Online and Distance Education Commons^™

School Teachers And Principals’ Experiences During Covid-19 In Pakistan, Azra Naseem, Mirat Al Fatima Ahsan, Sohail Ahmad, Tasneem Anwar, Razia Fakir Mohammad

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, educational activities were disrupted globally. In Pakistan, schools were also closed, and though some schools had started teaching online, the staff (including principals and teachers) and students' readiness for education during the pandemic remained unexplored. An internet-based survey was conducted to explore the experiences of the teachers and principals during the lockdown. The survey included both open-ended and closed-ended questions. Responses were collected from respondents in different parts of Pakistan, with the majority coming from Sindh and coming from both the private and public sector. While the respondents from private schools reported that …

The Rapid Transition From Face-To-Face To Online Education Due To Covid-19: Observations Of Higher Education Faculty In Texas, Bill Mchenry, Kevin Williams, Ellen Melton

TxDLA Journal of Digital Learning

The COVID-19 pandemic has made a profound impact on education on a global scale. Disruptions and changes in modalities in the delivery of education, both in higher education and pk12 environments, have potentially forever changed the expectations of education systems. This study discusses the rapid transition to online education due to the pandemic from the lenses of higher education faculty in Texas.

Faculty Members' Viewpoints Toward Challenges And Suggested Improvements Of Moodle Distance Learning Platform At Sultan Qaboos University During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Mohamed A. Shahat, Mohammed Al-Amri

International Journal for Research in Education

The study aimed at identifying faculty members' point of view on the challenges and suggested developments of the Sultan Qaboos University's distance learning experience in using the Moodle platform in the light of the emerging Coronavirus pandemic "COVID-19. The study has taken into consideration the faculty members’ variables (gender, teaching experience, and technological skills). The sample of the study consisted of 144 faculty members of SQU’s centers and colleges who participated voluntarily. A two-scale assessment instrument has been developed, including the challenges of distance learning and suggestions for the development of distance learning and instruction. A descriptive-analytical approach was used …

Lessons Learned: Kinesthetic Learning And Engaging Students With Adhd (In The Time Of Covid), Claudia Freedman

Education | Master's Theses

While many studies have examined the benefits of movement and kinesthetic learning on the engagement of all elementary school-aged children, especially those with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or children with common characteristics or behaviors of ADHD (undiagnosed ADHD), less research exists on how the COVID-19 pandemic and hybrid learning affected and continues to impact the engagement of children, especially those with ADHD or undiagnosed ADHD. The purpose of this study was to investigate how teachers engage students, particularly those with ADHD or undiagnosed ADHD, in an elementary classroom using practices from movement, music, dance, and theater, especially during COVID-19. …

Adjusting To Change: Learning American Sign Language Online During A Global Pandemic, Kara Gournaris

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

Second language acquisition of American Sign Language (ASL) requires opportunities for engagement with native language models (Krashen, 1988). The shift to online instruction due to the impact of COVID-19 presented unique challenges for ASL programs across the United States. With little time to redesign courses, instructors and students had to navigate the experience of online learning together. The students who participated in this 2020 study at Western Oregon University (WOU) shared their raw experiences related to this transition, and unfortunately, one year later, many of the same barriers reported by students persist. The purpose of this article is to share …

Digital Equity: Difficulties Of Implementing The 1:1 Computing Initiative In Low-Income Areas, Demetric D. Williams

Dissertations

Successful One-to-One Computing Initiative implementation requires educators to communicate and collaborate effectively with everyone in the learning community. However, other factors such as teacher’s professional development, student’s perception, and parent’s perception often affect the implementation of the One-to-One Computing Initiative. School districts, which serve low-income areas in Mississippi, have difficulties ensuring students and communities have access to the information technology they need to participate outside the school setting. The concept is often called digital equity. However, when officials do not address the capacity, there is a vital threat to the participants’ civic, cultural, employment, lifelong learning, and access to essential …

No Such Thing As A New “Normal”: The Future Of Teaching In A Pandemic World, Victoria Benard

