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The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic brought about rapid changes in higher education (HE) pedagogies, with universities adding online options to their core face to face offering. The use of technology to facilitate learning has been a mainstay in traditional distance education settings. The paper aims to understand student and teacher experience of synchronous online learning in HE to develop practice and assist those newly coming to online teaching.

The authors conducted a ‘rapid review’ of articles related to this topic over the last 21 years. Thematic analysis of the 61 studies identified for inclusion were; Use of technology, planned pedagogy, comparison of synchronous and asynchronous learning, relationships online, teacher and student attitudes, COVID-19 reflections.

This study’s findings show many studies examined the transition from classroom to online learning, rather than the experience of being online. Building a community of learning, with interaction between all parties, was central to success in the development of an approach to online synchronous teaching.

Few of the early papers included here expressly explored student and teacher experiences of synchronous learning. Instead, they broadly discussed blended learning, or compared functionality and effectiveness of online teaching, with traditional in person or offline/asynchronous alternatives. An additional drawback was that educators were frequently involved in studies which investigated the experiences of their own students.

This study is one of the few to focus on the experience of staff and students in the online synchronous environment. The results show there is scope to achieve improvement in online learning, through research focussed on how students, lecturers and institutional administrators adapt to the new normal.

The post-pandemic recognises changes are required; universities need to rethink their e-servicescapes strategies by offering different approaches to enhance students’ learning. This study aims to draw on learning self-efficacy trajectories and propose a conceptual model for exploring the predictive validity of satisfaction. In addition, it explores the mediating role of e-servicescapes and the moderating relationship effect of mature and younger students.

Learning self-efficacies is incorporated into the design of the model in an attempt to understand student cognition. The influences of e-servicescape on adopting online preferences and satisfaction are also examined. The model was empirically validated by surveying 266 respondents. Structural equation modelling and multi-group analysis were used to analyse the data.

The results of this study show learning self-efficacies has no significant influence on satisfaction. Yet, they showed a significant influence on e-servicescapes. E-servicescapes positively influenced satisfaction and preference for adopting online learning. E-servicescapes also had a mediating effect between self-efficacy to complete a course and satisfaction, as well as self-efficacy to interact with instructors and satisfaction. It had a negative suppressed effect on social interaction.

The research makes the following contributions. Firstly, the conceptualised model identifies an association between learning self-efficacies and e-servicescapes, suggesting universities as service providers can maximise the value offerings of their customer assets. Secondly, e-servicescapes demonstrate a full mediating effect between self-efficacies and satisfaction, indicating that if universities are to compete successfully in dynamic markets, they should co-create value in their e-servicescapes domain to increase satisfaction. Thirdly, the study recognises the need for a hybrid system of both face-to-face and online delivery because the multi-group analysis shows mature age preference for online learning is required to make this transformation successful.

Faced with the outbreak of the pandemic, Chinese government quickly postponed the opening of schools and advocated “classes suspended but learning continues” project through online learning. In order to understand the teaching effect of online learning and explore a possible transformation of the application of educational information technology in the future, questionnaires have been used in this study to collect data of students, principals, and teachers across China. Most students and principals are satisfied with online learning, while teachers suggest that it is considerably difficult to teach online. Meanwhile, students, schools, and teachers are facing problems, including insufficient adaptation to online learning methods, poor learning quality, imperfect information infrastructure, insufficient learning resources, and so on. Based on the results, the authors propose to explore systematic solutions to guarantee a fair and high-quality development of online teaching. For one thing, the whole education system must ensure the fairness of learning conditions, encourage all-round development, and promote school–home cooperation. For another thing, it is necessary to clarify the connotation of online learning, guarantee the construction of information infrastructure, provide training in information technology and classroom management capabilities, and improve the evaluation system of online learning activities.

Design thinking, as a creative and innovative methodology, has been proposed as a process for non-designers to address complex problems. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of using design thinking to foster English-major students’ team creativity and collaboration.

