scholarly journals A Comparison of the Effectiveness of Online Instructional Strategies Optimized With Smart Interactive Tools Versus Traditional Teaching for Postgraduate Students

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ping Wang ◽  
Teng Ma ◽  
Li-Bo Liu ◽  
Chao Shang ◽  
Ping An ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Online Teaching ◽  
Learning Goals ◽  
Online Course ◽  
Learning Effectiveness ◽  
Final Exam ◽  
Postgraduate Students ◽  
Interactive Tools ◽  
Face To Face Learning ◽  
Students Satisfaction ◽  
Lower Performing Students

To solve the problem that lack of interaction in online courses affects motivation and effectiveness of students’ learning, smart interactive tools were introduced into the online Neurobiology course. This study aimed to evaluate the students’ satisfaction with online teaching mode and assess the academically higher and lower performing students’ learning effectiveness in the online course optimized with smart interactive tools compared to face-to-face learning. Descriptive statistics and independent t-tests were used to describe student samples and determine the differences in students’ satisfaction and performance. Reflections of students’ satisfaction revealed that about 65.8% were satisfied with the learning involvement and about 60.5% were satisfied with the class interaction. Almost two-thirds of the class agreed that the smart interactive tools applied in the online course could help them attain their learning goals better. Among all the smart interactive functions, the class quiz was the most effective one in helping students grasp the main points of the course. No significant differences were found between the two teaching modes in the overall and academically higher or lower performing students’ final exam average scores. Compared to each band score of such two teaching modes, no one failed to pass the final exam in the online course, however, three lower-performing students who were taught in the traditional course failed. This study suggested that optimized online teaching with smart interactive tools could produce the same learning effectiveness for the academically lower-performing students as for the higher-performing students. Meanwhile, the instructors could know the learning status in which each student was and perform personalized guidance and improve exam passing rate accordingly.

Insights from pre Covid-19 perceptions of law students on four learning methods: implications for future design of blended learning

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tsipi Heart ◽  
Elad Finklestein ◽  
Menashe Cohen
Keyword(s):  
Social Learning ◽  
Blended Learning ◽  
Contract Law ◽  
Law Students ◽  
Life Assessment ◽  
Learning Effectiveness ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Face To Face Learning ◽  
Students Satisfaction

Purpose The purpose of this study is to assess students’ perceptions of four teaching and learning (T&L) methods used in a blended learning Contract Law course, namely, frontal, written assignments, simulations and online asynchronous T&L. Design/methodology/approach Law students (n = 417) filled in an anonymous questionnaire on their relative satisfaction with the four methods and their preferences. Participation was voluntary. The questionnaire was administered at the end of term, in class, prior to the Covid-19 restrictions. The results were calculated using Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Findings The students preferred face-to-face T&L in class and ranked online T&L last. Notably, 84% preferred blended learning combining all four methods. These results suggest that the online T&L for this Contract Law course setting was unsuccessful and that teachers should experiment with blending various T&L methods to maximize learning effectiveness and students’ satisfaction. Research limitations/implications The results only reflect one course in one year among law students, thus affecting the generalizability of the findings. This is further exacerbated by the convenience sample and the fact that only one type of blending was evaluated. Overall, the findings indicated that the survey participants were not yet ready to embrace online T&L as a primary component of blended T&L. Practical implications This study Alternative online solutions should be sought to foster social learning when face-to-face learning is not feasible for reasons, such as geographic distance, students’ disabilities or the current pandemic that prohibits social gatherings. This conclusion is particularly pertinent with respect to the impact of Covid-19 on face-to-face learning. Designers of blended learning programs should listen more carefully to students’ voices, and bear in mind that minimizing face-to-face T&L for various reasons might jeopardize students’ satisfaction, which is likely to decrease learning effectiveness. Social implications It is important that students’ perceptions be considered when building future T&L programs, especially students’ need for collaborative and social learning. Originality/value This study assessed four T&L methods administered in one course during the pre-Covid-19 era. This setting, which is rare, enabled a real-life assessment of the effectiveness of these popular methods as perceived by students.

scholarly journals Structure and Procedure for Developing an Online Course

2021 ◽  
pp. 83-98
Author(s):  
Chi P. Diep ◽  
Giang T.L. Nguyen ◽  
Nga T. Vo
Keyword(s):  
Classroom Environment ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Virtual Classroom ◽  
Learning Goals ◽  
Online Course ◽  
Asynchronous Learning ◽  
Learning Needs ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Education Experience