Honors College Theses

Due to the many changes wrought on our society by the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers in high schools have had to dramatically alter their methods of teaching in order to comply with new rules and regulations. These guidelines, deemed safe by the CDC, have completely upended traditional high school classrooms and left teachers scrambling to effectively teach their content and assess student learning. The purpose of this research is to determine the successes and/or failures of high school teachers’ teaching strategies that have undergone dramatic adaptations amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. One goal of this research is to produce a concise understanding …

Parent Volunteers And Covid-19: Balancing Necessity, Enthusiasm, And Caution, Jarrod Myers

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focus issue addressed in this Capstone Project is how the pandemic disrupted parent volunteering in schools. Parent volunteering is an essential issue for schools because parent involvement is essential for student success. An evidence-based argument is offered that schools struggled to staff the void left by parent volunteers. The three primary stakeholder perspectives chosen were parents, school leadership, and teachers. Parents make up the volunteer pool; teachers know what kind of assistance classrooms need, and school leadership creates policies. Three themes emerged from analyzing the data and explored ways to reintroduce parents to a school campus. Parent volunteers make …

Perceptions Of College Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder On The Transition To Remote Learning During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Joseph Madaus, Alexandra Cascio, Nicholas W. Gelbar

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

COVID-19 caused a major shift in how college students, including those with disabilities, received their education during the Spring 2020 semester. The rapid shift to remote learning resulted in new challenges, but also, some benefits for students. This study presents the results of open-ended responses of a cohort of 31 students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who were part of a larger study and enrolled in very- to highly competitive institutions (as rated by U.S. News and World Report) during the Spring 2020 semester regarding their experiences, both positive and negative, in shifting to remote learning. The students described …

Development, Implementation, And Delivery Of A Remote Burnout Prevention Elective Course In An Accelerated Doctor Of Pharmacy Program During Covid-19, Melissa Santibanez, Jonathon May, Paul M. Boylan, Andrea Duque, Taylor Harris

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: There is limited evidence describing burnout among graduate health professions students, including pharmacy students, and there is a need for educational institutions to mitigate burnout and promote future healthcare provider wellness. Methods: A burnout prevention elective course was developed within an accelerated Doctor of Pharmacy program. Course faculty transitioned from live to fully remote instruction in April 2020. The modified course format combined discussion-based lectures, burnout self-assessments, reflective writing assignments, and applications-based presentations. Results: Twenty-one second-year pharmacy students completed the elective, and 13 completed post-course evaluations (61.9% response rate). Evaluations indicated substantial student support, with 92.3% “strongly agree” and …

A Qualitative Study Of Middle School Science Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Transition To Online Instruction During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Brian S. Ward

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The purpose of this study was to explore the unique lived experiences of four middle school science teachers from North Carolina and South Carolina during and following the transition from in-person to online instruction due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Four predominant themes were identified from individual, semi-structured interviews of the teachers: technology change; organizational change; changes in curricula, delivery, and student interaction; and career and personal changes. The teachers in this study described the challenges and opportunities experienced during the rapid transition in March 2020 to virtual teaching and learning. The teachers’ lived experiences seamlessly aligned with the stages of …

Assessing Awareness And Competence Of Best Practices In Synchronous Online Instruction During The Covid-19 Pandemic For Clemson Cooperative Extension Professionals, Christopher J. Eck, K Dale Layfield, Catherine A. Dibenedetto, Jacqueline K. Jordan, Sarah O. Scott, Weatherly Thomas, Michelle Parisi, Thomas Dobbins

Journal of Extension

Traditional delivery of Extension programming changed overnight in March 2020, when the COVID-19 outbreak forced switching traditional methods to virtual delivery. Extension professionals across South Carolina quickly adapted to online delivery. Concerns over instructor preparedness to use online tools, including functions to assure accessibility, did arise. Findings from this non-experimental, descriptive research study suggested Extension professionals used online tools (primarily Zoom). The majority were not comfortable using many of the features that would enhance instruction, including polling, file transfer, and live-streaming media platforms. Additionally, Microsoft Word and PowerPoint skills to assure accessibility for clientele were lacking.

