Learning with Mobile Augmented Reality- and Automatic Speech Recognition-Based Materials for English Listening and Speaking Skills: Effectiveness and Perceptions of Non-English Major English as a Foreign Language Students

Due to the outbreak of COVID 19, an online bilingual curriculum was conducted via "Google Meet." The learning material was developed and implemented by using a smartphone application, STEMUP, based on augmented reality (AR) and automatic speech recognition (ASR) technologies. This study investigated the oral performance and perceptions of learning with STEMUP of ninety non-English major students from several colleges at a technical university in Taiwan. Data were collected from pre- and post-tests and a questionnaire survey. Results indicated that students significantly improved their oral performance and recorded their positive perceptions. Students' oral performance significantly depended on their English proficiency. Their perceptions were not significant related to their English proficiency, gender, or college. Instant feedback and evaluation provided by ASR technology and online "Google" text-to-speech service both embedded in STEMUP helped students notice, modify and improve their listening and speaking skills. They were satisfied with the bilingual curriculum, which helped them increase understanding about content knowledge by the teacher's explanation in Chinese, and improve English listening and speaking skills by learning with STEMUP. This study is a good start in creating an interactive and communicative learning environment where translanguaging is effectively integrated with innovative technologies.

Self-Directed Learning Predicts Online Learning Engagement in Higher Education Mediated by Perceived Value of Knowing Learning Goals

Online education has made it possible to implement the "classes suspended but learning continues" policy during the COVID-19 outbreak. However, the intangible sense of the online educational setting requires self-directed learning (SDL) and may force students to know the goals of learning that may impact their engagement. To understand the effect, based on situated expectancy-value theory, this study considered SDL as attitude and approach and constructed a research model to explore the mediating power of perceived value of knowing learning goals (PVKLG) related to participants' online learning engagement during the COVID-19 lockdown. Data were collected from 497 higher education students in China. After the confirmatory factor analysis with structural equation modeling, the results reported that SDL attitude and approach positively predicted learning engagement mediated by PVKLG. The results suggest that only when students have a high level of PVKLG will they be able to regulate their learning process through the two types of SDL and enhance their engagement in online learning contexts during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Interactive Cultural Activities in Virtual Study Abroad during the Pandemic and Beyond

Some of the simplest affordances of study abroad became unavailable when students stayed stateside because of the pandemic-induced disruptions to international travel. These ranged from touring city and historical/cultural landmarks, having spontaneous and chance interactions with locals, participating in the performance of traditions and practices, visiting homes, engaging in "domestic" activities with host families and local peers, and developing a sense of community with other fellow students. This paper reports on three alternate, virtual cultural activities that were launched during the pandemic between a U.S. university and its study abroad partner institution in Morocco in order to help compensate for the health disruption. Survey responses, cultural products, and reflections from 118 participants were collected for this study over two Arabic summer intensive programs at the stateside university. The study explores the effectiveness of these activities in promoting intercultural competence and student engagement during this period and speculates on how they can be integrated into the regular programming post-pandemic in order to further enhance immersion.

Is Distance Education Fun? The Implications of Undergraduates' Epistemological Beliefs for Improving Their Engagement and Satisfaction with Online Learning

The epistemological beliefs of students are an important area for higher education research. This paper firstly reports on a research review concerning the impact of epistemological beliefs on academic outcomes. This review indicates that students' epistemological beliefs are an influence on their engagement with learning and academic success, and that educators should consider them in developing learning experiences. This issue became particularly pertinent in the context of a global pandemic that necessitated an international trend in moving to online distance education, where student disengagement is more likely to occur. However, research into distance education students' epistemological beliefs emerged as an under-researched field. Consequently, an empirical questionnaire study was conducted with data collected from 550 distance education students. A principal component analysis indicated that particular epistemological beliefs were significantly associated with students' enjoyment of studying online. Their beliefs regarding the role of fun in online learning materials and activities are discussed, and the usefulness of considering fun and epistemological beliefs as factors within distance learning in higher education is highlighted. [Note: The page range (213-232) shown on the PDF is incorrect. The correct page range is 213-231.]

