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1 – 10 of 838Robbert Hesen, Arjen E.J. Wals and Rebekah L. Tauritz
This study aims to demonstrate which course elements were responsible for community building, fostering subjectification and learning for being in an online course on…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to demonstrate which course elements were responsible for community building, fostering subjectification and learning for being in an online course on environmental and sustainability education (ESE) during the COVID-19 pandemic and physical distancing.
Design/methodology/approach
The study investigates a graduate-level course on Environmental Education for Sustainable Living that due to COVID-19 had to be taught mainly online. A retrospective analysis was conducted when the facilitators reflected on why the course, against expectations, appeared to have affected so many students in such a meaningful and profound way as shown by their personal reflections and the course evaluation. Methodologically, this study can be described as explorative and interpretative, although it was complemented by a standardised empirical analytical end-of course evaluation.
Findings
Within the context of this study, sense of community is linked to and facilitated by the online learning environment and the educators’ and students’ roles throughout the course. This study found that interaction and inclusion can be augmented by a hybrid educational design and supported by the mutual efforts of educators and students. Reflective tasks and discussions most prominently evoked subjectification. The encouragement of students to see themselves as central subjects and the inclusion of creative tasks supported both personal exploration and sense of community.
Originality/value
This study provides educational institutions teaching online with valuable information regarding course elements that foster subjectification and create a sense of community. This is particularly of interest for the design of online ESE emphasising learning for being and more relational approaches towards teaching and learning.
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The study mainly aims to evaluate factors that impact online accounting education in Vietnamese universities during COVID-19.
Abstract
Purpose
The study mainly aims to evaluate factors that impact online accounting education in Vietnamese universities during COVID-19.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is exploratively conducted with a quantitative sample using purposive data-collecting techniques. The sample focused on teaching staff and students at public and private universities in Vietnam during COVID-19.
Findings
The study shows that infrastructure, working/living conditions during COVID-19 and lecturing time are the top three factors impacting online digitizing accounting education.
Research limitations/implications
This research is not without limitations. The limitations are limited time and resources, which did not allow for examining other factors that impact digitizing education in accounting. The forthcoming study should examine extended factors (not mentioned in the study) such as government sponsorship, lecturers’ soft skills, national culture, qualifications and so on.
Originality/value
This study identifies and states significant factors that impact online digitizing accounting education in Vietnamese higher education during COVID-19.
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There is considerable efforts by government and various agencies towards the development of information and communication technology (ICT) skills in the developing nations. The…
Abstract
Purpose
There is considerable efforts by government and various agencies towards the development of information and communication technology (ICT) skills in the developing nations. The efforts include the procurement and deployment of ICT devices and curriculum development; but, these are not yielding the ultimate results as the digital divide continue to widen regionally. This calls for innovation in teaching and learning in ICT. The study assessed the effectiveness of infusion approach to teaching and learning in the tertiary education level. This approach utilises a framework and student-centred approach for which its effectiveness as an instructional delivery was tested for efficacy.
Design/methodology/approach
The study adopted quasi-experimental design with pretest and posttest comparison to assess the treatment given. Performance was measured quantitatively through online assessment.
Findings
The results showed a phenomenal effectiveness of infusion approach to teaching and learning of general ICT skills as the participants achieved very high performance at the end of the instructional period.
Research limitations/implications
This research is based on general ICT skills and covers a regional cross-section of Nigeria.
Practical implications
Adoption of infusion approach to teaching and learning in ICT would close the prevailing knowledge gaps in the development of ICT skills.
Social implications
This infusion approach would close the prevailing digital divide, thereby enhancing societal well-being.
Originality/value
This is a novel approach to the development of ICT skills, which would enhance teaching and learning in ICT.
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Marieke Versteijlen, Bert van Wee and Arjen Wals
Daily commuting trips of higher education (HE) students account for a large proportion of the carbon footprint of a HE institution. Considerations of students underlying their…
Abstract
Purpose
Daily commuting trips of higher education (HE) students account for a large proportion of the carbon footprint of a HE institution. Considerations of students underlying their choice of travel mode and their decision to make the trip to campus or to study online are explored as a necessary first step for finding an optimal balance between online and on-campus learning from both a sustainability and an educational perspective.
Design/methodology/approach
Focus group conversations were held with student groups from different study programmes of a university of applied sciences in the Netherlands.
Findings
Dutch students’ travel mode choices seem to depend on measures regulating travel demand such as a free public transport card and high parking costs. The findings indicate that students make reasoned choices about making a trip to campus. These choices depend on considerations about their schedule, type, lecturer and content of a course, social norms and their own perceived behavioural control. Alternative online options can provide students with more flexibility to make choices adapted to their needs.
