Effect of Distant Education on Children's Academic Achievement in Primary Schools During Corona Pandemic in Dubai Emirate- Field Study

This study aimed to examine the effect of distance education on the level of educational achievement of children during the Corona period in ten primary schools in the Emirate of Dubai. To achieve the objectives of the study the researchers adopted the descriptive analytical approach. The quantitative method of data collection had been applied using the electronic questionnaire tool consisted of four main axes for data collection and had been distributed to the study sample consisted of 190 students' parents and administrators selected by using simple random techniques. The results of the study indicated that the participation of students in the educational process, and in the establishment of appropriate educational programs and applications for the transmission to distance learning have contributed to reducing the negative effects of the process of shifting from traditional education / face-to-face education classroom teaching to virtual classroom (ZOOM).The study recommended the need for strengthening distance education mechanisms, which contribute in developing the student's interests, tendencies, attitudes, concentrating on the study material, and using of safe and secured electronic devices to increase the search for additional information to reach the correct knowledge. Also, the school administration should have good e-learning plan ahead with required financial credits that will help in overcoming the crisis and mange distance learning processes to reach future objectives successfully. © 2022 Owner/Author.

Book Review: Taking Literature and Language Learning Online: New Perspectives on Teaching, Research, and Technology

The creation of beautiful literature and art is one of humanity's most essential endeavours. The importance of literature as a component of the language-teaching curriculum has fluctuated over the last century with the popularity of various language-teaching pedagogies. Notwithstanding, it has recently seen a resurrection of appreciation for its effective utility in language acquisition. Covid-19 lockdown combined with the further progress of computer-assisted language learning has led to a gradual shift in the provision of literature-based language education to an online setting. Under this trend, Sandra Stadler-Heer and Amos Paran's edited chapter book Taking Literature and Language Learning Online: New Perspectives on Teaching, Research and Technology concentrates on a particular component of this transfer process, namely the interaction between literature and language learning. This book review provides an overview of this volume.

Covid-19 and the decolonisation of education in Palestinian universities

Despite the severe social, health, political and economic impacts of the outbreak of Covid-19 on Palestinians, we contend that one positive aspect of this pandemic is that it has revealed the perils and shortcomings of the teacher-centered, traditional education which colonizes students' minds, compromises their analytical abilities and, paradoxically, places them in a system of oppression which audits their ideas, limits their freedoms, and curtails their creativity. While Israeli occupation has proven to be an obstacle in the face of the Palestinian government's attempt to combat and contain the Corona crisis, on-line education, the sole arena that escapes this colonial system, has forced many instructors to give up their domination over the process of education and to create a more collaborative atmosphere of education that is based on dialogue, research and flexibility of the curriculum content. This study is designed to gauge English literature students' responses to this mode of digital learning. We interviewed a hundred students from six English literature programs between March and August, 2020. Thus, through critically examining students' answers, and by drawing on Freire's concepts of banking education, consciousness and dialogue, we propose that online education is an important step towards the decolonization of education and a call for a paradigm shift on the account that the existing paradigm of traditional education is stifling students' creativity and critical thinking.

Academic Arena and Survival: INSIGHTS on Remote Working and Learning in Higher Education during the Recurrence of COVID-19

