Systematic research of e-learning platforms for solving challenges faced by Indian engineering students
21 May 2021-Asian Association of Open Universities Journal (Emerald Publishing Limited)-Vol. 16, Iss: 1, pp 1-19
TL;DR: This holistic research offers a thorough analysis of e-learning platforms, as seen through the lens of engineering students, and proves to be an all-encompassing one, potent enough to surface critical issues marring the e- learning experience.
Abstract: As educational institutes began to address the challenges posed by COVID-19, e-learning came to the foreground as the best bet left. This study is in quest of revealing engineering student's perceptions of the available e-learning platforms, thus surfacing the underlying bottlenecks. Further, it aims at providing solutions that would help enhance the e-learning experience not only in pandemic times but also in the long run.,This holistic research begins with a comprehensive comparative study about the available e-learning platforms, followed by a primary data analysis through an online survey of 364 engineering students from various colleges and branches. The collected data was analyzed to detect bottlenecks in online learning and suggestions are given for solving some challenges.,On a five-point Likert scale, the available e-learning platforms garnered ratings ranging from 2.81 to 3.46. Google meet was the most preferred platform. However, with a net promoter score (NPS) of 30.36, Microsoft Teams emerged as the most satisfying platform. Technical shortcomings clubbed with psychological and biological factors were found to be taking a toll on e-learning.,This innovative research is based on the perceptions of engineering students hailing majorly from Indian cities, and hence, it may be having educational stream bias and geographical bias. The research could be further extended to cover rural areas and global trends in e-learning.,The research offers a thorough analysis of e-learning platforms, as seen through the lens of engineering students. Furthermore, the analysis does not constrain itself to the technicalities and thus proves to be an all-encompassing one, potent enough to surface critical issues marring the e-learning experience.
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TL;DR: In this paper , the degree of satisfaction and perceived barriers among college students with e-learning were investigated. But, the study found that only 35.5% of the students attended synchronous electronic classes while the rest used asynchronous learning activities, and only 6.4% of students believed that tutoring was informative and that technology and educational technology were adequate.
Abstract: Background The sudden and quick propagation of coronavirus-19 disease (COVID-19) has disrupted face-to-face lectures and practical sessions at Iraqi universities. E-learning has surfaced in most countries as an alternative way to continue educational programs. This study aimed to determine the degree of satisfaction and perceived barriers among college students with E-learning. Methods Students of two Iraqi universities studying through an online platform participated in this cross-sectional study. An online survey questionnaire was used to assess student perceptions of the level of satisfaction with and barriers to E-learning. Participants' non-identifying demographics were also collected. Results The majority of students (70.9%) were females, and more than half (57.9%) were from the Faculty of Science. About 64.8% of the students were not satisfied with the E-learning experience. Only 35.5% of the students attended synchronous electronic classes while the rest used asynchronous learning activities. Students’ level of satisfaction was poor, as only 6.4% of students strongly believed that tutoring was informative and that technology and educational technology were adequate. On the contrary, 69% of students strongly agreed that E-learning saved them time and money. Barriers that were perceived by the student were slow internet speed, power interruption, and the lack of face-to-face interaction. Conclusions E-learning has significant barriers that require investment in infrastructures and teaching skills development to make students learning satisfactory.
5 citations
TL;DR: In this article , the authors investigated the effect of social media-based education on students' academic performance during the COVID-19 pandemic by analyzing the perceptions of 302 university-going students of Bangladesh using structural equation modeling.
Abstract:
Purpose
The closure of educational institutions in the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the global teaching and learning landscape. Face-to-face classroom activity has been shifted to online classroom activity. This study aims to investigate the effect of social media-based education on students’ academic performance during the pandemic.
Design/methodology/approach
This study analyzes the perceptions of 302 university-going students of Bangladesh using structural equation modeling.
Findings
Results show that Facebook features, perceived usefulness and personal tutorial have a positive and significant relationship with the use of social media (USM). Furthermore, the USM has a positive and significant relationship with the academic performance of the university-going students of Bangladesh during the pandemic.
Research limitations/implications
This research has considered the social media usage of university students during the pandemic for academic purposes. This study has not considered income group, technical literacy and device availability of the students. Therefore, the findings may not be generalized to all classes of society.
Practical implications
This study validates that the USM can ensure good academic performance by engaging students through collaboration and attention.
Originality/value
Diffusion of knowledge and interactive face-to-face learning procedures have faced a massive loss because of this COVID-19 pandemic. Easiness in the mode of teaching technique can be a precondition for its acceptance among the students. As the impact of social media on academic performance in this pandemic context has remained unexplained, this study is designed to focus on this emerging issue.
