Factors affecting students' use of a data-free instant messenger for on-line peer tutoring: a large, undergraduate class at a historically disadvantaged university

There is a need for synchronous and inclusive online peer tutoring in large, undergraduate classes. As a lack of data or internet connectivity may limit online peer tutoring, the use of a data-free instant messenger was implemented for online tutoring in a class of 342 students. The Moya application allows students to chat and send voice notes to tutors and peers without using data. Sending attachments incurs data costs but the amount of data is displayed prior to downloading. The qualitative interpretivist case study used data collected from purposive sampling via an online survey. Consent was received from 252 third-year Information Systems students at a historically disadvantaged university. Qualitative data were analysed via thematic content analysis using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 model as a theoretical basis. Findings indicate that the majority of students (85.7%) did not use the data-free Moya instant messenger. Reasons for the low usage included a negative performance expectancy, as students did not see the benefit in using the application to engage with peers or tutors. Perceived effort expectancy was low, as students did not desire to learn to use a new application. Results showed that using WhatsApp was a habit. Moreover, social influence was a factor, as fellow students and tutors were also using WhatsApp. Students recommended increasing awareness of the Moya application and providing training. The price value was expected to be a significant factor as this application does not require data, but this was not the case. Facilitating conditions show that students had data for WhatsApp. Moya has the same interface design as the preferred WhatsApp so learning to use the application should require minimal effort. The unexpected findings indicate that students prefer WhatsApp, an instant messenger that requires data, over a datafree instant messenger. The findings leave lecturers questioning whether using WhatsApp for online peer tutoring is the more viable option.

A position paper on the Quest for Education Quality and Inclusivity in Low Resource Environments such as Zimbabwe through Social Media

Social media has revolutionised human interaction globally especially on the informal front. This paper proposes that the social media facility could be ‘tamed' to help bridge the educational divide that is apparent especially in developing countries such as Zimbabwe and that was magnified by the Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic split education provision along income lines with those from the higher income bracket accessing educational instruction virtually even during such an ‘emergency' while those from the low income group were literally on sabbatical, virtually excluded. The obtaining scenario threatens realisation of Sustainable Development Goal Number 4 by 2030 as planned by the United Nations. The particular goal is aimed at ensuring "inclusive and equitable quality education and promote life-long learning opportunities for all”. In some instances, some candidates get to the examination room so inadequately prepared that the situation can be described as de facto exclusion. In order to assist Covid-19 pandemic affected learners and to uplift education quality in low income communities, this paper recommends the provision of a tablet per class/grade that should be viewed as a learning/teaching tool. The class teacher can use the tablet to download material, show educational videos to the class, audio/video record learners for educational ends, receive educational materials from the Ministry and its partners and avail these in an interesting multimodal manner to the learners.

Institutional Quality and Education Quality in Developing Countries: Effects and Transmission Channels

The main objective of this study is to analyze the effect of institutional quality on education quality in developing countries. The literature review explores the channels through which institutional quality transits to affect education quality. The empirical analyses cover a sample of 82 developing countries. The main results obtained using ordinary least squares and two-stage least squares estimators show that institutional quality has a positive effect on student achievement and school completion, and a negative effect on educational failure. Concerning the role of transmission channels, the results show that a deterioration in institutional quality, characterized in particular by the presence of corruption, political instability, or the deterioration of government effectiveness, reduces the effectiveness of public spending on education and the quality of teaching through unethical behavior of teachers and the recruitment of untrained or less trained persons to carry out teaching tasks.

