edgehill.ac.uk/ls

edgehill.ac.uk/ls

Learning Edge – Student Expectations Insight into our students’ experiences and expectations of Learning EdgeAdrian Cain

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• The growth of the VLE• The Changing Educational Landscape at EHU• Student Experience/Expectations at EHU

• Headlines from EHU eLearning Student Survey 2014/15

• NSS Results

• Colin Gibson (EHU SU President) Research

• What would an ‘ideal’ Learning Edge contain?

EHU students voice - No staff opinion or other external sources or publications

Aim – Practice (and product) enhancement

a very positive experience with many more good comments than bad

Learning Edge – Student Expectations Outline of session:

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Learning Edge – Student Expectations The growth of Learning Edge (VLE)

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0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

2004/5 2006/7 2010/11

Courses using the VLE

Learning Edge – Student Expectations The growth of Learning Edge

+

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Learning Edge – Student Expectations The growth of the VLE

+Agreed Target

100%Taught Courses

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Learning Edge – Student Expectations The Changing Educational Landscape at EHU

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X

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Other technologies

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Learning Edge – Student Expectations Student Expectations at EHU

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Some Headlines from the

2014-15 Annual Edge Hill University Student eLearning Survey

Insight into our students’ experience and expectations of TEL

798 Respondents

Learning Edge – Student Expectations

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Enhanced Knowledge/Frequent Updates

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Lecture Notes and Presentations

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Communication ~88% agree that the announcements enable them to keep track of changes to the delivery of modules.

”The announcements section allow me to see what has changed during the course, this has improved my learning experience as I know about room changes or changes to preparation I need to do for my lectures/seminars”

“The email feature is a great and easy way to keep in contact with my tutors without any hassle”

“Course announcements that automatically generate emails to my university account.”

“Notifications from the wrong people to the wrong people are annoying”

“Disorganised updates”

“Bombarded with updates, often not for me ……..”

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Content/Lecture Notes~97% agree that Accessing lecture notes & presentations is important to them

~62% thought it was important to access video or audio clips online

“The ability to access lecture notes and essential/recommended reading from home and in my own time.”

“Being able to look at the extra notes that are provided even if you miss a session”

“Lecturers don't always update it will the power points and lecture information”

“I'm unable to find the information I need such as presentations from lectures.”

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Assessment

~96% agree that it is important that they can submit/collect assignments online.

~39% agree that Online self-tests & quizzes are important

“Also, seeing the plagiarism percentage, and the short quizzes each week for certain modules has really helped improve my understanding of the course.”

“ The ability to submit assignments online is a great feature meaning coming into university is not necessary. “

“ Turnitin is useful for handing in work and receiving grades“

“ Some assignment marks given back late when other groups had their marks.“

“Go portals and turnitin can be VERY temperamental when you have deadlines.“

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Design and Layout

“Having each module separate and easy to access to view past lectures and other course content needed to revise.”

“Feels too jumbled.”

“Sometimes it not obvious where things might be. You end up looking in all the files.”

Blackboard’s availability record was 100% last year (13-14) and up to end February (2015) this academic year has a 99.92% record. Enrolments are linked directly to the Student Information System

Students concerns around the consistency and application of Learning Edge features and tools are becoming more apparent as access or other technical issues reduce.

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Desktop/Laptop technologies

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Mobile/Device technologies

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‘What features of Learning Edge have had a negative impact on your experience of learning?’

Tutor use:•Assignment marks section - never updated by (X Departments) tutors•When presentations are not uploaded to blackboard by tutors•..sticking to the normal format, which should be standard to all courses to ensure information can be easily located and quickly accessed.

Design & Layout:•Sometimes the confusing nature of how things are organised.•… each 'page' of it has a different look to it - very confusing.

Communication:•As a distance learning student, i felt as if i was "thrown in at the deep end" as i don't receive much communication only if i ask a question.•Bombarded with updates, often not for me, unable to customise effectively•timetables need to be maintained to allow correct information to be processed•I don't find the online discussion is really used.

Mobile compatibility:•Non-user friendly when accessing through mobile or tablet device.

