Facilitating Students to Earn Computing Certificates via Blended Learning in Online Problem-Solving Environment

The vocational schools in Taiwan regard professional certifications as a badge of skills achievement. However, due to a national policy, pure online courses are not permitted. Moreover, it remains unclear whether every subject is suitable to be delivered via online courses. In this regard, the author conducted a quasi-experiment to examine the effects of applying blended learning (BL) with different course orientations on students’ computing skills, and explored the appropriate combination for teachers who teach computing courses. Four classes in successive semesters, with a total of 195 students from the courses of ‘Database Management System’ and ‘Packaged Software and Application’, were divided into 2 (Design-oriented vs. Procedural-oriented) × 2 (BL vs. Traditional Learning) experimental groups. The results showed that students from both design-oriented and procedural-oriented courses delivered in BL environment, had significantly higher grades on the examination for certificates than those who learned in traditional learning environment.

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The Application of Web and Educational Technologies in Supporting Web-Enabled Self-Regulated Learning in Different Computing Course Orientations

International Journal of Information and Communication Technology Education ◽

10.4018/jicte.2011010107 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 70-79 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Chia-Wen Tsai ◽

Pei-Di Shen

Keyword(s):

Online Courses ◽

Database Management System ◽

Educational Institutions ◽

Web Based ◽

Face To Face ◽

Self Regulated Learning ◽

Packaged Software ◽

Regulated Learning ◽

Computing Skills ◽

The Face

Many educational institutions provide online courses; however, the question whether they can be as effective as those offered in the face-to-face classroom format still exists. In addition, it also remains unclear whether every subject is appropriate to be delivered in web-based learning environments. Thus, the authors redesigned two courses with different orientations and conducted a quasi-experiment to examine the effects of web-enabled self-regulated learning (SRL) in different course orientations on students’ computing skills. Four classes with 173 students from the courses ‘Database Management System’ and ‘Packaged Software and Application’ were divided into 2 (Design-oriented vs. Procedural-oriented) × 2 (SRL vs. non-SRL) experimental groups. The results showed that students who received the intervention of web-enabled SRL had significantly higher grades on the examination for certificates than those that did not receive this intervention, whether in design-oriented or procedural-oriented computing courses. Moreover, students in the two different courses had very similar scores, which resulted in non-significant differences in their end-of-term computing skills.

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Exploring the Effects of Web-Enabled Self-Regulated Learning and Online Class Frequency on Students’ Computing Skills in Blended Learning Courses

Combining E-Learning and M-Learning ◽

10.4018/978-1-60960-481-3.ch013 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 212-224

Author(s):

Pei-Di Shen ◽

Chia-Wen Tsai

Keyword(s):

Blended Learning ◽

Online Courses ◽

Database Management System ◽

Control Group ◽

Web Based ◽

National Education ◽

Self Regulated Learning ◽

Class Frequency ◽

Regulated Learning ◽

Computing Skills

Web-based courses have shown to be successful in providing quality distance education. However, due to a national education policy, pure online courses are not permitted in Taiwan. In addition, there exists a lack of appropriate design and delivery of blended learning courses. In this study, the authors conducted a quasi-experiment to examine the effects in applying blended learning (BL) with web-enabled self-regulated learning (SRL) to enhance students’ skills of deploying database management system (DBMS). Four class sections with a total of 172 second-year students were taken as four distinct groups. The results showed that students in the SRL and BL groups with 5 online classes had the highest grades for using DBMS among the four groups. Students who received the treatments of web-enabled SRL also outperformed a control group that did not have the benefit of instruction in SRL. The implications of this study are also discussed. [Article copies are available for purchase from InfoSci-on-Demand.com]

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Exploring the Effects of Web-Enabled Self-Regulated Learning and Online Class Frequency on Students' Computing Skills in Blended Learning Courses

Web Technologies ◽

10.4018/978-1-60566-982-3.ch064 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 1181-1193

Author(s):

Pei-Di Shen ◽

Chia-Wen Tsai

Keyword(s):