Examining the Quality of the Elementary School Mathematics Tasks Recommended for Distance Education

COVID-19 salgını ile birlikte 2019-2020 akademik yılının bahar döneminden itibaren tüm öǧretim kademelerinde uzaktan eǧitime geçilmiştir. Milli Eǧitim Bakanlıǧı da öǧrencilere matematik öǧrenme fırsatları oluşturmak ve öǧretmenlere kaynak saǧlamak adına tüm sınıf düzeylerinde uzaktan eǧitimde kullanılmak üzere öǧretim etkinlikleri yayınlanmıştır. Íyi yapılandırılmış ve nitelikli öǧretim etkinlikleri öǧrencilerin matematiǧi öǧrenmesinde önemli bir rol oynamaktadır. Bu çalışmanın amacı da ilkokul matematik dersine yönelik yayınlanmış olan ilkokul matematik etkinliklerinin başta bilişsel istem düzeyi olmak üzere farklı açılardan incelenmesi ve niteliǧinin ortaya konmasıdır. Doküman analizi yöntemiyle yürütülen çalışmada 1-4. sınıf düzeyi matematik alanındaki 79 kritik kazanıma ait 85 etkinlik incelenmiştir. Analiz sonucunda etkinliklerin birçoǧunun düşük bilişsel istem düzeyinde olduǧu, bilişsel istem düzeylerinin dengeli bir daǧılım sergilemediǧi, ve bazı etkinliklerin matematiksel hatalar barındırdıǧı görülmüştür.Alternate :As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, distance education started at K-12 levels in the spring semester of the 2019-2020 school year. The Ministry of National Education had also published instructional tasks to be used in distance education at all grade levels in order to create mathematics learning opportunities for students and to provide resources for teachers. Well-structured and high-quality instructional tasks play an important role in students' learning mathematics. The aim of this study is to examine the quality of the elementary school mathematics tasks recommended for distance remedial education from multiple perspectives, in particular their cognitive demand levels. A total of 85 tasks focusing on 79 critical objectives in grades 1-4 mathematics were examined using document analysis. Results of this study showed that the majority of the tasks were at low cognitive demand level, cognitive demand levels did not show a balanced distribution, and some tasks had mathematical errors.

The Quality of Education in the Conditions of Forced Distance Learning Caused by COVID-19

The article presents the results of a study of the quality of education in conditions of forced distance learning in the initial conditions of the introduction of quarantine restrictions caused by COVID-19. The study was conducted in two stages to identify the quality of education in conditions of forced distance learning for teachers and students from 03.30.2020 to 04.04.2020. The study involved teachers in the amount of 42 people. To study the perception of the image of students by teachers in the framework of forced distance and classroom learning, a questionnaire was developed that covers various aspects of student activity under quarantine restrictions. The survey involved 326 students from different faculties. Students were asked to answer questions regarding their assessment of the educational process in conditions of forced distance learning. This helped to determine some aspects of the quality of education in the conditions of forced distance learning. The results showed that the quality of education in the opinion of teachers after the transition to forced distance learning gives reason to talk about the emergence of perceptual-cognitive dissonance among teachers, because the information that they receive in the process of communicating with students online does not meet their own expectations in many ways perception, imagination, analysis (due to the minimum of information during communication), which is about the typical direct process of interaction with students, their personal experience regarding this interaction. Thus, for students of all courses, the quality of education is associated with both personal and professional growth. Our study showed that, despite the fact that students are aware of the need to form personal qualities, they do not fully understand what these qualities are and in what ways they need to be developed.

Transition to Distance Learning: Student Experience and Communication during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United Arab Emirates

The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 prompted higher education institutions in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to switch to online learning for the safety of their citizens. The main purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between four indicators of digital learning experience and the intensity of student socio-pedagogical communication after the transition to distance learning. The data were collected from Ajman University, a private university in the UAE, during the spring of 2020. The sample consisted of 381 students who were surveyed using an online survey tool or email. First, this study found that the majority of students had access to digital tools and the Internet;however, a small number struggled with weak and unreliable Internet connection. Most students had a moderate to high ability to use digital technology, but some encountered difficulties and required assistance. Most students utilised digital communication tools for over five hours daily. The study also found a general lack of digital competency among students and difficulties in using digital tools for remote learning, highlighting the importance of investing in the development of digital skills. The study also found an intensification of social relationships and an increase in communication frequency between students and instructors;however, inadequate instructor–student communication remained a challenge. Finally, the multiple linear regression model showed that indicators such as the communication dimension of the lessons and the participatory nature of the courses positively impacted the intensity of student communication after the transition to distance learning.

