Preface

Over time, e-learning has evolved and changed the landscape of teaching and learning at all levels of education. Emerging learning technologies have made e-learning very diverse in its forms and applications in education, training, and life-long learning. It has created indispensable opportunities to support face-to-face, blended, hybrid, or online courses. Due to the digital transformation of everyday practice, the process of education has become more complicated yet still accessible for diverse groups of learners. The role of teachers has become more complex, as teachers are no longer the only sources of information and knowledge for their students. Formally or informally, educators need to help learners develop new competencies and prepare them for the unknown future in the fast-growing and evolving labour market. The new generations of digital natives are growing up with a set of skills in engaging with the digital world. Blended learning and open and distance learning (ODL) approaches are increasingly being used and becoming the norm in formal, nonformal, and informal educational programmes across the globe. Therefore, to facilitate continuous improvements, flexibility, and accessibility in e-learning and digital education, it is essential to understand the challenges and opportunities by exploring current theories, policies, and practices.

Though this book was planned before the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, the effects and impacts of this global crisis on the global education system is reflected in different chapters. During the pandemic, the education sector worldwide has faced unprecedented disruption, which has created a situation in which addressing learning loss and inequality has become paramount. This is affecting the rapidly changing landscape of education and digital transformation. Emergency remote education has forced educators and learners to adopt blended, distance, and hybrid teaching and learning approaches as the "new normal" practice. Therefore, in the context of emergency remote education, teaching and learning constitute a serious challenge for both educators and learners to adopt new teaching and learning strategies to attain effective educational outcomes. Different chapters in this book reflect on the challenges educators and learners face during their transition to the next "new normal."

This book includes fourteen chapters written by academics from different parts of the world based on their own practice and research. It consists of four sections: "E-Learning,"; "Blended Learning"; "Education in Emergencies"; and "Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic."

### Section 1: E-Learning

Chapter 1, "Knotworking as an Analytical Tool for Designing E-Learning While Targeting Industry Competence Needs," outlines challenges and opportunities for teachers in higher education in designing e-learning courses targeting practitioners' development of competency in production technology knowledge. Teachers are challenged to develop up-to-date learning material and digitize learning tasks such as virtual labs and machine-related cases that align with workplace knowledge needs. Design work used for campus-based education is argued to be insufficient

to meet online education while targeting industry competence requirements. Teachers and practitioners are in a transformative process when they engage in mutual design work that encompasses a new blended learning situation. In this process, a new target group of experienced practitioners and workplace demands within smart manufacturing. The theoretical concept of knotworking is applied to shed light on the complexity of designing courses for work-integrated e-learning, aiming to enhance professional competence. Based on a longitudinal competence development project, this chapter analyzes the design practice of an e-learning course through the knotworking concept for understanding learning and practices across professional boundaries.

Chapter 2, "Using E-Learning Platform for Enhancing Teaching and Learning in the Field of Social Work at Sultan Qaboos University, Oman," explores the issue of e-learning as a helpful method in higher education institutes in general, and specifically, in the field of social work education in Oman. Based on a study carried out at Sultan Qaboos University, it presents the knowledge and attitudes of students towards reliance on the e-learning platforms, such as Moodle, as a helpful educational tool. It highlights that Moodle as an e-learning platform enhances communication between teachers and students, and among students themselves. Findings illustrate the usefulness of Moodle and the different challenges social work students face using Moodle in their learning. Finally, it offers recommendations to deal with the challenges and highlights implications of the study beyond social work education.

Chapter 3, "The Impact of Online Learning Strategies on Students' Academic Performance," shows how the COVID-19 pandemic has imposed a virtual learning world that involves students in engaging and participating in online lectures and information. It also forced teachers to adopt a new teaching approach to deliver the curriculum content and new means of evaluating students' personal skills and learning experience. This chapter explores and assesses online teaching and learning approaches and their impact on students' academic achievement, as well as students' research strategies with a focus on students' main source of information viz. library online consultation, and the collaboration with their peers. Descriptive and parametric analyses are conducted to identify the impact of these new factors on students' academic performance. It shows to what extent the students' online learning has or has not led to any remarkable improvements in their academic achievements and, whether, to any substantial changes in their e-learning competence.

