How Greek Students Experienced Online Education during Covid-19 Pandemic in Order to Adjust to a Post-Lockdown Period

Following an unprecedented situation of confinement due to the Covid-19 pandemic, academic institutions were called to focus on supporting telecommunications technologies. For the first time, Higher Education went completely online. The authors of this research conducted an online voluntary survey where Greek students could answer questions about the distance education, they had experienced during the Covid-19 lockdown, particularly of the synchronous type. The purpose of this research was to investigate the major issues that created impediments to the students, both the technical barriers that made it difficult to communicate, and the teaching/learning challenges raised because of emerging trends. Recognizing the main problems that arose in the educational process during the lockdown period leads to a better communication in the future in the field of distance education. The students were informed about the research by the Student Counseling Center of their universities but also via posts on well-known student content websites. The research results have shown that most students attended synchronous communication online classes (the theoretical and the practical ones) in replacement of their face-to-face lessons. The students pointed out some negative aspects of online education concerning synchronous communication educational practices, but also how their classes were organized and presented. They referred to the main technical difficulties that occurred - on the part of the teacher - preventing a satisfactory communication, as to the practices that stressed them or to the lack of communication between students and teachers they experienced during the lockdown. Nevertheless, despite these problems, most students are interested in continuing online learning in combination with traditional courses in a classroom. Overall, this study provided important, additional information in respect of the students’ perceptions towards online education during the first quarantine.

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Materiais Didáticos para Educação a Distância: Observando Layouts

EAD em FOCO ◽

10.18264/eadf.v6i1.362 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Dorcas Janice Weber ◽

Lia Raquel Oliveira

Keyword(s):

Distance Education ◽

Educational Process ◽

Face To Face ◽

Effective Learning ◽

Educational Processes ◽

Materials Used ◽

Distance Courses ◽

Education Courses ◽

Training Opportunities

A inserção da educação a distância nos processos educativos formais apontou possibilidades de formação em nível superior para aqueles que estão distantes dos centros de formação e, para além disso, desvelou objetos de investigação. Um exemplo disso são os materiais didáticos, tão necessários para a efetivação da aprendizagem na modalidade a distância. A gama de materiais é grande e, por isso, é interessante conhecer o modo como eles vêm sendo desenvolvidos e utilizados por aquelas instituições que ofertam cursos nessa modalidade. É sabido que há necessidades distintas entre os alunos da educação a distância e os de cursos presenciais, que precisam estar contempladas nos materiais didáticos. Mas de fato estão? Considerando a organização do espaço de estudo como importante no processo pedagógico, como os espaços dos materiais didáticos vêm sendo organizados? Que elementos têm sido utilizados para o desenvolvimento de layouts para materiais didáticos utilizados em cursos a distância? Tais questões são tema deste escrito, que busca, a partir de um estudo de caso, observar materiais didáticos produzidos para cursos brasileiros a distância. Um olhar transversal sobre tais materiais aponta semelhanças com os produtos elaborados para a educação presencial, tão conhecida por muitos.Palavras-chave: Educação a distância; Materiais didáticos; Layout.?Didactic Materials for Distance Education: Observing LayoutsAbstract The inclusion of distance education in formal educational processes pointed training opportunities in higher education for those who are distant from training centers and, in addition, unveiled research objects. An example of this are the didactic materials, as necessary for effective learning in the distance. The range of materials is large and therefore it is interesting to know how these are being developed and used by those institutions that offer courses in this modality. It is known that there are different needs among students of distance education and presence courses that need to be addressed in didactic materials. But actually are? Considering the organization of study space as important in the educational process, as the spaces of didactic materials have been organized? What elements have been used to development layouts for the materials used in distance education courses? This questions are theme of this this written that will, with a case study, observe didactic materials produced to Brazilian distance courses. That observation shown us that analyzed materials have similarities with didactic products for face to face education.Keywords: Distance education; Didactic materials; Layout.

