R U there yet? Using virtual classrooms to transform teaching practice.

Access to quality higher education is challenging for many Western Australians that live outside the metropolitan area. In 2010, the School of Education moved to flexible delivery of a fully online Bachelor of Education degree for their non-metropolitan students. The new model of delivery allows access for students from any location provided they have a computer and an internet connection.A number of academic staff had previously used an asynchronous environment to deliver learning modules housed within a learning management system (LMS) but had not used synchronous software with their students. To enhance the learning environment and to provide high quality learning experiences to students learning at a distance, the adoption of synchronous software (Elluminate Live) was introduced. This software is a real-time virtual classroom environment that allows for communication through Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and videoconferencing, along with a large number of collaboration tools to engage learners.This research paper reports on the integration of a live e-learning solution into the current LMS environment. Qualitative data were collected from academic staff through informal interviews and participant observation. The findings discuss (i) perceived level of support; (ii) identification of strategies used to create an effective online teacher presence; (iii) the perceived impact on the students' learning outcomes; and (iv) guidelines for professional development to enhance pedagogy within the live e-learning environment

Beyond Words: Uncovering the Untold Stories of Multilingual Students' Lived Experiences in Online Distance Learning

This study aimed to examine the lived experiences of multilingual students in online distance learning during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study utilized the qualitative research design - transcendental phenomenology and employed purposive sampling. The study participants were ten (10) multilingual students among Senior High School Students. A researcher-made questionnaire was reviewed by research experts and was used in individual interviews with the participants. The collected data through interviews underwent thematic analyses and triangulation. Based on the findings, the model was developed through thematic analyses, the Basic Instructional Strategies Aiming to Address the Problems of Multilingual Students in Online Distance Learning MODEL (in the Filipino language: Batayang Instruksiyong estratehiya na Naglalayong Tugunan at Alamin (BINTA) ang mga suliranin ng mga multilinggwal na mag-aaral sa online distance learning) was developed. The BINTA Model represents the lived experiences of multilingual students in online distance learning in terms of the themes that emerged: lack of interaction and communication, difficulty in understanding technical terms, consistency of internet connection, and effective communication. This implies that the model can help improve these students' educational outcomes and experiences by providing appropriate instructional strategies tailored to the needs of multilingual students. Educators can help mitigate these students' challenges and difficulties in an online distance learning environment. Through this, educators can help ensure that multilingual students can engage with the material, participate fully in online discussions and activities, and ultimately achieve their learning goals

THE EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCES OF SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN LEARNING ENGLISH USING ONLINE PLATFORM DURING THE COVID-19

The aim of this study was to find out the emotional experiences of students in online learning English using an online platform in the middle of Covid-19. The research was a single case study. Data were garnered from the results of interviews and documents. The participants in this study were three students at a senior high school in Luwuk, Central Sulawesi. The researcher analyzed the data thematically as proposed by Braun Clarke (2006). The finding showed that online learning English affected the emotional experiences of the students. The students experienced a positive emotion, i.e happiness. The happiness feeling was driven by the provision of feedback and explanation by teachers before giving tasks, allowing the students to send their tasks on the platform they wanted, explaining the materials through Zoom Application, and did not provide tasks in each meeting. However, they also experienced negative emotions such as frustration, anger, and anxiety in English learning using an online platform. They perceived frustration because online English learning was difficult for them. In this case, they had to purchase internet quota, did not meet in person with the teacher, had limitations of time, felt bored due to frequent use of Zoom Meeting, experienced many disturbances, such as; their smartphones’ memory filled up fast because of getting many files from their teachers. Consequently, the negative emotions decreased the students’ time invested and the amount of knowledge gained from the learning process. The study implies that learning English using an online platform influenced students’ emotions

Secondary Student Experiences with Mandatory Enrollment in North Carolina Virtual Public School Courses: A Hermeneutical Phenomenological Study

The purpose of this hermeneutical phenomenological study was to describe secondary student experiences within mandatorily assigned online courses using the North Carolina Virtual Public Schools (NCVPS) platform. Bandura’s (1986) social cognitive theory provided a lens to explore this phenomenon. Specifically, the study was guided by the central research question: What are the experiences of secondary students who are required to take online courses using NCVPS? Student participants were selected from two low-performing high schools in northeastern North Carolina. Data collection consisted of semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and document analysis. Accordingly, data was analyzed through the process of immersion: continually reading, reflecting, and interpreting data, in addition, NVivo 11 was used to assist the aforementioned processes and aid coding efforts. Appropriate methods outlined by van Manen (1990) were followed to ensure alignment with the hermeneutical style of phenomenology. The results of the study revealed what secondary students experience while participating in a mandatory NCVPS course vary depending on specific course, content, and perceived personal learning style; moreover, student levels of internet self-efficacy are not a strong determinant as to whether those experiences will be wholly positive or negative nor is their acclimation to technology a determining factor for how a student might perceive online learning. Students revealed concerns regarding presence of the online instructor as well as perceived support. Students acknowledged favorable perceived value of the required, school-based course facilitator. In addition, students noted increased dependency on various learning strategies in order to successfully perform in their assigned courses

Student experiences of technology integration in school subjects: A comparison across four middle schools

This research examined student perspectives on their in-school, subject specific, technology use in four U.S. public schools. Considering students’ perspectives may provide a significant reframing of adult-created rhetoric of the utopian power of digital technologies for changing teaching and learning. A survey and focus group interviews were administered to 6th and 7th students (n=1,544) in four public middle schools, with varying demographics, that rely on local funding. These four schools revealed moderate use of many well-established digital technologies, such as word processing, presentation software, and quiz games. Students voiced outright hatred for teacher-directed PowerPoint-supported lectures, the most prominent technology activity students experienced, yet reported enjoying creation activities. The students in the rural school with a Hispanic-majority and high economically disadvantaged population reported much lower technology use. Discussion frame the digital inequities in the four schools and emphasizes the need for awareness and inclusion of students’ digital experiences to form any trajectory toward establishing digital equity and learning in schools