Introduction: Rapid outbreaks, wide spreads, and severe damage have characterized events in public health in China. Several significant challenges have faced the global community in the 21st century, including COVID-19, resulting in uncertainty about the future of current and future generations. In the wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic, remote working and learning (RWL) have gained more importance. Material and Methods: Two objectives were pursued in this study. To analyze how Higher Education Academician (HEA) and students used RWL during COVID-19 and how they handled RWL challenges. This research used a quantitative approach to achieve its objectives. A total of 480 students and 394 HEA were recruited through random sampling. Data collection was carried out using two self-developed questionnaires. Results: RWL arrangements are satisfactory to both HEA and students. HEA and students agree that RWL relieves work stress and maximizes family time. Considering the survey results, it is evident that RWL practices are strongly supported in the era of COVID-19. Conclusion: RWL is essential to work during the COVID-19 pandemic recurrence phase. It provides non-stop working and learning to HEA and students. HEA and students highly accept RWL and favor it during the particular reoccurrence period of COVID-19. Transitioning from face-to-face instruction to a fully functional virtual (RWL) environment will require time and experience. Therefore, it is recommended that the government make a proper plan for future turmoil by drawing lessons from this unanticipated crisis and providing training programs for RWL preparation. Resumen Introducción: Los acontecimientos recientes en la salud pública en China se han caracterizado por brotes rápidos, amplias propagaciones y daños graves. Varios desafíos importantes han enfrentado la comunidad global en el siglo 21, incluido COVID-19, lo que resulta en incertidumbre sobre el futuro de las generaciones actuales y futuras. A raíz de la pandemia de COVID-19, el trabajo y el aprendizaje a distancia (RWL) han ganado más importancia. Métodos: En este estudio se persiguieron dos objetivos. En primer lugar, analizar cómo el académico de educación superior (HEA) y los estudiantes usaron RWL durante COVID-19 y cómo manejaron los desafíos de RWL. Esta investigación utilizó un enfoque cuantitativo para lograr sus objetivos. Un total de 480 estudiantes y 394 HEA fueron reclutados a través de muestreo aleatorio. La recolección de datos se llevó a cabo mediante dos cuestionarios de desarrollo propio. Resultados: Los arreglos de RWL son satisfactorios tanto para HEA como para los estudiantes. Tanto HEA como los estudiantes están de acuerdo en que RWL alivia el estrés laboral y maximiza el tiempo en familia. Teniendo en cuenta los resultados de la encuesta, es evidente que las prácticas de RWL están fuertemente respaldadas en la era de COVID-19. Conclusión: RWL es esencial para trabajar durante la fase de recurrencia de la pandemia de COVID-19. Proporciona trabajo y aprendizaje sin parar a HEA y estudiantes. HEA y los estudiantes aceptan altamente RWL y la favorecen durante el período de recurrencia particular de COVID-19. La transición de la instrucción cara a cara a un entorno virtual completamente funcional (RWL) requerirá tiempo y experiencia. Por lo tanto, se recomienda que el gobierno haga un plan adecuado para la agitación futura extrayendo lecciones de esta crisis impreversa y proporcionando programas de capacitación para la preparación de RWL.

Parental Involvement in Digital Learning: Mother's Experiences of Elementary School Students

After the implementation of the school closure policy, parents are acclimating to studying with their children due to the effects of COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, this study thoroughly discusses the involvement of parents in a child's digital education, especially the experience of the mothers with elementary school students. The survey approach and qualitative methods are used to obtain 277 respondents from the population of parents in Berau, Indonesia. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and Partial Least Square (PLS) are the data analysis technique used with the help of SmartPLS software version 3. The results shows that the direction of the relationship between the use of gadgets and maternal involvement is positive, hence the hypothesis decision is accepted. The digital learning of children includes letter and number recognition, reading, learning to count, coloring, drawing, playing educational games, and studying. Some of the mothers' involvement includes explaining websites accessible by children to communicate politely on social media. These results are valuable insights for parents in providing involvement in digital learning for elementary school students. It is important for parents to have a higher level of understanding and familiarity with the application or technology that their children utilize. © 2023,nternational Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies. All Rights Reserved.

The influence of digital competence of academicians on students' engagement at university level: moderating effect of the pandemic outbreak

