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Moving to remote, online learning to meet health guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic posed a challenge for college science courses due to the interactive nature of laboratories. We developed and implemented a remote/in-person lab partner model where in-person students were paired with remote students in natural science courses during the 2020–2021 academic year. The goal was to provide an opportunity for students to attend lab in person, as well as an interactive lab experience for students who elected to attend remotely. Students in each course completed a questionnaire assessing their perceptions of their learning. Learning outcomes were assessed and compared between in-person and remote modalities in a general biology course. In-person students perceived that attending class in person increased their learning but that having remote partners hindered learning. Conversely, remote students perceived that attending class remotely hindered their learning overall but that having in-person partners enhanced their experience. We found that learning outcomes were not significantly different between in-person and remote students. Although the data suggest the model was not successful in its initial iteration, we provide a way to offer a remote laboratory option to make classes more inclusive and accessible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How can primary literacy teachers effectively identify, adapt, and incorporate developmentally appropriate technologies to support their students' reading development? This article reports results from a case study attempting to digitize a classroom literacy practice—close reading—for Year 2 students. It suggests that digital tools can effectively support close reading practices and students' literacy learning. Results also identify some unique affordances that digitization offers. The author provides suggestions and tips for practitioners interested in incorporating technology into their regular close reading routines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the ever-expanding online fashion market, businesses in the clothing sales sector are presented with substantial growth opportunities. To utilize this potential, it is crucial to implement effective methods for accurately identifying clothing items. This entails a deep understanding of customer preferences, niche markets, tailored sales strategies, and an improved user experience. Artificial intelligence (AI) systems that can recognize and categorize clothing items play a crucial role in achieving these objectives, empowering businesses to boost sales and gain valuable customer insights. However, the challenge lies in accurately classifying diverse attire items in a rapidly evolving fashion landscape. Variations in styles, colors, and patterns make it difficult to consistently categorize clothing. Additionally, the quality of images provided by users varies widely, and background clutter can further complicate the task of accurate classification. Existing systems may struggle to provide the level of accuracy needed to meet customer expectations. To address these challenges, a meticulous dataset preparation process is essential. This includes careful data organization, the application of background removal techniques such as the GrabCut Algorithm, and resizing images for uniformity. The proposed solution involves a hybrid approach, combining the strengths of the ResNet152 and EfficientNetB7 architectures. This fusion of techniques aims to create a classification system capable of reliably distinguishing between various clothing items. The key innovation in this study is the development of a Two-Objective Learning model that leverages the capabilities of both ResNet152 and EfficientNetB7 architectures. This fusion approach enhances the accuracy of clothing item classification. The meticulously prepared dataset serves as the foundation for this model, ensuring that it can handle diverse clothing items effectively. The proposed methodology promises a novel approach to image identification and feature extraction, leading to impressive classification accuracy of 94%, coupled with stability and robustness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A strategic priority for university educators is to ensure graduates have developed a range of transferable skills. An important skill required by employers is the development of digital capabilities. The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the move of courses into blended formats which provided an opportunity for educators to redesign their modules to embed digital skills. During this challenging context, the Biological Sciences Department at Royal Holloway, University of London, in collaboration with the E- Learning and Careers Teams, capitalised on existing Microsoft technologies to launch an innovative online group project for a first-year module. This collaborative approach to curriculum design increased capacity to pivot quickly, and readily support students, as well as ensuring that learnings from the design process could be widely disseminated. The virtual collaborative assessment had high engagement and supported the development of transferable skills such as teamwork, digital literacy, and communication. The incorporation of a guided self-reflective exercise into the assessment allowed students to evidence the transferable skills they had acquired. By frontloading these foundational skills into an assessment early in their education, we increased capacity to build on these skills in future years across the wider programme. The design, which used asynchronous online technologies, also increased the capacity of staff to fit marking and student queries around their schedules. Our findings demonstrated that through online group work and guided self-reflective assessment, students developed transferable skills that would benefit them in their future careers. This transformative approach could be utilised across other departments, both in remote and hybrid environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to identify the extent of blended learning resources availability in the schools of Bethlehem Governorate from the teachers' perspective, and provide blended learning resources proposals. The descriptive analytical approach was employed, using a questionnaire distributed to a sample of (365) male and female teachers of public-school teachers in the Bethlehem Governorate, out of (2231) the total study population. The study main results showed an average availability degree of blended learning resources in public schools in Bethlehem Governorate, from their teachers' perspectives. There were statistical differences in the response of sample members due to gender variable, except for technology field, and in the school location variable in favor of the city compared to the village. As for level and major variables, there were no differences in the response averages of the study sample. The study recommends adopting future policies for developing physical technical environments in public schools, teacher continuous professional development and training in courses and workshops on school related issues in general and male schools in particular, to improve their skills, teaching methods and develop their technical abilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preference for paper-based learning (traditional) or audio-visual learning (electronic) brought about hybrid learning whose preference among students is much greater due to the interaction with digital and audio-visual media. The general objective is to analyze and describe the experiences of university students on paper-based learning called traditional and audio-visual learning called e-learning, for which a quantitative descriptive and correlational methodology was used with a measurement instrument through an anonymous and voluntary survey with 1240 participants. The results have acceptable statistics and are demonstrated with the confirmatory factor analysis, showing the preference for hybrid learning. Conclusion, students request that universities implement this methodology (hybrid) to work properly and have a quality education in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loki is a state-of-the-art adaptive bitrate algorithm for the transmission of real-time-communication (RTC) video. It fuses traditional heuristic methods with a learning-based model to maximize the quality of experience (QoE) under diverse network conditions. However, a recurring rebound pattern is observed in Loki’s decision-making process where the decision frequently oscillates between the two boundaries of the action space, making Loki fail to adapt to the fluctuating network bandwidth. To address this issue, we propose Loki+, which improves both the fusion mechanism and the design of the learning-based actor. Specifically, we replace the element-wise multiplication with a simple but effective trend fusion and further optimize the design of reward and loss functions for training Loki+. Extensive simulation results show that Loki+ significantly improves the QoE in the aspects of reducing the stall rate by 20% ∼ 60% and the frame delay by 3.5% ∼ 30.5% while maintaining a similar sending bitrate or video quality, compared with Loki. