation, and improves student performance in online courses. This survey-based research study examines student perception on various engagement strategies used in online courses based on Moore’s interaction framework. One hundred and fifty five students completed a 38-item survey on learner-to-learner, learner-to-instructor, and learner-to-content engagement strategies. Learner-to-instructor engagement strategies seemed to be most valued among the three categories. Icebreaker/introduction discussions and working collaboratively using online communication tools was rated the most beneficial engagement strategy in the learner-to-learner category, whereas sending regular announcements or e-mail reminders and providing grading rubrics for all assignments was rated the most beneficial in learner to instructor category. In the student-content category, students mentioned working on real world projects and having discussions with structured or guiding questions were the most beneficial. This study also analyzed age, gender, and online learning years of experience differences on their perception of engagement strategies. The results of the study have implications for online instructors, instructional designers, and administrators who wish to enhance engagement in the online courses.


Author(s):  
Xiaojing Liu ◽  
Seung-hee Lee ◽  
Curtis J. Bonk ◽  
Richard J. Magjuka ◽  
Shijuan Liu

The applications of advanced communication technology hold promises for high-quality online education. However, there is scant research on the uses of online communication technologies for effective online learning environments. The purpose of this study was to examine several aspects of technology use in a rapidly growing online MBA program in a top ranked university: patterns of technology use, interactivity level of the technology employed, and challenges and issues the instructors encountered when using those technologies. The study concluded that email, course announcements, and asynchronous forums were among the most frequently used technologies by online instructors. Using Roblyer and Ekhaml’s (2000) interaction framework as a guide, technology use was at a low to moderate interactivity level across courses in this program. In general, instructors preferred asynchronous technology over synchronous technology. The challenges, issues, and opportunities of using technology indicated the need to explore the features of interactive technologies more proactively as well as an awareness to incorporate innovative pedagogies into online courses to take advantage of the potential for learner interactivity and engagement online.


2014 ◽  
Vol 38 (9) ◽  
pp. 782-802 ◽  
Author(s):  
Misha Chakraborty ◽  
Fredrick Muyia Nafukho

Purpose – The purpose of this paper was to identify pertinent studies on the important issue of student engagement strategies in online courses and to establish from empirical studies student engagement strategies that work. Design/methodology/approach – The paper adopted the literature review approach. The authors conducted a thorough and systematic search of the literature to find empirical studies focusing on online engagement strategies within the field of education and distance learning. To generate as many relevant publications as possible, both manual and electronic searches were conducted. The databases used included; Academic Search Complete (Ebsco), Social Sciences Full Text (Wilson), ProQuest Education Journals, ProQuest Dissertation and Thesis, ProQuest Central, Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCIISI), ERIC, (Ebsco), SAGE Full-Text Collection (CSA), Google Scholar and Emerald. Findings – The results of this paper revealed the several factors that can create engaging learning experiences for the online learners. The primary factors are as follows: creating and maintaining positive learning environment; building learning community; giving consistent feedback in timely manner; and using the right technology to deliver the right content. Research limitations/implications – The paper is limited, as it is based on a review of literature. Empirical studies need to be conducted to support the ideas generated in this paper. For example, it is proposed that individual and institutional characteristics play an important role in promoting learner satisfaction in online courses. Additional studies that can explore this aspect in detail are needed. Originality/value – The paper has both professional and educational implications. The findings of this paper can help identify areas where the instructors and designers of online classes need to focus. The student engagement strategies for online courses identified should assist both experienced and beginning online instructors in the design and successful delivery of online courses. Students taking online courses should find the results of this study invaluable.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1711
Author(s):  
Maja Batez

Background: (1) The COVID-19 pandemic has generated significant changes in teaching methods around the world, and the ideal of online education has become a reality. (2) Methods: A questionnaire was modified for this study in order to determine the following levels of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) skills: file creation, file management, the use of emails, the use of the internet, and online communication. In total, 360 students from the Faculty of Sports and Physical Education (FSPE), University of Novi Sad, participated in the study. (3) Results: The results show that there are differences between the estimated level of ICT skills and the ICT skills used in online education, such that students estimate their level of ICT skills as being higher than is necessary for online education (p < 0.05). There is also a correlation between the satisfaction with online education and ICT skills, showing that students with higher ICT knowledge are more satisfied with online education (p < 0.05). There is another correlation between the satisfaction with online education and the frequency of ICT use—the more ICTs are included, the more satisfied the students will be (p < 0.05). (4) Conclusions: The results of this study can serve as a recommendation for the implementation of FSPE students’ training in ICT skills, as well as an important basis for the systematic creation, improvement, and sustainability of online education in universities.


