@article {1657, title = {STUDY GROUP SIZE, MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN THE DIGITAL ERA}, journal = {Problems of Education in the 21st Century}, volume = {81}, year = {2023}, month = {June/2023}, pages = {Continuous}, type = {Original article}, chapter = {361-373}, abstract = {This study explored the relationship between the size of the study group and the motivation and engagement of students in online and face-to-face classes while exploring the effect of personal and academic background variables, the number of students in the study group, and the level of their motivation to study. The study included 122 participants, students in their second, third, or fourth year of academic studies, who had experienced online studies during Covid-19 as well as face-to-face studies. They had all participated in both small classes (35 students or less) and large classes (more than 35 students). The study indicates that there is indeed a significant difference in students{\textquoteright} motivation and engagement, irrespective of the size of the study group, and the difference in motivation depends on the method of delivery, whether online or traditional (face-to-face). The research results reveal new knowledge regarding online studies and help enrich the literature on this topic, in the context of motivation for online studies and the size of the study group, which are significant causes underlying students{\textquoteright} academic success. It is evident from the study that size does not affect motivation, which is solely the student{\textquoteright}s responsibility. The challenge of academic institutions and lecturers in the digital era is to raise students{\textquoteright} motivation and engagement, irrespective of the study group.}, keywords = {Covid-19, e-learning motivation, engagement of students, face-to-face classes, higher education}, issn = {1822-7864}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.33225/pec/23.81.361}, url = {https://oaji.net/articles/2023/457-1687425220.pdf}, author = {Nitza Davidovitch and Roman Yavich} } @article {1549, title = {PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS{\textquoteright} EXPERIENCES OF THE TRANSITION FROM ANALOGUE TO DIGITAL LEARNING DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC}, journal = {Problems of Education in the 21st Century}, volume = {80}, year = {2022}, month = {April/2022}, pages = {Continuous}, type = {Original article}, chapter = {273-288}, abstract = {The transition from analogue campus-based learning to digital distance learning during the Covid-19 pandemic affected our society in many ways. This study set out to explore the experiences of 30 pre-service teachers when transitioning to digital distance learning. The pre-service teachers (PSTs) participated in a series of focus-group interviews that were subsequently analysed using qualitative content analysis. The results indicate that the transition to digital distance learning worked well and that the technology that was used performed satisfactorily. However, the PSTs experienced both opportunities and obstacles with respect to distance learning. The opportunities associated with digital distance learning were reported to be instantiated by teacher-led {\textquoteleft}flipped classroom{\textquoteright} teaching sessions and the additional freedom that was enjoyed by the PSTs (in both space and time). An obstacle associated with digital learning was the feeling that important aspects of interpersonal interaction disappeared. The PSTs remained sedentary and isolated at home, and the learning experience became somewhat dysfunctional when the teaching was not clearly structured and teacher-lead. The study concludes that it is not possible to replace IRL ({\textquoteleft}in real life{\textquoteright}) teaching entirely with digital distance learning. However, the results suggest that a hybrid form of teaching or elements of digital teaching can work well as a complement to future campus-based courses.}, keywords = {Covid-19, digital learning, digital teaching, distance learning, hybrid learning}, issn = {1822-7864}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.33225/pec/22.80.273}, url = {https://oaji.net/articles/2022/457-1651338145.pdf}, author = {Johan B{\"a}cklund and Martin Hugo and Kerstin Ericson} } @article {1539, title = {SITUATION OF SPECIAL EDUCATION IN BRAZIL AND CANADA DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC}, journal = {Problems of Education in the 21st Century}, volume = {80}, year = {2022}, month = {February/2022}, pages = {Continuous}, type = {Original article}, chapter = {162-178}, abstract = {The Covid-19 pandemic has placed the world in a public health emergency since the beginning of the year 2020, posing a challenge to education, especially to Special Education. This study aimed to analyze the situation of special education in Brazil and Canada during the Covid-19 pandemic. The research was part of a postdoctoral project in education. Methodologically, it is an international comparative study