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Learning Edge – Student Expectations National Student Survey (NSS) 2014

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NSS Student Comments

“Lectures being cancelled at short notice... not finding out until we have arrived at university. Being expected to complete work when it hasn't been posted on Blackboard.” – FoHSC Student

“We do not get our marks on the Blackboard system” – FAS Student

I've often had issues accessing my email, and with Blackboard too, on occasion. - FAS Student

Blackboard has not been up-to-date. – FOE Student

Resources on Blackboard not accessible and have had to wait three weeks to gain access to relevant material. – FOE Student

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Learning Edge – Student Expectations The 5 Most Important Things My Lecturer Does

CLTR Conference 2012 PresentationColin Gibson - President, EHU Students Union (Personal EHU Research and EHU Teaching Awards)

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‘The 5 most important things my lecturer does’- Colin Gibson, SU President, EHU Student Union in 2012

•PowerPoints - up to date, consistent, correct•Feedback - timely, consistent, appropriate•Firm but Fair - deal with classroom disruption•Accessible Tutors - clear availability•Blackboard - not just PowerPoints (revision notes, readings), clear instruction, submitting online.

…….. is there anything your lecturer doesn't do?Understand Learning Edge '...really, really powerful tool if it's just used right'

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What would an

‘ideal’

Learning Edge contain?

Learning Edge – Student Expectations

Student comments from the 5th EHU Student eLearning Survey:

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Student Survey – Themes

•Contacts: names/details (staff & student), availability

•Content: instructions, lecture notes, handbooks, journal articles, eBooks, calendar (Timetable Finder), sample assignments, past exam paper questions, recorded lectures

•Communication: announcements, notifications, updates, dynamic information, web conferencing

•Communities: messaging, chat tools, forums for discussion, instant messaging, mail, social network

•Challenges: blogs, journals, wikis, turnitin, self study quizzes (formative support, progress checks)

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Some considerations when developing your LE module; Consistency• Set a baseline• Consider pre and post modules• Test it – on mobile, as a student, colleague review

Contract of use (manage the student expectations)• Highlight how you are using LE• What they are expected to find and do• How you will moderate it

Communications strategy• Primary channels/Private channels• What information where and how

Support• Delivering Digital Excellence – HR Wiki• Contact your LTDO or call x7754 email ltdsupport@edgehill.ac.uk • Group challenge/task – Bespoke sessions

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Resources & Reading

•eShare Collection: The EHU Student eLearning Surveys: http://www.eshare.edgehill.ac.uk/1348/•Headlines from the 4th EHU Student eLearning Survey: http://www.eshare.edgehill.ac.uk/1341/•Note: As Mar 15 the report for the most recent 2014/15 eLearning Survey has been produced yet

•Learning Edge Baseline/+/++ discussion document - http://www.eshare.edgehill.ac.uk/6892•BB Exemplary Course Rubric: http://www.blackboard.com/getdoc/7deaf501-4674-41b9-b2f2-554441ba099b/2012-Blackboard-Exemplary-Course-Rubric.aspx

•VLE Design Aesthetics - Some Ideas: http://www.eshare.edgehill.ac.uk/1445/•Audit for Dyslexia Friendly VLE: http://www.eshare.edgehill.ac.uk/1444/•Exemplar A-Z Student Guide to Blackboard: http://www.eshare.edgehill.ac.uk/1446/

•Blackboard Mobile Learn: Best Practices for Making Online Courses Mobile-Friendly:– http://www.eshare.edgehill.ac.uk/1372/

•eShare Collection: Learning Edge: Blackboard Mobile Learn: http://www.eshare.edgehill.ac.uk/937/•Moving assessed student presentations online: how a change in practice brought "...a breath of fresh air" to the student experience: http://www.eshare.edgehill.ac.uk/1265/•“A Tidal Wave of Discussion …”

– http://blogs.edgehill.ac.uk/learningedge/2013/11/01/a-tidal-wave-of-discussion/

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Resources & Reading

•Horizon Report 2012: http://www.nmc.org/publications/horizon-report-2012-higher-ed-edition•7 Things You Should Know About Analytics: http://www.educause.edu/Resources/7ThingsYouShouldKnowAboutAnaly/202736•EDUCAUSE: 7 Things You Should Know about…: http://www.educause.edu/ELI7Things•Practice with Personal Learning Environments: http://mary-karpel.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/practice-with-personal-learning.html•Developing digital literacy in higher education: http://www.guardian.co.uk/higher-education-network/blog/2012/feb/28/developing-digital-literacy•Digital literacy can boost employability and improve student experience: http://www.guardian.co.uk/higher-education-network/blog/2011/dec/15/digital-literacy-employability-student-experience•The Emerging Landscape of Educational Delivery Models: http://mfeldstein.com/the-emerging-landscape-of-educational-delivery-models/?utm_campaign=twitter&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitter•Learning from MOOCS: http://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/hack-higher-education/learning-moocs•MOOC Reflections, Clark Quinn: http://blog.learnlets.com/?p=2562•Open Badges: http://openbadges.org/en-US/