Remote Teaching Due to COVID-19: An Exploration of Its Effectiveness and Issues

Assessment of the digital competencies of university instructors through use of the machine learning method

The explosion of COVID-19 has brought new challenges to the education industry, especially higher education. Digital competency is becoming an essential competency for higher education instructors, and how to assess instructors' digital competency is attracting increasing attention in higher education. However, most studies have used self-report questionnaires or manual reviews to assess digital competencies, which are time-consuming and potentially biased, and there is a current need for valid and effective assessment methods. To address this issue, this study uses machine learning to analyze syllabi to assess the extent to which university instructors have incorporated digital competency into their courses. The results show that not only is the proposed method feasible, but the results of the assessment using machine learning are highly consistent with those of the human assessment. This approach contributes to the assessment of digital competency in higher education institutions and provides evidence that can be used as a reference for future research on the development of digital competency in higher education institutions.

Evaluation of student engagement through knowledge elaboration and the use of comics in Microbiology education

Despite the many challenges faced by the sudden adaptation of the teaching-learning processes during the emergency remote teaching (ERT) imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, this period allowed the exploration of innovative educational methods. Here, we report the description and evaluation of a didactic activity designed to foster an active learning environment among Veterinary Medicine undergraduate students enrolling in Microbiology classes during the ERT period at the University of Minas Gerais. The activity consisted of initial expositive classes, followed by students' active search for information, and the execution of a report and short comics covering the topic. The activity was evaluated by a voluntary postquestionnaire. The results suggest that the students had good emotional and educational perception toward the task, and that they noticed the elaboration of the comics as the most valuable tool aiding in the retention of microbiological concepts. We conclude that the proposed strategy, specially by the incorporation of the comics, helped the meaningful learning of microbiology.

Restructuring education activities for full online learning: findings from a qualitative study with Malaysian nursing students during Covid-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic and Movement Control Order have restricted learning activities from traditional face-to-face classrooms attendance shifted to full online learning in the student's environment. The present study is aimed to explore pertaining issues on full online learning among nursing students and offer a contingency solution. Nursing students from one Malaysian public institution were recruited. The sessions were conducted online via teleconference and were recorded. The data were analysed using thematic analysis with the assistance of QDA Miner Lite software. Twenty-one students participated, resulting in four focus group discussions and three in-depth interviews. Three themes with a total of ten sub-themes were generated: (i) Full online learning has ramifications on life (it is about life; blurred division on education life and personal life; non-conducive environment for learning; health and well-being; human is an adaptable being while the transition takes time), (ii) full online learning is a medium of teaching and learning delivery but with several concerns (the boon and bane of fully online learning; challenges associated with full online learning; coping strategy in handling full online learning), and (iii) Foundation in teaching and learning is the key (role of the educator; teaching and learning approaches; motivation and regulation). A model of practice for full online learning was developed, consisting of some modifications to create a conducive and healthy learning environment. This study embarks on a more structured and standard online learning practice for making the Internet of Things and Industrial Revolution 4.0 concept a contemporary and mainstream education practice.

Nursing Students' Retention of Knowledge by Basic Knowledge Type: An Exploratory Study

Students’ interests help determine their learning effectiveness and knowledge acquisition and retention. It is necessary to confirm whether there is a difference in the way in which content being learned is remembered by the content type. In this study, we examined the characteristics of nursing students’ retention of physiological knowledge and environmental knowledge by utilizing scores obtained in class. The participants comprised 57 nursing students who had taken a class twice—once in their second year and once in their third year. Before and after each class, students completed an 11-question survey with human health and comfort items based on nursing core competencies and Sphere standards. The correct answer rate was calculated using a logistic regression model to account for inter- and intra-individual variations. The estimated correct answer rate per individual showed one of three trends: (1) increasing and decreasing depending on the lesson topic (knowledge type), (2) increasing overall after decreasing, and (3) increasing gradually. Physiological knowledge was retained well, whereas knowledge pertaining to the environment was retained poorly. Even with knowledge of the environment, the knowledge that students apply to their daily lives and social events was maintained.

