WEBINAR'S EFFICIENCY AND ELECTRONIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS WITH HIGH AND LOW MOTIVATION IN LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM(BLACKBOARD)

نوع المستند : مقالات علمیة محکمة

المؤلف

أستاذ مشارک تصميم الأزياء قسم تصميم الازياء کلية الاقتصاد المنزلي جامعة الملک خالد

المستخلص

Online activities is the strongest factor which contributes to online learning. synchronous learning activities are mediated including online webinars (web-based seminars). Asynchronous learning activities are delayed, and usually written; these include accessing recorded lectures and flipped classroom videos online. Unique here is that the recordings are published afterwards in the online learning management system (LMS). The aim of this study is to identify Webinar's Efficiency and Electronic performance of students with high and low motivation in learning management system (Blackboard). Two conditions are addressed in this study: a) face-to-face (F2F) online webinars (web-based seminars or video conferencing), b) the elements of part a) , but complemented by teacher-recorded flipped classroom videos (pre-lectures) before the F2F online webinars by using mobile technologies such as laptops, tablets, and smart phones. Such technologies are accessible from different locations at anytime, anywhere. Data collection consists of observations of 22 recorded F2F online webinars among 155 vocational student teachers divided into groups of 75 and 80 participants, and 12 interviews (six from each group, all women) at Taif University, College of Education. Findings raise some challenges and implications presented by using online webinar (WEB-based seminar) and flipped classroom in LMS " Blackboard". Moreover, Students who indicated that both in and out of online webinar F2F, or with and without teacher-recorded flipped classroom videos were an effective tools and were highly motivated towards utilization of LMS system. The peers activities are giving the students (N=155) more meaning and learner-centered experiences. However, their electronic performance and learning motivation have improved in favor of the pro test. Also, the preparations in the flipped classroom lectures, before the follow-up webinar, gave the students more time to managing the content from the literature. And the university should apply some workshops for both teachers and students to train on webinar techniques in the University courses as a recommended requirement for e-learning.

الكلمات الرئيسية

الموضوعات الرئيسية


1.      INTRODUCTION

Most of the current studies have focused on online learning efficiency in/ outside classrooms, but researches have shown that the studies about using Web conferencing (Webinar) in education and specifically in the Arab countries are very rare, despite they (Webinars) play an important role in exchanging information using audio and video stimulation, and that helps in enhancing learning and motivate students towards E-learning, and this is what has encouraged the researcher to investigate more about this topic specifically in Saudi Arabia where using the technology in education and adopting online classes are becoming more popular and accepted in Saudi universities.

Many studies have been done on online courses and their impacts on education and classrooms; however it is very rare to find studies about using web conferencing and webinars in education, and their role in improving and facilitating the exchange of information, and develop students’ electronic skills and performance, and increase the motivation of achievement. (Bates,2003), (Brown,2000).

Talking about electronic skills in education, for the past eight years online enrollments have been growing substantially faster than overall higher education enrollments. Numbers show that the rate of growth of online enrollments has tempered somewhat, but continues to be far in excess of the rate for the total higher education student population, and that shows an increase in motivation toward academic achievement.

  • Over 6.1 million students were taking at least one online course during the fall 2010 term; an increase of 560,000 students over the number reported the previous year.
  • The ten percent growth rate for online enrollments is the second lowest since 2002.
  • The ten percent growth rate for online enrollments far exceeds the less than one percent growth of the overall higher education student population.
  • Thirty-one percent of all higher education students now take at least one course online.(Allen et al., 2011).

 In the last decade, there has been a great amount of interest in mixing the advantages of online courses with those of face-to-face courses by offering another type of course delivery mode called blended learning. Blended learning consists of blending face-to-face and online delivery in order to reinforce the interaction and direct contact of students with the other participants in a course (Allen et al., 2011). To do so, technologies like webinars offer support to instructors by ensuring efficient synchronous communications. As technologies represent the spearhead of blended learning, their acceptance by students is essential to the success of their use. However, empirical studies that have tried to evaluate the acceptance of webinars by students are not abundant. We deem it important to explore this avenue because student readiness is one of the success factors of blended learning (Graham, 2006).

