Review Article
Ángela Novoa-Echaurren, Alejandra Canales-Tapia, Linda Molin-Karakoç
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 17, Issue 1, Article No: ep561
ABSTRACT
Rapid technological developments have heightened global interest in pedagogically sound uses of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in education. However, universal principles for ICT integration need to better align with the local realities of teachers and schools for optimal uptake. Using Chile and Finland as case studies, this research summarizes, appraises, and synthesizes literature on teachers’ ICT uses before and during the pandemic. Adopting a ‘glocal’ framework (Manca et al., 2021), the study identifies local and global trends in ICT uses, including potential research shifts that carry implications for both theory and practice. A systematic literature review was conducted to examine Finnish and Chilean teachers’ ICT uses as reported in studies across five databases. The search was limited to peer-reviewed, English-language publications over a thirteen-year period and yielded 26 high-quality papers that were analyzed using meta-aggregation. Findings reveal that the reported ICT uses depended on the research methods employed to study these where qualitative studies documented innovative uses and quantitative studies more traditional uses of ICT. During the pandemic, research shifted to focus more on teacher experiences with Finnish studies highlighting positive ICT-related experiences and Chilean studies negative experiences including teachers’ lack of training and practical issues. Based on the findings, recommendations are given to continue to enhance ICT integration both locally and globally.
Keywords: ICT integration, pedagogical uses of ICT, systematic literature review, COVID-19 pandemic, Finland, Chile
Research Article
Parama Chaudhuri
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 16, Issue 4, Article No: ep539
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic began in the late months of 2019 and by Spring of 2020, in an effort to limit transmission of the virus, schools across the globe had closed and transitioned to emergency online teaching which may have disrupted their current learning procedures. In the United States, over 13,000 school districts completely closed down during this time. Schools began to offer multiple types and modes of instruction in order to continue providing instruction for their students. One of these was emergency remote teaching. During the emergency remote teaching environments (ERTE), teachers worked within the ERTE framework to design their online instructional strategies. The purpose of the study is to report instructional strategies teachers used to provide education to their students during the extremely constrained set of circumstances presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, and to examine their contextualized stories regarding why they used these strategies as well as their perspectives on the comparative success of those strategies.
Keywords: adaptive experience, instructional strategies used during the COVID-19 pandemic, teacher voices
Research Article
Asmahan Masry-Herzallah, Abeer Watted
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 16, Issue 2, Article No: ep505
ABSTRACT
During the COVID-19 outbreak, Israel’s higher education system swiftly transitioned to emergency-adapted online distance learning. Yet, limited research has assessed effectiveness of online learning (EOL) for Arab students in Israel. This study delves into Arab students’ EOL perceptions, focusing on cognitive and emotional aspects. Using a quantitative method, it explored the link between technological self-efficacy (TS), mindfulness ability (MA), and EOL during the pandemic among students from three Israeli academic institutions (N=378). Results showed a positive association between TS and EOL. Further, MA moderated TS-EOL relationship. Men demonstrated higher TS than women. There were noticeable EOL differences between undergraduate (pre-service teachers) and graduate (in-service teachers) students, with the latter exhibiting an advantage. This research contributes to the evolving discourse on post-pandemic online learning, shedding light on potential gender disparities and highlighting the importance of both TS and MA for successful online learning. The findings have implications for instructional designers, educators, policymakers, and academic programs.
Keywords: COVID-19 crisis, online learning effectiveness, technological self-efficacy, gender differences, mindfulness ability
Research Article
Mohammed AbdAlgane
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 15, Issue 4, Article No: ep476
ABSTRACT
Due to the quick effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the educational system, English instructors were required to retrain and build a new normal in order to prepare for an online classroom while still keeping their teaching style and professional identity. The study’s overarching goal was to look at how English teachers’ developing senses of who they are as professionals have affected their views on remote learning. 135 Middle Eastern English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers were surveyed for the research. Responses to a questionnaire based on the teacher professional identity scale and semi-structured interviews with 13 participants provided the data for this analysis. Content analysis was used to categorize the codes representing the qualitative information gleaned from the semi-structured interviews. It seems that many EFL teachers were unprepared for the pedagogical and technical problems they faced while teaching English to foreign students online, and this has had a profoundly destructive impact on the instructors’ professional identities as they migrate away from teaching in-person. The findings revealed that the participants’ long-term engagement with Edu-Tech during and after their formal education significantly influenced their perception of themselves as professionals. Possible avenues for further research include action research, increasing faculty and staff awareness, and continuous professional development.
