Online Learning including E-learning and M-learning

Thriving online: A guide for busy educators focuses on helping educators (secondary school and higher education level) succeed and thrive in blended and online learning settings. Grounded in evidence-based practices and principles, we share diverse and extensive insights on starting out, differentiated learning, learning activities, feedback and assessment, and useful tools. Each chapter includes a subject overview, guidelines, activities or tools, and general resources.

We maintain that strong social, cognitive and teaching presence are critical to the success of an online course (Garrison, 2011). We also assert that deep learning, focusing on citizenship, character, collaboration, communication, creativity and critical thinking is essential for optimal online teaching and learning experience (Fullan, 2013). However, poor technology can completely derail any online course, no matter how well it is designed (Gillett-Swan, 2017; Kauffman, 2015; Wingo et al., 2017). Consequently, this chapter ensures that you have the right technology to teach in an online learning environment. It will also assist you in addressing unexpected challenges. Specifically, we focus on four areas: internet connection, hardware, software and specific strategies to address common technology-related issues.

Thriving online: A guide for busy educators focuses on helping educators (secondary school and higher education level) succeed and thrive in blended and online learning settings. Grounded in evidence-based practices and principles, we share diverse and extensive insights on starting out, differentiated learning, learning activities, feedback and assessment, and useful tools. Each chapter includes a subject overview, guidelines, activities or tools, and general resources.

Researchers have focused broadly on self-assessment, but not in online higher education environments. The purpose of this paper was to conduct a systematic review of the literature on the use of self-assessment in online learning for higher education. We systematically reviewed 34 peer-reviewed articles published between 2011 and 2021 using the PRISMA framework, including clearly stated objectives, a systematic search, assessments of applicability and validity, and the systematic synthesis of findings, with seven included in this preliminary review. Four themes emerged: motivation, academic performance, assessment type, and student attitudes. Findings from the study indicate a positive relationship between motivational domains and online self-assessment; however, the dispersion of learning materials and assessment type (summative or formative) can influence learning outcomes. Online self-assessment has either a neutral or positive impact on student learning outcomes compared with traditional methods or those that did not previously integrate self-assessment. Student attitudes appear to be positive with multiple exposures to the process and with directly observable usefulness. Finally, we provide insights for using self-assessment in online learning higher education environments and suggest that more research is required to gauge applicability further and consider grading comparison, long-term implementation, and repetitive exposure to the process.

Peer-assessment is an active form of socially mediated learning that can enhance student metacognitive abilities. Previous research has confirmed the value of peer-assessment in education; however, comprehensive reviews for peer-assessment in online higher education environments are limited. The purpose of the paper, then, was to conduct a systematic review of the literature on peer-assessment in higher education online classes. Using the PRISMA framework, we reviewed 31 peer-reviewed articles published between 2011 and 2021. Four themes emerged, including the implications of online peer-assessment on student behaviour, attitude, learning outcomes, and anonymity. Findings from this review indicate that peer-assessment can impact student behaviours based on competition, motivation, and student perceptions of support. Student attitudes reflected perceptions of fairness, temporality, and quality, while learning outcomes were often neutral or positively impacted with the integration of peer assessment. Student engagement appears enhanced with online peer-assessment, but the effect depends on implementation strategies and assessment type. Suggestions for educators and future research follow.

Most K-12 teachers have a solid grasp of effective pedagogy and the teaching and learning strategies needed to succeed in the classroom. Translating those strategies into a blended or online format can be challenging, especially in the beginning. With a focus on pedagogy first, this chapter provides practical suggestions and resources to help teachers (grades 7 to 12) make this transition. I focus on 11 key areas including a description of the learning framework, video creation tips, learning outcomes and assessment, pre-course ideas, technology needed for class, useful technology tools, planning your first class/week, starting any class, engaging online activities, consolidation and asynchronous home activities.

This chapter focuses on 11 key areas of teaching and learning online for Higher Education instructors. The intent is to provide effective strategies to shift to and thrive in online learning environments. The areas covered include a description of the learning framework, video creation tips, learning outcomes and assessment, pre-course ideas, technology needed for class, useful technology tools, planning your first class/week, starting any class, engaging online activities, consolidation and asynchronous home activities.