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Distance Learning in Greece during Covid-19 Pandemic

Global Research in Higher Education ◽

10.22158/grhe.v4n2p69 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

pp. p69

Author(s):

Apostolou George ◽

Papatsimpas Achilleas ◽

Gounas Athanasios ◽

Gkouna Ourania

Keyword(s):

Distance Learning ◽

Online Education ◽

Educational Process ◽

Statistical Hypothesis ◽

Hypothesis Tests ◽

Face To Face ◽

The Future ◽

E Learning ◽

Face To Face Learning ◽

Restrictive Measures

The purpose of this study is to investigate the reaction of Greeks to this new educational reality due to the Covid-19 outbreak. Since the first restrictive measures were implemented in March 2020in Greece, distance learning has become a dynamic part of people’s daily lives with the prospect of remain in gas such in the future. A total of N=170 students, parents, teachers, civil servants, private sector employees who were involved in the distance learning process either as instructors or as students in the period of Covid-19 pandemic in Greece, were selected with the use of snowball sampling. A questionnaire using demographic and satisfaction related variables was completed by the respondents, namely citizens across Greece, based on a Likert scale questionnaire which is a useful and multidimensional instrument, to assess satisfaction within the time frame from July 7, 2020 to October 20, 2020; the period when there occurred a loosening in the restrictive measures between the two lockdowns in Greece. It was investigated how the demographic factors, specifically gender, age, occupation, and place of residence, influence the attitude of the respondents towards synchronous and asynchronous distance learning as well as their intention to continue using online education services in the future after the lifting of the restrictive measures. Additionally, the customers’ preferences concerning the most enjoyable distance learning experience were examined, so that they will be available to the distance learning program designers. Descriptive statistical analysis and non-parametric statistical hypothesis tests were conducted in SPSS and R. Most of the respondents had not participated in online courses before the Covid-19 outbreak, 46 % did participate in e-learning courses before the Covid-19 lockdown while 54 % did not and 34.1% respondents prefer face-to-face learning, while 15.9% prefer e-learning. Also, 50% respondents prefer a combination of face-to-face learning and e-learning. Hypothesis tests showed that there are statistically significant differences between users’ preferences as well as regarding their demographic characteristics. Undergraduate and postgraduate university students continue to participate in online learning courses and are willing to invest financial resources and time in this new educational process (?2(4)=10.440, p=0.034), unlike high school students who prefer face-to-face learning (p=0.042). The present study will lead to practical implications, such as the formation of e-learning programs which aim for the best user experience and the best learning outcomes. Also, private educational organizations can include the results in the key elements to implementing a strategic marketing mix.

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The Challenges Faced by Pharm.D Students in Online Learning due to Covid-19 Pandemic and its Impact on their Mental Health in the Northern Border Region of Saudi Arabia

10.53350/pjmhs211592819 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 15 (9) ◽

pp. 2819-2822

Author(s):

Anwar A Alshammari ◽

Abdulrahman M Alshammari ◽

Nawaf M. Alotaibi ◽

MD Ali Mujtaba ◽

MD Tauquir Alam

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Online Learning ◽

Online Education ◽

Pharmacy Education ◽

Border Region ◽

Pharmacy Students ◽

Poor Sleep ◽

Face To Face ◽

Northern Border ◽

Teaching Learning

Objective: The purpose of the survey was to gather information from students on their learning preferences prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, barriers to online education during the pandemic, and the mental and psychological effects of COVID-19 on students. Method: Applying Google Forms, a cross-sectional pharmacy student-targeted online questionnaire designed to develop. In order to ensure that only pharmacy students responded, an introductory opening inquiry of the program name used to select out non-pharmacy students. Following that, these few demographic questions are asked to the participant's present institution and program year in which the participants currently in. Results: A total 260 pharmacy students received the survey, out of total 186 replies were received from professional pharmacy students, resulting in a response rate of around 71.5%. Almost half of the students (94%) chose traditional face-to-face training, while 32.8% preferred a combination of online and face-to-face instruction, and only 16.7% liked online instruction alone. The difficulties to online education during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak show that, Issues with in-person communication (23.7%), pandemic-related anxiety and stress (22%), time management (19.9%), experience in online education (16.7%). The majority of respondents (87%) intended to incorporate online knowledge gained during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak into their teaching/learning techniques. During the COVID-19 epidemic, we discovered that practically all students were plagued by symptoms of sadness, anxiety, tension, and poor sleep quality, with the majority suffering from significant depression (31.2 %). Conclusion: This study concludes that most of the students are in favor of incorporation and applications of online learning experiences in teaching/learning practices garnered during pandemic. Furthermore, the majority of students had changed their behavior as a result of coronavirus, while nearly half of those polled experiencing an increase in anxiety and tension. Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic, online learning, mental health, Pharm.D students, Pharmacy education, face to face learning.