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the official announcement of the new type of coronavirus-induced COVID-19 outbreak as a global pandemic, an extraordinary situation that no one has ever encountered has started. Just as life was about to return to normal in Türkiye, two devastating earthquakes, centered in Kahramanmaraş, affected ten different cities. Many global and national developments in various fields, which are expected to happen in the distant future, were completed within 3 years. One of these fields was undoubtedly education. Hybrid learning is seen as a trending educational approach combining face-to-face and online learning. Plastinated specimens come to the forefront for hybrid education with various advantageous features. They are not only non-toxic, dry, odorless materials, but also can simulate the natural anatomic appearance in detailed manner. With the help of new-generation acrylic paints and dyes which can penetrate into tissues, plastinates offer a unique natural look rather impressive than any other techniques. Due to the features mentioned above, plastinates are also convenient materials for handling, transportation or storage. These issues will be discussed in our article in terms of compatibility with hybrid learning. The aim of this article is to give ideas and make suggestions about how plastinates, which have been used efficiently in anatomy practices and professional training, can be used in hybrid veterinary anatomy education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The semantic segmentation of drone LiDAR data is important in intelligent industrial operation and maintenance. However, current methods are not effective in directly processing airborne true-color point clouds that contain geometric and color noise. To overcome this challenge, we propose a novel hybrid learning framework, named SSGAM-Net, which combines supervised and semi-supervised modules for segmenting objects from airborne noisy point clouds. To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to build a true-color industrial point cloud dataset, which is obtained by drones and covers 90,000 m2. Secondly, we propose a plug-and-play module, named the Global Adjacency Matrix (GAM), which utilizes only few labeled data to generate the pseudo-labels and guide the network to learn spatial relationships between objects in semi-supervised settings. Finally, we build our point cloud semantic segmentation network, SSGAM-Net, which combines a semi-supervised GAM module and a supervised Encoder–Decoder module. To evaluate the performance of our proposed method, we conduct experiments to compare our SSGAM-Net with existing advanced methods on our expert-labeled dataset. The experimental results show that our SSGAM-Net outperforms the current advanced methods, reaching 85.3 % in mIoU, which ranges from 4.2 to 58.0 % higher than other methods, achieving a competitive level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of hybrid learning, blended learning and face-to-face learning in remediating misconceptions among primary school teacher education students. Design/methodology/approach: This research uses a quasi-experimental design, using a quantitative approach. Data were collected from 99 students using a pretest and posttest four-tier test. Findings: Hybrid learning proved to be the most effective, achieving a remarkable 90.32% success rate in remediating students' misconceptions, surpassing blended learning and face-to-face learning methods. Research limitations/implications: The data come from a single Indonesian university and focuses only on a science concept; therefore, the scope of findings may be limited. Practical implications: The research suggests that applying the conceptual change (CC) model in all learning types, particularly hybrid learning, effectively remediates misconceptions. Educators can use this insight to design impactful teaching strategies that combine online and traditional components, accommodating diverse learning styles and needs. Social implications: This research suggests that applying CC model in all learning types is actually able to remediate misconceptions, though hybrid learning is found to be the most effective one. Originality/value: This study addresses a research gap by investigating the effectiveness of different learning modes in rectifying misconceptions. Although prior studies have explored learning modes, few have directly compared hybrid, blended and face-to-face learning in correcting misconceptions. The findings offer insights for effective teaching strategies to address STEM-related misconceptions, benefiting educators in optimizing their approaches. Furthermore, the study's implications extend to the broader academic community, contributing to evidence-based teaching practices in science education and the development of effective strategies for addressing misconceptions in STEM courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents (a) a novel hybrid learning method to train interval type-1 non-singleton type-3 fuzzy logic systems (IT3 NSFLS-1), (b) a novel method, named enhanced Wagner–Hagras (EWH) applied to IT3 NSFLS-1 fuzzy systems, which includes the level alpha 0 output to calculate the output y alpha using the average of the outputs y alpha k instead of their weighted average, and (c) the novel application of the proposed methodology to solve the problem of transfer bar surface temperature prediction in a hot strip mill. The development of the proposed methodology uses the orthogonal least square (OLS) method to train the consequent parameters and the backpropagation (BP) method to train the antecedent parameters. This methodology dynamically changes the parameters of only the level alpha 0, minimizing some criterion functions as new information becomes available to each level alpha k . The precursor sets are type-2 fuzzy sets, the consequent sets are fuzzy centroids, the inputs are type-1 non-singleton fuzzy numbers with uncertain standard deviations, and the secondary membership functions are modeled as two Gaussians with uncertain standard deviation and the same mean. Based on the firing set of the level alpha 0, the proposed methodology calculates each firing set of each level alpha k to dynamically construct and update the proposed EWH IT3 NSFLS-1 (OLS–BP) system. The proposed enhanced fuzzy system and the proposed hybrid learning algorithm were applied in a hot strip mill facility to predict the transfer bar surface temperature at the finishing mill entry zone using, as inputs, (1) the surface temperature measured by the pyrometer located at the roughing mill exit and (2) the time taken to translate the transfer bar from the exit of the roughing mill to the entry of the descale breaker of the finishing mill. Several fuzzy tools were used to make the benchmarking compositions: type-1 singleton fuzzy logic systems (T1 SFLS), type-1 adaptive network fuzzy inference systems (T1 ANFIS), type-1 radial basis function neural networks (T1 RBFNN), interval singleton type-2 fuzzy logic systems (IT2 SFLS), interval type-1 non-singleton type-2 fuzzy logic systems (IT2 NSFLS-1), type-2 ANFIS (IT2 ANFIS), IT2 RBFNN, general singleton type-2 fuzzy logic systems (GT2 SFLS), general type-1 non-singleton type-2 fuzzy logic systems (GT2 NSFLS-1), interval singleton type-3 fuzzy logic systems (IT3 SFLS), and interval type-1 non-singleton type-3 fuzzy systems (IT3 NSFLS-1). The experiments show that the proposed EWH IT3 NSFLS-1 (OLS–BP) system presented superior capability to learn the knowledge and to predict the surface temperature with the lower prediction error. