Intervening Outcome Factors in Remote Teaching: Does the Device of Access Matter?

Abstract

This article analyzes educational results of remote education by the type of electronic device used to attend classes and to solve activities, as well how to attend classes (synchronous or asynchronous, normal speed or increased speed). The results of students from three classes of two teacher training courses of a public higher education institution in Minas Gerais were investigated. Based on online questionnaire, a statistical comparison of educational results was performed by the type of electronic device used and the way of attending classes, controlled by the presence or absence of admission by quotas (taken as a socioeconomic level proxy). It was possible to evidence that, for the sample, there was no statistically significant difference between grades of students who attended classes on desktop or laptop computers and those who used smartphones and tablets, but there is a difference in the performance of activities on both types of devices. There was also no difference between the grades of those who attended classes synchronously or asynchronously, or between those who attended classes recorded at normal or increased speed. It wass admitted greater adequacy for the use of devices such as desktop and laptops computers and the synchronous monitoring of classes. There was a trend of better results for this situation in relation to the use of mobile devices, and the attendance of classes asynchronously.

Keywords: Remote teaching. Digital technologies. Evaluation of education. Educational outcomes. Higher education.