ABSTRACT
COVID-19 pandemic has changed the education landscape and increased the acceptance and adoption of distance educations by both individuals and academic institutions. The rise in e-learning and distance education and the increased access to the Internet and learning technology, it becomes critical that provide positive, safe, legal, and ethical behavioural online. While COVID 19 acerated the use and adoption of online learning, it also highlighted the importance of fostering effective digital citizenship given the level of misinformation and conspiracy theories generated spread on the Internet and social media about the pandemic. In this study, the researcher examined the students and faculty perception of digital citizenship practices in distance learning environments at Al-Quds Open University. The study used a mix method approach with 8 faculty participating in the qualitative interview and 559 students participating in the quantitative survey. The study's findings revealed that while students and teachers were aware of digital citizenship principles, they lacked in-depth understanding and knowledge of topics like digital rights, digital security, and digital ethics. Faculty and students both believed that digital citizenship is vital and required for protecting students' privacy and cultivating ethical technology use. Students and faculty both agreed on the importance of incorporating digital citizenship skills like digital rights, digital security, and digital ethics within e-learning curricula.
ABSTRACT
Inclusive education is a system of education that is open to everyone and can accommodate students with disabilities (SWD). SWD are disproportionately affected by school cancellations and the shift to remote learning, according to activists for persons with disabilities, teachers, parents, and policymakers during the pandemic. For students with disabilities, the study explores the availability of remote instruction, counselling options, and the barriers to their educational accessibility during the Era of COVID-19. As part of this study, qualitative methods were used to understand better how participants perceived obstacles faced by COVID-19 pandemic-affected students with disabilities. Students with disabilities had several challenges at school during the covid-19 epidemic due to a combination of factors. The problem was caused by a lack of qualified teachers, a lack of resources, and a lack of government commitment. Access to teachers who are conversant with the needs of disabled students is essential for them. An inaccessible physical environment, a lack of resources and training for teachers, and government commitment are just a few of the hurdles that must be overcome. There is no doubt that students with impairments confront several obstacles in their educational journey. As a result, students with disabilities should be provided with a proper and adequate inclusive education. Let me conclude by saying that kids with disabilities, especially during a tough time like today, should seek UNICEF's aid in funding inclusive educations. Since this study did not include students with disabilities, it would be interesting to learn more about their opinions.
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic increase the use of distance learning while studies have shown that there is insufficient digital knowledge among students in distance leaning as they do not adequately use technology as a digital citizenship indicator, while the awareness and knowledge of digital citizenship among teachers and students remains a key criterion for improving distance learning that mainly depends on information technology. Therefore, this study comes up to examine the awareness and knowledge of students and faculty of digital citizenship in distance environment by focusing on two different higher academic institutions, namely the Al-Quds Open University (QOU) in the Palestinian territories and the University of Kyrenia (KU) in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in 2020, using interview, descriptive analysis, and Z-test Technique. The results revealed that students and faculty in both institutions were aware of the digital citizenship concepts, but lacked the in-depth knowledge and understanding of concepts such as digital rights, digital security, and digital ethics. Furthermore, the awareness and knowledge of digital citizenship among KU students are higher than QOU students. Faculty in both institutions agreed with the importance of integrating digital citizenship practices such as digital rights, digital security, and digital ethics into elearning curriculum.