Publication:
Factors affecting educational alternatives during Covid-19 pandemic in Iraq
Factors affecting educational alternatives during Covid-19 pandemic in Iraq
Date
2021
Authors
Louay Flaieh Hasan
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Research Projects
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Abstract
The study was inspired by the present global difficult and complex situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This pandemic has had a significant impact on the education sector worldwide, including in Iraq. Especially since the World Health Organization advised against mixing in public places and avoiding large gatherings after it was discovered that they are among the main causes of the Corona virus's spread. The Covid-19 pandemic has caused the closure of universities and schools in the majority of countries around the world, including Iraq. This pandemic had an effect on the reality of educational decisions, particularly those involving educational continuity. The main purpose of the research is to achieve a balance between ensuring education continuity and maintaining health during the Covid-19 pandemic. Identifying appropriate educational alternatives, identifying criteria that affect these alternatives, and identifying the challenges facing the implementation of these alternatives should all be done for this purpose. The methodology included interviews with educational decision-makers in Iraq, visits, and a literature review. The NVIVO tool was used to identify educational alternatives and the factors (criteria) that affect these alternatives. A form was designed to collect data on the importance scores of the criteria so that pairwise comparisons could be made. In addition, a number of forms were designed to collect data on the importance scores for educational alternatives so that pairwise comparisons could be made. Every time the alternatives are compared under the influence of one of these criteria. The Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used to arrange the alternatives according to their ranks and priorities based on the responses scores of the criteria and alternatives pairwise comparison forms. This study also included the build of an AHP simulation program using the Visual Basic Dot Net programming language and a Microsoft Excel sheet. Finally, survey methodology was used to identify the challenges that these alternatives' implementation faced using a questionnaire designed for this purpose and based on a 5-point Likert scale. Eight experts reviewed the questionnaire and determined its integrity and suitability for its intended purpose. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were determined by collecting data from a population sample of 43 higher education experts and analyzing it with SPSS. The Questionary survey data was analyzed using the SPSS statistical package. According to the results of this study, the educational alternatives identified are, in order, blended learning, remote learning, digital classrooms, and education suspension. Among the criteria identified as potentially influencing these alternatives are health, cost, quality, and infrastructure. Finally, the challenges were identified and classified as physical and procedural challenges and obstacles. The research provided a number of important recommendations. Such as desperate need of conducting studies at the level of educational decisions during the crisis time in order to find appropriate solutions to educational problems in light of such crises as the current Covid-19 crisis.
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Keywords
Education -- Iraq,
Covid-19,
Pandemic