Identifying the Dimensions, Indicators, and Markers of the Desirable Teaching and Learning Process for the Elementary School in the E-learning Environment with a Meta-synthesis Approach

The rapid penetration of technology has transformed all aspects of life and caused tremendous changes. Education, teaching, and learning, important aspects of people's social lives, have been greatly influenced by these developments and have developed with the growth of technology. Despite extensive research on the benefits and capacities of the e-learning environment, the teaching and learning process in this new environment is still challenging. This research gap prompted the researcher to study the framework of the teaching and learning process of elementary schools in the electronic platform. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify the dimensions, indicators, and markers of the desirable teaching and learning process of the elementary school in the e-learning environment with a meta-synthesis approach.

According to the purpose, a qualitative research design of the meta-synthesis type was used. Research data were collected using the seven-step model of Sandelowski and Barroso (2007). Therefore, the studies were searched in the desired time range in the databases (2010-2023). After screening the identified studies according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, among the 673 studies related to the research field, 40 studies, that directly examined the teaching and learning process of elementary school in the electronic platform, were selected in a purposeful way using the Critical Assessment Skills Program (CASP) and entered the analysis stage. At this stage, the data were analyzed through the thematic content analysis (TCA) method. To check the validity and reliability of the findings, the researcher's self-review criteria and the peer review method (the agreement coefficient of the evaluators) were used.

The in-depth analysis of previous studies resulted in the representation of 9 dimensions, 12 indicators, and 41 markers. Based on the research findings, the proposed model of the current research includes structured goals (setting goals based on the SMART model, setting goals based on Bloom's classification, defining goals by considering educational design components); standard content (compliance with SCORM model) and optimal content (personalized content, multimedia content, simulated content, categorized content, content with appropriate difficulty, relevant and coherent content); interactive teaching method (method based on digital storytelling, method based on digital game, collaborative virtual teaching, online questioning); empathic interactions (active conversation, establishing an emotional relationship, use of humor) and purposeful interactions (educational interactions, social interactions, supportive interactions); developmental assignments (zone of optimal confusion, scaffolding and assignments based on real issues); effective feedback (positive and encouraging feedback, corrective/interpretive, personal and immediate, fast feedback); quality time (planning and management of the time, special time for learning, flexibility in time); user-friendly technical platform (visual appeal, easy to use, proportional, interactive graphics) and the technical platform based on pedagogical principles (possibility of personalization and independence of learners, competences and technical qualifications of teachers and learners, providing opportunities for interaction and cooperation, appropriateness of educational platforms) and finally comprehensive evaluation (formative evaluation, e-tests, class survey, e-portfolio, peer evaluation). In this study, the highest frequency of extracted codes is assigned to the dimension of interactions, and it indicates that how to communicate in an e-learning environment is the most challenging issue in previous studies. Finally, this study emphasizes the importance of considering appropriate criteria and indicators in the process of teaching and learning the elementary school in the electronic platform, and its proposed model with the provided coordinates could be used as a guide for planners and teachers to enrich their education with the requirements and requirements of the new environment and to take steps towards improving it.