Chapter 4, "A Model of the Continual Adaptive Online Knowledge Assessment System," presents a model of a novel adaptive online knowledge assessment system and tests the efficiency of its implementation. The system enables continual and cumulative knowledge assessment, comprised of a sequence of at least two interconnected assessments, carried out over a reasonably long period of time. Important characteristics of the system are: (a) introduction of new course topics in every subsequent assessment, (b) re-assessment of earlier course topics in every subsequent assessment iteration, and (c) an adaptive manner based on student's achievements during previous assessments. Personalized post-assessment feedback guides each student in preparations for upcoming assessments. The efficiency of the program was tested on a sample of 78 students and the results show that the proposed adaptive system is efficient on an individual learning goal level.

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Section 2: Blended Learning

Chapter 5, "Blended Learning in Higher Education: Faculty Perspective through the Lens of the Planned Behaviour Theory," illustrates how a particular university tried to implement blended learning approaches. The theory of Planned Behaviour has been used to develop a sound conceptual framework for probing faculty members' intentions and their antecedents. In the responses of 114 faculty members, multiple regression analyses detected that attitude toward blended learning, subjective norm, and perceived control explained 73% of the intention to use blended designs for teaching purposes in the near future. The chapter also establishes that pre-lockdown e-learning practices remained rather basic. It concludes that a better knowledge of what can facilitate or impair the diffusion of blended learning is of importance for

Chapter 6, "Mainstreaming Blended Learning in a Low-Income University," shows how Manseno University (MU), Kenya, adapted a blended learning approach to provide emergency remote education. The university was able to draw from its experience with adapted flexible and blended learning (FBL) approaches for common high-enrollment courses already offered to students on the Learning Management System (LMS). The university sought assistance from schools and departments that already had parts of their programmes running on the LMS. They were able to tap into their expertise and gain access to a valuable collection of resources about online distance teaching and learning (ODTL). That, in turn, assisted the university to develop online or blended versions of its regular face-to-face (F2F) courses that far surpassed expectations, judging from how well their courses performed, and

Chapter 7, "Using Synchronous vs. Asynchronous Methods during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Malaysia: Preservice and In-Service Teachers' Perspectives," describes the perspectives of teachers about synchronous and asynchronous methods of teaching during the pandemic. It presents preservice and in-service teachers' views on using synchronous versus asynchronous teaching and learning methods during the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia. It presents data collected from three groups of preservice teachers and one group of in-service teachers from three different courses in one teacher education university in Malaysia. Implementation of the e-learning approaches including synchronous and asynchronous sessions was planned carefully based on the course learning outcomes. Important elements such as identification of the learning platform, delivering and conveying information to preservice teachers about the e-learning activities, assessment strategies, attendance, and students'

Chapter 8, "STEAME Model in Action: Challenges and Solutions in Mastering the Digital Culture," discusses how the STEAME Model could be used. An essential part of the new digital competencies lies in the interconnected fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). For students to obtain them, a variety of learning approaches must be applied in an interdisciplinary educational environment and digital culture. Furthermore, to provide students with more holistic understanding, the concepts of Arts are integrated with STEM to become STEAM education. This chapter presents an extended education model taking STEM and STEAM to the next level and bringing the Entrepreneurship discipline into the mix to create an integrated STEAME curriculum. This chapter presents an

higher-education institutions and their staff training efforts.

prepare for emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

reflection were taken into consideration.

### Section 2: Blended Learning

Chapter 5, "Blended Learning in Higher Education: Faculty Perspective through the Lens of the Planned Behaviour Theory," illustrates how a particular university tried to implement blended learning approaches. The theory of Planned Behaviour has been used to develop a sound conceptual framework for probing faculty members' intentions and their antecedents. In the responses of 114 faculty members, multiple regression analyses detected that attitude toward blended learning, subjective norm, and perceived control explained 73% of the intention to use blended designs for teaching purposes in the near future. The chapter also establishes that pre-lockdown e-learning practices remained rather basic. It concludes that a better knowledge of what can facilitate or impair the diffusion of blended learning is of importance for higher-education institutions and their staff training efforts.