The Use of Tablet PCs in Previously Disadvantaged Secondary Schools in South Africa During the Covid-19 Pandemic

The South African Department of Basic Education (DBE) has considered the introduction of Tablet PCs an important aspect in improving the quality of education in South Africa. The Covid-19 pandemic has hastened the introduction of Tablet PCs due to the increased need for distance and online learning. Educators are often unwilling to accept and use Tablet PCs for teaching and learning because they do not have the necessary skills to integrate Tablet PCs into their pedagogical practices. This paper discusses the practical implications of the introduction of Tablet PCs into previously disadvantaged schools in South Africa specifically during the Covid-19 pandemic. To provide guidance to the DBE, principals, and educators to promote effective use and acceptance of Tablet PCs by educators for classroom and distance learning. © 2023, Association for Information Systems. All rights reserved.

The impact of corruption on victim teachers during promotion processes in South Africa's basic education system

South African teachers are faced with corruption during teacher promotion processes, and this remains unabated. This qualitative paper used three purposively selected case studies of victim teachers to investigate the impact of this corruption on victim teachers. The paper used the Crisis Intervention Theory to underpin the theoretical framework for the analysis. Key informant interviews (Kils) were administered on a senior union member to solicit crucial data while the primary participants (n=3) were interviewed on face-to-face approach to collect data. Relevant literature was also used to provide supportive and corroborative scientific propositions. The paper discovered that corruption during teacher promotion processes in the South African Basic Education sector was reality. However, in some instances, such claims could not be backed by sustainable evidence. Victim teachers have suffered traumatic experiences resulting in stress, health challenges, relational challenges with colleagues and resignations. The department did not assist victim teachers needing emergency counselling and psychological rehabilitation to cope with the emanating pressure. It is recommended that authorities punish perpetrators of corruption. Victim teachers need to be assisted through professional resolving of their grievances and therapeutical intervention.

COVID-19 and Its Effects on the Management of the Basic Quality Conditions in Universities of Peru, 2022

The purpose of this study was to determine the influences of variables, crisis management, distance education, the organizational image, and student satisfaction on the basic quality conditions in Peruvian universities during the COVID-19 pandemic. A quantitative, nonexperimental explanatory approach with stratified random sampling was used. A questionnaire was applied to 513 students from public and private universities in southern Peru who received distance education during the months of September to November 2022. For the analysis of the results, a structural equation model (SEM). A hierarchical linear regression was carried out to test the hypotheses according to the dimensions studied on the student satisfaction scale. The study findings showed that distance education and student satisfaction had positive impacts on the basic quality conditions, while crisis management and the organizational image had a positive relationship but a smaller effect on the quality of the conditions. We concluded that the applied model allows the causal relationships between variables to be explored and that the results will allow university authorities to generate policies that improve their organizational image and crisis management processes and, at the same time, allow them to better plan their crisis management strategies to achieve better satisfaction within the framework of a sustainable university.

LIDERAZGO DE DIRECTORAS(ES) NOVELES Preparación y resistencia al cambio en contexto de pandemia

