University Students' Attitudes Toward Online Learning in a Blended Learning Environment

Author(s):  
Yue Zhu ◽  
Wing Au ◽  
Greg Yates
2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (100) ◽  
pp. 2-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Audronė Dumčienė ◽  
Tomas Saulius ◽  
Audrius Čapskas

Background. E-learning is a new paradigm of modern teaching methods. The aim of the paper was to reveal the university students’ attitudes towards e-learning. Methods. Research sample involved undergraduate (first cycle) and postgraduate (second cycle) students of three different universities, 156 men and 278 women. Questionnaire was comprised of 60 questions and statements. Results. Research reveals that 40% of undergraduates and 42% of postgraduates positively treat e-learning as the method of study content presentation; 23% of undergraduate and 38% postgraduate students believe that study content presented in e-learning environment helps them focus attention; 61% of the undergraduates and 59% of postgraduate students claim that materials accessible in e-learning environment are relevant to their studies. Even 37% of undergraduates and 34% of postgraduates are completely satisfied with their study results achieved by studying materials presented in e-learning environment. Attitudes of male and female students and students from different universities differ significantly (p < .05). About 40% of undergraduate and 36% of postgraduate students believe that studying via e-learning is easier than studying based on traditional methods, 48% and 44% respectively think that it is harder. The majority, i.e. 59% of undergraduates and 52% of postgraduates, prefer blended learning methods. About 42% of first cycle students and 43% of second cycle students disagree or partly disagree with the claim that studies via e-learning and studies based on traditional methods do not differ in respect of their quality; 38% of undergraduate and 42% of postgraduate students believe that e-learning and traditional methods lead to the acquisition of the same competences. Students who have part-time jobs and students who have full-time jobs have significantly different (p < .05) attitudes towards competences acquired via e-learning and via traditional methods. The opinion that the same competences are acquired via e-learning and via traditional methods is more common among full-time workers. Students (45% of undergraduates and 37% of postgraduates) tend to believe that in the e-learning environment studies were organized as professionally, qualitatively and effectively as studies based on traditional methods. This view is opposed by 22% of undergraduate and 30% of postgraduate students. Conclusions. Students treat traditional (“live”) lectures more favourably than autonomous studies in the e-learning environment. They tend to believe that the blended learning method is the most acceptable. Male students’ and female students’ attitudes towards study results in the e-learning environment differ significantly. The majority believe that competences acquired via e-learning and the ones acquired via traditional methods do not differ.


2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-23
Author(s):  
Tilagavati Subramaniam ◽  
Muthu Alagan Thangavelu

Purposes: This paper presents a conceptual framework for teaching sustainable development courses in an online learning environment in institutions of higher education.  Sustainability development courses are becoming essential in higher education institutions mainly to educate the younger generations who will be part of the community to make it happen. Higher education institutions are experiencing dramatic shift to cater a young generation of prospective students, to integrate technical innovations in teaching practices and to concentrate on increasing concerns about global sustainability issues. There has been little research to promote an innovative learning in the teaching of sustainable development. The goal of this paper was to create a framework for teaching sustainable development in a virtual learning environment (blended learning) due to the lack of a conceptual framework that could direct this implementation. Findings: Hence, the blended learning method is eco-friendly, whereby protects global environmental resources. For hands-on experiences, students will develop projects to make their campus and community more sustainable. In the process, students learn how to analyse sustainability and able to apply online learning knowledge into practice. Implication: The conceptual framework proposed will support all educators in higher education institutions engaged in the promotion of quality online education in this pandemic circumstance to develop an effective online practise that are aligned with the corresponding learning needs, skills and facilities.


2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 11-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emine Cabı ◽  
Yasemin Gülbahar

This study is conducted to develop a scale for assessing the effectiveness of blended learning environments based on the features of both face-to-face and online learning environments and provide suggestions for stakeholders. In the process of scale development, data gathered from 314 students were analyzed. The reliability and validity results for collected data were found to be acceptable since they were between or above the expected value. Based on the analysis it is found that the scale is composed of 55 items having a structure of 4 factors. Hence, it can be concluded that "Effectiveness of Blended Learning Environments Scale" is found as reliable and valid, and can measure what it aims to measure. Blended Learning Environment Scale, which was developed and analyzed for reliability and validity throughout this study, is expected to facilitate the further research studies that focused on blended learning environments.


