Abstract:
The existing literature shows that blended instruction combining online and face-to-face (F2F) learning elements has significant impacts on students’ learning. To harness the power of blended learning, teachers need to shift the delivery mode from F2F to online learning. The purpose of using online learning is to encourage students to take charge of their learning and to facilitate the development of a learning community. The present study is a new approach for Higher Diploma (HD) students because it aims at encouraging and providing support to course teachers to help them change some classroom learning material to online learning material in order to create an interactive and effective online learning environment that will benefit student learning. We used a mixed method design including questionnaires and focus group interviews at pre-course (P0) and post-course (P1) to examine the online learning experiences of teachers and students of the HD Programme. A total of 219 students completed the questionnaires at both P0 and P1. About 96.3% were female students and the mean age of the student participants was 19.4 years.
Code:
T0190
Principal Project Supervisors:
Keywords provided by authors:
Start Date:
01 Jun 2017
End Date:
31 Jul 2018
Status:
Completed
Result:
There were positive changes in the students' general perceptions of online learning and students' online learning motivation from P0 to P1. A similar significant result was found in the students' online learning motivation with a moderate effect size. Regression analysis showed that students' online learning effectiveness and online learning needs in P1 had positively predicted their overall satisfaction with online learning after controlling for the influence of gender and age.
The teacher's level of self-efficacy increased by 35.3% while their level of self-confidence increased by 14.3% based on the increase in mean scores from P0 to P1. Teachers showed satisfaction towards the online learning courses. The qualitative data supported the quantitative results. The teachers who participated in the focus groups said that they gained more confidence in designing online learning activities. However, they needed more time to prepare and design online learning activities. They also learnt and kept themselves updated about the new technology while enhancing learning materials. Teachers added that the level of engagement from students had increased the number of interactions between students and teachers and further resulted in a higher level of teachers' self-efficacy.
The qualitative results from students indicated that it is recommended for teachers to provide more guidelines and feedback to students about online learning. The majority reported that more pictures, videos and translations with Chinese and English subtitles are needed in online learning to help them better understand abstract concepts. Long passages with lots of difficult vocabulary, English videos with no Chinese subtitles and forum platform without lecturers' regular feedback would lower students' motivation for using the online platform.
Impact:
The results of the present project have implications for teachers, course programme leaders and senior management. Online learning allows students to expose themselves to diverse learning materials with the help of teachers. Having an interactive, communicative and collaborative online learning journey between students and teachers plays an important role in influencing students' general perceptions towards online learning, learning motivation, the level of satisfaction towards online learning, engagement and interest towards online learning. The feedback from students on their use of online learning activities provides insights to teachers on how to improve the online work in future.
Given the positive impact on students, course programme leaders could consider encouraging teachers teaching other programmes such as PGDE, MA, and MEd to use more online learning lessons. Online materials from HD programmes can serve as references for other programmes.
This trend of designing online learning materials and assignments with new online tools require teachers to build up their sense of self-efficacy and confidence in order to keep pace with the times. To ensure that teachers are able to sustainably implement online learning materials in the future, members of senior management could consider providing a more supportive environment for teachers so online learning can flourish and grow.
Deliverables:
Seminars/Presentations/Sharing Sessions
Chan, P. L. P., & Ng, S. M. C. (2019, March). Lessons Learned from Designing and Developing Online Learning Materials for HD(ECE) Students. Seminar presented at the Teaching Development Grant (TDG) Project Sharing Seminar, The Education University of Hong Kong. (https://www.lttc.eduhk.hk/?p=26375) (https://repository.eduhk.hk/en/publications/teaching-development-grants-...)
Chan, P. L. P. & Yang, D. L. (2018, May 11). Evaluation with Video Presentation: Sharing the experience of General Education Consolidation Course (GECC). A brown bag sharing to Department of Early Childhood Education (ECE) colleagues at The Education University of Hong Kong. (https://repository.eduhk.hk/en/publications/sharing-on-gecc-gej4016-developing-positive-thinking-through-refl)
Financial Year:
2016-17
Type:
TDG