Re-thinking the online distance instruction based on students' feedback.

Area of Science:

• Education
• Instructional Design
• Online Learning

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated widespread adoption of online distance instruction (ODI) across educational levels.
• Teacher training in ODI was implemented prior to this study, with expectations of improved course design and didactic quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify key didactic features of effective online distance instruction.
• To develop evidence-based recommendations for enhancing the quality of online learning experiences.
• To evaluate student perceptions regarding teacher support, resources, practice methods, and assessment in ODI.

Main Methods:

• A questionnaire-based study involving 272 upper secondary and higher education students.
• Participants compared two selected courses: one highly effective and one ineffective for their learning.
• Statistical analysis included Chí-square tests, adjusted residuals, and t-tests for comparing means.

Main Results:

• Significant differences were found in the occurrence of specific didactic features between positively and negatively evaluated online courses.
• Student opinions varied across key areas including teacher support, resource utilization, knowledge practice, and performance assessment.
• While general trends emerged, some exceptions to the observed differences were noted, suggesting nuanced factors influence ODI effectiveness.

Conclusions:

• Didactic features significantly differentiate the quality of online distance instruction from the student perspective.
• Targeted improvements in teacher support and resource variety can enhance student satisfaction and learning outcomes in ODI.
• Further research is needed to explore the exceptions and refine best practices for online pedagogy.