E-Learning Readiness Assessment Using Machine Learning Methods

Assessing e-learning readiness is crucial for educational institutions to identify areas in their e-learning systems needing improvement and to develop strategies to enhance students' readiness. This paper presents an effective approach for assessing e-learning readiness by combining the ADKAR model and machine learning-based feature importance identification methods. The motivation behind using machine learning approaches lies in their ability to capture nonlinearity in data and flexibility as data-driven models. This study surveyed faculty members and students in the Economics faculty at Tlemcen University, Algeria, to gather data based on the ADKAR model's five dimensions: awareness, desire, knowledge, ability, and reinforcement. Correlation analysis revealed a significant relationship between all dimensions. Specifically, the pairwise correlation coefficients between readiness and awareness, desire, knowledge, ability, and reinforcement are 0.5233, 0.5983, 0.6374, 0.6645, and 0.3693, respectively. Two machine learning algorithms, random forest (RF) and decision tree (DT), were used to identify the most important ADKAR factors influencing e-learning readiness. In the results, ability and knowledge were consistently identified as the most significant factors, with scores of ability (0.565, 0.514) and knowledge (0.170, 0.251) using RF and DT algorithms, respectively. Additionally, SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) values were used to explore further the impact of each variable on the final prediction, highlighting ability as the most influential factor. These findings suggest that universities should focus on enhancing students' abilities and providing them with the necessary knowledge to increase their readiness for e-learning. This study provides valuable insights into the factors influencing university students' e-learning readiness.

MOOCs Usage in Russian Higher Educational Institutions: Why Is Not There Any Increasing Demand for MOOCs During Emergency Distance Learning

The abrupt transition to distance learning during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic triggered an urgent need for online resources at higher education institutes (HIEs). Creating analogues of traditional full-time courses demanded for competencies and time resources. In this case ready-made massive open online courses (MOOCs) were supposed to be the most obvious and fastest solution for HIEs. However, analytics demonstrated that educational institutions did not consider MOOC a promising option. This contradiction served as an incentive to conduct this research, which includes the analysis of both non-reactive (MOOCs platform analytics) and reactive (online survey and interviews with instructors) data. Based on our research, we can conclude that the reasons for not integrating MOOCs at Russian HIEs during the COVID-19 pandemic are the following: the peculiarities of MOOCs format, low motivation of instructors, administrative risks, and the uncertainty of HIEs' and national policies on MOOCs integration. This article will be useful for those who determine educational policy in Russia, university administrators, methodologists responsible for the development of digital educational technologies in HIEs, as well as researchers of higher education. © 2023 Moscow Polytechnic University. All rights reserved.

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.

Distance learning in preparation for the licensing exam "Krok 3” on the "Emergencies” module: pros and cons

In 2020–2021, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the postgraduate medical education system went to forced measures to preserve the life and health of students and teaching staff in the form of a temporary transition to distance learning. During the training on the "Emergencies” module by interns of various specialties, we conducted an anonymous testing of 342 young colleagues with subsequent certain conclusions. A remote andra gogical process is acceptable and useful only as a component of the dual form of higher medical education. The remote form of training in large classrooms has many disadvantages, so it is advisable to conduct classes in small groups. This type of training requires careful study, optimization and adaptation to modern conditions. © 2022. The Authors.

Online education action for defeating COVID-19 in China: An analysis of the system, mechanism and mode

This study explores the online education action for defeating COVID-19 in China from the perspectives of the system, mechanism and mode. In particular, the policy development of online education in China during the epidemic includes the education informatization policy, the online education system, and the online education mechanism in China. The online education and teaching mode during the epidemic involve the synchronous live class-based teaching mode, asynchronous recording and broadcasting teaching mode, online flipped classroom teaching mode, and online tutoring-based teaching mode. Both characteristics and trends of online education in China during the epidemic have been explored in this study. In addition, the problems, discussions and remarks are also offered.

