Distance education during the COVID-19 pandemic: experience at a public university
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56294/mw202332Keywords:
Distance education, instructional strategies, COVID-19, Information and Communications TechnologyAbstract
Objective: Evaluate the performance of distance education in the Accounting and Business Administration programs at a public university during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Methods: A quantitative, field, observational, descriptive, and cross-sectional research was conducted based on the positivism paradigm. The sample consisted of 23 professors, and was obtained through a non-probabilistic, intentional sampling. All participants met the inclusion criteria.
Results: The study results indicate that the contents achieved the intended objectives, adhered to the set timeline, and remained current. Nonetheless, 57% of the professors reported poor attendance in virtual sessions, leading to incomplete coverage of subject´s content. 100% of participants had access to a computer, while 70% reported having good Internet connectivity. The virtual classroom was the most frequently used communication tool (61%), followed by WhatsApp (5%).
Conclusion: Based on the evaluation of instructional time, professor-student communication, and student participation, the distance education process was deemed appropriate. On the other hand, professors reported differences in the use of instructional strategies, institutional resources, and learning assessment
References
1. To ensure students are familiarized with online learning, it is crucial to provide an introductory course that explains the system's operation and navigation during the course. This will contribute to increase student attendance in virtual classes and ensure compliance with the course content schedule.
2. During virtual interactions, it is suggested to divide the group of students into smaller groups to conduct shorter sessions with each one, thus achieving effective fulfillment of the set objectives.
3. It is recommended to constantly motivate active student participation during virtual sessions.
4. As 35 % of respondents reported the lack of alternative means for content publication in cases of connectivity issues, it is imperative to enhance institutional support in this regard.
5. Establishing an optimal virtual connection schedule is crucial to meet the needs of students and facilitate their active participation in classes.
6. It is recommended to encourage professors to attend training courses focused on managing and using VLEs. This will enhance their effectiveness in online teaching.
7. Providing emotional support to students is crucial to ensure the effectiveness of the learning process. The COVID-19 pandemic significant psychological impact was noticed, manifested by depressive symptoms, anxiety, and stress in the student population. Consequently, it's crucial to provide support and resources to assist students in dealing with these emotional challenges.
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Copyright (c) 2023 Carmen Rodríguez-Martínez, José Alvarez-Solano, Ariel D. Pérez-Galavís, Misael Ron (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
The article is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. Unless otherwise stated, associated published material is distributed under the same licence.