Chapter 6, "Mainstreaming Blended Learning in a Low-Income University," shows how Manseno University (MU), Kenya, adapted a blended learning approach to provide emergency remote education. The university was able to draw from its experience with adapted flexible and blended learning (FBL) approaches for common high-enrollment courses already offered to students on the Learning Management System (LMS). The university sought assistance from schools and departments that already had parts of their programmes running on the LMS. They were able to tap into their expertise and gain access to a valuable collection of resources about online distance teaching and learning (ODTL). That, in turn, assisted the university to develop online or blended versions of its regular face-to-face (F2F) courses that far surpassed expectations, judging from how well their courses performed, and prepare for emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chapter 7, "Using Synchronous vs. Asynchronous Methods during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Malaysia: Preservice and In-Service Teachers' Perspectives," describes the perspectives of teachers about synchronous and asynchronous methods of teaching during the pandemic. It presents preservice and in-service teachers' views on using synchronous versus asynchronous teaching and learning methods during the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia. It presents data collected from three groups of preservice teachers and one group of in-service teachers from three different courses in one teacher education university in Malaysia. Implementation of the e-learning approaches including synchronous and asynchronous sessions was planned carefully based on the course learning outcomes. Important elements such as identification of the learning platform, delivering and conveying information to preservice teachers about the e-learning activities, assessment strategies, attendance, and students' reflection were taken into consideration.

Chapter 8, "STEAME Model in Action: Challenges and Solutions in Mastering the Digital Culture," discusses how the STEAME Model could be used. An essential part of the new digital competencies lies in the interconnected fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). For students to obtain them, a variety of learning approaches must be applied in an interdisciplinary educational environment and digital culture. Furthermore, to provide students with more holistic understanding, the concepts of Arts are integrated with STEM to become STEAM education. This chapter presents an extended education model taking STEM and STEAM to the next level and bringing the Entrepreneurship discipline into the mix to create an integrated STEAME curriculum. This chapter presents an

integrated STEAME curriculum model, methodology for its implementation, and STEAME classroom and environment design as a new education approach to tackle the challenges of the development of skills for the 21st century.

### Section 3: Education in Emergencies

Chapter 9, "Education in Emergencies, Mental Wellbeing and E-Learning," highlights the importance of education in emergencies and how a situation like the COVID-19 pandemic creates challenges alongside opportunities to learn for personal and professional development as well as to ensure the mental wellbeing of individuals through e-learning. By exploring the literature, it draws on different perspectives regarding the issues related to effectiveness in handling education and learning in an emergency in addition to preparedness for post and future emergencies. It also reflects on educational professionals' work with students during this pandemic, that is, how educational professionals report on their adaptation journey and how the pandemic impacted the ability to serve and engage learners. From the professionals' best practices to assist students in being successful to online education or hybrid teaching and learning formats, many opportunities arose to shape and reform education for a better future and transform the process of lifelong learning. This chapter also outlines strategies, in general, for the education sector, and in particular, institutions and individuals to be better prepared for future emergencies through the opportunities e-learning offers.

Chapter 10, "Emergency Remote Teaching during COVID-19 Pandemic: Roles of Educators in Malaysia," investigates the roles of educators in one public higher learning institution in Malaysia during emergency remote teaching during the COVID-19 outbreak. It shows that educators were ready to embark on transformative emergency remote teaching. However, they were not sure of the differences between emergency remote teaching and online teaching; these two have different pedagogical approaches. This chapter also shows that educators were able to use appropriate platforms and applications during the pandemic; however, they did not have ample time to study other platforms and applications. It was assumed that some educators have various options to choose from but may lack the knowledge and understanding of how these options work best. The chapter concludes that in accepting the new normal in teaching and learning, educators must be open to new and creative strategies to engage students during emergency remote teaching and learning.

Chapter 11, "Developing Professionals: Experience from a Distance Learning Short Course during the COVID-19 Pandemic," discusses the development and delivery of distance education (DE) courses "stricto sensu" in nursing to strengthen training processes in this area to sensitize critical and reflective professional performance. It highlights the experience of master's students of the Academic Master's Course in Nursing at the Regional University of Cariri, Ceará, Brazil, in the construction and tutoring of a course in the DE modality. Findings show that the experience was positive in the sense of teaching practices, which emerged collectively through discussions and the exchange of knowledge between professors and students in a planned and organized way.

