Student Outcomes in Online Courses: When Does Class Size Matter?

This multiple case study explores how instructors conceptualize and employ scaffolding in online courses. Participants included full time faculty (n = 4) who have designed and taught at least one online course within the past 12 months. Data sources included pre-interview surveys, semi-structured interviews, and online course observations. Data were analyzed by employing a general analytical strategy for developing a case description (Yin, 2018). The results showed that (a) instructors define scaffolding as a support to help students achieve course outcomes and (b) instructors implement different types of scaffolding (i.e., conceptual, metacognitive, procedural, strategic, and motivational) in hard and soft scaffolding forms. The results also showed that instructors' conceptualization and implementation of scaffolding differed based on their discipline and teaching philosophy, and the unique features of online courses. Implications for practice and research are discussed.

Aim/Purpose. Higher education institutions face difficulties and challenges when it comes to distance learning. The purpose of this paper is to examine self-efficacy indicators and student satisfaction during online English classes. Background. E-learning has been very relevant since the Covid-19 era and is still relevant today. It is possible for students to study regardless of their location or time. By measuring students’ self-efficacy, instructors can gain valuable insights into their students’ ability to create social interaction, cope with technology, and acquire knowledge and tools to manage the learning process. Methodology. This study uses mixed methods along with two measurements. Before and after the course, quantitative and qualitative data were collected. Higher education students in Israel participated. A total of 964 students enrolled in English as a foreign language courses at the pre-basic, basic, and advanced levels. Contribution. Analyzing self-efficacy from several angles provides insight into students. What influences students’ confidence and belief in their ability to succeed in online courses. Moreover, how students perceive their own learning and how they cope with challenges. Findings. Compared to the measurement before the course, self-efficacy decreased on average. Most significant decreases occurred in ‘creating social interactions’ and ‘acquirement of knowledge and tools’ to manage the learning process. A slight decrease was observed in the ability to cope with technology. Additionally, self-efficacy and satisfaction with the course were positively correlated. Recommendations for Practitioners. An overview is provided of the most effective tools and techniques for teaching languages in digital format in this paper. This will allow instructors to design and deliver courses in a more effective way. Thus, they will be able to make better informed decisions, resulting in better outcomes for students. Recommendations for Researchers. Distance Learning courses should resemble the common digital environments in everyday life, rather than imitating face-to-face courses mainly in the field of social interaction. Impact on Society. Digital tools should be encouraged that facilitate effective learning processes instead of sticking to traditional methods that characterize face-to-face courses. Using common interfaces in daily use among the general population will enable the implementation of these recommendations. Future Research. Future studies could be helpful if they compared the English courses developed in the CEFR model with those taught face-to-face as well as those taught online. In addition, motivation and self-monitoring should be examined in both synchronous and asynchronous courses as well.

Online courses in higher education have a reputation for having a lower course completion or retention rate than face-to-face courses. Much of this reputation is based upon anecdotal evidence, is outdated, or is on a small scale, such as a comparison of individual courses or programs of instruction. A causal-comparative analysis was conducted among 11 large, high research public universities. The universities were compared to each other to determine if differences existed between online and face-to-face course completion; undergraduate and graduation online course completion was analyzed for differences as well. The findings suggested the magnitude of the differences between online and face-to-face completions rates was small or negligible. The area which showed a higher magnitude of difference was in the comparison between undergraduate and graduate online course completion; the practical significance could be worth considering for educational purposes.

This study investigated an international, inter‐university and multidisciplinary online course with the aim of helping higher education students develop competencies for solving complex problems in collaboration with their peers and stakeholders. The course design was informed by the knowledge creation framework and ideas about cross‐boundary collaboration. We attempted to enrich perspectives on knowledge creation by investigating how higher education students (N = 42) from different fields of study and from 17 different nationalities perceived, built and regulated cross‐boundary collaboration in the pursuit of real‐life problems presented by companies or non‐governmental organisations. Drawing on data from 11 in‐depth group interviews and team reports of students who had completed this course, we showed the kinds of activities the students considered relevant for cross‐boundary collaboration and knowledge creation online. Given this extended context for knowledge creation, the study contributes to the pedagogical development of online learning in higher education.

