Expectations and Experiences With Online Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic in University Students

Due to COVID-19, university students continued their academic training remotely. To assess the effects of emergency remote teaching (ERT), we evaluated the expectations and, subsequently, the experiences of university students about online education. This study employed a simple prospective design as its method. We assessed the expectations of 1,904 students from different discipline areas (1,106 women and 798 men; age M = 21.56; SD = 3.07) during the beginning of the first semester, March 2020 (T1), and their experiences at the end of the same academic period, September 2020 (T2). We used convenience non-probability sampling. Participants responded to the questionnaire on Expectations toward virtual education in higher education for students and the questionnaire on virtual education experiences in higher education. The results showed that students’ responses reflected low expectations regarding peer relationships and comparison with face-to-face education (T1). This perception was maintained during the evaluation of experiences (T2). Students reported positive experiences regarding online teaching and learning, online assessment, and their self-efficacy beliefs at T2. Statistically significant differences between measurements were found, with the expertise presenting higher averages than expectations. Furthermore, differences by gender were identified, reporting a positive change in the scores of women. In addition, results reflected differences according to the disciplinary area, showing Social Sciences and Medical and Health Sciences students a more significant size effect. Findings regarding the empirical evidence and the implications for future teaching scenarios in Higher Education are discussed.

Efficacy of Video-Based Forearm Anatomy Model Instruction for a Virtual Education Environment

INTRODUCTION As virtual education becomes more widespread, particularly considering the recent COVID-19 pandemic, studies that assess the impact of online teaching strategies are vital. Current anatomy curriculum at Paul L. Foster School of Medicine consists of self-taught PowerPoint material, clinical vignette-centered team-based learning (dry lab), and prosection-based instruction (wet lab). This study examined the impact of video-based muscle model (VBMM) instruction using a student-designed forearm muscle model on anatomy quiz scores and student perceptions of its effectiveness with regards to learning outcomes. METHODS Students divided into Group 1 (54 students) and Group 2 (53 students) were assessed prior to and following a 3.5-minute video on anterior forearm compartment musculature using the muscle model. Group 1 began by completing a pretest, then received VBMM instruction, and then completed a posttest prior to participating in the standard dry lab and 1 hour wet lab. Group 2 completed the wet lab, then received the pretest, VBMM instruction, and posttest prior to participating in the dry lab. Both groups took an identical five-question quiz covering locations and functions of various anterior forearm muscles each time. RESULTS Mean scores were higher than no formal intervention with exposure to VBMM instruction alone (0.73 points, P = .01), wet lab alone (0.88 points, P = .002), and wet lab plus VBMM instruction (1.35 points, P= <.001). No significant difference in scores was found between instruction with VBMM versus wet lab alone ( P = 1.00), or between either instruction method alone compared to a combination of the two methods ( P = .34, .09). Student survey opinions on the VBMM instruction method were positive. CONCLUSION VBMM instruction is comparable to prosection-based lab with regards to score outcomes and was well received by students as both an independent learning tool and as a supplement to cadaveric lab. When compared to either instruction method alone, the supplementation of VBMM with cadaveric prosection instruction was best. VBMM instruction may be valuable for institutions without access to cadaveric specimens, or those looking to supplement their current anatomy curriculum.

From Face-to-Face Education to Online Education

Currently, traditional formal education has taken an unexpected turn due to the events caused by the pandemic as a consequence of COVID-19 and social distancing, leading to educational institutions changing the way of imparting knowledge and skills, study modalities, by strengthening and prioritizing virtual education and distance education (e-learning). Under this scenario, new challenges arise and adaptation and/or creation of new processes, which the different higher education institutions are forced to adapt to remain competitive in the market. The case of a higher education institution in Lima is presented, which, from the global crisis presented by COVID-19, had to adapt to a one hundred percent virtual education. The strategy defined by the business school and the monitoring of the implemented measures is favorably influencing the student experience.

Establishment of virtual education classes as an effort to prevent stunting in Sutera Village, Sukadana District

Sutera Village is one of the villages with a high stunting rate located in North Kayong Regency. The stunting cadres that had been formed previously were unable to carry out their duties due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Finally, the prevention model on stunting nutrition problems in the Covid-19 pandemic era was created with the idea of ​​forming virtual classes for stunting cadres through various communication applications using video. The purpose of this community service is to create educational media for cadres as an effort for stunting prevention in Sutera Village, Sukadana District, North Kayong Regency. Education model was carried out with direct learning and virtual with promotional media such as nutritional calendars, learning books, games, educational materials, stunting symptom forms, and video tutorials for monitoring child nutrition. The Wilcoxon test shows the p-value of 0.004 for the knowledge variable and 0.016 for attitude. So, it was concluded that there was an increase in knowledge and attitudes. In other words, the establishment of virtual education classes as an effort to prevent stunting in Sutera Village, Sukadana District, North Kayong Regency is effective in increasing the knowledge and attitudes of stunting cadres.