Mobile Technology Acceptance among Undergraduate Nursing Students Instructed by Blended Learning at Selected Educational Institutions in South India

Background: Mobile phones have become a widely accepted learning mode due to the impact of COVID-19. This study explores the mobile technology acceptance, among nursing students at selected educational institutions in South India. Materials and Methods: Quantitative cross-sectional descriptive design. First-year 176 B.Sc. nursing students who underwent blended learning were selected by the purposive sampling method. The tool "Technology Acceptance Model" was used to collect responses. Bivariate analysis was used to determine the relationship between the demographic and study-related variables with the mobile technology acceptance using SPSS version 25.0. Results: The majority 73.9% of the students belonged to the age group of 18-19 years, females 76.7% and, 98.9% were unmarried. Among the constructs of TAM, a mean (SD) value of 22.08 (2.26) was found for material (mobile device audio/video) characteristics the mean (SD) value was 22.08 (2.26), attitude about use 17.58 (1.95), behavioral intention 17.46 (1.78) and system characteristics 17.21 (2.27). The mobile technology acceptance revealed that 126 (71.6%) strongly agreed, 49 (27.8%) agreed, and 1 (0.6%) was neutral with a mean (SD) of 105.19 (8.68), respectively. A positive correlation was found between the system characteristics, material characteristics, perceived ease to use, perceived usefulness, attitude about the use, behavioral intention with a P value <0.001. There was a statistically significant association between Mobile technology acceptance and time spent by the students for independent studies shown the Chi-square value of 12.7, with P value <0.05. Conclusion: Nursing students had a positive acceptance and behavior toward smartphone use.

Student Satisfaction on Lecturers' Effectiveness, Efficiency and Productivity: Malaysian Education Landscape during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has engulfed the whole planet, including the education sector in Malaysia. As a result, the quality of lecturers' work is critical in maintaining the number of students in a university, particularly during a pandemic. Lecturers are put through their paces as they move from traditional to e-learning, learning new ways to teach classes, navigating technology, using new skills, and utilising their own knowledge. This study analysed responses of 892 local students from various officially registered public higher learning institutions throughout Malaysia. Convenient sampling method was used to gather responses through online google forms from the above respondents. The outcomes of this study provided some insight on how Malaysian higher education institutions might redeem themselves by offering better service to the society, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Students Learning Experiences during COVID-19: Work from Home Period in Malaysian Higher Learning Institutions

Recently, the whole globe was affected by the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), which caused a major disruption in every economy sector as well as the education sector. Most of the education systems in the world shifted to a full online learning method, either conducted in a synchronous or asynchronous method. Thus, making the traditional teaching and learning methods were no longer option of learning method. This reality of online teaching and learning methods by the Malaysian education system, especially the Higher Learning Institution as an alternative teaching method is compulsory throughout the pandemic. This paper evaluates the experience of the students of higher learning institutions in Malaysia with the implementation of online learning during this pandemic.

We Need More Praxis: A Case for Praxis Assignments in Psychology Courses

Introduction: This paper explores what praxis is and its importance for catalyzing social justice. Statement of the Problem: At times, psychologists have articulated the importance of bridging the researcher-activist divide via praxis, but progress in creating these bridges has been slow. Literature Review: We examine how praxis can be rooted in decolonial pedagogical approaches and a tool that can bridge scholarship and activism. Building on previous work by teachers of psychology, we review small, medium, and large-scale praxis assignments that have been used in university courses. Teaching Implications: We discuss our own versions of praxis assignments used in four different psychology courses (three of which took place during the pandemic). We reflect on the ways we see students motivated by an assignment with relevance to the real world and potential for creating social change, the ways that students are able to integrate course material more deeply through action, and some of the challenges with these assignments. Conclusion: We conclude by providing recommendations for educators interested in assigning praxis projects in their psychology courses.

Differences in the Intensity and the Nature of Foreign Language Anxiety in In-Person and Online EFL Classes during the Pandemic: A Mixed-Methods Study

This paper explores differences in 437 learners' "foreign language classroom anxiety" (FLCA) in in-person and online English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classes before the outbreak of the pandemic and during the first lockdown in spring 2020. Statistical analyses of data gathered with a web survey revealed a slight, yet significant drop in learners' overall FLCA in "emergency remote teaching." In order to obtain a more granular view, item-level analyses revealed that learners in online classes were significantly less worried about being outperformed by peers, suffered less from physical symptoms of anxiety when called on in class, and were less anxious when they were in fact well-prepared. Feeling embarrassed to volunteer answers was significantly higher in online classes. Interviews with 21 participants revealed that the interviewees mentioned anxiety-provoking aspects of the class considerably more frequently online than in in-person classes. However, the sources of anxiety in online classes differed from the ones in classes taught on-site. Thus, it seems that the newness of the setting foregrounded anxiety-provoking aspects specific to emergency remote teaching, making others fade into the background at the beginning of the pandemic.

