Search Results (63)

Open Educational Resources (OER) have emerged as a cost-effective alternative to traditional commercial textbooks in higher education, towards the goal of alleviating college students’ financial burden of educational expenses. However, mixed findings about the influences of the integration of OER on student learning are present. To address the gap, this study investigated whether student motivation in OER served as a latent factor that impacts their academic achievement in online asynchronous courses offered in public universities. Particularly, this study (N = 247) implemented an advanced person-centered approach—stepwise latent class analysis—to profile student achievement goals in an OER-based course and examined their relationships with academic achievement. The 7-point Likert responses were collapsed into three categories to address sparse response distributions. The analysis identified four latent classes based on students’ responses to a validated survey aligned with the 2 × 2 achievement goal theory framework, including highly ambitious, cautious, strategic, and low-goal learners. Subsequent analysis revealed that these four latent classes showed differences in academic achievement as well as task value and expectancy beliefs. The implications of these results for researchers and college instructors and future research directions are discussed. Full article

Laboratories across educational levels have traditionally required in-person attendance, limiting practical activities to specific times and physical spaces. This paper presents a technological architecture based on a system-on-chip (SoC) and a connectivist model, grounded in Connectivism Learning Theory, for implementing a remote laboratory in digital logic design using FPGA devices. The architecture leverages an Internet-of-Things (IoT) environment to provide applications and servers that enable remote access, programming, manipulation, and visualization of FPGA-based development boards located in the institution’s laboratory, from anywhere and at any time. The connectivist model allows learners to interact with multiple nodes for attending synchronous classes, performing laboratory exercises, managing the remote laboratory, and accessing educational resources asynchronously. This approach aims to enhance learning, knowledge transfer, and skills development. A four-year evaluation was conducted, including one experimental group using an e-learning approach and three in-person control groups from a Digital Logic Design course. The experimental group achieved an average performance score of 9.777, surpassing the control groups, suggesting improved academic outcomes with the proposed system. Additionally, a Technology Acceptance Model-based survey showed very high acceptance among learners. This paper presents a novel connectivist model, which we call the Massive Open Online Laboratory. Full article

During the past decade, chatbots have been integrated into commercial platforms to facilitate second language acquisition (SLA) by providing opportunities for interactive conversations. However, SLA learner progress is limited by chatbots that lack the contextualization typically added by instructors to college and university courses. The present study focuses on a collaborative Digital Learning Incubator (DLI) project dedicated to creating and testing a chatbot with a physical form, or avatar chatbot, called Slabot (Second Language Acquisition Bot), in two upper-level university courses at the University of Tennessee, asynchronous online Spanish 331 (Introduction to Hispanic Culture), and in-person Spanish 434 (Hispanic Culture Through Film). Students in these two courses believe that their oral skills would benefit from more opportunities to speak in Spanish. To provide the students with more practice and instructors with a tool for assessing Spanish oral skills in online and in-person courses, the DLI project objective was to advance current avatar chatbot platforms by enabling Slabot to elicit student responses appropriate for evaluation according to the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) standards. An initial test of Slabot was conducted, and the results demonstrated the potential for Slabot to achieve the project objective. Full article

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic forced an unprecedented global transition to emergency remote teaching, fundamentally disrupting traditional higher education delivery methods. This study investigated how Greek higher education students adapted to mandatory distance learning during the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020 to May 2021), providing baseline evidence of forced technology adoption patterns that can inform understanding of subsequent hybrid learning developments and future educational design. Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional design surveyed n = 477 students from Greek higher education institutions using a structured questionnaire measuring technology access, platform usage, learning modality preferences, challenges encountered, and future educational perspectives. Data analysis employed descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, and multiple linear regression to identify predictors of distance learning satisfaction and preferences. Results: Most students expressed positive attitudes toward distance learning (67.9%) and reported comfort with online courses (71.6%), with 69.8% strongly preferring hybrid approaches combining synchronous and asynchronous modalities. Internet connectivity emerged as the primary predictor of satisfaction (β = 0.393, p = 0.052), while demographic factors showed minimal influence (R² = 0.048). Most students achieved platform proficiency within ten days (73.6%), though 67.9% recognized that distance learning poses differential accessibility challenges. Conclusions: Despite successful adaptation to emergency remote teaching, students envision a hybrid educational future that strategically integrates online and face-to-face modalities rather than wholesale replacement of traditional methods, emphasizing the need for infrastructure investment and pedagogical innovation while preserving valued social learning dimensions. Full article

