SOLSTICE Conference 2015 4 th & 5 th June 2015 Hearing the Online Student Voice: Addressing student perceptions of technology enhanced learning adoption.

SOLSTICE Conference 2015

4th & 5th June 2015

Hearing the Online Student Voice: Addressing student perceptions of technology enhanced learning adoptionEmily Webb, Rod Cullen, Irfan Mulla, Hannah Palin, Susan Gregory and Osman Javaid

Background• EQAL - ‘step-change improvement in student

satisfaction’ (Stubbs, 2014)– Core+ Model– Moodle - 44 million hits– 40,000 unique users– 12,000 programmes and units

• Learning Innovation team• MMU Moodle - wrapping the institution around the

learner

Wrapping the institution around the learner

moodle.mmu.ac.ukmegamashup

my.mmu.ac.uk mymmu-mobile

Wrapping the institution around the learner

4

Student ID

Timetable

Sync to personal device

Student ID (+ Unit code)

Deadlines / extensions / feedback return dates / provisional marks

Personalised submission sheet

Wrapping the institution around the learner

Unit code

Resource list

Relevant resource

Wrapping the institution around the learner

Unit code

Past exam papers

Past exam paper

11,000+ past

exams uploaded

Wrapping the institution around the learner

Adoption of Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) at MMU

• Student Voice– Improving teaching & assessment practice– Strategic planning/improvement– University Advancement/Progression

ISS (Internal Student Survey)

• ISS - Institutional approach to information, data collection, management and analysis– Bi-annual– Student experience on teaching and learning– Two free text questions:

• Best things about my course?• Things I would most like improved on my course?

ISS December 2014• 47,800 comments (best & in need of improvement)• 2072 comments – relating to Moodle and learning

technologies• Best - 746 Comments / Improve - 1326 Comments

Feedback-action cycle

Harvey (2011) ‘The Nexus of feedback and improvement’

Phase 1 - Data Collection, Management and Analysis

Thematic analysis:

1. Familiarisation2. Identify Thematic Framework3. Indexing (Coding)4. Charting 5. Mapping and Interpreting

Institutional: Best features

Content well

organised

Provision of audio/videoEffective

communicationsContent

up-to-date

“The wide resources taught e.g. solving questions with software

packages as well as by hand. The lectures and tutorials are organised

well and a good way to learn the content in the course.”

“The organisation of the unit is one of the best things about this unit. The use of podcasts and video lectures alongside

traditional lectures and seminars were a good combination. The content was not

too heavy and was all digestible in appropriate chunks.”

“The communication between groups of the course is improving and

suggestions have been implemented to help share knowledge from the course

tutors (Facebook/Moodle groups).”

“The quality of teaching was amazing and with all the lecture Powerpoints being on Moodle in advanced I was

able to start my essay in advanced as I had basic notes already on it.”

Institutional: Areas to improve

Better organisationBetter

communicationContent

uploaded to Moodle

‘’This unit is very unorganised and I feel like the tasks that we are completing in the class do not relate to the exam

that we had to complete. The slides that were uploaded to Moodle were not in any specific order and it was very

confusing to revise from for the exam. Last year in product awareness it was very informative and exciting this year it

just feels like we aren’t progressing.’’

‘’Course organisers need to develop effective communication skills. Eg last week information about a room change was

given by email 30 minutes before the lecture. As it turned out the original information was incorrect. The staff are too laid

back and give very little information and what they do give is often contradictory. Information is often hidden in obscure

places in noodle or is it muddle.’’

“Would be nice if X would make his lecture slides available on Moodle for the sake of

note taking. Often what is being said is more important than the notes, but the

notes are also needed.”

Phase 2 - Action• Map comments to individual Moodle areas• Present findings from Thematic Analysis to FEG and TEL Group• Each of the 8 faculties different approach – no one size fits all

Example – HLSS• Awareness raising sessions – ‘The Student View’• TEL Coffee Club• Moodle Template – Programme Area

Example – HPSC• Moodle Essentials• Try it on sessions – (In conjunction with Academic Staff)• Moodle Template – Programme Area

Phase 3 – Feedback to students• Feedback to students through existing networks

– programme committee

‘…monitoring and evaluation of the programme and in particular evaluating its operation, its delivery and standards, its teaching methods, its curriculum aims and students’ needs’

– Student support officers

Next Steps• Longitudinal piece of work – future ISS

comparisons• Cross course and faculty focus groups • Moodle Audit Data• CMI (Continuous Monitoring Improvement)

Dashboard

QUESTIONS