Online and Distance Education Commons^™

Covid-19 Impact Research Brief: Virtual Exchanges At Community Colleges, Kimberley Cossey, Heidi Fischer

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected higher education worldwide. Two NAFSA member leaders, Kimberley Cossey, MA, (2021 registrar for Region VIII) and Heidi Fischer, PhD (2021 chair for Region VIII), have coauthored a research brief detailing how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted virtual exchange program development and delivery at community colleges in the United States. The research brief summarizes key takeaways from mixed-methods research (i.e., survey and interviews) with practitioners from U.S. community colleges, requesting information about:

The pandemic's impact on existing virtual exchange programs (VEPs), The impact on developing new VEPs, and New (virtual) models for international education. Key takeaways include …

Institutional Responses To The Covid-19 Pandemic: Faculty And Administrator Experiences, Narketta Sparkman-Key, Tammi F. Dice, Alexandra C. Gantt

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic required shifts in operations for institutions of higher education everywhere. Faculty and administrators were asked to adapt to meet the needs of students. We conducted a qualitative content analysis to understand institutional responses and examine the experiences of faculty and administrators during the COVID-19 pandemic through the lens of chaos theory. Institutional responses to the pandemic varied. Participants identified supports and resources deemed helpful, as well as those found to be inadequate or unwanted. We also found that the pandemic resulted in some positive outcomes for faculty and administrators, which led to growth in …

College Athletes’ Safe Return To Play: Perceptions Of Strength And Conditioning Training In A Midwest University, Reid Peters

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

This study focused on exploring the lived experiences of student-athletes during the COVID-19 pandemic at a midwestern university in the United States of America. Survey responses from collegiate athletes regarding perceptions of strength and conditioning training during the pandemic uncovered meaningful information to inform practices of strength and conditioning personnel during unexpected disruption to daily operations. Sixteen student athletes from a Midwest university were the respondents providing feedback to open-ended survey questions during fall semester of the 2021-2022 academic year. Student perspectives offer important insight about cares and concerns that athletic administrators, coaches and institutional leaders should consider when developing …

Can Virtual Observations Effectively Prepare Pre-Service Educators For A Career In Teaching?, Krystle N. Gremaud

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to identify if virtual observations of preservice teachers could be an effective alternative means for universities to use when observing students in their various education practicums. If found to be effective, universities could use virtual observations in place of in-person observation as a cost-saving measure during times of financial instability. Additionally, the findings could allow universities to market their teacher preparation programs nationally where states have closed their teacher preparation programs in response to the national teacher shortage. Two surveys were used: The Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale and a Likert scale to determine the perceived efficacy …

The Effect Of Virtual Learning On Parents During Covid-19, Sheila Reeves

Master's Theses

Parents were affected in numerous ways by the sudden shut down of schools and switch to virtual learning in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of these ways included use of technology, income, race, time, mental health, family life and parent insecurities. This study investigates parents' perspectives of some ways they were affected in regards to the virtual learning of their child(ren). All parents with children enrolled at Madison Campus Elementary School were invited to participate in the study, as they had at least one year's experience with their child(ren) in virtual learning.

Data was collected using a …

Teaching Special Education In The Midst Of Covid-19: Current Conditions Of Delivering Special Education Services During Distance Learning, Kalvin Davis

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The COVID-19 outbreak led to restrictions, school closure, sickness, hospitalization, humanitarian crisis, and the rise of death total. With efforts from healthcare and government officials, the best reactive response was to limit personal interactions amongst large groups and to keep a certain distance to limit the spread of COVID-19. With these limitations, school environments have drastically changed to meet student’s educational needs by using distance learning. Special education provides an opportunity to educate students who have specific educational, social, and behavioral needs in which they are given individualized education programs (IEPs) where principles are met for their services. As education …

Learning With Technology During Emergencies: A Systematic Review Of K‐12 Education, Helen Crompton, Diane Burke, Katy Jordon, Samuel W.G. Wilson

