scholarly journals I Would Have Had More Success If: Student Reflections On Their Performance In Online And Blended Courses

2010 ◽  
Vol 3 (11) ◽  
pp. 13-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Sherrie Lewis
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Administrative Support ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Course Materials ◽  
Blended Courses ◽  
Learner Perceptions ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Student Reflections

Anecdotal research is a common phenomenon in the study of distance education.  In an effort to review some of the factors that affect student satisfaction, an existing instrument was used to gauge learner perceptions of online interaction/communication, learning and performance, collaboration, hardware and software issues and the quality of support. According to some authors, use of samples of convenience and small study populations, the conclusions drawn by Yu and Brandenburg (2006) could not be generalized across differing student populations.  In an effort to create some generalizable conclusions regarding student perceptions, surveys contained some of Yu and Brandenburg’s (2006) inquiries on communication, interaction, perceptions of the instructor, course materials and the availability of student support services in online and blended courses. Questions on student demographic data were also included.  The purpose of this study is to examine some of the ideas associated with existing distance education research.  It was hypothesized that students would have had more success if 1) they had more time to interact with other students, 2) knew what the course expectations were prior to registration, c) they had access to a newer computer, and 4) they had administrative support. 

Challenges of Online Exam Systems in the COVID-19 Pandemic Era

2022 ◽  
pp. 108-136
Author(s):  
Ahu Genis-Gruber ◽  
Gerold Weisz
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Technical Support ◽  
Descriptive Statistics ◽  
Online Course ◽  
Video Content ◽  
Course Content ◽  
Exam System ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Online Format

The swift conversion of courses to online format and online exam systems has identified the COVID-19 pandemic era. All educators on the globe have faced the obstacles of abrupt adoption of distance education learning methods. This unexpected shift has presented numerous challenges as preparing an online course content requires developing detailed course plan design, audio and video content, and technical support equipment. This chapter focuses on determining the problems and developing solutions based on the student perceptions about the online exams, which were compulsorily transitioned during the pandemic process. A survey about student perceptions of online exams has been developed and applied to the students after they have taken the exam. Descriptive statistics is used to analyze the data. E-assessment of perception about the online exam system and its impacts on motivation and performance are discussed, and suggestions to improve the system are provided in the chapter.

Blended Courses as Drivers of Institutional Transformation

2011 ◽  
pp. 17-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles Dziuban ◽  
Joel Hartman ◽  
Thomas B. Cavanagh ◽  
Patsy D. Moskal
Keyword(s):  
Blended Learning ◽  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Research University ◽  
Institutional Transformation ◽  
Transformational Process ◽  
Blended Courses ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
The Impact

The authors discuss the transformational potential of blended learning and the importance of alignment with strategic initiatives of the institution. They show that key elements for student and faculty support result in numerous positive outcomes, including increased access and the ability to manage growth effectively. Research findings with very large student samples show the impact of blended learning on student achievement, identify predictors of student success, and illustrate correlates of student satisfaction with blended learning when ambivalent feelings mediate student perceptions of the educational environment. By illustrating these principles through a case study in a large metropolitan research university, the authors contend that strategic alignment and evaluation results inform each other in an incremental, transformational process.

Active physiology learning in a diverse class: an analysis of medical student responses in terms of sex, home language, and self-reported test performance

2012 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 116-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan B. Higgins-Opitz ◽  
Mark Tufts
Keyword(s):  
Student Performance ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Test Performance ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Home Language ◽  
Student Body ◽  
Student Responses ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
And Performance

The student body at the Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine (NRMSM) is very diverse, representing many cultures, religions, and languages. Research has shown that weakness in English can impact student performance. Recent studies have also highlighted sex-based differences in students' learning and listening styles. These factors pose both challenges and opportunities for teachers of physiology. Student presentations were incorporated for a number of years into the traditional didactic second-year medical physiology curriculum at the NRMSM. Feedback obtained about the perceived benefits of these presentations for the learning of gastrointestinal and endocrine physiology included demographic data pertaining to students' sex, home language, and self-reported performance in tests. Analysis of the 50-item questionnaire responses, obtained over a 2-yr period, provided some interesting insights. Student responses to the items differed significantly in 27 of the 50 items in the questionnaire, based on sex alone (22%), sex and home language (7%), home language alone (37%), performance alone (26%), and performance and home language (7%). Our analyses of student perceptions support the findings of other studies and show that factors such as sex, home language, and student performance can play an important role in the way students are motivated to learn. In designing active learning strategies, academics need to take into account the potential influences that might affect student learning in diverse, multicultural, and multilingual classes.

