Articles

Distance Learning and Challenges of Technologies by Students in Uganda

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This study was conducted to examine the challenges students face in Uganda when it comes to distance learning. Uganda is a developing country and this has put a strain on the resources available to students in terms of access to technology. Therefore, this study looks to understand the challenges that students in Uganda have experienced in the shift to distance learning and the strategies that students have used to cope. A non-probability sampling technique of snowball was used to identify initial participants who meet the research criteria. In all, thirty (30) students across all levels of education in Kampala district were selected. The results showed that the majority of students reported experiencing some form of challenges related to distance learning. The most commonly reported challenges were technical problems with the learning platform and lack of access to the internet. The results of this study can inform policy decisions to better equip students and teachers for effective teaching-learning program across various educational institutions.

Exploring challenges of online learning in the context of Ba Ria – Vung Tau University by English Major students

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This study aims to find out challenges of English major students in conducting online learning at Ba Ria – Vung Tau University (BVU). The research results were found by analyzing quantitative data by introducing survey to 160 English major students; the qualitative data was summarized by 15 English major students and 10 teachers from the interview. The results revealed many difficulties by the evaluation and perception of both students and teachers. The aspect of support is the highest while the lowest belonged to the challenges in aspect of the environment. Meanwhile, the challenges in aspect of collaboration were at the second position and the third position is about students’ attitude towards online learning. About challenges relating to equipment, the result was at the fourth position. Additionally, further discussions and recommendations on challenges that English major students encountered during online learning were also proposed.

Exploring WhatsApp as Teaching and Learning Activities during Covid-19/New Normal era: A Semiotic Technology Analysis

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In the landscape of modern education, the integration of technology, particularly within language learning, has gained substantial scholarly attention. Among digital platforms, WhatsApp has undergone a notable transformation, evolving from a basic messaging application to a versatile social hub. Its role expanded significantly during the Covid-19 pandemic, becoming a pivotal tool for online teaching and learning activities, prevalent not only in higher education but also across secondary levels. While existing studies have predominantly focused on user interaction within WhatsApp, limited attention has been directed toward the technical aspects or the application’s usage in the teaching and learning process. This research aims to comprehensively explore WhatsApp’s potential as a facilitator for English language studies, employing a semiotic multimodal analysis approach guided by Poulsen’s seminal work on semiotic technology. The study delves into WhatsApp’s intricate network of semiotic resources, semiotic regimes, and interactions, unveiling the complex interplay between language elements, multimodal features, and cultural aspects within this digital realm. Through the lens of semiotics, multimodal studies, and social semiotics, this investigation endeavors to offer a holistic understanding of WhatsApp’s use as an educational tool, shedding light on its multifaceted role in contemporary educational contexts.

A Descriptive Study to Assess the Impact of Online Teaching on Perception of Parents among School Going Students in Education and Health During Covid-19

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Introduction: Online teaching has widely promoted during COVID-19 pandemic to continue education among students. The study explores the Parents perception that the critical implication of e-learning in improving the nature of students “learning is making them synchronized or lined up with present day students. The aim of the study was to evaluate the parents perception of online teaching among school going students in education and health during COVID-19 pandemic.

Materials and methods: cross sectional study was carried out with 75 samples that met the inclusion criteria were selected using convenience sampling technique. Questionnaires was used to collect the data among participants which contains demographic variables, education and health regarding online teaching during COVID-19.

Result: The findings of the study reveals that there is significantly association with the level of parents perception on online teaching among school going students in education during COVID-19 at p<0.05 with selected demographic variables, and there is no significant association with the level of parents perception on online teaching among school going students in health during COVID-19.

Conclusion: findings of the present study reveals that, the parents perception had a moderately favorable attitude towards online teaching among school going students. The result of this study may be utilized as a baseline for planning awareness campaigns in the future.

The Relationship between Age Groups and Perception of Online Learning

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The Coronavirus has disrupted teachings in many schools as they change from on-site learning to online learning. Although this has caused many difficulties, due to safety concerns of parents and multiple lockdown procedures, online learning is still being implemented. This led to a question of how students in different age groups perceive the benefits of online learning differently from each other. The main purpose of this study is to identify whether there is a relationship between age groups to establish direction for an opportunity to conduct future studies into the individual problems with online learning. To test this relationship, a google form was sent out as part of a cross-sectional study to online platforms, in which 253 participants from the age of 13 and above were randomly selected. To analyze the results, Statistical Product and Service Solution (SPSS) version 26 was used. The One-way ANOVA table was calculated, where it did not show any statistically significant difference between age groups in their perception of online learning (p=0.82).

Paradigm Shift towards E-Learning in Nigeria

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In almost every place in the world, the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic is pushing societies, cultures and civilizations into uncharted territories. Social systems, economic structures and to an extent, political realities are being disrupted on a scale unprecedented in human recorded history. Educational systems are no exception, with more than 1.6 billion learners forced out of traditional schooling since the beginning of the pandemic. E-learning platforms and models are thus taking the center stage, leaping out from the shadows of traditional classroom-based learning with such force that many have argued it is indeed the future of learning. This paper examines the realities of such a paradigm shift within the Nigerian context, with particular spotlight on its advantages to the educational sector, as well as challenges that may hinder the realization of these advantages and nullify potential positive impacts.