Blended Learning ◽

Online Courses ◽

Database Management System ◽

Control Group ◽

Web Based ◽

National Education ◽

Self Regulated Learning ◽

Class Frequency ◽

Regulated Learning ◽

Computing Skills

Web-based courses have shown to be successful in providing quality distance education. However, due to a national education policy, pure online courses are not permitted in Taiwan. In addition, there exists a lack of appropriate design and delivery of blended learning courses. In this study, the authors conducted a quasi-experiment to examine the effects in applying blended learning (BL) with web-enabled self-regulated learning (SRL) to enhance students’ skills of deploying database management system (DBMS). Four class sections with a total of 172 second-year students were taken as four distinct groups. The results showed that students in the SRL and BL groups with 5 online classes had the highest grades for using DBMS among the four groups. Students who received the treatments of web-enabled SRL also outperformed a control group that did not have the benefit of instruction in SRL. The implications of this study are also discussed.

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Improving Students’ Computing Skills and Attitudes toward Learning via Web-Mediated Self-Regulated Learning with Feedback in an Online Problem-Solving Environment

Adoption of Virtual Technologies for Business, Educational, and Governmental Advancements ◽

10.4018/978-1-4666-2053-7.ch014 ◽

2013 ◽

pp. 162-179

Author(s):

Chia-Wen Tsai ◽

Pei-Di Shen

Keyword(s):

Problem Solving ◽

Blended Learning ◽

The Other ◽

Innovative Teaching ◽

Self Regulated Learning ◽

Attitudes Toward Learning ◽

Positive Attitudes ◽

Problem Solving Environment ◽

Regulated Learning ◽

Computing Skills

Online learning is generally a solitary process without teachers’ on-the-spot assistance. To help students achieve sustained learning effects, the authors conducted a quasi-experiment to explore the effects of web-mediated self-regulated learning (SRL) with feedback on enhancing students’ computing skills, and their attitudes toward blended learning through online problem-solving. In this study, two cases were studied and compared, one a class deploying web-mediated SRL with feedback and the other without. The results showed that students who received web-mediated SRL with feedback outperformed those without feedback on computing skills and exhibited positive attitudes toward this instruction integrated with innovative teaching methods and technologies.

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Improving Students’ Computing Skills and Attitudes toward Learning via Web-Mediated Self-Regulated Learning with Feedback in an Online Problem-Solving Environment

International Journal of E-Adoption ◽

10.4018/jea.2011040105 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 3 (2) ◽

pp. 37-53 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Chia-Wen Tsai ◽

Pei-Di Shen

Keyword(s):

Problem Solving ◽

Teaching Methods ◽

Learning Effects ◽

Innovative Teaching ◽

Self Regulated Learning ◽

Attitudes Toward Learning ◽

Positive Attitudes ◽

Problem Solving Environment ◽

Regulated Learning ◽

Computing Skills

Online learning is generally a solitary process without teachers’ on-the-spot assistance. To help students achieve sustained learning effects, the authors conducted a quasi-experiment to explore the effects of web-mediated self-regulated learning (SRL) with feedback on enhancing students’ computing skills, and their attitudes toward blended learning through online problem-solving. In this study, two cases were studied and compared, one a class deploying web-mediated SRL with feedback and the other without. The results showed that students who received web-mediated SRL with feedback outperformed those without feedback on computing skills and exhibited positive attitudes toward this instruction integrated with innovative teaching methods and technologies.

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Knowledge Acquisition in a Hybrid Graduate Teacher Training Program

Handbook of Research on Hybrid Learning Models ◽

10.4018/978-1-60566-380-7.ch019 ◽

2010 ◽

pp. 317-326

Author(s):

Thanh T. Nguyen

Keyword(s):

Learning Environment ◽

Classroom Management ◽

Blended Learning ◽

Knowledge Acquisition ◽

Online Teaching ◽

Online Courses ◽

Group Discussion ◽

Online Classroom ◽

Face To Face ◽

Course Materials

How can one leverage the technological benefits of an online classroom without losing both the interpersonal advantages of face-to-face contact and pedagogically sound classroom management techniques? A blended learning environment, combining both traditional face-to-face and online interaction, is a valid higher-education solution that many instructors are adopting in place of 100% online teaching environments. Like total online courses, blended courses offer students the convenience of online access to both lecture/course materials and asynchronous classroom discussions. However, the key feature of a blended learning environment is the ability to use traditional face-to-face sessions to foster and stimulate an online social culture that facilitates knowledge acquisition through interpersonal and group discussion and disclosure. This study examines pedagogical, social and demographic factors that contribute to students’ knowledge acquisition in an 80-20 (80% online and 20% in-class) blended learning environment.

