Large Online Classes

As the interest in online learning continues to grow, many higher education institutions offer large classes online. Such courses may prompt managerial and pedagogical challenges for effective teaching and learning. Most online classes depend on text-based information and communication. While there are advantages to text-based information and asynchronous written assignments and discussions, large online classes may lack student-centered, and active learning environments. In addition, providing timely and effective feedback to the students can be challenging and time-consuming for instructors of large online classes. Instructional strategies that rely on collaborative online tools and mobile applications can help facilitate student engagement and active learning while addressing pedagogical challenges of large online classes. Mobile technologies can facilitate formative assessment and personalized instruction while augmented reality applications can help engage students in authentic learning and the transfer of knowledge and skills to real-life situations (Fritschi & Wolf, 2012). In addition, recent technology tools can provide just-in-time access to resources and shared collaborative spaces for students or teachers to work together on projects. This book aims to provide practical assistance to those who teach large online classes by addressing the following research questions with practical implications for teaching and learning: • What teaching and assessment strategies do instructors use to facilitate active learning in large online classes? • What strategies do instructors use to reduce instructor and learner cognitive overload?

The study aims to determine the impact of online classes on the laboratory subjects in Hospitality Management Students in one of the prestigious Colleges and Universities in Nueva Ecija. The participants of the study were 25 teachers and 100 Hospitality Management Students and they were selected using a purposive sampling technique. A mixed-method research design was used in order to satisfy the objectives of the study. Based on the findings of the study online laboratory classes based on the assessments made by the respondents have an impact on students' learning specifically in developing communication skills including those involved in working group has the highest weighted mean of 3.45 interpreted as "Strongly Agree". Thus, online laboratory classes were found a limited learning opportunity to engage with others, the reason why the teachers/ professors were found ways to increase students' learning engagement via social media platforms to help learners improve their learning skills and boost their confidence to showcase their talents and skills in the field they belong. On the other hand, the findings of the study based on the determinants of student's satisfaction, the structure of online laboratory classes such as flexibility of learning and quality of technology used were considered determinants of students' satisfaction on online laboratory classes. Moreover, the study found advantages and disadvantages of online laboratory classes in Hospitality Management students. On advantages, the students enhanced enthusiasm for interactive learning, increase IT literacy, ensured safe learning laboratory activities, serves as a visual aid in teaching complex concepts and laboratory activities, offers instant feedback, allows learning flexibility and affordability than the physical laboratory. On the contrary, practical skills that are expected not honed, will not provide sensory and practical experiences for the learners and students will get insensitive to failure and danger in a real-life situation.

Student engagement and group work are critical to developing competencies, deeper learning, and attributes that align with 21st-century skills. Group work is particularly important for future employment in an increasingly competitive and dynamic workforce. A new capstone group work assignment using Online Human Touch (OHT) strategies was integrated into an Information Systems course at a regional university in the Caribbean. The course typically enrolls 250-300+ students per semester with one instructor. The assignment simulated a real-world business ‘eMeeting’ to proactively increase student engagement and retention.  Quantitative data was collected three years prior to, and three years after the new ‘eMeeting’ format. Qualitative feedback after the integration shows significant increases in student engagement, while results and data show improved academic performance, higher scores on the standardized final exam and decreases in attrition. Integrating group assignments in large co...

Student engagement and group work are critical to developing competencies, deeper learning, and attributes that align with 21st-century skills. Group work is particularly important for future employment in an increasingly competitive and dynamic workforce. A new capstone group work assignment using Online Human Touch (OHT) strategies was integrated into an Information Systems course at a regional university in the Caribbean. The course typically enrolls 250-300+ students per semester with one instructor. The assignment simulated a real-world business ‘eMeeting’ to proactively increase student engagement and retention.  Quantitative data was collected three years prior to, and three years after the new ‘eMeeting’ format. Qualitative feedback after the integration shows significant increases in student engagement, while results and data show improved academic performance, higher scores on the standardized final exam and decreases in attrition. Integrating group assignments in large co...