The Clinical Descriptions and Diagnostic Guidelines (CDDG) for Mental, Behavioral, and Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MBND) in the International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision (ICD-11) are a substantial improvement over their equivalent in the ICD-10. This study evaluates the usefulness of the synchronous and asynchronous modalities of an online training course on the ICD-11-CDDG-MBND to increase readiness to implement it in routine clinical practice among Spanish-speaking clinicians. A convenience sample of psychiatrists, psychologists, and general practitioners completed online evaluations of one of the two course modalities. Acquired knowledge was evaluated through a multiple-choice questionnaire. Readiness to implement the ICD-11-CDDG-MBND was evaluated before and after the course, using an instrument based on the transtheoretical model of stages of change: precontemplation, contemplation, preparation and action. A total of 310 clinicians completed either the asynchronous (n = 176) or synchronous course (n = 134). Prior to the course, most participants were at the precontemplation stage. By the end of the course, participants reported a moderate level of knowledge. The percentage of clinicians at the preparation and action stages was higher than before the courses, with no differences being observed between course modalities. Online training was associated with increased knowledge and motivation to implement the ICD-11-CDDG-MBND. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the widespread adoption of online instruction all around the world. In fact, in the post-pandemic era, online teaching and learning are proliferating and are considered as alternatives to traditional learning. The current study investigated L2 learners’ perceptions of an online pronunciation course. Sixty L2 learners, ranging in age from 18 to 60, were recruited from different intensive English programs (IEPs) across the United States and six other countries, including India, Brazil, China, France, Russia, and Canada. The participants received online-based computer-assisted pronunciation training (CAPT) on Moodle over a period of three weeks and completed an online survey on Qualtrics. The results of the quantitative and qualitative data collected from the learners at the end of the course showed that the learners were highly satisfied with their own performance and that they found the online course highly useful and preferred it over a face-to-face pronunciation course. The findings provide valuable insights into the design and delivery of online courses for pronunciation teachers. The findings also suggest that CAPT can effectively support asynchronous L2 pronunciation teaching. Full article

This study explores the practices of distributed teaching presence (DTP) to promote students’ shared metacognitive responsibilities in online learning. The DTP practices included providing explicit instruction on DTP techniques and guiding students to label their cognitive presence in online discussion. Data were collected through asynchronous online discussion and a questionnaire survey from 53 students enrolled in a graduate-level course at a northeastern private university in the United States. By analyzing the discussion transcripts, students’ cognitive and teaching presences were examined to reveal the influence of the interventions on students’ learning engagement. Both qualitative and quantitative analysis were conducted to analyze the 2557 messages created by 53 students. The results showed that guiding students to use DTP techniques credibly improved students’ teaching and cognitive presence. We also found that students’ teaching presence behaviors were positively associated with peers’ cognitive presence and their own higher-level learning. The implications for research and practices in designing and facilitating shared metacognitive learning experience are also discussed. Full article

In many disciplines, the growth of online courses was propelled by the COVID-19 pandemic, but this trend moderated as health concerns receded. Before the pandemic, computer science-related disciplines were less keen on online labs because of their inherently hands-on nature. This study presents a comparative analysis of student and faculty perceptions towards online labs in three computing-related disciplines a year after the pandemic. Through a survey with 242 students and 20 faculty responses, we found students were, overall, positive about their online lab experience—as were faculty. Students and instructors both agree that (1) where provided, online lab courses are being taught effectively, and (2) it is crucial to continue investing in technology infrastructure to enhance the quality and accessibility of both online and in-person labs. However, students and instructors disagree on two issues: (1) teamwork for lab activities and assignments (i.e., faculty tended to have a more optimistic view of online collaborative activities); and (2) modality for lab sessions (i.e., student preferences were evenly split between synchronous and asynchronous labs while faculty mostly preferred synchronous online labs). Faculty appear more optimistic about the effectiveness of online labs but show heightened concern regarding technological disruptions. Notably, all comments from students asserted the importance of having recorded demonstrations, even when a live synchronous demonstration may have been provided. Utilizing recordings and making them available is an example of a best practice worth promoting despite the added effort for faculty. Full article