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate how the digital competence of academicians influences students' engagement in learning activities in the face of the pandemic outbreak. In addition to this, the paper investigates how digital competence influences each dimension of student engagement (cognitive, affective and behavioural). Design/methodology/approach: A cross-sectional, quantitative and explanatory research design was used to conduct the study. Data were gathered with an adopted questionnaire administered to a randomly selected sample of 500 university faculty members who were not digitally literate prior to the outbreak of the pandemic. Apart from the goodness of data tests, inferential statistics were applied to test hypotheses. Findings: Results indicate a significant influence of teachers' digital competence on student engagement and the pandemic outbreak positively moderates the relationship. Digital competence equally influences all three dimensions of student engagement. Practical implications: The outbreak of COVID-19 made the adoption of digital life more compulsive and the nations with already available digital infrastructure and digital competence effectively minimized the adverse effect of social distancing as a result of the pandemic outbreak. Findings emphasize practitioners to focus on the digital capacity building of academicians and the provision of digital infrastructure to facilitate student engagement. Social implications: Society is transforming into a hi-tech lifestyle and technological advancement is penetrating almost every sphere of life at an unprecedented pace. From the digitalization of day-to-day affairs to e-governance, the adoption of technology is becoming a new normal. The outbreak of the pandemic overtook academic institutions equally. So, the social distancing compelled academicians and other stakeholders of universities to switchover from in-campus classes to online classes. The findings enrich the existing body of literature by explaining how digital competence has a determining role in ensuring student engagement amid the COVID-19 outbreak. Originality/value: This research is a seminal work, as it tests the influence of digital competence on student engagement with the moderating role of the pandemic outbreak. To the best of the author's knowledge, existing literature does not present this kind of research. © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Widening Digital Divide: Family Investment, Digital Learning, and Educational Performance of Chinese High School Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic School Closures.

The COVID-19 pandemic and school closures highlighted the need for research examining the effects of socio-economic status and digital learning on educational performance. Based on a panel dataset from a Chinese high school during school closures in 2020, our study explored whether the digital divide widened during the pandemic. The results showed that digital learning significantly mediates the association of socio-economic status with educational performance. In contrast, the indirect effects of digital learning were not significant before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, these effects immediately became significant during school closures and remote education instruction during the pandemic. After the schools reopened, the indirect effects of digital learning declined or even disappeared. Our findings provide new evidence for a widening digital divide during the COVID-19 pandemic school closures. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11482-023-10191-y.

Bridging the urban-rural gap: A qualitative examination of perceived access, barriers, risks and opportunities of children's digital learning during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has tremendously reshaped the landscape of education worldwide, shifting digital learning from a substitute to a possible necessity in a time of uncertainty. This study explored the digital learning experience for children in China during and after the lockdown periods from February 2020 to January 2022, with a particular focus on the urban-rural divide. Forty-eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with fifth- and sixth-grade students, parents and teachers to obtain multiple perspectives regarding children's digital learning in YY County in southwestern China. This study revealed that the urban-rural digital divide is not rooted in differences in minimal access to digital devices per se but rather in meaningful access to make full use of those devices for extended learning purposes. The major barriers that give rise to the digital divide include teachers' technology challenges, internet addiction among children and a lack of parental supervision of children's digital use. However, digital learning also offers an opportunity to address educational inequality. This study calls for empowering rural teachers and parents to better support children's digital needs and boost their digital learning experience. Well-designed virtual interventions, school- and community-based programmes and policy interventions are potential solutions to address the needs of rural teachers, parents and children.

Education in the Time of a Pandemic

Since 2000, there has been enormous progress in achieving the target of universal primary education. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) reports that while the total enrolment rate in developing countries has reached 91%, the quality of education is lagging. The report says that six out of ten children are not achieving a minimum level of proficiency in reading and math. Goal 4 of UNDP's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aims to ensure that all children complete primary and secondary schooling by 2030. However, COVID-19 has added a sense of crisis to the existing inadequacies and inequities in our education system. Learning opportunities often remain closed for children from disadvantaged communities when schools are shut. A misalignment exists between resources and needs. Further, many innovations have emerged in tackling the issues around primary education in almost all countries, rich or poor, around the world. The chapter presents data collected during a pilot implemented by Akshara Foundation, an educational NGO, in the southern state of Karnataka in India. The data gathered presents the direct and indirect impact of COVID-19 on the education of children. Children studying in government schools are the worst hit during the pandemic. The uncertainties of school reopening, lack of clarity in guidelines on what needs to be done for engaging children in the educational process, and of course the great digital inequality have created a deeper crisis in education in general and more so for the most vulnerable sections of society. On the one hand, livelihoods are slowly rolling back, while on the other hand, children have been left in a nowhere situation, as most of the parents went get back to their respective occupations. Many children were left behind without sufficient adult supervision while their parents were out doing their jobs. Schools, in general, were also perceived as a safe place for children to be during a substantial period of the day with children provided with midday meals and engaged in learning activities. While the pandemic has thrown many challenges, current times also demand gathering of evidence from the grass roots to understand the damage caused by the pandemic. The chapter ends by presenting the innovative pilot Akshara Foundation implemented in Southern India as a possible solution when schools are closed and also after the reopening of schools. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer 2022.

