ONLINE LEARNING DURING THE PANDEMIC: ASSESSING DISPARITIES IN STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN HIGHER EDUCATION

2021 ◽  
Vol LXIX (1) ◽  
pp. 31-50
Author(s):  
Oana Lup ◽  
Elena Cristina Mitrea
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Sudden Change ◽  
Interesting Case ◽  
Background Characteristics ◽  
Student Background ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Educational Engagement

Student engagement is consequential for learning outcomes and is a key factor in student achievement. While its impact on educational outcomes in a face-to-face setting has made the focus of extensive research, less is known about its effects in the context of online learning, especially in Eastern Europe. The Covid-19 pandemic has forced all higher education institutions in Romania to switch to emergency online learning, with little or no previous experience in this form of instruction. This makes it a highly relevant and interesting case for the study of online learning effects on student outcomes. This article therefore investigates disparities in student engagement in the context of emergency online learning in a sample of undergraduate Romanian students. The article focuses on active learning as a key element of student educational engagement, exploring differences in student background characteristics, such as socioeconomic status, employment status and time spent caring for dependents, as well as studying conditions. Results indicate that the sudden change to emergency online learning has created new disparities in perceived levels of student engagement based on the lack of private, interruption-free spaces and a reliable internet connection, as well as time spent doing housework.

scholarly journals Reassessing Disparities in Online Learner Student Engagement in Higher Education

2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin Paulsen ◽  
Alexander C. McCormick
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Collaborative Learning ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Large Population ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
For Profit ◽  
The Impact

Online learning is the fastest growing segment in U.S. higher education and is increasingly adopted in public and private not-for-profit institutions. While the impact of online learning on educational outcomes is becoming more clear, the literature on its connection with student engagement is sparse. Student engagement measures identify key aspects of the learning process that can improve learning and outcomes like retention and achievement. The few studies investigating the link between online learning and student engagement found positive benefits for online learners compared to face-to-face learners in terms of perceived academic challenge, learning gains, satisfaction, and better study habits. On the other hand, face-to-face learners reported higher levels of environment support, collaborative learning, and faculty interaction. However, these studies did not effectively account for the differences in background characteristics like age, time spent working or caring for dependents, and enrollment status. Further, they did not consider the increasingly large population of students who enroll in both online and face-to-face courses. In our study, we used propensity score matching on the 2015 National Survey of Student Engagement data to account for the disparities in these groups’ demographics variables. After matching, we found that some of the previous literature’s differences diminish or disappear entirely. This suggests differences in supportive environments and learning strategies have more to do with online student characteristics than learning mode. However, online learning still falls well below other modes in terms of collaborative learning and interaction with faculty.

scholarly journals Combined learning, a good solution for Vietnamese universities

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 78-85
Author(s):  
Pham Thi Thu Hoa
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Information Technology ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Traditional Classroom ◽  
Learning System ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Online System ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Pros And Cons

Information technology has created tremendous chances in higher education across the globe. With the availability and flexibility of learning online, there are increasing competitions between online learning and traditional, face-to-face classroom. These two types of learning both have their pros and cons. From the advantages and disadvantages of online learning, universities have recently changed the way of their teaching through combining online learning and traditional classroom. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate and understand the advancements of the combination of the two types of learning. In this paper, we will introduce the advantages and disadvantages of online learning and the combined learning. We also share our experience on teaching at Flinders University, South Australia through Flinders learning online system. From this knowledge, we will suggest some solutions about building a combined learning system which is suitable for Vietnamese universities.

scholarly journals The Impact of Faculty Experience with Emergency Remote Teaching: An Interpretive Phenomenological Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 7-23
Author(s):  
Maha Al-Freih
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Blended Learning ◽  
Teaching Practices ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Phenomenological Study ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
The Impact

The aim of this phenomenological study is to provide a deeper understanding of the impact of remote teaching on instructors’ perceptions of online learning and future teaching practices amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to analyze open-ended semi-structured interviews conducted with five higher education faculty in Saudi Arabia. Three major themes were identified: enhancing student engagement; increased awareness of technology affordances and constraints; and moving from emergency remote teaching to technology-enhanced and blended learning. Participants of this study were mainly concerned about finding ways to support active student engagement in this new learning environment, which in turn increased their awareness of the educational affordances and constraints of online learning and technologies. Participants’ deeper understanding of the potential of online technologies in supporting student learning, as well as their own and students’ increased familiarity and comfort with online learning and technologies, served as the main drivers for potential future implementation of blended learning and technology-enhanced teaching practices. With that said, participants were still apprehensive about engaging in fully online teaching, arguing that blended strategies and enhanced-technology integration are more likely to overcome some of the limitations of face-to-face teaching and improve the overall learning experience for their students. Discussion of these findings in relation to the extant literature and their implications for higher education institutions moving forward are provided.

scholarly journals Characteristics of Online Learning in Higher Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 135-155
Author(s):  
Diana-Crina Marin ◽  
Mușata Bocoș
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Time Management ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Educational Opportunities ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Quality Of Teaching ◽  
Teaching Learning ◽  
Students Success