This quantitative study investigates the perceptions of learners and faculty regarding the help provided by the feedback process, which aligns with and integrates Brooks et al.’s Matrix of Feedback for Learning in the asynchronous online component of a blended course and the relationship between student perceptions and scores. The feedback process, integrated into 12 weekly learning modules in Blackboard Learn (LMS) in alignment with Quality Matters (QM) standards for higher online education, seeks to facilitate feedback uptake and support student learning. Results from the test analysis of student (N = 135) and faculty (N = 10) surveys indicated that positive learner perceptions of feedback, corroborated by institutional course evaluations, aligned with faculty perceptions, suggesting a shared understanding of feedback’s role in learning. Interestingly, these findings suggested that feedback was perceived as beneficial independently of academic performance, potentially showing a trend of growth in students’ academic mindset, where feedback becomes a critical component of their learning experience. Additionally, this study points out that the Matrix of Feedback for Learning could be applied across different disciplinary contexts. Full article

There is an ongoing debate in the halls of traditional universities about the effectiveness of course delivery modes other than face-to-face instruction. This paper reports on a natural experiment that we were able to conduct in Spring 2022 as we offered the same course to similar student populations in three different delivery modes (face-to-face, synchronously online via Teams, and asynchronously online). While about a quarter of the students who responded to a survey about their preferred delivery mode who were not enrolled in a face-to-face class indicated that they preferred a face-to-face class, the experiment did not find any differences between the three groups in terms of their assessment of teaching or in their performance both in the course overall or in the individual assignments in the course. While the experiment may suffer some shortcomings, the results indicate that a well-designed online course, delivered synchronously or asynchronously, may encourage student learning more effectively than a face-to-face course. Full article

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) provide borderless opportunities to engage with content and ideas, with prospective participants from around the globe being able to easily register. The course featured in this study focused on the social and emotional well-being of adolescents, selected because of a recognized need for professional learning related to this topic. It was purposely designed for delivery as a MOOC and was designed as a 6h program around four topics to be completed over two weeks in asynchronous mode. It was delivered seven times from 2019 to 2023, with 32,969 individuals enrolled across these deliveries. The effectiveness of engaging in the course for professional learning purposes is of particular interest to this study. To that end, a convergent mixed methods study was conducted. First, quantitative and qualitative survey data collected at various course stages were examined to reveal the demographic characteristics of participants and their experiences in the course using data from surveys and comments about their experiences. The findings revealed, among other factors, that 65% were female, with just under half (47%) aged 45 years or less, nearly half (44%) held a bachelor’s degree as their highest level of qualification, and 48% were employed within the teaching and education sector. The most active learners were from Europe (48%) and Asia (27%), with active learners from a total of 178 countries. The course has a high course retention index, with 51% of learners completing 51% of the course and 8383 learners completing 90% or more of the course. The qualitative findings reveal the strongly positive experiences reported by the active participants. Secondly, we examined the effectiveness of the MOOC for participants’ professional learning needs by assessing the course using a framework with ten domains related to its core design features, modified for use by the course designers as a self-reflective tool. We found that the domains that scored the lowest were collaboration, interactivity, and, to a lesser extent, pedagogy. The study’s limitations include the incomplete data provided as part of the MOOC protocols, and the use of a self-reflection tool, which may inadvertently incorporate bias. This study points to these gaps in the data, including the need to access longitudinal data that go beyond a focus on the design of courses to extend to the impact and outcomes of the experience. Full article