scholarly journals From Drug Literature Evaluation to Evidence-Based Medicine: Transforming the Focus of a First Year Pharmacy Curriculum

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shannon Reidt ◽  
Keri Hager ◽  
James Beattie ◽  
Amy Pittenger ◽  
Maureen Smith ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Student Performance ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Evidence Based Medicine ◽  
Integrated Design ◽  
First Year ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Pharmacy Curriculum ◽  
Based Medicine

This case study describes a longitudinal curricular sequence implemented to teach evidence-based medicine (EBM) skills. The longitudinal sequence is innovative in its approach, design, and assessment of EBM. This approach moves away from the conventional strategy of teaching drug information and drug literature evaluation as stand-alone courses and instead embraces the EBM Framework and its use in the context of authentic problem solving. The EBM Framework—Ask, Acquire, Appraise, and Apply—was used as the basis for defining seven EBM skills. These skills were targeted in the evidence-based, integrated design of 17 learning episodes delivered with eight faculty members through six courses in the first year. Student perceptions of relevance of EBM and performance on assessments and learning activities throughout the sequence suggest that integrating EBM across the first year of the curriculum is an effective strategy for teaching EBM skills. Three themes emerged from analysis of the data and experience, including the need for: a strong teaching team, a whole task approach with a focus on solving authentic problems, and care in interpreting the progression of assessments and patterns of student performance. Through instructor observations and peer review, the longitudinal sequence has been refined and has had an impact on the rest of the curriculum.   Type: Case Study

scholarly journals Does self-modulated learning vs. algorithm-regulated learning of dermatology morphology affect learning efficiency of medical students?

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. e82-90
Author(s):  
Danya Traboulsi ◽  
Jori Hardin ◽  
Laurie Parsons ◽  
Jason Waechter
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Skill Acquisition ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
The Self ◽  
First Year ◽  
Immediate Feedback ◽  
Learning Efficiency ◽  
Post Test ◽  
First Year Medical Students

Background: Deliberate practice is an important method of skill acquisition and is under-utilized in dermatology training. We delivered a dermatologic morphology training module with immediate feedback for first year medical students. Our goal was to determine whether there are differences in accuracy and learning efficiency between self-regulated and algorithm-regulated groups. Methods: First year medical students at the University of Calgary completed a dermatologic morphology module. We randomly assigned them to either a self-regulated arm (students removed cases from the practice pool at their discretion) or an algorithm-regulated arm (an algorithm determined when a case would be removed). We then administered a pre-survey, pre-test, post-test, and post-survey. Data collected included mean diagnostic accuracy of the practice sessions and tests, and the time spent practicing. The surveys assessed demographic data and student satisfaction. Results: Students in the algorithm-regulated arm completed more cases than the self-regulated arm (52.9 vs. 29.3, p<0.001) and spent twice as much time completing the module than the self-regulated participants (34.3 vs. 17.0 min., p<0.001). Mean scores were equivalent between the algorithm- and self-regulated groups for the pre-test (63% vs. 66%, n = 54) and post-test (90% vs. 86%, n = 10), respectively. Both arms demonstrated statistically significant improvement in the post-test. Conclusion: Both the self-regulated and algorithm-regulated arms improved at post-test. Students spent significantly less time practicing in the self-directed arm, suggesting it was more efficient.

scholarly journals Reading with new tools: an evaluation of Personal Digital Assistants as tools for reading course materials

2002 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenny Waycott
Keyword(s):  
Activity Theory ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Personal Digital Assistants ◽  
Learning Tools ◽  
Desktop Computer ◽  
Course Materials ◽  
Reading Activity ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Opening Up ◽  
Small Screen