The virtual education space: Concept, architecture, application

The e-learning environment known as VES (the Virtual Education Space) was created at the University of Plovdiv “Paisii Hilendarski” in Bulgaria step by step for years as each subsequent version was built on the previous one. Initially a learning system called DeLC (the Distributed e-Learning Center) has been implemented to support blended and independent learning at the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics at the university. DeLC was a successful project, but we identified some problems, connected with interactions between the virtual and the physical world where in fact the learning process takes place. In the following period, we started the development of ViPS (the Virtual Physical Space) based on concepts of CPSS (Cyber-Physical-Social System) and IoT (Internet of Things). VES is the ViPS adaptation to education. VES is the successor to DeLC, it provides e-learning content and e-learning education services for planning, organizing, and conducting the learning process at the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics of the University of Plovdiv.VES supports various forms of e-learning such as blended learning, self-paced learning, lifelong learning, inclusive and game-based learning (GBL). The following aspects of VES are essential: 1) users are the focus of attention; 2) physical “things” are virtualized; 3) there is integration between the virtual and the physical worlds. Since ViPS is developed as a CPSS ecosystem, users are the focus of attention. This determines the need to develop personal assistants to participate in the processes of the ViPS space on behalf of and in the interest of users. Three intelligent agents are modeled in VES: an internal educational agent, an external educational agent, and a career consultant. MATE (the Multi-Agent Testing Environment) is a component supported in the ViPS space for training and testing of students in a game-based manner. MATE is a set of autonomous agents, each one of which has responsibilities in the common architecture that arise from training and testing needs.As a CPSS space, VES introduces new approaches and scenarios to solve complex problems in the field of e-learning. VES provides a reference architecture, which can be adapted for various forms of education supported by information and communication technologies.

THE EFFECT OF VIRTUAL EDUCATION TO IMPROVE COMPLIANCE OF HEMODIALISYS PATIENTS WITH HEALTH PROTOCOLS DURING PANDEMIC

Background: The spread of COVID-19 has continued to increase since March 2020. Patients with chronic kidney failure who undergo Hemodialysis are one of the groups vulnerable to COVID-19 because they routinely undergo Hemodialysis. One of the ways to prevent transmission of COVID-19 to hemodialysis patients is by providing education to comply with the COVID-19 prevention Health protocol. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of virtual education on Hemodialysis patient compliance in preventing covid-19 transmission at the Muhammadiyah Hospital in Lamongan. Methods: This study used the Pre-Experiment approach one group pre-test post-test design on all CKD patients who were routine Hemodialysis at Muhammadiyah Lamongan Hospital from October - December 2020 who were taken using the purposive sampling technique. The intervention given was playing educational videos for 2 months. Data were collected using a questionnaire before and after the intervention, which was tested by the Wilcoxon test with α <0.05. Results: There were 69 patients who took part in the entire processes until it was completed. The results revealed that there were differences in the level of compliance of hemodialysis patients before and after treatment (p = 0.000). Further research with larger sample and RCT design is needed for stronger generalization in population. Conclusion: Providing educational videos can increase the level of compliance of hemodialysis patients in implementing Health protocols to prevent transmission of COVID-19.

Attitude of University Students towards e-learning in Times of Pandemic

The aim of this article is to know the attitude of university students towards e-learning having age and gender as sociodemographic variables. It describes important aspects about virtual education, connectivism, e-learning model and factors about attitude towards e-learning, b-learning and its advantages. In this basic, descriptive level study, the scale of attitudes towards e-learning proposed by Mehra and Omidian (2012) consisting of 92 items (distributed on a dichotomous yes/no scale) was used, with a reliability, through Kr-20, of 0.995. The sample comprised a total of 330 medical students from a private university from the first to the fifth cycle of the degree. It was demonstrated that e-learning is a tool at the service of the teaching-learning processes that seeks interaction between the teacher and the student, developing cognitive, collaborative and self-regulatory skills in the university student. The conclusions of the research were that, regarding the sex of the students, 38.5% of the women perceived an unfavorable level and 34.2% of the men, a favorable level of attitude towards e-learning. As for the intervening variable age, 23% of the students fewer than 21 years of age perceived an unfavorable level of attitude towards e-learning. In the ease of use dimension, 44.4% of the students perceived an unfavorable level. Finally, 40.3% perceived an unfavorable level; 34.8% perceived a fair level and 24.8% a favorable level of attitude towards e-learning.

Virtual education and student perception of teacher performance in the distance learning environment

<span>This article aims to carry out a descriptive analysis of the performance of teachers qualified as researchers, in the distance education environment according to the student's perspective. The results will be a frame of reference for university authorities on the path of continuous improvement of virtual education. When carrying out the research, a general qualification of the teaching performance of 14.20 was determined, established the highest grade equal to 20, it can be indicated that there is a good performance of the teacher in the virtual education environment. In addition, the results show that the highest evaluation corresponds to the indicator management of the group and fulfillment of the objectives, which is directly related to the administration of the class, while the lowest rating is for the indicator "Teacher effectiveness so that their students acquire relevant knowledge, skills and attitudes”, which is directly related to the didactic strategies used, that is, to the use of technological tools that today are more than just an option. Finally, it can be noted that of the total of 17 teaching, 23.5% present a very good performance, 35.3% present a good performance and 41.2% present a regular performance.</span>

Adaptation of Geriatric Interprofessional Education from In-Person to Virtual Simulation

We modified an in-person simulation-enhanced interprofessional education model as necessitated by COVID-19 restrictions to a fully virtual education experience. Online prework remained unchanged but adjustments were made related to previously in-person activities. Diverging from the in-person training we held live virtual poster sessions with learner-presenter interaction. In preparation for their role in the team meeting simulation, learners were moved into preassigned profession-specific breakout rooms for a live virtual huddle with facilitators. Next, learners were moved to preassigned interprofessional breakout rooms where they began the simulated team meeting. After initial discussion, a standardized patient joined the breakout room to present the patient/caregiver perspective. The event ends with a virtual reflective debrief focused on interprofessional collaborative competencies.