Remote Learning in Higher Education: History
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Contributor:
Józef Ober
,
Anna Kochmańska

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about a sudden transformation at universities. The previous mode of teaching has been replaced by remote education, the effectiveness of which depends, among other things, on the technological infrastructure of universities and the digital competence of lecturers and students. The study identified four dimensions (social-emotional, developmental, time-financial and negative attitude) in which students' evaluations vary. The social-emotional size of remote learning is more important for students who study remotely in a blended mode (compared to uniform). The developmental dimension is essential for students who participate in remote learning activities for longer during the day. In addition, a more extended period of remote learning promotes the greater importance of the time-financial dimension when evaluating remote knowledge. 

  • remote learning
  • quality of education
  • higher education

1. Introduction

Education has changed significantly since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 [1], bearing in mind the fact that educational institutions around the world were closed for months [2]. During the pandemic, teachers changed their pedagogical practices and also developed new teaching sequences [3]. COVID-19 caused a massive transformation in many aspects of the educational landscape [4]. Within days, there was a shift from traditional teaching to online schooling [5] due to the danger of the virus being transmitted at a very rapid pace.
Universities had no choice but to develop an agile learning mechanism to connect different geographic locations, courses, and time zones [6]. Online learning thus became an indispensable element for sustaining higher education institutions [7]. It has begun to play a major role in supporting the educational process [8]. It is also worth noting that the transition from traditional “face-to-face” training to remote learning was a completely new experience for both students and teachers, to which both sides had to adapt [9]. Although many students were familiar with the Internet resources that complemented the knowledge acquired through traditional means, they did not expect a complete and rapid change in the mode of education [10]. The new form also posed a huge challenge for teachers, as they had to develop their digital skills in accordance with universal trends and their field of knowledge [11]. As a result, this led to high levels of stress in them [12]. Thus, in order to mitigate it and prepare teachers for teaching in the online environment, professional development strategies were designed, developed, and implemented [13].
In addition, many universities were not adequately equipped with the technical or organizational infrastructure to implement such a rapid and radical change [14]. However, the situation has improved significantly over time, thanks to the use of diverse information and communication technologies. Recently, these technologies have become increasingly sophisticated, especially in the new reality brought by COVID-19 [15].
In pedagogical terms, information and communication technologies (ICTs) are defined, on the one hand, as a set of technologies that contain, store, and disseminate information [16][17] (for example, e-books, videos or databases) and, on the other hand, as technologies that are designed for short-term communication (for example, social networks and smartphones) [18].
Online platforms such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Classroom, virtual learning environments, social media, and diverse group forums, among others are used for remote learning. They are also tested to overcome the limitations of virtual education. Lecturers must work together at the institutional level to improve them [19].
There are diverse definitions of remote education. It is an alternative to desktop learning, where teaching and learning takes place through platforms, using the Internet and computers or smartphones [20]. It can also be described as a powerful platform, in a new form for both students and researchers, thanks to the availability of advanced technological tools [21]. Thus, it can be stated that remote learning uses tools that provide more innovative and flexible learning experiences [22], with a greater focus on the recipient [23].
Remote delivery of information affects many areas of learning, so its effectiveness will affect the level of knowledge in ecology, environmental protection (shaping pro-environmental attitudes of its recipients) and health, among others [24]. It is also worth mentioning that such education contributes to economic growth, sustainable development, or gender equality [25].
Although remote education has been studied extensively over the past two decades, the detailed opinions of students on such activities during the COVID-19 pandemic seem very relevant due to their impact on the education system [26]. Nowadays, many universities have recognized the importance of e-learning as a core component of their teaching system. Accordingly, further research is being conducted to understand in more detail its advantages, disadvantages, and challenges in this type of educational institution [27]. The uniqueness of the present research approach lies in the identification of the dimensions (socio-emotional, developmental, time and financial, and negative attitudes) of students’ evaluation of remote learning in higher education.