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid learning is a process of technology mixed learning methods associated with traditional procedures. The article intended to assess the impact and Persuasiveness of Hybrid learning among UG and PG students of selected colleges in Kerala in the context of revolutionary transformations in the educational field that occurred during and after the pandemic. A questionnaire survey was conducted among 244 students. The population comprised 102 Post Graduate and 142 Undergraduate students. A 5-point Likert Response Scale was used for formulating the results and conclusion. Student's preferences, learning strategies, attitudes, behavioral tendencies, ability and acceptability to achieve the learning goals, adaptiveness of instructional techniques, flexibility and problems of hybrid environment, the difference between hybrid and traditional learning, the infrastructure contributions and resource mobilization in the new learning context, etc are tested through the structured questionnaire. Test Results demonstrate that traditional learning practices need to be modified according to changing patterns and environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Hybrid learning has been chosen as an alternative method in the conduction of clinical skill lectures during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic since students need to learn skills applied in emergency situations. This study aims to analyze students’ attitudes between hybrid and online learning methods. Methods: A non-randomized study was conducted between hybrid group (HG) and online group (OG) on three courses (intravenous [IV]-line insertion, nasogastric tube [NGT] insertion, and neonatal resuscitation). We developed a preformed validated questionnaire to assess students’ attitudes in five domains (willingness, understanding, capacity, self-efficacy, and intended behavior). The questionnaire was applied at the pre- and post-intervention. Results: A total of 100 participants were included (n=49 in HG, n=51 in OG). Post-course attitudes were significantly higher in online (IV-line, p=0.000; NGT, p=0.000; resuscitation, p=0.000) and hybrid (IV-line, p=0.000; NGT, p=0.000; resuscitation, p=0.000) groups compared to their pre-course. There were no significant differences in post-course attitude between groups (IV-line, p=0.072; NGT, p=0.163; resuscitation, p=0.146). Normalized-gain scores of all subjects were higher in HG (IV-line, p=0.012; NGT, p=0.085; resuscitation, p=0.033). Conclusion: In conclusion, hybrid learning could be considered as a better alternative in clinical skill lectures to maximize students’ attitudes, especially during COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Health sciences education prepares students for social‐ and healthcare by developing evidence‐based nursing, leadership and working life skills, including collaboration. Due to the changes caused by the global pandemic, health sciences education has shifted more to online and hybrid contexts, which can challenge students' competence development. Students' competence development and interaction in collaborative hybrid learning is a little researched area. Objectives: To observe and evaluate health sciences students' competence development in a collaborative hybrid learning context. Methods: This quasi‐experimental mixed‐method study was implemented by providing educational intervention. First‐year Bachelor's degree health sciences students (n = 18) of a Finnish university completed an educational intervention with synchronous online and face‐to‐face learning. Students' collaborative hybrid learning and interaction were video observed, while self‐evaluation of competence development was made with a questionnaire. Results: In the collaborative interactions, the students showed analytical thinking, problem‐ solving and communication and technology skills. Extensive knowledge of health sciences and ethics skills was not strongly visible in interaction. The students effectively used collaborative work time to perform tasks. Cognitive interaction (monitoring and evaluating learning) was observed in 85% and socio‐emotional interaction (expressions of emotions and motivation) in 53% of the data. Related to the students' learning results, the students' ability to communicate and interact with culturally different people improved after the educational intervention. Conclusion: Collaborative learning methods in hybrid learning can create opportunities for students to construct their competence in interaction. Attention should be paid to different areas of competence and the role of socio‐emotional interaction. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Health sciences education prepares students for social and healthcare by developing working life skills, including collaboration.Hybrid learning brings benefits but challenges the equity of students with different attention modes.Collaborative learning is widely used but has not been studied much in hybrid context.Students' competence development and interaction in collaborative hybrid learning is a little researched area. What this paper adds: The purpose was to observe and evaluate health sciences students' competence development in a collaborative hybrid learning context.Hybrid collaborative interaction encourages students to construct knowledge in health sciences.The students utilised the collaborative time appropriately.Socioemotional interactions were very visible in collaborative learning. Implications for practice: This study helps educational organisations to design hybrid model education.The design requires pedagogical and technical competence and should include collaborative methods.Attention should be paid to different areas of competence in collaborative learning.The role of socio‐emotional interaction needs more focus in hybrid learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The performance of machine learning classification methods relies heavily on the choice of features. In many domains, feature generation can be labor-intensive and require domain knowledge, and feature selection methods do not scale well in high-dimensional datasets. Deep learning has shown success in feature generation but requires large datasets to achieve high classification accuracy. Biology domains typically exhibit these challenges with numerous handcrafted features (high-dimensional) and small amounts of training data (low volume). Method: A hybrid learning approach is proposed that first trains a deep network on the training data, extracts features from the deep network, and then uses these features to re-express the data for input to a non-deep learning method, which is trained to perform the final classification. Results: The approach is systematically evaluated to determine the best layer of the deep learning network from which to extract features and the threshold on training data volume that prefers this approach. Results from several domains show that this hybrid approach outperforms standalone deep and non-deep learning methods, especially on low-volume, high-dimensional datasets. The diverse collection of datasets further supports the robustness of the approach across different domains. Conclusions: The hybrid approach combines the strengths of deep and non-deep learning paradigms to achieve high performance on high-dimensional, low volume learning tasks that are typical in biology domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the 2020–2021 school year, the COVID‐19 pandemic forced millions of students and teachers into hybrid or fully remote modalities. Compiling the experiences of teachers who taught foundational reading skills to their primary‐age students in a hybrid model (a mix of both remote learners at home, joining via video conferencing, as well as in‐person learners in the classroom), the authors demonstrate the challenges and successes that innovative elementary teachers saw with students' reading. Through observations, interviews, and lesson reviews, key ideas emerged that could make remote instruction more effective in the future. First, teachers who build classroom culture in hybrid spaces must do so with the same amount of intention as they would in physical spaces. Second, the purposeful design of synchronous and asynchronous instructions has the potential to affect student learning in a positive manner. And, finally, the instructional strategies teachers use to introduce and reinforce foundational reading skills led to success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly increased feelings of insecurity and anxiety for the health of oneself and those of one’s loved ones, as well as for the future, which has led to an increased level of stress. This has resulted in a tendency to use alcohol and drugs. Studies show that such behaviors are triggered both by external and internal factors. Therefore, the study has looked for interrelations between personality traits, mental state, and learning mode (online versus hybrid) and the frequency of stimulants and tranquilizers consumption in the last 6-12 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study involved 113 university students aged 19-34. Due to pandemic-related limitations, 51.3% of students took online courses, while 48.7% were involved in hybrid learning. The participants were all asked to complete an online questionnaire that included 17 questions regarding mental health, drug and alcohol use. Additionally, the TIPI