Using the technology for communication and online education has two types of data transferring or interactions; synchronous and asynchronous. (Vitartas,2008).

Webinars usually offer synchronous communications (live or instantly interaction) where users can share documents, files videos and many other communications utilities, whereas the technology of asynchronous communications or information does not occur at the same time or it is not simultaneous. (Cowley, 2007)

Asynchronous information and communication tools like discussion forums, electronic mails, blogs, and wikis have been used for several decades in many fields. In the education context, asynchronous electronic means were used to reinforce interactions between students and teachers.(Birch&Volkov,2005).In 2009, more than 74% of American higher educational institutions agreed that online education is an important component of their long-term strategy (Allen & Seaman, 2010). Even though the results about the acceptance of online instruction by faculties are mixed, Allen and Seaman (2010) have confirmed that the percentage of chief academic officers that think that students’ retention is a greater problem for online courses was twice as large as those who disagree.

According to some authors (Allen et al. 2002; Muilenburg & Berge, 2001), interaction is known to be an indispensable or a necessary condition to students’ satisfaction and retention. Synchronous tools were, therefore, seen as an additional component to strengthen live communication between the different stakeholders of the distance-learning environment (Johnson, 2006).

Also we should mention that, in the last decade, there has been a great amount of interest in mixing the advantages of online courses with those of face-to-face courses by offering another type of course delivery mode called blended learning. Blended learning consists of blending face-to-face and online delivery in order to reinforce the interaction and direct contact of students with the other participants in a course (Allen et al., 2002). To do so, technologies like webinars offer support to instructors by ensuring efficient synchronous communications. As technologies represent the spearhead of blended learning, their acceptance by students is essential to the success of their use. However, empirical studies that have tried to evaluate the acceptance of webinars by students are not abundant. We deem it important to explore this avenue because student readiness is one of the success factors of blended learning (Humphrey et al, 2013).

However, the accessibility and ease of use of both asynchronous and synchronous technologies made it easier to respond to various students’ needs by providing courses and even programs fully online.

 In general, the service is made possible by Internet technologies, particularly on TCP/IP connections. The service allows real-time point-to-point communications as well as multicast communications from one sender to many receivers. It offers information of text-based messages, voice and video chat to be shared simultaneously, across geographically dispersed locations. Applications for web conferencing include meetings, training events, lectures, or short presentations from any computer.(Wikipedia) (Bentley,2007).

Other typical features of a web conference include:

  • Slideshow presentations - where images are presented to the audience and markup tools and a remote mouse pointer are used to engage the audience while the presenter discusses slide content.
  • Live or streaming video - where full motion webcam, digital video camera or multi-media files are pushed to the audience.
  • VoIP - Real time audio communication through the computer via use of headphones and speakers.
  • Web tours - where URLs, data from forms, cookies, scripts and session data can be pushed to other participants enabling them to be pushed though web based logons, clicks, etc. This type of feature works well when demonstrating websites where users themselves can also participate.
  • Meeting Recording - where presentation activity is recorded on the client side or server side for later viewing and/or distribution.
  • Whiteboard with annotation (allowing the presenter and/or attendees to highlight or mark items on the slide presentation. Or, simply make notes on a blank whiteboard.)
  • Text chat - For live question and answer sessions, limited to the people connected to the meeting. Text chat may be public (echoed to all participants) or private (between 2 participants).
  • Polls and surveys (allows the presenter to conduct questions with multiple choice answers directed to the audience)
  • Screen sharing/desktop sharing/application sharing (where participants can view anything the presenter currently has shown on their screen. Some screen sharing applications allow for remote desktop control, allowing participants to manipulate the presenters screen, although this is not widely used. (Forrost et al, 2006)

2. Research Questions & Objectives:

The research problem was defined in an attempt to explore webinars' efficiency in enhancing electronic performance of post graduate students who have high and low level of students with high and low motivation in learning management system(Blackboard).

