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Paper ID #33786
The Transition from In-Person to Online Classes
Dr. Reihaneh Jamshidi, University of Hartford
Reihaneh Jamshidi is an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Hartford.
She received her Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Iowa State University in 2018. Her teaching
focuses on materials science and mechanical design. Reihaneh’s primary research interests are design,
manufacturing, characterization, and mechanics of soft materials and structures.
Dr. Eoin A. King, NUI Galway
Dr. Eoin King is Lecturer of Mechanical Engineering at NUI Galway. He has extensive experience in the
areas of acoustics, noise control, transportation and urban sustainability. He is currently Managing Editor
of Noise/News International, a quarterly publication from the International Institute of Noise Control
Engineering.
He is a member of the European Commission Noise Expert Group, and in the past has served as member
of the Board of the Institute of Noise Control Engineering (USA), and the International WELL Building
Institute’s Sound Concept Advisory Panel.
He is author/co-author of more than 70 academic journal papers, book chapters, conference papers and re-
ports, including one book. He holds a B.A. B.A.I. Mechanical Engineering (2003), Postgraduate Diploma
in Statistics (2007) and PhD (2008) in Environmental Acoustics all from Trinity College Dublin, Ireland.
Following EU postdoctoral research on noise assessment and control, he established a start-up noise and
vibration consulting company before moving to the only US university that offers specialist undergraduate
programs in acoustics and music.
c American Society for Engineering Education, 2021The Transition from In-Person to Online Classes Abstract Presently, online learning environments are more prevalent than ever before. In Spring 2020, all universities in the United States and many other parts of the world switched from in-person to online instruction. At the University of Hartford, some classes were held through live video conferencing environments (Synchronous), and some others were taught by recorded materials (Asynchronous). In this study, we present survey results on students’ perception of the transition to online learning. Surveys were conducted on two synchronous and two asynchronous engineering courses. The survey's goal was to allow students to share their challenges and overall experiences of the transition. Another goal of the survey was to ask students’ opinions on how certain features of the online classes impacted their learning. The specified features for the synchronous lectures were: (1) live discussions, questions, and answers; (2) connecting with the class on a regular basis; (3) receiving lessons at certain times of the week; and (4) keeping pace with the live lectures on a virtual environment. For the asynchronous lecture, the features were: 1) online videos and discussions, questions and answers via email/blackboard; 2) not being connected with the class in a live setting; 3) flexibility in accessing the lectures at any time; and 4) keeping pace with the recorded videos. In addition to discussing the survey results, refinement methods are proposed to address the challenges and issues indicated by students. Although this is a case study, the survey data results denote some aspects of each instruction mode that might generate some insights for online classes. 1. Introduction The term online learning was first used in 1995 when the web-based system WebCT was developed as the first Leaning Management System (LMS), later known as Blackboard [1]. For nearly two decades, online teaching and learning has been part of higher education as one of a number of available instruction modes [2]. Since spring 2020, however, online education has been the mainstream throughout higher education due to the coronavirus pandemic, and has in fact enabled the higher education institutions to remain functioning [3, 4]. Some of the most popular online instruction platforms that have changed the form of education system across the world since the pandemic are Zoom, Cisco WebEx, Google Meet, Blackboard Learn, MS Teams, YouTube Videos, and many more. Educators and students both have found themselves obligated to embrace the digital learning tools as a means to accomplish their learning goals [5, 6]. Some classes have been primarily utilizing live video conferencing environments (Synchronous), and some others have been mainly relying on pre-recorded materials (Asynchronous) [7]. Interestingly, it is a prevalent speculation that the pedagogical shift from traditional approaches would be rather permanent, and that it would not be easy to manage the educational scenario of post-pandemic without using the digital tools [5]. The extent to which online teaching has been adopted has reached the point that faculty, most likely, cannot just opt out of it [3]. Hence, it is
