Open AccessONE MONTH BEFORE THE PANDEMIC: STUDENTS’ PREFERENCES FOR FLEXIBLE LEARNING AND WHAT WE CAN LEARN
Author(s) -
Martina Feldhammer-Kahr,
Stefan Dreisiebner,
Martin Arendasy,
Manuela Paechter
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
psychological applications and trends
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Conference proceedings
ISSN - 2184-3414
DOI - 10.36315/2021inpact039
Subject(s) - active listening , mathematics education , psychology , covid-19 , online learning , computer science , pedagogy , multimedia , medicine , disease , communication , pathology , infectious disease (medical specialty)
"Flexible learning has been associated with e-learning, even before the COVID-19 pandemic. Flexible learning gives the students large degrees of freedom to learn what, when, how and where they want. The aim of this study was to evaluate students’ preferences in e-learning and traditional classroom teaching, and was conducted from October 2019 to January 2020. Students from four courses were assigned randomly to two groups, an online and a classroom group. The study included two phases: three lectures by the lecturer (podcasts vs. classroom) and seven classroom units with student presentations and discussions. Performance and different personal characteristics and attitudes of 93 students were examined. Knowledge on the course topic was measured before the first lecture took place (t1), after the three lectures (t2) and after the following seven units (t3). Statistical analyses found no performance differences between the two groups (online/classroom); this held true for all three points in time. All students appreciated the opportunity of an intermediate exam at t2 (a change in comparison to former courses on the topic). Qualitative data showed that students felt a need for interaction with their colleagues and the lecturer, which they decided could be better fulfilled in the classroom, whereas the flexible learning setting had advantages for the exam preparation (e.g. repeating listening to the podcasts, taking breaks and learning tempo). Students’ arguments fit well to previous literature. Altogether, the study gives valuable insights into the didactic design of flexible learning."