Therefore, the problem of the present study was established in the following questions:

  1. What is the educational content of the suggested educational webinar in order to teach post graduate students at the College of Education, Taif University, KSA?
  2. What is webinar efficiency in enhancing post graduate students' electronic performance who have a high level of learning motivation at the College of Education, Taif University, KSA?
  3. What is webinar efficiency in enhancing post graduate students' electronic performance who have a low level of learning motivation at the College of Education, Taif University, KSA?

The objectives rely on the following points:

  1. Determination of the most important information and skills about producing educational software programs which the post graduate students with high and low learning motivation should learn.
  2. Preparing a suggested educational webinar about producing educational software programs, so that the post graduate students in Vocational Teacher Diploma Program, VTEP, can learn the skills.
  3. Identifying the webinar efficiency to improve post graduate students' electronic performance in VTEP.
  4. Providing the suggestions and recommendations based on the research’s results.

3. Terms Definition

a. Webinar:

Lately, the term “Web Conference” or “Webinar" spread in different educational stages. Web conferencing refers to a service that allows conferencing events to be shared with remote locations. These are sometimes referred to as webinars, or interactive conferences, online workshops.

A webinar is short for face-to-face (F2F) online webinars Web-based seminar; it is a presentation, lecture, workshop or seminar that is transmitted over the Web using video conferencing software. A key feature of a Webinar is its interactive elements is the ability to give, receive and discuss information in real-time. In other words, the webinar is a concept that describes web-based meetings using conferencing systems that some universities have adopted to support blended learning. A webinar offers an interactive learning context distributed across time and space (Karabulut & Correia, 2008).

Using Webinar software participants can share audio, documents and applications with webinar attendees. This is useful when the webinar host is conducting a lecture or information session. While the presenter is speaking they can share desktop applications and documents. Today, many webinar services offer live streaming options or the ability to record your webinar and publish to YouTube and other service later. (Sheuer et al,2010)

In general, the service is made possible by Internet technologies, particularly on TCP/IP connections. The service allows real-time point-to-point communications as well as multicast communications from one sender to many receivers. It offers information of text-based messages, voice and video chat to be shared simultaneously, across geographically dispersed locations (Wikipedia). Applications for web conferencing include: meetings, training events, lectures, or short presentations from any computer. (Webopedia)

Other typical features of a web conference include:

  • Slideshow presentations - where images are presented to the audience and markup tools and a remote mouse pointer are used to engage the audience while the presenter discusses slide content.
  • Live or streaming video - where full motion webcam, digital video camera or multi-media files are pushed to the audience.
  • VoIP - Real time audio communication through the computer via use of headphones and speakers.
  • Web tours - where URLs, data from forms, cookies, scripts and session data can be pushed to other participants enabling them to be pushed though web based logons, clicks, etc. This type of feature works well when demonstrating websites where users themselves can also participate.
  • Meeting Recording - where presentation activity is recorded on the client side or server side for later viewing and/or distribution.
  • Whiteboard with annotation (allowing the presenter and/or attendees to highlight or mark items on the slide presentation. Or, simply make notes on a blank whiteboard.)
  • Text chats - For live question and answer sessions, limited to the people connected to the meeting. Text chat may be public (echoed to all participants) or private (between 2 participants).
  • Polls and surveys (allows the presenter to conduct questions with multiple choice answers directed to the audience)
  • Screen sharing/desktop sharing/application sharing (where participants can view anything the presenter currently has shown on their screen. Some screen sharing applications allow for remote desktop control, allowing participants to manipulate the presenters screen, although this is not widely used. (Jones et al, 2008)

According to Wang and Hsu (2008), the webinar “provides a nearly face to- face environment that increases participants’ social presence and facilitates multi-level interaction.” It is not meant to replace face-to-face interaction but is a collaborative technology specially designed to support and enhance human interaction and teamwork.