Author(s):  
Miladin Stefanovic ◽  
Milan Matijevic ◽  
Vladimir Cvjetkovic

Blended learning is a mixture of online learning and face-to-face activities. Online learning suffers from a lack of practical and laboratory work which is mandatory for learning in many specific fields. Adult training is also mainly focused on knowledge related to specific useful competencies and practical skills so practical training is an inseparable part of adult learning and training. Web laboratories with remotely controlled laboratory experiments should provide a necessary practical component in the concept of online learning. There are many different classifications, implementations and usages of web laboratories. This chapter deals with web laboratories, trying to define a framework for the development of web laboratories, to define pre-requests, architecture and software realization of web based laboratories and to find the right blend. This chapter also presents the contribution of web laboratories in blended learning and other possible benefits for the concept of blended learning for adults.


Author(s):  
Silvia L. Braidic

This paper introduces the reader on how to foster successful learning communities to meet the diverse needs of university students by creating a brain based online learning environment. Students come in all shapes and sizes. At the university level, students enrolled in online programs, have made a choice to do so. Today, online education is a unique and important venue for many students wishing to continue (or start) their education. It is part of a new culture with many distinct characteristics (Farrell, 2001). For instructors, online instruction creates its own set of challenges in terms of the course design and implementation. The author hopes that developing an understanding of how to create a brain based online learning environment will inform the reader of ways to foster successful learning communities to most effectively meet the diverse needs of the students it serves.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 48
Author(s):  
Firdaus Firdaus ◽  
Rifqi Muntaqo ◽  
Eli Trisnowati

<p>Information technology (IT) has provided a new means for online learning outside conventional classrooms. By using IT, blended learning is an approach that gives the best advantage from class and online learning. It is also help the higher education to improve their understanding of how students see blended learning and formulate strategies to successfully implement blended learning. The aim of this research is to examine how students' attitudes towards various aspects of learning which can influence their readiness to participate in blended learning. We provide six aspects of learning and then collect 85 students as respondent. The analysis revealed three main findings. First, the use of technology in education is not an obstacle for students. Second, the ability to follow blended learning are influenced by four things namely attitudes toward online learning, study management, online interaction, and learning flexibility. Third, attitudes toward learning in class have a negative relationship with students' readiness to participate in blended learning. The last, student attitudes towards various aspects of learning can be important in assessing students' readiness for blended learning, which is a prerequisite for the successful application of blended learning.</p><p><em> </em></p><p><strong>Keywords</strong>: Blended learning, industry 4.0, student attitudes</p>


Author(s):  
Safi Mahmoud Mahfouz ◽  
Wael Juma Salam

This study aimed to investigate Jordanian university students’ attitudes toward online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns, shed light on the obstacles students encounter in online learning, and suggest possible solutions. A questionnaire designed by the researchers was used to elicit responses from a study sample consisting of 195 students from the Department of English Language and Literature at the University of Jordan – Aqaba. As this is an attitudinal study, the survey questionnaire was designed to elicit student responses on the following domains: gender, seniority level, socioeconomic status, training and orientation for using eLearning platforms, and their attitudes, whether positive or negative, toward online learning. Results of this quantitative research showed that student attitudes toward online learning are generally negative. The majority of the respondents reported that they prefer face-to-face classroom instruction over online learning because it gives them direct contact with the instructors. Furthermore, results revealed statistically significant differences amongst students attributed to their gender, whereas no differences were found with regards to their seniority of study, socioeconomic status, and the eLearning platform they prefer to use. The study concludes by proposing some pedagogical recommendations.


2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aysan Şentürk ◽  

In this study, a blended learning environment was designed for sixty students from Computer Education and Instructional Technologies Department, taking Programming Languages course. The environment was designed to support self-directed and self-regulated learning. Interviews with open ended questions were used as data collection instruments. According to the qualitative data collected in this study it was concluded that students were satisfied using that learning environment. Key words: blended learning environment, self-directed and self-regulated learning, university students.


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