Sue Timmis

1. Sue Timmis E-Learning Research Fellow Institute for Learning and Research Technology University of Bristol

2. Early findings from the SOLE project How was it for you? Student online learning experiences across the disciplines

3. Students and VLEs • Brief overview of Sole • Present some case study findings on: • How VLEs were used in the case studies • Student confidence and motivation • Tutor and student roles • Online communications • Some conclusions and discussion pointers

4. Information and Computer Sciences Economics Education Hospitality, Leisure, Sport and Tourism Psychology • 2 case HE studies per subject area • One year 1 module per institution • 5 different VLEs • 2 FE case studies

5. 2 case HE studies per subject area • One year 1 module per institution • 5 different VLEs • 2 FE case studies

6. Education Prof Colin Harrison - Nottingham Dr Elisabet Weedon - UHI Millennium Institute Economics Ros O’Leary - Bristol Hospitality, Leisure Sport, Tourism Prof Andrew Lockwood - Surrey Psychology Kerry Martin & Annie Trapp - York Information & Computer Science Gillian Livesey & Sylvia Alexander - Ulster Central team Sue Timmis, Ros O’Leary, Cynthia Cai - Bristol The SOLE Researchers

7. Methodology • Handbook for learner-centred evaluation of computer facilitated learning projects in Higher Education (Phillips et al, 2000) • ‘Eclectic-Mixed Methods-Pragmatic Paradigm‘ • A holistic approach

8. Student questionnaires Student diaries Transaction logging Recording of interactions Interviews with tutor Interview with students Instruments

9. Core research questions • What are the implicit and explicit learning models? • What factors do students identify as affecting their motivation positively or negatively? • What is the role of the tutor? • How is support perceived and used?

10. Core research questions • How is the VLE used? • How much time online and offline? • What resources are used? • How do students communicate?

11. Preliminary Findings • Economics • Psychology • Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism • Education • Full reports coming soon on our website at: http://sole.ilrt.bris.ac.uk

12. Why use a VLE? • Case study 5 “…. (I’m)just trying to make it more exciting and kind of more hands on so they think about it and probably learn something at the end.” • VLE integrated for encouragement, ongoing development and excitement

13. Why use a VLE? • Case study 6 • VLE used to help cope with increasing student numbers • To integrate research methods throughout the psychology degree programme • Tutor had used VLE very successfully in other modules

14. Why use a VLE? • Case study 9 “While we see the skills and methods associated with research as a vital part of the curriculum, our students sometimes see things differently and motivation can be a problem.” “In addition to this, (..) a large and diverse”input” population (must) be converted into a single “output” population”

15. How were VLEs integrated? • Course information and reading • Email through VLE • Discussion tasks • Recorded lectures • Data sets, links to real-life data • Online assessment • Tutorial practical activities • Group work (including with student managers) • Forum for invited external experts to interact with group

16. Education Case Study 3 • 8 students, post-graduate • Learning & ICT • WebCT Blended learning; half the module online/half traditional delivery Weekly evening lecture Lecture notes, reading lists, structured activities linked to group online discussions

17. Psychology Case Study 5 • 80 students, year 2 • Cognitive Psychology • WebCT Lecture & workshop weekly • Lecture preparation; weekly assessment; discussion board Mostly online; non-compulsory support workshops • Email, weekly tasks, resources links & online assessment Case Study 6 • 175 students, year 1 • Design, Execution & Analysis of Research • Merlin

18. Case Study 7 217 students, yr 1 Team-working in economics Blackboard Economics • 2 Lectures - wk 1 & 3 • Assessed group project • Course information; group communication Case Study 8 • 97 students, yr 1 • Introduction to Macroeconomics • WebCT • Lectures & seminars weekly • Lecture notes; seminar problems; links; discussions

19. Hospitality, Leisure, Sport and Tourism Case Study 9 • 166 students, year 1 • Introduction to Business Research Methods • Lotus Learning Space • Blended learning- • Lecture notes, recorded lectures, data, “live data” • Assessed discussions • Group work development areas • Use of Alumni as virtual experts

20. Confidence and motivation

21. Confidence and motivation • Significant factors: • Gender • In some cases - first language • Motivation • High levels of confidence: • The Internet • Working and learning online • Less confidence in: • Finding their way around the VLE • Communicating online • The subject