Promoting Equity And Assuring Teaching And Learning Quality: Magisterial Lectures In A Philippine University During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Ma. Mercedes T. Rodrigo, Estelle Marie Macuja Ladrido

Department of Communication Faculty Publications

When the COVID-19 pandemic forced universities to shift to online learning, one of the challenges to faculty and administrators was to provide students with high-quality, curriculum-based learning materials that could be accessed despite students’ variable levels of Internet access. Part of the Ateneo de Manila University’s response to this challenge is the production of the Magisterial Lectures, an Open Educational Resource (OER) series of video lectures by some of the University’s most respected faculty members. The goals of this paper are to describe how the production of the lectures was guided by the principles of quality and equity; to discuss …

Covid-19: How To Help Impacted Resident Trainees Move Forward, Jehan Yahya, Korinne M. Diss

Advances in Clinical Medical Research and Healthcare Delivery

COVID-19 has presented unique challenges to the healthcare system as a whole, and a unique experience for medical residents, in some ways enhancing their growth but in many ways compromising their education. This article presents guidelines for residency programs to support residents today and address gaps in their education as a result of COVID-19 activities, based on personal and professional experiences and insights gained through the past two years.

Full Issue: Journal On Empowering Teaching Excellence, 2022 Special Issue (Vol. 5, Iss. 3)

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

The full-length 2022 Special Issue (Volume 5, Issue 3) of the Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Access the online Pressbooks version (with downloadable EPUB format) here.

Student And Instructor Perceptions Of Online Teaching Related To Covid-19: The Need For Reflective Practices, Mary Bowne, Melissa Wuellner, Jessie H. Hendricks, John Howard

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Access the online Pressbooks version of this article here.

Although online learning has been in existence for over 20 years, not all instructors have been trained to teach online or had the desire to teach online. The recent COVID-19 pandemic quickly changed typical face-to-face instruction and disrupted the current educational system by requiring all college courses be delivered online, either asynchronous or synchronous using various software platforms. This paper investigated both instructors’ and students’ perceptions of faculty online teaching preparedness as well as their thoughts related to various technological resources and issues that arose during this time period. Results indicated …

Teaching Preservice Teachers In The Time Of Covid: What’S Worth Keeping?, Kathy Liu Sun, Jennifer L. Ruef, Kathleen Jablon Stoehr, Madeline Ahearn

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

As we begin to transition from online instruction to in-person, we (four mathematics teacher educators) reflect on how COVID-19 impacted our instruction and address the question: what will we take back to in-person instruction? This article includes our individual reflections and an analytical synthesis of them. Findings reveal that there were unanticipated ways that human connection and consideration arose from teaching online, much of which we want to maintain in some form when returning to brick and mortar classrooms. We conclude by highlighting the value and importance of reflection for our own well-being.

Seeking Equity, Agility, And Sustainability In The Provision Of Emergency Remote Teaching During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Center For Teaching And Learning Takes An Expanded Role, Henry Trotter, Cheng-Wen Huang, Laura Czerniewicz

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to illuminate and assess the experiences and feelings of the staff of a center for teaching and learning at one South African university during the early months (April–June 2020) of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns when it switched from face-to-face teaching to emergency remote teaching (ERT). It explores the practical, operational, ethical, cultural, and emotional questions that the staff of this center dealt with as they supported the university in ERT provision.

