Impact of Home-Based Learning Experience During COVID-19 on Future Intentions to Study Online: A Chinese University Perspective

Comparative effects of three different physical education teaching modes on college students' physical fitness during the COVID-19 pandemic: A longitudinal study

Background

An appropriate teaching mode in physical education is crucial for ensuring effective education outcomes. Given the dynamic nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, teaching modes are often adjusted. However, there is a lack of in-depth research on the impact of different teaching modes on the outcomes of physical education. Our study aims to address this gap by conducting a comparative analysis of the teaching effectiveness of three different physical education modes among Chinese college students, with a focus on evaluating their impact on physical fitness.

Method

This study adopted a longitudinal retrospective observational design. We systematically examined the three stages of the COVID-19 pandemic (stage 1: September 2020 to January 2021; stage 2: September 2021 to January 2022 and stage 3: February 2022 to July 2022), along with the three corresponding physical education teaching modes (classroom teaching, online teaching and blended teaching) and administered three physical fitness tests (T1, T2 and T3). The physical fitness test included 7 indicators: body mass index, vital capacity, 50-m run, standing long jump, sit-and-reach, pull-ups (male), 1000-m run (male), sit-ups (female) and 800-m run (female). A mixed ANOVA model was used to analyse the physical fitness test indicators across the three different teaching modes.

Results

A total of 3363 college students (1616 males and 1747 females) enrolled in 2020 completed the three physical fitness tests. Most students were aged between 17 and 20 years old, and the BMI criteria indicated a normal distribution. The results indicated that there were significant differences in the overall training effectiveness for all students across vital capacity (p < 0.001, η2 = 0.077), sit-and-reach (p < 0.001, η2 = 0.027), and middle and long-distance running (p < 0.001, η2 = 0.031). Post-hoc multiple comparison analyses further revealed that the blended teaching was the most effective in improving these fitness indicators, whereas the online teaching performed poorly on the training effects of middle and long-distance running. Significant training effects were also shown for sit-ups (p < 0.001, η2 = 0.192) for females and pull-ups (p < 0.001, η2 = 0.020) for males in gender-specific physical fitness indicators. Similarly, blended teaching showed superior results to other teaching modes.

Conclusion

These findings emphasize the importance of conducting online physical education during unforeseen public health events and highlight the comprehensive effects of blended physical education in the post-pandemic era. Future initiatives should prioritize targeted interventions to address the observed variations in various physical fitness indicators under different physical education teaching models.

Exploring the factors affecting elementary mathematics teachers' innovative behavior: an integration of social cognitive theory

Teacher innovative behavior is one of the vital factors, affecting student engagement, addresses diverse needs, promotes critical thinking, fosters lifelong learning, and contributes to educational research and development. By encouraging and supporting teacher innovation, we may can ensure that education remains relevant, effective, and impactful in preparing students for the future. Teacher innovative behavior is also needed to improve the mathematics skills of elementary school students, and it is important to determine the predictors that significantly affecting Teacher innovative behavior. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a model that predicted possible factors affecting mathematics teachers' innovative behavior based on Social Cognitive Theory (SCT). Data were collected from 132 elementary school teachers in China to verify the model, and the analysis was conducted using a structural equation modelling approach. Theoretically, 10 of the 15 hypotheses were found to be significant. The results showed that facilitating conditions and self-efficacy significantly affect mathematics teachers' innovative behavior. Meanwhile, Technological, Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK) knowledge, Social Influences, Rewards, Work engagement and anxiety did not show any effect. The contribution developed a model and provided new knowledge about the factors affecting elementary school teachers' innovative behavior. Practically, this could be used to improve teachers' innovative behavior.

Analyzing EFL learners' demotivating factors in blended learning context

In second language and foreign language learning, demotivation in learning is a common occurrence. Almost all previous studies on learners' demotivation focused on traditional classroom learning environment rather than blended learning setting. This paper investigates learner perceptions of demotivating factors for Chinese EFL college students in blended learning context. 272 college sophomores with varied majors from a university in Mid-East China took part in a questionnaire survey. The questionnaire, consisted of 34 4-point Likert type items about learners' demotivation in a blended EFL learning environment, was adapted from Kikuchi's demotivation questionnaire and Xie's LPDS (Learner Perceptions of Demotivator Scale). An exploratory factor analysis was performed to explore the factor structure of the questionnaire items. Then mean scores of items loading on each factor were calculated and independent samples t-test analysis was adopted to examine the differences of demotivating factors between different groups of participants. Five demotivating factors from the questionnaire were extracted. The findings reveal a newly discovered factor: learners' lack of self-discipline in online learning. The paper indicates that there is no significant difference of these five demotivating factors between male and female learners, and between rural and urban learners. Whereas less motivated learners perceive four among the five factors to be more demotivating than more motivated learners.

New era of medical education: asynchronous and synchronous online teaching during and after COVID-19

COVID-19 struck the world suddenly and unexpectedly. Since traditional education requires face-to-face communication, to avoid further spreading of the virus a majority part of that education has moved online. Our study attempts to compare the differences between online medical education with a unique course design and traditional face-to-face education. We conducted a retrospective analysis of a total of 4,098 medical students between 2019 and 2020, including two groups of students who received online education and classroom education for the same subjects, respectively. Freshmen enrolled in September 2018 received traditional classroom physiology and pharmacology education in the spring semester of 2019. Because of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, freshmen who were enrolled in September 2019 received online physiology and pharmacology education in the spring semester of 2020. The final marks of the two groups of students were recorded and compared. Data on students participating in online discussions, learning, homework, and watching instructional videos were also recorded. There was no significant difference in the final academic performance between the two groups [average mark: 55.93 (online education) vs. 56.27 (classroom education), P = 0.488]. Further analysis showed that student participation rates in online discussions, online learning, and online viewing of instructional videos were closely correlated with final grades in online courses (P < 0.01). In conclusion, our results suggest that the pedagogical effects of online education during COVID-19 were promising, and we provide a well-designed medical online course to inspire further improvements in online education.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a massive temporary conversion of offline education to online education worldwide. Previous studies have noted that more students believed they had better learning experience in face-to-face learning. However, with our method of online teaching, we still showed a relatively similar performance result compared with offline education.

It takes more than agency: Linking support from teaching staff, career engagement, and movement capital among university students

Introduction

Career self-management behaviours are key to overcoming the challenges of entry into the labour market. Combining the Conservation of Resources and Career Self-management theories, this study delves into the concept of Career Engagement among Italian University students by examining its relationship with Support from teaching Staff and Movement Capital. We hypothesised a mediation model in which Support from Teaching Staff predicts Career Engagement which, in turn, fosters Movement Capital. As the pandemic led to the adoption of online learning solutions, we also explored whether and how the interaction between teachers and students during online classes moderates the said mediation relationship.

Methods and results

We collected data from 276 Italian University students through an online questionnaire. Results supported the mediation hypothesis, corroborating the mediating role of Career Engagement. We also observed that this relationship is stronger at medium and higher levels of online interaction between teachers and students.

Discussion

Findings contribute to existing evidence about the role of Career Engagement in facilitating career resources' acquisition and extend the understanding of its contextual antecedents in Higher Education contexts. Results also align with the importance attributed to interaction in online learning environments. This work suggests ways to encourage career behaviours in Higher Education and equip prospective labour market entrants with career resources.