Google Colab and Virtual Simulations: Practical e-Learning Tools to Support the Teaching of Thermodynamics and to Introduce Coding to Students

Various studies have reported the versatility and great scope of programming tools in all areas of knowledge. Coding is generally of paramount importance to chemistry students regardless of whether they intend to work with theoretical chemistry. Google Colab notebooks can introduce students to programming concepts and could be a convenient tool to assist in the chemistry teaching process. In this article, we implemented Google Colab notebooks to aid in the teaching of thermodynamics in a physical chemistry class. We presented six notebooks, covering introductory concepts of both coding and thermodynamics as a set of learning objects that can be useful in a virtual learning environment. In addition, in some of the notebooks, we included a step-by-step guide on how to run virtual lab simulations. The Colab notebooks were created for students without previous experience in programming. All of the Colab notebooks contain exercises of the activities and the solutions of the proposed exercises. Furthermore, all of the Colab notebooks can be modified and downloaded from the Github repository. Finally, we used the Python programming language and Colab because they are free and widely used by the academic community.

Developing a Hybrid Platform for Emergency Remote Education of Nursing Students in the Context of COVID-19

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many nursing students are being taught remotely. Remote learning has drawbacks, such as decreased motivation for learning and difficulties conveying the instructor's intentions. Strategies that compensate for the shortcomings of remote learning should be identified. This study aimed to evaluate the understanding of the knowledge use and awareness of negotiation methods through cases and teaching tools in nursing student classes on environmental assessment and daily life support, and to examine whether supplementary assistance can compensate for the drawbacks of remote learning. This study used a mixed-method design, and included 59 second-year nursing students attending an environmental assessment course in 2021. Students' knowledge use and awareness of negotiation methods were evaluated using self-assessment worksheets before and after the class. The pre- and post-class scores were compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The mean knowledge score increased significantly during the study period (p < 0.001). Students acquired awareness of how to use the knowledge gained during class and negotiation awareness by observing role play, factors that strengthen motivation when learning alone. This study provides insight into the potential of class supplements to compensate for the deficits of remote learning. Supplementing the shortcomings of remote learning should be a priority and may be a focal point of hybrid learning.

Conditions and Determinants of Distance Education for Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic—Evaluation in the Kuyavia-Pomerania Region in Poland

This research project is the first and only comprehensive regional study in Poland including all teachers and headteachers of primary and secondary schools. The aim of the study was to determine the factors influencing the learning process carried out remotely and to examine the potential of this form of education for primary and secondary school students and its future use to improve the quality and accessibility of education. An important aspect of this research was also the assessment of the respondents’ capabilities and competences in the area of operating and using digital tools in the educational process. During the COVID-19 pandemic, a total of 9070 teachers took part in this study. The method of data collection was an online survey. The research instrument consisted of a survey questionnaire. The survey was conducted electronically using tools provided by Google. The following methods were used to evaluate the data: count tables, which allowed for data exploration; a graphical method—cross-sectional analysis; and individual correlation analysis, which allowed for preliminary data evaluation. The results obtained within the research process conducted allowed us to achieve our goals. According to 42.4% of the teachers surveyed, remote learning is a good alternative to traditional teaching. The study also confirmed, inter alia, the presence of a correlation between technical conditions of classes and specific forms and levels of education, with 49.7% of respondents indicating that remote learning depends mainly on the quality of technical parameters, including a good or very good Internet connection. The biggest advantages of e-learning, as indicated by the respondents, were the possibility of working from home, conveniently sharing educational materials, and utilising additional teaching aids. Health issues and long times spent in front of the computer were highlighted as the greatest drawbacks of this teaching method. The results also showed that, as the age of the teachers increases, the acceptance and trust in distance learning activities increases while the fear of using this form of student learning decreases. This study lays the foundation for designing systemic, nationwide solutions, and thus, the authors are planning to continue their research in the context of comparative analysis of different regions and to analyse this process in the context of the entire country. The analyses performed form a part of a global line of research in the field of education and in the implementation of innovative tools and forms of education provision.