An Opportunity amid Crises: E-Learning at the Faculty of Dental Medicine at the Lebanese University

Author(s):  
Nahla Nassif

Background: Nowadays, the internet revolutionized the way people communicate. The research was no longer limited within libraries, individuals can now obtain any information with a click of a button. With the Covid-19 and the lockdown, the Lebanese educational institutions shifted to Online Learning. Aim: The purpose of the study is to evaluate the success of online learning implementation at the Faculty of Dental Medicine and the students’ satisfaction with online courses. Material and Method: A cross-sectional observational study is performed. An online survey is sent to 165 students of the Faculty of Dental Medicine at the Lebanese University. They answered a questionnaire prepared and adapted to the context of the study. Data was collected and analyzed using the SPSS 21.0, Inc., Chicago, IL, USA version. Results: The results are statistically significant (p< 0.0001). The majority of students who did not give essential importance to the instructor’s physical presence (# 106), considered the E-learning method (# 97). The number of students who exclusively prefer in-class courses (#71) corresponds with the number of those who find the instructor's physical presence crucial (#59). For 159 students, surrounding noises during confinement did not disturb them. The majority of the students (#153) did not encounter serious internet cuts and 24 of them weren’t enthusiastic about E-learning. Conclusion: Despite the pandemic, socioeconomic, geographic, and educational difficulties, our results showed that the majority of the students in the Lebanese University, Faculty of Dental Medicine, embraced the rapid transition to E-learning classes. Implementing the online learning mode did not influence participants’ satisfaction towards education.

Author(s):  
Monira I. Aldhahi ◽  
Abdulfattah S. Alqahtani ◽  
Baian A. Baattaiah ◽  
Huda I. Al-Mohammed

AbstractThe overarching objective of this study was to assess learning satisfaction among students and to determine whether online-learning self-efficacy was associated with online learning satisfaction during the emergency transition to remote learning. This cross-sectional study involved a survey distributed to 22 Saudi Arabian universities. The survey used in this study consisted of an online learning self-efficacy (OLSE) questionnaire and an electronic learning (e-learning) satisfaction questionnaire. A total of 1,226 respondents voluntarily participated in and completed the survey. Students in medical fields made up 289 (23.6%). A Kruskal–Wallis H test and a chi-square test were used to compare the student’s satisfaction based on the educational variables. Spearman’s correlation and multiple linear regression analyses were performed to assess the association between self-efficacy and satisfaction. The findings revealed degrees of satisfaction ranging between high satisfaction and dissatisfaction. The majority of students (51%) expressed high satisfaction, and 599 students (49%) reported experiencing a low level of satisfaction with e-learning. A comparison of groups with low and high satisfaction scores revealed a significant difference in the OLSE. High satisfaction was positively correlated with the OLSE domains: time management, technology, and learning. The OLSE regression analysis model significantly predicted satisfaction. It showed that the model, corrected for education level and grade point average of the students, significantly predicted e-learning satisfaction (F = 8.04, R2 = 0.59, p = .004). The study concluded that students’ satisfaction with the e-learning experience is influenced by e-learning self-efficacy. The study’s findings lead to the practical implications and identify the need to improve the remote learning, time management and technology self-efficacy to enhance students’ satisfaction.


Author(s):  
Colla J. MacDonald ◽  
Terrie Lynn Thompson

In order to satisfy the needs of growing numbers of adult learners, the availability of well-designed, effectively implemented, and efficiently delivered online courses is essential (MacDonald, Stodel & Casimiro, 2006; Palloff & Pratt, 2001). Despite the demand and prevalence of e-learning, there are still concerns regarding the quality and effectiveness of education offered online (Carstens & Worsfold, 2000; Noble, 2002). Too often, in an “effort to simply get something up and running” (Dick, 1996, p. 59), educators have been forced to compromise quality and design. Intensive competition among educational institutions has resulted in quality assurance becoming a critical issue for promoting learning and learning programs. Within this economically motivated environment, online learning has not escaped the scrutiny of quality standards. Quality in online programs is generally defined in terms of the design of the learning experience, the contextualized experience of learners, and evidence of learning outcomes (Jung, 2000; Salmon, 2000). However, the plethora of online learning courses and programs with few standards to ensure the quality of content, delivery, and/or service creates a challenge. The resulting variance in quality makes it difficult for an organization or learner to choose a program that meets their needs and is also of high quality.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 5038
Author(s):  
Amanda Chu ◽  
Connie Liu ◽  
Mike So ◽  
Benson Lam