Interdisciplinary Teaching Reform of Financial Engineering Majors Based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process in the Post-Pandemic Era

In the post-epidemic era, the labor market has become increasingly complex, making it even more crucial to incorporate sustainability into employment demand. As we enter the post-pandemic era, a globalization trend has become more apparent. It is crucial to modernize employability through educational reform in order to assist employees in enhancing their professional skills. This study began by analyzing the importance of financial engineering practice instruction and graduate employability in the post-epidemic era. Second, the study proposed the content and a plan for inter-disciplinary teaching reform to address talent cultivation needs based on labor market requirements. Third, a face-to-face survey and interview were conducted with students affected by changes in teaching, and the results were analyzed and summarized. On this basis, the impact of education reform was evaluated using both the expert scoring method and the analytic hierarchy approach. The results indicated that the suggested financial engineering teaching reform program improved the school's discipline strength, enrollment rate, employment rate, and competition awards, especially discipline strength. This research can be used to inform the teaching of financial engineering majors in various countries, assist job candidates in enhancing their professional skills, and build a formidable talent pool for the labor market.

Finding Strength in Times of Crisis? Post-Traumatic Growth During the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Saudi Arabian Perspective

This paper contributes to the Covid-19 literature by exploring the concept of post-traumatic growth (PTG) utilizing a mixed methods approach. The study examines to what extent the participants experienced positive growth and renewal arising from the prolonged period of lockdowns and emergency online learning. Exploring the experiences of 552 female undergraduate students in a private Saudi Arabian university, an online survey was utilized to gather the data. All the students had experienced online education as a result of the pandemic. The findings indicate the participants underwent a diversity of personal growth experiences. In addition, they also developed different coping mechanisms. The study provides insights into the responses of the students to the issues they were facing during the pandemic. It identifies ways in which participants experienced personal growth as well as a shift in perspective about their lives. There are implications for educators, counselors and policymakers emerging from this study. AD -, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ;, Netherlands ;, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Flexible curriculum design for quantitative skills development: Building on the insights gained during COVID-19

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, technology-enhanced learning and its relation to student engagement, and the necessity of good student-staff relationships for creating a successful education environment were evident. The COVID-19 pandemic forced higher education to adapt to a challenging technology-led learning environment that demanded, inter alia, high levels of flexibility and human-centredness. Valuable lessons were learned that highlighted new perspectives on curriculum design and delivery in a normalised, technology-driven environment. Against the background of COVID-19-related literature on teaching and learning, the authors reflect on their insights regarding curriculum design and delivery of two quantitative skills modules during the COVID-19 pandemic, and its impact on further curriculum planning. The focus of the article is on the intentional flexibility built into curriculum offerings during 2020-2022. The study reviewed flexibility on three levels, namely student, facilitator (staff) and delivery levels, through a multi-method research methodology. Quantitative data related to the academic performance of 2 949 students enrolled for the two quantitative skills modules from 2020 to 2022. Qualitative data related to themes through thematic analysis of student and facilitator surveys, focusgroup discussions and semi-structured interviews. The improved student academic performance reported by the study could be attributed to, amongst other factors, 1) flexibility of the selected delivery option, 2) positive staff and student experiences and engagement, and 3) intentional inclusion of activities promoting student-staff relationships. The good academic results obtained during the pandemic led to important curriculum decisions for a normalised future for these modules, which will be built on flexibility and human-centredness. Among these decisions is to continue presenting the modules in an online environment, even though traditional face-to-face teaching options are available.

Measurement and Evaluation Challenges in Distance Education: Systematic Review and Qualitative Meta-Synthesis

The challenges experienced in measurement and evaluation during the distance education process among student and instructor groups are discussed in the study. A qualitative meta-synthesis method is used in this research. Twenty studies were included in the meta-synthesis. The challenges experienced by the instructors are program utilization, technological inadequacies, a lack of in-service seminars, online exam diversity, inconsistency between what is measured and what is intended to be measured, interference of other features with the measurement, unsuitability of the measurement tools, academic dishonesty, lack of control over online exam diversity, preparation and grading challenges, infrastructural issues, and a lack or latency of feedback. Challenges experienced by learners include alienation to the electronic environment, language, technological inadequacies, lack of materials, validity-reliability issues, application difficulty, lack of guidance in exams, infrastructural issues, network problems, lack of interest and motivation, anxiety about online exams, and avoidance and resistance to self-disclosure in virtual environments.

The Study of the Correlation Betweenthe on the Diet, Sleep Quality and Perceived Stress among College Students in Taichung during the COVID-19 Pandemic Distance Learning.