Section 4: Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Chapter 12, "Impact of COVID-19 on Dental Education," focuses on the impact of the pandemic on dental education. People who are in close contact with COVID-19

**VII**

activities.

challenges with online learning.

patients, including dental students and teaching staff, are at increased risk of contamination, as they work close to the oral cavity of patients and have direct contact with salivary fluids in closed environments. As such, social isolation and distancing measures have been adopted by governments, with severe restrictions on dental education. This chapter discusses the impact of COVID-19 on dental education and the role of emergency remote education in the continuity of

face-to-face classes and preclinical and clinical education. It also recommends how to address the challenges and the Brazilian reality of teaching-service-community

Chapter 13, "Together Apart during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Assessing Students' Readiness for Online Assessments Using an E-Learning System," focuses on students' readiness for online assessment. This chapter evaluates students' level of e-learning readiness (e-readiness) and whether it had any effect on their performance in the final assessment. Findings show two-thirds of the cohort preferred the online modality, while only one-third had acceptable levels of e-learning readiness. E-learning–ready students felt the disruption in their study routine most, while those who were not e-ready found more time to study after the curfew restrictions were in place. E-learning–ready students attempted their final online assessment earlier than those who were not yet e-ready, but the two groups had similar assessment grades. This chapter concludes that evaluating students' level of e-readiness is vital in providing support for those who have

Chapter 14, "Transnational Education and E-Learning during a Pandemic: Challenges, Opportunities, and Future," explores the challenges of transnational education (TNE). While TNE is becoming increasingly popular as a provision for internationally recognised education at the doorstep of students, the temporary shift from the traditional classroom to remote online teaching and learning caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging for all stakeholders. This shift has also raised significant challenges of both equity and pedagogy. However, given the current crisis in higher education, TNE can be a cornerstone in rebuilding the post–COVID-19 international education system. Based on a systematic literature review and information gathered informally from various stakeholders, this chapter explores the challenges faced by the TNE programmes and discusses the opportunities and future impacts in teaching, learning, and student support as the post–COVID-19 educational landscape emerges. It also provides insight into how a sustainable transnational learning community can be developed for the quality and

sustainability of international higher education in the post–COVID-19 era.

All the chapters included in this book are the works of academics who carried out research related to e-learning and digital education. Technological innovations and digital transformation have enhanced practitioners' experiences of teaching and learning practices and created new spaces for learning in the 21st century.

> **M. Mahruf C. Shohel** Doctoral College, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom

patients, including dental students and teaching staff, are at increased risk of contamination, as they work close to the oral cavity of patients and have direct contact with salivary fluids in closed environments. As such, social isolation and distancing measures have been adopted by governments, with severe restrictions on dental education. This chapter discusses the impact of COVID-19 on dental education and the role of emergency remote education in the continuity of face-to-face classes and preclinical and clinical education. It also recommends how to address the challenges and the Brazilian reality of teaching-service-community activities.

Chapter 13, "Together Apart during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Assessing Students' Readiness for Online Assessments Using an E-Learning System," focuses on students' readiness for online assessment. This chapter evaluates students' level of e-learning readiness (e-readiness) and whether it had any effect on their performance in the final assessment. Findings show two-thirds of the cohort preferred the online modality, while only one-third had acceptable levels of e-learning readiness. E-learning–ready students felt the disruption in their study routine most, while those who were not e-ready found more time to study after the curfew restrictions were in place. E-learning–ready students attempted their final online assessment earlier than those who were not yet e-ready, but the two groups had similar assessment grades. This chapter concludes that evaluating students' level of e-readiness is vital in providing support for those who have challenges with online learning.

Chapter 14, "Transnational Education and E-Learning during a Pandemic: Challenges, Opportunities, and Future," explores the challenges of transnational education (TNE). While TNE is becoming increasingly popular as a provision for internationally recognised education at the doorstep of students, the temporary shift from the traditional classroom to remote online teaching and learning caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging for all stakeholders. This shift has also raised significant challenges of both equity and pedagogy. However, given the current crisis in higher education, TNE can be a cornerstone in rebuilding the post–COVID-19 international education system. Based on a systematic literature review and information gathered informally from various stakeholders, this chapter explores the challenges faced by the TNE programmes and discusses the opportunities and future impacts in teaching, learning, and student support as the post–COVID-19 educational landscape emerges. It also provides insight into how a sustainable transnational learning community can be developed for the quality and sustainability of international higher education in the post–COVID-19 era.

All the chapters included in this book are the works of academics who carried out research related to e-learning and digital education. Technological innovations and digital transformation have enhanced practitioners' experiences of teaching and learning practices and created new spaces for learning in the 21st century.

> **M. Mahruf C. Shohel** Doctoral College, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
