scholarly journals Creating appropriate online learning environments for female health professionals

Author(s):  
Marise Pinheiro ◽  
Katy Campbell ◽  
Sandra Hirst ◽  
Eugene Krupa

In this study, the experiences of seven female health professionals learning online are examined and, in this context, the implications for online course designs and future research are discussed. The instruments of data collection include individual telephone interviews, journals written by the participants during online courses, and e-mails exchanged by the participants and researcher. The principles of qualitative research are integrated into the process of collecting and analyzing the data. Participants identified lack of face-to-face interaction and overload of work as major challenges to learning online. Increase in confidence and the opportunity to belong to a community of learners were cited as rewards of learning online. In addition, the participants identified preferences for contextual and experiential learning, and for learning environments that foster collaboration. Participants agree that interacting with other classmates, building local support, and developing a mentoring relationship with instructors are key aspects of a successful learning experience.

10.28945/4040 ◽  
2018 ◽  

Aim/Purpose: To investigate anxiety in online courses and its relationship with overall online courses satisfaction as it may vary with online courses experience. Background: Delivering online courses in higher education institutions continue to increase. Anxieties seem to be persistent. Although there are many technology and internet related anxieties studies, online courses anxieties are relatively scarce. The cause for this anxiety has not been resolved or addressed sufficiently. This study takes part in this quest. Methodology: A fully online course with not face to face interaction was used for the study. A survey methodology approach was used for the anxiety scale measurements. Over 1400 students participated in the survey. Contribution: Students taking online courses continue to be challenged with anxieties. Their experiences (number of courses taken) with online courses may influence their anxieties and satisfaction levels, but that has not been studies. We contribute to this body of literature. Findings: One third of students reported to continue to experience anxiety while taking their online courses. The effect of their anxieties on their satisfaction does not seem to be influenced by their online course experience. Recommendations for Practitioners: Focus on the various elements that may influence anxieties and satisfaction of students while taking courses. For IT designers, interface and point of interactions may be the aspect to pay attention to, while professors would need to consider course pedagogy and its interaction within the IT learning environment. Recommendation for Researchers: Anxiety in online learning should take front stage as it represents an underlying stream of influence on all research in the field. Further study of the effect of online course experience on satisfaction and anxiety is necessary. Impact on Society: Anxiety in learning has many detrimental effects that last a student’s career and personality over their entire life. The impact of reducing anxieties while online learning is significant and tangible especially that online learning is at its initial stages of an exponential growth and will change the world sooner than later. Future Research: Pedagogy for efficient and effective online courses to reduce anxieties and in-crease satisfaction.


Author(s):  
Sharon Stoerger

By definition, presence makes individuals feel connected and part of a community. Yet, creating presence among the students and their instructor does not happen automatically and can be especially challenging to develop in online courses. In these learning environments, interactions are frequently text-based and asynchronous. The visual and auditory cues generally associated with face-to-face interactions are absent. However, easy-to-use, inexpensive technologies to create audio and video content are emerging, and they can foster presence in educational settings. This chapter investigates the use of rich media to promote social, cognitive, and teaching presence. Specifically, instructor-created videos were used to enhance the sense of presence in a fully online course. Responses to surveys, reflections, and unstructured follow-up interviews suggest that students prefer the richer mode of communication, indicating that they felt a greater connection to the instructor as well as their classmates.


Author(s):  
Imelda Hermilinda Abas ◽  
Ngoge Tabley Amos

The Coronavirus has changed the world in many ways, including education. The epidemic outbreak led to the conversion of courses in many schools and universities from traditional face-to-face classrooms to virtual courses. This situation is a major challenge in a country like Kenya, where IT facilities remain basic. Not all students have the advantage of technological conditions or a supportive family environment. This qualitative case study design is aimed to explore how students portrayed their participation in remote online courses. This study focuses on the experiences of six Standard Eight students in one of the elementary schools in Kisii, Kenya, with ages between 13-15 years old, to cope with multilevel challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic. The data were collected through semi-structured telephone interviews with each participant after permissions were acquired from the students’ parents or guardians. The findings of the study show six emergent themes and sub-themes. The themes that emerged from the interviews are 1) Course descriptions; 2) learning experience; 3) Delivery methods; 4) Materials; 5) Interactions; 6) Challenges.


Author(s):  
D. Thammi Raju ◽  
G. R. K. Murthy ◽  
S. B. Khade ◽  
B. Padmaja ◽  
B. S. Yashavanth ◽  
...  