In this study, focus on comparing two conditions in higher distance education: a) face-to-face (F2F) online webinars (web-based seminars or video conferencing), b) the elements of part a, but complemented by teacher-recorded flipped classroom videos (pre-lectures) before the F2F online webinars by using mobile technologies such as laptops, tablets, and smart phones. Such technologies are accessible from different locations at anytime, anywhere. The key discussion focuses on the role of creating learning activities both in and out of online webinars F2F, or with and without teacher-recorded flipped classroom videos.

b. Electronic Performance

Technologically speaking, an Electronic Performance Support System (EPSS) is a computer-based environment that facilitates skill and knowledge acquisition within a particular domain of study. (He & Tymms, 2005). (Bergman,2001), (Najjar ;others,2001), (Sakamoto ,2001), (McGraw,1994)

Electronic performance used in this study means the ability and skills of the student(s) to interact with electronic devices and programs. It is how (at which level) a student can learn and use the computer with or without any assistance from someone else, to learn the strategy and principles of webinars. (Farrell and Leung, 2004)

c. Motivation and Achievement:

  • Motivation: Internal and external factors that stimulate desire and energy in people to be continually interested and committed to a job, role or subject, or to make an effort to attain a goal.

Motivated people are those who have made a conscious decision to devote considerable effort to achieving something that they value. What they value will differ greatly from one individual to another. There are a variety of ways to motivate people, including the fear of losing a job, financial incentives...etc (Zhenlong and Liu, 2000)

However the researcher is defining the learning motivation as the capability and factors that the student has in order to learn and succeed. It is the outcome of the student performance during class courses and educational activities to be able to make educational programs and use the webinar in education.

4. Review of related Literatures

Learners have a positive impression of using virtual conferences (webinars) (Wilkinson and Hemby, 2000). Jennings and Bronack (2001) examined the interaction between intern teachers and instructional designers through desktop video-conferencing with chat, whiteboard and document-sharing capabilities. The learners valued the authentic learning environment in which collaboration was supported, even though technical problems interrupted communication and interaction.

In their study of integrating synchronous classroom software into an ongoing online program, Little, Passmore and Schullo (2006) examined the way the instructors used the synchronous tool (VOIP) and the students’ perceptions about synchronous classroom sessions. They found that the synchronous sessions used in addition to web-based course instruction improved learner satisfaction and learning because of increased interaction.

Grant and Cheon (2007) investigated the effects of synchronous conferencing technology on teaching and learning and the factors for success and failure of synchronous conferencing in hybrid classes in higher education. Active support and convenience are the advantages, and if technical quality improves, synchronous conferencing will be a convenient instructional method in hybrid classes.

Vitaras, Rowe, and Ellis (2008) conducted a study on using a web-conferencing "webinar" system (Elluminate Live) in a business school to examine the early experiences of students with web conferencing. The study reported that students felt they were part of a real classroom setting and were engaged with the instructor and their peers. However, students needed clear instructions on using the technology. Furthermore, the authors mentioned in their study that the instructor was the critical factor in developing student confidence and successful web-conferencing experiences, thus they concluded that professional development is important for instructors to be comfortable with the technology and integrate it into the curriculum in an appropriate way.

Kalk (2009) examined peer interactions in an online course which included asynchronous forums and synchronous web-conferencing "webinar" in the socio-constructivist framework. It was revealed from the study that the chat room in the web-conferencing system was an effective tool. Learners generated interaction and community, therefore, the need to use webinars “web conference" is essential in Education, especially its using in supporting online courses in blackboard platform.

