scholarly journals Online Delivery and Assessment during COVID-19: Safeguarding Academic Integrity

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 301
Author(s):  
Kelum A.A. Gamage ◽  
Erandika K. de Silva ◽  
Nanda Gunawardhana

Globally, the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise daily despite strict measures being adopted by many countries. Consequently, universities closed down to minimise the face-to-face contacts, and the majority of the universities are now conducting degree programmes through online delivery. Remote online delivery and assessment are novel experiences for many universities, which presents many challenges, particularly when safeguarding academic integrity. For example, invigilated assessments, often considered as more secure, are not an option given the current situation and detecting any cheating would be significantly challenging. This paper reviews assessment security in the digital domain and critically evaluates the practices from different universities in safeguarding academic integrity, including associated challenges.

Author(s):  
Mayeli Sánchez Olalde

El estudio se enfoca en comparar el desempeño académico de los participantes de dos cursos propedéuticos de Matemáticas, uno impartido en modalidad presencial (Grupo I-2018 con 248 participantes) y otro en línea (Grupo II-2019 con 600 participantes), en la Universidad Aeronáutica en Querétaro (UNAQ). Esta investigación es cuantitativa y descriptiva, se aplicaron las pruebas estadísticas: Shapiro-Wilk, Jarque-Bera, t-Student y Mann-Whitney U. Los resultados obtenidos comprueban que la hipótesis de nulidad no fue rechazada, es decir que el curso en línea y el curso presencial presentan un comportamiento similar en el desempeño académico de los participantes. Abstract This research focuses on comparing academic achievement of participants in two preparation courses in mathematics, one of online delivery (Group I-2018 consisting of 248 participants) and the other of face-to-face delivery (Group II-2019 consisting of 600 participants) in the Aeronautical University in Querétaro (UNAQ). This is a quantitative and descriptive investigation where statistical samples were applied: Shapiro-Wilk, Jarque-Bera, t-Student y Mann-Whitney U. The results obtained prove that the null hypothesis was not rejected: in other words, that the online course and the face-to-face course have similar outcomes in participants academic performance.


2021 ◽  
Vol 108 (Supplement_6) ◽  
Author(s):  
D Abdulhussein ◽  
R Luo ◽  
S Abou Sherif ◽  
R Aseem ◽  
N Pawa

Abstract Aim The coronavirus pandemic has had a huge impact on medical education, with increasing reliance on online delivery of teaching. Sound awareness of investigations available to clinicians is an essential skill, the foundations of which are built from the first clinical year. Our aim is to evaluate whether online teaching has the same efficacy as face-to-face teaching in the context of clinical investigations teaching. Method We designed a case-based course using active learning methods (by means of audience participation tools) to prepare first year clinical students in interpreting key investigations (bedside, laboratory and imaging tests) with focus on surgical conditions. This course was delivered face-to-face in November 2019 and subsequently re-delivered via an online platform in November 2020. We utilised a pre- (PR) and post- (PS) confidence questionnaire and a 13-part mock single best answer examination. Results 32 students attended the face-to-face course; 27 (84.3%) completed the PR and 21 (65.6%) completed the PS. There was a significant improvement in examination scores (56.9% to 71.7%, P < 0.01) and a significant improvement in one of the 6 confidence domains tested (interpreting abdominal radiographs, P < 0.001). 80 students attended the online course; 46 (57.5%) completed the PR and 40 (50%) completed the PS. There was a significant improvement in examination scores (58.8% to 73.2%, P < 0.001) and a significant improvement in two of the 6 confidence domains (interpreting laboratory tests and abdominal radiographs, P < 0.001 for both). Conclusions Online teaching is as effective as face-to-face teaching in improving knowledge and confidence in clinical investigations for first clinical year students.


BJPsych Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (S1) ◽  
pp. S125-S125
Author(s):  
Mahmoud Barakat ◽  
Hannah Slevin ◽  
Reshmi Nijjar ◽  
Kavitha Ramamurthy ◽  
Latha Hackett ◽  
...  

