The Webinar Experiences of Higher Education Instructors in the Time of Emergency Remote Education

Abstract

The global health threat caused by Covid-19 has resulted for schools, colleges, and universities to temporarily shutting down physical operations. The Philippine education sector, in particular, shifted from face-to-face interactions to emergency remote education. However, the question relies on the context that the majority of educators are trained and products of traditional teaching and learning environment. And since there is an urgency to adapt to emergency remote education and implementation of face-to-face in-service trainings, seminars, and workshops are prohibited, the idea of shifting to webinars has been seen as a way for educators to still engage in continuous professional development even at a distance. It cannot be denied that there is also a paucity of research about educators’ webinar experiences during this time of uncertainty. Hence, using qualitative case study research, this study investigates the experiences of higher education instructors with regard to in-service training webinars and how this addresses and helps them to adapt to the sudden change of educational context. More importantly, there were three themes that emerged in this study: flexibility in engaging in lifelong learning practices, openness to alternative delivery of in-service training programs, and thirst for digital literacy skills improvement. The paper concludes with the overall findings and its implication to emergency remote education.

Keywords

• Emergency remote education
• Pandemic
• Professional development
• Teacher trainining experiences
• Webinars

References

1. Adnan, M., & Anwar, K. (2020). Online learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic: Students' perspectives. Journal of Pedagogical Sociology and Psychology, 2(1), 45-51. http://www.doi.org/10.33902/JPSP. 2020261309
2. Ahmadi, M.R. (2018). The use of technology in English language learning: A literature review. International Journal of Research in English Education, 3(2), 116-125. http://www.doi.org/10.29252/ijree.3.2.115.
3. Ahrens, A., Zascerinska, J., Ramar, H., & Andreeva, N. (2016). Educator’s opinion on webinars in higher education. Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference, 15-27. http://dx.doi.org/10.17770/sie2016vol1.1488.
4. Alshahrani, I. (2019). Orienting faculty and students with online teaching webinar Experiences in Saudi Arabia. Annals of Medical and Health Sciences Research, 9(1), 443-447.
5. Alvarez, A. V. Jr. (2021). Rethinking the digital divide in the time of crisis. Globus Journal of Progressive Education, 11(1), 26-28. https://doi.org/10.46360/globus.edu.220211006
6. Alvarez, A. V. Jr. (2020a). The phenomenon of learning at a distance through emergency remote teaching amidst the pandemic crisis. Asian Journal of Distance Education, 15(1), 144-153. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3881529
7. Alvarez, A.V. Jr. (2020b). Learning from the problems and challenges in blended learning: Basis for faculty development and program enhancement. Asian Journal of Distance Education, 15(2), 112-132. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4292631.
8. Alvarez, A.V. Jr., Ventura, R.M., & Opiniano, J.H. (2020). Going the distance: Perceptions of teachers in open and distance continuing professional development. Globus Journal of Progressive Education, 10(2), 60-66. http://dx.doi.org/10.46360/globus.edu.