Online courses in higher education are growing in popularity (Putulowski & Crosby, 2019). The worldwide COVID pandemic of 2020 brought new attention to online courses and the percentage of higher education students enrolled in online courses skyrocketed from 29.7% in 2015 (Allen & Seaman, 2017) to 75% in 2020 (NCES, 2022). By 2022, an average of 54.2 % of higher education students enrolled in an online course (NCES, 2023). The student experience in online courses can be impacted by many different factors including work and family responsibilities, study commitments for the course, insufficient time, ill health, and approach to learning (Farrell & Brunton, 2020; Willging & Johnson, 2019). Students may also encounter different barriers such as institutional, technological, financial, and pedagogical barriers that may hinder their online student experience (Neben, 2014). Much of the research that focused on what students in higher education perceive as barriers to their online experience has been conducted prior to the COVID pandemic of 2020. This body of research points to a range of perceived barriers to the online student experience such as lack of social interaction, instructor issues, time and support for studies, learner motivation, and technology issues that can interfere with the online student experience (Muilenburg & Berge, 2005). This survey study was conducted to determine what barriers are perceived in online courses after the COVID pandemic of 2020. The survey consisted of two measures including the Barriers to Online Learning measure developed by Muilenburg and Berge (2005) and the Online Self-Regulated Learning Questionnaire (OSLQ) used to measure student self-regulation in online learning (Barnard et al., 2009). Composite means of barrier subscales were determined as well as the percentage of participants who rated barrier subscales as a moderate barrier or stronger. Mann-Whitney U tests were performed to determine if there were significant differences in perception of barriers among genders, self-regulated learning levels, graduate and undergraduate students, and the number of online courses taken. Motivational barriers were rated as a moderate barrier or higher by the highest percentage of participants. Social barriers had the second highest percentage of participants rating them as a moderate barrier or higher. Also, data suggest that perceptions of barriers are not significantly different among genders. Participants who reported lower levels of self-regulation in learning had significantly higher scores for the motivation barriers than participants who reported higher levels of self-regulation in learning, graduate students rated time barriers significantly higher

The authors are Instructional Designers developing online courses in higher education. These courses are facilitated by Subject Matter Experts and delivered through a Learning Management System. They propose that instructional alignment with pedagogic beliefs is the best instructional foundation for original course designs in this instructional context, and examine three factors unique to this context. They propose new instructional design models and a new instructional system of design to address the instructional challenges specific to their learning system context.

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have become one of the influential tsunamis in higher education. To face the overwhelming trend, the current designed-based research develops feasibly evidence-based, iterative-improved, innovative instructional S-IDEAL model that effectively utilizes the open educational resources to foster deeper scientific learning experiences in the context of Small Private Online Courses in higher education. The two studies gradually reveal how the designed SPOCs improve the deeper learning experiences in the context of Neuroscience through the learning performance, the learning experience surveys, the in-depth interviews, the in-class field observation, and the video-recording of the in-class discussion. Empirical findings show that the S-IDEAL model is ideal for implementing flipped scientific classroom. Other interesting findings and the future suggestions are depicted in this study.

Online courses in higher education became prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, their application requires technology to be fully integrated into the curriculum. This study explores the integration of a blockchain-based platform in a private online stock simulation trading course during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a pre–post experimental design with 142 college students, it assessed learning behaviors and outcomes. Students collaborated with teaching assistants via LINE groups, fostering discussion and engagement. They received cryptocurrency rewards, which enhanced motivation and connected the course to their career goals. The findings suggest that combining blockchain and social networking is an effective approach to improving online education. This contributes to the literature on educational technology and online learning by exploring the integration of blockchain and social networking in higher education, specifically within the context of stock simulation trading courses, and demonstrates its impact on student motivation and learning outcomes.

Exam preparation, reskilling and certification, casual learning, higher education language, and primary and secondary supplemental education are some of the areasthat make up the online education sector. With a predicted CAGR of 46.48 percent, the market for online primary and secondary supplemental education would increase in value from INR 11.99 billion in 2018 to INR 123.65 billion by 2024. A shift in consumer behaviour toward detailed learning and an increase in demand from tier IIand tier III cities are what are fuelling the growth of this industry. From 2019 to 2024, the market for online reskilling and certification is projected to expand at a CAGR of 36.95 percent, reaching INR 93.81 Bn. The growing skill gap among workers brought on by the growing business environment is driving up the demand for reskilling programmes. The market for online higher education is expected to increase at a CAGR of 40.74 percent from 2019 to 2024 to reach INR 40.63 billion, from an estimated value of INR 5.01 billion in 2018. Because the traditional educational system cannot meet the demands of the growing population, students are turning to online higher education courses. This paper throws light on the importance of online education, and percentage of people relying on online education and their dependency on the various courses and the features of it in particular. Keywords: E-learning, Online, Certifications, Programmes.

BackgroundTeaching online is a different experience from that of teaching in a face-to-face setting. Knowledge and skills developed for teaching face-to-face classes are not adequate preparation for teaching online. It is even more challenging to teach science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) courses completely online because these courses usually require more hands-on activities and live demonstrations. Although the demand for online STEM courses has never been higher, little has been done to develop effective instructional and online course design strategies for teaching STEM courses online. This paper reports the effectiveness of the instructional strategies adopted and the online course design features in a fully online statistics course from the students’ perspectives. The online statistics course was an introductory, quantitative research course that covered common statistical concepts and focused on the application of educational research concepts for graduate students in educational technology. In terms of the statistics concepts covered, the course was similar to an introductory statistics class for students majoring in science, technology, math and engineering (STEM). The participants were mostly K-20 (meaning from kindergarten to college) instructors who had knowledge of instructional strategies.ResultsData collected from participants’ reflections and course evaluations revealed that a range of instructional strategies and course design features were effective and helped students learn statistics in an online environment. Specifically, case studies, video demonstrations, instructor’s notes, mini projects, and an online discussion forum were most effective. For online course design features, consistent structure, various resources and learning activities, and the application focused course content were found to be effective.ConclusionsThe implications of this study include effective instructional strategies and online course design for application-oriented STEM courses such as physics and engineering. The study results can be used to guide online teaching and learning as well as online course design for instructors, course designers, and students in STEM fields.

