ABSTRACT
Many factors affect the teaching of massively open online courses (MOOCs). In this study, to explore the factors that influence the effective teaching of MOOCs, a large number of relevant studies are analyzed. Based on grounded theory, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 students and teachers who used MOOCs for online teaching. The interview data were subjected to four research processes –open coding, axial coding, selective coding, and saturation testing– to explore the factors influencing MOOCs’ effective teaching and the interactions between them. The results demonstrate that: (1) Effective teachers, effective tuition, effective communication, active online learning, social support guarantees, and online course design have important positive effects on effective teaching, while only certain online learning behaviors will seriously affect the teaching effectiveness of MOOC, resulting in negative effects. (2) Effective communication is essential for effective teaching in MOOCs;effective teachers are the leading factor, thus teachers should take the initiative to study and understand the students to understand their various learning needs and difficulties. (3) Reasonable and effective classroom teaching design is key to improving MOOCs’ teaching efficiency. (4) E-learning is respected, cared for, and valued by society, including cognition, emotion, and learning platform support from family, school, teachers, and classmates, and has an important impact on students’ motivation and the effects of online learning. The results of this study further clarify factors influencing effective teaching of MOOCs, thus helping to enrich and supplement the theory of effective teaching and evaluation and providing theoretical guidance for teachers to effectively implement MOOC teaching.
ABSTRACT
There is an increasing recognition of neurological manifestations from SARS-CoV-2 infection. Quantifications of such manifestations and their long-term dynamics in the general infected population are of essence in understanding the health and socioeconomic burden of neurological complications of COVID-19. Through rigorous empirical testing of over 800 volunteers, we present here repeated cross-sectional and longitudinal data that depict the trajectories of chemosensory functions, cognitive performances and depressive symptoms up to 1.5 years after acute COVID-19 in discharged patients with respect to non-infected controls. Overall, deficits in smell, taste and chemesthesis slowly resolved within about a year of discharge. Concerningly, cognitive impairments –– independent of elevated depressive symptoms and evident even in those with nonsevere disease –– showed no sign of improvement over time. In people over 50 years, COVID-19 was associated with a substantially increased risk for mild cognitive impairment. Our findings urge for cognitive and emotional interventions targeting COVID-19 convalescents.