As of 2017, an estimated 750,000 apps were available in the domain of education. Consequently, teachers have a monumental task in evaluating and selecting effective educational apps to be used in their classrooms. A number of studies have proposed, discussed and examined frameworks or classification schemes for evaluating mobile apps, but to date, no studies have developed and tested a scale for evaluating the quality of educational mobile apps. The purpose of the current study was to develop a scale to evaluate the design (n=4 items), engagement (n=4 items) and learning value (n=5 items) of educational mobile apps. The scale was tested with 722 grade 7 to 10 students (female = 339, male = 382), 33 teachers (female=25, male=8), and 32 unique mobile apps focusing on mathematics and science. The analysis revealed that the Mobile App Evaluation Scale (MAES) demonstrated good internal reliability and construct validity for each of the three constructs. Limited support for convergent validity and predictive validity was observed.

Considerable research has been conducted in the domain of K-12 online learning, however, a limited number of studies have been conducted on the quality learning using this format and best practices [1, 2]. While standards have been created for developing online learning environments [3], no formally developed, evidence-based, reliable and valid scales for evaluating online learning for K-12 students were found. The purpose of this study, then, was to develop and evaluate a scale to assess the quality of K-12 online learning. The Online Learning Evaluation Scale (OLES), based on Garrison's Community of Inquiry Framework [4], consisted of three constructs: social presence (n=4 items), cognitive presence (n=5 items), and teacher presence (n=5 items). The OLES was tested on 315 secondary school students (females = 237, males = 78, other =3) from 28 courses covering a wide range of subject areas. The analysis revealed that the OLES demonstrated good internal reliability for each of the three constructs, convergent validity, construct validity, and predictive validity.

Many colleges and universities struggle to support underprepared first-year mathematics students [1]. A flipped classroom model is a promising approach to address at-risk, higher education mathematics students because it allows for increased interaction and support within the classroom after students have viewed instructional videos at home. However, previous research is somewhat limited with respect to examining in-class pedagogy in a flipped classroom. The purpose of the current study was to examine a specific set of in-class strategies that were used after students viewed content-specific and skill-based videos outside of the classroom. Specific in-class pedagogical strategies included making connections between mathematical ideas explicit [1], focusing on rich problem-solving tasks that support multiple solution strategies [2], encouraging peer-led collaborative learning [1-3]; and using diagnostic and formative assessments [4]. These strategies were tested with two mathematics classes of university students (n=62) in the Faculty of Business and Information Technology. Half the students enrolled in the course had previously failed or withdrawn from the course at least once; the other half were new students in the program. After employing technology to flip the classroom and combining this with supportive in-class pedagogy, 92% of the students (n=57) passed the course with an average grade of 76%. An end-of-course survey indicated that over 90% of students rated their overall experience with the course as very good or excellent, with a mean score of 4.5 on a five-point Likert scale. On average, students rated the following in-class strategies as being helpful to very helpful for supporting their understanding business math concepts: collaborative problem solving, support from in-class tutors (pre-service teacher candidates), and written feedback on assignments with Likert scores ranging from 4.1 to 4.5 on a five-point scale. Student comments on the open-ended survey questions were consistent with the quantitative ratings with the majority of comments referencing the in-class collaborative problem-solving approach and the support of the in-class tutors as helpful for their learning.

This paper describes a pilot study of online graduate students' responses to a pedagogical strategy for developing social presence in synchronous online graduate courses. This work is grounded in current research on the impact of social presence in the development of interactive, creative online communities. The article describes a teaching strategy for increasing student engagement through the use of creative and artistic expression, then measures the responses of 25 graduate students enrolled in masters level courses. Using individual share pods in Adobe, students uploaded Digital Moments, defined as digital artifacts that described from a personal or professional perspective the events of their previous week. This technique replicated a similar relationship-building process that often occurs at the beginning of face-to-face classes. Using Digital Moments as a way to build inclusion in two synchronous graduate courses, the authors describe how this teaching strategy increased student participation, developed student ownership of learning, and encouraged collaborative processes between participants. The development of greater social presence allowed class members to connect in ways that increased accountability to each other while developing collective ownership of, and responsibility for, the learning environment. This teaching strategy makes a significant contribution to digital pedagogy. Emerging themes included the importance of social relationships in learning, creative and artistic expressions of learning, teacher-learner-teacher role shifts, the valuing and devaluing of traditional and non-traditional representations of knowledge, and the barriers and challenges of implementing Digital Moments. While it is important to note that there as many differences in online courses as there are in f2f environments, it is clear that the human aspects of fundamentally good teaching and assessment remain untouched. This paper analyses and interprets the value of using Digital Moments through digital artifacts produced by students and Adobe Connect class recordings.