Building an effective online course requires an understanding of learning analytics. The study assumes significance in the COVID 19 pandemic situation as there is a sudden surge in online courses. Analysis of the online course using the data generated from the Moodle Learning Management System (LMS), Google Forms and Google Analytics was carried out to understand the tenants of an effective online course. About 515 learners participated in the initial pre-training needs & expectations’ survey and 472 learners gave feedback at the end, apart from the real-time data generated from LMS and Google Analytics during the course period. This case study analysed online learning behaviour and the supporting learning environment and suggest critical factors to be at the centre stage in the design and development of online courses; leads to the improved online learning experience and thus the quality of education. User needs, quality of resources and effectiveness of online courses are equally important in taking further online courses.


BioMedica ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (2S) ◽  
pp. 78-80
Author(s):  
Nasir Shah

<p>In the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, global trend for launching online courses and trainings regarding risk factors, acquisition, diagnosis, clinical presentation, management and prevention of COVID-19 is cresting. Department of Family Medicine at University of Health Sciences Lahore introduced a 2-hours online course where a total of 39993 health professionals from all over the world were enrolled and 32000 participants completed the course with encouraging feedback.</p>


2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Darin R Oviatt ◽  
Charles R. Graham ◽  
Jered Borup ◽  
Randall S Davies

Research has suggested that independent study students may benefit from engaging with a proximate community of engagement (PCE) while completing an online course and that they perceive that such engagement will help them succeed. Independent Study students were surveyed at the completion of their course to assess the level at which they actually interacted with a PCE. Survey findings were confirmed with follow-up interviews with students and their parents to triangulate survey data. Findings revealed that students in the study interacted with a PCE when completing the course. The percentage of students actually engaging with a PCE was lower than the percentages of students from a previous study who perceived that such engagement would be helpful. The research suggests that students made aware of the benefits of a PCE at the beginning of the course, and who receive coaching to curate that community as an assignment in the course, will be more likely to receive the learning benefits of community engagement. Future research to confirm the value of engaging with a proximate community, identifying most helpful and effective interactions, and helping students curate such a community were proposed. Keywords: Independent study, adolescent, online courses, online community, adolescent community of engagement, proximate community of engagement


Author(s):  
Jose Luis Monroy Anton ◽  
Juan Vicente Izquierdo Soriano ◽  
Maria Isabel Asensio Martinez ◽  
Felix Buendia Garcia

The healthcare sector in the 21st century presents a big technological development. All fields of medicine are deepening their knowledge, which increases the volume of material that must be handled by professionals in each specialty. This large volume of material should be taken into account by health professionals, because it contributes to a better quality of care. The traditional way of teaching has been face-to-face classes; however, with rising technologies, virtual training via computers and virtual teachers are being implemented in some institutions. This change in the way of teaching also leads to changes in how to assess the knowledge gained through this method of learning. The aim of this chapter is to provide a small analysis of online training courses for health professionals, and deepen into an appraisal system developed to integrate different complementary variables, and how they can be implemented as a method addressed to assess online courses in a more comprehensive way.


Author(s):  
Dan Piedra

Part-time instructors are at the heart of each continuing education operation throughout the world. They bring a wealth of industry experience which adds real-life undertones to classes. However, many lack foundational training in areas of instructional strategies and adult education theory, learning management systems (LMS) and their use in online courses, and course design and development. This chapter will provide an overview of how McMaster University's Centre for Continuing Education has addressed all three of the above areas with a view towards better equipping their part-time instructors in providing a better-quality learning experience. Central to the above is the use of online training and a thorough and highly structured approach to online course development.


Author(s):  
Dan Piedra

Part-time instructors are at the heart of each continuing education operation throughout the world. They bring a wealth of industry experience which adds real-life undertones to classes. However, many lack foundational training in areas of instructional strategies and adult education theory, learning management systems (LMS) and their use in online courses, and course design and development. This chapter will provide an overview of how McMaster University's Centre for Continuing Education has addressed all three of the above areas with a view towards better equipping their part-time instructors in providing a better-quality learning experience. Central to the above is the use of online training and a thorough and highly structured approach to online course development.


Author(s):  
Kun Huang ◽  
Sang Joon Lee ◽  
Ashley Dugan

The Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework has been widely used to guide the research and practice of online courses. In the CoI framework, three essential elements were identified to be critical for a successful online learning experience: social, cognitive, and teaching presences. While the three presences are overlapping and interdependent, teaching presence is known to be key to the creation of a community of inquiry by addressing cognitive and social issues. Starting with an overview of the CoI framework, this chapter mainly focuses on teaching presence and its two dimensions: instructional design and organization and directed facilitation. Specific strategies and examples for each dimension to leveraging teaching presence in a technology-rich online course are presented and described. In addition, a student's learning experience in the course is also shared to provide a student's perspective of the strategies.


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