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Emergency situations that cause damage to educational buildings or require the closure of schools due to unsafe health, environmental, or political conditions can be an unwelcomed interruption to education. Indeed, the recent COVID‐19 pandemic created the largest disruption of education in history, affecting 94% of the world's student population. In emergencies, technology is often utilised as part of a crisis response protocol by continuing education using emergency remote education (ERE). The purpose of this study is to determine how technology has been used to continue K‐12 learning remotely during an emergency. This systematic review included an aggregated and configurative synthesis …

Introduction To The Special Section On Designing For Learning In A Pandemic, John Baaki

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Amid the pandemic, a project team continued educating electrical line workers across four U.S. locations. The Center for Engineering Education and Outreach redesigned an in-person internship program by finding ways to simulate tinkering, design reviews, and troubleshooting activities. A collaborative four-day international seminar networking 10 European universities from eight different countries went virtual. An all-expenses-paid six-day residential summer experience at NASA’s Johnson Space Center was replaced by an online experience. Designers embraced—cancellation is not an option—and found a way to engage fifth grade students to apply science and mathematics concepts related to building a Mars colony. The show did go …

Flipping A Virtual Efl Public Speaking Class Integrated With Moocs During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Zhuo Li, Xiaodi Zhou

Bilingual and Literacy Studies Faculty Publications

This case study explored Chinese undergraduate EFL students’ attitudes to and perceptions of an online English public speaking course, which employs a virtual flipped classroom model and MOOCs during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. Since all classes were moved online, a previously flipped public speaking course integrated with MOOCs was converted into a virtual flipped classroom. All 25 participants of the study were undergraduate students in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) field. Zoom, Blackboard, and QQ instant messenger were platforms utilized in instruction. There were weekly two-hour Zoom meetings with learning activities using MOOCs on Blackboard. The study collected …

“Portability Of The Ube: Where Is It When You Need It And Do You Need It At All?”, Suzanne Darrow- Kleinhaus

Scholarly Works

No abstract provided.

Covid-19 And Pakistani Academic Libraries: Documenting The Realities, Challenges And State Of Services., Faiz Ahmed, Nooruddin Merchant

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The sudden rise of global pandemic has disrupted almost each and every segment of the society. On March, 2020, educational institutions in Pakistan including Libraries were forced to shift to online teaching, learning and provision of services. The need of the time is not only to document the systems, processes and procedures being implemented in Higher Educational Institutions including libraries, but learn from and build on these experiences. This survey is first of its kind effort to understand how Academic Libraries in Pakistan paved their way towards online transition, the challenges faced by them, the inclusion of library staff in …

Inequalities In Girls’ Learning Opportunities Via Edtech: Addressing The Challenge Of Covid-19, Helen Crompton, Agnes Chigona, Katy Jordan, Christina Myers

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

The onset of the Covid-19 pandemic prompted school closures, which affected nearly 1.5 billion learners globally. Girls are likely to have experienced learning losses during the pandemic to a greater extent, as there are multiple barriers that influence gender disparities in accessing and benefiting from EdTech, including social inequalities or norms and technological constraints. Equity needs to be foregrounded when EdTech interventions are implemented, by considering disparities emerging from digital access, freedom, literacy, pedagogies, and design:

Digital access: Potential gender disparities in digital access, including at home, should be considered when EdTech interventions are designed.

Digital freedom: Social norms, as …

Edtech And Emergency Remote Learning: A Systematic Review, Helen Crompton, Diane Burke, Katy Jordan, Sam Wilson, Susan Nicolai, Christina Myers

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

An output of the EdTech Hub, https://edtechhub.org

Online Learning In Vocational Education Of China During Covid-19: Achievements, Challenges, And Future Developments, Xibin Han, Qian Zhou, Wanruo Shi, Shuyuan Yang

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

COVID-19 has challenged education systems globally. Traditional teaching and learning activities of more than 1,300 vocational colleges and nearly 11,000 vocational high schools in China have had to be paused and transformed into an online mode. A study had been conducted to trace the unprecedented change which would provide reflections on policies and practical experience worthy of reference for the follow-up development of online vocational education in China and other countries in the world. The study used two methods to collect data: (1) delivering questionnaires to 767 schools, 17009 teachers, 270,732 students, and (2) gathering 110 institute cases from 21 …