A qualitative analysis of publicly available Standards and Guidance about Digital Literacies in U.S. States.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, schools had been adopting digital instruction in many parts of the world. The concept of digital literacies has also been evolving in complexity alongside the digital technologies that support it. However, little is known about what guidance available to support various levels of government in supporting digital literacies alongside digital instruction in local schools. The purpose of this study was to determine what guidance for digital literacies U.S. state departments of education had made available through their websites to local schools just prior to the onset of the pandemic. Using qualitative content analysis techniques, digital literacies guidance information was located on U.S. state departments of education websites and analyzed. Most states did not indicate that they used guidance from professional organizations about digital literacies. The 16 states that did have guidance used standards from the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), which have not been positioned by the organization as digital literacies standards, but instead reflect traditional understandings of Information Computing Technology (ICT). Implications of this study highlight potential strategies educational ministries might use to acknowledge and support digital literacies.

Digitalization in higher education: does personal innovativeness matter in digital learning?

PurposeThe explosion of technology has revolutionized the teaching and learning process in higher education. Students are using the digital technology to aid their learning process. In this sense, digital divide exists among students in higher education as they come from different socioeconomic backgrounds. Thus, this study aims to examine the digital usage among the students from the low-income families (B40) in higher education institutions.Design/methodology/approachThe data was drawn by using an online survey from the undergraduates (low-income families B40) in Malaysia higher education institutions. In total, 391 responses were collected. The data was analysed using structural equation modelling method.FindingsThe results showed that performance expectancy and facilitating conditions have a significant relationship with digital usage. In addition, personal innovativeness has positive significant effect on performance expectancy and effort expectancy.Research limitations/implicationsThis study sheds light on the students from the lower income family behaviour while using digital technologies for their learning purpose.Originality/valueThe study further contributes to the new knowledge on students from the low-income family's behaviour in using digital technology for their learning process.

IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON THE USE OF ICT TOOLS IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION

This article analyzes the self-concept about digital competence in university professors of Sciences, Health Sciences and Engineering and the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) use habits of professors in these areas. For this purpose, a survey designed by the authors was completed by 340 university professors in the aforementioned areas. Based on the answers obtained from this survey, a descriptive quantitative analysis of the assessments of the self-concept of digital competence and training of the participants, of the didactic use of ICT and the frequency of their use before and after the pandemic has been carried out. The results showed that the digital competence of the professors is intermediate, but their training is valued as low, especially in Sciences and Health Sciences. The assessment of ICT is very good. The pandemic has caused a generalized increase in the use of ICT, mainly in Health Sciences, which is the area in which university students were most reluctant to use them. In addition, a gender gap which did not exist before the pandemic has been generated favoring females in the use of ICT in Science and Engineering. An age-based digital gap that existed before the pandemic has also been corrected in Health Sciences © Article's contents are provided on an Attribution-Non Commercial 4.0 Creative commons International License. Readers are allowed to copy, distribute and communicate article's contents, provided the author's and JOTSE journal's names are included. It must not be used for commercial purposes. To see the complete licence contents, please visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