Skylar (2009), explored the student performance and perception of a hybrid course, which employed both asynchronous text-based lectures and synchronous web-conferencing. She found that both asynchronous and synchronous online instructions are effective ways of teaching an online course. 75% of the students reported that they would prefer the online class with a synchronous web-conferencing system rather than asynchronous lectures.

Only a few research studies have examined the impact of online synchronous webinars, electronic performance and learners’ motivation. For example Nelson´s (2010) study, about the learning outcomes of online synchronous webinar versus classroom instruction among 224 nursing students showed no significance difference between the groups. An online synchronous webinar was just as effective as classroom instruction.

In Rich´s (2011) investigation, which measured the impact of online synchronous webinar instruction at a National Science Foundation Advanced Technology Center, showed that there was a lack of evidence about the actual outcomes of participation in synchronous webinar.

Buxton et al. (2012) research evaluates pharmacists’ satisfaction with and reasons for enrolling in a series of continuing education webinars. The online webinars included presentations, lectures, workshops or directly F2F-webinars. The results show both positive satisfaction for the quality of the programming efforts and the method of delivery, but also the lack of continued participation in subsequent webinars.

Skype, as another online communication tool, examined by Kiriakidis (2010), contributed level of self-efficacy to school and district administrators’. The result shows that self-efficacy can be increased through opportunities for ongoing, systemic, and systematic discussions with other participants.

Khechine(2014) determined the factors that explain the acceptance of a webinar system (Elluminate) in a blended learning course by students. And the effects of gender and age as moderating variables. 114 students enrolled in a blended information systems course at Laval University in Quebec-Canada. Results have shown that the intention to use a webinar was directly influenced by performance expectancy (practical academic performance), effort expectancy (ease of use), and facilitating conditions (technical and organizational support). Only the age variable had a moderating effect.

The obtained results will not only add scientific evidence to the literature about blended learning, webinars, and technology adoption, but it could also lead to a better practical understanding of the factors that may incite or discourage students to use webinar technologies in blended higher education. Faculty members and administrators should use these results to develop strategies to align users’ expectations with technology use for learning.

 However, these studies focused on organizing and administrating the education from an individual perspective and learners' performance and motivation.

5. Theoretical Approach

Theoretically, the present research is within the research concept of mobile-assisted seamless learning. This refers to the unbroken integration of learning experiences across various dimensions, including the notion that students can learn anywhere and at any time, they are curious, and they can easily switch learning contexts to another or a variety, of scenarios. For instance, this could be from formal to informal or from personal to social (Chan, et al., 2006; Wong, 2013; Wong & Looi, 2011). A key component of this idea is that each student is using a personal device as a mediator. Methodologically, the study is based on the concept of MSL by Wong and (Loois, 2011), who designate six dimensions in their descriptions and designs of actual learning: 1) formal and informal learning, 2) personal and social learning, 3) learning across time, 4) learning across locations, 5) ubiquitous knowledge access, and 6) physical and digital spaces. In the present study these principles are shown in sharing of knowledge in F2F online webinars, as well as critical review of recorded webinars and teacher-recorded flipped classroom videos for enhancing students’ online participation and learning.

6. Methodology

This research with 155pn student pre- teachers participating at half-time study in the first two continuing web-based courses over a four months period in two different semesters" fall and spring " in Vocational Teacher Education Program, VTEP, to become authorized teacher in the Education system. This qualitative research design in Analytical Descriptive approach: By analyzing the content of the educational programs product for which are used by the students and which should be used in the educational activities for the two electronic courses “computer applied in education , computer teaching methods”, VTEP, College of Education, Taif university, in order to prepare the educational suggested webinar. And semi- experimental approach: By using the Pre-Post test on the groups in order to measure the effectiveness of the suggested educational webinar in improving the electronic performance of students that have high and low levels of Achievement Motivation.