This study employed a quasi-experimental design and was conducted online via Google Classroom. A purposive sample of 31 English-major students from a workplace action research class was used as participants of the study. Design thinking was introduced and employed to foster students’ team creativity and collaboration in the development of group research proposals. The four instruments used to collect the data included: team creativity questionnaire, team collaboration questionnaire, product satisfaction questionnaire and product quality questionnaire.

The results of the study revealed that mean scores of the four outcome variables: team creativity (4.31), team collaboration (4.20), product satisfaction (4.33) and product quality (3.87), were all at a “high” level, supporting that the approach promoted team creativity and team collaboration. Additionally, the correlations between team creativity and product satisfaction (0.49) and team collaboration and product quality (0.33) were both at a “moderate-substantial” level, potentially indicating their roles in ensuring rigorous output.

This research is significant because it provides new insights into the use of design thinking to foster students’ team creativity and collaboration in an action research course.

The purpose of this paper is to use data available through the hybrid (blended online and face to face) learning environment to explore both a direct behavioral measure of conscientiousness and gender in predicting hybrid classroom performance.

Variables measuring both student conscientious behavior, in the hybrid classroom, and gender were examined to determine their relationship to student final grades (i.e. success) in hybrid undergraduate business ethics courses.

The author finds that: first, conscientiousness continues to be a solid predictor of academic success; second, gender continues to be an insignificant predictor of success in the online/hybrid environment; third, using direct behavioral measures of conscientiousness yields results consistent with prior research that linked inventory-based conscientiousness levels to academic performance; and finally, the archiving and data-collection functions of the hybrid classroom represent a rich trove of behavioral data that may be mined for clues to predict student academic success.

As the research is based on data from six hybrid business ethics classrooms at one institution, future research could be extended to different classrooms and different institutions compared across nations. Research implications include highlighting the potential value of using direct measures of conscientiousness to predict performance.

The study sheds light on the tremendous possibilities for conducting applied research on educational performance outcomes using the rich data inherent in the hybrid learning environment. The author has suggested numerous ways to mine the data from the online portion of the hybrid classroom to explore antecedents of academic success. The author suggests that the hybrid classroom can provide data to act as an early warning system for educators to identify struggling students.

The paper builds upon an exploratory study of the use of direct behavioral (rather than inventory self-report) measures of personality in research on educational outcomes as well as introducing avenues for original research on learning behavior based on data afforded by the hybrid educational environment.

This study aims to depict and probe into the building tension, stress and depression to which Jordanian university students have been vulnerable after the compulsory shift to online learning and their prolonged use of digital tools.

The researchers used a five-construct questionnaire, namely, use of digital tools in e-learning, sleeping habits, social interaction, psychological reactions and academic performance, to elicit the responses of university students in Jordan concerning the psychological impact of COVID-19’s e-learning digital tools on their well-being. In total, 775 university-level students representing Jordanian public and private universities were asked to fill in the questionnaire, and their responses were statistically analyzed.

The results showed that the prolonged use of digital tools, lack of face-to-face interaction and heavy load of assignments have led to anxiety, change of sleeping habit, distraction and a stress-building environment, perhaps resulting in depression. This was aggravated by COVID-19’s strict regulatory measures of social distancing, lockdowns, health threats and eroding family income. The prolonged and escalating social, psychological, loss of affection and worsening economic conditions have increased the number of psychological disorders and a drop in students’ academic performance.

This study is useful for educational leaders and policymakers, providing guidance and insights on how higher education institutions can support students’ mental health and psychological well-being, especially in times of crisis. Consequently, the higher education sector should be prepared to function more efficiently and effectively in future emergency situations.

While different studies have investigated the impact of COVID-19 on the education sector globally, little attention has been given to developing countries in the Middle East. By focusing on the Jordanian example, the present study will fill a gap in the research endeavors addressing the prolonged use of e-learning digital tools.

As online course enrollments increase, it is important to understand how common course features influence students' behaviors and performance. Asynchronous online courses often include a discussion forum to promote community through interaction between students and instructors. Students interact both socially and cognitively; instructors' engagement often demonstrates social or teaching presence. Students' engagement in the discussions introduces both intrinsic and extraneous cognitive load. The purpose of this study is to validate an instrument for measuring cognitive load in asynchronous online discussions.

