ABSTRACT
Sustainability is one of the main global concerns to deal with and know-how about is it important for the unprecedented survival to cope with the social, political, economic, and energy scarcity issues. Higher institutions are important learning places which can play the role of transformation and create the opportunities and avenues in order to minimize the barriers towards more sustainable future. In this research study, an online training program for the understanding of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Sustainability was designed. Students from different Japanese and International Universities were invited for two weeks of training program. A Comprehensive questionnaire was designed in which students were introduced about UNESCO Biosphere reserves, SDGs, and different concepts of sustainability. The analysis of the statistical results confirm that the understanding of the students has improved after the online training program about SDGs and different aspects of sustainability. The results imply that the understanding of the international students about SDGs and sustainability is more as compared with the Japanese students. In 14 out of 17 SDGs, the familiarity of international students is more as compared with their counterparts. In this exploratory study, some of the challenges faced by the universities are also identified which impede the efforts for the implementation of goals and initiatives towards sustainable development. It has been concluded that the universities must design dedicated training programs to seize the opportunities for improving the understanding of the students and promotion of sustainable initiatives by using UNESCO Biosphere Reserves as learning platforms through innovation in teaching, research, and trainings. The possible limitations of this research study can be;(a) it involves the professionals about SDGs, which might have made the online training program as intensive one, giving some vague idea about SDGs and sustainability to the students, (b) though the personal information of the students were not gathered, however, the broader scope of the research study have provided strong international base which can be used as an adequate profile of sustainability and comprehension of SDGs currently being found in the universities. Design of practical implications is imperative for stimulating the creativity and autonomy about the comprehension of SDGs and sustainability to meet the demands of present and future challenges imposed for sustainable development.
ABSTRACT
Student persistence in the first year of studies is a crucial concern in online higher education. Recent accelerated growth in online programs due to the COVID pandemic has increased concerns over higher dropout rates, which are often connected to students’ time challenges—time poverty, juggling multiple commitments, and fitting studies into busy lives. However, research seldom focuses on students’ perceptions of time issues related to persistence. This study addresses this gap by exploring how 20 second-year students retrospectively viewed their experiences of time challenges and how they impacted their persistence in their first year at an online open university. Content analysis of in-depth interviews demonstrated that time pressure and time-conflicts were crucial barriers for success in the foundational semester;the main barrier was juggling study with multiple priorities. Most persisters had good time management and high levels of intrinsic motivation, satisfaction, and self-determination. However, even procrastinators with heavy work-family duties managed to persevere due to their resilience and personal motivation. Lastly, recommendations and strategies for effective student-based interventions to foster persistence are suggested.
ABSTRACT
To enhance good experience of students it becomes important to understand the student's perception of online teaching and learning. The outbreak of COVID-19 was unexpected and it forced universities to launch live online programs. MOOCS and various other platforms have enhanced the student experience which is more involving, flexible, cost and time saving. This study aims to assess the students experience in online learning, and identify the components and activities they expect in an online learning environment. The study identifies critical success factors of effective online environment to find their priorities for success in online learning. Data from 500 students were collected from different courses taught online during COVID-19 crisis of various universities of higher education in India. The study is descriptive in nature. The results of the study would improve the online learning environment, help the higher education institutions develop quality online learning content and provide effective delivery which is more engaging. This also benefits society at large even after the COVID-19 pandemic.
