This paper investigates the effectiveness of a blended learning environment through analyzing the relationship between student characteristics/background, design features and learning outcomes. It is aimed at determining the significant predictors of blended learning effectiveness taking student characteristics/background and design features as independent variables and learning outcomes as dependent variables. A survey was administered to 238 respondents to gather data on student characteristics/background, design features and learning outcomes. The final semester evaluation results were used as a measure for performance as an outcome. We applied the online self regulatory learning questionnaire for data on learner self regulation, the intrinsic motivation inventory for data on intrinsic motivation and other self-developed instruments for measuring the other constructs. Multiple regression analysis results showed that blended learning design features (technology quality, online tools and face-to-face support) and student characteristics (attitudes and self-regulation) predicted student satisfaction as an outcome. The results indicate that some of the student characteristics/backgrounds and design features are significant predictors for student learning outcomes in blended learning.

/pdf/blended-learning-effectiveness-the-relationship-between-1x0y7zmo7o.pdf

Blended learning effectiveness: the relationship between student characteristics, design features and outcomes

Exploring Undergraduate Students’ Attitudes towards Emergency Online Learning during COVID-19: A Case from the UAE

Blended learning is a combination of online and face-to-face learning and is increasingly of interest for use in undergraduate medical education. It has been used to teach clinical post-graduate students pharmacology but needs evaluation for its use in teaching pharmacology to undergraduate medical students, which represent a different group of students with different learning needs. An existing BSc-level module on neuropharmacology was redesigned using the Blended Learning Design Tool (BLEnDT), a tool which uses learning domains (psychomotor, cognitive and affective) to classify learning outcomes into those taught best by self-directed learning (online) or by collaborative learning (face-to-face). Two online courses were developed, one on Neurotransmitters and the other on Neurodegenerative Conditions. These were supported with face-to-face tutorials. Undergraduate students’ engagement with blended learning was explored by the means of three focus groups, the data from which were analysed thematically. Five major themes emerged from the data 1) Purpose and Acceptability 2) Structure, Focus and Consolidation 3) Preparation and workload 4) Engagement with e-learning component 5) Future Medical Education. Blended learning was acceptable and of interest to undergraduate students learning this subject. They expressed a desire for more blended learning in their courses, but only if it was highly structured, of high quality and supported by tutorials. Students identified that the ‘blend’ was beneficial rather than purely online learning.

/pdf/blended-learning-how-can-we-optimise-undergraduate-student-ojywsi1z7w.pdf

Blended learning: how can we optimise undergraduate student engagement?

The flipped classroom approach has recently gained prominence in education. However, a review of previous studies shows that the relationship associated with gender difference, student perceptions and learning outcomes has still remained unexplored, and there has been little discussion regarding flipped classroom environment. To fill this gap, this study aimed to provide a further study by developing an empirical study, extending perspectives of research for flipped classroom in education. This study was conducted to respond and investigate two main student perceptions in a flipped precalculus course, namely, situational interest and course satisfaction. By the self-developed perception measures, situational interest contained feeling, value and topic interest (three factors), while course satisfaction contained course design, system quality, course arrangement and online assessment (four factors). To respectively determine factors on final grades, we assessed the predicting power among those factors. Students' feedback and gender differences were also evaluated to provide a holistic profile of this flipped course. Results showed that feelings predict the final grades in males, while course design predicts the final grades in females. Moreover, the result also showed that even if females and males showed different topic interest in this course, they performed equally well. Some suggestions to effectively implement a flipped course were also provided from students' feedback. The implications of the results were provided for instructors' guidance in implementing flipped classroom. Finally, the study concluded that students' perceptions may be considered as motivational strategies in teaching and learning process to involve students in academic activities for improving their grades in flipped course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring student perceptions, learning outcome and gender differences in a flipped mathematics course

Purpose



– The move towards “blended learning”, consisting of a combination of online and face-to-face teaching, continues to gain pace in universities around the world. It is important, however, to question the quality of this learning. The OECD has made use of a model of “Readiness, Intensity and Impact” for investigating the adoption and use of eBusiness technologies. The purpose of this paper is to propose a framework, based on this model and adapted for blended learning, to assess the readiness, intensity of adoption and impact on blended learning offerings. The framework is tested via a description of how one university has adopted and used blended learning, and investigates the quality of the learning from this approach. 




Design/methodology/approach



– The framework is tested via a case study involving the assessment of a blended learning approach to the delivery of a first-year undergraduate accounting unit at Victoria University, Australia. Various approaches to delivery are assessed over a two-year period. The results are drawn from a survey specifically designed to identify students’ attitudes towards blended learning. 