Perceptions and readiness of faculty members for digital learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The study aimed to: Identify the perceptions of faculty members at King Saud University of the effectiveness of digital learning during the Covid 19 pandemic. identifying the level of readiness of the educational faculty members for digital learning during the Covid-19 pandemic at King Saud University. And to reveal whether there are statistically significant differences in the perceptions and readiness of faculty members for digital learning due to the variable (gender, academic rank, college).The study used the survey method. The study population consisted of all faculty members at King Saud University, whose number is (6763) according to the statistics of faculty members and their equivalents for the academic year 1442. The research sample is (77) faculty members. The study used the questionnaire as a tool to collect the necessary data to achieve the objectives of the study. The results of the study showed that the perceptions of the faculty members at King Saud University of the effectiveness of digital learning during the Covid 19 pandemic came to a moderate degree, and the results revealed that the study sample members agreed with a high degree on the level of readiness of the technical faculty members to use digital learning during the Covid 19 pandemic at King Saud University. The results revealed that there were statistically significant differences in the study sample's responses towards (faculty members' perceptions at King Saud University of the effectiveness of digital education during the Covid 19 pandemic) with the difference of the academic rank variable in favor of the academic rank (assistant professor), and with the difference of the college in favor of the humanitarian faculties, while it showed Results: There were no differences in the study sample's responses towards the study axes due to the gender variable. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Journal of Research in Specific Education Fields - J.R.S.E.F is the property of Association of Arab Educators and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Disaster Management Through Digital Platforms: Online Crowdfunding Communities Respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic

We study how digital crowdfunding platforms can help replenish the sudden economic deficiencies that accompany a global crisis. Specifically, we examine whether public schools, which suffered severe setbacks during the COVID-19 crisis, were able to generate support from online fundraising communities. We study how the shutdown of schools and the shift to online learning in the United States affected private fundraising on the DonorsChoose.org platform. We find evidence that, after the exogenous shock caused by stay-at-home orders, donations to schools increased and the increased level of concern moves toward high-need schools. Moreover, we find a shift in donation patterns, wherein donors swiftly adapted to renewed priorities and redistributed their resources to immediate needs around digital learning infrastructure. Our findings reveal the pivotal role digital platforms can play in facilitating community resilience during times of crisis. © 2022 IEEE Computer Society. All rights reserved.

Enabling Genuine Connections in a Digital Learning Environment for Students Through Information Communication Technologies

This study introduces initial results concerning a collaborative learning mobile application to mitigate 8th-grade students' learning loss and learning variability. COVID-19's impact on the education system and its shortcomings before, during and after the pandemic was the starting point of this study. The interactive system's concept and design are derived from a collaborative reflection expressed on the school community's daily needs while teaching and learning during the unpredictable circumstances created by the pandemic. Also, by a state-of-the-art comparison of the scarce K-12 e-mentoring systems in combination with the ubiquitousness of various technological mediums, namely mobile devices like smartphones, and their fundamental role in e-mentoring programs could create successful bonds based on knowledge transmission. The OWL CLUB mobile application seeks to curate the knowledge exchange in a more humane and positive digital experience in an educational community. It also allows for creating and growing a space that encourages new genuine connections in a digital positive learning environment for students and their community. © 2023, ICST Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering.

What are the pedagogical characteristics of elementary emergency e-learning? Crosschecking learning activities' analysis with perspectives of teachers, students and parents

This research examined the pedagogical characteristics of emergency online learning in elementary schools. The study adds to the educational technology literature, exploring the opportunities and challenges for students by triangulating analysis of learning activities with perspectives of teachers, students, and parents. Thematic analysis of the interviews with 22 teachers, 21 students, and 10 parents revealed 913 statements grouped into categories and subcategories. Furthermore, 93 learning activities were analyzed based on the recent e-CSAMR framework that combines the SAMR and collaboration models. Participants reported development of student independence, responsibility, and learning autonomy, while adversely mentioned feelings of disconnection and lack of social communication. However, analysis of learning activities reflected mostly basic rather than advanced techno-pedagogical levels of the original SAMR model and revealed that they did not sufficiently incorporate collaborative activities or design of learning artifacts. Theoretical implications supported the e-CSAMR framework and identified optimal components for emergency learning within the framework. The results highlight the need to integrate collaborative learning into distance online learning and suggest that appropriate support and training can transform challenges into pedagogical opportunities. © The Author(s).

