No Student Left Behind: Students’ Experiences of a Self-Paced Online Learning Orientation in Undergraduate Studies during COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The rapid transition to remote online learning modality during the COVID-19 pandemic forced traditional brick-and-mortar universities to implement student support mechanisms to ensure that student learning is not impaired. This paper presents data derived from a study aimed at investigating students’ perceptions of a self-paced online learning orientation (OLO) in an undergraduate Food Science and Technology course. To elicit student responses, a mixed-method survey with a five-point Likert scale and open-ended qualitative questions was conducted via the Blackboard learning management system (LMS). In this study, participants reported having access to the LMS: using smartphones (66.3%), followed by a laptop with a webcam (38.55%), and a laptop with no webcam (26.51%). The participants also felt that it was easy to navigate (M = 3.95 ± 0.88) the OLO course, and they were able to locate the required content (M = 3.83 ± 1.03). Furthermore, results also showed that participants expressed a high commitment to accessing the LMS and reviewing course announcements (M = 4.72 ± 0.57) and kept up to date with the course activities (M = 4.58 ± 0.70) after completing the OLO. Therefore, the authors suggest that using a learner-centered OLO with authentic learning activities that mimic course activities is crucial to online students’ success in online learning. These findings have significant implications for educators who intend to re-design their courses and enhance remote online learning experiences for students.

Time and day: trends in student access to online asynchronous courses in communication demonstrate time poverty in action

“…Technology-based strategies, for example, can mitigate these trends. For example, utilizing a self-paced online learning orientation module increases student intent to keep up to date with course materials in an online asynchronous course (Mshayisa and Ivala, 2022).…”

Teachers' Perspectives on ICT Curriculum and Students' Learning Skills

“…According to the research of Ramadhan & Daryati (2022) [7] and Mishiwo et al (2022) [8], teachers need to have faith in the efficacy of the technology, expect minimal disruption from its use, and feel confident in their ability to direct its implementation in the classroom, as stated by Mshayisa & Ivala (2022) [9]. The term "online learning" describes a wide range of programs that use the Internet inside and outside of traditional classroom settings to give students and teachers access to course materials and promote collaboration.…”