Findings



– Despite having three new online options readily available for students to access, there was strong support for face-to-face delivery methods. In relation to the framework, the assessment suggested that certain aspects of the university's blended learning approach could be investigated further (particularly student readiness for different blended learning options and an overall assessment of the impact of a blended approach), to provide a more holistic view of the readiness to adopt and impact of the blended learning offerings. 




Originality/value



– The value of this contribution lies in the development of a unique framework to assess the impact of blended learning approaches from the viewpoint of student readiness and intensity of separate delivery approaches – whilst maintaining the need to evaluate the effectiveness of blended learning as an overall package.

/pdf/a-framework-for-investigating-blended-learning-effectiveness-2s5pqxjabn.pdf

A framework for investigating blended learning effectiveness

Blended learning combines multiple delivery media that are designed to complement each other and promote learning and application-learned behavior (Smith & Dillon, 1999). This article reports on a study conducted in the College of Information Technology to evaluate levels of student' satisfaction with blended learning. The particular blend of learning modalities used at the college combines an equal balance of traditional face-to-face and videoconference learning, complemented with the use of a learning management system (Moodle).

/pdf/evaluating-student-satisfaction-with-blended-learning-in-a-1utabkzo7r.pdf

Evaluating Student Satisfaction with Blended Learning in a Gender-Segregated Environment

The Covid-19 pandemic constrained higher education institutions to switch to online teaching, which led to major changes in students’ learning behavior, affecting their overall performance. Thus, students’ academic performance needs to be meticulously monitored to help institutions identify students at risk of academic failure, preventing them from dropping out of the program or graduating late. This paper proposes a CGPA Predicting Model (CPM) that detects poor academic performance by predicting their graduation cumulative grade point average (CGPA). The proposed model uses a two-layer process that provides students with an estimated final CGPA, given their progress in second- and third-year courses. This work allows academic advisors to make suitable remedial arrangements to improve students’ academic performance. Through extensive simulations on a data set related to students registered in undergraduate information technology program gathered over the years, we demonstrate that the CPM attains accurate performance predictions compared to benchmark methods.

/pdf/predicting-student-performance-to-improve-academic-advising-1bbyl9ui.pdf

Predicting Student Performance to Improve Academic Advising Using the Random Forest Algorithm

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced most universities worldwide to convert to distance education to ensure the educational process remains uninterrupted. The COVID-19 pandemic-related confinement orders have led students to be more engaged with online games. However, for a minority of students, excessive playing can become problematic and addictive. Few studies investigated the long-term effect of COVID-19 on game addiction among university students. The present study investigates the changes in online game addiction rates between May 2021 and May 2020 and aims at determining the impact of playing online games on students' academic performance. It also examines the demographic factors associated with video game addiction. A sample (n= 418) of students from one private university in UAE was randomly selected, and data were analyzed. The study has determined a reduction in online game addiction levels in the second year of pandemic compared with the first year. Gender and academic level were considered the most predominant features expressively related to online games addiction. It has also been found that digital game addiction is positively associated with academic performance. © 2021. All Rights Reserved.

/pdf/distance-education-during-the-covid-19-pandemic-the-impact-3hk3hic4t3.pdf

Distance Education during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Impact of Online Gaming Addiction on University Students' Performance

This paper examines student perception toward ethical and unethical behaviors in computer programming. It further explores the impact of gender, major, CGPA, and student level on student perception. Findings indicate that female students and students with CGPA greater than or equal to three appear to have higher ethics than their counterparts. It also shows that there is no significant difference when it comes to major or student level.

Factors Influencing Plagiarism and Collusion in Programming Assignments

This paper examines the impact of video game addiction on university students’ performance. The consequences of some demographic factors on video game addiction levels were observed. A sample (n= 317) of students from one private university in UAE was randomly selected. The t-test results showed that video gaming addiction levels differ significantly according to gender. Males students spend more time and are more addicted to playing video games than females. It has also been found that digital game addiction is positively associated with academic performance.

Mahmoud Abou Naaj

Papers

Evaluating Student Satisfaction with Blended Learning in a Gender-Segregated Environment

Predicting Student Performance to Improve Academic Advising Using the Random Forest Algorithm

Distance Education during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Impact of Online Gaming Addiction on University Students' Performance

Factors Influencing Plagiarism and Collusion in Programming Assignments

The impact of Video Game Addiction on Students’ Performance During COVID-19 Pandemic