Impact of Learning Strategies in Distance Education on Student Performance in an Introductory Course of Soil Science

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15359/ree.25-2.6

Keywords:

Pedagogical strategy, online teaching, soil, motivation

Abstract

This research aims to determine if learning strategies influenced the participation and performance of students from a Soil Science course in distance modality. The participation and qualifications of 783 students from an Environmental Management course of a university in southern Ecuador were used. The data were organized in four periods between 2012 and 2018 and analyzed with descriptive statistics (means and frequencies), considering the strategies implemented in each period, such as forums, chats, questionnaires, works, and evaluations. The implemented synchronous and asynchronous strategies influence the students’ participation but not always their performance. Furthermore, the greater number of activities sent is not always beneficial. For this reason, it is essential to prioritize and clarify the activities sent to students with adequate planning and explanation of them. The unique characteristics of Soil Science, added to the challenge of distance learning, constitute a real challenge, so continuing to do research on education aspects of this science will contribute to improving the students’ academic performance.

Author Biographies

Leticia Jiménez-Álvarez, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja

Doctora en Manejo y Gestión de Recursos Fitogenéticos. Profesora Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas.

Natacha Fierro-Jaramillo, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja

Maestría Formación de Formadores. Profesora Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas.

Pablo Quichimbo-Miguitama, Universidad de Cuenca

Profesor de la Carrera de Ingeniería Agronómica, Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias

Edwin Capa-Mora, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja

Doctor en Gestión y Manejo de Recursos Fitogenéticos. Profesor del Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas

References

Albertini González, F. A. (2017). Avances, desafíos e impacto de la educación superior virtual en Paraguay 2015-2017. Revista ScientiAmericana, 4(1), 1-23. https://www.uamericana.edu.py/revistacientifica/index.php/scientiamericana/article/view/237/231

Amador, J. A. y Mededer, H. (2013). Migrating successful student engagement strategies online: Opportunities and challenges using Jigsaw groups and problem-based learning. Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 9(1), 89-105. https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/nrs_facpubs/42/

Curry, S., Grunwald, S. y Vimala, N. (Eds). (2007). Distance education. Myakka, 7(3), 1-8. https://soils.ifas.ufl.edu/media/soilsifasufledu/sws-main-site/pdf/newsletters/fall-2007.pdf

Driscoll, A., Jicha, K., Hunt, A. N., Tichavsky, L. y Thompson, G. (2012). Can online courses deliver in-class results? A comparison of student performance and satisfaction in an online versus a face-to-face introductory sociology course. Teaching Sociology, 40(4), 312-331. https://doi.org/10.1177/0092055X12446624

Egbert, J. (2000). [Reseña del libro Teaching and learning a distance: Foundations of distance education, por M. Simonson, S. Smaldino, M. Albright y S. Zvacek]. Language Learning & Technology, 4(1), 16-19. https://www.lltjournal.org/item/2311

Field, D. J., Koppi, A. J., Jarrett, L. E., Abbott, L. K., Cattle, S. R., Grant, C. D., McBratney, A. B., Menzies, N. W. y Weatherley, A. J. (2011). Soil science teaching principles. Geoderma, 167-168, 9-14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2011.09.017

Field, D. J., Yates, D., Koppi, A. J., McBratney, A. y Jarret, J. (2017). Framing a modern context of soil science learning and teaching. Geoderma, 289, 117-123. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2016.11.034

García Aretio, L. (1999). Historia de la educación a distancia. Revista Iberoamericana de Educación a Distancia, 2(1), 11-40. https://doi.org/10.5944/ried.2.1.2084

Gill, J. K. y Rengel, Z. (2013). Designing an online lecture in the discipline of soil science. Teaching and Learning Forum, 1-9. https://clt.curtin.edu.au/events/conferences/tlf/tlf2013/refereed/gill.pdf

Hartemink, A. E. (2015). On global soil science and regional solutions. Geoderma Regional 5, 1-3. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geodrs.2015.02.001

Hartemink, A. E., Balks, M. R., Chen, Z.-S.., Drohan, P., Field, D. J., Krasilnikov, P., Lowe, D. J., Rabenhorst, M., van Ress, K., Schad, P., Schipper, L. A., Sonneveld, M. y Walter, C. (2014). The joy of teaching soil science. Geoderma, 217-218, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2013.10.016

Hughes, I. y Overton, T. (2009). Key aspects of learning and teaching in experimental sciences. En H. Fry., S. Ketteride. y S. Marshall (Eds.), A Handbook for teaching and learning in higher education. Enhancing academic practice (pp. 226-245). Routledge. http://biblioteca.ucv.cl/site/colecciones/manuales_u/A%20Handbook%20for%20Teaching%20and%20Learning%20in%20Higher%20Education%20Enhancing%20academic%20and%20Practice.pdf

Jarret, L. E., Field, D. J., Koppi, T., Koppittke, P. M., Abbott, L., Grant, C. D., McBratney, A. B., Menzies, N. W. y Weatherley, T. F. K. (2011). Guidelines for online learning in soil science: A synthesis of ideas from academics, students and employers. En Teaching for Diversity – Challenges and Strategies ACSME (pp. 175-180). University of Melbourne.

