Abstract:

Introduction:
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated digitization and modified teaching-learning processes. In this situation, it is important to explore how students adapt to the new online teaching formats. Specifically, the use of virtual classrooms for the development of classes allows the generation of anonymous tasks in which the student can participate and not be recognized. These tasks could favor student participation and the construction of more significant learning. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of classroom tasks taught with anonymous methodology (AM: we do not know who the participating student is) or nominal task (NM: we know who the participating student is) on student learning and class participation.

Method:
The present study has a quasi-experimental design with a control group and three moments of evaluation. Twenty-two volunteer students from the subject Specific methods of intervention in physiotherapy IV (cardiocirculatory system) of the third year of the Degree in Physiotherapy at Universidad San Jorge participated in this study. The students attended 4 online classes taught by the same teacher on 4 different contents related to the subject. Each class was taught with a different methodology (MA or MN). In all classes two interactive activities were proposed with the students. For the evaluation of learning, an objective multiple-choice test of two closed questions randomly chosen from a bank of 10 questions was elaborated. The question bank had 10 questions for each subject content. The same type of evaluation was carried out in three moments using different questions of a similar level (PRE: before teaching the class on the evaluated content; POST: right after the subject is taught; REC: during the week after the subject is taught). The possible scores in this test take values of 0 (no hits), 5 (one hit) or 10 (two hits). In addition, the number of student participations during each class was registered. The PRE, POST and REC measures were compared with the Anova test of repeated measures including the methodological group as a between-subjects factor. Student's T-test for independent samples was used to analyze differences in class participation between groups MA and MN. All tests were performed with a significance level of p<.05.

Results:
Statistically significant differences were observed between the three moments of evaluation considering the entire sample (PRE=3.62(3.79), POST=5.86(3.51); REC=6.84(3.50); p=.000). However, these differences did not exist between methodological groups MA and MN. (MA: PRE=3.93(4.02), POST=5.70(3.71); REC=7.09(3.32); MN: PRE=3.30(3.57), POST=6.02(3.34); REC=6.59(3.70); p=.880). Students class participation did not present differences between MA and MN (M0=33.00(4.31), M1=31.38(5.93); p=.541).

Conclusion:
The anonymous or nominal character of the class activities does not seem to influence either the learning or the participation of the students who receive virtual teaching. In any case, there are indications that attending online classes produces learning even if the identity of the assistant is revealed.

Keywords:

e-learning, higher education, active methodologies, social networking.