Keywords: e-learning, COVID-19 pandemic, information and communication technologies, professional identity of teachers
Research Article
Nazir Ahmed Jogezai, Diana Koroleva, Fozia Ahmed Baloch
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 15, Issue 4, Article No: ep466
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic, which posed challenges for accommodating student learning, also opened avenues for using digital resources in online learning. However, differences were observed in their use, effectiveness, and intensity across developed and least developed societies. This is referred to as “digital inequalities,” caused by factors such as insufficient organizational-level support and teachers’ digital competence (DC). This study was conducted to determine teachers’ DC and reveal if their DC was explained by their digital nativeness and principals’ digital instructional leadership capital. The study used a quantitative research method, whereby data were collected from 393 teachers. The researchers used SmartPLS 4 and SPSS 24 to analyze data. The findings complement the available literature and help pave ways to promote the integration of digital resources in teaching and learning.
Keywords: digital nativeness, digital competence, digital inclusion, digital instructional leadership, COVID-19 pandemic, teacher
Research Article
Premika Farsawang, Noawanit Songkram
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 15, Issue 4, Article No: ep456
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic led to a rapid transition to online learning, thereby significantly impacting higher education. This study examines the experiences of students, instructors, and university administrators from 22 Thai universities during the pandemic and explores the potential consequences for the future of higher education. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, data were gathered through focus group discussions with 30 participants and a survey conducted with 510 undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate students. The findings highlight the importance of flexibility, technology integration, and adaptability in curricula and instructional methods to enable effective online learning. Additionally, the study emphasizes the need for continuous improvement in the education sector, driven by the rapidly changing demands of the job market and the evolving nature of technology. Practical steps to be taken include prioritizing student learning outcomes, fostering digital literacy among instructors and students, and promoting collaboration across disciplines. Future research should examine the long-term impact of the pandemic on higher education and explore additional strategies for supporting students and instructors in the next normal.
Keywords: online learning, higher education, flexibility, technology integration, COVID-19, adaptability
Research Article
Paula Charbonneau-Gowdy, Dánisa Salinas, Juan Carlos Oyanedel, Héctor Magaña
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 15, Issue 3, Article No: ep446
ABSTRACT
The deep disruption to education caused by the move to online learning during COVID-19 was unprecedented. While most educational stakeholders adapt to the transition back to a “new normal”, it seems an obvious time for constructivist reflection on the lessons learned. The aim of this longitudinal inquiry was to examine the experiences of higher education learners in Chile during the pandemic for potential insights to be gained. The focus was on students in multi-disciplinarian fields and the changes to their perspectives, practices, and identities. Working within the qualitative paradigm, data was gathered using interviews (n=22), surveys (n=1,054, n=1,137, n=205) and field notes. Learners’ experiences were mapped against contemporary e-learning theory and 21st century learner identity goals. Through this lens, pedagogical practices, course designs, and uses of technology reflected in online spaces were found to influence learners and their learning in complex ways. Two key themes emerged in the analysis: (1) exposure to conventional pedagogy, information transfer and assessment-driven designs and technology challenges online, left students discouraged with their learning progress and disparaging of their future workplace preparedness and (2) students who experienced learner-centered practices online, supported by contemporary learning theory and community-building course designs and technologies, underwent transformative changes to their learning and identities and feeling confidently qualified for their post study careers. In view of the increasing role e-learning will play in this century, we believe further empirical research of this kind into a myriad of global, digital learning contexts, could help transform online learning and learners in our new post pandemic reality.
Keywords: online learning, COVID-19 online experiences, contemporary online learning theories and goals, instructional design, learner identity, transforming learning online
Research Article
Sara Suleymanova, Amjad Gawanmeh, Suhair Al-Alami
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 15, Issue 3, Article No: ep441
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way instructors teach and students learn. Rather than receiving education face-to-face on-campus, remote online education emerged as an alternative solution. If implemented properly though, online education can have its positive impact on the teaching and learning processes. Online education, however, may have its deficiencies, especially in terms of mental health. This paper is a follow-on study comparing students’ perceptions towards remote online education versus their perceptions towards on-campus education as regards mental health specifically. Involving sixty-two engineering students at a private university in Dubai, where this study was implemented, the researchers utilized a questionnaire focusing on both online and on campus education models, which was conducted during the COVID-19 lockdown time and on-campus education following the lockdown period. Based on the study’s findings, most respondents were in favor of on-campus education, particularly in relation to its impact on student mental health.
