scholarly journals Attitudes and Practices of Educators Towards e-Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. pp252-261
Author(s):  
Reema Karasneh ◽  
Sayer Al-Azzam ◽  
Suhaib Muflih ◽  
Sahar Hawamdeh ◽  
Mohammad Muflih ◽  
...  

Background The novel coronavirus outbreak is now shifting the way educational institutions operate around the world. This study aims to assess the online learning experience during the pandemic and recognize its perceived barriers according to university professors in Jordan. Methods This is a questionnaire-based, cross-sectional, and descriptive study. A web-based survey was distributed to all university professors and lecturers in public universities across Jordan. Results A total of 508 educators responded to this study. Males (67.5%, n=343) dominated the study population compared to females (32.5%, n=165). Educators spent an average of 20.2 ± 15.9 hours/week using the internet for educational purposes during the pandemic. Positive attitudes towards online teaching were seen, as 65.7% reported being prepared for online teaching, while 40.8% were comfortable communicating with students via online platforms. Institutional support for online learning also appears to have increased following the coronavirus outbreak. An overwhelming majority (81.9%, n=416) stated that their universities supported online education during the pandemic, compared to 56.5% (n=287) before. The main recognized barriers for online teaching were poor internet connection (78.3%, n=398), disadvantages in old learning tools (e.g., uploading capacity) (70.9%, n=360), and family atmosphere (69.3%, n=352). Participants also recognized technical (74.0%, n=376) and computer skills (49.2%, n=250) as areas requiring development. Conclusion Despite the positive attitudes of educators towards online teaching, many barriers need to be overcome before the shift from traditional learning is implemented. Faculty training and inter-departmental communication are warranted for the success of online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic.

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 633
Author(s):  
Nastaran Peimani ◽  
Hesam Kamalipour

Students’ learning experiences and perceptions are markedly influenced by the use of digital technology during the COVID-19 pandemic. Exploring students’ perception of blended online learning, amid the adaptations of the higher education sector in the wake of uncertainty, has become more critical than ever. This paper reflects on the experience of learning and teaching the Research Methods and Techniques subject in the postgraduate programme of MA Urban Design at Cardiff University during COVID-19 in the UK. To do so, we designed and carried out an online survey to explore students’ perception of online teaching and learning activities, feedback and assessment, and digital platforms based on their experience during the subject delivery period in the 2020–2021 academic year. One of the significant findings of this paper was that students agreed with the impact of eye contact on their virtual learning experience but as long as this was aligned with their rights to see others, including their peers and instructors, rather than reciprocal rights to be seen. In addition, students felt that facilitating synchronous communication through effective interaction among diverse peers has been quite challenging in small-group online reading seminars. The majority of respondents also reported that attending live online lectures was more helpful than watching pre-recorded lectures. Online formative feedback and synchronous interim reviews also allowed students to reflect on their progress and develop their projects further before their summative assessment. The outcomes of this paper can effectively assist educators who consider delivering programmes, adopting a blended online learning environment design model, in the post COVID-19 era. The findings of this study can also provide guidance for further developments and improvements in using digital technology and blended online learning in urban design education and pedagogy.


Biomedicine ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 139-145
Author(s):  
Kalpana Ramachandran ◽  
Robert Dinesh Kumar

Introduction and Aim: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a disruption in the academic schedule. As UNESCO observes an 87% interruption in student learning across the globe, it is undeniable that e-learning would have a major role to play in the future and both teachers and learners are getting accustomed to this ‘New Normalcy’. This survey analyses the perception of medical first-year students about online learning in the COVID-19 era.   Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive questionnaire based study was done and first year medical students were asked to respond. The respondents were asked to answer the questions in Likert-scale, from 1-5. Statistical analysis was done and Test for one proportion was calculated using ‘z’ test. A p-value of <0.05 was considered significant.   Results: A total of 122 first year medical students responded to the survey. More than two-thirds of the respondents were females (67%). About 78% of respondents find online learning interesting and enjoyable. More than 80% of students found online education very satisfactory in all aspects. Problems with internet connectivity was the principal challenge faced by the students during online learning. An overwhelming 70% of students felt online teaching to be very beneficial.   Conclusion: The pandemic has posed an unprecedented challenge to the academic schedule. Although many challenges were faced by the teachers and learners, internet connectivity continued to be a major problem in online education. It is the duty of every educationist to ensure an uninterrupted, continuous and an effective process of teaching and learning.  