This design involved an in-depth data collection process and analysis of open-ended interviews and observations of mobile online synchronous webinars F2F. Therefore, the researcher had the opportunity to obtain a deeper inquiry per individual in order to provide possible complete understanding. The interviews and dialogue exchanges during the webinars were transcribed and analyzed by Wengers (1998) four components; meaning, practice, community and identity, complemented by( Compeau and Higgins,1995) three interrelated dimensions: magnitude, strength, and general ability.

6.1 Participants and Courses

The participants for the study were graduate students in Instructional Technology (IT) course, vocational Teacher Educational program(VTEP) at College of Education, Taif University, KSA. The students in two IT classes using synchronous conferencing evaluated their use of technology after each conferencing session. There were two groups of participants. One group used video conferencing exclusively, and the other group used only audio conferencing. Approximately (75)students in one class were in the video conferencing group. The audio conferencing group consisted of approximately (80) students.

The course that used video conferencing exclusively was organized into a weekend format. The course met four weeks (a Monday morning and all-day Saturday) during the semester. The video conferencing was used to replace the whole class, on-campus Wednesday afternoon meeting. The whole class conferencing typically lasted 1 ½ to 2 hours. Video conferencing was also used to supplement the regular course meetings with one-on-one sessions to mentor, scaffold, and check course progress with individual students.

The course that used audio conferencing was a 5-week summer session course. The course met twice per week for approximately 1 ½ to 2 hours. Audio conferencing was used almost half the time, where each week one course meeting was on campus and the other class meeting was online with audio conferencing.

6.2 Data Collection

The data collection consists of ten recorded online synchronous webinars F2F, of which five of them were examinations and five of them prepared with flipped classrooms during spring semester 2018. The students also had parallel textual chat communications during the webinars. All webinars were recorded and made available online using students’ learning management system (LMS), Black Board platform. After that, the webinars were ended in order to take a step back, reflect, evaluate and compare own and others contributions. The data collection was done after the two courses were ended complemented by semi-structured research interviews with twelve students about their participations and uses of the flipped classroom and the meanings content and dialogue exchanges during the mobile online synchronous webinars F2F and textual chatting communications. Each recorded interview lasted for approximately half hour and was transcribed verbatim.

6.3 Context and Implementation

The e-meeting system with mobile app for phones and tablets which was used in this study has three interfaces with chat: 1) sharing desktop, program and whiteboard, 2) F2F discussion via webcam and microphone/headset, and 3) collaboration by using whiteboard PowerPoint, PDF files, pictures and video. The students worked during the web-based courses both individually and group wise with problem-based course assignments with deadlines. They were divided into five groups of four to five students in each. A summary of the design is given in Table 1.


Table(1): Summary of the design with flipped classroom and online webinars in VTEP

Fall-Spring semester 2017/2018 (half-time study)

Course 1 VTEP –An introduction of online webinars ;Communication Skills

Academic year 2017/2018

(Half Time Study)

Date

Length/min

Course 2 VTEP –Learning Outcome about syllabus, vocational didactics and assessment

10/08/2017

80

Flipped classroom; Theory of Pedagogy & Didactic, follow up of course start

10/15/2017

85

Webinar: computer application Education

10/17/2017

90

Flipped classroom; Theory of Formative assessment

10/24/2017

90

Flipped classroom; Theory of assessment and Grading

10/31/2017

90

Webinar; Assessment and Grading

 

Length/min

Course 3 VTEP – Learning Outcome about Computer Skills

02/11/2018

75

Flipped classroom; Theory of teaching methods, follow up of course start

02/18/2018

90

Webinar; Literature of computer teaching methods

02/25/2018

95

Webinar; Examination of computer teaching methods

03/04/2018

85

Webinar; Examination of computer teaching methods

03/11/2018

92

Flipped classroom; Theory of Teaching & Education

03/18/2018

90

Webinar; Tutoring of the last course assignments

In table 2, courses evaluation results after 6 months of studies on students’ views of how learning activities(accessing webinars and teacher -recorded flipped classroom videos) contributed to their e-learning performance