AimsThe North West School of Psychiatry run a yearly structured clinical examination to help Core Psychiatry Trainees develop their training competencies and prepare for the MRCPsych Clinical Assessment of Skills and Competencies (CASC). Historically, this has been face-to-face with logistical difficulties, high cost, low trainee uptake and challenging in recruiting examiners. Following the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent shift to virtual consultations and examinations, the team implemented an innovative virtual Skills test. The main aims were to improve the test's quality and the trainee uptake, adapt the test delivery to a Health Education England (HEE) online platform, and establish cost-effectiveness in the post-COVID world.MethodA working group was formed to develop the Skills test, and in May 2019, the test was delivered face-to-face, implementing 5 cycles of 8 stations over 3 days. The same group adapted the test for online delivery, and in August 2020, 3 cycles of 8 stations were delivered. Feedback was collected, with adaptations made for a second Skills Test in December 2020.Result96.4% of trainees rated their overall experience and the test organisation in the 2019 test as excellent or good (82.1% and 85.7 excellent, respectively). 93.5% of examiners rated their overall experience and the test organisation as excellent or good (45.1% excellent for both). In the August test, 95.8% of trainees rated their overall experience as excellent or good (58.3% excellent). 100% of trainees rated the test organisation and the online format as excellent or good (70.8% and 50% excellent, respectively). Although 100% of examiners rated the overall experience, the test organisation and online format as excellent or good, some felt the stations were not long enough to allow for technical issues. In the December test, higher proportions of trainees rated the overall experience (80%), organisation of the test (80%) and online format (70%) as excellent.ConclusionThe virtual test is shown to be a viable and successful alternative to the face-to-face test in preparing trainees for their CASC, and trainees felt it was excellent preparation for the new online CASC format. It had some clear advantages, such as saving on consumables, reducing the financial costs of running the test, improving the test quality, and increasing the trainee uptake. It is more eco-friendly and reduces fuel emission, raising the question of how the test should be delivered after the COVID-19 pandemic.


2014 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 132-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauren Zubow ◽  
Richard Hurtig

Children with Rett Syndrome (RS) are reported to use multiple modalities to communicate although their intentionality is often questioned (Bartolotta, Zipp, Simpkins, & Glazewski, 2011; Hetzroni & Rubin, 2006; Sigafoos et al., 2000; Sigafoos, Woodyatt, Tuckeer, Roberts-Pennell, & Pittendreigh, 2000). This paper will present results of a study analyzing the unconventional vocalizations of a child with RS. The primary research question addresses the ability of familiar and unfamiliar listeners to interpret unconventional vocalizations as “yes” or “no” responses. This paper will also address the acoustic analysis and perceptual judgments of these vocalizations. Pre-recorded isolated vocalizations of “yes” and “no” were presented to 5 listeners (mother, father, 1 unfamiliar, and 2 familiar clinicians) and the listeners were asked to rate the vocalizations as either “yes” or “no.” The ratings were compared to the original identification made by the child's mother during the face-to-face interaction from which the samples were drawn. Findings of this study suggest, in this case, the child's vocalizations were intentional and could be interpreted by familiar and unfamiliar listeners as either “yes” or “no” without contextual or visual cues. The results suggest that communication partners should be trained to attend to eye-gaze and vocalizations to ensure the child's intended choice is accurately understood.


2013 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 115-133
Author(s):  
조현 ◽  
Jaeshin Park ◽  
ki-jin jang

2012 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sue Y. McGorry

Institutions of higher education are realizing the importance of service learning initiatives in developing awareness of students’ civic responsibilities, leadership and management skills, and social responsibility. These skills and responsibilities are the foundation of program outcomes in accredited higher education business programs at undergraduate and graduate levels. In an attempt to meet the needs of the student market, these institutions of higher education are delivering more courses online. This study addresses a comparison of traditional and online delivery of service learning experiences. Results demonstrate no significant difference in outcomes between the online and face-to-face models.


2008 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katrina A. Meyer

Thirteen students in a graduate-level course on Historical and Policy Perspectives in Higher Education held face-to-face and online discussions on five controversial topics: Diversity, Academic Freedom, Political Tolerance, Affirmative Action, and Gender. Students read materials on each topic and generated questions for discussion that were categorized by Bloom’s taxonomy so that the level of questions in the two discussion settings would be closely parallel. Upon completion of each discussion, they answered questions that addressed depth and length of the discussion, ability to remember, and a self-assessment of how the student learned. Students’ assessments show a consistent preference for the face-to-face discussion but a small number of students preferred the online setting. However, what is perhaps more interesting is a minority of approximately one-third of the students who perceived no difference between the settings, or that the two settings were perhaps complementary.


