scholarly journals Digital Well-Being

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 9
Author(s):  
Rehan Ahmed Khan

Educational Institutions across the world have shifted fromcampus-based teaching and learning to online system of deliveryof education. During this transition phase, much emphasis hasbeen laid on the administrative and technological aspects of theonline teaching and learning. This includes resource building,faculty development, online student engagement and training.Importance has also been given to the challenges of onlineassessment which includes but is not limited to online cheating,implementation of online proctoring, and assessment of clinicalskills. However, in this process, one of the aspects that has notbeen given due diligence is the digital wellbeing of the end usersi.e., teachers and students.A new system of teaching and learning with its share ofchallenges puts stress both for students and teachers and affectstheir well-being. Well-being is more than just being happy. Aswell as feeling happy, well-being means developing as aperson, being satisfied, and making a contribution to thecommunity (Dodge & Huyton). The digital wellbeing takesinto consideration the effect of technologies and digital serviceson people’s mental, physical, and emotional health. It meansunderstanding and identifying the positive and negative impactsof engaging with digital activities and being aware of ways tomanage and control these to improve wellbeing (Shah, A., 2019).To ensure the well-beings of the teachers and students,the enhancement of well-being should be planned by theinstitutions for short-, mid- and long-term durations. To dothis, the institutions should consider the challenges faced bythe teachers and students in using the technology to teach andlearn, respectively. Institutional leaders should be aware of thepros and cons of the online teaching and learning.To ensure digital well-being, the process of using technology hasto be simple and friendly. It requires training of both teachersand students, selection of user-friendly applications, effectivelyengaging students in online sessions (Khan, Atta, Sajjad, &Jawaid, 2021), managing technology enhanced assessment,listening to the issue of teachers and students. If this is notdone in an effective manner, the results would be catastrophicresulting into disinterest in the delivery and acquisition ofknowledge. This would also cause extra stress and burden forstudents who will end with more extrinsic and cognitive loadand less germane load.Apart from the institutional level, it is important to managedigital well-being at the personal level as well. The time spenton technology should be effectively balanced. Derive moreoutput in lesser time (Gazzaley, & Samuel, 20121). Minimizethe distractions and take adequate breaks and find time for yourfamily (Allen, & Bhuyan, 2021). Monitor the time spent on usingthe technology (Samuel, & Gazzaley, 2021). This can be donemanually. However, applications are available that automaticallymonitor the technology usage. Daily or weekly reflections on useof technology and how it affects your mental and physical healthcan be helpful in attaining digital well-being.---------------------------------------------------------------

Author(s):  
Kingsley Okoye ◽  
Jorge Alfonso Rodriguez-Tort ◽  
Jose Escamilla ◽  
Samira Hosseini

AbstractThe COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted many areas of the human and organizational ventures worldwide. This includes new innovative technologies and strategies being developed by educators to foster the rapid learning-recovery and reinstatement of the stakeholders (e.g., teachers and students). Indeed, the main challenge for educators has been on what appropriate steps should be taken to prevent learning loss for the students; ranging from how to provide efficient learning tools/curriculum that ensures continuity of learning, to provision of methods that incorporate coping mechanisms and acceleration of education in general. For several higher educational institutions (HEIs), technology-mediated education has become an integral part of the modern teaching/learning instruction amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, when digital technologies have consequently become an inevitable and indispensable part of learning. To this effect, this study defines a hybrid educational model (HyFlex + Tec) used to enable virtual and in-person education in the HEIs. Practically, the study utilized data usage report from Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and Emotions and Experience Survey questionnaire in a higher education setting for its experiments. To this end, we applied an Exponential Linear trend model and Forecasting method to determine overall progress and statistics for the learners during the Covid-19 pandemic, and subsequently performed a Text Mining and Univariate Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) to determine effects and significant differences that the teaching–learning experiences for the teachers and students have on their energy (learning motivation) levels. From the results, we note that the hybrid learning model supports continuity of education/learning for teachers and students during the Covid-19 pandemic. The study also discusses its innovative importance for future monitoring (tracking) of learning experiences and emotional well-being for the stakeholders in leu (aftermath) of the Covid-19 pandemic.