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Factors Affecting Creative Problem Solving in the Blended Learning Environment: A Review of the Literature

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences ◽

10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.02.012 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 174 ◽

pp. 2130-2136 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Samoekan Sophonhiranrak ◽

Praweenya Suwannatthachote ◽

Sungworn Ngudgratoke

Keyword(s):

Problem Solving ◽

Learning Environment ◽

Blended Learning ◽

Review Of The Literature ◽

Creative Problem Solving ◽

Factors Affecting ◽

Creative Problem

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Open, Online, and Blended: Transactional Interactions with MOOC Content by Learners in Three Different Course Formats

Online Learning ◽

10.24059/olj.v21i2.845 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 21 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Jeffrey P. Emanuel ◽

Anne Lamb

Keyword(s):

Blended Learning ◽

Online Courses ◽

User Behavior ◽

Traditional Learning ◽

Ancient Greek ◽

School Students ◽

Harvard College ◽

Participant Engagement ◽

Course Grades ◽

Modes Of Interaction

During the 2013-14 academic year, Harvard University piloted the use of MOOCs as tools for blended learning in select undergraduate and graduate residential and online courses. One of these courses, The Ancient Greek Hero, combined for—credit (Harvard College and Harvard Extension School) and open online (HarvardX) groups into a single online unit, marking the first time the same instance of a MOOC was used simultaneously by both tuition—paying, credit—seeking students and non—paying, non—credit students enrolled exclusively online. In this article, we analyze and compare the online behavior of students and participants in the three groups that simultaneously participated in The Ancient Greek Hero via the edX platform. We find that, in similar fashion to a traditional learning setting, students enrolled in all three versions of the course engaged the online content in a transactional way, spending their time and effort on activities and exercises in ways that would optimize their desired outcomes. While user behavior was diverse, HarvardX participant engagement tended to be either very deep or virtually nonexistent, while College and Extension School students displayed relatively homogenous patterns of participation, viewing most of the content but interacting mostly with that which affected their overall course grades. Ultimately, we conclude that educators who intend to utilize MOOC content in an effort to apply blended learning techniques to their classrooms should carefully consider how best to incorporate each online element into their overall pedagogical strategy, including how to incentivize interaction with those elements. Further, for MOOCs to have maximum impact, they must address multiple learner motivations and provide participants with multiple modes of interaction with the content and with their peers.

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Digital Immigrants in a Blended Learning Environment: A Case Study in Malaysia

World Journal of Education and Humanities ◽

10.22158/wjeh.v2n3p28 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2 (3) ◽

pp. p28

Author(s):

Chng Lay Kee ◽

Jasmine Selvarani Emmanuel

Keyword(s):

Learning Environment ◽

Learning Styles ◽

Blended Learning ◽

Time Management ◽

Online Courses ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Digital Immigrants ◽

Management Skills ◽

First Semester ◽

E Learning

In this rapidly changing environment, an increasing number of people are turning towards open distance universities to earn their degrees, develop new skills and acquire current knowledge in order to upgrade themselves in their professions. A number of them who enrol in these blended learning or fully online courses are middle-aged, born or brought up before the widespread use of digital technology. These digital immigrants, being used to traditional classrooms, are not very tech savvy and can be fearful about using technology as part of their learning. This study gives an insight into their learning styles, learning emotions, challenges and experience of using technology in the e-learning process during their first semester at an open distance university. The findings show that regardless of the difficulties and challenges that participants had gone through during the semester, all participants observed some changes in themselves such as the increase of confidence levels, better stress and time management skills, improvement in writing skills and becoming more independent learners with an increased ability to use technological tools for their learning. In addition, even though the learning environment is technology-based, digital immigrants maintain that they still prefer the blended learning mode rather than going completely online.

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