Current research indicates that grit, growth mindset, hardiness and resilience are psychological constructs beneficial to learning [1,2,3]. Furthermore, success in online learning may be mediated by various concepts related to the characteristics of individual learners, thereby affecting how individuals approach the online learning experience, and how they deal with challenges that emerge in digital learning environments. Despite a scarcity of research addressing the specific intersection of resilience and online learning, of note are studies conducted by Baxter [4], Berenson, Boyles and Weaver [5], Kemp [6],and Xie, DeBacker and Ferguson [7], which addressed resilience as a factor in online learning success, within the broader scope of emotional intelligence, persistence and online identity. Studies by Baxter [4] and Xie, DeBacker and Ferguson [7], connect a strong online identity to learner agency, resilience, and motivation to succeed. Of additional relevance is a 2008 study conducted by Berenson, Boyles and Weaver [5], who examined emotional intelligence (EI) and personality to determine the extent to which they predict grade point average in online community college learners. Results suggest that resilience, while directly associated with emotional intelligence, is not a predictor of GPA. Their findings provide indirect support for Kemp's research [6] that showed successful learners in a distance community college program displayed high levels of resilience. This paper provides a theoretical examination of academic hardiness, resilience, grit and growth mindset as they relate to online learning, explores the specific role that they may have as character traits in learning in general, and, more importantly, their relevance to online learning. The relationship between hardiness, resilience, grit, growth mindset and student success in online learning environments is examined, and how these factors contribute to success in online learning environments.

A number of studies have examined the use of STEM-based mobile apps for elementary school students, however, a comprehensive analysis of factors that might contribute to individual differences in effectiveness has yet to be conducted. The purpose of this study was to investigate individual differences in student learning performance after using STEM-based apps. The impact of student, teacher, and lesson plan factors was examined for 38 teachers and 679 students in grades 4 to 8. Overall, student learning performance increased by 26% after using STEM-based apps. Student attitudes toward apps, age, and academic placement were significantly related to learning performance. Specifically, students who were older, had positive attitudes toward apps, or were placed in gifted or French immersion classrooms showed significantly higher gains in learning. Student gender and ability were not related to learning performance. Teacher gender, age, and attitudes toward apps were significantly related to learning performance. Students who had teachers who were female, older, or had positive attitudes toward apps achieved higher gains in learning. Preparation time, teaching strategy, and planning significantly influenced learning gains, although the intended purpose for using apps did not. When teachers spent more time preparing for app lessons, created their own learning materials, and encouraged students to work in pairs, learning gains were significantly higher.

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of teacher-related factors (attitudes, demographics, lesson plan purpose, and strategies) on student learning performance with mathematics apps in elementary school classrooms. Eighteen teachers (8 male, 10 female) and 408 students from grades 4 to 8 participated in the study. Ten unique constructive-based mathematics apps were used from the Explore Learning collection focusing on fractions, decimals, percent, probability, equations, adding and subtraction integers and stem and leaf plots. Overall, student learning performance increased significantly, from 18 to 35% after using mathematics apps for 20 to 90 minutes. Ninety-five to 100% of teachers were satisfied with their app-based lessons and confident about using apps. Teachers were also very positive about the design, engagement and learning value of apps. Positive attitudes toward the learning (but not design or engagement) value of an app were significantly correlated with learning performance. Teacher age was not significantly correlated with student learning performance; however, gender was. Learning performance was significantly higher for students who had female teachers. Teachers used apps primarily to help students explore new concepts. Mathematics apps used for review or homework (but not for learning new concepts) were significantly associated with higher gains in student performance. Student gains in performance increased when teachers created their own learning materials as opposed to using pre-designed app materials. A teacher-led strategy (as opposed to using apps in pairs) resulted in significantly lower learning performance with mathematics apps. The practical implications of this research and future directions were discussed.