When Public Administration Education Switches Online: Student Perceptions during COVID-19

Public administration education is traditionally known for its emphasis on interaction, discussion and experiential learning, which require effective in-person instructions. With COVID-19 pushing many programmes across the globe to be delivered online rather than in person, how this shift has affected the student experience in public administration programmes has been a pertinent and important consideration. This paper addresses the question through two surveys of 147 students in total, at a graduate-level public policy school in Singapore. Two distinctive waves of data collection allow us to capture a nuanced picture of student perceptions both when online teaching was introduced as an emergency response and when it was planned as a deliberate strategy later on. Our findings suggest that students consistently reported a decline in participation and interaction in an online setting, compared with a face-to-face setting. Our study fills a critical gap in the literature related to online public administration education in Asia, while the immediate constraints it highlights and lessons it offers on maintaining a highly interactive and engaging public administration education are likely to apply for educators elsewhere both during and beyond the COVID-19 era.

Fuzzy logic approach to assess the effectiveness of online course delivery in management education: a case of B-school from India

PurposeThe future of management studies is invariably steering towards online and hybrid modes of course delivery. Therefore, assessing the effectiveness of online course delivery is exceptionally crucial. This study attempts to evaluate the effectiveness of online course delivery in management education involving the instructor, participant and technological component. This study contributes to the body of knowledge in three ways. First, the study proposes an approach to assess the effectiveness of online courses in management education. The study demonstrates this by taking a case study of a business school (B-school) in southern India. Second, the study identifies the shortcomings and areas that need improvement to enhance the overall effectiveness further. Third, the study outlines suggestive measures to improve the effectiveness of online course delivery by addressing technical, infrastructural, instructor and student behavioral components.Design/methodology/approachTo accomplish the objectives, a case study approach has been adopted and fuzzy logic has been used as a methodology to assess the effectiveness of online course delivery in management education.FindingsThe findings suggest that instructors' use of cases and animation during online sessions, use of whiteboards, digital pens and other tools, attempts to draw participant's interest and the users' sense of belongingness in the online cohort, self-discipline and motivation from students' side, easy to use Learning Management System (LMS), audio-visual platforms, active electronic communication and training on the technical aspect of the online platform need to be improved to enhance the effectiveness of online course delivery further. The current effectiveness of online course delivery in the case of B-school was found to be "Fair,” which is average in relation to the effectiveness labels.Research limitations/implicationsThis study doesn't investigate the factors that moderate the effectiveness of online course delivery and how the factors influence each other. Future research endeavors can be extended in this direction to enrich the body of knowledge with new insights. Apart from this, the results outlined in this study are about the status quo of the case B-school and can't be generalized. However, the methodology and approach can be adopted by other B-schools or higher educational institutes to measure the schools' and institutes' current level of effectiveness in online teaching.Originality/valueSo far, only a few studies have paid attention to the empirical assessment of the effectiveness of online course delivery consisting of engagement from the technical, instructor and participants' dimensions. This study proposes a novel approach to measure the level of effectiveness and identifies the shortfalls that impede good effectiveness in online course delivery.

The Era of Coronavirus: Assess the Impact of Distance Learning Course on the Levels of Hand Hygiene Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Students in Low Resources Country

Introduction: Hand Hygiene is an essential method to preclude infections in all healthcare environments. Education is essential to advance hand hygiene performance amongst nurses and nursing students. The aim is to find out the usefulness of a self-paced online hand hygiene course on the knowledge, attitude and practice of nursing students by evaluating student performance in post-tests. Methods: The study employed a quasi-experimental design in which data were collected using two questionnaires from undergraduate nursing students and they were exposed to interactive lectures and online activities related to risks, benefits, and key recommendations for hand hygiene. The following two surveys were used, Hand Hygiene Knowledge Questionnaire for Health-Care Workers;and Handwashing Assessment Inventory. Data were collected through pre-post tests. Results: Nurses reported a significant change for the better in hand hygiene comprehension, attitude, and performance of hand hygiene behaviours. The present study revealed a significant increase in hand hygiene knowledge belief, attitude, and outcomes among university students after participating in the training intervention. The majority of participants in the pretest rated their knowledge level as poor. Conclusion: Interactive training and online learning courses on hand hygiene could be used to influence the beliefs, attitudes and behaviours of students to bring about the desired change in hand hygiene practice. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Malaysian Journal of Medicine & Health Sciences is the property of Universiti Putra Malaysia 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.)

