Using Mixed Methods to Understand Teaching and Learning in COVID 19 Times
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
The paper is of high interest specially in our current situation.
The research design is good as the sample is. Nevertheless, being the participants from different countries, the influence of the legislation and policies must have a role that is not properly clarified.
The bibliographical references are updated and give the reader a good idea of the state of the art.
A revision not only of typos or spelling/grammar but of minor errors such as repeating “reconsider” in two very close forms in lines 485 and 486 when detailing the authors’ conclusions or the use of hypothesis as the plural form (hypotheses).
For further investigations, respondents from other countries should be used so that results can be applied in other contexts.
Author Response
Dear reviewer,
Thank you for such an encouraging and constructive feedback!
We revise the text, and we eliminate the spelling/grammar errors, and we replace the word reconsideration with the word review (rows 486-487).
We add a paragraph that emphasizes the taken measures that were not adequately clarified (rows 187-192).
The paragraph is:
In all countries where the research was conducted, measures were taken to prevent COVID 19 infection during the beginning of the pandemic. So face-to-face courses were suspended, then the mixture of digital and classroom teaching was changed. The laboratories took place in small groups, face to face, keeping the social distance. Some examinations were conducted face-to-face in small groups, respecting prevention measures; others were conducted online.
Thank you once again for your comments that helped us improve the article!
Reviewer 2 Report
The authors have done a good job summarizing key results from the previous research on online verses face-to-face teaching. However, presenting more information about transformative theory and its implications for research methods would be helpful. They briefly mention about the transformative theory, providing more information about transformative theory will improve the theoretical basis of the study and interpretation of the findings of the study.
If the authors put the related figures into the results section, it will be helpful to visualize the results and make connections among various findings.
Author Response
Dear reviewer,
Thank you for your insightful feedback! Answering your concerns helps us improve our article and to make clearer the scientific approach.
The reviewer specifies that presenting more information about the transformative theory and its implications for research methods would be helpful.
Indeed, it was necessary, and we added at rows 64-74, the following paragraph:
Transformative learning theory refers to the way young people and adults learn. In essence, this theory stipulates that the system of reporting to the world changes through the critical judgment of new information. Merizow assumes that learners not only store knowledge, but the unique aspects learned allow the formation of previously unexplored perspectives that lead to independent thinking and a deep understanding, influencing personal beliefs. Transformative learning has as essential elements instrumental and communicative acquirements. The instrumental one allows the evaluation of causal links in problem-solving. Communicative learning refers to how are communicated the emotional aspects related to new information. Through self-reflection, self-directed learning, and critical thinking, learners can dispute those conceptual systems they formed in the previous development period.
In other part of the article (rows 181-185)
Transformative learning theory is one of the theoretical basis of the article and the choice of research methods. We wanted to find out how both students and teachers relate to the new context, what "truths" in the conceptual system are shaken because of the context of the crisis and in terms of the use of an alternative learning environment. We sought to discover if the formative valences of online learning affect the conceptual system of educational actors.
If the authors put the related figures into the results section, it will be helpful to visualize the results and make connections among various findings.
We were concerned that the article will be too long if we added the figures. We reconsidered our point of view, and we added the figures in the main body of the article.
You can find them at rows 315-316, 325-326, 330-331, 337-338, 348-349.
Thank you once again for your remarks that helped us improve the article!
Reviewer 3 Report
The paper focuses on the teaching-learning behavior in the online environment under crisis conditions, such as that caused by COVID-19. The topic is very challenging and the work is very interesting indeed.
The authors present their work in a comprehensive way and the paper has a good flow.
However, there some points for authors to address in order to improve their work.
First, i suggest to discuss the exact aims and the contributions of the paper in better detail in the introduction.
The related work could also be extended in order to address recent works that are related to teaching in the context of COVID-19 situation.
The profiles of the participants in the could be better discussed and presented. The same stands for the characteristics of the interview process. The exact duration (mean,std) , aims, questions should be presented in better detail.The results are indeed interesting.
Please explain how the results could be assistive to the related research community. The results need also a better and deeper discussion.
The paper could benefit from another round of careful proofreading since the grammar needs polishing.
All in all the paper is interesting and has novelty.
Author Response
Dear reviewer,
Thank you for your valuable feedback!
We conduct a much more careful proofreading and we correct the spelling/grammar errors.
The reviewer suggested discussing the exact aims and the contributions of the paper in better detail in the introduction.
We added a paragraph (rows 181-185):
Transformative learning theory is one of the theoretical basis of the article and the choice of research methods. We wanted to find out how both students and teachers relate to the new context, what "truths" in the conceptual system are shaken because of the context of the crisis and the use of an alternative learning environment. We sought to discover if the formative valences of online learning affect the conceptual system of educational actors.
The related work could also be extended to address recent results related to teaching in the COVID-19 situation.
We relate to recent works that are related to teaching in the context of the COVID-19 situation, at rows
491- 497
Recent research on teaching in the context of the COVID-19 situation emphasizes that students must become more autonomous in reading and in understanding guidance in online learning. The teacher's central role is to support them in becoming the titleholder of his/her acquisition development and to sustain the transformative learning process [60]. Interestingly, recent research shows that even early career teachers', who belong to the digital generation, do not demonstrate a high level of digital skills [61]. Therefore, teacher training needs to be reviewed.
- Rapanta, C.; Botturi, L.; Goodyear, P.; Guàrdia, L.; Koole, M. Online university teaching during and after the Covid-19 crisis: Refocusing teacher presence and learning activity. Postdigit Sci Edu 2020, 2, 923–945 https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.1007/s42438-020-00155-y
- König, J.; Jäger-Biela, D. J.; Glutsch, N. 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, 2020, 43,4, 608-622, https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.1080/02619768.2020.1809650
The participants' profiles could be better discussed and presented—the same stands for the characteristics of the interview process. The exact duration (mean, std), aims, questions should be delivered in better detail.
To not overload the article and make it more readable, we added details about the structure of the group of participants in the additional materials.
The research team drew up a list of participants from the first research stage; it was coded, divided into subgroups by the criteria: student/professor and gender: male/female. Using the cluster sampling technique, we selected 20 people to whom the invitation to participate in the interview was sent. Semi-structured interviews were recorded, respondents giving their agreement to participate in the research, and recorded interviews. Interviews were held for 20 to 50 minutes, with an average interview time of 30 minutes.
The qualitative research aim was to explore students' and professors' opinions about online teaching and learning.
The qualitative research questions for the qualitative inquiry are:
What works in online teaching-learning as it is now?
What does not work in online teaching-learning as it is now?
What should be improved in online teaching-learning practice?
Please explain how the results could be assistive to the related research community. The results also need a better and more in-depth discussion.
We added at rows 498- 512
Online learning has been used in education for a long time, with the primary purpose of increasing the training process's efficiency and effectiveness, aiming at speed, low costs, and quality. Therefore, it increases the probability that the student learns better, at his own pace of learning. This form of education combines formal with informal learning, stimulating collaboration with colleagues and specialists, creating virtual communities. Also, saving time allows the investment of the most important resources in the development of autonomous thinking abilities and decision-making. Indeed, this pandemic context has forced the change of many assumptions and beliefs about the meaning of our experience, learning, and digital tools of both teachers and students, consciously implementing strategies about new paths of defining their worlds.
Our study results show that only those with a high level of adaptability and openness can search for help in developing digital competencies. The data obtained is relevant both for the teaching staff members and the decision-makers in educational policies. Teacher training needs to be reviewed incorporating a much more elaborate exercise in digital skills and online teaching.