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S978-S978
Author(s):  
Louise M Murray ◽  
Enoch Park

Abstract In health care and senior housing and care, the challenge of meeting diverse regional workforce needs is increasingly important in higher education. Educators within gerontology are rising to this challenge using multiple platforms, including online education (Carter, Solberg, & Solberg, 2017; Nadash, Miller, Porell, Birchander, Glickman, & Burr, 2014). This poster presents the life cycle of a traditional face to face introductory level graduate gerontology course which was transitioned to a fully online course. This transition was achieved using a structured course development process based on nationally recognized online course quality standards by Quality Matters (QM). Utilizing a team approach, the process incorporated faculty (subject matter experts and course developers), instructional designers, and professional staff in distance education, faculty teaching support, and online learning specialists. QM standards serve to assure quality online instruction, with the goal of providing students with a positive and successful online learning experience. Analysis of this case highlights the role of Certified (QM) peer reviewers who have expertise in Gerontology and can serve as the connector of online gerontology courses offered within programs, between institutions, and globally. Recommendations are presented to improve the pedagogical quality of online courses to attract and retain students in gerontology and aging studies courses. The case for building an initial network of online course peer reviewers to strengthen online teaching and learning within the gerontology profession will be made.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (9) ◽  
pp. 2248-2250
Author(s):  
Uzair Abbas ◽  
Memoona Parveen ◽  
Ambreen Ashfaque ◽  
Ramlah Naz ◽  
Sidra Zaheer ◽  
...  

Aim: To evaluate the learning outcomes of first experience with online learning in a medical college in Pakistan. Study design: Retrospective cross-sectional study Place and duration of study: Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan from 1stJanuary 2021 to 30th May 2021. Methodology: This study compared the module exam scores of pre-clinical first-year MBBS students of the year 2019 (group A) and year 2020 (group B). Group A was taught in 2019 through the traditional method of teaching while group B was taught online in 2020. Results: The mean score of group B online teaching was significantly higher than that of group A, studied through the traditional method in all three modules, foundation module, locomotor module, and blood module. Group B secured a significantly higher mean score than that of group A with a significant p-value of <0.001, 0.043, and 0.001respectively. Conclusion: The score gained by online learners using virtual teaching methods was significantly higher than those who were taught by traditional method. The results of this study imply that using online educational teaching and learning can lead to the promotion of educational level and enhancement of score levels in students. Keywords: Online learning, Traditional learning, Medical education


F1000Research ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 177
Author(s):  
Khalid Aziz Ansari ◽  
Faraz A. Farooqi ◽  
Soban Qadir Khan ◽  
Muhanad Alhareky ◽  
Ma. Abigail C. Trinidad ◽  
...  

Background: Online learning or E-learning are approaches to broadcasting teaching by the means of internet technology and software applications. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is likewise embarking on the rapid growth in online education. The purpose of this study is to investigate the student’s perceptions regarding online teaching and learning during COVID 19. Methods: An online computer-based cross-sectional study was conducted between May and June 2020. A pre-validated questionnaire was used and administrated to health sciences students studying at Dammam Universities through online software QuestionPro. Results: Out of total 281, 68% of the participants were females (n=188) while 31.9% (n=88) were male students with an average age of 23.1(4.5) years. Overall, 176 (62%) of the students expressed their satisfaction with online learning. Conclusion: Findings will help academicians to identify strengths, areas of improvement, and encourage faculty to think deeply to restructure course learning objectives, teaching techniques to engage students and improve learning process.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 238212052096303 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad S Shawaqfeh ◽  
Abdulkareem M Al Bekairy ◽  
Ahmad Al-Azayzih ◽  
Abdulmalik A Alkatheri ◽  
Amjad M Qandil ◽  
...  