Method: This paper draws on in-depth interviews with 23 staff members of the Centre for Innovation in Learning and Teaching (CILT) who …

Supporting Mastery Learning Through A Multiple-Submission Policy For Assignments In A Purely Online Programming Class, Joseph Benjamin R. Ilagan, Marianne Kayle Amurao, Jose Ramon Ilagan

Quantitative Methods and Information Technology Faculty Publications

The Learning Edge Momentum (LEM) theory suggests that once students fall behind, it gets more difficult to catch up with the course material. It then becomes increasingly more difficult to connect new, higher-level concepts to those solid edges of knowledge with mastery of basic concepts. Learning for Mastery (LFM) acknowledges that students learn at different paces by allowing students unable to master tests the first time to catch up eventually. This paper describes how an online introductory Python programming course offered to business students followed a multiple-submission policy for assignments to support LFM. The multiple submission policy contributed to the …

Distance Education Under Duress: A Case Study Of Exchange Students’ Experience With Online Learning During The Covid-19 Pandemic In The Republic Of Korea, William H. Stewart, Patrick R. Lowenthal

Educational Technology Faculty Publications and Presentations

COVID-19 caused universities around the world to transition overnight to some type of remote learning or online format. The way this occurred, though necessary, was a departure from the standards and norms of traditional distance education and was a drastic change for the majority of faculty and students who had no prior experience with remote, blended, or online learning. This case study was conducted in the Republic of Korea with 15 international exchange students who found themselves forced to take distance education courses on an empty campus during the COVID19 pandemic. Themes of isolation and loneliness, diverse learning experiences, little-to-no …

Power In A Pandemic: Teachers’ Unions And Their Responses To School Reopening, Bradley D. Marianno, Annie A. Hemphill, Ana Paula S. Loures-Elias, Libna Garcia, Deanna Cooper, Emily Coombes

Educational Psychology, Leadership, and Higher Education Faculty Research

Drawing on Bachrach and Baratz’s first and second faces of interest group power, we explore the relationship between teachers’ union power and reopening decisions during the fall 2020 semester in 250 large districts around the United States. We leverage a self-collected panel data set of reopening decisions coupled with measures of teachers’ union first face power (drawn from social media postings on teachers’ unions’ Facebook pages) and second face power (operationalized as district size, whether the school district negotiates a collective bargaining agreement with the teachers’ union, the length of the collective bargaining agreement, and the amount of revenue raised …

Impact Of Covid-19 On Students And Faculty In Higher Education, Joshua Manio, Kirsten Bas, Megan Griffith, Sophia Mendoza, Christian Jiao

Occupational Therapy | MSOT Capstone Projects

On March 11th, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially announced that COVID-19 was a “pandemic” (Kapasia et al., 2020). The impact of COVID-19 on higher education has been substantial. Teaching has changed from traditional in-person, classroom formats to distance learning platforms. As students experienced unprecedented disruptions, faculty faced challenges to provide high-quality teaching and build learning communities with their students. Preliminary global research on the COVID-19 impact on higher education has revealed mental health implications including anxiety and depression (Cao et al., 2020). Additionally, the transition to distance learning has hindered college students’ motivation, academic performance, and educational plans. …

Student Perspectives On Mandatory Conversion To Online Classes: A Qualitative Study, Anita Whiting, Joie S. Hain

Atlantic Marketing Journal

This qualitative research study investigates students’ perspectives on the mandatory conversion to online classes due to COVID-19. In particular, this study explores (1) students’ struggles with conversion of class to online, (2) students’ likes of converted online class, (3) students’ dislikes of converted online class, 4) students’ happiness toward converted online classes, and (5) students’ recommendations on ways to improve online classes. The study was conducted at three universities in the southeastern region of the United States. The major findings of the study are (1) almost 80 percent of students reported struggles when class was converted to online, (2) 88 …

Is A Framework Of Support Enough? Undergraduate Research For Online Stem Students, Emily Faulconer, Brent Terwilliger, Robert Deters, Kelly George

Publications

While undergraduate research is known as a high-impact practice, little research has been conducted for the online educational setting. Early research suggests that online students and faculty have similar interest in undergraduate research as their residential (face-to-face) counterparts. This point of view presents the framework of support developed for fully online students distributed globally and shares some of the challenges faced in online undergraduate research, including the issue of low recruitment (despite stated interest) that could be exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kentucky Agricultural Education Teachers’ Perceived Barriers Of Delivering Instruction Through Internet-Based Distance Learning Amid The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jeci Crane-Bohannon