This study researched the role of directors appointed shortly before the COVID-19 lockdown. Interviews were held with directors from eight elementary schools at a socio-educational disadvantage, and content analysis was used to discover their decisions for addressing the contingency. The results show that some schools were able to attain the minimum conditions for operating in the emergency, and demonstrated a concern for improving pedagogical aspects. Readiness for change was the greatest when the director first mobilized an emotional component, enabling concrete actions. The conclusion is that the organizational cultures best prepared for change responded with greater ease to the director's proposals, especially when they had a pedagogical focus. (English) [ FROM AUTHOR] Este artículo indagó en el rol de directoras(es) recién nombrados en sus cargos justo antes del confinamiento por la COVID-19. Mediante entrevistas a directoras(es) de ocho escuelas básicas en condición de desventaja socioeducativa, se realizó un análisis de contenido para conocer sus decisiones para enfrentar la contingencia. Los resultados muestran que algunas escuelas lograron armonizar las condiciones mínimas para operar en la emergencia y una preocupación por mejorar aspectos pedagógicos. La preparación para el cambio fue mayor en los casos en que primero el director(a) movilizó un componente emocional, lo que posibilitó realizar acciones concretas. Se concluye que las culturas organizacionales mejor preparadas para el cambio pudieron responder con mayor facilidad a la propuesta del director(a), sobre todo cuando estuvo marcada por un foco pedagógico. (Spanish) [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Revista Mexicana de Investigación Educativa is the property of Consejo Mexicano de Investigacion Educativa 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.)

Digital Capabilities of Teachers: A Comparative Case Study

Online and digital education, which was once perceived as demanding financially and academically, became the most viable option to continue teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite their lack of prior experience, capabilities, or willingness, many teachers shifted their courses online in a short period to continue teaching during the pandemic. To understand the efficacy in making such a shift, the nature of digital capabilities the teachers recognize within themselves and if these capabilities correlate with their socio-cultural and geographical backgrounds are to be realized. In this study, two cases from the global North and South are compared to investigate the similarities and differences in making choices of digital tools, and, to capture their digital affordances and ability to manage technology in the teaching and learning process. A sample of 50 teachers from two higher education institutions is used to capture the perceptions. The discovered trends in the choice of tools may shed light on region-specific disparities in digital affordances in technology-enhanced learning and global digital education development.

Teaching of Physics Courses in Epochs of Pandemic: Tablet versus Blackboard

Because the pandemic of Covid-19, lectures and classes have demanded to employ the latest technologies to present an educational session as an online session. For example, universities courses have required that instructors have kept the quality of teaching by employing electronic tools that to some extent can replace the classical blackboard with a high fidelity. In this manner, mostly educators have used electronic tablets as e-blackboard, particularly when mathematical and physics are passing through the chapters where equations and specific demonstrations of equations are needed to convince students some laws of nature. This paper discusses in a quantitatively manner the usage of tactile technologies to teach Physics in pandemic epochs. © 2022 ACM.

The Management of a Private Peruvian University at Pandemic Times: Assessment of Decisions and Implications on the Key Indicators

The management of a private Peruvian university along the period 2020-2021 is presented. Special attention has been paid on the qualitative angle in the sense that were described the main actions by which have had as central point the continuity of academic activities without the breaking of communications in the form top-down between the general manager and students. Essentially all actions have targeted to keep the quality of education in all the levels. The paper presents the general methodology that has consisted in the support of university to the universe of students in order that most of them continue in their program. Therefore, the management was not only the one applied to the university apparatus itself but also in to surpass the big obstacles such as the massive desertion of students in a critic epoch where Lima city has exhibited large peaks of infections as well as fatalities at the first and the second wave of pandemic at the first semester of 2021. Noteworthy actions have been taken by the general manager to conserve the desired harmony at the university even when communications have been done through the remote mode. The conclusion from the analysis of this paper is finally given. © 2022 ACM.

Framework Design of Intelligent Career Recommendation System for Undergraduates

The development of artificial intelligence technology has proudly enhanced the quality of life and education of students. The outbreak of COVID-19 in early 2020 dealt a huge blow to the world economy and workplace environment, therefore planning a career path before graduation is a primary and core task for undergraduate students to succeed in this era. This paper introduces the framework design of an intelligent career recommendation system, which is based on the analysis of the required career ability and students' individual ability to achieve accurate career recommendations. © 2022 IEEE.

What contributed to students' online learning satisfaction during the pandemic?