"In the context in which the teaching, learning, and assessment processes take place in the online environment, the question arises whether the currently organized learning situations are as effective as the learning situations carried out in the classroom, before the beginning of the pandemic. One of the disadvantages of online learning is related to the teacher’s low control over students’ activity. Factors such as initiative, creativity, efficient time management, intrinsic motivation, responsibility, and intellectual curiosity play an important role in students’ success in learning activities. Attendance at courses should not be formal and superficial and should be a process that involves the active and interactive participation of the students in the learning process. Providing high-quality educational opportunities to all students is a goal that is increasingly difficult to achieve in the context of the absence of face-to-face interactions. Also, applying a curriculum focused on the needs of the learner is becoming hard to achieve. Through this research, we aim to investigate issues related to how online learning takes place and to establish ways in which we can increase the efficiency of current teaching and learning processes. The study revealed that in the opinion of most of the students, the current epidemiological context has influenced in a negative way the quality of teaching and the student-teacher educational relationship. Keywords: Interactive learning, eLearning, independence in learning, higher education, efficient strategies "

Contradictions and Expansive Transformation in the Activity Systems of Higher Education International Students in Online Learning

2018 ◽  
pp. 1363-1398
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Murphy ◽  
María A. Rodríguez-Manzanares
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Teaching Presence ◽  
Activity System ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Socially Constructed ◽  
Real Presence ◽  
Constructivist Perspective ◽  
Face Time

This chapter features a description of three contradictions (i.e., disconnects) in the activity system of international higher education students in online learning. These disconnects are interpreted in relation to the constructs of teaching presence, real presence, and social and cultural presence and analyzed in terms of their origins in face-to-face, time- and place-dependent contexts of learning. Teaching presence is the external (to the student) regulation and management of learning, real presence is the sensory-rich character of learning, and social and cultural presence relate to specific types of interactions and communication that occur in conjunction with learning. Learning presence reflects a constructivist perspective that values socially-constructed forms of knowledge and self-regulation. The chapter follows with a description of how the disconnects can be bridged and the activity system expanded.

From Face-to-Face to Digital Learning

2021 ◽  
pp. 114-125
Author(s):  
Dionisia Tzavara ◽  
Dimitrios Koufopoulos
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Instructional Delivery ◽  
Learning Design ◽  
Digital Learning ◽  
Teaching Experiences ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Theoretical Considerations

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, universities worldwide were forced to close their campuses and move instructional delivery to a digital mode. Many argued that this massive emergency digitalisation of instructional delivery was a major move of higher education toward online learning. However, this view overlooks considerations of pedagogy and of online learning design and delivery. Online learning is not just about uploading content to an online space or about moving all lectures online, and there is a whole theory behind designing online learning environments and delivering online learning. This chapter will discuss key theoretical considerations behind online learning design and delivery in relation to the digitalisation of higher education during COVID-19 with a view to make recommendations that will help universities design fulfilling and effective online learning and teaching experiences for their students and faculty.

Through the Eyes of Students and Faculty

2016 ◽  
pp. 557-584
Author(s):  
Maysaa Barakat ◽  
Debra N. Weiss-Randall
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Educational Leadership ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Social Exclusion ◽  
Research University ◽  
Attrition Rates ◽  
Face To Face

Online enrollments have been growing substantially faster than overall higher education enrollments. It is argued that online learning can help address issues of educational inequity, poverty, and social exclusion. The momentum is moving towards online learning, and universities are pressured to develop more online options for their students in order to stay relevant and provide needed flexibility. On average, courses that are delivered online have higher attrition rates than regular face-to-face courses. There are numerous challenges and difficulties in developing online learning environments without sacrificing the quality of learning. This case study examines the development, delivery, and evaluation of online learning through the eyes of students and faculty of an educational leadership department in a Southeast research university.

Hybrid Learning

2016 ◽  
pp. 1-28
Author(s):  
Nahed Abdelrahman ◽  
Beverly J. Irby
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Hybrid Learning ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Learning Approaches ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
The Face ◽  
Face To Face Learning ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Higher Education Advancement

Hybrid learning has been utilized as a transitional learning method to make advantage of both face-to-face and online learning platforms. In this article, the authors explored how faculty members perceive using simultaneously multiple platforms in higher education such as face-to-face, online, and hybrid platforms in teaching. In this study, the authors examined how faculty members defined hybrid learning. They also explored how the participants perceive both hybrid and online learning as vehicles for higher education advancement as well as strategies to attract more students to higher education. The purpose of this research was to develop an analytical overview of one of the learning approaches such as hybrid and its impact on higher education. The authors have interviewed ten faculty members in order to achieve this objective. The results illustrated that faculty members do not have one single definition of hybrid learning but rather they have multiple definitions. Faculty members also demonstrated that they support online learning because it achieves more accessibility to higher education, yet, they believe the face-to-face learning achieve more quality of education.

The New "Space" of the University in the Digital Age

2011 ◽  
pp. 1334-1338
Author(s):  
Carl A. Raschke
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Learning Styles ◽  
Digital Age ◽  
Traditional Schools ◽  
Mediated Learning ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
New Space ◽  
The University

While critics of the new computer-mediated learning styles utter jeremiads about the impending apocalypse of higher education in general, technophiles argue that the changes are all salutary. In fact, some see no difference between faculty cultures and online and traditional schools (Johnstone, 2001). In the same vein, the proliferation of digital classrooms across the instructional spectrum and online learning have touched off a firestorm of controversy concerning the “effectiveness” of new computer-mediated pedagogies versus traditional face-to-face, or “presential,” instruction. Various studies have been conducted and the findings circulated (Smith, Smith, & Boone, 2000).

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