2021 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-125
Author(s):  
Aleksandar Novaković

This paper looks at the functionality of three interactive digital platforms for creating a virtual environment in online teaching and learning - Hangouts Meet, Zoom and Microsoft Teams. These platforms have started being widely used during the 2019-nCoV pandemic. On the basis of a review and comparison of their integrated functions and features, as well as of observations made in the course of their parallel use during the spring semester of 2019/20 at the Department of the Serbian language of the Faculty of Philosophy in Niš, the author has established that these platforms have the same general characteristics, while differences exist in the area of integrated functions that can be used by teachers and students. Taking into consideration this segment of the analysis, the author concludes that the interactive digital platforms Zoom and Microsoft Teams are better adapted to the implementation of online instruction than Google's Hangouts Meet, as they enable screen sharing and the following of textual communication, direct sharing of sound by means of a sound card, using a chosen photograph to create an appropriate learning environment, textual communication with one or more participants of the teaching/learning process, special formatting of text in messages, the exchange of teaching/learning materials in real time and for the duration of the call, conducting short surveys within the program, and the recording of each individual lesson. However, the paper also suggests ways of increasing the functionality of all analyzed platforms by using simple add-ons and online tools. By providing a detailed overview of all integrated functions, the paper discusses the methodological implications for their more effective use in online instruction.


2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (02) ◽  
pp. 07-10
Author(s):  
Manpreet Kaur

The process of teaching and learning through online or virtual mode has been gradually becoming an important part of the Indian education sector. Teachers and students in higher education have already been effectively using online education mode to optimize the learning process. Schools, too, have been using educational technologies in many ways at all levels and across all grades. But with the unexpected worldwide spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in the year 2020, a sudden exponential boom has come in the online teaching set up. Until now, online teaching was assumed to be an aid to the teaching-learning transactions and was immediately adopted as the only way out, to continue with the pedagogical process in schools and colleges. This research attempts to make a comparative analysis of the changes in various aspects of online teaching before and during the COVID-19 era, including content development and delivery and type of information shared with students in private schools of NCR of India. Data collected by the investigator from school teachers about their usage of online methodologies from 2017 will be compared with school teachers’ data in August 2020, and its educational implications will be discussed.


2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 110
Author(s):  
Pooya Drood ◽  
Hanieh Davatgari Asl

<p>The ways in which task in classrooms has developed and proceeded have receive great attention in the field of language teaching and learning in the sense that they draw attention of learners to the competing features such as accuracy, fluency, and complexity. English audiovisual and audio recorded materials have been widely used by teachers and students, and have been the important resources of teaching and self-study. Nowadays, the environment we are living in is abundant with audio visual input and we as teachers ,thus, should be aware of the fact that environment can change students’ behavior towards language and language learning .What effects do these materials have on English speaking ability? The objective of this study is to find out whether there is difference in Iranian EFL learners’ accuracy in both audiovisual recorded (videos, movies ,etc.) and audio recorded tasks. For this purpose, 40 students of intermediate level were chosen and then were randomly assigned into two experimental and control groups each of which was under different listening tasks. (Audio visual- and audio only). Data analysis showed that the group which was trained under AV listening tasks showed different effects on students’ accuracy, compared to the other group positioned using audio recorded. Based on the results of this study, it is imperative that teachers consider the types of activities and methods that can have influence over language learners’ speaking ability.</p>


Author(s):  
Tiejun Zhu

At the turn of 2019-2020, a new epidemic broke out in China. China has entered the critical stage of epidemic prevention and control. And The severe situation has led to the failure of normal opening of new semester in Chinese colleges and universities. In order to effectively guarantee the education, teaching and talent cultivation in colleges and universities, the Ministry of education of China has rapidly put forward the requirements of launching online teaching. Therefore, under the situation of Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia (Hereinafter referred to as 2019-nCoV) prevention and control, online teaching in Chinese colleges and universities is widely used and develops rapidly. However, the demand for online education has been released in a short time and on a large scale, and each online teaching platform has encountered unprecedented pressure and challenges. In this regard, based on the situation of 2019-nCoV prevention and control in China, this paper demonstrates how the Chinese government deploy online teaching in an all-round way with specific measures, how the Chinese colleges and universities implement massive online teaching quickly, how teachers and students adapt to online teaching quickly. At the same time, this paper carries out empirical analysis to show the process and effectiveness of online teaching in Chinese colleges and universities in the unprecedented state of 2019-nCoV prevention and control with specific examples. On this basis, it analyzes and summarizes the advantages and disadvantages, so as to facilitate the later improvement and provide reference.