Due to the sudden transition to online education because of the outbreak of COVID-19, various strategies and factors have been extensively investigated to increase the effectiveness and quality of online education. In this study, we reviewed and synthesized the factors correlating with students' online learning satisfaction, considered a basic component when evaluating online education quality. From 42 studies that were systematically searched from nine databases, 164 separated correlates of students' satisfaction were found. These were categorized into four domains: student-related factors, instructor-related factors, quality of online classes, and e-learning readiness. Overall effect size (ES) and four subgroup ESs were then calculated. The results indicated that the domain of instructor-related factors showed the highest ES compared to other domains. Among the factors, instructional support, technology acceptance, and perceived presence were the three top factors exhibiting large ES. Several implications are discussed to enhance these crucial factors.

Higher Education in India: Emerging Issues

Higher education has an important role in rebuilding a nation through its significant contribution in overall development of the human resources. However, Indian scenario is not at all encouraging in terms of gross enrolment ratio, research output or employability of university graduates. Some of the recent reforms in higher education sector ignites a little hope about enhancing the effectiveness of higher education institutions in the country. In this article, the authors have tried to look at the emerging issues plaguing the quality of higher education and provide a fresh perspective on reducing the lag.

Acoustic Comfort in Hybrid Learning Spaces: Students Perspective

Acoustic comfort in classrooms has a great impact on the quality of education. In specific, its impact on teaching and learning experience has been widely studied and the results show that acoustic comfort is linked to learning attributes, e.g. enhancing productivity, memorizing and understanding of the taught material, mental welfare, and motivation. In this paper, we assess the acoustic comfort in hybrid classrooms, at the University of Sharjah, after classes have been reconfigured to comply with COVID-19 social distancing protocols. First, we measured the background noise and reverberation times for different types of classrooms used for teaching and learning. The results showed that most classrooms do not comply with international standards. For example, the background noise levels in the selected classrooms were found to range from 43.9-49.6 dB(A), which is higher than the recommended WHO limits. To evaluate the acoustic comfort from the perspective of the students, a survey was conducted to evaluate students' perception on acoustic conditions at the hybrid classrooms. The results showed that the majority of the students surveyed, 88%, felt that noise in classrooms affected their understanding of the material and communications with the instructor and peers. Noise sources were identified to originate from corridors, maintenance work, and construction sites within close proximity to the classrooms. Better designs are highly recommended to improve acoustic comfort to ensure an excellent student experience and the best learning environment. © 2022 Internoise 2022 - 51st International Congress and Exposition on Noise Control Engineering. All rights reserved.

Online learning attributes on overall tourism and hospitality education learning satisfaction: Tourism Agenda 2030

PurposePromoting "Quality Education” as part of Sustainable Development Goal 4 requires educational stakeholders to understand the nature of online learning from the learners' perspective. This study aims to explore the asymmetric effects of online learning attributes on overall learning satisfaction in tourism and hospitality education.Design/methodology/approachThe authors adopt the three-factor satisfaction theory and the three analytical steps penalty–reward contrast analysis, impact range performance analysis (IRPA) and impact asymmetry analysis. The authors then juxtapose the results of such analytical approaches to the traditional importance–performance analysis (IPA) for further insights.FindingsTraditional IPA suggests nine high importance and performance online attributes. However, the IRPA reveals that only four attributes fall within high performance and high range of impact on satisfaction. The attribute "secure” had a low performance despite a significant impact on satisfaction.Research limitations/implicationsBy exploring asymmetric effects, scholars, service providers and participants of online education can have a deeper insight into the nature and dynamic effect of attributes on overall satisfaction.Originality/valueBy exploring the asymmetric impacts of online learning attributes on overall learning satisfaction, the findings provide a novel insight into the multidimensionality of online learning attributes.