questionnaire was used to assess personality traits. The study found that online learning as well as feelings of loneliness and emptiness resulted in increased use of alcohol, antidepressants and sleeping pills. On the other hand, personality traits such as extraversion, agreeableness and emotional stability helped to limit the use of this type of stimulants. Online learners more often reported deterioration in their mental state, related to difficulties in adapting to pandemic-related conditions. This group was also more likely to use sedatives, sleeping pills, and antidepressants, with a significant difference in means, compared to hybrid students. In contrast, hybrid learners frequently reported a sense of the loss of meaning as well as worrying about the fate of loved ones, thinking back to a situation no longer under their control, and difficulties in making decisions. At the same time, most respondents of this group reported a positive vision of their future and a high sense of responsibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Hybrid learning, integrating online methods of instruction with face-to-face learning methods, has recently gained increased attention. The literature on pedagogy and course management has focused on hybrid learning as a combination of virtual and physical environments, which can shift learning to a more student-centered model from the teacher-centered model. A gap exists in the literature related to the execution of hybrid learning and challenges faced by internal stakeholders, and the outcomes are achieved. This study aims to examine the implementation of hybrid learning courses and investigate the challenges and outcomes. Design/methodology/approach: This study adopted a qualitative approach. This study presents a case of a management university in India. Ten semistructured interviews were conducted with the university officials, including the vice-chancellor, dean and faculty members. The data collection method also included reviewing university documents and reports. Findings: While formalized knowledge transfer through online courses can facilitate knowledge dissemination, it has its own downsides: it needs to be contextualized; it requires additional resources; it is not a one size fits all policy, as its conducive to some and alienates others; and students may not completely adopt it. Originality/value: This investigation attempts to examine the shift to hybrid learning in the Indian context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laboratory exercises are a vital part of science learning and allow students to develop practical skills, connect content to real-world applications, and serve as the foundation for further knowledge beyond the classroom. Blended laboratories are a method that incorporates technology and science content to create an experience for learners to still engage with information allowing students to immerse themselves in the content. Blended learning laboratory lessons can be designed in multiple ways such as data-driven, partner-driven, and image-driven. This article looks to provide practitioners with a foundation to design and implement blended learning laboratories through the example of the author's classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the pandemic, teachers across the nation were thrown into a digital educational environment where they had to rely on technology (and the good graces of parents) to convey instruction across the virtual learning landscape. For teachers of the visual arts, the shift to virtual learning created the opportunity and challenge to create engaging, fun, and relevant lessons, especially when teaching students with disabilities. The impetus for accessibility to visual arts learning for all students comes from the importance of visual arts to culture, community, and further life skill engagement. The basis for the need for accessible instruction is in the policies and procedures developed at a county, state, and federal level supporting the access to the educational environment for students with disabilities. In this article, we move from the macro level of policy and procedure to the micro level of real teachers implementing appropriate strategies to engage students directly in their visual arts instruction. We, in collaboration with visual arts instructors, dive into the barriers that came with the shift to a virtual learning environment during the pandemic for students with disabilities, and how they identified strategies to bridge the gaps. Teachers identified how their "teaching toolbox" was stretched and expanded through the use of new digital tools. We also identify supports and strategies lacking in the digital learning environment and how the teachers attempted to overcome them. The teachers also share how they implemented specially designed instructional strategies to meet the students' needs while engaging the students with the visual arts content. We explore teacher perspectives on the implementation of digital strategies during distance learning and gain insights on lessons learned, strategies to carry forward, and digital divides that continue, even into the varied learning modes following the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the surge in online learning since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, fostering civil behavior in this environment is essential. This mixed-methods study examined online incivility among faculty and students at two schools of nursing using a quantitative survey instrument with several open-ended questions addressing the impact of the pandemic. Survey results suggested that faculty (n = 23) and students (n = 74) experienced a low frequency of online incivility that remained potentially disruptive. Qualitative analyses suggested that the pandemic placed considerable strain on nursing faculty and students while providing increased flexibility for working and learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the experiences of leaders who have led organisations and teams through an extended period of crisis management whilst completing a UK work-based master's programme. This paper examines contemporary approaches to work-based learning and explores the effect of organisational and workforce demands in a volatile era of global economic uncertainty. Theoretical and conceptual foundations relating to experiential learning, digital education and communities of learning are analysed and discussed. Taking an inductive qualitative approach, the study analyses semi-structured questionnaire data from senior leaders. The widespread adoption of technology exposes challenges to facilitation and the academic-employer interface, impacting upon learning communities and knowledge exchange opportunities. The findings also suggest enhanced leaders' adaptive traits, including confidence and self-reliance. This study illuminates critical issues associated with contemporary work-based learning, specifically relating to prolonged macro uncertainty and the effect upon workplaces as sites of knowledge and learning, and risks to dynamic relationships between the psychosocial work environment, genuine opportunities to learn and learner well-being. This work seeks to inform the design of future programs, specifically in terms developing inter and intra-organisational communities of learning and knowledge exchange to enhance best practice and inculcate crucial leadership skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This column details the current state of practice under the unique conditions of COVID-19 for this school librarian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid approaches to teaching, where there is a proportion of online (asynchronous or synchronous) teaching as well as face-to-face synchronous teaching, were adopted almost ubiquitously by UK higher education institutions throughout the 2020/2021 academic year amidst disruption caused by national and international Covid-19 restrictions. One example of this was the introduction and use of software such as Microsoft (MS) Teams as a learning tool and platform to continue education provisions. As such, this study reports on the implementation of MS Teams to deliver a foundation year physical science curriculum within a hybrid learning context over the 2020/2021 academic year and within multiple learning contexts. In-built data analytics from MS Teams were used to measure student engagement and activity on the software. Additionally, a questionnaire was used to capture student perspectives of MS Teams and their use as a learning tool. These data show that the like-for-like replacement of face-to-face teaching with an online alternative within this hybrid approach did not produce a clear like-for-like learning environment for students, except in the case of