Higher education students are attending online classes more now than ever in history. Many institutions have temporarily converted their traditional face-to-face to online classroom settings. This raises many challenges as it relates to having to rely on Computer Mediated Communication (CMC). A virtual learning survey was sent out to all First…

Among many consequences of the pandemic was an abrupt switch to virtual instruction coupled with feelings of isolation around mandated lockdowns. This situation pushed us to humanize our mathematics classes in ways we had not done previously. Our takeaway from this experience is that community building must be done intentionally and actively. The…

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) has been the subject of discussion, and in most cases, it has been seen as a threat to jobs and conventional methods of performing certain activities. As a result, concerns over the preparation of the South African educational systems for the 4IR have been raised. Many industries still lack an advanced…

The distinction between face-to-face and distant digitally-mediated educational engagement is a complex one, and the two modes are often combined in practice, via 'blended learning' or the use of a VLE [Virtual Learning Environment] to support campus-based teaching. The current COVID-19 pandemic has thrown this distinction into relief, in a…

Research exploring undergraduates' tool preferences in tertiary mathematics is currently limited. In this paper, we explore the tools mathematics and engineering students use when studying mathematics and the ways undergraduates combine these tools. Results from our survey (N = 628) showed that students in our sample use mostly their notes, the…

Disruptive technology in industrial revolution 4.0 (iR4.0) has propagated the education sector to digitalize the teaching and learning process effectively and efficiently. However, some teachers still use paper-based worksheet assessment and teaching materials in conducting their teaching. The solution offered is to provide training on applying…

This empirical study is conducted in a blended learning setting of a technology-focused private university in Bangladesh to offer a model that could help attain a comprehensive goal of blended learning. The main objectives of this study are to examine course design in a blended learning setting, strategies adopted by the course teachers to…

Given the rise of social media engagement within society, there are challenges for tutors in blended and online contexts to provide opportunities for social constructivist learning experiences within their institutional learning environments. This article proposes a module approach to teaching, learning and assessment for learners undertaking…

The intent of this case study is to understand profoundly gifted students' perceptions of virtual programs. The participants for this study were five profoundly gifted students who were enrolled in a fully virtual writing course hosted by a school that serves the profoundly gifted population. The researcher gathered data via asynchronous focus…

This chapter aims to answer some of the questions that emerge when carrying out educational ethnography in a blended learning environment. The authors first outline how Virtual Ethnography (VE) has been developed and applied by other researchers. Then, to better illustrate the approach, they describe a doctoral research project that implemented…

This paper presents a blended-learning strategy for improving the teaching method applied in the laboratory subject Manufacturing Technologies. The teaching method has been changed from a predominantly teacher-centred to an active learning system with a student-centred focus and e-learning activities. In face-to-face classes, a game-based learning…

Computer Supported Collaborative Learning literature relates high levels of collaboration to enhanced learning outcomes. However, an agreement on what is considered a high level of collaboration is unclear, especially if a qualitative approach is taken. This study describes how methods of Social Network Analysis were used to design a collaboration…

Blended learning (BL) is still in its infancy in the United Arab Emirates, but is gaining growing attention and acceptance. The particular university under investigation offers its nationally accredited graduate programs with a BL format that makes use of synchronous virtual classrooms, asynchronous self-study, and face-to-face sessions. The…

Being a teacher in the 21st century is a great challenge and requires great thought. A big evolution has happened over the last 70 years. From a room computer (the Mark I in 1943) to tiny pocket computers, thousands of times smaller and thousands of times bigger in performance and capacity. E-learning 3.0 is based on synchronous interactivity and…

Over the last decade online education has emerged as a way for students and faculty to collaborate more freely, attain greater flexibility, and utilize new media to learn. The burning debate lies in whether online educational options are harmful to traditional education or offer endless benefits necessary to accommodate a 21st century learner.…