Keywords: COVID-19, online education, mental health, education models, on-campus education, graduate education
Review Article
Bui Phuong Uyen, Duong Huu Tong, Lu Kim Ngan
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 15, Issue 3, Article No: ep433
ABSTRACT
Online project-based learning (PjBL) is an increasingly popular teaching approach in higher education, especially in teacher education. Implementing online PjBL differs across subjects, bringing many benefits while posing challenges for educators and pre-service teachers. This systematic review aims to investigate the implementation, effectiveness and challenges of adopting PjBL in teacher education during the COVID-19 pandemic. The review provided a thorough overview of research on PjBL in teacher education during the COVID-19 pandemic, which was carried out using the systematic review methodology and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Several relevant articles from five different databases (Google Scholar, Mendeley, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Taylor & Francis Online) were collected using the keywords “project-based learning” and “teacher education” along with their synonyms. A final list of 26 included articles to be reviewed in this study is produced after the titles and abstracts screening and full texts evaluation using inclusion and exclusion criteria. This systematic review reveals that PjBL has been applied in teaching various subjects in teacher education with different types of projects and assessment methods. More importantly, integrating PjBL in teaching has been proven to positively impact the development of pre-service teachers’ knowledge, professional skills and learning attitudes. In addition, applying PjBL poses certain challenges for educators due to the requirements on teachers’ and students’ knowledge and skills as well as equipment and technology facilities. On the other hand, the COVID-19 pandemic, if viewed positively, contributes to boosting educators’ motivation and facilitating the implementation of online PjBL. The study findings can be used as a reference for future PjBL research and contribute to the literature on PjBL in the context of teacher education.
Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic, online project-based learning, teacher education, systematic review
Research Article
Yuxiong Zhang
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 14, Issue 4, Article No: ep380
ABSTRACT
The present study aimed to investigate the ownership and usage of Tablets among Chinese foreign language students. Adopted a quantitative approach, this research was considered a case study with exploratory nature. The data were collected from a self-reported questionnaire between May 31st and June 6th, and 276 valid responses were analyzed utilizing SPSS. Independent samples t-test and Fisher’s exact tests were carried out to perform inferential and descriptive analyses. Findings revealed that augmented ownership of tablets did not result from the implementation of online courses after the outbreak of COVID-19. However, some students demonstrated preferences for paperless learning, whose learning style might have changed during the intensive distance learning process for more than one semester. Still, students’ opinions towards the introduction of tablets into pedagogical practice weren’t overall positive; those who did not have or were not willing to purchase tablet devices were more likely to be unsupportive.
Keywords: tablets, COVID-19, individual learning, foreign language learning, paperless learning
Research Article
Gulzhana Kuzembayeva, Akmaral Umarova, Zhumagul Maydangalieva, Olga Gorbatenko, Elena Kalashnikova, Nadezhda Kalmazova, Oksana Chigisheva
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 14, Issue 2, Article No: ep362
ABSTRACT
A case study was initiated from the perspective of three research questions: 1) CLIL teachers’ practices at secondary schools of Aktobe during COVID-19 pandemic; 2) challenges for the teachers; 3) support provided for the teachers. The research methodology combined face-to-face personal interviews, and non-participant observation. Data analysis was conducted in line with Mayring’s (2020) approach to content analysis and by means of categorization into specific themes that emerge from teachers’ conceptualization of their CLIL practices. The analysis of teachers’ reflections on their experiences and challenges of using the CLIL approach during the pandemic, support provided to them and teachers’ attitudes towards the approach is presented in the paper. Research data on the secondary schools Science teachers’ CLIL practices in a remote learning setting was categorized related preparation to teaching, resources used by the teachers, students’ interaction during the lessons, and stakeholders’ attitudes and perceptions of the approach. The obtained data enables to understand Science teachers’ practices in terms of using the CLIL approach in Kazakhstani secondary schools in the period of COVID-19 pandemic, and will contribute to teacher development and preparation for successful CLIL realization in a non-traditional classroom.