4 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a multidimensional model has been developed that manifests on four dimensions: social usefulness of online lectures, the usefulness of on-line learning platform, learning effectiveness, and usefulness for school performance.
Abstract: With the unprecedented crisis created by the Coronavirus pandemic, online teaching and learning became a global solution - embraced by the whole world - that tried to cover, at least in part, in part the problems encountered by the educational systems. An exclusively online format of teaching and learning proved to be a challenge for both the didactic and the learning process. Although the extant research during the pandemic is very abundant, there are few approaches addressing the different perceptions reported by university students enrolled in various programs. This research aims to explore the usefulness of online learning as perceived by civil engineering students, from a multidimensional perspective. A multidimensional model has been developed that manifests on four dimensions: social usefulness of online lectures, the usefulness of online learning platform, learning effectiveness, and, usefulness for school performance. The results show a relatively low perception of the online learning usefulness in an exclusively online educational context, which disables active learning through hands-on experience in laboratory and real-life building sites (considering the regular study process). The model has been cross-validated on a sample of students enrolled in various educational programs then the differences between samples have been analyzed and discussed.
4 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors identify the quality of online learning platforms, applying a set of criteria from the perspective of faculty members and students in higher education institutions in the Sultanate of Oman.
Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the largest interruption in education around the world, affecting some 1.6 billion students. Classroom education stopped, to be replaced by online e-learning platforms. In higher education, e-learning is made available through recorded lectures, with online platforms becoming a significant part of the overall system. This study aims to identify the quality of online learning platforms, applying a set of criteria from the perspective of faculty members and students in higher education institutions in the Sultanate of Oman. The descriptive approach is used and the researchers collected data through a questionnaire directed at 32 faculty members and 104 students. The results show that e-learning programs are generally of high quality, from the perspective of the participants, but with statistically significant differences according to the type of program.
4 citations
TL;DR: In this article , the authors describe the IcanDO platform for early childhood in learning Arabic and find that it can stimulate early childhood learning, stronger memory, personalized learning can be implemented, children's thinking skills can be trained and children's multilingual abilities are also growing.
Abstract: Early childhood is an age of children whose learning tendencies rely on games, therefore this study aims to describe the IcanDO platform for early childhood in learning Arabic. The research was conducted with a qualitative approach, the data sources were early childhood teachers. Data collected by observation techniques, interviews and documentation studies. The result of the research is that IcanDO as a learning platform is interesting for early childhood, with this platform they can play to learn Arabic. In accordance with the data, it was found that the IcanDO platform used can stimulate early childhood learning, stronger memory, personalized learning can be implemented, children's thinking skills can be trained and children's multilingual abilities are also growing. Researchers recommend that the use of various platforms that support the implementation of education in difficult conditions continue to be developed. The limitation of this research is that IcanDO and its effectiveness have not been studied comprehensively, therefore the aspects that have not been touched in this research can be the work of future researchers.
2 citations
References
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors pointed out that educational institutions (schools, colleges, and universities) in India are currently based only on traditional methods of learning, that is, they follow the traditional set up of face-to-face lect...
Abstract: Educational institutions (schools, colleges, and universities) in India are currently based only on traditional methods of learning, that is, they follow the traditional set up of face-to-face lect...
2,312 citations
Journal Article•
TL;DR: By substituting a single question for the complex black box of the customer satisfaction survey, companies can actually put consumer survey results to use and focus employees on the task of stimulating growth.
Abstract: Companies spend lots of time and money on complex tools to assess customer satisfaction. But they're measuring the wrong thing. The best predictor of top-line growth can usually be captured in a single survey question: Would you recommend this company to a friend? This finding is based on two years of research in which a variety of survey questions were tested by linking the responses with actual customer behavior--purchasing patterns and referrals--and ultimately with company growth. Surprisingly, the most effective question wasn't about customer satisfaction or even loyalty per se. In most of the industries studied, the percentage of customers enthusiastic enough about a company to refer it to a friend or colleague directly correlated with growth rates among competitors. Willingness to talk up a company or product to friends, family, and colleagues is one of the best indicators of loyalty because of the customer's sacrifice in making the recommendation. When customers act as references, they do more than indicate they've received good economic value from a company; they put their own reputations on the line. And they will risk their reputations only if they feel intense loyalty. The findings point to a new, simpler approach to customer research, one directly linked to a company's results. By substituting a single question--blunt tool though it may appear to be--for the complex black box of the customer satisfaction survey, companies can actually put consumer survey results to use and focus employees on the task of stimulating growth.