Online teaching or e-learning allows learners to participate in a virtual classroom environment based on web and based on digital applications or digital tools, to interact with learning content and (possibly) with teacher and other peers from a long distance to achieve learning goals defined by their learning needs. The article provides some theoretical backgrounds of online teaching related to the advantages and limitations of online teaching, the forms of online teaching (synchronous learning, asynchronous learning, blended learning), structure of implementing an online course supporting dialogical and deep learning. The article also shares the experiences of Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education (HCMUTE) in implementing online teaching, especially asynchronous teaching on learning management systems (LMS, FHQLMS) and gives some recommendations for lecturers to improve the quality of organizing online courses. Based on the theoretical analysis method with the literature review and the synthesis of practical education experience from HCMUTE, a four-step and 5W-1H online course design process is suggested

scholarly journals Spanish Adult Students’ Intention- Behaviour Toward MOOCs During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 531-551
Author(s):  
Mª. Angeles Escobar-Alvarez ◽  
Julie Ciancio
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
Adult Students ◽  
Online Course ◽  
Specific Content ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Massive Open Online Course ◽  
Academic Level ◽  
Face To Face Learning ◽  
Entry Qualifications ◽  
Students Satisfaction

Many Spanish students need to learn English beyond the age of 25 to be able to find a job or be further promoted. Unfortunately, those who attempt to pass a university entry-qualifications test often lack the required academic level. To help them achieve this goal, they are usually provided with learning materials and supportive digital resources. During the covid-19 pandemic, the need for online resources increased. This is why the National Distance Education University offered a massive open online course (mooc) on elementary English. The main goal of this contrastive qualitative study was twofold: First, it attempted to explore adult students’ intention-behaviour while taking the course. Secondly it delved into students’ satisfaction with this type of courses during two different years: 2017 and 2020 when the pandemic had a clear impact on distance education. For this purpose, the study used a comprehensive post-questionnaire given at the end of both courses. The data revealed a few significant differences regarding students’ satisfaction, intentions, perceptions, and interests in contexts where face-to-face-learning was not an option. These findings suggest that mooc should be considered as an alternative way to build specific content in situations of crisis.

scholarly journals Structure and Procedure for Developing an Online Course

2021 ◽  
pp. 83-98
Author(s):  
Chi P. Diep ◽  
Giang T.L. Nguyen ◽  
Nga T. Vo
Keyword(s):  
Classroom Environment ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Virtual Classroom ◽  
Learning Goals ◽  
Online Course ◽  
Asynchronous Learning ◽  
Learning Needs ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Education Experience

Online teaching or e-learning allows learners to participate in a virtual classroom environment based on web and based on digital applications or digital tools, to interact with learning content and (possibly) with teacher and other peers from a long distance to achieve learning goals defined by their learning needs. The article provides some theoretical backgrounds of online teaching related to the advantages and limitations of online teaching, the forms of online teaching (synchronous learning, asynchronous learning, blended learning), structure of implementing an online course supporting dialogical and deep learning. The article also shares the experiences of Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education (HCMUTE) in implementing online teaching, especially asynchronous teaching on learning management systems (LMS, FHQLMS) and gives some recommendations for lecturers to improve the quality of organizing online courses. Based on the theoretical analysis method with the literature review and the synthesis of practical education experience from HCMUTE, a four-step and 5W-1H online course design process is suggested

Benefits of Using the Invertebrate Model Organism C. Elegans in an Inquiry-Based Laboratory Activity

2021 ◽  
pp. 009862832110296
Author(s):  
Angy J. Kallarackal
Keyword(s):  
American Psychological Association ◽  
Model Organism ◽  
Learning Goals ◽  
Research Skills ◽  
Final Exam ◽  
Laboratory Activity ◽  
Writing Ability ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Invertebrate Model ◽  
Laboratory Experiences

Background: The goals of laboratory experiences include developing knowledge base, research skills, and scientific communication abilities. Objective: The aim was to assess an inquiry-based laboratory activity using the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans in relation to learning goals. Method: Students in a Biopsychology laboratory course worked in groups to test the effect of various drugs (e.g., nicotine, ethanol, fluoxetine, and melatonin) on C. elegans behavior. The activity included literature review, experimental design, and a final lab report. A cumulative final exam included a synaptic communication question related to the content of the activity. Results: Students showed better retention of laboratory-related content compared to other topics from the course, as demonstrated through performance on the final exam and were able to replicate previous research demonstrating effects of drug on locomotion. However, students did not improve writing ability compared to performance on a previous American Psychological Association style lab report. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that using a student-designed, multi-week laboratory assignment in an undergraduate Biopsychology course supports the growth of psychology knowledge and the development of research skills. Teaching Implications: Instructors should consider using the described laboratory activity for biopsychology or behavioral neuroscience classes or consider similarly designed laboratory formats for other courses in Psychology.