The Experiences And Perceptions Of Practicing Special Education Teachers During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Marci M. Glessner, Shirley A. Johnson

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

This study examined special education teachers’ perceptions and experiences as they transitioned to distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although there has been much research on preparing teachers to be effective in online environments, there is limited research on the teaching and learning dynamics when teachers are thrust into distance learning without training and preparation (Kormos, 2018; Moore-Adams et al. 2016; Unruh et al. 2016; Vasquez & Serianni, 2012). As described by Steele (1973), environments are affected by six functions: security and shelter, social contact, symbolic identification, task instrumentality, pleasure, and growth. In a classroom setting, these functions work together …

Teaching Under Crisis: Impact And Implications Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Education In Minnesota, Boyd L. Bradbury, Ximena P. Suarez-Sousa, Mike Coquyt, Tiffany L. Bockelmann, Amy L. Pahl

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

A mixed-methods exploratory study was conducted to explore the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic had on Minnesota teachers. A convenience sample of 976 teachers were surveyed in mid-April 2020 via the Qualtrics version of the Swaggert Instructional Practice Under Crisis (SIPUC) questionnaire containing 43 questions. The SIPUC data were analyzed following the Leadership in Times of Crisis Framework for Assessment (Boin et al., 2013), that is, an emergency instructional triage to determine which teachers had been mostly impacted and the scope and effect the pandemic had on their instruction and lives. Teachers described the pandemic as an event that disrupted …

Law School News: Rwu Law Dean Seeking To Build On Culture Of Service, Innovation 12/09/2020, Barry Bridges, Roger Williams University School Of Law

Life of the Law School (1993- )

No abstract provided.

Dean's Corner: Stepping Up Together

Action in Education

College of Education Dean Paul Zionts discusses the college's response to remote learning needs brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and ways to incorporate antiracism initiatives collegewide.

Covid-19 Impact On Radiology Students’ Distance Learning (Fall 2020), Mary Lee, Zoya Vinokur, Jason Chan, Renzo Marmolejo, Cherylann Jackson-Holmes

Publications and Research

Distance learning (DL) is a teaching tool that offers education to students remotely in various locations (Ruiz, 2006). The increase in distance learning education is evident in all types of educational programs including those in Radiologic Sciences. DL education programs are expected to comply with all standards just as traditional programs are (Aaron, 2015). With traditional class settings, knowledge is taught at a given time and day and is structured in terms of course development and attendance. It does not factor in the domestic and familial responsibilities of the students outside the classroom walls or the effects of a worldwide …

Closing The Virtual Gap: Resources For At-Home Learning During Covid-19, Francis Nizza

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

In this time of COVID-19, at-home learning has become the new normal. In some cases, parents have been thrust into the dual role of at-home worker and at-home teacher. Additionally, disparities arise when you look at education levels of parents and socioeconomic factors. The goal of this project was to identify resources that are available to families to help overcome the many challenges to at-home learning: areas like access to the internet, proper work environments and access to wellness and mental health support, to name just a few. The process was done through collaborating with Learning for Life Charter School …

Students Can Still Assimilate Different Cultures Via Virtual Learning, Yuanto Kusnadi, Gary Pan

Research Collection School Of Accountancy

The year 2020 has been unique and exceptional. The Covid-19 pandemic has posed significant challenges to economies and societies across the world. Universities too had to pivot and adapt, with lessons and examinations moved online, for example. One of the challenges faced by universities is how to equip their students with the relevant skillset of gaining exposure to different cultures through internships and exchanges when international borders are largely closed. To overcome the constraint posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, a recent initiative by the Singapore Management University (SMU), called SMU-X Overseas (virtual), has allowed students to work on real-world projects …