This study presents the validation of the NASA-TLX instrument for measuring cognitive load in asynchronous online discussions in an introductory physics course.

The instrument demonstrated reliability for a model with four subscales for all five discrete tasks. This study is foundational for future work that aims at testing the efficacy of interventions, and reducing extraneous cognitive load in asynchronous online discussions.

Nonresponse error due to the unincentivized, voluntary nature of the survey introduces a sample-related limitation.

This study provides a strong foundation for future research focused on testing the effects of interventions aimed at reducing extraneous cognitive load in asynchronous online discussions.

This is a novel application of the NASA-TLX instrument for measuring cognitive load in asynchronous online discussions.

The purpose of this paper is to explore four general design features of King Digital Entertainment’s game “Candy Crush Saga” – structural, social, cognitive, and emotional – that reflect the principles of Universal Design for Learning and discusses how these features can be applied to course design in order to motivate learner persistence and increase student success.

Both authors are casual Candy Crush game players intrigued by how the game motivates users to continue. The methodology began with participant observation and expanded to “deconstruction” of game features and application of research findings in multiple disciplines to build the argument that game design strategies can be applied to course design to enhance learning outcomes.

Many factors influence game play, but it is crucial for each level to provide increasing challenges that motivate increased mastery but do not frustrate a player to the point of quitting. Similarly, course design that provides the opportunity for learners to achieve a sense of “flow” through the opportunity to identify goals, meet challenges, and receive feedback may encourage them to persist even when they are working autonomously as in some online environments.

This paper is based on an analysis of the design of a single game and has not been formally tested on course design. Some suggestions may be easier to implement in courses than others.

The paper offers 14 structural, three social, four cognitive, and six social design strategies that can be implemented in course design as a way to potentially enhance learner engagement and learning outcomes.

No published research exists that connects game design and course design in this fashion.

The purpose of this paper is to explore and critically assess the potential value and effectiveness of massive open online courses (MOOCs) for public administration education.

The research in this conceptual paper offered a critical examination of MOOCs using the work of Baudrillard, Debord, and others to re-frame and reconsider our understanding of this emerging educational strategy.

Baudrillard’s simulacrum and Debord’s spectacle concepts can inform the discussion and understanding of MOOCs in higher education.

This is an emerging area that needs further study and development.

MOOCs might contribute to the blurring of lines between educational products that are needed and products for which a need is manufactured by corporate interests.

MOOCs might contribute to the commodification of knowledge in higher education.

This is the first conceptual paper exploring MOOCs and their issues using Baudrillard and Debord.

The massive expansion of digital platform has been responsible for the widespread progressive engagement created amongst learners and educators. The practice of requiring student feedback on online learning services ensures that teacher education continues to advance its strategic approach to online learning. This paper aims to examine the level of accessibility and adaptability of digital technology with particular focus on Malaysia, by elaborating the value of superior learning service and practical adaptability of online learning during the pandemic era.

This study was conducted using qualitative approach of data collection, namely via structured interview. The listed respondents included 30 higher learners who participated in the study by providing feedback on the issues encountered during the research process.

The findings revealed that the strategic enhancement of digital accessibility continued with digital adaptability to sources of learning services would contribute to advancing achievement of digital learning pathway.

Increasing accessibility to digital platforms in digital learning system can help to shape the digital environment. Digital expansion can create unlimited boundaries for online knowledge acquisition.

The social implication refers to acquiring the abilities developed through online engagement with peers by actualising and exploring information together with continuous inter-connectedness of sharing pathway in online platform. The instructor would need to give a proportional gateway to make learners experience the digital environment for future education.

This study aims to assess the value of developing accessibility of digital technology for students' online learning services during the pandemic and beyond. A well-structured plan would enable digital learning capabilities and mutual accessibility amongst learners. This can allow digital abilities to be transformed into collaborative teamwork amongst learners.