Table(2)

Seamless Mediated Learning Activities

1-3 Disagree-Partly Agree

4-6 Agree-Strongly Agree

University Lectures at course start

33%

67%

Webinar Online F2F

27%

73%

Flipped Classroom

13%

87%

Repeated Flipped

20%

80%

Active in Webinars

20%

80%

Active in the Group’s Learning

10%

90%

Discussion

The majority of the students noted the teacher-recorded flipped classroom videos 87% and the majority of these students 80% had retrospectively reviewed and reflected on the meaning of the contents.90 %of the students strongly agreed about their activities in the group´s learning. The group’ activities during the webinars 80% by discussing different perspectives and their experiences of university lecturers at course start was 67 %.

Table 3 (below) shows the correlations between pre and pro tests applications for low and high motivation and electronic performance measurement.

Table (3)

Correlations

Pre-Test motivation

Pearson correlation

 

1

0.699

0.157

0.37

Significance

0.000

0.257

0.788

Pro-Test motivation

Pearson correlation

0.699

 

1

0.103

0.034

Significance

0.000

0.457

0.808

Pre-Test Performance

Pearson correlation

0.157

0.103

 

1

0.853

Significance

0.257

0.457

0.000

Pro-Test Performance

Pearson correlation

0.037

0.034

0.000

 

1

Significance

0.788

0.808

0.000

N

155

Numbers in table (3) show that there is a strong relation between the levels of pre test and pro test for learning motivation measurement, which is (0.01); strong relation.


  1. Hypothesis one; Verification

In table 4, T-Test method is used to calculate T value for pre test and pro test for learning motivation measurement, as shown below.

Table (4)

Paired Sample Test

Pre and Pro Tests for learning motivation

Variances Paired

 

 

 

Mean

Standard Deviation

Mean Error

Confidence level at 95%

T value

Freedom Degree

Significance

Lower

Higher

2.39074

7.40288

1.00740

21.88681

25.92800

23.732

53

0.000

There are significant statistical variances between application variances of the pre test and pro test towards learning motivation measurement in favor for pro test.

From the T-Test table we can conclude that students have showed more responsibility and learning motivation by using the webinar to complete their activities and home works, while corresponding and interacting with peers.

  1. Hypothesis two; Verification

In table 5, T-Test method is used to calculate T value for pre test and pro test for preferences in using webinar in education, as shown below. Table (5)

Paired Sample Test

Pre and Pro Tests for students’ preferences

Variances Paired

 

 

 

Mean

Standard Deviation

Mean Error

Confidence level at 95%

T value

Freedom Degree

Significance

Lower

Higher

1.5556

2.92463

0.99739

12.35383

10.75729

29.035

53

0.000

There are significant statistical variances between the pre test and pro test towards using webinar in online learning in favor for pro test.

From the table above we can note that students are more towards using webinars in education and e-learning process, and this is due to the life interaction with peers and instructors, and easiness in accessing learning tools and online system.

  1. Hypothesis three verification

There is a positive statistical relation between the levels of performance and motivation and the students’ preference in using webinars in online education.

Table 6 below, shows the correlation between the levels of performance and motivation and the students’ preference in using webinars in online education.

 

Using Webinar in Education

Performance Motivation

Preference in using webinar in online education

0.883

0.763

Table shows that there is a positive correlation relation between using webinar in education and performance motivation towards online learning at a significance level (0.01), and this means that the more webinar is used in online education the performance motivation will increase. And the more webinar is used in online education the online learning preference will increase.

FINDINGS

Important conclusions from the results of the learning activities with flipped classroom, online synchronous webinars, and chat communications are that the time and space for learning expands.