Although possessing flexibility and accessibility, asynchronous online courses suffer from high attrition and cause unsatisfactory learning performance, leading to a pressing need to understand factors influencing learners’ continuance of learning intention. Based on the expectation confirmation model, this study investigated perceived enjoyment as an extended variable to unpack the mediating effects of perceived usefulness and perceived enjoyment on the relationship between confirmation and continuance intention. Quantitative data from 254 learners enrolled in asynchronous online English courses were obtained for data analysis. Results indicate that confirmation significantly and positively affects learners’ continuance intention to take the asynchronous online English courses. Perceived usefulness and perceived enjoyment significantly mediate the relationship between confirmation and continuance intention. The total indirect effect of confirmation on continuance intention through perceived enjoyment and perceived usefulness and the combination of perceived enjoyment and perceived usefulness was 55.52%. Additionally, interviews with five learners revealed that despite limited real-time interaction, they highly value asynchronous online courses given that they promote self-regulated learning, offer choice freedom, foster a sense of achievement, and reduce anxiety and embarrassment risks that trigger their learning enjoyment. This study provided deep insights into factors influencing EFL learners’ decisions in asynchronous learning. Instructors are suggested to improve the quality of courses, provide timely feedback, and design tasks to improve learners’ perceptions of enjoyment and usefulness to further improve learners’ confirmation of online courses and their continuance intention to engage in online synchronous learning. Full article

Collaborative learning (CL) is the instructional use of small groups in such a way that students work together to maximize their own and others’ learning. In this study, the aim was to implement online collaborative learning (OCL) using the Microsoft Teams (MT) platform and to analyze the students’ preferences regarding presential or online learning. Material and Methods: A descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study was conducted with 79 students from the Degree in Dentistry. Four groups were created with MT and clinical cases or problems were uploaded for online discussion with each group. Additionally, as part of the course program, the students were divided into the same groups for to carry out Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in person. Afterwards, students completed a project assessment and satisfaction survey. Results: The survey revealed that the students found participation in this project to be useful or very useful. Their experiences with MT were rated as positive or very positive. However, a significant portion of the students (42.6%) preferred conventional face-to-face (FF) problem-solving, while 27.9% preferred using online tools. Based on the execution of this project and the open feedback on the use of MT, we have outlined a series of recommendations to enhance the use of this platform. Conclusions: MT is a highly useful platform for online teaching, offering multiple tools to promote learning in a virtual and asynchronous manner. However, when comparing CL through PBL conducted FF versus online, students still prefer in-person teaching to virtual methods. Full article

In introductory programming courses (IPCs), students encounter various difficulties that are related to low achievement and high dropout and failure rates. Technology-rich approaches that promote self-directed learning while facilitating competency development and knowledge construction through social collaboration may offer advantages in this context. The current study assesses such an instructional approach by (1) identifying antecedents and process variables related to course achievement in an online flipped classroom IPC and (2) testing for gender differences regarding antecedents, process variables, and course achievement. In the winter semester of 2020/21, a sample of 144 Austrian university students participated in a survey with measurements at different points in time. Multiple linear regression was carried out to explore factors related to course achievement. The results indicate that gender, achievement-avoidance goals, academic self-concept, engagement in asynchronous learning, and course satisfaction were positively related to achievement. In contrast, work avoidance was identified as a barrier to achievement. Additionally, multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was employed to test gender differences. MANOVA revealed significant gender differences regarding learning goals, mathematical self-concept, work avoidance, and engagement in synchronous learning. There were no gender differences regarding course satisfaction or achievement. The study has implications for designing innovative programming courses that could foster course satisfaction and achievement and thus reduce dropout and failure rates. Full article

This study investigated Earth science students’ experiences with online education during the COVID-19 pandemic at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in the US. We used an existing survey from the online education literature, the Online Learning Environment Survey (OLES), which consists of three instruments: (a) community of inquiry (CoI), (b) Institutional Support (IS), and (c) Self-Directed Online Learning Scale (SDOLS). The survey rating subscales ordered from highest to lowest are autonomous learning, asynchronous online learning, institutional support, teaching presence, social presence, and cognitive presence, respectively, indicating interest for the online learning environment. Among all of the subscales, the asynchronous online category was rated the highest by the students. The data were then analyzed using Rasch modeling. According to the Rasch analyses, asynchronous online teaching represents the most favorable course delivery technique for geoscience education. Overall, the survey data show a general interest in online delivery and the effectiveness of the modality, thus indicating potential for evolving into an online Earth science program. Finally, also discussed are possible future extensions of the research (e.g., extending the research to other introductory online geoscience courses). Full article