9. Al-Hariri, M. T. & Al-Hattami, A.A. (2017). Impact of students’ use of technology on their learning achievements in physiology courses at the University of Dammam. Journal of Taibah University Medical Science, 12(1), 82-85. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jtumed.2016.07.004.
10. Alhajri, S. (2016). The effectiveness of teaching methods used in graphic design pedagogy in both analogue and digital education systems. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 4(2), 422-425. http://dx.doi.org/10.13189/ujer.2016.040216
11. Al Zumor, A. W., Al Refaai, I. K., Bader Eddin, E. A., & Aziz Al-Rahman, F. H. (2013). EFL students' perception of a blended learning environment: Advantages, limitations and suggestions for improvement. English Language Teaching, 6(10), 95-110. http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/elt.v6n10p95.
12. Bhawna, S.Y. (2018). A study on digitalization of education through understanding ICT. Globus Journal of Progressive Education, 8(2). http://dx.doi.org/10.46360/globus.220182002
13. Bozkurt, A., & Sharma, R. C. (2020). Emergency remote teaching in a time of global crisis due to CoronaVirus pandemic. Asian Journal of Distance Education, 15(1), i-vi. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3778083
14. Bozkurt, A., Jung, I., Xiao, J., Vladimirschi, V., Schuwer, R., Egorov, G., . . . Paskevicius, M. (2020). A global outlook to the interruption of education due to COVID-19 pandemic:: Navigating in a time of uncertainty and crisis. Asian Journal of Distance Education, 15(1), 1-126. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3878572
15. Braun, V. & Clarke, V. (2013). Teaching thematic analysis: Overcoming challenges and developing strategies for effective learning. The Psychologist, 26(2), 120-123. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/16706434.pdf
16. Corcuera, L.C. & Alvarez, A.V. (2021). Teacher's roadblocks in the time of quarantine teaching. International Journal of Social Sciences and Education Research, 7(4), 427-434. https://doi.org/10.24289/ijsser.1003162
17. Creswell, J. W. (2005). Qualitative research design: An interactive approach (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
18. Creswell, J. W. (2009). Research design: Qualitative and mixed methods approaches. London and Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
19. Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
20. Cuaton, G. P. (2020). Philippine higher education institutions in the time of COVID-19 pandemic. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala, 12(1Sup2), 61-70. https://doi.org/10.18662/rrem/12.1sup1/247
21. Data Quality Campaign. (2020). Using data to understand what works: Research and the COVID-19 crisis. https://dataqualitycampaign.org/wpcontent/uploads/2020/07/Re search-and-COVID-19-071620.pdf.
22. de la Pena-Bandalaria, M. (2007). Impact of ICTs on open and distance learning in a developing country setting: The Philippine experience. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 8(1), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v8i1.334
23. Ebner, C. & Gegenfurtner, A. (2019). Learning and satisfaction in webinar, online and face-to-face instruction: A meta-analysis. Frontiers in Education. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2019.00092
24. Elliott, R., Fischer, C. T., & Rennie, D. L. (1999). Evolving guidelines for publication of qualitative research studies in psychology and related fields. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 38, 215-229. https://doi.org/10.1348/014466599162782
25. Esterberg, K. G. (2002). Qualitative methods in social research. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill.
26. Gegenfurtner, A. & Ebner, C. (2019). Webinars in higher education and professional training: A metaanalysis and systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Educational Research Review, 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2019.100293
27. Gegenfurtner, A., Zitt, A., & Ebner, C. (2020). Evaluating webinar-based training: A mixed methods study of trainee reactions toward digital web conferencing. International Journal of Training and Development, 24(1), 5-21. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijtd.12167
28. Hubalovsky, H., Hubalovska, M., & Musilek, M. (2019). Assessment of the influence of adaptive E-learning on learning effectiveness of primary school pupils. Computers in Human Behavior, 92, 691-705. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2018.05.033
29. König, J., Jäger-Biela, D. J., & Glutsch, N. (2020). Adapting to online teaching during COVID-19 school closure: Teacher education and teacher competence effects among early career teachers in Germany. European Journal of Teacher Education, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/02619768.2020.1809650
30. Kvale, S. (1996). Interviews: An introduction to qualitative research interviewing. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Lieser, P., Taff, S.D., & Hagan, A.M. (2018) The webinar integration tool: A framework for promoting active learning in blended environments. Journal of Interactive Media in Education, 2018(1), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.5334/jime.453
31. Medynska, N. N., Sovtys, N. M., Halatiuk, M. Y., Symonovych, N. V., & Shuryn, O. I. (2020). The analysis of alternative distance learning implementation into the system of general professional training of teachers. International Journal of Higher Education, 9(4), 339-347. https://doi.org/10.5430/ijhe.v9n4p339
32. Merriam, S. A. (1988). Case study research in education: A Qualitative approach (1st ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
33. Merriam, S. B. (2002). Qualitative research in practice: Examples for discussion and analysis. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
34. Nowell, L. S., Norris, J. M., White, D. E., & Moules, N. J. (2017). Thematic analysis: Striving to meet the trustworthiness criteria. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406917733847
35. Nasir, M. K. M., & Quick, D. (2016). Teaching presence influencing online students’ course satisfaction at an institution of higher education. International Education Studies, 9(3), 62-70. http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/ies.v9n3p62
36. O’Brien, B. C., Harris, I. B., Beckman, T. J., Reed, D. A., & Cook, D. A. (2014). Standards for reporting qualitative research: A synthesis of recommendations. Academic Medicine, 89(9), 1245–1251. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0000000000000388
37. Patton, M. Q. (1987). How to use qualitative methods in evaluation (2nd ed.). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
38. Prasetyono, T. O. H., & Christian, A. (2020). Multiscreen to screen webinar for education beyond border: A review. Annals of Medicine and Surgery. 237-241. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amsu.2020.09.041
39. Rao, P.S. (2019). The influence of webinar in developing teaching skills of the English language teachers: A comprehensive study in ELT. Research Journal of English Language and Literature, 7(4), 370-380. https://dx.doi.org/10.33329/rjelal.74.370
40. Raja, R., & Nagasubramani P.C. (2018). Impact of modern technology in education. Journal of Applied and Advanced Research, S33-S35. https://dx.doi.org/10.21839/jaar.2018.v3S1.165
41. Rashid, Z. A., Kadiman, S., Zulkifli, A., Selamat, J., & Hashim M. H.M. (2016). Review of web-based learning in TVET: History, advantages and disadvantages. International Journal of Vocational Education and Training Research, 2(2), 7-17, https://dx.doi.org/10.11648/j.ijvetr.20160202.11
42. Stake, R. E. (1995). The art of case study research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
43. Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1998). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
44. Tomaro, Q. P. T., & Mutiarin, D. (2018). ICT integration in the educational system of the Philippines. Journal of Governance and Public Policy, 5(3), 259-282. https://doi.org/10.18196/jgpp.5399
45. Toquero, C. M., & Talidong, K. J. (2020). Webinar technology: Developing teacher training programs for emergency remote teaching amid COVID-19. Interdisciplinary Journal of Virtual Learning in Medical Sciences, 11(3), 200-203. https://doi.org/10.30476/ IJVLMS.2020.86889.1044
46. Ulmane-Ozolina, L., Jansone, A., Magazeina, I., & Barute, D. (2019). Technology enhanced learning in teachers’ professional development. Periodicals of Engineering and Natural Sciences, 7(1), 216-221. https://doi.org/10.21533/pen.v7i1.400
47. Wang, S. K. & Hsu, H.Y. (2008). Use of the webinar tool (Elluminate) to support training: The effects of webinar-learning implementation from student-trainers’ perspective. Journal of Interactive Online Learning, 7(3), 175-194. https://www.ncolr.org/jiol/issues/pdf/7.3.2.pdf
48. Yin, R. K. (2003). Applications of case study research (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
49. Yin, R. K. (2009). Case study research: Design and methods (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA:Sage.
50. Zahle, J. (2017). Privacy, informed consent, and participant observation. Perspectives on Science, 25(4), 465-487. https://doi.org/10.1162/POSC_a_00250
51. Zhang, Y., & Kudva, S. (2014). E-books versus print books: Readers’ choices and preferences across contexts. Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology, 65(8), 1695–1706. https://doi.org/10.1002/asi.23076