Education Commons^™

Quality Measurement Of Blended Learning Model In Higher Education: Scale Development And Validation, Rajeshwari Panigrahi, Khaliq Lubza Nihar, Neha Singh

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objective: This study aimed to develop and test a scale for measuring the quality of blended learning models in higher education.

Methods: This research adopts a sequential mixed-method approach to construct a new measurement scale. The first phase consisted of the inductive approach to identify the items, followed by exploratory factor analysis. The identified dimensions were tested for reliability and validity in the second phase.

Results: The Blended Learning Quality Assessment (BLQA) contains 4 dimensions: Technology Integration, Pedagogy and Curriculum, Physical Infrastructure, and Educator Proficiency. The scale is comprised of 26 items assessing the quality of blended learning programs in …

Gamification And Player Profiles Among Faculty In Mexico, Álvaro Antón-Sancho, Diego Vergara, Lorena Rodríguez-Calzada

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: Analysis of the player profiles of professors is a fruitful line of research because player profiles may influence the design of gamified situations. We studied a sample of 243 university professors in Mexico to analyze the player profiles with which they identify and those they consider most effective didactically in gamified situations.

Method: Descriptive quantitative research was used to analyze the distributions of the responses to a questionnaire given to a group of 243 professors from different Mexican universities. These responses have been statistically analyzed by computing the proportions of player profile choices and applying Pearson’s chi-square test of …

A Winning Approach: Teaching Science Communication Skills Through Small-Group Workshops, Serena B. Gumusoglu, Maria Noterman Soulinthavong, Jennifer Barr

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: Research almost always culminates in the communication of findings. Despite the necessity of grant and manuscript writing throughout academic careers, scientific trainees often receive little guided practice in written communication. To fill this gap, we designed, implemented, and evaluated a voluntary writing initiative for biomedical students at a research-intensive (R1) university in the midwestern United States called Writing Initiative in Neuroscience (WIN).

Method: WIN consisted of didactic and workshop components. The didactic component included discussions with topic-specific experts on writing grants and manuscripts for the public and for non-academic scientific careers. The workshop component consisted of small group-based peer …

“I Did Not Sign Up For This”: Student Experiences Of The Rapid Shift From In-Person To Emergency Virtual Remote Learning During The Covid Pandemic, Jeff Kuntz, Viola Manokore

Higher Learning Research Communications

Abstract

Objectives: The main objective of this study was to explore students’ experiences of the emergency virtual remote teaching, which was implemented as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Method: 439 students enrolled at a community college in Canada responded to a survey that had Likert-scale and open-ended questions. Anderson’s model for online learning was used as an analytic lens to gain insight on student experiences. Descriptive statistics were used to make meaning of the data. Thematic analysis was done on student responses to open-ended questions.

Results: Findings were organized according to Anderson’s six factors in online teaching, namely: (a) …

Multimedia Open Educational Resource Materials For Teaching-Online Diversity And Leadership: Aligning Bloom’S Taxonomy And Studio Habits Of Mind, Elizabeth Johnston, Cheryl Burleigh, Xeno Rasmusson, Patrick Turner, Drena Valentine, Liston Bailey

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore, develop, test, and refine processes to incorporate meaningful and equitable use of open educational resources (OER) in online classrooms.

Method: The intent of this qualitative study was to use an action research process of interactive discussions between higher education practitioners to shape collective understanding of how to teach in an online learning environment using OER.

Results: The study resulted in the identification six exemplar learning opportunities which could be incorporated into the blended pedagogical model. Each exemplar OER included all four types of knowledge as defined by Bloom's taxonomy and required …

Design, Development, Implementation, And Support (Ddis): A Curriculum Supporting Online Doctoral Candidates, Donna Russell

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: The purpose of this paper is to comprehensively describe and justify the case design of an approach for the integration of synchronous virtual meetings to support nontraditional online doctoral candidates. As more nontraditional doctoral students are completing their degree programs virtually through online universities, the nature of their degree progression and the development of critical knowledge and skills differ from traditional on-campus programs.

Method: The case design of an approach to integrating synchronous online interactive meetings to support these learners is identified and justified through references to research in the learning sciences including sociocultural learning, heutagogy, and constructivist instructional …

Protocol For Conducting Procedural Skills Training With Simulators: A Critical Proposal, Gleyvis Coro-Montanet, Julia Sánchez-Ituarte, Ana De La Hoz-Calvo, María Jesús Pardo-Monedero

Higher Learning Research Communications

Task trainer simulators are often used in medical programs for bachelor’s degree students when teaching procedural skills. They provide the opportunity to practice dangerous maneuvers that students are not ready to perform on real patients yet. The rise of technology has vastly expanded the availability of these devices for use in teaching. To develop a protocol that would account for the complexities of psychomotor learning, based on student progress, and improve training quality, we designed a protocol for the bachelor’s degree program in dentistry. We justify the key elements of the proposal and explain the full working protocol.

Remote Community Engagement In The Time Of Covid-19, A Surging Racial Justice Movement, Wildfires, And An Election Year, Merith Weisman

Higher Learning Research Communications

Due to wildfires in fall of 2019 and the COVID-19 pandemic in spring of 2020, Sonoma State University lost 50 service-learning courses, and as a result, almost 900 fewer students completed a service-learning course than the previous year. During the summer of 2020, the Center for Community Engagement began developing service-learning projects that were designed to be done remotely and address either COVID-19 or engage students with involvement in the fall 2020 election. Later, opportunities to address racial injustice and the wildfires were integrated. The opportunities described require active participation but remotely within the community; however, it is possible that …

Challenges Of Using A Blended Learning Approach: A Flipped Classroom In An English Teacher Education Program In Mexico, Edgar Emmanuell Garcia-Ponce, Irasema Mora-Pablo

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: The objective of the study was to understand the views, experiences, and challenges that preservice English teachers perceived in a flipped classroom, which was implemented in a language teacher education program following our institution’s desire to promote blended learning.

Method: Two focus groups were conducted with the students (19). We analyzed the data using thematic analysis.

Results: The results show that the students perceived flipped practices as innovative and beneficial for their learning. However, their responses also reveal that the autonomy required from them and taking more responsibility for their own learning were particularly challenging because of their lack …

The Impact Of High-Fidelity Simulation On Nursing Student’S Flexible And Reflective Thinking In Higher Education, Hungwei Tseng, Lori Hill

Higher Learning Research Communications

This study evaluated the effect of high-fidelity simulation with both mannequins and live actors on flexible and reflective thinking of nursing students. Students enrolled in an undergraduate nursing program were recruited to participate in this study. Ninety students, all female, completed both pre- and post-surveys. The researchers conducted a paired samples t-test to determine if there is a statistically significant difference in students’ level of flexible thinking before and after they experienced the high-fidelity simulation. Moreover, we conducted multivariate correlational analysis to examine the relationships between flexible thinking and reflective thinking. In general, statistical results in this study provide …