22. Confidence levels • Case study 6 subject matter was particularly challenging • “Merlin has been a worthwhile learning tool, however, as stats is an area that I lack confidence in I feel I would have benefited more so if Merlin was accompanied by lectures” - case study 6 student

23. What impacts on motivation? • Strongest motivators in our studies were: • tutor • fellow students • personal needs • working online • Few negative factors identified: • physical location • technical or access problems

24. Student motivation factors Case study 7 (n=26) Case study 8 (n=32) negative= -1, neither= 0, positive= +1

25. Student motivation factors

26. Motivation from the VLE • “When I put work online I got the reply from others. They shared their ideas and opinions toward my work which was quite valuable.” (student - case study 3) • “Being able to get the tutor’s assistance helped me understand things that seemed difficult and this, therefore, maintained and increased my motivation.” (student - case study 3)

27. Motivation from the VLE • “Working with Merlin has allow(ed) me to be in control of my education, definitely a good thing” Student - case study 6

28. Barriers to using the VLE • Support and access issues were highlighted by case study 5 students…. • “Not being able to log into WebCT off campus”, • “Having to pay for printouts” • “never really been shown how to use it, sometimes can not get onto it and often things are not there that should be.” case study 5 students

29. Using the VLE- student views • Concerns - the printed nature of the medium… • “The discussion board is a bit impersonal really. It could answer your question fair enough but then, you know, there’s always something else it might not clarify it completely and you might feel a bit silly having to write to him again saying you don’t understand it.”Case study 5 student

30. Using the VLE- student views • …and privacy issues • “in a way if you did want to say something to someone then your ID shows up so you can’t just say anything. Quite a lot of people argue through the email thing on (the VLE) and I don‘t get involved because its printing your name and everything.” Case study 6 student

31. Tutor and student roles

32. Tutor and student roles • Tutors in several case studies aspired to an independent learner/constructivist models • “…I would like them to support each other and share what they had learnt and if they have something to tell each other about…..” “…What I expect is going to happen is that they are not going to do that. That they are going to continue to be over reliant on me but they need to be trained, trained to behave!” - tutor case study 5 • “I suppose I see myself more as someone who facilitates their learning” - tutor case study 6

33. Tutor and student roles • Roles appear to be traditional and static: • “They still see it very much as I’m the tutor and they are the students, what they go on there for is to find out what I have put on for them not to share things around or discuss things.” tutor - case study 5 • Case study 7 designed around team work, modelled on a company, tutor perceived as a guide - but communications problematic • Case study 8 - intended to create a community of practice, but this did not happen

34. ‘… I think the tutor expected everybody would be able to log on and check their e-mails and keep contact regularly. The situation .. I was not happy. I e-mailed them about five times and then they didn’t even contact me…’ Case study 7

36. ‘… the greatest thing I think I got from WebCT is the fact that I could cross reference between my notes and his notes and his own techniques…and then go back go him if I didn’t understand.’ Case study 8, student f

37. Tutor/Student roles: Case study 3 • “… I was acting principally as a facilitator …“(tutor) • “She (tutor) acted as a guide ..Mine was as a researcher.” (student) • “The tutor was the facilitator … I had to be fully active …” (student)

38. Some preliminary conclusions • Use of VLEs • Enthusiasm for online course information • Students motivated by provision of information and tutor involvement • Privacy and permanency of medium • Online communications need attention - can affect student motivation and the intended learning model

39. Some preliminary conclusions • Working online • welcomed by students • BUT they still see a strong role for the tutor • Student and tutor roles • lack of f2f contact is often a concern • gender and first language impacted on confidence and motivation • roles in most of our studies were mainly traditional (notable exceptions)

40. Some preliminary conclusions • Online discussion • patchy picture of use • tendency for this to be bolted on • needs structure, purpose and integration • in our studies assessment and in-class use helped embed this into the course

41. Discussion • How involved are the students in the VLE consultation and awareness raising? • DfES elearning strategy says: “empower learners” Is this possible when students are so focussed on the tutor’s role?

42. Questions? http://sole.ilrt.bris.ac.uk/ sue.timmis@bristol.ac.uk