Keywords: EFL, CLIL, science classroom, Kazakhstan, language policy, secondary school, pandemic, COVID-19, remote learning
Review Article
Minzilya N. Shagiakhmetova, Elena V. Bystritskaya, Servet Demir, Roman A. Stepanov, Elena E. Grishnova, Nina I. Kryukova
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 14, Issue 2, Article No: ep357
ABSTRACT
Due to a lack of preparation, teachers were not emotionally or cognitively prepared to use new approaches. Teachers discovered that while teaching online, elementary school teachers face various challenges. Summarizing and categorizing the difficulties encountered by primary school teachers in compulsory distance education will add to the literature, ensuring the dissemination of online instruction technological tools at both the distance education and primary education levels. The study sought to categorize the difficulties encountered by primary teachers. In order to figure out the purpose of the study, the study data including primary teachers in the COVID-19 period was synthesized. The study was accepted as a meta-synthesis. The education database ERIC was searched using the keywords “Primary Teacher”, “Distance Education”, and “Online Education”; and 79 studies were located as a result of the search. After eliminating ineligible studies, 23 of the 79 collected studies remained. As a result, students, parents, infrastructure, and teachers are all affected by the challenges. Cutting-edge technologies and a strong internet infrastructure are required for online education. Teachers are unable to maintain the minimum level of compulsory distance education due to limited internet connection and a lack of technological resources in many places. As a result of the strain, teachers felt inadequate. In many classrooms in poor countries, there is a lack of access to professional expertise and help for the use and integration of ICTs. COVID-19 has made this an issue for almost all schools, not just those in underdeveloped countries. The importance of online learning for elementary children and teachers has gotten considerably less attention. Teachers can take pedagogical diversity professional development training online and experience it as if they were students. The practical advantage of identifying the difficulties that teachers have faced is to aid teachers in overcoming such obstacles and to give the appropriate assistance. Successful distance education can only be achieved when teachers are supported in all areas of difficulty.
Keywords: Compulsory Distance Education, COVID-19, Primary Teachers Difficulties
Research Article
Omar Sulaymani, Ahmad R. Pratama, Moneer Alshaikh, Ali Alammary
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 14, Issue 2, Article No: ep349
ABSTRACT
In Saudi Arabia, some e-learning initiatives such as the Future Gate Project (FGP) and Madrasati (MySchool) have been in place since 2018 and 2020, respectively. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, they were used as a means of distance learning for students across the country. This paper investigates the willingness of students to use the e-learning platforms and whether it varies across different sex and age group. Primary data in the form of a survey of 265 secondary school students across the Makkah region was analysed with Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) by using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as a theoretical framework. We found that students’ self-efficacy, which is strongly influenced by their previous experience with the underlying technology used in the e-learning platforms, has a positive effect for older students in high school, yet surprisingly, a negative one for younger students in middle school. We also found that perceived ease of use and social influence to be the most important factors behind the students’ acceptance of e-learning platforms and that the effects are stronger for female students than for male students. While this study was conducted in Saudi Arabia, the findings from this study provide a first-hand insight that can help ensure the continuity of the e-learning platforms if they are to be implemented permanently as distance learning platforms even after the end of the pandemic that is also applicable to any other countries.
Keywords: e-learning, distance learning, previous experience, self-efficacy, COVID-19 pandemic
Research Article
Ricardo-Adán Salas-Rueda, Ricardo Castañeda-Martínez, Ana-Libia Eslava-Cervantes, Clara Alvarado-Zamorano
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 14, Issue 1, Article No: ep343
ABSTRACT
Technological advances such as Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) allow the construction of new spaces where students consult the information at any time, take the online exams and communicate with the participants of the educational process from anywhere. This quantitative research analyzes the perception of the teachers about the organization of the school activities in MOOCs and use of ICT considering machine learning and decision tree techniques (data science). The participants are 122 teachers (58 men and 64 women) from the National Autonomous University of Mexico who took the “Innovation in University Teaching 2020” Diploma. The academic degree of these educators is Bachelor (n = 35, 28.69%), Specialty (n = 4, 3.28%), Master (n = 58, 47.54%) and Doctorate (n = 25, 20.49%). The results of machine learning (linear regressions) indicate that the organization of the school activities in MOOCs positively influences the motivation, participation and learning of the students. Data science identifies 3 predictive models about MOOCs and ICT through the decision tree technique. According to the teachers of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, the organization of the school activities in MOOCs and use of ICT play a fundamental role during the COVID-19 pandemic. The implications of this research promotes that educators use MOOCs and ICT to improve the educational conditions, create new remote school activities and build new virtual learning spaces. In conclusion, universities with the support of technological tools can improve the teaching-learning process and update the course during the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, MOOCs represent a technological alternative to transform the school activities in the 21st century.
