While online learning always had a place in higher education, it is now a common practice of instructional delivery for educational institutions. This method allowed more equitable access for student learners for higher education, especially nontraditional students (i.e. older students, military students and students who have young children). However, while online learning provides more access to educational opportunities, there is not a lot of research or understanding on the unique experiences that students have with learning online, specifically in the Middle East. Using the constructivist learning environment theory to guide our study, we sought to answer the question “What are the experiences of first year students in a hybrid degree program?” through Photovoice. First year students enrolled in the hybrid degree program in the Middle East participated in our study. Students were encouraged to take photos over a two week period of their experience as a student in the program and submit five photos with reflective captions. The emergent findings centered on (1) challenges and benefits of online learning, (2) new ways of knowledge sharing between learners, and (3) flexibility in learning. Our study results provided many implications for teaching practice and further understanding of learner needs in an e-learning environment.

Authors:
Lani San Antonio, Zayed University, United Arab Emirates
Joshua Kolapo, Zayed University, United Arab Emirates

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Lani San Antonio is currently an Assistant Professor of Education at Zayed University in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Thursday Schedule

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