Previous research on the use of apps in elementary school classrooms has employed general measures of attitude and learning performance to assess overall tablet use. This study uses a reliable, validated metric for attitude and content-based learning performance measures based on Bloom's revised taxonomy (Anderson and Krathwohl, 2001) to examine the use of mathematics apps. Based on survey and open-ended responses from 127 grade 4 to 6 students, the majority of students rated the design, engagement and learning value of apps highly. Additionally, learning performance improved significantly for remembering (61% increase), understanding (21% increase) and application (23% increase) knowledge categories. Key app features identified as helping learning included providing important details, efficiency, clarity, and guiding questions. Problem areas for apps included confusing instructions or explanations and inappropriate difficulty levels.

The purpose of this study was to explore factors that influence participation in virtual communities of practice (VCoPs) within the domain of healthcare education. A year-long, content analysis of 11 simulation-based healthcare education VCoPs was used to examine the frequency of participation. LinkedIn had poor user engagement compared to independently monitored discussion forums. Qualitative feedback suggested that the unmoderated and commercial nature of the LinkedIn platform may have limited the quality of interactions. Online surveys (n=100) revealed that ease of platform use, trust in the community, direct and indirect personal benefits, self-efficacy and psychological safety were key factors affecting participation in VCoPs.

Limited research has been conducted on teacher-related factors that influence student learning performance after using STEM-based mobile apps. The purpose of this study was to examine a wide range of teacher-based factors that might influence student learning performance including teacher attitudes, preparation and implementation strategies, and demographics. Twelve mathematics and science classes (n=838 students), grades 7 to 8, and 20 teachers participated in the study. Overall, student learning performance increased by 26% after using STEM-based apps. Teacher attitudes towards the design, engagement and learning value of apps were significantly correlated with learning performance. With respect to teacher preparation and implementation strategies, longer preparation time, customized (vs. pre-designed) support materials, not using a teacher-led approach, and using apps for review or homework resulted in significantly higher student gains in learning performance. Regarding teacher demographics, students who had female, older, or more experienced teachers achieved higher gains in learning performance. More research is needed, perhaps in the form interviews, focus groups and observational data to better understand the interaction between teacher-related factors and student performance.

In 2017, the projected number of educational mobile apps available was estimated at 750,000 making the selection process incredibly challenging for educators. The purpose of this paper was to develop a coherent model for selecting and guiding the use of mobile apps. An emergent content analysis was conducted on 11 previous classification schemes to produce a coherent, robust framework consisting of eight primary categories including instructive, practice-based, meta-cognitive, constructive, productive, communication, collaboration and game-based/augmented reality apps. Clear definitions, educational goals, and examples are presented for each category.

Understanding type and characteristics of mathematics apps can help primary school teachers to effectively assess and select apps to support learning. This study is an exploratory comparison of four different types of mathematics apps (practice-based, constructive, productive, game-based) based on the assessment of three characteristics (perceived learning value, usability, engagement) from the perspective of 20 grade 3 and 4 students over a five-week period. Pre- and post-test results indicated that students’ knowledge of basic addition and subtraction increased significantly after using mathematics apps. The results suggested that there were clear differences among the four apps examined. The game-based app was rated high on all three app characteristics. Productivity and constructive apps were rated relatively high on perceived learning and low on usability and engagement. The practice-based app ranked high on usability and engagement, but low on perceived learning. Future research needs to look at app type and characteristics in more depth and explore pedagogical choices when selecting and integrating mathematics apps in the classroom.

Given that there are over 80,000 educational apps in the Apple store alone (Apple, 2017), teachers need clear guidance on choosing the most useful tools possible. The purpose of this paper is to provide an evidence-based framework for selecting and evaluating math apps used in elementary school settings. Based on a comprehensive review of the literature, five app types (instructive, practice-based, constructive, productive, game-based) will be discussed in detail. Next, eight characteristics (learning value, content quality, learning goals, usability, engagement, challenge level, feedback, and collaboration) for evaluating the quality of math apps will be described. Finally, the role of the teacher in integrating math apps into the classroom will be explained.

Clear examples for each of the 8 mobile app categories are provided including - links, descriptions, reviews, format and educational level.