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected educational institutions and instructors in an unprecedented way. The majority of educational establishments were forced to take their courses online within a very short period of time, and both instructors and students had to learn to navigate the digital array of courses without much training. Our study examined factors that affect students’ attitude toward online teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is different from other online learning studies where online courses are mostly a method of choice, with suitable support from institutions and expectation from instructors and students, rather than a contingency. Under this specific environment, we utilized an online survey to collect students’ feedback from eleven universities across Hong Kong. Using partial least squares for analysis on the 400 valid samples we received, we found that peer interactions and course design have the most salient impact on students’ attitude, whereas interactions with instructors has no effect at all on students’ attitude. Furthermore, we also provide suggestions on using the existing technologies purchased during COVID-19 for a more sustainable learning environment going forward.


Author(s):  
Surya Kant Tiwari ◽  
Saumya P. Srivastava

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic led to unprecedented effect over the nursing education. First time exposure of the nursing students with the digital learning has raised a question regarding their self-efficacy in navigating the online courses effectively. This study aimed to assess the self- efficacy of online learning among nursing students during Covid-19 pandemic.Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted between May to June 2021 to assess the self-efficacy of online learning among nursing students in India. Data collection was done through Google forms that was sent to all the potential respondents through email, messenger and whatsapp. Online learning self-efficacy scale (OLSES) was used for assessing the efficacy of online learning.Results: Online survey was completed by 332 nursing students from various nursing colleges of Uttar Pradesh and New Delhi, India. Majority (81.6%) of the participants were female. Nearly half (50.9%) of them were satisfied with the online classes. Maximum (77.4%) had poor self- efficacy scores in learning domain. Only 77 (23.2%) of students had overall good online learning self-efficacy.Conclusions: The study revealed that majority of the nursing students had poor overall as well as domain wise online learning self-efficacy scores, which highlights the need for urgent identification of possible predictors. Appropriate skill-based trainings should be designed and provided to the students before exposing them to the online learning. This will aid them in gaining confidence and mastery in the skill of navigating the online courses.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 92
Author(s):  
Madschen Sia Mei Ol Siska Selvija Tambun ◽  
Husda Oktaviannoor

The spread of COVID-19 cases is very fast, affecting all sectors. One of these sectors is educational institutions. In order for the learning process to continue, an online  learning system was implemented. Online  learning causes an increase in sitting rather than standing, activity in front of a smartphone or laptop. The purpose of this study is to identify eye fatigue and MSDs complaints in students at three study programs, Industrial Engineering, DIV-Health Promotion and Management. The data was collected through an online  survey of students. This study used a descriptive analysis research design with a cross sectional approach with the number of respondents 55 students. The results showed that eye fatigue was mostly experienced with sore eyes as many as 35 students (63.63%). Then followed by headaches as many as 34 people (61.81%) and watery eyes as many as 23 people (41.81%). Meanwhile, the majority of MSDs complaints among students were at the waist as many as 34 people (61.8%), on the upper neck as many as 33 people (60%) and on the lower neck as many as 25 people (45.5%). Penyebaran yang kasus COVID-19 yang sangat cepat, berdampak terhadap semua sektor. Salah satu sektor tersebut adalah institusi pendidikan. Agar proses pembelajaran tetap berjalan, maka dilaksanakan sistem pembelajaran daring. Pembelajaran daring menyebabkan terjadinya peningkatan aktivitas duduk daripada berdiri, aktivitas di depan smartphone atau laptop. Selain itu, pembelajaran daring dapat meningkatkan kelelahan mata karena aktivitas di depan smartphone atau laptop. Tujuan dari penelitian ini yaitu mengidentifikasi kelelahan mata dan keluhan MSDs pada mahasiswa di tiga program studi yaitu Program Studi Teknik Industri, Program Studi DIV-Promosi Kesehatan dan Program Studi Manajemen. Pengumpulan data dilakukan melalui survei secara daring terhadap mahasiswa. Penelitian ini menggunakan desain penelitian analisis deskriptif dengan pendekatan cross sectional dengan jumlah responden 55 orang mahasiswa. Hasil penelitian didapatkan keluhan kelelahan mata yang paling banyak dialami oleh responden adalah mata perih sebanyak 35 orang mahasiswa (63,63%). Kemudian diikuti keluhan sakit kepala sebanyak 34 orang (61,81%) dan mata berair sebanyak 23 orang (41,81%). Sedangkan untuk keluhan MSDs pada mahasiswa adalah  mayoritas pada bagian pinggang sebanyak 34 orang (61,8%), pada bagian leher atas sebanyak 33 orang ( 60%) dan pada bagian leher bawah sebanyak 25 orang (45,5%).


