scholarly journals A usability evaluation of a blended MOOC environment: An experimental case study

Author(s):  
Ahmed Mohamed Fahmy Yousef ◽  
Mohamed Amine Chatti ◽  
Ulrik Schroeder ◽  
Marold Wosnitza

<p>In the past few years, there has been an increasing interest in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) as a new form of Technology-Enhanced Learning (TEL), in higher education and beyond. Recognizing the limitations of standalone MOOCs, blended MOOCs (bMOOCs) that aim at bringing in-class (i.e. face-to-face) interactions and online learning components together have emerged as an alternative MOOC model of teaching and learning in a higher education context. In this paper, we present the design, implementation, and evaluation details of a bMOOC course on “Teaching Methodologies” at Fayoum University, Egypt in cooperation with RWTH Aachen University, Germany, provided using the bMOOC platform L2P-bMOOC. In order to gauge the usability and effectiveness of the course, we employed an evaluation approach based on Conole’s 12 dimensions rubrics, ISONORM 9241/110-S as a general usability evaluation, and a custom effectiveness questionnaire reflecting the different MOOC stakeholder perspectives.</p>

Author(s):  
A. Juan ◽  
J. Faulin ◽  
P. Fonseca ◽  
C. Steegmann ◽  
L. Pla ◽  
...  

This chapter presents a case study of online teaching in Statistics and Operations Research (OR) at the Open University of Catalonia (UOC). UOC is a purely online university with headquarters in Barcelona, Spain, with students from many countries. As common to most math-related knowledge areas, teaching and learning Statistics and OR present difficult challenges in traditional higher education. These issues are exacerbated in online environments where face-to-face interactions between students and instructors as well as among students themselves are limited or non-existent. Despite these difficulties, as evidenced in the global growth of online course offerings, Web-based instruction offers comparative benefits to traditional face-to-face instruction. While there exists a plethora of literature covering experiences and best practices in traditional face-to-face instruction in mathematics, there is a lack of research describing long-term successful experiences in Statistics and OR online courses. Based on the authors’ experiences during the last decade, this chapter aims to share some insights on how to design and develop successful online courses in these knowledge areas.


Author(s):  
Håkan Eftring ◽  
Elinor Jeanette Olaussen ◽  
Helen Petrie ◽  
Merja Saarela ◽  
Tarja Ladonlahti ◽  
...  

The TINEL Project is running a series of camps for staff at higher education institution to support them in developing inclusive eLearning. The first camp was conducted face-to-face, but the coronavirus pandemic meant that the second camp was conducted online. This created a case study in inclusive eLearning in itself and allowed us to experience and reflect on the challenges and opportunities of inclusive online teaching and learning. This paper presents the structure and content of the two camps, our reflections on moving from a face-to-face to an online situation and our elaboration how the UDL principles apply to eLearning to create Universal Design for eLearning (UDeL). We found that because we already had a syllabus for the camp prepared, transferring it to an online camp did not present a great number of challenges. Some aspects of the online situation were actually advantageous (e.g. presenting all materials digitally and making them fully accessible) while others were difficult to overcome (e.g. engaging all participants in online activities and discussions). We provide a set of recommendations of how to implement the three principles of UDL in eLearning situations.


2012 ◽  
pp. 43-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Birgit Loch

This chapter presents a case study of technology integration to support student learning in a first year operations research course at a dual delivery mode university. The course is taken by on-campus and distance students at the same time. It is shown how both groups are treated the same in this course in terms of provision of course material, access to the course learning management system, and to screencasts of live classes and additional explanations. The only difference between the two groups is the on-campus students’ ability to attend live face-to-face classes and to interact with the lecturer. The chapter demonstrates how screencasting is used effectively in online learning. Its objective is to share good practice of technology enhanced learning.


2015 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Suzanne Le-May Sheffield ◽  
Jill Marie McSweeney ◽  
Aaron Panych

Dalhousie University’s Centre for Learning and Teaching offers a Certificate in University Teaching and Learning, which includes a 12-week course entitled Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. This course provides the certificate’s theory component and has evolved to reflect the changing needs of future educators. One significant change is the development of a blended course model that incorporates graded online facilitation, prompted by the recognition that teaching assistants and faculty are increasingly required to teach online or blended (i.e., combining face-to-face and online) courses. This study invited graduate students enrolled in the course to participate in pre- and post-facilitation questionnaires that assessed their awareness, competence, confidence, and attitudes towards online and blended learning. Students recognized the value of the online component for future teaching expertise and experienced increased awareness, competence, and confidence regarding teaching online. However, preference for face-to-face teaching and student learning did not change.  


