Abstract:

Synchronous conferencing software (SCS) in higher education presents both learning opportunities and challenges (Tümen Akyildiz 2020; also, Kittaneh et al. 2022). Most SCS offers features not available in the traditional face-to-face classroom such as synchronous chat, screen sharing, recordings, transcripts, emoji-style reactions, etc. (Katz & Kedem-Yemini 2021). Recent events such as the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2017-2021 Saudi-led blockade of Qatar, the Qatar flash floods of 2018, and the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup all indicate that hybrid and online teaching will likely remain a viable option for higher education in Qatar when face-to-face teaching becomes unfeasible. But even when in-person teaching is possible, SCS can help create a dynamic hybrid learning environment (Raes et al. 2020). To explore the challenges and opportunities of SCS-mediated education at Education City (EC), a cohort of seven international partner universities in Qatar, an interdisciplinary team of researchers decided to convene a semester-long series of focus groups during fall semester 2022. The faculty researchers come from a range of disciplines: STEM, social sciences, humanities, and writing courses taught across three universities in (EC i.e., Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), and Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar (VCUQ), and Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q). Using a quasi-experimental method to document periodic use of SCS in their respective in-person classes, the faculty group shared learnings via biweekly meetings and a Google Classroom (GC) discussion board. Preliminary findings indicate that SCS creates interactive learning activities not easily replicated in face-to-face learning activities. In addition, because of the range of functions that it affords, several student learning styles can be met through careful use of SCS. Nevertheless, challenges in effectively delivering course content and engaging students were witnessed often stemming from a lack of faculty preparedness and training in the use of SCS technologies.

References:
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[2] Katz, A., & Kedem-Yemini, S. (2021). From classrooms to Zoom rooms: preserving effective communication in distance education. Journal of Information Technology Case and Application Research, 23(3), 173-212.
[3] Kittaneh, K., Weber, A., Bianchi, R., Laws, S., & Yyelland, B. (2022) Student Online Engagement in Qatar during COVID-19: Survey of Expert Opinion, INTED2022 Proceedings, p. 8195.
[4] Raes, A., Detienne, L., Windey, I., & Depaepe, F. (2020). A systematic literature review on synchronous hybrid learning: Gaps identified. Learning Environments Research, 23(3), 269-290.
[5] Tümen Akyildiz, S. (2020). College Students' Views on the Pandemic Distance Education: A Focus Group Discussion. International Journal of Technology in Education and Science, 4(4), 322-334.

Keywords:

Online education, synchronous conferencing software, hybrid education, higher education.