Towards Face-to-Face Smart Classroom that Adheres to Covid'19 Restrictions

Smart classrooms have improved dramatically in recent years, especially during the period of the pandemic of Covid-19 when the lockdowns were imposed in reaction to the virus's spread. Governments endeavor to maintain learning stability and seek technological solutions to establish teaching continuity. Therefore, distance learning was a viable interim solution;nevertheless, not all students worldwide have access to digital learning resources, and because of a variety of other issues, online education may be a poor choice. In this paper, we propose a model for an intelligent face-to-face classroom that adheres to Covid-19's constraints. Our proposed system transmits a real-time warning to the classroom supervisor (teacher) if students are not wearing their masks properly or are not respecting the physical distancing during the session. We base our suggested system components on existing research in artificial intelligence and deep learning-based facial recognition systems. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Technology as a Key Driver in Enhancing Scientific Education during the COVID-19 Era at the University of Namibia

Student profiling on the use of technology for teaching, learning and assessment has the potential to enable educators to enhance their transformational teaching strategies. Therefore, this study explored the views of students on use of technology to facilitate online learning during COVID-19. The study employed a quantitative approach to collect data using a Google Form questionnaire. Nineteen conveniently sampled respondents (38%) were drawn from a population of 50 students registered for first-year BSc Microbiology and BSc Environmental Biology in 2021. The collected data was analysed through descriptive statistics using Microsoft Excel 2010. The findings revealed that during online learning some students (63%) experienced challenges related to subject knowledge acquisition. A majority of the students (84%) preferred face-to-face or blended teaching learning and assessment to ensure pedagogic access. It is concluded that students' exposure to online learning helped improve skills, such as typing (79%), internet information searching (95%) and general computer skills (89%). Thus, it is recommended that academics and students should be assisted with training, and higher education curricula should encourage the use of digital technology, which prepares students to be relevant in the digital society. © 2023, Commonwealth of Learning. All rights reserved.

Online Involvement for Georgia Student Teachers During Covid-19.

As concerns about Covid-19 rapidly escalated in March 2020 in the United States, all levels of education were impacted. A unique population (student teachers) faced challenges from two perspectives: as students and as teachers forced to teach and learn from a distance. Student Teachers, or preservice teachers (PST), are university students finishing a degree and/or teacher certification program by serving as an intern in a school setting. As schools were closed, these PSTs may not have been given access to the online learning platforms of their cooperating teachers (CT) and were no longer included in classroom instruction. The purpose of this study was to examine how the sudden shift away from traditional face-to-face instruction, co-teaching, and mentorship affected the involvement of music PSTs and their CT mentors in one region of the United States. Specifically, the research questions were: (1) How and in what ways were PSTs involved in planning, instruction, and/or assessment synchronously and asynchronously after school closures? (2) In what subdomains (performance, music theory/ear-training, etc.) were PSTs engaged in instruction and learning activities? (3) What challenges and solutions did PSTs report related to Covid-19 closures? A survey was sent, via email, to PSTs attending teacher preparation programs at universities in the state of Georgia at the end of the spring semester. Thirty-seven participants responded to the survey questions representing about 32% of all PSTs in Georgia in Spring 2020. Twenty-one were not given access to the online teaching platform of their placement school. A thematic analysis of the open-ended questions identified common themes including whether experiences were perceived as negative or positive. Of the PSTs given access, the majority of their responsibilities and experiences were creating assignments, additional help videos, participating in Zoom meetings, and assessing student assignment submissions. Of these experiences, interestingly, most were classified as positive by the PSTs. However, the importance of face-to-face interactions for both PST and the P-12 students was mentioned throughout survey responses. Approximately 10 PSTs mentioned their CT relationship/interaction and four of the respondents noted that their CT never reached out for help; however, six noted collaborative meetings or teaching with their CT. Importantly, some PSTs reported a lack of knowledge related to the planning and implementation of music instruction in the online modality. Therefore, teacher preparation programs should consider incorporating technology including online solutions into the music curriculum so that future music educators may more flexibly incorporate both in-person and distance learning.