Author(s):  
Linda J. Castañeda Quintero

Dados los tiempos que corren en todos los ámbitos de nuestro contexto social, económico, cultural y por supuesto tecnológico, la universidad vive un momento en el que debe apostar por innovaciones en la dirección de adaptarse a los cambios y dar respuesta a las necesidades del entorno; siempre en aras de sobrevivir como institución y seguir siendo referente primario de nuestra sociedad. El problema es que debe cambiar, pero sin que antes se hayan clarificados conceptos básicos que le dan su razón de ser y la fundamentan.En este trabajo pretendemos abundar en los modelos más representativos de cambio institucional que se han adoptado en la implementación de TIC en la universidad, para posteriormente hacer una reflexión acerca de cómo esos modelos y la forma que han adoptado en la práctica han creado no pocas paradojas relacionadas con las necesidades de cambio, las formas que adopta dicho cambio y el futuro que puede tener.  AbstractFast expansion of ICT in every side of our society has increased the pressure in traditional higher education institutions to become modern organizations, and has modified the social perception about the need of using new possibilities and models of teaching and learning including ICT (Technology Enhanced Learning). Unfortunately, the general awareness is universities know very well they have to change but they don’t know in which direction they have to do it. Therefore, they have to clarify basic concepts about their reason for being and their basic principles.On this work we will present a first analysis of the most representative models to implement ICT in Universities that institutions around the world have used. From this models and analysing trends around them, we propose some reflexions about how practices have created many paradoxes around the change related to ICT and higher education: how this change could be, how this change already is, and how can we plan better the future of these changes.


Author(s):  
Anne Hole

This case study reports an ongoing project at the University of Sussex seeking to introduce the idea of Open Badges to the institution while exploring some of the practical issues and limiting factors associated with this method of recognising learning. The focus is on piloting Open Badges in workshops and events for staff in order to develop understanding of the advantages and challenges of this form of micro-credentialing. It is hoped that the knowledge gained from this project can be used to identify and support appropriate future staff and student-facing badging initiatives. The project aims to: (i) Develop understanding of Open Badges and their potential in higher education amongst professional service colleagues and academics. (ii) Evaluate tools and processes. (iii) Build capacity to support future projects.The project has begun to meet its aims, there is now an operational badging scheme for Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) staff development workshops; colleagues in student-facing professional services have developed their knowledge and understanding of Open Badges and been supported in the development of plans for badging learner skills and there is increased awareness of Open Badges amongst teaching staff who have attended ‘badged’ workshops. 


2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 3883 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda Daniela ◽  
Anna Visvizi ◽  
Calixto Gutiérrez-Braojos ◽  
Miltiadis Lytras

The field of education is not immune to advances in sophisticated information and communication technology (ICT). Going beyond the ICT-hype, the objective of this paper is to examine to what extent and how technology-enhanced teaching and learning (TEL) can enhance teaching and learning and, hence, turn them into levers of sustainable socio-economic growth and development. To address these questions, a multidimensional survey was developed and distributed internationally to lecturers/professors active in the field of higher education. The initial point of departure for this study was consistent with the well-referenced in the literature thesis that TEL has profound value added in view of enhancing the teaching and learning process. Yet, as the outcomes of the survey underpinning the discussion in this paper suggest, there is much more is at stake than that. Indeed, it is argued that several conditions need to be fulfilled if technology is to serve as a benefit, and not an obstacle to teaching and learning, and thus boost the delivery of quality education. This paper outlines them.


Author(s):  
John Levi Hilton III ◽  
Lane Fischer ◽  
David Wiley ◽  
Linda William

<p class="3"><em>Open Educational Resources</em> (OER) have the potential to replace traditional textbooks in higher education.  Previous studies indicate that use of OER results in high student and faculty satisfaction, lower costs, and similar or better educational outcomes. In this case study, we compared students using traditional textbooks with those using OER at Tidewater Community College to compare their performance on what we call course throughput rates, which is an aggregate of three variables – drop rates, withdrawal rates, and C or better rates. Two self-selecting cohorts were compared over four semesters, with statistically significant results. The study found that, subject to the limitations discussed, students who use OER perform significantly better on the course throughput rate than their peers who use traditional textbooks, in both face-to-face and online courses that use OER. This suggests that OER are a promising avenue for reducing the costs of higher education while increasing academic success.</p>


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katerina Kedraka ◽  
Christos Kaltsidis

<p>Due to the coronavirus crisis, universities worldwide have faced sudden pressure to change from face-to-face delivery of courses to digitally enhanced teaching for distance learning. We present a small case study of 75 students from the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics of the Democritus University of Thrace, Greece on their experiences of the transition from face-to-face to distance learning during this crisis. We used a questionnaire with closed-ended and open-ended questions to record the students’ “fresh” experience of their new educational reality. Students consider distance learning to be interesting, modern, adequate, and convenient, but not able to replace their experience of social interaction with fellow students and teachers. They continue to express worries about lessons, examinations, and laboratory work, which may be due to the specific and high demands of the biosciences. This crisis is an opportunity for universities to improve the use of digital tools for an enhanced learning and teaching experience. This should be supported by investment in digital infrastructure for improving distance learning in higher education.</p><p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0622/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>


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