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kochu Therisa Karingada ◽  
Michael Sony

PurposeThe COVID-19 pandemic lockdown has caught many educational institutions by surprise and warranted an abrupt migration from offline to online learning. This has resulted in an education change, without any time for due consideration, as regards its impact on musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) on students. The purpose of this study is to investigate MSD related to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.Design/methodology/approachA cross-sectional study was conducted on undergraduate students in India. In total, 261 students participated in this online survey.FindingsThe study finds that around 80% of students have reported some symptom in the head, neck and eyes since they started online learning. In total, 58% have reported MSD symptom in the right shoulder and 56% in the right hand fingers. Besides, more than 40 % of students experienced some MSD symptoms, in almost all the body parts studied, due to online learning. Correlation analysis is conducted between time spent on online learning per day and MSD symptoms.Originality/valueThis is the first study conducted on MSD and online learning during COVID-19 pandemic.


Author(s):  
Anne-Mette Nortvig ◽  
René B Christiansen

<p class="3">This literature review seeks to outline the state of the art regarding collaboration between educational institutions on Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) launched in Europe and in the US for the past 10 years. The review explores enablers and barriers that influence national institutional MOOC collaboration, and looks into how existing knowledge about institutional collaboration on e-learning can be used in MOOC collaboration. The review is based on a literature search in databases and on snowballing techniques. It concludes that collaboration on MOOCs can be advantageous in terms of ensuring quality and innovation in the common learning designs, and that—in order to succeed—such projects need strategic and institutional support from all partners involved. Moreover, the review points out barriers concerning the reluctance of individual institutions to engage in national collaboration due to fear of potential loss of their own national branding and the teachers’ hesitancy or passive resistance to new educational platforms and formats.</p>


Author(s):  
Hueyzher Ng ◽  
Sakina Sofia Baharom

The demand for online programmes is continuously increasing at varying degrees, with the major appeal coming from adult learners whom are managing with the numerous demands from other work and life domains. These adult learners have their own varied expectations from the online learning process. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the degree to which other predictors contribute to adult learners’ satisfaction in online learning environment. A mixed-methods design was used, selecting both quantitative methods (utilizing survey research) and qualitative methods (employing open-ended questionnaire items), gathering the feedback of 200 adult learners whom comprises of secondary school teachers and college level teachers, enrolled in professional online courses. The online courses were designed using a problem-centered and case-based approach to learning and utilized technologies including learning management system (LMS) such as Moodle as well as functions from the LMS.  The results showed that the items such as learner-content interaction, self-regulated learning design, and Internet self-efficacy were good predictors of students’ satisfaction. Implications of these findings for higher education in providing blended or online programmes for adult learners are also discussed.


Author(s):  
Shahrokh Nikou ◽  
◽  
Seongcheol Kim

t In response to the global COVID-19 situation, quarantine measures have been implemented at the educational institutions around the world. This paper aims to determine the antecedent factors predicting the university students’ satisfaction with e-learning systems during the COVID-19 situation. We used structural equation modelling (SEM) and evaluated a conceptual model on the basis of a sample of university students from Finland (n = 131) and South Korea (n = 114). The SEM results showed that the COVID-19 related factors, i.e., COVID19 awareness, perceived challenges during COVID-19 and the educational institutions’ preparedness indirectly influence the satisfaction with e-learning systems. Moreover, we found a statistically significant moderating effect of course design quality, and instructor’s teaching style between the COVID-19 related factors and the satisfaction with e-learning systems. The implications of these results for the management of e‐learning systems are discussed.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 90
Author(s):  
Shita Lusi Wardhani ◽  
Manggar Wulan Kusuma

<em>The Covid-19 outbreak and the enactment of restrictions on community activities have had many impacts, one of which is the change in teaching methods from offline learning or face-to-face activities to online learning or distance learning</em><em>. These changes can affect the learning process, especially subjects related to business practices, such as entrepreneurship. In online learning, several factors contribute to the successful delivery of online courses. However, little is known about the impact of these factors on Indonesian students' interest in entrepreneurship. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the effect of personal attitude and e-learning on interest in entrepreneurship in the Covid-19 pandemic era. Data was collected through an online survey of 190 students who were taking entrepreneurship courses at selected universities in Yogyakarta. Data collected through online surveys were analyzed using Smart Partial Least Square (SmartPLS) 3.0. The results of this study found that interest in entrepreneurship is significantly influenced by personal attitude and e-learning. This study also found that perceived learning was not able to moderate the effect of e-learning on entrepreneurial interest.</em>


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