Research indicates the COVID-19 epidemic changes people's health and diet, However, this has not yet been well discussed in Taiwan, especially in college students. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of distance learning on college students' dietary patterns, sleep quality and perception of stress during the COVID-19 epidemic in Taiwan. 265 college students from a university in Taichung were recruited in this study. The self-administered online questionnaire was used to investigate the changes in eating behavior, sleep quality, and perception of stress before and one month after distance learning, and further analyzed the relationship among them. The questionnaire contains demographic information, dietary questionnaires (including six categories of food intake behaviors, convenience food intake frequency), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Perceived Stress Scale (Chinese 14-item PSS). The results showed that the proportion of college students to meet the recommended Taiwan Dietary Guidelines amount in vegetables (21.9%), fruits (27.5%), meats and dairy products (15.8%), and nuts and seeds (11.3%) were lower during distance learning. The frequency of convenient food intake was lower during distance learning (13.31 +/- 6.10 points;never to occasionally). During the distance learning period, there was a significant negative correlation between dietary patterns and sleep quality (r = -0.160, p = 0.009), It shows that college students with higher dietary pattern scores have better sleep quality. During the distance learning period, there was a significant positive correlation between sleep quality and perceived stress (r = 0.320, p < 0.001), It shows that college students with higher levels of stress had poorer sleep quality. This study found that the lower the perceived stress of college students, the better their diet and sleep quality;conversely, the higher the perceived stress, the worse their diet and sleep quality. Studies have shown that a healthy, balanced diet can reduce the risk of getting various diseases. Therefore, in the post-epidemic era, it is recommended that schools increase the accessibility and availability of vegetables, fruits, dairy products, nuts and seeds on campus to make it easier for teachers and students to obtain such healthy food in order to achieve the goal of promoting balanced diet.Copyright © 2022 Nutrition Society in Taipei. All rights reserved.

Analysis of the assessment profile of KrasSMU students providing medical aid to COVID-19 patients.

The aim of the research. To conduct a cluster analysis of the assessment profile of students who participated in work of medical organisations providing care to COVID-19 patients to develop recommendations for its correction. Material and methods. The study was carried out at the premises of Prof. V.F. Voino-Yasenetsky Krasnoyarsk State Medical University (KrasSMU). The study group was constituted by 66 students in 3-6 years of study of the Medical and the Paediatric faculties of the University who took part in activities of medical organisations providing healthcare to patients with COVID-19. The items were presented in the form of binary questions and ranking scales. The analysis of qualitative attributes was carried out in the form of relative values with calculation of the standard error of the proportion. For ranking and nonparametric quantitative characteristics, the mode, median, centiles (Me [P25;P75]) and other nonparametric criteria for comparative statistics and communication statistics were used. For segmentation of respondents according to some criteria, depending on the answers, the method "two-step cluster analysis" and the method of "decision tree" were used. Results. The results of the study indicate a high motivational component related to practical medical activity of medical students during the difficult epidemiological situation since 94.1% of the respondents declared the readiness to support practical healthcare. Almost half of the surveyed 47.0% of students included in cluster 2, in contrast to students of clusters 1 and 3, are characterised by a high opinion on the degree of their contribution to the struggle against the COVID-19 epidemic and a high level of knowledge and skills, rating themselves at about 9.0 points out of 10 possible. In addition, the results of the study indicate an association between the level of students' self-esteem in regard to their contribution to the fight against COVID-19 with the level of the students' self-esteem of knowledge and skills and the duration of work in a medical organisation. Conclusion. The analysis performed has made it possible to formulate guidelines for support of medical students' professional attitudes within the framework of practice-oriented education, including distance learning.Copyright © 2021, Krasnoyarsk State Medical University. All rights reserved.

The Outlook for a Year of Change

"The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the vital need to strengthen our health systems," said Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission (EC) in a press release on the strategy's publication (1). [...]O'Sullivan continues, many pharma companies have already started taking steps to localize supply chains, which is a trend he believes will become permanent. According to Coleman, industry has not only survived but has thrived in this aspect, demonstrating the ability to audit sites from different continents, collaborating effectively with partners from all over the world, and trusting the workforce to get the job done in a remote capacity. [...]online learning tools have surged in popularity, Raposo continues.

