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IJIEST - Vol. 2 - Issue 1 - January 2020
ISSN 2612-6990
Pages: 5
Designing the Emergency Online Study Bubble
Authors: Emre Erturk, Samuel Ekundayo
Categories: Journal
Abstract - In 2020, although many students around the world are studying online from home as a result of the COVID-19 global pandemic, this situation is quite different from ordinary online study. For example, in the past, most students studying online would have still had access to campus or education centre resources, face-to-face advisors, or libraries. This research has been conducted at a New Zealand institution of higher learning, which has had to adapt quickly to these special circumstances. The researchers were actively teaching courses face-to-face prior to the lockdown; although there already were well-designed course sites, they have had to go from a blended course delivery to a completely online and isolated study mode. The current literature is already resourceful in discussing the range of technologies, different levels of using learning management systems, and the variety of instructional strategies used within e-learning. However, these accounts are of a mechanical nature and tend to look at individual pieces either on their own or as a progression, rather than looking at the learning technology environment holistically. This practical research paper is informed by reflection and concrete evidence collected while working with students remotely. There are three aims: (1) To qualitatively explore how far this team has successfully pushed their learning management systems and technologies to completely online learning, (2) To note and recommend for future research some the challenges involved including technical ones, security, and teaching staff workload, and (3) To demonstrate how the different teaching and learning elements and tools complement each other to form a digital study bubble that can be sustained. During the semester, the researchers shared a Student Engagement Matrix, which documents the teaching staff and the students’ participation in the Learning Management System (Moodle) and other tools that are used alongside the online courses, including live class sessions and meetings. The matrix columns are the levels of online engagement, the description or criteria for each level, and the third column for the evidence and comments. This paper summarizes and presents these findings. Finally, it concludes with recommendations for other practitioners and researchers.
Keywords: E-learning Strategies, Student Support, Home Learning, Educational Technology
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