Trictrac ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petru Adrian Danciu

Starting from the cry of the seraphim in Isaiahʹ s prophecy, this article aims to follow the rhythm of the sacred harmony, transcending the symbols of the angelic world and of the divine names, to get to the face to face meeting between man and God, just as the seraphim, reflecting their existence, stand face to face. The finality of the sacred harmony is that, during the search for God inside the human being, He reveals Himself, which is the reason for the affirmation of “I Am that I Am.” Through its hypnotic cyclicality, the profane temporality has its own musicality. Its purpose is to incubate the unsuspected potencies of the beings “caught” in the material world. Due to the fact that it belongs to the aeonic time, the divine music will exceed in harmony the mechanical musicality of profane time, dilating and temporarily cancelling it. Isaiah is witness to such revelation offering access to the heavenly concert. He is witness to divine harmonies produced by two divine singers, whose musical history is presented in our article. The seraphim accompanied the chosen people after their exodus from Egypt. The cultic use of the trumpet is related to the characteristics and behaviour of the seraphim. The seraphic music does not belong to the Creator, but its lyrics speak about the presence of the Creator in two realities, a spiritual and a material one. Only the transcendence of the divine names that are sung/cried affirms a unique reality: God. The chant-cry is a divine invocation with a double aim. On the one hand, the angels and the people affirm God’s presence and call His name and, on the other, the Creator affirms His presence through the angels or in man, the one who is His image and His likeness. The divine music does not only create, it is also a means of communion, implementing the relation of man to God and, thus, God’s connection with man. It is a relation in which both filiation and paternity disappear inside the harmony of the mutual recognition produced by music, a reality much older than Adam’s language.


Author(s):  
Mary Cavanagh

The face to face interactions of reference librarians and reference assistants are studied from a theoretical practice perspective. Rather than reinforcing professional boundaries, the results of this analysis support reference practice in public libraries as a highly relational activity where reference “expertise” retains a significant subjectivist, relational dimension.Les interventions en personne des bibliothèques de référence et des adjoints à la référence sont étudiées du point de vue de la pratique théorique. Plutôt que de renforcer les frontières interprofessionnelles, les résultats de cette analyse appuient l'idée que les pratiques de référence en milieu public sont des activités hautement relationnelles où l'expertise de la référence conserve une dimension subjectiviste et relationnelle. 


Author(s):  
Leanri van Heerden

After the #FeesMustFall strikes that have been haunting South African universities since 2015, Instructional Designers felt pretty confident that they can drive their institutions through any dilemma. Along came the 2020 COVID-19 epidemic and they realised they have been playing in the kiddie pool all along. On 23 March 2020, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a national lockdown level 5 to start on 26 March 2020 (Department of Health, 2020). Three days head start for a three-week lockdown (which was eventually extended till the time of writing) was a logistical nightmare for even the most technology driven universities. All staff were sent home with only enough time to grab their office plants and laptops and no idea how they were going to move forward. The issue with staff and students all working from home is that the lecturers working at the Central University of Technology (CUT), being primarily a face-to-face delivery university, was completely unprepared for moving their traditional and blended approaches to completely online. In their study, Mogeni, Ondigi and Mufo (2020) found that most of the investigated teachers were not empowered enough to deliver instruction fully online and either needed to be retrained, receive further specialised training or be trained completely from scratch. A lack of confidence in the delivery mode of instruction will cause even the most knowledgeable subject spcialist to fail in their task. At the CUT lecturers needed a way of quickly acquiring the necessary skills to deliver their content and assessments on the institution Learning Management System (LMS). The aim of this paper is to measure participant perspectives of an emergency intervention to facilitate the process of online delivery skills acquisition quickly and online. To ensure relevant results a systematic process of designing an intervention and recording participant perspectives is necessary. This extended abstract will take a look at the methods used to drive the paper, briefly discuss the results and findings, and lastly explore the implications and significance of the research for the use of higher education institutions for emergency LMS training. Keywords: LMS training; e-Learning; Online Instruction; Instructional Design


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