Many reports indicate that students have difficulty in mathematics (e.g., Carr, 2012; Hinton, 2014;). Some evidence suggests that technology can help (Boogart et al., 2014; Riconscente, 2013). This study investigated how the use of mathematics apps in a grade 2/3 mathematics class impact student attitudes and academic performance. Five apps were carefully selected based on set pedagogical criteria. Twenty students (11 males, 9 females) participated. The results indicated the importance of focusing on specific qualities of mathematics apps rather than on the tablet itself. Overall, students rated apps as relatively easy to use, engaging, and helped them to learn. The extent to which math apps supported learning was influenced by usability, differentiation, multiple opportunities to practice, positive and useful feedback, and exposure to suitably challenging tasks. Students' mathematics performance increased significantly over a five-week period.

Currently, there are thousands of educational apps available, however, most are not formally regulated, and educators have limited guidance on how to choose the most effective apps [1,2]. The purpose of this paper is to present a comprehensive framework for selecting and evaluating educational apps based on an extensive review of the research from 2008 to 2017. First, the history and growth of educational apps and the limitations of previous metrics will be discussed. Second, eight types of educational apps will be discussed (instructive, practice-based, metacognitive, constructive, productive, communicative, collaborative, game-based). Third, eight characteristics of effective apps will be summarized including learning value, content quality, learning goals, usability, engagement, challenge level, feedback, and collaboration. Fourth, practical issues for selecting apps will be explored. Finally, guideless for using the app characteristics and types are provided.

While considerable research and investigation have been conducted on asynchronous online learning [1, 2, 3], much less is known about synchronous or virtual classrooms. Research and practice within asynchronous environments do not readily transfer to virtual environments. Since 2010, the use of virtual classrooms has grown considerably, although the research in this area is still in its infancy [4, 5, 6]. The purpose of the current presentation is to present and assess promising pedagogy for teaching and learning in virtual classrooms. Based on five years of developing, designing and teaching virtual online courses in a Master of Education program, 10 themes focusing on the most effective teaching and learning strategies will be discussed including communication, pre-course preparation, first-class design, establishing social presence, learning outcomes and assessment, addressing technology problems, in-class activities, meaningful technology tools, consolidation, formative and course improvement.

The use of online discussion boards has grown extensively in the past 5 years, yet some researchers argue that our understanding of how to use this tool in an effective and meaningful way is minimal at best. Part of the problem in acquiring more cohesive and useful information rests in the absence of a comprehensive, theory-driven metric to assess quality and effectiveness. Based on an extensive review of the research, the following variables were used to assess traditional discussion board use: thread, location of message within thread, author (student vs. educator), subject line clarity, time of posting, response time from previous message, number of times message was read, number of words, primary purpose, message quality, difficulty level of topic, knowledge level, processing level and use of external resources. These variables proved to be effective in assessing 12 key areas of discussion board use. It is argued that this kind of metric is essential if we wish to advance our understanding of online discussion boards for both educators and researchers.

A variety of communication technologies are used in higher education classrooms, however, limited research has been conducted comparing the relative educational impact of these media. This paper explores four types of communication media: email, instant messaging, text messaging, and video chat. Comfort level, frequency of use, usefulness, reasons for using these media, and differences between peer-to-peer and peer-to-instructor interactions were examined. Over 90% of students were comfortable with email, instant messaging, and text messaging compared to a 50% comfort level using video chat. Email, instant messaging, and text messaging were used frequently and significantly more with peers compared to the instructor. Video chat was used infrequently with both peers and the instructor. Email was perceived as significantly more useful when used with the instructor vs. peers, while instant messaging was rated as significantly more useful when communicating with peers vs. the instructor. Text messaging was viewed as equally useful with peers and the instructor. Video chat was ranked as the least useful communication media with both peers and the instructor. Student comments described unique benefits and challenges for each type of communication medium.

While much has been written on best practices in online education, the majority of advice focuses on asynchronous delivery. With the relatively recent advent of effective synchronous delivery systems such as Adobe Connect © and Elluminate © over the past five years, a number of secondary and higher level institutions are offering virtual courses. While some of the techniques used in asynchronous courses work well in virtual classrooms, it is argued a new set of strategies for synchronous delivery is needed. The purpose of this presentation will be to provide a set of strategies to support effective teaching and learning in virtual classrooms. These strategies are based on research, feedback from students, and practical experience. Six key areas will be discussed including (a) addressing technical challenges, (b) starting a class, (c) organizing a class, (d) providing effective support materials and tools, (e) creating engaging learning activities, and (f) collecting and offering meaningful evaluation. Both novice and experienced teachers of online education will leave with a set of strategies that will help them conduct stimulating and effective virtual classrooms.