scholarly journals Self‐Assessment Quiz Taking Behaviour Analysis in an Online Course

2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 15-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasin Ozarslan ◽  
Ozlem Ozan
Keyword(s):  
Online Course ◽  
Distance Learners ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Final Exam ◽  
Undergraduate Level ◽  
Chi Square Test ◽  
Learner Profile ◽  
Exam Scores ◽  
And Gender

AbstractSelf-assessment is vital for online learning since it is one of the most essential skills of distance learners. In this respect, the purpose of this study was to understand learners’ self-assessment quiz taking behaviours in an undergraduate level online course. We tried to figure out whether there is a relation between self-assessment quiz taking behaviours and final exam scores or not. In addition, we investigated how self-assessment quiz taking behaviour differs with respect to learner profile. In line with this purpose, 677 students’ 6092 test events across Project Culture course on Sakai CLE LMS were analyzed. For the analysis of the quantitative data, one-way ANOVA, Chi-Square test of independence, independent-samples t-test and descriptive statistics were utilized. The results revealed that learners who attended self-assessment quizzes regularly had higher final exam scores than others who did not attend those quizzes. Also, they were more satisfied with the course than others study field. In addition, learners who attended selfassessment quizzes regularly had a higher degree of perceived learning. However, number of attempts to those quizzes does not have an effect on final exam scores. On the other hand, a statistically significant relationship was found between attempt number and gender in favour of female learners.

Transforming higher education in Ghana in times of disruption: flexible learning in rural communities with high latency internet connectivity

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Harry Barton Essel ◽  
Dimitrios Vlachopoulos ◽  
Dickson Adom ◽  
Akosua Tachie-Menson
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Cell Phone ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Internet Connectivity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Postgraduate Students ◽  
Video Teleconferencing ◽  
A Cell

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore the characteristics and potential effects of teaching and learning through audio teleconferencing (dial-in) with a cell phone. In addition, the study aims to identify the associations between the audio teleconferencing and video teleconferencing in a 12-week postgraduate course. Design/methodology/approach The study is a cross-sectional survey conducted at the Department of Educational Innovations at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology from March to June 2020. The purposive sampling technique was used to sample 100 postgraduate students who registered for a course in the department. The data for the study were collected using the System Usability Scale (SUS) and 17-item self-administered eQuestionnaire. Multiple Linear Regression analysis, ANOVA, Independent sample T-test and Mann–Whitney U-test were used to estimate the differences in course achievements of students who experienced education through audio teleconferencing and those who experienced education through video teleconferencing. Findings In total, 59% of the participating postgraduate students chose to attend the synchronous online lectures via audio teleconferencing (dial-in). The participants gave a high SUS score (SUS > 80.3; Grade A; Excellent) for audio conferencing service. Among the students in the audio teleconferencing cohort, the results evidenced a strong positive linear correlation, (r (57) = 0.79, p < 0.05), between the individual adjective ratings and the SUS scores. There was marginal significance among demography of students in the audio teleconference (AT) cohort with regards to their perception about the dial-in lecture. There was no statistically significant difference, (t (98) = 1.88, p = 0.063), in the achievement test for AT students and video teleconference (VT) students. The instructors and the students were satisfied with the AT. Practical implications Based on the students’ preference, AT offers equal benefit as VT with regards to system satisfaction and perceived quality of online teaching. AT, as teaching modality, should be an option for students who reside in communities with high latency internet connectivity. It is recommended that instructors are trained on how to engage and motivate students via AT. Originality/value Higher education institutions in Ghana are facing decisions about how to continue learning and teaching through flexible pedagogy, while keeping their faculty members and students protected from the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of these institutions have canceled the brick-and-mortar education and other conventional learning practices and have instructed faculty to adopt online teaching through synchronous video teleconferencing platforms. However, the learning experience is not the same for students who reside in remote or rural communities with low bandwidth. There is very little research in this topic, especially in developing countries like Ghana, and the present study aims to bridge the gap in the literature by exploring the characteristics and potential effects of teaching and learning through audio teleconferencing (dial-in) with a cell phone, in the context of a 12-week postgraduate course.

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