very important to look into students’ perceptions on online teaching-learning, and explore ideas for addressing the challenges [8, 9]. In this study, survey results on students’ perception of the transition from in-person to online instruction, for synchronous and asynchronous instruction modes, are presented. In addition to discussing the survey results, refinement methods are presented that suggest ideas for addressing some of the challenges and issues indicated by students. 2. Implementation of Online Teaching-Learning In spring 2020, in the face of the covid-19 pandemic, the shared vision of the education system agreed on switching to online instruction in order to fulfill the educational needs. At the mechanical engineering department of the University of Hartford, some instructors switched to online synchronous instruction by holding live lectures remotely using videoconferencing platforms. In some other classes, lectures were presented to students through instructors’ video recordings, referred to as online asynchronous. In the online synchronous courses surveyed in this study, the lectures were held remotely via WebEx, and recordings of the live lectures were uploaded in Blackboard for those who missed the classes due to some unavoidable circumstances. Students also occasionally communicated with their instructor outside of the class time via email or WebEx videoconferencing. Exams and assignments were administered in Blackboard. In the asynchronous courses, the lectures were recorded by the instructor and posted to Blackboard prior to the scheduled class time. The instructor was available via WebEx during class time, and students were encouraged to participate for asking questions and clearing doubts. Exams and assignments were assigned and collected through Blackboard. 3. Survey Results Surveys were designed and conducted at the end of the spring 2020 semester with the goal of assessing students’ perception of the transition from in-person to online learning for each of the synchronous and asynchronous delivery modes. Students in a sophomore-level course and a junior-level course (Mechanics of Materials and Machine Design respectively), were surveyed for the online synchronous lecture. For the online asynchronous lecture, the survey was conducted in a sophomore-level course (Statics), and a junior-level course (Engineering Acoustics). It must be noted that the authors did not modify any of the instruction modes to serve the goal of the surveys. Thus, the choice of courses for each survey, particularly the asynchronous lecture, was limited by the present delivery formats. Surveys were anonymous and voluntary. The number of survey participants versus the class population in each course, is presented in Table 1.
Table 1. Information on the Number of Students in Class and Participants in the Survey for Each Course
Mechanics of Engineering
Machine Design Statics
Mterials Acoustics
Class Population
15 15 10 22
Survey Participants
13 14 5 13
3.1.Survey Results on Online Synchronous Instruction
For the online synchronous courses surveyed in this study, students were asked about the impact
of the following aspects of online instruction on their learning experience: (1) live discussions,
questions and answers, (2) connecting with the class on a regular basis, (3) receiving lessons at
certain times of the week, and (4) keeping pace with the live lectures on a virtual environment.
Each student responded to the survey statements on a scale of 1 to 3 (1 negative impact, 2 no
impact, and 3 positive impact). The average results of the survey statements for 27 student
participants are presented in Table 2.
Table 2. Quantitative Survey Responses
Survey Statement Average Score
Live discussions, questions and answers 2.33
Connecting with the class on a regular basis 2.56
Receiving lessons at certain times of the week 2.33
Keeping pace with the live lectures on a virtual
2.11
environment
Students were also encouraged to share their comments on each of the survey statements, and
their overall feedback on the online learning experience. Presented in Table 3 are some excerpts
from students’ comments regarding adaption to the online learning. Students’ qualitative
responses were selected such that content overlap is avoided.
Table 3. Qualitative Survey Responses
Survey Statement Students’ Comments
Live discussion is fine but working out an
Live discussions, questions and example live is very complicated to follow
answers I found it very hard to concentrate by just
having to stare at a computer screen.Table 3 (continued)
I feel like we lose the ability to help each
other with homework outside of class. I would
often see people at library but since being
home and nothing having peoples contact,
Connecting with the class on a
makes it much more challenging.
regular basis
It’s very difficult to connect with everyone
when using online classes. When in person
it’s easy to just stop the teacher after class and
ask questions but with online its more difficult
It helped to keep routine as well as students
accountable to still attend at usual time.