Keywords: MOOCs, teaching, data science, machine learning, ICT, COVID-19
Research Article
Ernesto Colomo Magaña, Andrea Cívico Ariza, Julio Ruiz Palmero, Enrique Sánchez Rivas
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 13, Issue 4, Article No: ep314
ABSTRACT
The excessive use of ICTs is a growing problem among young people. The social isolation caused by COVID-19 can increase these inappropriate behaviour. This study aims at analysing the problematic use of ICTs in trainee teachers based on the gender variable before and after the COVID-19 lockdown based on the gender variable. A longitudinal panel design was carried out with pre-test and post-test measurements based on the gender variable. The sample consisted of 147 students from the Faculty of Education at the University of Malaga who were tested using a validated instrument: MULTICAGE-TIC. The results show that women used ICTs at a higher risk than men before lockdown, except for video games. During lockdown, men obtain higher scores than women in all the analysed ICTs (except for mobile phones). Both genders reach dependency level in all ICTs except for video games in women. The significant increase in all ICTs shows that the effects of the pandemic, such as restrictions on mobility and social interaction, have influenced such growth.
Keywords: addiction, ICT, educational personnel training, COVID-19
Research Article
Jamal N. Al-Karaki, Nedal Ababneh, Yasir Hamid, Amjad Gawanmeh
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 13, Issue 3, Article No: ep311
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 Pandemic affected all sectors worldwide including education sector changing the students learning environment at a large scale. In the education sector, governments had to close schools and universities around the world and turn into online mode of delivery. The sudden transformation to online learning demands educators and institutions to develop more innovative teaching methods in supporting students during this growing crisis. It is pertinent that this is the era of large-scale online learning, where education is delivered remotely utilizing various digital platforms. To this end, this move presented many challenges to students, educators, families, administrators, and government regulations. In this paper, we conduct an oriented and well-rounded survey that captures all aspects of distance learning verticals as perceived by educators in order to study online delivery aspects, including teaching models, communication media, and teaching best practices in distance learning. The paper will answer subtle and comprehensive questions related to student satisfaction and success, technical needs and challenges, teaching models, educator mobility, etc. across different universities in the UAE. In particular, the paper tries to identify best model to use given many key issues related to the adoption of e-learning during COVID-19. Overall, the survey results showed almost all participants agreed that online learning during the COVID-19 is a very good alternative solution to Face-to-Face approach. However, teaching models do vary in promoting students’ participation and students’ engagement. All participants agree that absence of the proper infrastructure at home will hinder the operation especially in courses with hands-on components. Finally, the educators questioned the credibility of online assessments despite the enforced exam integrity tools and methods. The paper concluded with many recommendations for continuous development of the distance learning systems during and after COVID -19.
Keywords: COVID-19, distance learning, online education, technology adoption, education models, higher education
Research Article
Omar Alawajee
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 13, Issue 3, Article No: ep308
ABSTRACT
This research aims to uncover higher education students’ experiences regarding sign language learning with online learning platforms and learning experiences during the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic in one of the teacher-preparation programs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) as learning the basics of sign language is one of the essential elements in the teacher-preparation program for future teachers to be able to interact with their deaf students. Qualitative research method, structured individual interviews were employed to collect data to understand students’ experiences, knowledge, expectations, and thoughts of the impact of the COVID-19 crisis and the sudden and unplanned movement to online teaching tools on their sign language learning and practices. A total of 24 female students enrolled in a special education bachelor program were interviewed in this study. Fifteen participants thought that the COVID-19 crisis influenced their sign language learning and practices, while six of the interviewees reported no impact, and three were not sure. Data revealed some disadvantages, difficulties, and concerns of learning sign language through e-learning tools and some advantages of sign language learning using e-learning tools during the COVID-19 pandemic and are presented alongside examples of the interviewees’ statements. This study presented some practice recommendations like integrating digital game-based learning, web and phone applications to practice sign language to endorse effective and innovative sign language learning and practices techniques.