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic imposed dramatic changes on educational practices worldwide. Many universities and schools have moved into the delivery of their courses and educational programs utilizing fully electronic online modes. This study aims to evaluate the pharmacy student distance online learning experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was utilized where a 3-domain survey questionnaire focused on preparedness, attitude and barriers was distributed to students at the time of conclusion of the semester. Each domain consists of multiple questions that made up a score that reflects their preparedness, attitude as well as barriers relevant to distance online learning experience. The survey was voluntarily, and all data were collected and recorded via google forms with maintaining anonymity. Results: The response rate was about 75% (n = 309). The results’ analysis revealed no gender differences in any of these domains. However, there were some variable responses among different educational levels. The average preparedness score was 32.8 ± 7.2 (Max 45), the average attitude score was 66.8 ± 16.6 (Max 105), and the average barrier score was 43.6 ± 12.0 (Max 75). There was statistical significance difference in both preparedness score and attitude scores between different professional years ( P-value <.05). However, there was no difference in barrier scores among all professional years. The results indicated that about 61.4% of the students agreed on that college of pharmacy was well-prepared and ready for the online education during the emerging COVID-19 pandemic with complete transition into online education. The results also indicated that 49.2% of the students showed positive attitude toward the provided online learning. The results indicated that about 34% of the students identify some barriers toward the provided online learning. Finally, there were strong association between the need for training on how to receive online courses and preparedness and barriers scores. Discussion and conclusion: E-learning experience pose challenges and presents opportunities during emergency situations. The need for training for students and faculty was highly associated with the preparedness and barriers domains rather than the infrastructure or computer literacy, so the school can improve their experience by addressing these needs.


Author(s):  
B. Jean Mandernach

The growth of online learning has spurred interest in how administrators can (and should) utilize data to drive teaching evaluations, decision-making and program oversight. Within the realm of higher education administration, online learning programs offer a distinct advantage over their campus-based counterparts: tangible artifacts. The reality of online teaching and learning is that every interaction creates a digital footprint of the teaching-learning dynamic. While researchers have actively explored how the data from these digital footprints can be used to enhance student learning, less attention has been given to how administrators can utilize data analytics to foster the instructional quality of online education. Beyond learning analytics, teaching analytics provide valuable insights that allow administrators to efficiently evaluate the quality of online teaching, proactively support faculty, and make informed program oversight decisions to maximize the online learning experience.


Author(s):  
Maria Pavlis Korres

Interaction is at the heart of the online learning experience. Theorists consider interaction a defining characteristic of education and regard it as vitally important in the design of e-learning courses. Interaction is a significant component in promoting learners' positive attitudes towards online education and affects their educational performance. This chapter examines the various ways an e-learning environment can promote interaction among participants by using the appropriate communication tools. It presents the results of a pilot e-learning course, confirming that different types of interaction can be promoted at a high level in an online environment and will contribute effectively to the achievement of the learning objectives.


F1000Research ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 177
Author(s):  
Khalid Aziz Ansari ◽  
Faraz Farooqi ◽  
Soban Qadir Khan ◽  
Muhanad Alhareky ◽  
Ma. Abigail C. Trinidad ◽  
...  

Background: Online learning or E-learning are approaches to broadcasting teaching by the means of internet technology and software applications. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is likewise embarking on the rapid growth in online education. The purpose of this study is to investigate the student’s perceptions regarding online teaching and learning during COVID 19. Methods: An online computer-based cross-sectional study was conducted between May and June 2020. A pre-validated questionnaire was used and administrated to health sciences students studying at Dammam Universities through online software QuestionPro. Results: Out of total 281, 68% of the participants were females (n=188) while 31.9% (n=88) were male students with an average age of 23.1(4.5) years. Overall, 176 (62%) of the students expressed their satisfaction with online learning. Conclusion: Findings will help academicians to identify strengths, areas of improvement, and encourage faculty to think deeply to restructure course learning objectives, teaching techniques to engage students and improve learning process.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 145-148
Author(s):  
Chandragirish S ◽  
Mahesh V ◽  
Shashank K J

From last few decades there are many changes are taking place in the field of medical education moving from traditional method to more towards online/ e-learning method using internet. The advent of electronic devices like mobile, i- pad, laptops and explosion of social media technology provides opportunities for learners to create their own personalised learning experience. To asses the effectiveness of online learning in Anatomy among first MBBS students during COVID-19. A Cross sectional study was conducted among 120 MBBS First year medical students for a period of 6 months (May 2020 to November 2020) at Chamarajanagara Institute of Medical Sciences, Chamarajanagara. Informed consent was obtained from all the students prior to the start of the study. The online classes were conducted due to covid-19 lockdown in our institution from May 2020 as per the guidelines from RGUHS. In the study majority of students had concentration time of 30 min (71.7%), majority of them opined that there as moderate disturbance during online class (53.3%), majority of them opined that they had moderate internet or network issues (53.3%), majority of them used mobile phone for online class (70%). In the study overall effectiveness of online teaching in anatomy among 1 year students was 61.7% and 38.3% opined that it was not effective. The study concludes that online classes were not so effective as students encountered lot of technical problems, reduced attention span, low motivation and lesser understanding in the concepts of subject thought.


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