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Engineering Education for All

Gender and Diversity ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-6912-1.ch065 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 1280-1294

Author(s):

Roofia Galeshi

Keyword(s):

Distance Education ◽

Online Education ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Online Survey ◽

Access To Higher Education ◽

Computer Engineering ◽

Science Students ◽

Men And Women ◽

American University ◽

Face To Face

For many men and women across the world, distance education has improved access to higher education. Distance education could potentially help bridge the gap that divides the East and the West. A group of highly motivated young men and women from the Middle-East with undergraduate degrees in electrical engineering, computer engineering, and computer science students were given an opportunity to earn a Ph.D. degree from a high ranking American university. These highly motivated men and women then were asked to participate in an online survey that aimed at comparing their perception of online education versus face-to-face education. The result indicated that there was no association between the students' degree of self-efficacy and feeling of inclusion in online versus face-to-face courses. Moreover, the result indicated that there was no association between gender and self-efficacy regardless of the medium of the choice.

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PROBLEMS OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE CONTEXT OF GLOBAL DIGITALIZATION AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF DISTANCE EDUCATION TECHNOLOGIES

10.37386/2687-0576-2021-3-37-41 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 37-41

Author(s):

V. E. Melnikov ◽

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Distance Education ◽

Online Learning ◽

Online Education ◽

Digital Technologies ◽

Educational Process ◽

Educational Organization

The article considers the system of digitalization of higher education, where the problems associated with the introduction of digital technologies and tools into the educational process with the transition to online learning are identified. It is shown that digitalization makes significant changes in modern higher education. The transition to online education creates a need to change the management of an educational organization.

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Pupils’ Perceptions and Suggestions for the Improvement of Distance Education in Greece

International Journal of Education and Information Technologies ◽

10.46300/9109.2020.14.22 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 ◽

pp. 205-213

Author(s):

Maria Eftychia Angelaki ◽

Theodoros Karvounidis ◽

Christos Douligeris

Keyword(s):

Distance Education ◽

Educational Process ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Face To Face ◽

Teaching Tools ◽

Learning Challenges ◽

Class Schedule ◽

Technological Means ◽

Implementation Data ◽

First Time

During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, Greek schools were closed, and for the first time in Greece, distance education has been implemented using mostly technological means. This work aims to capture the Greek pupils' perceptions and suggestions on the transition from a face-to-face educational process to a pure distance synchronous and asynchronous education implementation. Data have been collected by 41 pupils via an online questionnaire on a volunteer basis. The purpose of the questionnaire was to identify the pupils' learning challenges and unforeseen benefits connected to the offered distance education. The assessment revealed that the majority of the pupils, although they consider distance education as necessary and useful, do not want to replace the traditional means of education. The pupils suggested that the entire process should be stricter in terms of class schedule, assignment submission, and presence requirements and should be enhanced by incorporating better and more "vivid" e-teaching tools.