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic has created a fundamental shift in the Chinese education system, which has compelled teachers and students to accommodate the process of online learning in a short period of time. Accompanied by the advancement of information technology and the emergence of small private online courses (SPOCs), a variety of online programs containing a wealth of new materials and novel pedagogical approaches have emerged. However, there is a lack of awareness among researchers about the efficacy of utilizing shared SPOCs in teaching at conventional universities. Flipped classroom model (FCM) can make up for this defect. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of flipped learning on the basis of SPOC and to suggest explicit criteria for its reuse in conventional college education. We carried out a quasi-experiment in a course on inorganic chemistry and examined findings with regard to the engagement and performance of the learners. We also conducted a post-task questionnaire and interviews to examine the experiences of the students so that those experiences could be incorporated into the design and study plan for flipped learning based on SPOCs. It was shown that the average performance of students in the flipped SPOC-based classroom was superior to that of students in the traditional classroom. Furthermore, the combination of quantitative and qualitative data showed that the majority of students experienced the flipped classroom favorably regarding student interaction, accessible learning resources, and proactive academic outcomes.
ABSTRACT
Teaching programming skills is an essential part of the first-semester computer science curriculum. During the Covid-19, it became particularly challenging as, in particular, the essential exercise lessons had to be implemented virtually. Before the pandemic, we implemented didactic concepts like objects-first and gamification with the hamster simulator. They had to be transferred to the virtual setting as good as possible. In this paper, we report on the implementation of our virtual course programming and software development. In particular, we report on the lessons we learnt from our course implementation, which, overall, was relatively successful. © 2022 Gesellschaft fur Informatik (GI). All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
Even though forage and grazing lands represent the largest land use in the United States, the number of forage faculty positions nationwide has decreased by 47% in the last 15 years, with only an estimated 2.3 forage research and Extension full-time equivalents (FTE) per state. This challenge has made partnerships with county/regional agents and Extension faculty from other states an increasingly important component of a successful Extension program. Whereas virtual/online programs existed prior to 2020, people of all ages are currently more comfortable and adept with virtual technology because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Moving forward, virtual meetings and hybrid meetings will likely become more routine, making it possible to disseminate knowledge to producers locally and across the state, region, and country concurrently. This approach will enable Extension educators to be more efficient in their knowledge transfer as illustrated by programs such as the Bermudagrass Hay Summit which has seen an almost six-fold increase in attendance from 2020 to 2021 because travel is not required. Lastly, there is a largely untapped opportunity in on-farm demonstrations and research. An example of how this can positively affect adoption of new technology is the regional program Alfalfa in the South. This program combines both on-farm and experiment station research. As a result of on-farm demonstrations, producer interest in adoption of alfalfa across Alabama and Georgia has increased in the last 3 years. There are many challenges to Extension programming in forages, but there are also ample opportunities to partner with other state Extension programs, as well as with producers to disseminate forage and pasture management effectively and efficiently to the forage and livestock sectors across the United States.
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Purpose>The sudden pandemic of COVID-19 has caused disruptive innovation in all areas of business including education. Despite the educators’ and students’ acceptance and readiness in the new normal, the traditional face-to-face (FTF) public speaking has been shifted to online courses to suit the current needs. This study aims to examine whether there were differences between online and FTF pubic speaking in the students’ anxiety level, speech performance, as well as their perceptions of the challenges in the implementation of online public speaking courses as a potential to disruptive innovation.Design/methodology/approach>This pilot study was a mixed method research that involved a purposive sampling of two groups of 39 students in higher education. The instruments used were questionnaires of self-report anxiety, speech performance test and observation.Findings>The findings show that the students preferred the traditional FTF rather than the online mode for public speaking courses. The challenges of internet connection and the lack of a live audience were their main concerns in online public speaking. It also provides a potential for disruptive innovation that could take into consideration of a live audience in university online courses.Originality/value>This study provides the potential of public speaking course as a disruptive innovation. This brings implications for the innovators, marketers and educators to think of the online courses/programmes that can be best implemented while embracing the changes and the new normal of COVID-19 brings for student learning.