  1. Findings raise some challenges and implications presented by using online webinar (WEB-based seminar) and flipped classroom in LMS " blackboard ,Webinars have improved the electronic performance as well as the performance motivation, and this has increased the students’ preferences in using webinars in education and in using online education utilities.
  2. Students who indicated that both in and out of online webinar F2F, or with and without teacher-recorded flipped classroom videos were an effective tools and were highly motivated towards utilization of LMS system.
  3. There is a positive relation between using webinar in education from one side, and the levels of performance motivation and online performance from the other side. Attending seminars via Internet (webinars) may contribute to the enrichment of the educational process and facilitates distance learning. Students prefer to attend conferences and/or seminars with physical presence (Sypsas and Pange, 2014)
  4. In terms of e-learning (Pegrum, Oakley & Faulkner, 2013), shows that the mobile technology posed challenges when the e-meeting system (Webinar) had a problematic mobile connection, students logged in and out, and teachers were unfamiliar with the online system and how to support the students. This result raises some challenges and implications in adopting mobile devices in higher distance education. Training for teachers in online pedagogy and didactics is needed. Mediating by mobile technology for seamless learning should offer potential for students to use different devices to participate in e-meetings in a structured way (Chan et al., 2006; Wong & Loii, 2009), instead of, observed in the recordings of the online webinars, being inhibited by logging in and out, constantly shifting content, unnecessary repetition of formalities, or unclear supervision. Scenarios of learning and development include learning individually or collectively, in small groups or large online community, in out-of-class spaces F2F at home or at the workplace, or in in-class spaces such as classrooms, on campus or outdoors, and with possible involvement of teachers, mentors, librarians, workplace professionals, and members of other supportive communities. Seamless learning space refers to the collection of various learning scenarios that expand formal learning to informal, as well personal to social in collaboration with other students (Chan et al., 2006; Long et al., 2014)
  5. The flipped classroom using webinars gave the students more learner-centered experiences when they had the ability to prepare and negotiate new meanings before and during the online webinars by computer, laptop or mobile app for phones and tablets for further learning and collaboration.
  6. Also, the results shown that the peer learning activities gives the students (N=155) more meaning and learner-centered experiences. Also to prevent drop off, as well as to help and scaffold students' peer learning processes to get ideas and define roles in the processes that contribute theoretical refinement and constructive criticism. The preparations in the flipped classroom, teacher-recorded flipped classroom videos, before the follow-up webinars, gave the students more time to managing the content from the literature. Online webinar is a kind of community of practice (Wenger, 1998, p. 226) which involves the whole person in a dynamic interplay of participation and reflections on learning. This is possible when the students directly meet other fellow-students and teachers F2F online and can discuss how they will deal with literature, theoretical concepts, course assignments and examinations (Amhag, 2015; 2017). The magnitude of CSE might be gauged in terms of support levels required to be a part of the reciprocal learning processes that take place at distance (Compeau & Higgins, 1995). Moreover, their strength of self-confidence and self-esteem to perform various tasks has also developed, as well as to understand the academic way of reading and writing.

The meaning of meta-cognitive ability is related to a wide range of skills, such as identity, problem solving, interpreting, communicating, reflecting and evaluating (Wenger, 1998). In practicing peer-to-peer collaboration and cross-disciplinary engagement in various professional fields (Roehl et al., 2013), the students can identify their professional identity, as well as strengths and weaknesses in own and others work.

  1. The results of the survey on "flipped" mini-lectures before the follow-up
    webinars and chat communications show that the majority of the students believe that the "flipped" mini-lectures (87%) and then webinars (73%) have contributed to their learning, in comparison with campus lectures at the start of the course (67%). All the students feel they have media and information literacy, and prefer to work in dialogue with others (93% strongly agree).

RECOMMENDATIONS

 Based on the results and findings, the researcher recommends the following:

  1. To have more workshops introducing and teaching webinars techniques.
  2. To focus more in using webinars in online education and activities.
  3. To consider electronic performance as an obligatory graded activity among courses, and encourage students to participate in online webinars activities.
  4. To encourage self-performance among students using webinar and LMS tools

 

  1.  

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