Social implications
While these findings are useful for sustainable and educational reasons, they also seem helpful in times of COVID-19 which calls for a re-design of curricula to allow for blended forms of online and on-campus learning.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is one of the first studies looking at students’ considerations when deciding whether to travel to campus to learn or stay at home learning online.
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The purpose of this paper is to propose a new standard of assignment rubrics to minimize various interpretations and confusing expectations of the assignment outcome among all…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to propose a new standard of assignment rubrics to minimize various interpretations and confusing expectations of the assignment outcome among all stakeholders and enhance the assignment rubrics to function not only as a grading tool but also as an assignment guiding tool for self-managed learning among open and distance learning (ODL) learners.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper looks into the problems and issues related to assignment rubrics such as various interpretation, confusing expectations and the need to have appropriate descriptions in the rubrics in order to reflect proper learning outcome among the assignment stakeholders. To solve these issues, the paper explores the new and improved requirements which were imposed to support the new assignment rubrics for courses in the university via a self-guided manual known as Rubrics Formulation Guide.
Findings
Based on the feedback received from university’s lecturers, who also functioned as moderators, it was indicated that the time taken to moderate the assignment rubrics had drastically reduced and in terms of grading, the clarity of the assignment performance expectations among the learners showed improvement, whereby as compared to the previous semester, there was significant drop for the application of remarking of assignments among May 2014 semester learners.
Practical implications
The paper includes implications of developing innovative rubrics that enhance common understanding and consistent expectation of what the final outcome of the assignment should be.
Originality/value
This paper fulfills the purpose of expanding the potential of assignment rubrics which is to guide and grade.
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Majda I. Ayoub/Al-Salim and Khaled Aladwan
This paper aims to investigate the relationship between academic integrity of online university students and its effects on academic performance and learning quality. The first…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the relationship between academic integrity of online university students and its effects on academic performance and learning quality. The first hypothesis aimed to see if there is statistically significant relationship between academic honesty of students taking online classes and their apparent academic performance. The second hypothesis aimed to see if there is a statistically significant difference in academic integrity among male and female students. The third hypothesis aimed to see if there was a statistically significant relationship between academic honesty of students and their quality of learning.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a quantitative study; data was collected via student emails from 155 active online university students.
Findings
There was a positive linear relationship for the first hypothesis, the relationship is relatively weak as the value of Pearson correlation was (0.172). For the second hypothesis, the results showed that there was no significant difference between males and females. The results for the third hypothesis showed that there is a statistically significant relationship between academic integrity of students taking online classes and academic learning quality. This relationship is relatively strong.
Research limitations/implications
The sample size may have been a limitation for generalizing the results.
Practical implications
As a practical implication, authors recommend that education administrators focus on training their faculty members to stress and instill strong ethical values, such as academic integrity and honesty, in their students all throughout their academic journey.
Social implications
As for social implication, the embracing of ethical values in students, graduates may continue to embrace such values in the workplace which may lead to more reputable and profitable work environment where the society at large benefits.
Originality/value
This research is among the pioneers that attempted to study the connection of academic integrity and learning quality from the students’ perspective.
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Razia Fakir Mohammad and Mahwish Kamran
This research aims to understand how satisfied students were with their online learning experience and how actively engaged they were in their studies.
Abstract
Purpose
This research aims to understand how satisfied students were with their online learning experience and how actively engaged they were in their studies.
Design/methodology/approach
To study the breadth and depth of students' experiences and fully address the research aims, the researchers utilized a mixed method. Through a survey questionnaire with both closed-ended and open-ended questions, student responses were gathered. On a five-point Likert scale, the closed-ended questions were co-constructed. The research participants included students attending Pakistan's private university in Karachi. Participants from all programs were the authors' focus (i.e. undergraduate and graduate). A total of 552 students completed the survey questionnaire.
Findings
The study reveals students' level of satisfaction with their online encounters. Contextual restrictions, such as power outages, bad internet, a lack of a private place and administrative problems, make it difficult to access and connect during learning sessions. Additionally, the student's perception of online learning as being more secure and safe in terms of their physical safety was an intriguing finding. They also see the integration of online and in-person learning as advantageous because it might reduce travel expenses and time while also giving them access to independent study resources. Given its many benefits, this research supports the use of online learning in higher education. Online education promotes a healthy mix of teacher- and student-centered instruction.
Research limitations/implications
Moreover, the findings indicate that effective non-verbal communication occurs when students interact with a teacher and colleague face-to-face. In a face-to-face teaching situation, good body language may inspire, engage and motivate students. Better learning outcomes result from being able to interpret people's body language, whether it be eye contact or posture, and alter the topic and approach. Keeping in view the recent nature of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, no research has been carried out on this topic to date or on such a wide-scale transition to online learning, specifically in the context of higher education in Pakistan (Dincer, 2018). This research is unique in its kind as it focuses on the impact of online learning on the affective domain as well.