Receiving remote lessons at certain I liked the live lecturers compared to the
times of the week recorded ones I had in other classes
Makes following along easier
kept me on track
Due to internet, my connection would cut and
it would be hard to keep up with the lecture
I have too many distractions is my house so it
Keeping pace with the live lectures
has been difficult to stay focused
on a virtual environment
I think it’s hard when we have to follow
beneath a camera. Especially since the
instructor can't see how we are keeping up in
taking notes
The learning experience has changed
dramatically. I'm more productive at school
Overall I was able to learn the material and
Overall feedback
participate easily
It's not as good as in person but the current
format is probably as good as it can get
3.2.Survey Results on Online Asynchronous Instruction
For the online asynchronous courses surveyed, students were asked about the impact of the
following aspects of online instruction on their learning experience: 1) online videos and
discussions, questions and answers via email/blackboard; 2) not being connected with the class
in a live setting; 3) flexibility in accessing the lectures at any time; and 4) keeping pace with the
recorded videos. Each student responded to the survey statements on a scale of 1 to 3 (1 negative
impact, 2 no impact, and 3 positive impact). The average results of the survey statements for 18
student participants are presented in Table 4.Table 4. Quantitative Survey Responses
Survey Statement Average Score
Online videos and discussions questions and answers
2.5
via email/blackboard
Not being connected with the class in a live setting 1.22
Flexibility in accessing the lectures at any time 2.56
Keeping pace with the recorded videos 2.5
Similar to the survey on synchronous classes, students were encouraged to share their comments
on each of the survey statements, and also an overall feedback on their online learning
experience. Presented in Table 5 are some excerpts from students’ comments regarding adaption
to the online learning.
Table 5. Qualitative Survey Responses
Survey Statement Students’ Comments
It has advantages and disadvantages. The
advantage is time management i.e. I can listen
Online videos, and discussions to the lecture videos at my own pace and time.
questions and answers via The disadvantage is that I really hate sitting in
email/blackboard front of the computer for a long time and if
there are any doubt I can't clarify immediately
as it will be during class
Being restricted to emails or WebEx chat
Not being connected with the class
boxes to ask questions felt very limiting in
in a live setting
terms of expressing my inquiries
It depends on the class. For this class I feel as
though it is good to be able to do it on my
own time. For other classes I am enrolled in
currently, I feel as though it would be a
negative impact to have to watch lectures on
my own time. I like that during the lectures to
watch on our own time I can pause it if I need
it to be slowed down or I can re-watch parts
Flexibility in accessing the lectures that I didn't understand at first
at any time
I feel it’s easier for me to have a routine to go
by and with scheduled lectures, it's easier to
keep one. With no real set time to do watch
the lectures students could wait till the last
minute or just skip lecture without
repercussionsTable 5 (continued)
Very good videos. Easy to follow and not
Keeping pace with the recorded painful to watch. The videos flowed really
videos well and had a good mix of lecture and
example problems
I do like online classes. It’s helping me to use
more Technical, and to get a big experience
on that
I enjoyed it as an overall but miss the human
Overall feedback interaction. Some positives about it is that I
can do work on my own time in the comfort
of my own home but a negative of that is I’m
in my home which makes me feel like I’m not
actually “in” school
3.3.Comparison of Survey Results for the Two Instruction Modes
Demonstrated in Figure 1 is a summary of the comparison between synchronous versus
asynchronous instruction survey results on the impact of: (1) lecture presentation and
discussions; (2) connecting with the class; (3) managing and accessing the lectures; (4) keeping
pace with the instructor.