Keywords: COVID-19, sign language, teacher-preparation program, online learning, higher education
Research Article
Ragad M Tawafak, Ghaliya Alfarsi, Jasiya Jabbar
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 13, Issue 3, Article No: ep306
ABSTRACT
With restrictions on face-to-face clinical consultations within the COVID-19 pandemic and the challenges faced by healthcare systems in delivering patient care, alternative information technologies like telemedicine and smartphones play a crucial role. A wide variety of smartphone applications employs high-tech mathematical and programming approaches to enhance computer-assisted communication and learning processes’ pedagogical efficiency. Accordingly, this study’s main objective is to develop a model system that can function as smartphone computer graphics. This paper used the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as an m-learning model, and Bresenham’s line algorithm is a calculation system implemented by applications. The study method applies technology to validate the accuracy of the contents’ acceptance method of use. The results reveal significant positive effects of the proposed model on generating reasonable, fast, and accurate solutions for the presented problems and developing a more interactive platform of m-learning.
Keywords: computer graphics, algorithms, COVID-19, TAM
Research Article
Muhammad S Bawa’aneh
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 13, Issue 3, Article No: ep304
ABSTRACT
In the current circumstances, the second wave of COVID-19 Pandemic is spreading and we seem to have to live longer with most of the urgent measures taken in early 2020 to fight the spread out of the pandemic; of which is school closure. The present study aims at investigating students’ satisfaction, attitudes and challenges in UAE public schools during the distance learning time of the third trimester of the academic year 2019-2020. The study also aims to measure differences of satisfaction level, attitudes, and challenges across gender and geographic places of residence within the UAE. Data collection started eight weeks after the commencement of the distance learning process and continued for two weeks. The first eight weeks that preceded data collection witnessed a continuous update of the, previously rich and well established, educational plans in line with continuous development plan for students and instructors that included intensive training for students and instructors on the use of up-to-date educational technologies. That has reflected on the results of the study, where the student satisfaction level, attitudes and challenges were found to lie within the “strong” category indicating high satisfaction level, positive attitude, and minimum faced challenges, with statistically significant differences in the mean across gender and residency for some cases. Such positive result is directly related to the fact that students of the UAE public schools were partially exposed to electronic learning even before the pandemic, the tremendous efforts of the ministry of education to guarantee smooth transfer to full distance learning after the outbreak of the pandemic, and the well established infrastructure of the country.
Keywords: student satisfaction, student attitudes, student challenges, distance learning, e-learning, virtual classes, COVID-19
Research Article
Vusumuzi Maphosa, Bekithemba Dube
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 13, Issue 3, Article No: ep301
ABSTRACT
The outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has caused unprecedented global socio-economic disruptions. One of the areas negatively impacted is the education system. The country’s over reliance on traditional face-to-face teaching has brought about serious challenges to policymakers who have to decide how learning would proceed in the absence of physical contact between the teacher and the learner. This has been exacerbated by the general lack of access to textbooks and other teaching and learning materials which makes it difficult for parents to assist with home schooling. The potential use of mobile apps to support and enhance early childhood learning has received little attention in developing countries such as Zimbabwe, yet its impact in supporting early childhood education would be enormous during and post the COVID-19 pandemic. The study seeks to develop a numeracy-based app prototype that uses a local language (IsiNdebele) in a classroom or home-based schooling in response to the COVID-19 pandemic or other natural disasters or man-made situations that may make face-to-face interaction impossible. The analysis showed that kindergarten teachers had positive opinion towards the app as they perceived the prototype to be useful, easy to use, simple and that learners would be eager to use it. The results of this study can inform policymakers and educators on optimising technology based early teaching and learning at school and home.
