Online Teaching and Learning in Higher Education:Lessons Learned in Crisis Situations

Mobile devices (smartphones or tablets) as experimental tools (METs) offer inspiring possibilities for science education, but until now, there has been little research studying this approach. Previous research indicated that METs have positive effects on students’ interest and curiosity. The present investigation focuses on potential cognitive effects of METs using video analyses on tablets to investigate pendulum movements and an instruction that has been used before to study effects of smartphones’ acceleration sensors. In a quasi-experimental repeated-measurement design, a treatment group uses METs (TG, NTG = 23) and a control group works with traditional experimental tools (CG, NCG = 28) to study the effects on interest, curiosity, and learning achievement. Moreover, various control variables were taken into account. We suppose that pupils in the TG have a lower extraneous cognitive load and higher learning achievement than those in the CG working with traditional experimental tools. ANCOVAs showed significantly higher levels of learning achievement in the TG (medium effect size). No differences were found for interest, curiosity, or cognitive load. This might be due to a smaller material context provided by tablets, in comparison to smartphones, as more pupils possess and are familiar with smartphones than with tablets. Another reason for the unchanged interest might be the composition of the sample: While previous research showed that especially originally less-interested students profited most from using METs, the current sample contained only specialized courses, i.e., students with a high original interest, for whom the effect of METs on their interest is presumably smaller.

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Using Smartphones as Experimental Tools—a Follow-up: Cognitive Effects by Video Analysis and Reduction of Cognitive Load by Multiple Representations

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared COVID-19 a pandemic due to its speed of spread, the education sector is not immune to it. Schools, with digital platforms, have the option of making pedagogical processes more flexible in students from the articulation of web applications to continue with the educational service. The present study aimed to analyze the integration of ICT tools as a didactic strategy in collaborative learning in academic training spaces as part of the rethinking of teaching. For the research work, the mixed approach was used. The instrument used was the questionnaire, which allowed diagnosing the management and use of ICT tools to be able to respond to the individual and collective needs raised by educators and the directors of educational institutions. In the results obtained, it was evidenced that the educator had to assume a new role mediated by ICTs in the face of mandatory preventive isolation. Another finding was the strengthening of the use of ICT in the virtual context of the classes generated by the educators, given a new impetus to the training process based on innovative significant experiences. It is concluded that the pandemic generated a disruption in the educational system, for this reason, the directives of educational institutions should have as effective learning alternatives the virtual education model as an added value to their educational proposal in response to the new post-COVID context -19.

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La Educación en Tiempo del Covid-19 Herramientas TIC: El Nuevo Rol Docente en el Fortalecimiento del Proceso Enseñanza Aprendizaje de las Prácticas Educativa Innovadoras

The existing literature evidences the potential of the e-learning methodology, although some call it into question. Our study aimed to analyse the real scope of applying this methodology type to a lockdown situation like that caused by COVID-19. It could provide the scientific and educational community with useful novel information on e-learning and its real adequacy for schools in pre-university educational stages. This qualitative study was designed using questionnaires with open-ended questions for students and semistructured interviews for teachers, management board members, and families of students of Primary and Secondary Education. The scripts of data collection tools were made ad hoc. The thematic analysis was carried out in accordance with the study dimensions by relating the access and use of technological resources in classrooms, implementing the e-learning methodology during face-to-face teaching, and finally knowing the effects of its application during remote teaching in the lockdown situation. The results clearly show a need to adapt and adjust the implementation of this methodology by considering not only its specificities, but also a combination of e-learning and traditional teaching methodologies can help to introduce information and communication technologies (ICT) into classrooms. To conclude, including such a methodology in the educational context can be argued for, provided that specific training is received to allow the potential of both online and traditional teaching to be leveraged.

A Qualitative Analysis of Implementing E-Learning during the COVID-19 Lockdown

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, school closures were mandated by governments across the globe. This necessitated an abrupt shift to online/distance teaching. Through a mixed-methods study, the authors explored STEM teachers' transition to online teaching and learning in a Canadian context. This subset of the larger study investigated (i) teachers' views of and attitude toward online teaching and (ii) successes and challenges encountered with online teaching. Data were collected through an online questionnaire administered to 70 Grade 1-12 science/STEM subject teachers in a Canadian province between May and July 2020. Findings are discussed through the lens of self-efficacy theory and the technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) framework. Results indicate that despite few successes, teachers faced a wide array of challenges that negatively affected their attitudes and views toward online teaching, and that the support received did not parallel their expectations. Teachers' experiences, self-efficacy, and technological competency slightly enhanced their views of online teaching but were not sufficient to shift their mindset. Recommendations include effective professional development initiatives and support for teachers to facilitate teachers' transition and enhance their personal views toward online teaching. 

https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10956-022-09958-z.pdf

Transitioning to Online Teaching During the COVID-19 Pandemic: an Exploration of STEM Teachers’ Views, Successes, and Challenges

Based on systematic research of studies published since the year 2000, this comprehensive meta-analysis investigated how the use of technology can enhance learning in secondary school mathematics and science (grade levels 5–13). All studies (k = 92) compared learning outcomes of students using digital tools to those of a control group taught without the use of digital tools. Overall, digital tool use had a positive effect on student learning outcomes (g = 0.65, p

The potential of digital tools to enhance mathematics and science learning in secondary schools: A context-specific meta-analysis

Munster : Waxmann 2017, 28 S.
Padagogische Teildisziplin: Schulpadagogik; Medienpadagogik; 
als elektronischer Volltext verfugbar

Digitale Medien im mathematisch-naturwissenschaftlichen Unterricht der Sekundarstufe

Digitale Medien im mathematisch-naturwissenschaftlichen Unterricht der Sekundarstufe. Einsatzmöglichkeiten, Umsetzung und Wirksamkeit

Munster ; New York : Waxmann 2021, 43 S. - (Wissenschaft macht Schule; 3) 
Padagogische Teildisziplin: Schulpadagogik; Sozialpadagogik;

Elternbeteiligung im schulischen Kontext. Potenzial zur Förderung des schulischen Erfolgs von Schülerinnen und Schülern

Promoting high-achieving students plays an important role in the school context. Hence, one promising support measure within the mixed-ability classroom is differentiated instruction (DI). The current systematic review examined (1) the impact of DI on high-achieving students’ outcomes, (2) to what extent DI is used, (3) how useful teachers and high-achieving students perceive DI, and (4) which barriers and facilitators are encountered in DI’s implementation. Forty-nine studies from 2000 to 2019 were included. Differentiated instruction impacted high-achieving students’ academic achievement and motivational-affective characteristics predominantly positive. However, there was considerable heterogeneity between and within studies. Teachers typically did not use DI for high-achieving students proactively nor on a regular basis. However, teachers and high-achieving students perceived DI as valuable for encouraging high-achieving students. The barriers found might help to explain discrepancies between the extent of usage and the perceived utility, whereas the identified facilitators suggest how to overcome these barriers.

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1932202X221112931

Delia Hillmayr

Papers

The potential of digital tools to enhance mathematics and science learning in secondary schools: A context-specific meta-analysis

Digitale Medien im mathematisch-naturwissenschaftlichen Unterricht der Sekundarstufe

Digitale Medien im mathematisch-naturwissenschaftlichen Unterricht der Sekundarstufe. Einsatzmöglichkeiten, Umsetzung und Wirksamkeit

Elternbeteiligung im schulischen Kontext. Potenzial zur Förderung des schulischen Erfolgs von Schülerinnen und Schülern

Promoting High-Achieving Students Through Differentiated Instruction in Mixed-Ability Classrooms—A Systematic Review