Update on the Teachers Strike…with a small Literature Review

The most recent update in the Ontario teachers strike reflects the P.C. Government’s willingness to not make e-learning mandatory, but optional for students (Jones, 2020, March 3). The president of the OSSTF calls this an amateur ploy and urges the government to bring actual proposals to the table that benefits the parties involved. To understand the teacher’s position on e-learning, I return to a Global News post from January, which outlines concerns such as student’s inability to grasp the technology, affordability, availability, pre-established competency with technology, and perpetuating a growing educational gap. The government counters the criticism with the need for technological fluency, and to provide technological availability to communities if they need assistance (Mauracher, 2020, January 21).

I decided to test what the current literature is saying about e-learning in classrooms, so I used a Boolean Search Operator on my University database with the phrase ‘e-learning AND affects on students’ keeping the language un-biased as possible. Since this is a blog post, I find it important to take what I can from the research articles and keep the contents succinct. Therefore, I will be looking at the abstract for themes and relevant conclusions for justification.

Findings from the articles show that pedagogical software, computer supported collaborated learning (CSCL), and web-based software contributed to the positive learning, self-efficacy, self-regulation, and productivity of students when combined with in-class instruction (Adelabu et al., 2019; Lin & Tsai, 2016; Pietarinen et al., 2019). Furthermore, students entering high school are very self-aware and confident with new methods (Issaieva, 2016), and in professional scholarly disciplines with high rigor, there is no change in their learning between traditional and multidisciplinary models (Barry & O’Sullivan, 2017).

Some authors implicated the continued use of online learning through sustainable effects in the future calling for more research, especially with low self-regulated learners (Barry & O’Sullivan, 2017; Lin & Tsai, 2016). However, collaboration in a technical atmosphere proved beneficial at the onset with low and high self-regulated learners (Lin & Tsai, 2016), with an overall consensus showing a viable usage for technology in the classroom.

With benefits of online learning, the benefits seem to only come in a hybrid model, meaning the in-class instruction should never go away. Students benefit from in-class instruction due to clear objectives — and teachers have the ability to control the learning atmosphere in a classroom as opposed to online. Hawkins et al. (2012) conclude that online learning, through feedback from K-12 teachers, describe a significant disconnect from students. The researchers also conclude that lack of face-to-face instruction can cause a detrimental effect on student performance and engagement.

Affordability was not really discussed in the articles, however, with the government saying they will supply technology, there are other factors that can be relevant. Extended research shows that the use of online open resource text alleviates financial burden on post-secondary students (Farrow, 2016). In addition, using crowdsourcing as an educational tool leverages collaboration, and alleviates financial burden on community stakeholders (Scalise, 2011).

After this endeavour, I feel like there are some important questions to direct towards the union leaders and the government:

For the union leaders:

• Why do you oppose e-learning when the evidence shows positive results, when mixed with in-person instruction, in classrooms?
• What is your motive to being so defensive in these talks?
• Since e-learning is shown to benefit student competency, are you really for the students on this front?

For government:

• Why not question the criticisms of e-learning, as it is not a all or nothing substitute for in-person learning?
• Do you want to reach the quickest deal possible to get people back to work?
• Given this recent action has upset the unions further, what options are available to get students back on track with their education?

I close with asking what both parties are really doing for the students? I mentioned in previous blogs the empty rhetoric of “This is for the kids”. I ask again, is it really “for the kids”?

References

Adelabu, F. M., Makgato, M., Ramaligela M. (2019). The Importance of Dynamic Geometry Computer Software on Learners’ Performance in Geometry. Electronic Journal of e-Learning, 17(1), 52-63.

Barry, O., & O’Sullivan E. (2016). Comparison of dental students’ performances and perceptions in preclinical and clinical pharmacology in an Irish Dental School. European Journal of Dental Education, 21(4), 19-28.

Farrow, R. (2016). A framework for the ethics of open education. Open Praxis, 8(2), 93-109.

Hawkins, A., Barbour, M. K., & Graham, C. R. (2012). “Everybody is their own Island”: Teacher disconnection in a virtual school. International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 13(2), 123-144.

Issaieva, E. (2016). Conceptions of intelligence and learning and perceptions of self-efficacy among students at the end of primary school. Educational Studies, 42(1), 114-118.

Jones, A. (2020, March 3). Ontario government changes position on higher class sizes, mandatory e-learning. Global News. https://globalnews.ca/news/6625163/ontario-schools-class-sizes-e-learning/

Lin, J. W., & Tsai, C. W. (2016). The impact of an online project-based learning environment with group awareness support on students with different self-regulation levels: An extended-period experiment. Computers and Education, 99, 28-38.

Mauracher, J. (2020, January 21). What is e-learning and why does it have some Ontario teachers concerned? Global News. https://globalnews.ca/news/6444006/e-learning-in-ontario-schools/

Pietarinen, T., Vaurus, M., Laakkonen, E., Kinnunen, R., & Volet, S. (2019). High school students’ perceptions of affect and collaboration during virtual science inquiry learning. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 35(3), 334-348.

Scalise, K. (2011). Crowdsourcing and education with relation to the knowledge economy. International Journal of Web-Based Learning and Teaching Technologies, 6(3).