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

In the spring of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic brought about a multitude of challenges around the world. Mass closures of public places seemed to happen overnight and instantaneously. Essential workers kept the world afloat to the best of their abilities, but the harsh reality quickly settled in that education was not considered essential in the view of a worldwide pandemic. Educators worked continue the education of their pupils while trying to minimize movement and limit social gatherings leaving schools around the world reeling to find their ground in an abrupt switch from in-person learning to internet-based, distance education. Globally, the …

A Secondary Data Analysis Exploring The Impacts Of Synchronous And Asynchronous Sexual Assault Bystander Intervention Training: A Pilot Study, Jacquelyn A. Mesenbrink

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Campus sexual assault has been recognized as one of the most pressing issues on college campuses and an epidemic across the U.S. The purpose of this study is to explore perceived prosocial behavior change of one bystander intervention training in two different modalities: synchronous virtual via Zoom and asynchronous online training via a learning management system (LMS). To date, there is no research study that evaluates the same bystander intervention program across different intervention delivery modalities. This research is the first of its kind to examine the relationship between intervention delivery modality and post-evaluation questions and serves as a pilot …

Digital Educational Modules Development For The Career And Technical Cybersecurity Pathways During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Vukica Jovanović, Murat Kuzlu, Otilia Popescu, Petros Katsioloudis, Linda Vahala, Michael Wu, Deborah Marshall, Michael Crespo, Mary Addison

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Virtual learning has been used now for several decades, but it has never had a bigger impact on student learning than in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic. Universities and schools faced shutdowns all around the world, and teachers had to adapt rapidly to online mode of instruction. Many educators were faced with a triage approach with no previous experience in distance learning, a lack of resources for professional development, and already existing shortages of current educational modules that could assist them in their day-to-day jobs. This gap was especially evident in areas such as career and technical education (CTE) …

Self-Evaluation Of Educational Leadership Practices During Covid-19, Mike Coquyt

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, school districts, and specifically, superintendents, are under increased pressure to lead. Irregularity and ambiguity are now the mantras of those tasked with leading in our schools. Many current research studies aim to evaluate the possible effects of COVID-19 on the system of education (Azorín, 2020; Hargreaves & Fullan, 2020), and advice on how to lead during a crisis (Harris & Jones, 2020; Leithwood et al., 2020, Netolicky, 2020). There are no standards or benchmarks to follow that could potentially aid school leaders as they navigate, lead, and make important decisions that affect how quality instruction …

Broadband Access, District Policy, And Student Opportunities For Remote Learning During Covid-19 School Closures, Susan Kemper Patrick, Jason A. Grissom, S. Colby Woods, Urleaka W. Newsome

Teaching and Learning Faculty Research

We conceptualize students’ opportunities to learn remotely during the initial school closures associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. We then examine variation in remote instruction using an original statewide survey of teachers in Tennessee, deployed just a few weeks into the closures. Using three-level logistic regression models, we explore potential predictors of regular remote instruction, including prepandemic measures of broadband access, the demographic composition of schools, and measures of district policy responses created from districts’ public COVID-19 plans. We find that teachers in schools serving more economically disadvantaged students and in rural districts are less likely to report regular remote instruction, …

Teaching And Assessing College Stem Courses Online During Covid-19: Evidence-Based Strategies And Recommendations, Santanu De, Georgina Arguello

FDLA Journal

Since the devastating COVID-19 pandemic, most schools, colleges, and universities worldwide underwent a paradigm shift by transitioning to digital teaching and learning modalities. This phenomenon was essential to mitigate the contagion; however, the academic institutions needed to quickly come up with ways to ensure that the quality and rigor of education were maintained, especially the active and experiential learning required by undergraduate and graduate courses in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This paper highlights key approaches reported or proposed to effectively conduct college-level, in-person STEM courses online owing to the pandemic. These would range from synchronous versus asynchronous pedagogies …