small-group collaborations where students found clear utility for the platform. Significant thought needs to be given to the use of online and hybrid alternatives to traditional face-to-face instruction and, in order to facilitate student learning and engagement effectively, a bottom-up approach to redesign may be required instead of simply substituting teaching tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formulation of a sense of community (SOC) among students has received significant attention in the literature in recent years. However, digitally enhanced learning and COVID-19 have amplified the challenges vis-à-vis connecting students and making them feel involved and recognized in virtual learning ecologies for higher educational institutions (HEIs). This review examines the factors impacting students’ SOC development in online and hybrid learning environments for HEIs. To provide a holistic view, we synthesize the streams of theoretical foundations on SOC for keyword search strategy and follow Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses protocol. In total, 128 empirical studies from 2015 to October 2022 are synthesized. One of the main contributions lies in disclosing the multiple levels of students’ SOC formulation from a sociological perspective on HEIs. It further broadens our understanding of the dimensions, and the roles and responsibilities of key players, as well as the units involved in the social context of HEIs. The main findings reveal that HEIs should “circulate the blood” by integrating various key elements identified in pedagogy, instructor, learner, and extra-curriculum fields into the learning ecology for SOC facilitation to formulate an implicit curriculum and a more interactive, supportive, and caring environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ntroduction: Lockdown measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic had an appreciable impact on the education of all medical, dental and non-medical healthcare professional students. These included the closure of universities necessitating a rapid move to e-learning and a new practical approach to conducting teaching-learning classes. However, initially, there was a lack of knowledge and expertise regarding e-learning approaches and the affordability of internet bundles and equipment. Materials and Methods: We conducted two pilot studies to assess such current challenges, replaced by a two-stage approach including a full investigation involving 32 private and public universities during the early stages of the pandemic, followed by a later study assessing the current environment brought about by the forced tops. Results: The top challenges at the start of the pandemic included a lack of familiarity with the e-learning approaches, the cost of the internet, a lack of IT equipment and the quality of the classes. To address identified challenges, universities offered support to staff and students. Since then, e-learning approaches have widened the possibilities for teaching and learning at convenient times. However, challenges remain. Conclusions: There were considerable challenges at the start of the pandemic. Several key issues have been addressed with hybrid learning here to stay. The remaining challenges include a lack of ICT equipment. However, new innovations will continue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Online strategies designed to enable practical learning were in use prior to the pandemic. Nevertheless, in response to the rapid shift to online delivery during lockdowns, face-to-face practical learning was often postponed and replaced with traditional transmissive and theory-focused modes. This paper reports undergraduate and postgraduate university students' online learning experiences in New Zealand, where some practical learning approaches were evident particularly in the fields of teacher education, health or medicine, and sciences. Using multiple methods, data stemmed from a national survey followed by individual interviews and focus groups. Findings affirm that practical learning is possible in hybrid contexts, and is no less real than learning on campus. In-home or community-based activities, virtual simulations, online practice, and video-based learning all offer engaging opportunities for practical learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The logistics and cost of running large class tutorials to improve learning for students in high enrolment courses raise questions about whether the associated effort and cost are worthwhile. The option to replace these class activities with online homework with its promise of built-in feedback is attractive. Using an activity theory lens and an experimental design, we compared the impact of class tutorials with online homework to support learning offered in face-to-face lectures on student performance. We found that there were no topics in the introductory organic chemistry syllabus in which students who had completed online homework instead of large class tutorials performed better. In contrast, for all topics except 'Curved arrows in mechanisms', the mean performance of students who had attended a large class tutorial was statistically significantly better than for those who completed online homework instead. This large quantitative study with a sample of 667 students demonstrated the advantage conferred by face-to-face tutorials with peer learning and personal feedback even in a large class setting with only three sessions per student. Our recommendation is that an online homework system in blended courses should not replace face-to-face tutorials for topics reliant on personalised instruction and feedback. We advocate for investing resources and effort to provide face-to-face problem-solving sessions in high-enrolment introductory organic chemistry courses to improve performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a result of the confinement due to the global pandemic of covid-19, teachers and students found themselves in the inevitable situation of suddenly moving from the traditional face-to- face model to virtual environments, with the demand for new digital skills and computer resources. The purpose of this scientific article was to describe the digital teaching competence, the main problems that the educational community faced to join virtual environments, as well as the proposals that originated to perform expeditiously in this new modality. The research was based on a systematic review of scientific articles on digital teaching competence in virtual environments in the context of the pandemic, in the Scopus database, with the support of Redalyc, Scielo, Dialnet, Elsevier and Google Scholar. The results show that the digital teaching competence still does not present an optimal level, so the most recurring solution proposal is the training and development of the digital teaching competence. Since to date the direction followed by the actors involved in virtual learning is uncertain, this investigation culminates by proposing an alternative solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Commuting flow prediction is a crucial issue for transport optimization and urban planning. However, the two existing types of solutions have inherent flaws. One is traditional models, such as the gravity model and radiation model. These models rely on fixed and simple mathematical formulas derived from physics, and ignore rich geographic semantics, which makes them difficult to model complex human mobility patterns. The other is the machine learning models, most of which simply leverage the features of Origin-Destination (OD), ignoring the topological nature of the interaction network and the spatial correlation brought by the nearby areas. In this paper, we propose a 'preprocessing-encoder-decoder' hybrid learning model, which can make full use of geographic semantic information and spatial neighborhood effects, thereby significantly improving the prediction performance. Specifically, in the preprocessing part, we divide the study area into grids, and then incorporates features such as location, population, and land use types. The second step of the encoder designs a convolutional neural network (CNN) to achieve the fusion of neighborhood features, constructs a spatial interaction network with the grids as nodes and the flows as edges, and then uses the graph convolutional network (GCN) to extract the embeddings of the nodes. In the last step of the decoder, a random forest regressor is trained to predict the commuting flow based on the learned embedding vectors. An empirical study on a commuter dataset in Beijing shows that our proposed model is approximately 20% better than XGBoost (state-of-the-art), thus proving its effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The creation of an engaging online