Lightweight, palmtop devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs) can now be used for reading electronic text, opening up their potential as learning tools. This paper reports a study that evaluated the use of PDAs for reading course materials by students on an Open University master's course. The research is grounded in activity theory, which provides a useful framework for examining how the introduction of a new tool changes an existing activity. Student perceptions of the possibilities and constraints of the PDA, as determined by questionnaires and interviews, reveal the impact the new tool had upon reading. The PDA constrained reading with limitations such as the small screen size, new requirements for navigating through the text and awkward methods for taking notes. These conditions made it difficult for students to skim-read the text, to move back and forth within the document and to interact with the text as easily as they could with paper. Nevertheless, students welcomed the opportunity to have the course materials on a portable, lightweight device that could be used at any time and in any place. This made it easier to fit the reading activity around the various other activities in which students were involved In addition, the PDA was used in conjunction with existing tools, such as the printed version of the course materials and the desktop computer. Therefore, it was not seen to replace paper but rather to extend and complement it. The findings are discussed using concepts from activity theory to interpret how the new tool modified the reading activity.DOI:10.1080/0968776020100205

scholarly journals Evaluation of a Teaching Assistant Program in Online Education

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shelley N Armstrong ◽  
Kirsten Lupinski ◽  
Michelle M Burcin ◽  
Kimberly Kato ◽  
Marsha Kaufman
Keyword(s):  
Online Education ◽  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Administrative Support ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Virtual Classroom ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Traditional Practice ◽  
Online Student ◽  
Undergraduate Programs

Online student success is determined by several factors, including learning effectiveness, access (academic, technical, and administrative support), faculty satisfaction, and student satisfaction. These factors are part of the Online Learning Consortium’s Pillars of Quality Online Education, which were established to ensure all students are provided a quality education, with high levels of student engagement, instructor feedback and interaction, and experiential learning opportunities. Using Teaching Assistants (TAs) in the virtual classroom is not a traditional practice for most online institutions, but is a strategy that can have a positive impact on these factors. This exploratory research study discusses a TA program that was developed, implemented, and evaluated over 3 years. Fifteen (<em>n</em> = 15) doctoral students were hired to provide teaching support to high-risk courses in the undergraduate programs. Background, recruitment, onboarding, division of course responsibilities, data, and outcomes of the 3-year TA programs are discussed in alignment with the five pillars. Findings suggest the addition of TAs in online education is a potentially useful strategy to improve student learning outcomes, scale, access, and faculty and student satisfaction.

scholarly journals Assessing the Administrative Support Needs (Library and Technical) of Allied Health Students Enrolled in a Distance Education Program

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda Carroll-Barefield
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
Education Program ◽  
Support Services ◽  
Research University ◽  
Allied Health ◽  
Administrative Support ◽  
Student Support Services ◽  
Student Support ◽  
Distance Education Program ◽  
Allied Health Students

As more emphasis is placed on offering education to the distance student and monies are spent to provide these services, institutions must ensure they reap the rewards of the investment. One avenue to ensure success in distance education is the implementation of strong student support services. This is a task that will take the teamwork of educators, administrators, instructional technologists/designers, and support personnel. For institutions transitioning to a distance format, measures must be taken to ensure that the learner, no matter what the method of delivery, has access to equivalent student support services. One approach to measuring this aspect is the determination of student satisfaction with the support services offered to distance students. A study was conducted at a public health sciences research university in the Southeast to determine whether the administrative student support services (library and technical) offered at the institution met the educational needs of allied health students enrolled in a distance education program. Results from student questionnaires were analyzed to determine the satisfaction level of distance students with administrative (library and technical) student support services. Overall responses showed that allied health students enrolled in a distance education program were satisfied with the existing student support services (library and technical) offered by the institution. Narrative responses from the participants reinforced a common theme that although the students were satisfied with the services, more emphasis needed to be placed on library and technical support services that are available to distance education students during the program orientation.

Distance Education and ‘Discovery Learning’ in First-year Journalism: A Case in Subject Improvement

2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 214-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kate Ames
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Discovery Learning ◽  
First Year ◽  
Education Students ◽  
Education Environment ◽  
Education Model ◽  
Assessment Requirements ◽  
Social Constructivist Approach

This article examines the implications of adopting a discovery learning education model for distance education students in a first-year undergraduate journalism subject. It reviews subject enhancement strategies against learning theory and analyzes the ways students are engaged with subject content and assessment. Results of subject redesign included increased student satisfaction, greater retention and higher grades despite the increase in overall assessment requirements. It demonstrates that discovery learning based on group work and social engagement can be adopted in a distance education environment with positive outcomes. This article maps how a subject designed initially to align with a cognitivist/behaviourist model progressed to adopting a social constructivist approach. It concludes with a discussion of the issues associated with that transition.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document