2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 475-481
Author(s):  
Kajal Kotecha ◽  
Wilfred Isioma Ukpere ◽  
Madelyn Geldenhuys

The traditional advantage of using Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) to enhance work flexibility also has a drawback of enabling academics to continue working even after regular working hours. This phenomenon has been referred to as technology-assisted supplemental work (TASW). Although TASW enhances academics’ work productively, they also have a negative impact on their family-life. The impact TASW has on academics and on higher education institutions can be understood by measuring the phenomenon properly by using a reliable and valid scale. The aim of this study is too validate a newly developed TASW scale by Fenner and Renn (2010). This study adopted a quantitative research approach and used an online survey to gather data. The sample included academic from a higher education in South Africa (n = 216). The results indicate that the TASW is a valid and reliable measure of technology among the sample of South African academics.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 169-181
Author(s):  
Mohammad Jay ◽  
Michelle Lim ◽  
Khalid Hossain ◽  
Tara White ◽  
Syed Reza Naqvi ◽  
...  

Social media platforms like Facebook are designed to facilitate online communication and networking, primarily around content posted by users. As such, these technologies are being considered as potential enhancements to traditional learning environments. However, various barriers to effective use may arise. Our research investigated the effectiveness of a students-as-partners near-peer moderation project, arising from collaboration between instructors and senior students, as a vehicle for enhancing student interaction in a Facebook group associated with a large introductory science course. The quantity and quality of sample posts and comments from Facebook groups from three successive academic years were evaluated using a rubric that considered characteristics such as civility, content accuracy, critical thinking and psychological support. Two of these groups were moderated by near-peer students while the third group was not moderated.  We found improved course discussion associated with moderated groups in addition to benefits to moderators and the faculty partner. This suggests that near-peer moderation programs working in collaboration with faculty may increase student engagement in social media platforms.


Author(s):  
Darlene A. Smucny ◽  
Courtney Baker ◽  
Monisha Tripathy

High-agency learning activities empower students to take more active roles in their own learning, directed by their interests, curiosities, and choices. Educators, particularly K-12, have long asserted that student choice of learning activities encourages a greater degree of personal engagement with instructional content, leading to more confident, interested, imaginative, and creative students (e.g., Kohn, 1993; Ronan, 2015).  However, implementing these strategies at the college level often proves challenging as course instructors merge learner engagement strategies, such as student choice, while still sufficiently addressing course objectives and content. Additionally, creating  supportive classroom environments that promote “open-ended” assignments at times are met with student resistance. This session is designed to provide ideas and tips to instructors wishing to employ student choice to enhance active learning, imagination, and creativity in their courses.  Presenters will share best practices for implementing student choice in learning activities and assignments, primarily using examples from asynchronous and synchronous online courses across various disciplines at George Mason University. We also will encourage participants to reflect on how learning activities and assignments in their own courses might be adapted to include student choice to promote imagination and creativity in university-level learning across course delivery formats.ReferencesKohn, A. (1993). Choices for Children: Why and How to Let Students Decide. The Phi Delta Kappan, 75(1), 8–20. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/20405017Ronan, A. (2015, March 20). 7 Ways to Hack Your Classroom to Include Student Choice. Retrieved March 16, 2016, from http://www.edudemic.com/7-ways-to-hack-your-classroom/


XLinguae ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 38-48
Author(s):  
Tatiana Aleksandrovna Polushkina ◽  
Elena Genrikhovna Tareva

This paper addresses the issue of transferring L2 prosody teaching to online settings due to the lockdown. The reasons are provided to account for the vulnerable status of pronunciation teaching and related risks. We report the results of the research project carried out in Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology with forty Russianspeaking engineering students. In this study a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods was used. The study first provided a critique of preexisting computer-based pronunciation training (CAPT) options ensuring learning continuity. These options were then analyzed against global educational policies related to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on this understanding, a methodological framework was designed to bridge the gap between prosody teaching goals and digital tools. At the next stage, experimental teaching was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of this framework. Once data from the interviews, rating scales and participant observation were collected, a descriptive analysis of the results was given. The findings showed that the suggested training had an important effect on L2 prosody acquisition by engineering students


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