The Investigation of Change Fatigue in Teacher Candidates Following the Emergency Remote Teaching Process during the Pandemic

Education has gone through rapid changes during the emergency remote teaching period resulting by the COVID-19 pandemic. These changes, in part, have been associated with educational institutions attempting to implement a viable solution to the problem of distance education. Although organizational management theory literature suggests that great change in very little time results in a detrimental psychological phenomenon called change fatigue in employees and that this phenomenon has even been investigated in the context of teaching staff in the past;there have been no attempt at understanding change fatigue from a student perspective. This quantitative study attempts at proposing a structural equation model towards the understanding of how to change fatigue and other variables, namely, digital literacy, online learning attitude and school alienation that might have been influenced by it have affected teacher candidates after resuming face-to-face education followed by a 1.5 year of emergency remote teaching period. Results indicated that change fatigue predicts school alienation and yet;does not predict online learning attitude;hinting that there might be another category of alienating organizational change that universities have gone through that does not solely involve online education. Nevertheless, digital literacy is a beneficial skill for all students that helps bolster online learning attitudes and reduce overall school alienation.

An Evaluation of the Perceptions of Socio-Humanities Students on the Skills of Critical Thinking

One of the fundamental objectives of higher education is to prepare students to think analytically in order to develop and create knowledge, thus going beyond receiving information and building simple knowledge. That is why higher education must adapt its teaching and learning process to cultivate critical thinking of students. In order for academia to ensure the effectiveness of the development of critical thinking skills, student perceptions cannot be neglected, given that they are the ultimate receptors. In addition, investigating students' perceptions of critical thinking skills could guide future training methods that promote their development. The purpose of this research is to explore students' attitudes and beliefs regarding critical thinking skills, as well as aspects of their development in academia and their transfer to other contexts. The study is conducted at the Dunarea de Jos University of Galaţi and uses the questionnaire survey method to assess students' perceptions of critical thinking, from several perspectives: the level of knowledge on critical thinking skills, strategies for learning critical thinking skills, the qualities of a critical thinker, the way students relate to the COVID 19 pandemic and fake news. To obtain the necessary data, the questionnaire was distributed through Microsoft Forms and subsequently analyzed to describe students' views on critical thinking. A sample of 101 students from specializations in the field of socio-humanities completed this survey. The results of the study showed that students invoke the need to overcome difficulties in developing critical thinking skills by: training teachers to use critical thinking in the classroom;including and practicing critical thinking skills in applied activities at courses and seminars;applying debates and discussions in the classroom as teaching and learning strategies;translating the theories learned in courses into different case studies;use of training skills, questionnaires, homework;participation in group projects in a collaborative environment. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Romanian Journal for Multidimensional Education / Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala is the property of Lumen Publishing House 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.)

How Has the Pandemic Affected Social Values? From the Perspective of Preservice Teachers, Is It Erosion or Gain?

This research aims to examine from the perspective of pre-service teachers how values, which have a great function in ensuring social order and welfare, maintaining healthy interpersonal relations, adapting the behaviour of the individual with the expectations of social life, and preventing possible social problems, are affected by the pandemic process.The research was carried out using phenomenology method, which is a qualitative research method. The study group of the research consists of twenty-five pre-service teachers. While determining the study group, easily accessible sampling method was used. In the research, a questionnaire containing four open questions developed by the researchers was used as a data collection tool. Content analysis was used in the analysis of the data. As a result of the research, it was determined that the pandemic positively affected some values such as altruism, benevolence, solidarity, gratitude, resignation, cleanliness, giving importance to being healthy, and negatively affected some values such as hospitality, freedom, equality, kindness, perseverance, and aesthetics. On the other hand, it is seen that some values such as patience, solidarity, savings and being scientific take their place among the values that both erode and gain from due to the differences in the perspective of pre-service teachers towards life. In addition, it was concluded that the pre-service teachers have a concern that the eroded values will force humanity to face problems such as various health problems, an asocial life, emotional deprivation, depression, digital addiction, selfishness, unemployment, anxiety, and impoliteness in the future.

Evaluation of Online Education in the Era of COVID-19 Pandemic: A Review from Students, Parents, and Teachers' Perspectives

Qualitative content analysis is used in this study to review related online education since the outbreak of COVID-19. The aim of this study was to summarize the impact of online teaching on the education industry during the pandemic, sum up the viewpoints of all kinds of people to draw conclusions, and conclude the practical countermeasures. Based on the result of the analysis, firstly, we think that students and teachers are satisfied with online education, but parents have expressed dissatisfaction with this kind of education. Secondly, this paper lists the advantages and common problems of online teaching during study at home from different aspects. According to deficits, we summarize the solutions from three aspects: network equipment, teaching, and self-adjustment. This research is of great significance. It is not only beneficial to the development of educational platforms and personalized teaching but also helps formulate education policy to reduce the burden of education.