learning environment where students feel a sense of belonging is a challenge for all educators. With the rise of online courses, discussion forums are commonly used to connect students with course content, peers, and instructors. However, these discussions are often text-based in nature. The purpose of this quantitative study examined preservice teacher perceptions of Flipgrid in an introductory educational technology course. Statistically significant relationships between groups were found related to two of the three components of the Community of Inquiry framework. Specifically, the findings suggest those enrolled in a hybrid course perceived Flipgrid as a more effective platform to create cognitive and teaching presence than those online. Additionally, hybrid learners were significantly more likely to use Flipgrid in their own teaching practices. In this article, an analysis of findings will be discussed and provide suggestions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the impact of the transition to online architectural design studios in response to the COVID‐19 pandemic at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. The study focussed specifically on student and tutor perceptions of online design studio before the sudden transition to online delivery, and how those perceptions shifted through the initial months of online delivery. We consider the pedagogical context in which the shift to online teaching took place and the evident successes and failures in the early iterations of online studio. We discuss similar and contrasting perceptions in student and tutor groups and observe the changes in these perceptions prior to and after teaching and learning in online studios. The paper concludes with a series of questions directed to the architectural design studio teaching community regarding the apparent inevitability of a future in which both FTF and online‐only studios are surpassed with hybrid design studios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of digital technology into educational settings is expanding rapidly. One emerging didactical approach is flipped learning (FL), which leverages digital, internet-based technologies to deliver key instructions prior to classes. It then uses active learning opportunities during face-to-face meetings that encourage students to apply what they previously learned online. The format of FL naturally expands active learning during classes, which aligns well with the movement-based foundations of physical education (PE). Given the relative novelty of the approach within this subject, however, the purpose of this scoping review was to identify existing research, offer an initial FL approach for PE, and suggest directions for future study. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Scoping Reviews guidelines directed this review, and four databases were searched. A total of 16 studies qualified for inclusion. Study contexts and methods varied widely, but a majority focused on motivation and learning as the primary outcome measures. Ten studies reported how the use of FL positively impacted student motivation, while nine studies illustrated how FL might be able to support student learning. Other studies indicated the potential of FL to increase motor skill development opportunities and autonomy during classes, although further research is necessary. Overall, FL in PE appears to have a positive impact on student variables. Research on the design and implementation of both the digital and in-class instructional components will be necessary to guide best practice more appropriately. Further, rigorous research is also necessary to extend understanding of the influence of FL on student outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Covid-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted the most diverse processes of social reproduction, including education. The situation of education and teaching in the context of the pandemic has been radically modified with the adoption of what has been called hybrid education. The aim of this article is to investigate this conceptualization in order to understand the meaning in which this concept has been assumed by specialized literature and other individual and collective subjects involved with educational institutions and research in education. To do so, the authors reviewed the literature analyzing recent articles addressing hybrid "learning" and "pandemic". Although bulky, it is noted that this production is still relatively precarious in terms of theoretical consistency. Further discussions about the implementation of hybrid education should be better thought and structured, so that this modality will contribute not only to learning now, but also to the reception of students, who will return after so long outside the classroom and face a new reality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent studies, the power scheduling in more electric aircraft (MEA) has been formulated as a mixed-integer quadratic programming problem. Many model-driven methods, such as branch-and-bound algorithms, are advocated to solve it. However, these methods are often prone to considerably high complexities, which makes real-time processing a problem. In this article, a two-stage hybrid learning-based optimization approach is proposed to address this challenging issue. In the first stage, the task of optimizing integer variables is considered as a multilabel classification problem, which is solved by a data-driven method, i.e., ensemble deep neural networks (EDNNs). In the second stage, with the obtained integer solutions, the problem is transformed into a quadratic programming problem that can be quickly solved by model-driven numerical optimization methods. Compared to the state-of-the-art power scheduling algorithms, the model-driven and data-driven methods can compensate each other so that this two-stage hybrid learning-based approach can achieve orders of magnitude speedup in computational time, while guaranteeing the optimal scheduling performance. The structures of EDNNs are well designed so that the proposed approach can adapt to varying operating conditions in MEA. An offline simulation test and an online hardware-in-the-loop test validate the above advantages of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The flipped classroom method is a popular way to use technology to assist with the delivery of educational experiences. Yet there is insufficient information regarding student opinions or outcomes about the flipped classroom method within physical therapy. The purpose of this case report was to describe student opinions and outcomes of the flipped classroom teaching and traditional lecture/lab methods of teaching within musculoskeletal physical therapy. Thirty-six (36) first-year physical therapy students enrolled at a regional physical therapy program completed an anonymous internet-based survey regarding their impressions of traditional and flipped classroom teaching methods. Flipped classroom and traditional teaching methods were both used within the same musculoskeletal course. The survey was created to aid in planning subsequent courses and asked questions about student's preferred teaching method (flipped, traditional, or both equal) across a variety of categories. Student exams scores, using the same question bank, were compared to the year prior as a quantitative outcome measure. Twenty-nine (29) students (81%) completed the survey. Generally, students preferred the flipped classroom. Compared to the previous year, test scores for all content areas were similar (± 4%) except cervical spine which was improved (>10%). When asked outright, 28/29 students preferred the flipped teaching method. Student opinions indicate the flipped classroom is preferable to traditional methods yet objective outcomes appear similar. Physical therapy educators seeking ways to improve the student experience using technology in the classroom may consider utilizing the flipped classroom method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arguably, recreating virtual space has been a slow-developing concept to many skeptical creative media communities and scholars. With the rapid growth of new media technologies, analogue or digital, society must exercise critical thinking in how these realizes the former impossibilities. Contemporarily, technologies are embedded in our everyday life, and yet we were not certain if these strongly transformed us. Unexpectedly, the COVID-19 pandemic radically disrupted every aspect of life, including education, and as a result educational institution demanding for new systems and structures that ensure uninterrupted learning for all students. We were forced to modify our activities, and it is a fact that many struggles and postponed. It is an entirely diverse