Jiménez Álvarez, L., Capa-Mora, E., Quichimbo Miguitama, P. y Fierro Jaramillo, N. (2018). Enseñanza de la introducción de la ciencia del suelo en modalidad a distancia en Ecuador. Revistas Ciencias Pedagógicas e Innovación, 6(1), 52-60. https://doi.org/10.26423/rcpi.v6i1.211

Jiménez Álvarez, L. S., Vega, N., Capa-Mora, E. D., Fierro Jaramillo, N. del C. y Quichimbo Miguitama, P. (2019). Estilos y estrategia de enseñanza-aprendizaje de estudiantes universitarios de la ciencia del suelo. Revistas Electrónica de Investigación Educativa, 21(e04), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.24320/redie.2019.21.e04.1935

Kim, K.-J. y Bonk, C. J. (2006). The future of online teaching and learning in higher education. The survey says... Educause Quarterly, 4, 22-30. https://er.educause.edu/-/media/files/article-downloads/eqm0644.pdf

Lockwood, P. y Daniel, H. (1997). Computer-assisted teaching in soil science. Science of Soils, 2. http://hintze-online.com/sos/1997/Articles/Art5/art5.html

Lozano, Z., Ruiz, M. y Lozano, R. (2015). Experiencias en educación a distancia en ciencia del suelo. Información y documentación agrícola, 31, 67-72. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/285152960_Experiencia_en_educacion_a_distancia_en_ciencia_del_suelo

Mamo, M., Ippolito, J. A., Kettler, T. A., Reuter, R. y McCallister, D., Morner, P., Husmann, D. y Blankenship, E. (2011). Learning gains and response to digital lessons on soil genesis and development. Journal of Geoscience Education, 59(4), 194-204. https://doi.org/10.5408/1.3651402

Mamo, M., Kettler, T., Husmann, D. y McCallister, D. (2004). Assessment of an on-line erosion lesson as a teaching tool in introductory soil science. NACTA Journal, 48(3), 47-52.

Moncada Mora, L. F. (2014). La integración académica de los estudiantes universitarios como factor determinante del abandono de corto plazo, un análisis en el sistema de educación superior a distancia del Ecuador. Red Iberoamericana de Estudios del Desarrollo, 17(2), 173-196. https://doi.org/10.5944/ried.17.2.12683

Motavalli, P. P., Patton, M. D., Logan, R. A. y Frey, C. J. (2003). Promoting environmental writing in undergraduate soil science programs. Journal of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Education, 32(1), 93-99. https://doi.org/10.2134/jnrlse.2003.0093

Moreno, B., Ramos, C. y García, A. S. (2017). Efectos de las estrategias de enseñanza y aprendizaje universitarias en el rendimiento académico. Revista d’Innovació Docent Universitària, 9, 39-53. https://revistes.ub.edu/index.php/RIDU/article/view/RIDU2017.9.4/20378

Murphy, T. H. (2000). An evaluation of a distance education course design for general soils. Journal of Agricultural Education, 41(3), 103-112. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/ce9f/1ea629aa6267afc5b1349bd337031e213794.pdf?_ga=2.49161889.622051483.1595375775-1594467074.1583199411

Pérez Martínez, A. y Tlaczni Conde, E. (2012). Herramientas síncronas y asíncronas en educación a distancia. En Cuarto Congreso Virtual Iberoamericano de Calidad en Educación a Distancia (pp. 1-9). FLEAD; RIDEAD; REMAD; TUEDA, Asociación Venezolana de Educación a Distancia. http://eduqa2012.eduqa.net/eduqa2012/images/ponencias/eje4/4_3_PEREZ_Alain_TLACZANI_Esther_herramientas_sincronas_y_asincronas_en_educacion_a_distancia.pdf

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital inmigrants. On the Horizon, 9(5), 1-20. https://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf

Ramasundaram, V., Grunwald, S., Mangeot, A., Comerford, N. B. y Bliss, C. M. (2005), Development of an environmental virtual field laboratory. Computers & Education, 45(1), 21-34. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2004.03.002

Shirani Bidabadi, N., Nasr Isfahani, A., Rouhollahi, A. y Khalili, R. (2016). Effective teaching methods in higher education: Requirements and barriers. Journal of Advances in Medical Education & Professionalism, 4(4), 170-178.

Song, L., Singleton, E. S., Hill, J. R. y Koh, M. H. (2004). Improving online learning: Student perceptions of useful and challenging characteristics. The Internet and Higher Education, 7(1), 59-70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2003.11.003

UNESCO. (2002). Aprendizaje abierto y a distancia. Consideraciones sobre tendencias, políticas y estrategias. Autor. http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0012/001284/128463s.pdf

Published

2021-03-06

How to Cite

Impact of Learning Strategies in Distance Education on Student Performance in an Introductory Course of Soil Science (L. Jiménez-Álvarez, N. Fierro-Jaramillo, P. Quichimbo-Miguitama, & E. Capa-Mora , Trans.). (2021). Revista Electrónica Educare, 25(2), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.15359/ree.25-2.6

Issue

Section

Journal Articles (Peer Reviewed Section)

How to Cite

Impact of Learning Strategies in Distance Education on Student Performance in an Introductory Course of Soil Science (L. Jiménez-Álvarez, N. Fierro-Jaramillo, P. Quichimbo-Miguitama, & E. Capa-Mora , Trans.). (2021). Revista Electrónica Educare, 25(2), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.15359/ree.25-2.6

Comentarios (ver términos de uso)