2. Remote Learning in Higher Education

In recent years, higher education institutions around the world have been experiencing rapid changes due to technological advances and social e-trends toward digitization [6]. Before the outbreak of the pandemic, universities in various countries represented varying levels when it came to the adoption of e-learning [28], even though remote learning is not an innovative educational approach. It has been integrated into higher education for many years [29]. The first educational programs based on correspondence and distance learning were initiated in the mid-19th century by the University of London. In 1873, the first official correspondence education program, known as the Society to Encourage Home Studies, was established in Boston, Massachusetts [30]. The year 1998 ushered in the growth of online programs, presented then by New York University. It is also worth mentioning here the University of Phoenix (known for conducting courses over the Internet), which began using online technology with CompuServe (an online service provider) in 1989, followed by the World Wide Web information system in 1991 [31].
As mentioned earlier, the pandemic reality forced universities to undertake efforts to make remote learning run smoothly, preventing obstacles from arising. Acting under exceptional circumstances, they have created virtual courses, using both synchronous and asynchronous forms depending on their content [32]. Although remote learning differs from traditional teaching [33], among other things, in terms of interactivity (whose deficit is caused by the absence of such important factors as social presence, social interaction and student satisfaction), it provides the opportunity for more people to continue learning [34]. What’s more, such a teaching model also shows outstanding commercial advantages [35].
Following on from earlier considerations, remote learning uses a wide range of tools that are tailored to the needs of both lecturers and learners. Moreover, many of them are free or licensed by the university [36]. These can include technology platforms [37] and applications that allow the users to create, edit, and share media files easily and quickly, without the need for storage on their device [38]. It is worth highlighting here interactive platforms such as Zoom, Skype, Google Meet or Microsoft Teams [39]. These are also referred to as video conferencing systems [40][41]. Their unquestionable advantage, in addition to the possibility of synchronous teaching, is the easy method for using them, which makes it possible to share differentiated teaching materials during the class, significantly enhancing the teaching process. In addition, numerous features allow, among other things, the creation of virtual classrooms where students can communicate with each other and perform varied tasks. They also participate in discussions monitored by the teacher [42].
WebVR technology has become an alternative to video conferencing platforms. It has made significant contribution to teaching and learning processes and provided new opportunities for interaction and collaboration through its tools. It is worth noting that it has been positively received by both listeners and lecturers [43].
One of the most valued aspects of remote education, is its flexibility in terms of time, which allows students to interact more with both lecturers and peers [11]. Asynchronous learning activities, where students learn at different times [44], on the other hand, allow for the ability to adjust the pace of learning to suit their needs. In addition, in virtual classrooms, students can access online resources and discuss with lecturers or group members anywhere [45]. Remote learning also contributes to students’ self-learning, self-education, and technological knowledge [46], increases the speed of knowledge acquisition and also develops the ability to learn and process information independently [47] through continuous learning of information and communication tools [48], and the development of digital competencies [49]. A significant advantage of remote education is also the saving of time and expenses [50] (related, among other things, to the cost of commuting) as well as the possibility of combining work with study.
In addition to the significant advantages of remote education outlined above, it also has drawbacks that affect its negative evaluation by participants in the classes. One of them is the fear of change that comes with learning new technologies. Interestingly, it can also occur in people who use computers [51]. In the group in question, it is also important to point out technical problems [52] that prevent active participation in activities. As a result of a significant reduction in social interaction [53], students may have a sense of isolation, which is further influenced by a change in the typical classroom environment [54]. Deprivation of contact with peers thus results in a loss of social ties.
Unfortunately, it also happens that many lecturers are insufficiently prepared to teach remotely [55] which affects the lack of adequate lecturer-student interaction [56]. Indeed, the behavior of teachers is an important factor that affects student engagement or lack thereof [57]. Attention should also be paid to the deterioration of students’ mental and physical health, symptoms of which include exhaustion and impaired concentration [58]. In addition, the pandemic reality promotes Internet addiction [59].

This entry is adapted from the peer-reviewed paper 10.3390/ijerph192114479

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