e-learning
M. Ruhi; F. Mahmoodi; K. Taghpour
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The aim of this study was surevying the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the Corona virus outbreak in higher education from the perspective of students of the faculty of educational sciences and psychology.Methods: The present study was an applied one in ...
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Background and Objectives: The aim of this study was surevying the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the Corona virus outbreak in higher education from the perspective of students of the faculty of educational sciences and psychology.Methods: The present study was an applied one in terms of its purpose and descriptive-survey in terms of the nature of the research. The statistical population of the present study consisted of students of educational sciences and psychology of university of Tabriz; according to the statistics received from the university, therer were 882 students. The Krejcie and Morgan table was used to determine the statistical sample size, based on which 268 participants were included in the sample using the available sampling method. A 79-item researcher-made questionnaire was given to the participants to gather the required data. To this end, after studying the relevant sources and background and interviewing several professors and students, the questionnaire items were extracted and divided into four sections: strengths (S), weaknesses (W), and opportunities (O) and threats (T). The content and face validity of the questionnaire were confirmed drawing on the experts’ opinions, especially the supervisors and advisors. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was used to determine the reliability of the questionnaire. The reliability of each of the four components of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats was higher than 0.9, which was considered as an excellent level of reliability. To analyze the data, the proposed SWOT methods of Hossein, Adnan and Hossein (2014) were used.Findings: The results showed that considering the strengths, the item of informing higher education institutions of their virtual infrastructure deficiencies was ranked as the first with a percentage of normalized weight of 6.83; flexibility in training places with normalized weight percentage of 6.68 was put in the second place; the item related to facilitating access to the content with a percentage of normalized weight of 6.58 was in the third place. Considering the weaknesses, the impossibility of students’ access to the physical facilities of the university with a percentage of normalized weight of 5.35 was ranked as the first; the item of not being able to gain newer and different experiences that can only be acquired by attending universities was the second one with a normalized weight percentage of 5.29. third rank; moreover, lack of affective bonds among between the students and the instructirs was considered as the third item with a normalized weight percentage of 4.92. As regards the opportunities, the possibility of education for employees with a percentage of normalized weight of 5.71 was put in the first place; global learning opportunities for the new generation with a normalized weight percentage of 5.23 was ranked as the second item; the item related to creating integrated e-learning systems in the form of virtual learning environments with a percentage of normalized weight of 5.21 in was considered as the third item. With regard to the threats, the item of physical injuries (eye injury, backache, etc.) with a normalized weight percentage of 5.42 was ranked as the first one; The item related to the decrease of the relationship between the instructors and the students was the second one with a percentage of normalized weight of 5.26; and the item related to a decrease in the student-student interaction with a percentage of normalized weight of 5.21 was ranked as the third one. Finally, internal (strengths and weaknesses) and external (opportunities and threats) factors were examined and strategies related to strengths-opportunities (SO), strengths-threats (ST), weaknesses-opportunities (WO) and weaknesses-threats (WT) were presented.Conclusion: According to the results, it is necessary to make the best use of the opportunities provided for e-learning and to develop e-learning infrastructure and expand the interactive learning environments to take advantage of the strengths and opportunities, in order to move education towards a growing and desired direction. In this regard, weaknesses and threats can be reduced by grouping students in accordance with the health protocols, utilizing project-based evaluations, as well as attracting financial resources to strengthen the required infrastructure.
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.
e-learning
M. Badali; M. Dehghani
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The outbreak of the disease in Wuhan, China, called Corona, caused a crisis in regional and global public health, which led to changes in most aspects of life. Due to social distancing and protection from the disease, the method of education changed; it also led to reducing ...
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Background and Objectives: The outbreak of the disease in Wuhan, China, called Corona, caused a crisis in regional and global public health, which led to changes in most aspects of life. Due to social distancing and protection from the disease, the method of education changed; it also led to reducing the learning and academic performance of students. Students in higher education have also been severely affected by the virus due to travel restrictions and social distancing, isolation measures, quarantine, closure of university campuses and closure of borders, which also damaged students' academic motivation. Delaying admission to university was one of the biggest challenges. A review of research has shown during COVID-19 pandemic, the rate of learning and academic motivation declined, so there seemed to be a need for an educational solution to address this issue. The electronic flipped classroom in Corona conditions could be considered. Although research indicated a better effect of the flipped classroom on learners' performance, it is not still clear how the electronic flipped classroom would lead to better performance and more research is needed. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of the electronic flipped classroom on students' academic performance and motivation.Methods: The research method was quasi-experimental with pre-test and post-test design having experimental and control groups. From the educational students of Tehran University, 38 students were selected as the sample through convenience sampling method and were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. The research instruments were a researcher-made performance test and an academic motivation questionnaire (Walrand et al., 1989). The sessions were held for both groups for three months weekly (a total of 12 sessions). The findings were analyzed using SPSS software version 23 and covariance method. It is noteworthy that before using the covariance method, its assumption was tested using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and the Levene's test.Findings: In this study, 38 students participated in two experimental and control groups, aged between 19 and 22 (M = 20.44, SD = 1.33), comparing the two groups with independent t-test (t = 0.651), showed that there was no significant difference between the mean age of the experimental group of 20.14 ± 0.70 and the control group of 20.68 ± 0.49. A total of 82% of the participants were girls. The results showed that the EFC had a significant effect on academic performance and academic motivation (P≤0.001), so that after the experimental intervention, the mean of the experimental group was higher than that of the control group in both variables.Conclusion: The EFC affects students' academic performance and motivation. Therefore, use the EFC improves academic performance and motivation as well as the success of e-learning.