Optimising students' participation during emergency remote teaching in the Covid-19 pandemic

This study examined issues related to students' participation and online absenteeism among students at Zimbabwe's universities during COVID-19 induced online teaching and learning. More specifically, the study examined some of the ethical issues related to students' participation and assessment during online learning in selected universities in Zimbabwe. The study also examined some of the strategies that can be adopted to optimize students' participation during online learning to make online learning a more honest and interactive endeavour. To fully understand the challenges related to participation and online absenteeism, the study extrapolated the perspectives of students and academic staff who had adopted online learning since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The research was a mixed-methods study, employing a descriptive-analytical approach which utilised three main methods of data collection. Firstly, semi-structured questionnaires distributed electronically among participants in the selected universities were used to collect research data. Secondly, follow-up online focus-group discussions (FGDs) were conducted to elicit participants' views on some of the ethical challenges posed by online learning and possible strategies for dealing with the challenges. Finally, follow-up telephone interviews were also conducted with lecturers with the same objective as the FGDs. The study's population consisted of 110 students and 77 academic staff randomly selected from six universities in Zimbabwe. Two of the selected universities were privately owned and four were public universities. The study showed some of the technological and pedagogical issues regarding students' participation and strategies for optimising students' participation during online learning. The study also shared some of the ethical challenges that arose from the adoption of online teaching and assessment systems and the policy, resource and training interventions needed to make online learning more interactive, while at the same time safeguarding academic integrity. The findings of this study, therefore, have implications for universities, learners and academic staff if online learning programmes are to be successful. Firstly, universities for instance, need to ensure that students and academic staff have the prerequisite technological resources to ensure that optimal active learning takes place. Secondly, to address the shortage of resources, universities should ensure that their libraries migrate from physical to digital libraries. Universities should also ensure that both academic staff and students receive the necessary training to access these digital libraries and the services they offer.

University students' experience with mobile learning during COVID-19 pandemic

The study focuses on mobile learning at universities, with emphasis on the changes brought by the quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic (the first and the second wave) in which only distance education was possible. The participant sample consisted of Slovak university students (N = 48;age 20–25 in 2020 and N = 45;age 20–25 in 2021). Qualitative design and narrative method were chosen to find out the individuals' experience of concrete events embedded in a socio-cultural context. The data was analyzed using a holistic-content perspective in combination with a thematic analysis. The results showed the key moments linked to the university students' experience in the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic: nostalgia, shock – sudden change, and adaptation. In the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the key moments were: nostalgia, uncertainty, and short-term planning. The important phases for the sustainability of m-learning were related to the comparison between nostalgia, the recovery from the shock after a sudden change in lifestyle, and the adaptation to new living conditions. This was reflected in the key topics focused on the main phases, with an accent on life enjoyment, self-centring, and stress before the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper fulfills the gap in the research focused on understanding students' feelings, attitudes, values, and use of m-learning during forced distance education. Qualitative design research allowed going deeper into students" psychological aspects during national quarantine. The results allow us to prepare the universities and state policies on working with students during future crises and emphasize sustainable mobile learning. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Interactive Learning Environments is the property of Routledge 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.)

International Students' Perceptions towards Their Learning Experience in an International Network Seminar in Japan: During and Post the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has struck educational experience systems around the globe. This paper investigates and evaluates the student participants' perceptions who joined the international exchange seminar on global citizenship and peace held at a University in Hiroshima, Japan. Approximately seventy students and faculty members from nine to ten different universities from around the globe joined this summer program in August 2021 (online) and 2022 (face-to-face). This study is a mixed-method study. The first part consists of a quantitative analysis of BEVI data obtained from the students in the seminar before COVID-19 and after. The research concludes that there are no changes in the effects of what students learn. The second part consists of qualitative data. The data shows the perceptions of students of online teaching versus hybrid teaching. It compares the differences in participants' perceptions reported in students' feedback on the programs during and post-COVID-19. Our results confirm prominent differences exist in the students' perceptions of their learning experience during the pre-pandemic and post-pandemic periods. The findings indicate based on lessons learned post-pandemic, universities need to strive and define the meaning and purpose of international seminars, which enable students to experience a high level of intercultural social interaction online and face-to-face. As the world becomes more interconnected, virtual environments, such as the ones presented within the International Seminar in Hiroshima, Japan, are vital to facilitating intercultural teaching environments and the implications within this paper indicate that these virtual mediums can promote inclusion, leading to a more sustainable world.