Mind the Gap: The Illusion of Skill Acquisition in Computational Thinking

With the advent of online educational platforms and the advances in pedagogical technologies, self-directed learning has emerged as one of the most popular modes of learning. Distance education - -elevated by the COVID-19 pandemic - -involves methods of instruction through a variety of remote activities which often rely on educational videos for mastery. In the absence of direct student engagement, the asynchronous nature of remote activities may deteriorate the quality of education for learners. Students often have an illusion of skill acquisition after watching videos, which results in overestimation of abilities and skills. We focus on the efficacy of skill acquisition through interactive technologies and assess their impact on computational thinking in comparison with delivery through other traditional media (e.g. videos and texts). In particular, we investigate the relationship between actual learning, perception of learning, and learners' confidence in adult learners. Our results reveal intriguing observations about the role of interactivity and visualization and their implications on the pedagogical design for self-directed learning modules. © 2023 ACM.

L'acció comunitària com a estratègia de millora educativa i construcció de ciutadania en època de pandèmia

Aquest article exposa diferents trets conceptuáis i metodolögics de l'acció comunitaria, com a estrategia per a la millora educativa i la construcció de ciutadania a partir de dos projectes implementats a la localitat de Monteada i Reixac: «El Rec es mou» i «Cultura i Barri». En aquest sentit, es descriu i s'explica la seva implementáció i funcionament i s'identifiquen reptes, accions i resultats que s'han assolit durant la pandemia de la COVID-19. Ambdós projectes conflueixen en el marc de la Taula Comunitaria del Barri, un espai que aglutina entitats, serveis i equipaments que treballen per a la inclusió, la cohesió social i l'empoderament de la ciutadania. Així, la inclusió es fomenta donant veu a col-lectius que normalment no la tenen, com el poblé amazic o gitano;la cohesió social a través del lema «Un barrí fet per totes», en qué es dona cabuda a tothom pel fet de ser-hi, independentment de la seva realitat socioeconómica;i l'empoderament personal, grupai i comunitari a partir de Ies construccions de relacions veinals, per donar resposta a situacions complexes com, per exemple, un espai educatiu i de socialització durant el desconfinament.Alternate :Este artículo expone diferentes rasgos conceptuales y metodológicos de la acción comunitaria, como estrategia para la mejora educativa y la construcción de ciudadanía a partir de dos proyectos implementados en la localidad de Monteada i Reixac: «El Rec es mou» y «Cultura i Barri». En este sentido, se describe y se explica su implementáción y funcionamiento identificando retos, acciones y resultados que se han alcanzado durante la pandemia del Covid-19. Ambos proyectos confluyen en el marco de la Mesa Comunitaria de barrio, espado que aglutina entidades, servidos y equipamientos que trabajan para la inclusión, la cohesión social y el empoderamiento de la ciudadanía. Así, la inclusión se fomenta a través de dar voz a colectivos que normalmente no la tienen como el pueblo amazigh o gitano, la cohesión social a través del lema «un barrio hecho por todas» dando cabida a todo el mundo por ser, independientemente de su realidad socioeconómica;y el empoderamiento personal, grupai y comunitario a partir de las construcciones de relaciones vecinales para dar respuesta a situaciones complejas como, por ejemplo, un espacio educativo y de socialización durante el desconfinamiento.Alternate :This article presents conceptual and methodological features of community action, as a strategy for educational improvement and the construction of citizenship from two projects implemented in the town of Monteada i Reixac: "Rec es mou" and "Cultura i Barri". Their implementation and operation are described and explained, identifying challenges, actions and results that have been achieved during the Covid-19 pandemic. Both projects are carried out within the framework of the Neighbourhood Community Table, a space that brings together entities, servicesand facilities that work for inclusion, social cohesion and the empowerment of citizens. Inclusion is promoted through giving a voice to groups that normally do not have one, such as the Amazigh or Gypsy people;social cohesion according to the sentence "a neighbourhood made by all", allowing everyone to be, regardless of their socioeconomic reality;and personal, group and community empowerment based on the construction of neighbourhood relationships to respond to complex situations, such as a space for education and socialisation during deconfinement.