The effects of class size in online college courses: Experimental evidence

STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education benefits both individuals and society. It supports individuals by increasing their critical-thinking skills, encouraging creativity, as well as providing a basis for new inventions. The underrepresentation of women in STEM is a complex issue with various causes and different approaches of addressing it, where most likely gender differences are caused by desires and choice rather than abilities and performance. This paper explores differences in online and traditional STEM learning based on gender. It examines in detail recently identified patterns of women’s success, their access to STEM online courses, and their overall course experience during such courses. We analyzed results from a case study in which students were enrolled for one semester in two STEM online courses and completed questionnaires about their character traits and learning styles and how they relate to academic performance. The objective of our research is to analyze academic success during traditional classes and online classes, with focus on gender and identify how character traits and learning styles correlate with gender in online classes. The main outcome of our research is that female students, which study in the field of STEM in particular computer science, are trustworthy and autonomous students who can outperform their male counterparts during traditional courses, where during online courses male students still exceed slightly female students. The trait of Consciousness is a success predictor regardless of gender and learning environment, while the trait of Neuroticism has negative impact the traditional learning environment, Extraversion shows negative impact in online learning. Learning styles show gender differences, where female students prefer the style of read/write while male students favor kinesthetic.

Undergraduate students in large enrollment gateway courses like introductory biology are often inundated with different study resources to enhance their success on course exams. A good performance on these exams as measured by course grades is a strong determinant of their downstream success in the biology major and ultimately retention in STEM fields. Previous studies have suggested best-practices like pre-class reading guides or Supplemental Instruction. However, many of these studies do not also corroborate student course outcomes with Student Approaches to Learning (SAL). We investigated the association between specific resources and how they correlated with higher exam grades. We further investigated the degree to which SAL also correlated with student outcomes. We collected data over a span of two years from a large introductory biology course (N= 307) from a southeastern university by using a post-semester resource questionnaire. This questionnaire asked the students to describe the study resources they had utilized during the course of the semester and further assessed SAL via the Revised Study Process Questionnaire (R-SPQ-2F). Our results indicate that students who earned a higher overall grade in the course were significantly more likely to self-report higher attendance in optional peer-led Supplemental Instruction meetings and, unexpectedly, were less likely to use pre-class reading guides. These students were more likely to report finding course material interesting, whereas students with lower overall final grades were more likely to report trying to memorize course material. However, we also found that students with higher course grades and high previous college GPAs also reported using rote memorization. Given that the efficacy of resources can vary based on the student, we not only encourage the promotion of resources supported by empirical evidence, but also encourage a deeper understanding of the SAL which shapes resource use.

As gerontology and geriatric programs look to grow their connections with health and allied health areas, examining emerging health care areas is important. Thus, this session will present key concepts and pedagogical strategies from an innovative online undergraduate course, An Integrative Approach to Promoting Wellness in Older Adults, that is taught in the Erickson School at the University of Maryland at Baltimore County. The course brings together a conventional western allopathic approach and a holistic, patient-centered, integrative approach which includes complementary therapies, to promote wellness in older adults. Specifically, the session will present a comparison of the philosophical premises of conventional western and integrative approaches to health promotion. It will present a holistic model of health, an overview of the effectiveness and safety of different complementary therapies, and examples of how an integrative approach with conventional western and complementary therapies can be used in to promote health in older adults with particular chronic conditions. Also, a discussion of the incorporation of diversity content in the course, an integrative approach to health promotion for underserved populations, and specific pedagogical strategies used to facilitate learning in synchronous and asynchronous online learning environments are included. Session presentation techniques include a PowerPoint presentation, demonstration of examples of conventional western and integrative approaches to health promotion in older adults through case studies, and audience participation.

As the use of Web-based instruction increases in the educational and training domains, many people have recognized the importance of evaluating its effects on student outcomes such as learning, performance, and satisfaction.Often, these results are compared to those of conventional classroom instruction in order to determine which method is "better."However, major differences in technology and presentation rather than instructional content can obscure the true relationship between Web-based instruction and these outcomes.Computer-based instruction (CBI), with more features similar to Web-based instruction, may be a more appropriate benchmark than conventional classroom instruction.Furthermore, there is little consensus as to what variables should be examined or what measures of learning are the most appropriate, making comparisons between studies difficult and inconclusive.In this article, we review the historical findings of CBI as an appropriate benchmark to Web-based instruction.In addition, we review 47 reports of evaluations of Web-based courses in higher education published between 1996 and 2002.A tabulation of the documented findings into eight characteristics is offered, along with our assessments of the experimental designs, effect sizes, and the degree to which the evaluations incorporated features unique to Web-based instruction.