ABSTRACT
Preparing preservice teachers for professional engagement is important for teacher education and has received much attention over the past decades. Therefore, finding effective training and coaching to improve the professional skills of preservice teachers (PSTs) is of great importance. This study developed a proactive online training program (POTP) based on a model of work-integrated learning (WIL) activities and teacher education. The objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of the POTP in improving PSTs’ professional skills. The participants consisted of 83 PSTs in an education program from two universities in Thailand. This study comprises three phases: phase I, the development of the POTP;phase II, a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design;and phase III, a focus group discussion. The findings demonstrated that PSTs in the group in which the POTP was implemented exhibited increased professional skill development compared to the PSTs in the control group, i.e., without the POTP. Analysis from the focus group confirmed that participants gained knowledge and satisfying online tools, and they were found to have better skills. They also revealed that the POTP not only improved professional skills but also enhanced the inspiration and confidence of the PSTs and supported their life and career goals and preparation. Therefore, educators, practitioners, and policymakers involved in pedagogical content knowledge development in teacher education programs can apply the POTP and assessment models proposed in this work to develop essential soft skills for PSTs and to better prepare them for their careers as teachers in the 21st-century digital era.
ABSTRACT
In this paper, we present a new methodology for the assessment of Programming and Data Structures courses in conditions of Covid-19. The study is carried out at the Catholic University of Temuco, based on the suggestions received at the beginning of the pandemic, by students of the Computer Engineering career. The proposal consists of redirecting the assessment to freely accessible online programming platforms. As part of the study, a mapping of the contents to be evaluated in both subjects with problems available on platforms such as LeetCode and CodinGame is carried out. We manage to cover all the content to be evaluated using these platforms. An analysis of the results of the course, applying this new methodology, is made. Through a survey, applied at the end of the semester, we collected information about the perception of students, concerning aspects related to the changes in the assessment of the course. The results of the survey are analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively, perceiving improvements in the promotion indicators and the motivation of the students. © 2021 IEEE.
ABSTRACT
Due to COVID-19, many educational institutions are using non-face-to-face online education services for programming lectures. However, it is not easy for one person to manage various features, which are scoring the assignment and practice, problem feedback, and so on, in the online programming education service. This paper develops an educational system for programming education using an open source-based online judge system for easy management of instructors. In addition, it defines and implements an academic interface. © 2022 IEEE.
ABSTRACT
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic we are experiencing the last few years has resulted in a shift of many of our everyday life activities from the physical to the digital world. Education is a typical example of such a case with both tutors and students experiencing difficulties and delays in communication. To assist towards this direction, also considering the already forming future of online education, we present MI-OPJ, a microservices-based online programming judge. © 2021 IEEE.
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Topics include safety leadership, chemical safety, gas analysis, air quality issues, hazardous waste inspections, and diversity, equity and inclusion in safety cultures. Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation, Division of Safety and Hygiene;(800) 644-6838;www.bwc.ohio *gov/employer/programs/safety Online 4/12 · 8th Annual ASSP Western Pennsylvania Chapter Professional Development Conference. Online 5/5-6/2 · Essential Risk Assessment Tools for Safety Professionals.
ABSTRACT
The Corona Virus is sweeping across the globe, including Indonesia. So that learning process was initially done directly in the classroom becomes online learning or daring. It would also correspond to dictating to the ministry of Indonesia education that hinders the spread of the coronavirus. So learning has been converted into online learning or daring at home. At study English, Study Program also applies the online learning method by taking advantages of online application such as zoom, WhatsApp group, google form and voice note on the subject. WhatsApp application is the most appropriate for applying online learning at English Study Program. An instructor uses this application because it is familiar to both student and instructor and therefore easier to implement. The study was done with a survey through online interview using a google form to all instructors at English Study Program-FKIP. The Data result that the researchers have been obtained indicates that online learning is the only applicate of method for the current Covid-19 pandemic conditions. The lecturer can evaluate students by doing the recourse to see how far the students understanding of receiving online materials. However, some lecturer also judges that online learning is less effective because there are problems with signal power and the student's faculty of personal laptop gadgets. The student has habit for doing online learning up to student absences. The use of online applications is also adjusted to what materials will be presented