Secure Answer Book And Automatic Grading, Manoj Thulasidas

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

In response to the growing need to perform assessments online, we have developed a secure answer book, as well as a tool for automatically grading it for our course on spread- sheet modeling. We applied these techniques to a cohort of about 160 students who took the course last term. In this paper, we describe the design, implementation and the techniques employed to enhance both the security of the answer book and the ease, accuracy and consistency of grading. In addition, we summarize the experience and takeaways, both from the instructor and the student perspectives. Although the answer book and …

Covid-19 Induced Transition From Classroom To Online Mid Semester: Case Study On Faculty And Students’ Preferences And Opinions, Sudipta Roy, Bonnie Covelli

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate faculty and students’ reactions to the COVID-19 emergency move to online classes. The goal was to better inform instructional strategies to be used in similar circumstances and to inform best practices in online pedagogy.

Method: Online surveys were administered to students and faculty near the end of the semester to evaluate different aspects of the transition. Classes included in the study were scheduled as full-semester, on-campus classes but made an emergency switch to online post-spring break, after eight weeks.

Results: Students’ and faculty’s comfort levels at the time …

The Future Of Education As A Wicked Possibility, Eric Busser

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

Over the past few decades, technology has become more and more integral in education. The online education response to the COVID-19 pandemic shows how capable technology in distance learning has become in recent years. Education still has a lot more room for implementing technology, and this paper explores the advantages and disadvantages of the inevitable implementation of distance learning in education.

When You Can’T R.I.O.T., R.I.O.: Tele-Assessment For School Psychologists, Michael R. Hass, Brian P. Leung

Education Faculty Articles and Research

The acronym R.I.O.T., record review, interview, observation, and test, is a well-known tool for conceptualizing a comprehensive assessment. With COVID-19 and the need to provide school psychological services virtually, it is important to reconsider R.I.O.T. in light of the limitations of virtual assessment. We describe the limitations of virtual assessment and argue that in spite of these barriers, the first three elements of R.I.O.T., record review, interviews, and observations, when used systematically, can provide useful comprehensive assessment data. Specific recommendations are provided for implementing assessment virtually.

Creating An Online Community Of Learners During The Covid-19 Shutdown Using Michigan’S Literacy Essentials, Annie P. Spear

Michigan Reading Journal

When a global pandemic shuts down our educational system it is critical to mobilize quickly and effectively to support children and families. This article explores one educator's experience of setting up free online classes to support students during the COVID-19 shutdown. Participants ranged in age from 3 to 12 and were from Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, and Ohio. The author outlines how she designed classes, engaged with children and families, and provided instruction that was grounded in literacy research and Michigan's Essential Instructional Practices in Early Literacy while guided by developmentally appropriate pedagogy. Specific practices that foster motivation and engagement …

Forced Transitions: Learning Asl In A Virtual Environment, Kara Gournaris

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

Engagement with native language models is essential for second language acquisition. Social distancing mandates made this interaction nearly impossible for students learning American Sign Language (ASL), at a small rural university in western Oregon. COVID-19 brought with it many challenges, not the least of which was a hurried transition from face-to-face to online learning. The author found that some courses degraded in content and instruction when shifting to an online platform. Without access to community events where native language models were present, ASL students had less opportunities for incidental learning, legitimate peripheral participation, and connection within Deaf communities of practice.

Developing A Common Language Of Ethical Engagement In Teaching: Lessons For And From A Time Of Crisis, Richard D. Sawyer

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

This article explores how educators may develop and contribute to a common language of ethical engagement, a language that rises above specific actions but is grounded in ethical practice and scholarship. Questions are raised about how online education may further the patterns educational inequities in the United States. An ethics framework is explored through a comparison. The author explores the educational principles--not standards—that educators can surface in their teaching practice. A discussion is included of recent dilemmas and problems with online teaching environments, underscoring the need for ethical principles helping to frame practice.

Distance Education Connection Newsletter, Fall 2020, Dena Laton

Distance Education Connection

No abstract provided.

Reflections Of A World In Crisis

Conversations

Photojournalism professor Robin Hoecker discusses teaching during a period of pandemic and social unrest, including the challenges of remote and trauma-informed teaching, and offers advice.