The Digital Disconnect: The Widening Gap Between Internet Savvy Students and Their Schools

Presents findings from a survey of public middle and high school students from thirty schools across the U.S. Looks at how students rely on the Internet to help them do their schoolwork, in addition to dozens of other education related tasks

Integrating Technology With Student-Centered Learning

Reviews research on technology's role in personalizing learning, its integration into curriculum-based and school- or district-wide initiatives, and the potential of emerging digital technologies to expand student-centered learning. Outlines implications

Action Research : the first steps to start up a pilot experiment in heritage education

Peer-reviewedLes relacions entre els museus i les escoles canvien amb l'ús d'internet. Volem analitzar com aquestes noves relacions tenen lloc a una escala nacional. És important analitzar aquestes noves relacions possibles, que són producte de canvis socials i tecnològics, ja que permeten noves interaccions i participació, al mateix temps que demanen canvis en les formes d'organització, la gestió de recursos web i els models d'ensenyament i aprenentatge. Concretament, les xarxes d'aprenentatge poden establir una nova forma de relació entre els museus i les escoles, i els recursos educatius en línia amb contingut sobre patrimoni cultural poden oferir oportunitats d'aprenentatge i recursos de coneixement més enllà dels límits de l'ensenyament formal. Tanmateix, calen projectes experimentals per a efectuar proves i veure com aquests tipus de pràctiques d'ensenyament i aprenentatge funcionaran en un context social i cultural concret. Així, doncs, la recerca activa pot contribuir al desenvolupament d'una experiència d'aprenentatge, basat en la reflexió i l'acció. L'objectiu d'aquesta experimentació és obtenir un model de treball i millors pràctiques per a aprendre i ensenyar en xarxes d'aprenentatge formades per gestors, professors i estudiants de patrimoni en què els membres produeixin i utilitzin recursos educatius en línia amb contingut de patrimoni cultural. Els resultats d'aquest projecte empíric seran comprovats amb resultats de la primera part metodològica de la tesi doctoral per a obtenir un model que es pugui exportar a altres contextos.Las relaciones entre los museos y las escuelas cambian con el uso de internet. Queremos analizar cómo estas nuevas relaciones tienen lugar a una escala nacional. Es importante analizar estas posibles nuevas relaciones, que son producto de cambios sociales y tecnológicos, ya que permiten nuevas interacciones y participación, a la vez que requieren cambios en las formas de organización, la gestión de recursos web y los modelos de enseñanza y aprendizaje. Concretamente, las redes de aprendizaje pueden establecer una nueva forma de relación entre los museos y las escuelas, y los recursos educativos en línea con contenido de patrimonio cultural pueden ofrecer oportunidades de aprendizaje y recursos de conocimiento más allá de los límites de la enseñanza formal. No obstante, existe una necesidad de proyectos experimentales para realizar pruebas para ver cómo estos tipos de prácticas de enseñanza y aprendizaje funcionarán en un contexto social y cultural concreto. Así pues, la investigación-acción puede contribuir al desarrollo de una experiencia de aprendizaje, basado en la reflexión y las acciones. El objetivo de esta experimentación es obtener un modelo de trabajo y mejores prácticas para el aprendizaje y la enseñanza en redes de aprendizaje formadas por gestores, profesores y estudiantes del patrimonio en las que los miembros produzcan y utilicen recursos en línea con contenido de patrimonio cultural. Los resultados de este proyecto de investigación empírico serán comparados con los resultados de la primera parte metodológica de la tesis doctoral para obtener un modelo que pueda ser exportado a otros contextos.The relationships between museums and schools are changing through the use of internet. We want to analyse how these new relationships occur at a national level. It is important to analyse these possible new relationships, which are the product of social and technological changes. They allow for new interactions and participation whilst requiring changes in the forms of organisation, web resource management, and teaching and learning models. Specifically, learning networks can establish a new form of relationship between museums and schools and educational online resources with cultural heritage content can offer learning opportunities and knowledge resources beyond the boundaries of formal education. However, there is a need for experimental projects to test the evidence and to see how these kinds of teaching and learning practices will work within a concrete social and cultural context. Thus, Action Research can contribute to the development of a learning experience, based on reflection and actions. The aim of this experimentation is to obtain a working model and best practices for learning and teaching in learning networks shaped by heritage managers, teachers and students where the members produce and use educational online resources with cultural heritage content. The results of this empirical research project will be compared with results from the first methodological part of the PhD thesis to obtain a model that can be exported to other contexts

Experiences of Traditional and Non-Traditional College Students

This is a quantitative study of the experiences of traditional and non-traditional at the college level. The study results from a sample of 176 undergraduate students at the University of New Hampshire. Using a questionnaire, results show that there is a significant difference in the time spent studying and preparing for class between traditional and non-traditional students. The majority of non-traditional students spend upward of 6 hours each week preparing for class, where only half as many traditional students spend this much time. Results also show a significant difference in the social expectations both groups have upon entering college. Traditional students reported that their social expectations were exceeded, while the majority of non-traditional students reported having no social expectations for college. When looking at learning environment preference, results show that both traditional and non-traditional students prefer face-to-face classroom learning over online learning. Larger implications of this study show the importance of recognizing the needs of non-traditional students, as well as giving them a support system to allow a more enjoyable college experience

Technology skills and perceptions of online classes in the Social Studies Department at Merrill Senior High School as a foundation for organizational change

Includes bibliographical references