Keywords: COVID-19, kindergarten, mobile apps, home-based learning, technology acceptance model
Research Article
Emeka Joshua Chukwuemeka, Samaila Dominic, Mary Ayanjoke Kareem, Ibrahim Ango Mailafia
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 13, Issue 1, Article No: ep292
ABSTRACT
Education has been one of the worst-hit sectors of the economy since the detection of the first index case of Covid-19 in Nigeria on February 27, 2020. Like many affected countries of the world, the Federal government of Nigeria has taken several necessary precautionary measures to curtail the spread of the disease. This has led to the suspension of all educational activities especially in-class teaching and learning processes. This paper studied the state of education in Nigeria and the effort of government towards continuous education in comparison to the measures put in place by other developing countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper equally reviewed five different available and popular online learning platforms that can be implemented by the government to provide start-up educational programs that would help to keep students on course by learning remotely from home throughout the period of Covid-19 pandemic. These include Distance Learning, Social media, Virtual Classroom, M-Learning, and Flipped classroom. Implementation of these online forms of education will successfully offer alternatives and ensure continuous education presently and in the future. The recommendations of this study would be useful even for other developing countries that are yet to discover any alternative to the disrupted in-class learning activities so that their students will start to learn from home.
Keywords: COVID-19, Coronavirus, open and distance learning, social media, virtual classroom, mobile learning, flipped classroom
Research Article
Umut Akcil, Mert Bastas
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 13, Issue 1, Article No: ep291
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on people’s social interaction and has brought changes on education, environment and economy. COVID-19, which affects every aspect of life, has produced results that require re-evaluating the perspective on education. Distance learning, digital learning, e-learning has reshaped education in many ways. There can be a chance of the pandemic in the digital age to turn into an advantage for the education sector. In this period, it can be said that those who have high interest in technology move more easily in distance education and e-learning processes. In this context, expressing the best skills in the digital age, it was thought that the concept of digital citizenship would have positive effects on e-learning. This study is a relational survey and tested by establishing a relationship between digital citizenship and e-learning. The study was conducted among higher education students. It has been observed that there is a positive relationship between digital citizenship behaviors and e-learning attitudes. In addition, it has been observed that the negative anxiety of students due to the pandemic is reflected in their e-learning processes. However, overall results show that digital citizenship behavior digital learning process could be a positive response to COVID-19 closure period.
Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic, e-learning, digital citizenships, digital age, higher education
Research Article
Ehab Malkawi, Ali Khaled Bawaneh, M S Bawa'aneh
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 13, Issue 1, Article No: ep283
ABSTRACT
The study aims at investigating the satisfaction level and attitudes of undergraduate students at United Arab Emirates University towards eLearning and virtual classes in exceptional circumstances of COVID-19 Crisis, in view of five demographic independent variables: students’ gender, educational level, residential location, college, and GPA. The researchers adopted and implemented a questionnaire where its validity and reliability for collecting data have been verified. Mean, standard deviations, and one-way ANOVA tests were conducted. The results indicate that the students’ satisfaction level and attitudes towards eLearning and virtual classes are strong in general with varying degrees between items. The results did not show a significant difference at the level (α = 0.05) for the independent variables: students’ gender, residential location, college, and GPA. However, the results imply that there is a statistically significant difference in students’ satisfaction level and attitudes towards eLearning and virtual classes for the independent variable of educational level. The study concluded with few recommendations; supporting the current efforts of the university to provide all the requirements of education via eLearning and virtual classes such as suitable infrastructure and technical support. Besides, there is a need for a continuous update of the teaching and learning platforms in line with continuous development and training for instructors and students.
Keywords: undergraduate students’ satisfaction, students’ attitudes, eLearning and virtual classes, UAEU, COVID-19
Research Article
Eddie M. Mulenga, José M. Marbán
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 12, Issue 2, Article No: ep269
ABSTRACT
Digital learning has reshaped education in many ways. The purpose of this study is to respond to the question of whether COVID-19 is the gateway for digital-learning in mathematics education. To this end, this study explores some uptakes of social media platforms by prospective secondary school teachers. Data was collected from 102 prospective mathematics teachers from the Copperbelt University (CBU). Cluster analysis approach was used. Results revealed that participants’ scores for digital learning in mathematics in cluster 2 were higher than those in both cluster 1 and 3. This is a clear indication that prospective teachers in clusters with low scores are more likely to exhibit low skill levels in the use of mobile technology and the adoption of social media in relation to mathematics pedagogy during the COVID-19 crisis. Results show different patterns. However, overall results show that digital learning could be a positive response to COVID-19 closure period.
Keywords: COVID-19, digital learning, social media, students, mathematics education, Zambia