An Instructional Model of Online Synchronous Instruction--A Case Study of College English Course for College Students

Online synchronous educational experience via videoconferencing has become ubiquitous domestically and internationally with the spread of Covid-19 Virus.Online teaching theories and educational experiences through computer-mediated communication have been integrating and evolving during the current situation.The objective of this paper is to demonstrate a practical teaching model for Chinese college students’English as a foreign language learning course.The key finding of the research is that the 5-step-teaching Model developed under the context of online synchronous learning and teaching is both functional and efficient on the theoretical basis of constructivist approach.This teaching model is proved to be practical,interesting,useful and functional to both second-years and graduates during the implementation of educational transaction according to the survey conducted at the end of the semester.The ubiquity of online synchronous learning and teaching would lead to a meaningful and worthwhile educational experience and have a far-reaching implication for both educators and student’s personal development,especially students’critical thinking capability.The findings of the paper are pedagogically valuable for e-teachers in conducting online courses.It also holds true that the management of education and society could benefit and adopt this teaching model to various courses in different institutions.This study is hopefully to provide research-and-experience-based findings to enrich course design and instructional approaches and educational experiences.Thus,it is of interest to online teachers,instructional designers and programme developers in the field of education.

A Comparative Study on the Effects of Online Synchronous Instruction in the Framework of Community of Inquiry

The objective of this case study is to compare the satisfaction of online educational experience with traditional one from the perspective of Community of Inquiry theory.It compares the teaching effects of this online instruction with traditional class through cognitive presence,social presence and teaching presence which are 3 influencers in deciding the quality of distance learning and teaching.A survey to 40 undergraduates and 45 graduates and 28 teachers were conducted for this purpose.The key finding of the research is that the online teaching model is comparatively functional and efficient for both students and teachers comparing with traditional classes.Cognitive presence is more prominent among 2 student cohort and social presence varies among undergraduates and graduates.The teacher’s response in the three presences are a bit more pessimistic than that of two groups of students.This result would bring some implications for future online synchronous learning and teaching and blended instruction.

Perceptions of Instructors and Students to Online Education at a Rural University

The popularity of technology has allowed universities to make changes through their educational system in recent years. Some transitioned from face-to-face instruction to online instruction. The aim of this study is to investigate the perceptions of both the instructors and the students as regards second language acquisition through online education at a rural university. The study was implemented in the context of teaching and learning English as a second language in an online education environment. The course material is based on The Net Languages Learning Platform, which is available at http：//ide.yok.gov.tr/, and the course level is general English pre-elementary. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used in this study. For quantitative data collection, a questionnaire was employed to understand the reasons for low student attendance on online courses. For qualitative research method, observation was carried out, and interviews are designed as data collection techniques. Purposive selection was used for selection of the participants. The findings revealed that online education needs to be modified. The students are eager to improve their second language competencies; however, they do not want to waste their time on an easy course level.

Enhancing Grammar Learning with a Multimedia Instructional Module:Design and Teaching of“Shì...de”Construction for CFL learners

This pilot study examined the effectiveness and students’perceptions of a multimedia module on intermediate Chinese-as-a-Foreign-Language(CFL)learners’understanding and use of the“shì...de”construction.The module was designed based on the First Principles of Instruction(Morrill,2002)and the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning(Mayer,2009;2014).It provided a systematic and comprehensive approach to teaching the“shì...de”construction,one of the most challenging grammar points in CFL.Twenty-two CFL learners participated in this mixed-methods study.Data were collected using pre-and post-tests,a survey,think-alouds,and semi-structured interviews.Findings show that after using the module,students’understanding and use of the construction significantly improved,except for their understanding of the second usage.The students enjoyed using the module and appreciated how it was designed,the way it was presented,and its availability.The reasons for the effectiveness of the module were analyzed and led to suggested improvements to the design of the module.The detailed description of the design process and the research result contribute to the knowledge of designing grammar teaching modules with multimedia for online,blended,and flipped learning.