Electronic learning- virtual
M. Rabbani; M. Keramaty; K. Salehi
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The growth of communication technologies, the expansion of the use of electronic devices and the widespread use of the Internet have affected various aspects of human life. Education, teaching and learning, which are an important aspect of people's lives and an unobtrusive ...
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Background and Objectives: The growth of communication technologies, the expansion of the use of electronic devices and the widespread use of the Internet have affected various aspects of human life. Education, teaching and learning, which are an important aspect of people's lives and an unobtrusive discussion at various social levels, has been greatly influenced by these developments and has grown with the growth of technology. Despite extensive research on the benefits and potentials of Cooperative Learning, its implementation has remained challenging. In line with this research gap at the international and national levels, it seems that identifying solutions to implement this approach in the online environment is a basic necessity. This research gap led the researchers to study the challenges and strategies for implementing the Cooperative Learning approach in Iran with an emphasis on the field of educational management with a small sample. Therefore, the present study aimed to identify the challenges and strategies of Cooperative Learning in the online environment.Methods: This research was based on a qualitative approach and was carried out using a descriptive phenomenology method. The field of research is the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences of Tehran University and the participants were faculty members working in three groups related to the fields of educational sciences. Sampling method was purposeful and criteria-oriented by determining three criteria: 1. they have participated in cooperative research workshops or are familiar with this approach, 2. they have used this approach in their classroom in a practical way, however little and incompletely, 3. they have taught in both face-to-face and online environments. The sample consisted of 22 people. The data analysis was done with the Colaizzi’s method and the use of Atlas-ti qualitative analysis software. In order to further validate the findings of the research, five visiting professors of the university were also interviewed.Findings: The data analysis was categorized in two dimensions: challenges and solutions to facilitate the cooperative learning process in the online environment. As for the challenges, four themes of facilities, environment, implementation and achievements and 22 sub-themes were identified and categorized; in the challenges related to the limitation of facilities, there were themes including the structural complexities of the electronic space, internet disorders, the online environment and the lack of a proper educational platform; in the challenges related to environmental restrictions, there were themes including the reduction of opportunities for face-to-face interaction, the impossibility of continuous monitoring; in the challenges related to implementation limitations, there were cases including insufficient technical skills, low media literacy, inability to enrich life skills training opportunities, limitation of opportunities for creativity, negative attitude towards the electronic space; Also there were issues related to collaborative group including different schedule of group members, misunderstanding in communication, participation, work report, lack of agreement among members regarding means of communication and difficulty in group decision-making; and in the challenges related to achievement limitations, some themes were identified including encouraging superficial learning, creating the background for the occurrence of physical problems, especially eye problems, and reducing enthusiasm in the classroom. With regard to the solutions to facilitate the cooperative learning process in the online environment, 8 themes including solutions related to the online class (including 7 sub-themes of quick response, inability to teach life skills, attendance and absence, establishing face-to-face communication, creating an atmosphere based on honesty weekly group and individual report and expression of feelings), strengthening internet and broadband infrastructure, easy access of professors and students to the internet, holding online classes in times of low network traffic, using various platforms for learning, teaching how to use technical tools to professors and students, using teaching assistant, use of new technologies for learning were identified and classified.Conclusion: The results indicated that this approach in classrooms, especially in online classrooms, is not only incompletely and very little implemented, but its implementation is facing a wide range of challenges. Considering the strong theoretical support of cooperative learning, its limited implementation in Iran and the identified challenges are thought-provoking and worthy of further investigation. It is clear that most of the identified challenges are not related to the nature and capacities of electronic platforms and are mainly caused by reasons such as incomplete implementation and the inability to act effectively in online environments. It is suggested that in curriculum planning, a special position should be given to wide culturalization regarding the benefits and advantages, disadvantages and threats of cooperative learning in general and online cooperative learning in particular at the level of schools and universities and among managers and students, and especially, teachers and professors.
E-Lerning
F. Narenjithani; M. Keramati; M. Hosseinisohi
Abstract
Background and Objectives: One of the most crucial objectives of education systems is to respond to students' learning, social and emotional needs, particularly in critical situations. Over the past two years, the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has been one of the most significant recent crises in education ...
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Background and Objectives: One of the most crucial objectives of education systems is to respond to students' learning, social and emotional needs, particularly in critical situations. Over the past two years, the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has been one of the most significant recent crises in education systems. As a result, most educational institutions are temporarily locked out, and many turn to e-learning. Although e-learning for some reasons such as; easy access at any time and place and reducing stress in the Covid-19 are gaining popularity; however, criticisms such as weaknesses in student evaluation, harm interpersonal communication and its reduction, have been caused that receiving opinions, lived experiences and stakeholders' perceptions about the quality of teaching-learning in universities and evaluating its effectiveness has become one of the essential concerns for core stakeholders of education systems. If the teaching-learning process is not practical, it may affect students' sense of belonging to the university, their sense of worth, and even their mental and physical health, so evaluating the effectiveness of teaching-learning (especially in the electronic environment) situations is more important. It can reduce some of the challenges we have today. Therefore, to evaluate the effectiveness of the process in the electronic environment, it is necessary first to define the concept and then identify the primary and critical factors affecting its successful implementation. At the same time, we live in an age where we deal with a huge bulk of knowledge and information. Everyday technological advances are increasing; consequently, teacher-centred education systems are no longer able to meet the learning needs of students. Therefore, paying attention and reinforcing the individual skills of learners such as self-monitoring, self-assessment, self-directed learning leads the individuals to pursue and learn what they need to know. Therefore, given the problem and its importance, this study was conducted to explain how effective e-learning based on self-directed learning was in the pandemic Corona crisis.Methods: The research methodology is applied in terms of objective, and representations of data collection are descriptive-correlational. The study population consisted of all graduate students from the University of Tehran who studied between 1399 and 1400. Using the Cochran formula and stratified random sampling, 377 persons were selected as the statistical sample. The tools for collecting the required data included the elf-directed Learning Questionnaire and the e-learning effectiveness questionnaire. Content and construct validity were used to evaluate the e-learning effectiveness and self-directed learning questionnaire. The results showed that the model had a good fit. Finally, to analyze the data in the present study, t-test (to determine the status of research variables), Pearson correlation coefficient (to examine the simple relationship between research variables), stepwise regression, and finally confirmatory factor analysis (for validity), Structure and explanation of the role of variables) were used.Findings: The results showed that 1) the self-directed learning and effectiveness of e-learning status are higher than average from the students' point of view. Among the components of self-directed learning, learning, motivation has the highest value, 2) self-directed learning and its components have a positive and significant relationship with the effectiveness of e-learning. Among the components of self-directed learning, learning motivation, planning, and executive abilities are the most related ones to the effectiveness of e-learning, and finally 3) the result of stepwise regression indicates that self-directed learning and its components can explain about 30% of the effectiveness of students 'e-learning.Conclusion: Therefore, since self-directed learning is an essential factor in learning effectiveness and improving the quality of students' learning in e-learning, students' self-direction programs can be strengthened in the form of strategies such as self-management training, self-regulation, increasing learning motivation, management, and planning in the implementation of teaching-learning activities in the e-environment and interpersonal communication skills and student interaction and participation. Learners who regulate their learning with specific targeting, monitoring, and planning strategies are better developed and more effective, but this seems more important in the e-learning environment. Perhaps this is because, in the e-learning environment, the learner is more responsible for his learning than in any traditional learning environment and should have more self-control and management.