Electronic learning- virtual
sh. Molania jolodar; M. Amiri
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Students are the main part and backbone of any educational systems and universities. Due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 in 2019, it is necessary for teachers and students to use electronic tools and the Internet more than before. This has both advantages and disadvantages. ...
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Background and Objectives: Students are the main part and backbone of any educational systems and universities. Due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 in 2019, it is necessary for teachers and students to use electronic tools and the Internet more than before. This has both advantages and disadvantages. As an advantage of these tools, the students can access more resources and literature from the Internet. In addition, they can listen to a lecture more and more and they do not need to go to their colleges or schools. Also, they can save time and money. On the other hand, one disadvantage can be unnecessary usage of the Internet under the pressure of studying and participating in e-learning classes, which makes it more difficult for parents to control their children. The phenomenon of excessive and unnecessary use of the Internet and cyberspace can lead to mental and educational dysfunctions of students, which is known as Internet addiction. Internet addiction was firstly studied by Young in 1988. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between improper use of the Internet and the study program of students of Mazandaran Technical and Vocational University during the Covid-19 pandemic.Methods: The research was a survey. Among about 13,500 undergraduate students of Mazandaran Technical and Vocational University in the academic year 2020-2021, 550 students were selected based on random selection. Yang’ (1998) standard questionnaire was used for eliciting the participants’ information with regard to the Internet use and a researcher-made questionnaire was used to collect the required data for the students’ study programs. The formal validity and reliability of the Internet use and students’ study program were 0.88 and 0.91, respectively. In this study, in order to investigate the relationship between independent and dependent variables, in addition to conventional statistical methods, the information sharing measurement method (Mutual Information) was used. This method not only examined the degree of linear dependence between two random variables but also measured the nonlinear dependence. This method has many applications in information theory.Results: The results showed that the total variable of the Internet use had an inverse and significant relationship with the students' study program (Pearson coefficient = -0.35). All five components of the Internet use (the effect of the Internet on work latency, preference for the Internet over work, the degree of Internet dependence, others protesting against the extreme use of the Internet and taking refuge in the Internet due to circumstances) had an inverse and significant relationship with students who enjoyed a study program. These four components could explain 17% of the variance of the students' study program. In measuring the dependence between the variables of the Internet use and study program, students were close to each other with two methods of measuring information sharing and other methods, despite minor differences.Conclusions: It seems that the dependence on and improper use of the Internet are related to the result of students' conscious or unconscious work. The result shows that among the components of the Internet use, the effect of the Internet on work latency has the strongest relationship with the students' study program. The component of others' protest against the extreme use of the Internet due to the influence of the protest of family and others on the students' study program shows a direct and positive relationship. However, with the indirect impact of other dimensions of the Internet use, the direct and positive effect on the variable of students' study program diminishes.
e-learning
R. Nejati
Abstract
Background and Objectives: In the past decades, online education as a variety of distance education has drawn the attention of administrators, instructors and students. Amid Covid-19 pandemic, online education has become an inevitable necessity. Students’ engagement in such classes may influence ...
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Background and Objectives: In the past decades, online education as a variety of distance education has drawn the attention of administrators, instructors and students. Amid Covid-19 pandemic, online education has become an inevitable necessity. Students’ engagement in such classes may influence learning and achievement. Engagement refers to the efforts put forward by the students in the process of learning. Educators believe that the components of engagement are interaction between students, content of the course, classmates and instructors in order to gain desired achievement (good scores and academic satisfaction). They also hold that engagement is a prerequisite and a factor for enduring learning. There is research evidence that student engagement is a strong predictor of achievement. A profile of students’ achievement and engagement is presented. In the present study, the relationship between engagement and achievement in online classes was examined.Methods: The study was a correlational one designed to answer the research question through the Online Student Engagement Scale developed by Dixon and a researcher-made achievement test. The questionnaire includes four dimensions and 19 items on a seven-point Likert scale developed in 2015. The dimensions are: skills, emotions, engagement and performance. The researcher could not locate any record of this scale in Iranian scientific journals. Hence, he had to translate it into Persian. Back translation was done by a university professor. The questionnaire had been adapted with Google Form and delivered to 297 students of general English courses through a university LMS in 2020. The students were required to fill out the forms on a seven-point bases. Two-hundred and six students returned the questionnaire, 22 of which had to be discarded because there were traces of inattention in the forms, e.g., some of the students had chosen a certain or every other one option for all items. There were clearly discernable patterns in these 22 forms. The remaining 184 responses and their corresponding test scores were put to statistical analysis. The questionnaire was posted to the students through the LMS. The second instrument of this study was a test of reading comprehension developed by the researcher. The test was developed on the basis of theories of reading. However, to establish its content and theoretical validity it was submitted to a panel of five instructors of English. The test included 40 items. It was administered as the final exam through the university LMS.Findings: The results analyzed through one-sample t-test revealed that students’ achievement and engagement level is satisfactory. Quantile regression showed that there was a significant relationship between engagement and achievement of high achievers. However, bivariate correlation could not locate any statistically significant relationship between engagement and achievement of average students. The findings are in contrast with research findings in other countries. Different explanations may account for this contrast, e.g., online education for the participants of this study was not optional. Hence, the students might not be motivated for learning. They might lack necessary skills and instruments for this mode of education. As a consequence, they might have developed some sort of stress resulting in lack of academic satisfaction, self-esteem, and underestimation. However, students’ level of engagement perception was satisfactory. It needs to be stated that no report of a similar research was located in Iran.Conclusions: The present study aimed at finding the relationship between engagement and achievement in online English classes. The theory of engagement holds true for high achievers but not for average or low achievers. In order to assess students’ engagement, a self-report questionnaire was used. Researchers are well aware of the fact that this method of data collection is open to measurement error.
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