challenge experienced by creative media educators. The direct hands-on instructions needed to be converted to live and/or recorded virtual simulation. Countless educational institutions have experimented with a hybrid learning approach to deliver teaching and evaluated their learning outcomes. In this article, I will share my experience in hybrid learning for one of the visual communication design courses, specifically photography [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, many diseases have negatively impacted people's lifestyles. Among these, knee osteoarthritis (OA) has been regarded as the primary cause of activity restriction and impairment, particularly in older people. Therefore, quick, accurate, and low-cost computer-based tools for the early prediction of knee OA patients are urgently needed. In this paper, as part of addressing this issue, we developed a new method to efficiently diagnose and classify knee osteoarthritis severity based on the X-ray images to classify knee OA in (i.e., binary and multiclass) in order to study the impact of different class-based, which has not yet been addressed in previous studies. This will provide physicians with a variety of deployment options in the future. Our proposed models are basically divided into two frameworks based on applying pre-trained convolutional neural networks (CNN) for feature extraction as well as fine-tuning the pre-trained CNN using the transfer learning (TL) method. In addition, a traditional machine learning (ML) classifier is used to exploit the enriched feature space to achieve better knee OA classification performance. In the first one, we developed five classes-based models using a proposed pre-trained CNN for feature extraction, principal component analysis (PCA) for dimensionality reduction, and support vector machine (SVM) for classification. While in the second framework, a few changes were made to the steps in the first framework, the concept of TL was used to fine-tune the proposed pre-trained CNN from the first framework to fit the two classes, three classes, and four classes-based models. The proposed models are evaluated on X-ray data, and their performance is compared with the existing state-of-the-art models. It is observed through conducted experimental analysis to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed approach in improving the classification accuracy in both multiclass and binary class-based in the OA case study. Nonetheless, the empirical results revealed that the fewer multiclass labels used, the better performance achieved, with the binary class labels outperforming all, which reached a 90.8% accuracy rate. Furthermore, the proposed models demonstrated their contribution to early classification in the first stage of the disease to help reduce its progression and improve people's quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic situation which is getting under control has changed the learning process from a distance learning system (online) to a limited face-to-face one, as recommended by the government. This system is also applied at the Faculty of Medicine, UIN Syarif Hidayatullah, Jakarta, thus requiring students to be able to adapt. This study aims to describe the adjustment ability of students from fully online learning conditions to hybrid offline learning conditions. Methods: This was a descriptive study conducted on all first to third year students of the Faculty of Medicine, UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, who underwent the hybrid offline learning module for the first time. It was a total sampling study. Self-adjustment was measured using a yes or no questionnaire prepared by the researcher and this tool has been validated. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25. Results: There were 276 subjects consisting of 25% men and 75% women, the majority lived in boarding houses (50.7%), and the distance from their residence to campus was less than 1 km (53.3%). More than half of the respondents were in a good adjustment condition (63%), and most of them were second year students. Conclusion: The self-adjustment of preclinical medical students in facing changes in fully online learning conditions to offline hybrid learning is good. Most of them choose to live close to campus to facilitate the implementation of the mixed learning system and it is hoped that students will not experience problems in the learning process under any circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to demonstrate which course elements were responsible for community building, fostering subjectification and learning for being in an online course on environmental and sustainability education (ESE) during the COVID-19 pandemic and physical distancing. Design/methodology/approach: The study investigates a graduate-level course on Environmental Education for Sustainable Living that due to COVID-19 had to be taught mainly online. A retrospective analysis was conducted when the facilitators reflected on why the course, against expectations, appeared to have affected so many students in such a meaningful and profound way as shown by their personal reflections and the course evaluation. Methodologically, this study can be described as explorative and interpretative, although it was complemented by a standardised empirical analytical end-of course evaluation. Findings: Within the context of this study, sense of community is linked to and facilitated by the online learning environment and the educators' and students' roles throughout the course. This study found that interaction and inclusion can be augmented by a hybrid educational design and supported by the mutual efforts of educators and students. Reflective tasks and discussions most prominently evoked subjectification. The encouragement of students to see themselves as central subjects and the inclusion of creative tasks supported both personal exploration and sense of community. Originality/value: This study provides educational institutions teaching online with valuable information regarding course elements that foster subjectification and create a sense of community. This is particularly of interest for the design of online ESE emphasising learning for being and more relational approaches towards teaching and learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present era, blended learning (BL) is one of the most frequently used concepts related to integrating Information and Communications Technology (ICT) with the curriculum. Numerous research is conducted annually in the field of blended learning in different regions of the world. The purpose of the present research is to determine the status of blended learning researches in Iran. For this, 60 articles were selected, using systematic review and observing inclusion and exclusion criteria, and analysed based on six themes including terminology, methodology, topic, blending level, context and technology. The results revealed that the researches on blended learning in Iran are similar to international studies in some themes such as terminology, context and blending level and different in other themes including topic, methodology and terminology. Based on the findings, suggestions are made for international and Iranian blended learning researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 pandemic, contact tracing, CNN, hybrid learning, machine learning, chest X-ray images, computer-aided diagnosis Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic; contact tracing; CNN; chest X-ray images; hybrid learning; machine learning; computer-aided diagnosis EN COVID-19 pandemic contact tracing CNN chest X-ray images hybrid learning machine learning computer-aided diagnosis 1709 16 11/17/22 20221101 NES 221101 1. L. Wang et al. [[20]] created a dataset called COVIDx containing 13,975 chest X-beam images and used the model COVID-Net for recognition of COVID-19, obtaining an accuracy of 92.4%. [Extracted from the article]