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Engineering Education for All

International Journal of Online Pedagogy and Course Design ◽

10.4018/ijopcd.2017040103 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 35-47 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Roofia Galeshi

Keyword(s):

Distance Education ◽

Online Education ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Online Survey ◽

Access To Higher Education ◽

Computer Engineering ◽

Science Students ◽

Men And Women ◽

American University ◽

Face To Face

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language teaching

Language Teaching ◽

10.1017/s0261444806003715 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 39 (4) ◽

pp. i-i

Keyword(s):

Distance Education ◽

Language Learning ◽

Language Teaching ◽

Learning Opportunities ◽

Research Review ◽

Learning And Teaching ◽

Emerging Trends ◽

Optimal Distance ◽

Teaching Learning ◽

Made In

As Cynthia White points out in this issue's state-of-the-art article, recent years have seen ‘a dramatic expansion of distance education with new language learning opportunities being made available to new audiences throughout the world’. In her review of distance education, she highlights the contribution made in the literature to our understanding of the nature of language learning in non-classroom settings. It is the first critical review to address important issues and debates that have developed within the field – such as the development of learners' interactive competence and the nature of optimal distance language learning environments. Throughout, the article's emphasis is on the complexity of distance language learning and teaching given the presence and interplay of human, institutional, technological and sociocultural influences. Throughout the paper, the author addresses a number of emerging trends for further research.We are delighted to welcome the return of Richard Johnstone's research review. An article in which he reviews research published in 2004 and 2005 on language teaching, learning and policy is available online at <http://uk.cambridge.org/jid_LTA>.

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Attitudes of Postgraduate Students Towards Distance Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic: North Cyprus Example

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.766183 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Yeşim Üstün Aksoy

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Distance Education ◽

Online Education ◽

Male Students ◽

Survey Method ◽

Average Score ◽

Education Students ◽

Postgraduate Students ◽

Face To Face ◽

North Cyprus

The distance education model has become the most common educational model used around the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic that emerged in China at the end of 2019. In North Cyprus (NC), traditional face-to-face education had been resumed through online channels. The rapid shift to online channels has not only caused distress among students who do not have experience with using in online education systems, but also caused many problems to surface in terms of access to education. This study aims to explore the attitudes and views of higher education students in NC regarding the distance education implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic in the 2020–2021 educational year. In this quantitative study, the survey method was used. A random sampling approach was used for determining the study group, which was formed of 470 volunteer higher education students. According to the analysis of the data collected from the students, it was determined that they received an average score of x̅=82.52±19.50 points from the overall Attitudes Regarding the Use of Distance Education Environments During the Pandemic (ASRUDEEDP) scale, x̅=23.03±7.21 from the competence and education sub-dimension, x̅=26.36±5.81 from the practicality sub-dimension, x̅=18.20±4.83 points from the efficiency sub-dimension, and x̅=14.93±4.12 from the satisfaction sub-dimension. It was identified that there were no differences in the scores according to the age group, grade, or Internet use durations (p>0.05) but the scores of male students were observed to be higher than those of female in the sub-dimensions of competence and motivation as well as practicality within the ASRUDEEDP.

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DISTANCE EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY OF TEACHING ENGLISH AT HIGHER SCHOOL: WORK EXPERIENCES

Современная высшая школа инновационный аспект ◽

10.7442/2071-9620-2021-13-1-93-104 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 93-104

Author(s):

M.V. Vasilizhenko ◽

Keyword(s):

Distance Education ◽

Education Technology ◽

Educational Process ◽

International Institute ◽

Work Experiences ◽

School Work ◽

Institute Of Design ◽

Types Of Information ◽

Teaching Learning ◽

Distance Education Technology

Experience of implementing distance education technology at the International Institute of Design and Service during the corona virus infection is discussed. Distance education is a basis of the contemporary educational process that poses new tasks for the institution of higher education linked to the realization of open education, using pedagogical technologies to widen the access to any types of information, promote the dissemination of knowledge and automate control and management of the teaching/learning process. The potential of Internet, electronic and information platforms in foreign language teaching is vast, yet their possibilities have not been fully used till now. It is noted that the specifics of «English» teaching distantly requires renovation of the education process principles, selection of optimal teaching methods and development of qualitatively new methodological materials. Questionnaire results reflecting the main difficulties and problems of teachers doing this technology are presented.

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