Examining Attitudes and Online Distractors in Turkish EMI Context during Emergency Remote Teaching

This study aimed to examine the attitudes of students enrolled in an English preparatory program of a Turkish state university towards the use of emergency remote teaching as a mode of distance education in the 2019-2020 COVID-19 outbreak and to reveal online distractors students experienced throughout this process. A total of 270 EFL students participated in the study;93 of these participants were female, and 177 were male. The study employed an explanatory sequential design, in which firstly quantitative data were collected using a scale ([alpha] = 0.871), and then qualitative data were gathered through open-ended questions followed by semi-structured ones. The quantitative data were analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS software while the qualitative data were analyzed through a thematic analysis conducted by the researcher and two other experts ([kappa] = 0.70). The results showed that the students held partially positive attitudes towards the use of emergency remote teaching as a mode of distance education. There were significant differences between the students' overall attitudes and their gender, digital literacy, technological accessibility, and perceived language success. The relationship between the online distractors students experienced during Emergency Remote Teaching and their attitudes was also discussed. The conclusions were made in the light of the findings, and implications and suggestions for further research were stated.

"The Stories We Tell Ourselves Shape Our Identities": Journals in a Plague Year

The author--in the role of one teacher observing another--documented a spring 2021 remote introductory art history course during the COVID-19 pandemic when graduate student teaching assistants called a campus-wide strike. Forced to improvise, the professor replaced formal analysis papers and exams with an ungraded journal. Drawing from the content of these journals, notes from the Zoom classes, and email correspondence with the professor, the author explicates how students took this journal assignment as an invitation to respond personally to the course content, and as an opportunity to grapple with their own identities. These journals allowed students to use art to explore similarities and differences freely across culture, space, and time. With the traditional requirement for an academic argument temporarily on pause, the author raises questions that characterize our present day: how to encourage a world that accepts different identities without hostility.

Investigation of Secondary School Students' Opinions on Mathematics Lesson with Distance Education

The aim of this study is to examine the opinions of secondary school students about mathematics lessons taught with distance education. The research was carried out by taking the opinions of 286 secondary school students from one state school selected from each of the provinces (Manisa, Izmir, Mugla, Antalya, Sirnak, Bitlis). Quantitative and descriptive survey method was used in the study. According to the findings, it was seen that the opinions of female and male students were very close to each other, there was no significant difference according to the variables of the number of siblings and whether they had their own study room, and there was a significant difference between 5th grade students and 8th grade students. Students;It was seen that there was no difference in their views on understanding the lesson better and increasing their success, they did not have any problems in accessing the Mathematics lesson, but they had problems due to internet interruptions during the lesson, they did not have any problems in communicating with their teachers and delivering homework during the lesson, but they still preferred face-to-face education at a high rate. It was observed that the motivation of the 5th grade students during the lesson and their better understanding of the lesson were higher than the 8th grade students.

Conversations, progressions, and perceptions: Examining the student experience of a blended sel program in high schools

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL), the process of developing and utilizing interpersonal skills for everyday life, has become a primary vehicle for structuring students' social and emotional health in the United States and across the world. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of understanding SEL practices, is increasingly at the forefront of many discussions in education today. Since "non-academic factors" like SEL were added to U.S. education law (ESSA, 2015), the state of Florida has also added two mandates concerning SEL (Florida Senate Bill 7026: The Marjorie Stoneman Douglas Act and FS 1003.42;Rule 6A-1.094121: Curriculum mandate for four hours of SEL as part of mental health education). This has led to the adoption of SEL programming in schools. In 2018, Martin County Public Schools adopted the BASE Education learning program, an SEL approach that aimed to help high school students, identified as at-risk after a discipline infraction, to "learn about and apply psycho-social concepts through supportive, therapeutic dialogue" (MCSD Code of Conduct, Chapter V, 2022, p.18). BASE Education is an online program currently being implemented in all high schools within the Martin County School District. In purchasing BASE for implementation into the disciplinary process and SEL supports, the district projected that BASE Education would increase self-awareness and increase responsible decision making, thus decreasing discipline referrals. This study examines two components of the disciplinary experience of MCSD students: (1) The SEL experience of high school students referred to BASE Education intervention programming in the Martin County School District, and (2) How students who have participated in [personalized] BASE Education modules describe the nature of their pathway within the online experience. This study represents the first time that an analysis of the student referral experience data and online SEL intervention experiential pathway program data has been undertaken in Martin County Public Schools. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)