Against the backdrop of the pandemic, the teaching of art and design courses is being perceived as a challenge for lecturers and instructors owing to a shift in the types of courses during the COVID-19 era as well as the pandemic's physiological impact on students. This article demonstrates the impact of applying a blended learning model on a teaching method focusing primarily on developing the students' style and authentic design sense. This study was applied to one of the major courses in the Department of Textile Printing, Dyeing and Finishing, Faculty of Applied Arts, Damietta University during the first semester of the academic year 2020–21. The study comprises a questionnaire to assess the effectiveness of the blended learning model in the printed hanging textile design course, acknowledging the impact of the lecturer's teaching strategies and understanding the individual style development process from students' perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the pandemic and associated global traumas of recent years continue to reverberate through creative arts education, contributors to this issue consider the pedagogical possibilities embedded in online and in-person learning, collaborative and individual modalities, reflective and dialogic experiences, and material and spatial experimentation – suggesting that this may be a generative moment for art, design and communication in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aims to determine faculty members' feedback and the level of satisfaction about the faculty development program carried out with the hybrid learning method at Selçuk University Faculty of Medicine (SUFoM) and compare faculty members' satisfaction levels regarding face-to-face and online sessions. Material and Methods: The Faculty Development Program has been carried out since 2010 and updated with program evaluations as well as faculty members' needs and expectations. In the COVID-19 pandemic era, distance education and hybrid education sessions were added to the program. The renewed faculty development program was conducted in June 2021 with a hybrid learning method, eight sessions both face-to-face and online and six sessions online only. The feedback of the participants was obtained through online questionnaires consisting of structured items rated with Likert-type scales (1: Strongly disagree -- 5: Strongly agree and 0: Very poor -- 10: Very good) and semi-structured items. Results: Fifty faculty members participated in the program and 30 (60.0%) answered the research questionnaires. Faculty members reported a total of 170 session participation, 140 (82.4%) face-toface and 30 (17.6%) online. It was determined that the participants' satisfaction levels about the faculty development program sessions was high and very high (min=4.05±0.99 ; max=5.00±0.00). It was also found that there is no statistically significant difference between faculty members evaluations for online or face-to-face participation in the training sessions. Participants reported that their overall evaluation of the program was very good (9.33±0.65). Conclusion: The SUFoM Faculty Development Program, designed in accordance with the COVID-19 conditions, has been successfully implemented using the hybrid method. The positive feedback of faculty members and the fact that online or face-to-face participation in the sessions does not make a difference in their satisfaction levels is considered as an important development for the implementation of the forthcoming faculty development program using the hybrid method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many special-needs children, including students with learning disabilities, are enrolled in public schools. The current state of education is transitioning from online to face-to-face learning due to the improving situation after the COVID19 pandemic. Hybrid learning is one of the alternative methods applied during the transition period. Therefore, this study aims to explore the experiences of teachers in implementing hybrid learning in students with disabilities in Indonesia using a qualitative description. Data was collected through interviews with one class teacher, two students with learning disabilities and their parents, and one school principal. Furthermore, observations were made on the learning process involving students with learning disabilities, with the data analysis technique referring to the theory of Sandelowski. The results indicated that there are four important aspects conducted by teachers supporting the success of hybrid learning for students with learning disabilities in inclusive classes; namely (1) the use of clear instructions, (2) reducing anxiety in online spaces, (3) special assistance, and (4) the use of adaptive learning media. This study has implications for the importance of teachers applying these four aspects to implement hybrid learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The modality of learning in the Philippines became highly revolutionized during the start of the global pandemic that hit the entire economy and education sector, which has negative implications. Universities and Basic Education designed an alternative mode of learning that fits the regulations of the Inter-Agency Task Force on COVID-19 (IATF). The researchers used a quantitative research design in collecting and analyzing the numerical data. Because it is the methodology that researchers use to test theories about people’s attitudes and behaviors based on numerical and statistical evidence. Students' preferences in terms of the hybrid learning approach are with the in-person approach because they can easily understand and catch up with the subject being taught. The majority of students are still determined to have limited in-person or face-to-face classroom discussion. The most common challenges experienced by the students, being ranked accordingly, are the lack of appropriate devices and the interaction with teachers and students. According to Kohnke & Moorhouse (2021), the utilization of various features of the video-conferencing software and other digital tools was seen as essential to the effectiveness of the HyFlex Learning Modality. That is why it is important for colleges to strictly monitor and strengthen the conduct of hybrid learning and follow the compliance set by the National Government Agencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supplemental Digital Content is Available in the Text. Introduction: Blended learning is an educational approach that integrates face-to-face with online instruction. This overview of existing systematic reviews aims to evaluate the impact of blended learning on educational outcomes in health care professional education, identify gaps in the current evidence, and direction for future reviews. Methods: Five databases were searched (January 1, 2000 to January 14, 2021) for systematic reviews of blended versus nonblended learning approaches for health care education. "Flipped classroom", unpublished studies, abstracts, and study protocols were excluded. The extracted data included details of included reviews, description of populations, and outcomes according to Kirkpatrick levels. A narrative review is presented, along with an overarching meta-analysis, which evaluates a synthesized estimate of the effect of blended learning based on standardized mean differences. Results: Eleven systematic reviews were included, comprising of 160 primary studies (including 117 randomized controlled trials) from 56 countries with over 18,000 participants. The overall level of evidence was very low quality. An overarching meta-analysis of 93 studies addressing knowledge acquisition favored blended over nonblended learning methods (standardized mean difference 0.768 [95% confidence interval 0.594–0.941]; P <.001). None of the reviews identified an adverse effect on other educational outcomes. Discussion: Blended learning may be superior to traditional teaching approaches in improving knowledge acquisition. We recommend further research to describe the relative benefits of blended learning in each individual context and identify which elements of instructional design are beneficial for each outcome. Finally, we recommend the use of clear and consistent terminology in reported studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deciding the proportion of online to face-to-face components of a blended learning course is a complex problem that entails many decisions. These decisions are affected by different criteria related to the nature of the course, the educational institution, the teacher, and the students. The impact of these influential criteria on the design process is not always obvious. The aim of this study is to assist academics to design successful blended courses by investigating the impact of criteria that need consideration when deciding the proportion of online components of a blended course. A modified Delphi survey was used in this study. Eighteen experts with experience in instructional design and online teaching participated in the study. Findings indicate that technological aspects, that is, Availability of technology and Students' access to technology, have a strong negative impact on the proportion of online to face-to-face components. On the other hand, students' flexibility and convenience as well as the availability of a high level of institutional support should motivate academics to incorporate a high proportion of online components in their courses. The results also indicate that blended learning courses should have medium to high proportions of online components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]