An Online Collaborative Biology Simulation Used by Ukrainian Students During the 2022 Russian Invasion

Although the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted learning for students worldwide, the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine has more severely impacted education for Ukrainian students. This study was conducted in the context of an educational technology master's thesis (Halchevska, 2022) at the University of Tartu, Estonia. A master's student with Ukrainian background contacted a biology teacher in Ukraine and offered to help teach an online collaborative lesson about genetics and the laws of inheritance. The lesson involved using an innovative computer simulation called the Collaborative Rabbit Genetics Lab. The learning materials were translated into Ukrainian. A quasi-experimental research design compared whether prior experience working with a collaborative seesaw simulation would influence outcomes later with the biology-related collaborative simulation. Data from two classes of 9th-grade students were collected using questionnaire items related to the perception of interdependence, an open-ended question about collaboration, and a focus group interview. The results indicate that prior practice with a collaborative simulation somewhat enhanced perceived collaboration the next time students worked with a similar type of interdependent task but did not affect task performance. The findings suggest that more guidance is needed to support learners in online collaboration when they solve interdependent tasks. Copyright © 2023 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. Under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

Living the Virtual Life: Transitions in Teaching and Research

[...]after many such changes, relearning and reentering information into new profiles and management systems lost its luster. While believe that lecture course content can be delivered effectively online, there is an undeniable need for extensive hands-on laboratory experimentation in a physical science curriculum. [...]it provides more opportunities to reiterate key points to the students.

Impact of e-Learning in Education Sector: A Sentiment Analysis View

The COVID-19 condition had a substantial impact on the education sector, corporate sector and even the life of individual. With this pandemic situation e-learning/distance learning has become certain in the education sector. In spite of being beneficial to students and teachers, its efficacy in the education domain depends on several factors such as handiness of ICT devices in various socio economic groups of people and accessible internet facility. To analyze the effectiveness of this new system of e learning Sentiment Analysis plays a predominant role in identifying the user's perception. This paper focus on identifying opinions of social media users i.e. Twitter on the most prevailing issue of online learning. To analyze the subjectivity and polarity of the dynamic tweets extracted from Twitter the proposed study adopts TextBlob. As Machine Learning (ML) models and techniques manifests superior accuracy and efficacy in opinion classification, the proposed solution uses, TF-IDF (Term Frequency-Inverse Document Frequency) as feature extraction technique to build and evaluate the model. This manuscript analyses the performance of Multinomial Naive Bayes Classifier, DecisionTreeClassifier, SVC and MLP Classifier with respect to performance measure as Accuracy. © 2022 IEEE.

ONLINE EDUCATION DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC: ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Everything is changing rapidly, and the development of technology and information has changed significantly in the last few decades. Education, like other aspects of society, needs to change and adapt appropriately. Online teaching and learning is a new approach for the authors to use information technology via distance learning programs, especially in the way relationships and interactions altered between students and teachers or instructors when the Coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic occurred. Mahidol University responded to the situation rapidly and announced that academics could use students' online teaching free of charge. The research aim is to identify the advantages and disadvantages encountered while applying the online method of instruction. Implementation, the online program has made teaching possible, but it has disadvantages that may decrease the quality of education. Nevertheless, it replaced traditional teaching methods by utilizing the web-based program, Webex Meetings, across the whole university. Conclusion, this new approach has changed and opened horizons earlier than the authors thought and far beyond our beliefs concerning traditional education methods for future generations. © 2022 Chayaporn Saranpuetti, Piyatida Khajornchaikul, Vallerut Pobkeeree.

A comparison of online and face-to-face teaching of economically oriented master's degree university studies

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to evaluate the influence of distance learning of the subject Operational Research in terms of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the quality of teaching and the success of this course, to find out the satisfaction of students with the online learning, and the impact on the performance.Design/methodology/approachGrades of students from the subject were collected from the Faculty of Business and Economics of Mendel University in Brno between 2009 and 2021. A questionnaire concerning the views of students on online teaching of the subject and its comparison with face-to-face teaching was conducted, and the data obtained from 94 respondents were statistically processed by cluster analysis and the K-means method.FindingsA comparison of the results of examinations from the years taught in classical face-to-face form and from the period when teaching took place only online showed no significant effect on the final grades of the students. The results show that the students were basically divided into two-halves: one-half that preferred online teaching and the other that supported a more face-to-face form of teaching. Most of the students highly appreciated the tutorial videos provided because of the possibility of repeated viewing.Originality/valueThe paper shows that online teaching may be a suitable replacement for standard teaching. The paper answers the question whether some online elements can be integrated in the standard form of teaching.