2,295 citations
01 Feb 2015-International Journal of Human-computer Studies \/ International Journal of Man-machine Studies
TL;DR: A systematic survey on the use of gamification in published theoretical reviews and research papers involving interactive systems and human participants is presented and points of departure are suggested for continued empirical investigations of gamified practice and its effects.
Abstract: Gamification has drawn the attention of academics, practitioners and business professionals in domains as diverse as education, information studies, human-computer interaction, and health. As yet, the term remains mired in diverse meanings and contradictory uses, while the concept faces division on its academic worth, underdeveloped theoretical foundations, and a dearth of standardized guidelines for application. Despite widespread commentary on its merits and shortcomings, little empirical work has sought to validate gamification as a meaningful concept and provide evidence of its effectiveness as a tool for motivating and engaging users in non-entertainment contexts. Moreover, no work to date has surveyed gamification as a field of study from a human-computer studies perspective. In this paper, we present a systematic survey on the use of gamification in published theoretical reviews and research papers involving interactive systems and human participants. We outline current theoretical understandings of gamification and draw comparisons to related approaches, including alternate reality games (ARGs), games with a purpose (GWAPs), and gameful design. We present a multidisciplinary review of gamification in action, focusing on empirical findings related to purpose and context, design of systems, approaches and techniques, and user impact. Findings from the survey show that a standard conceptualization of gamification is emerging against a growing backdrop of empirical participants-based research. However, definitional subjectivity, diverse or unstated theoretical foundations, incongruities among empirical findings, and inadequate experimental design remain matters of concern. We discuss how gamification may to be more usefully presented as a subset of a larger effort to improve the user experience of interactive systems through gameful design. We end by suggesting points of departure for continued empirical investigations of gamified practice and its effects. We present findings from a survey of the gamification literature.Theoretical findings suggest that gamification is a distinct concept.Conceptual foundations tend to converge on psychological theories of motivation.Early applied work suggests positive-leaning but mixed results.Empirical work on specific elements with direct ties to theory and stronger experimental designs is needed.
1,585 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the capacities of the country and its population to continue the education process at the schools in the online form of distance learning, study reviews the different available platforms and indicates the ones that were used by the support of the government, such as online portal, TV School and Microsoft teams for public schools and the alternatives like Zoom, Slack and Google Meet, EduPage platform that can be used for online education and live communication and gives examples of their usage.
Abstract: The situation in general education in Georgia has changed in the spring semester of 2020, when the first case of coronavirus COVID-19 infection was detected rising to 211 local and more than 1,5 million infection cases worldwide by the Apr. 8. 2020. Georgia became one of 188 countries worldwide that has suspended the education process.
The paper studies the capacities of the country and its population to continue the education process at the schools in the online form of distance learning, study reviews the different available platforms and indicates the ones that were used by the support of the government, such as online portal, TV School and Microsoft teams for public schools and the alternatives like Zoom, Slack and Google Meet, EduPage platform that can be used for online education and live communication and gives examples of their usage.
Authors made a case study, where the Google Meet platform was implemented for online education in a private school with 950 students, shows the usage statistics generated by the system for the first week of the online education process. Results confirm that the quick transition to the online form of education went successful and gained experience can be used in the future. The experience and studies can be useful for other countries that have not found the ways of transition yet.
The lesson learned from the pandemic of 2020 will force a generation of new laws, regulations, platforms and solutions for future cases, when the countries, government and population will be more prepared than today.
838 citations
Journal Article•
TL;DR: A 5-item Likert scale was created from this instrument by first adding a 3 = neutral/undecided option and also by adding five negatively-worded items to the instrument.
Abstract: Likert scales are useful in social science and attitude research projects. The General Self-Efficacy Exam is a test used to determine whether factors in educational settings affect participant’s learning self-efficacy. The original instrument had 10 efficacy items and used a 4-point Likert scale. The Cronbach’s alphas for the original test ranged from 0.76 to 0.90. A 5-item Likert scale was created from this instrument by first adding a “3 = neutral/undecided” option and also by adding five negatively-worded items to the instrument. The instrument was piloted with 20 participants. The Cronbach’s alpha for this pilot study was 0.87. The instrument was subsequently used in a large research study, and the Cronbach’s alpha was found to be 0.88. This yielded an instrument that showed strong internal consistency.
355 citations