2021 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
pp. 233-243
Author(s):  
Feddy B. Junsay Jr. ◽  
Dennis V. Madrigal

Online education is a rapidly growing phenomenon for teachers. With the outbreak of COVID-19, there are changes in all societies worldwide, and a forcible shift in the medium of teaching and learning is inevitable. This paper explored the social science teachers' lived experiences in a Chinese school during the COVID-19 Pandemic. This qualitative study utilized the phenomenological approach to explore the lived experiences of eight full-time and tenured social science teachers determined using purposive sampling.  The data were collected from the participants using an in-depth semi-structured interview. Meanwhile, the recursive textual analysis guided by the three C's of Lichtman was employed to analyze the data thematically.  The findings show that social science teachers faced challenges in online teaching such as personal, technical, and teaching strategies.  It also found that the teachers have difficulty motivating students to participate in the online class activities and submission of outputs.  Despite the challenges, the teachers were able to surmount the difficulties because of the support of the administration and their fellow teachers.  Generally, the unfolding of online teaching challenges confronted by school heads, teachers, and students will make them resilient to adapt and embrace virtual education. Keywords. Social Science, online education, COVID-19 Pandemic, phenomenology, Philippines


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-95
Author(s):  
Bernard Meshach Aguma ◽  
◽  
Caroline Kinuu Kimathi ◽  
Martin Situma ◽  
◽  
...  

The adoption of virtual teaching and learning of a second language in the Nigerian educational system has received little attention. COVID-19 lock-down, imposed by the governments of the nations, forced educational institutions globally and locally to adapt virtual teaching and learning of English language. This research paper investigated the challenges of virtual teaching and learning of a second language (English) in selected secondary schools, Isu Ikwuato L.A. Abia State, Nigeria. It used a mixed method convergent parallel research design. The purposive sampling technique was used to select secondary schools that adopted virtual teaching and learning. The targeted population was 2000 English students and teachers with a sample size of 333. The results revealed that the schools made use of synchronous, asynchronous and blended types of online teaching and learning, and the students had a positive attitude. Both students and teachers experienced challenges of poor network, lack of ICT training, unstable electricity, and financial constraint. This study recommends the following: Language Policy Makers in Nigerian Educational System to map out the strategies that will incorporate online second language teaching and learning skills in the curriculum. That Marist Educational Board in partnership with the Ministry of Education in Nigeria, provide virtual supplementary materials for English language education. Adequate virtual training to be provided for English teachers and students. That the challenges of internet fluctuation, power shortage, insufficient virtual materials, inadequate funds, technical issues, virtual skills be addressed by all the stakeholders in education.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 461-473
Author(s):  
Yazilmiwati Yaacob ◽  
Malissa Maria Mahmud ◽  
Nur Izzati Mustamam ◽  
Rozaini Ahmad ◽  
Noor Syazwani Ishak ◽  
...  

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected various sectors particularly the education sector. The decision by the Malaysian government to close down higher learning institutes and schools has forced educators and teachers to switch their teaching and learning techniques from face-to-face to completely online. This situation has pushed the lecturers from the General Studies Department, Sunway University, Malaysia to master not only the technological tools, but also the pedagogic aspect that drive the entire process, to ensure the teaching and learning process can be carried out properly. Within a short period of time, different methods and modalities were designed and experimented, yet little is known on how such abrupt and rapid modifications affect the overall quality. Considering the value of experiences and reflections, this study probes on the mediated experiences of GSD academics on online teaching and learning, whereby a qualitative-research design was leveraged in a plethora of collective reflections in using E-Learn. The findings revealed that E-Learn has a huge potential to be effectively employed for synchronous and asynchronous modalities due to its user-friendly features and tools within the capacity to disseminate information, structure virtual lessons, record students’ involvement, monitor reports and deploy both formative and summative assessments. This study concluded that the various features of E-Learn had tremendously assisted the GSD lecturers during the online teaching and learning process, and is deemed suitable be used as a platform or Learning Management System (LMS) for online teaching and learning activities.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. p30
Author(s):  
Liu Zhixuan

The outbreak of the COVID-19 caused many Chinese universities to initiate online teaching. This paper aimed to develop Task-based Language Teaching (TBLT) practices in online courses to enable teachers and students in China to employ TBLT appropriately and effectively. This research made a case study which was conducted as an online English class with a total of 28 undergraduate students at a university in Guangdong, China. The findings show that the transition from the traditional classroom to online education was successful. This innovative teaching mode promotes students to become the initiator of learning. Besides, the switched roles between students and teachers, advantages as well as problems of this approach have been pointed out. This case study could provide pedagogical implicatures for online English teaching and learning practically and theoretically, which helps to develop new forms that could assist teachers and students to adopt TBLT in class.


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