Figure 1. Comparison between Synchronous versus Asynchronous Instruction Survey ResultsIt is hard to compare the two instruction modes’ effectiveness based on the presented survey results due to some challenges, including the small sample size and the surveys being implemented on different classes with different instructors and student populations. However, the quantitative survey responses accompanied by the qualitative student feedback might suggest the following: (1) some students prefer the flexibility that recorded videos provide in accessing the lecture at any time, and some students prefer to maintain a routine by attending live lecture sessions; (2) in addition to minimizing the negative impact of technical difficulties, recorded videos are preferred in terms of allowing students to learn with their own pace; and (3) live lecture sessions outperform in connecting the students with one another and the instructor. 4. Provisional Refinements to Address Challenges Faced by Students in Online Learning Students’ survey responses, overall, suggest the following challenges in comparison with face- to-face instruction: (1) students feel less motivated to collaborate on assignments, (2) it is more difficult for students to follow the lecture and not get distracted, and (3) it is more difficult for students to connect with each other. Presented below are tentative approaches to address these challenges to some extent. To motivate students’ interaction and collaboration on projects and adapt the assignments with online settings, a set of modeling assignments can be embedded into the online courses. The instruction materials for the assignments administered by the authors are supplied from online resourses and supplemented by the instructor’s recorded demonstrations. The implementation of these assignments are combined with scaffolding approach [10, 11] by breaking down the projects into subtasks and providing periodic and frequent feedback; where the last subtask is to compile the results and submit them as a technical report. All submissions are made online via Blackboard. This assignment/assessment method could improve students’ critical thinking and their interactions with other students and the instructor throughout their learning path. It will also promote the following key elements of high-impact practices (HIPs) suggested by the Association of American Colleges and Universities: significant investment of time and effort by students over an extended period of time; interactions with faculty and peers about substantive matters; frequent timely and constructive feedback; periodic, structured opportunities to reflect and integrate learning; and opportunities to discover the relevance of learning through real-world application. An example of modeling assignment currently developed for the Machine Design course is the simulation of shaft deflection using finite element analysis (FEA). Students’ engagement throughout the remote lectures could be enhanced by increasing the visual, animation, and video content of the lectures to facilitate a more dynamic demonstration of the phenomena being instructed. Authors are improving the lectures’ visuals by many ways such as incorporating a video at the beginning of each topic that highlights its real-life significance, to develop students’ interest in the subject matter. If applicable, an animation is then demonstrated during the topic to facilitate students’ deeper understanding of the content. For instance, during the fatigue subject in Machine Design, an animation is presented on fatigue crack growth in a steel plate under bending, demonstrating the stress contours around the crack. The impact of presenting videos on students’ engagement, and the best practices for effectively incorporating
videos into lectures in higher education has been extensively investigated by Carmichael et. al. [12]. Finally, to enhance students’ connection with their peers and the instructor, discussion boards can be created on the online learning management system on multiple open-ended topics throughout the semester. For example, in Machine Design course, a number of applications requiring gears are denoted in the discussion board, and students are asked to discuss what type of gear suits each application the best, and why. The effectiveness of discussion boards on students’ engagement has been previously suggested and investigated by educators in medical [6] and social sciences [13, 14]. The refinement plans specified above could enhance students’ active learning and their engagement level in the course. Besides, they are all applicable in face-to-face course format as well. The success of the refinements would be measured using student surveys. The modeling assignments can be additionally assessed by a skills rubric that looks into students’ modeling proficiency, writing communication skills, and analytical thinking ability. The authors are currently including these recommendations in the current online classes and hope to write a follow-up paper that focuses on the effectiveness of the proposed approaches. Conclusion In this study, we present survey results on students’ perception of the transition from in-person to online, for the synchronous and asynchronous instruction modes. The survey's goal was to allow students to share their challenges and overall experiences. Another goal of the survey was to ask students’ opinions on how certain features of the online classes impacted their learning. The quantitative survey responses accompanied by the qualitative student feedback might suggest the following regarding the comparison between synchronous and asynchronous instruction modes: (1) some students prefer the flexibility that recorded videos provide in accessing the lecture at any time, and some students prefer to maintain a routine by attending live lecture sessions; (2) in addition to minimizing the negative impact of technical difficulties, recorded videos are preferred in terms of allowing students to learn with their own pace; and (3) live lecture sessions outperform in connecting the students with one another and the instructor. Students’ feedback also suggests some challenges regarding the transition from in-person to online, irrespective of the instruction mode. Those include: (1) students feel less motivated to collaborate on assignments, (2) it is more difficult for students to follow the lecture and not get distracted, and (3) it is more difficult for students to connect with each other. Finally, refinement methods are presented that suggest ideas for addressing some of the challenges and issues indicated by students. Acknowledgement This study was supported by the University of Hartford Innovative Remote/Hybrid Pedagogy grant.
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