Practical implications
Given the contextual concerns, teachers must find alternative educational insights that will enable students to reduce listening demands, improve self-learning and promote engagement.
Social implications
Therefore, in the authors' context, it is a unique finding that students felt socially isolated. While numerous studies have examined anxiety, still there is still a dearth of literature regarding stress factors (Dincer, 2018). The current study provided substantial information on the impact of online learning on students' stress levels, and the consequence is that they were strained out because they felt socially isolated. Additionally, these findings are in alignment with the qualitative data showing a problem of student isolation and a lack of engagement. Since the face-to-face mode had provided them with the time and space, they were able to engage in educational socialization outside the boundaries of the classroom, such as casual conversations during breaks, gatherings at coffee shops and working on group projects at the library.
Originality/value
This research was conducted in the context of Pakistan.
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Cindy Chen, Sabrina Landa, Aivanna Padilla and Jasmine Yur-Austin
In response to coronavirus disease 2019, California State University Long Beach (CSULB) announced mandatory online course conversions on March 12, 2020. The College of Business…
Abstract
Purpose
In response to coronavirus disease 2019, California State University Long Beach (CSULB) announced mandatory online course conversions on March 12, 2020. The College of Business designed a Student Online Learning Experience Survey to explore learners' experience, needs, expectations and challenges in the online learning environment.
Design/methodology/approach
The time-sensitive survey questions were administered using Qualtrics with Institutional Review Board approval. The authors used 5-point Likert scales to rate students' experience and satisfaction and performed statistical analysis. They assessed students' written comments to further corroborate statistical findings.
Findings
The results identify students' satisfaction are highly correlated to content coverage and interaction of online learning technologies. A combination of BeachBoard, Zoom, e-mails and publisher's website is valued most by the learners. Project-based experiential design is ranked #1 by graduate students. Noticeably, the upward trend of satisfaction with online modality from sophomore to senior is probably attributable to learners' maturity and number of years studied at CSU system. Overall, students generally dislike proctoring devices due to concerns of privacy, inequalities, mental stress, etc.
Practical implications
The evidence-based results offer innovative pedagogical recommendations for business education in higher education.
Originality/value
While prior studies examine student perceptions and satisfaction within the online education system, the study aims to deeply investigate the students' experience after a large-scale two-week institutional emergency course conversion mandate. This study systematically reviews students' experience with four aspects of online learning: (1) the adequacy of instructional designs; (2) the effectiveness of technology; (3) the appropriateness of the online learning material and (4) the integrity of online assessment and testing tools.
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Andrew Cram, Stephanie Wilson, Matthew Taylor and Craig Mellare
This paper aims to identify and evaluate resolutions to key learning and teaching challenges in very large courses that involve practical mathematics, such as foundational finance.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to identify and evaluate resolutions to key learning and teaching challenges in very large courses that involve practical mathematics, such as foundational finance.
Design/methodology/approach
A design-based research approach is used across three semesters to iteratively identify practical problems within the course and then develop and evaluate resolutions to these problems. Data are collected from both students and teachers and analysed using a mixed-method approach.
Findings
The results indicate that key learning and teaching challenges in large foundational finance courses can be mitigated through appropriate consistency of learning materials; check-your-understanding interactive online content targeting foundational concepts in the early weeks; connection points between students and the coordinator to increase teacher presence; a sustained focus on supporting student achievement within assessments; and signposting relevance of content for the broader program and professional settings. Multiple design iterations using a co-design approach were beneficial to incrementally improve the course and consider multiple perspectives within the design process.
Practical implications
This paper develops a set of design principles to provide guidance to other practitioners who seek to improve their own courses.
Originality/value
The use of design-based research and mixed-method approaches that consider both student and teacher perspectives to examine the design of very large, foundational finance courses is novel.
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Cheri Macleod and Paula Hayden
The learning skills used by students at a technical college to fully participate in their classes were the focus of this investigation. Researchers shadowed two full-time students…
Abstract
The learning skills used by students at a technical college to fully participate in their classes were the focus of this investigation. Researchers shadowed two full-time students for one full day as they each went to their classes in a technical college in Qatar. An observation schedule was used to record what students did in their classes (for example: solve problems, listen to the teacher, ask questions). At the end of the day students were interviewed and asked to comment on the importance of the learning skills that they used, how they built the skills they needed and how to become a better student. It was found that students used a variety of learning skills throughout a typical day and that they had their own ideas about learning. The learning skills the two students used most during their classes were not the same, owing partly to the format of the courses and partly to personal learning approach. The four learning skills students identified as most important were: understand and apply concepts to current work; concentrate and maintain focus; follow written instructions; and ask questions. The information gathered in this investigation can be used to inform students, instructors and course planners about the skills students need to be active participants in their classes and to ensure that educators support the development of required learning skills.