in education. It was carried out from April 2020 to November 2021, based on a literature review and official documents. The search was carried out in the Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO) and in the Institute of Educational Sciences (ERIC), and 233 articles were found. After analysis and following the inclusion criteria, 217 articles were excluded. In the end, 16 studies were selected. The results show that the more structured the educational system and Special Education, the greater the chances of success. In addition to returning to face-to-face classes earlier, Canada also provided more support for families and students, but it was still insufficient. In both countries, children with disabilities are in a fragile situation owing to social isolation. Aspects such as choice of tools, internet connection quality, user skills, virtual spaces for collective support, school and family communication, strengthening of special education policies and programs, adequate support, among others, led to the success of remote education. This research is intended to contribute to an increase in the number of studies in Brazil and abroad, serving as a basis for the scientific production of other international comparative studies.}, keywords = {Brazil and Canada, comparative study, Covid-19, literature review, special education}, issn = {1822-7864}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.33225/pec/22.80.162}, url = {https://oaji.net/articles/2022/457-1645651019.pdf}, author = {Givigi, R. C. and Jesus, D. M. and Raquel Souza Silva} } @article {1368, title = {STUDENT PERCEPTIONS OF ECUADORIAN VIRTUAL PLATFORMS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC}, journal = {Problems of Education in the 21st Century}, volume = {79}, year = {2021}, month = {April/2021}, pages = {Continuous}, type = {Original article}, chapter = {241-254}, abstract = {In February 2020 Ecuador declared a health emergency due to the Covid-19 pandemic. On-site classes were suspended. The Ecuadorian university population does not adapt to virtual educational platforms. The objective of the study was to analyse student perception of Ecuadorian educational platforms in higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was quantitative. The sample was non-probabilistic participatory, consisting of students from different universities in the Province of Chimborazo. For data collection, a questionnaire with four study variables was applied. The results were analysed with T student and MANOVA. There is a positive perception of students using the educational platforms. There were significant statistical differences according to gender variables, contrary to the levels of study and location, there is a greater sympathetic affection of students when receiving virtual classes by female teachers. It can be concluded that the Covid-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of online learning by higher education institutions. }, keywords = {Covid-19, Ecuador, education platform, higher education, virtual education}, issn = {1822-7864}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.33225/pec/21.79.241}, url = {http://oaji.net/articles/2021/457-1617434819.pdf}, author = {Cejas Martinez, M. F. and Navarro Cejas, M. and Venegas Alvarez, G. S. and Proano Rodriguez, C. E. and Mendoza Velazco, D. J.} } @article {1283, title = {THE VALUE OF EDUCATION IN THE CONTEXT OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC}, journal = {Problems of Education in the 21st Century}, volume = {78}, year = {2020}, month = {June/2020}, pages = {Continuous}, type = {Editorial}, chapter = {309-313}, abstract = {On March 24 of this year 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that the United States had the potential to become the new epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic, due to the data presented that infected more than 42,000 people in the United States at that time. President Donald Trump dismissed the seriousness of the growing threat of the virus. He trivialized the emergency by saying it was a "farce" from his political rivals. Today, May 23, according to the data from the Coronavirus Resource Center at Johns Hopkins University, there are more than 5 million confirmed victims in the world and of these more than 1,6 million in the United States alone, with more than 98 thousand deaths. Director Michael Ryan of the World Health Organization (WHO) emergency program announced on May 22 that South America has become the new epicenter of covid-19 in the world, considering data from Brazil. He said, "We have seen many South American countries with an increase in the number of cases and, clearly, there is concern in many of these countries, but certainly the most affected is Brazil at the moment". }, keywords = {Covid-19, infected people, remote education, World Health Organization}, issn = {1822-7864}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.33225/pec/20.78.309}, url = {https://journals.indexcopernicus.com/search/article?articleId=2537141}, author = {Agnaldo Arroio} }