Impacts of an online-supported,resource-based learning environment: does one size fit all?

This paper reports on the use of an online, resource-based learning (RBL) approach in first year psychology at Deakin University. Differences between on- and off-campus students that emerged are examined in the context of the learning goals and study approaches of the two student groups and their attitudes to using computers. Unlike the on-campus students who were less positive about working with computers and reported confusion about how and what to study for the unit, the off-campus students reported feeling confident they had a good study strategy and were more positive about computers. The off-campus students also reported that they spent more time working with electronic resources and attached greater value to them. While all students valued the prescribed resources, the off-campus students found some of the optional, electronic resources valuable because they added to the learning experience. These students also reported greater use of the computer-mediated communication available as part of the online learning environment, and valued this functionality more highly than did the on-campus students. These findings highlight the need to take into account learner characteristics when designing learning environments that cater for individual differences and preferences. While online-supported RBL approaches have the potential to cater to the diverse needs of students, learning environments need to be designed, structured and delivered so the learning experience can be customized to the needs of different student cohorts, while preserving the overarching, pedagogical goals.     

Enhancement of anatomical learning and developing clinical competence of first‐year medical and allied health profession students

Hands‐on educational experiences can stimulate student interest, increase knowledge retention, and enhance development of clinical skills. The Lachman test, used to assess the integrity of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), is commonly performed by health care professionals and is relatively easy to teach to first‐year health profession students. This study integrated teaching the Lachman test into a first‐year anatomy laboratory and examined if students receiving the training would be more confident, competent, and if the training would enhance anatomical learning. First‐year medical, physician assistant and physical therapy students were randomly assigned into either the intervention (Group A) or control group (Group B). Both groups received the course lecture on knee anatomy and training on how to perform the Lachman test during a surface anatomy class. Group A received an additional 15 minutes hands‐on training for the Lachman test utilizing a lightly embalmed cadaver as a simulated patient. One week later, both groups performed the Lachman test on a lightly embalmed cadaver and later completed a post‐test and survey. Students with hands‐on training performed significantly better than students with lecture‐only training in completing the checklist, a post‐test, and correctly diagnosing an ACL tear. Students in Group A also reported being more confident after hands‐on training compared to students receiving lecture‐only training. Both groups reported that incorporating clinical skill activities facilitated learning and created excitement for learning. Hands‐on training using lightly embalmed cadavers as patient simulators increased confidence and competence in performing the Lachman test and aided in learning anatomy. Anat Sci Educ 7: 181–190. © 2013 American Association of Anatomists.     

Using interactive content and online activities to accommodate diversity in a large first year class

As in many universities, class sizes have increased more quickly than teaching and learning resources. A related challenge is the increasing diversity of the student body in terms of socio-economic background, learning styles, English language ability and preparedness. This paper explores ways in which traditional face-to-face teaching methods (such as lectures and tutorials) can be combined with online teaching and learning activities in a “blended” learning approach to improve teaching and learning and to accommodate student diversity. Using a large first year Economics class as a case study, data were collected on student perceptions of the use of blended learning. A statistical model was used on a sample of 50 students to determine which online activities were most beneficial in improving student performance. The majority of students agreed that replacing one lecture a week with online activities and resources improved their learning, although about 20 % of the class would have preferred more lecturing and fewer online resources. Statistical finding showed that more active online resources, such as multiple choice and graphing questions, were most beneficial in improving student performance, but that more passive lecture capture was also useful in modelling the discourse of the discipline.     

Preliminary evidence of a relationship between the use of online learning and academic performance in a South African first-year university accounting course

Abstract

This article examines the relationship between the use of online learning resources and academic performance in an Accounting 1 course conducted at a South African Higher Education Institution. The study employed a quantitative analysis over three academic years comparing the collection of end of year marks and the time spent online. The results provide preliminary empirical evidence to show that students who spent more time online significantly improved their course mark. Although much accounting-based educational research exists on the use of computers, there is a dearth of research testing any relationship between the use of online learning material and performance, and particularly in accounting education. While the results are preliminary and have some limitations, they are useful to students, teaching instructors and administrators, and provide a platform for future research into the value of using online learning in accounting.     

Preliminary evidence of a relationship between the use of online learning and academic performance in a South African first-year university accounting course

Abstract

This paper examines the relationship between the use of online learning resources and academic performance in an Accounting 1 course conducted at a South African Higher Education Institution. The study employed a quantitative analysis over three academic years comparing the collection of end of year marks and the time spent online. The results provide preliminary empirical evidence to show that students who spent more time online significantly improved their course mark. Although much accounting-based educational research exists on the use of computers, there is a dearth of research testing any relationship between the use of online learning material and performance. While the results are preliminary and have some limitations, they are useful to students, teaching instructors and administrators, and provide a platform for future research into the value of using online learning in accounting.     

The Impact of a Web-Based Research Simulation in Bioinformatics on Students’ Understanding of Genetics

Providing learners with opportunities to engage in activities similar to those carried out by scientists was addressed in a web-based research simulation in genetics developed for high school biology students. The research simulation enables learners to apply their genetics knowledge while giving them an opportunity to participate in an authentic genetics study using bioinformatics tools. The main purpose of the study outlined here is to examine how learning using this research simulation influences students’ understanding of genetics, and how students’ approaches to learning using the simulation influence their learning outcomes. Using both quantitative and qualitative procedures, we were able to show that while learning using the simulation students expanded their understanding of the relationships between molecular mechanisms and phenotype, and refined their understanding of certain genetic concepts. Two types of learners, research-oriented and task-oriented, were identified on the basis of the differences in the ways they seized opportunities to recognize the research practices, which in turn influenced their learning outcomes. The research-oriented learners expanded their genetics knowledge more than the task-oriented learners. The learning approach taken by the research-oriented learners enabled them to recognize the epistemology that underlies authentic genetic research, while the task-oriented learners referred to the research simulation as a set of simple procedural tasks. Thus, task-oriented learners should be encouraged by their teachers to cope with the scientists’ steps, while learning genetics through the simulation in a class setting.     

Making the Decision to Provide Enhanced Podcasts to Post-Secondary Science Students

Providing students with supplementary course materials such as audio podcasts, enhanced podcasts, video podcasts and other forms of lecture-capture video files after a lecture is now a common occurrence in many post-secondary courses. We used an online questionnaire to ask students how helpful enhanced podcasts were for a variety of course activities and how important having access to the enhanced podcasts was in their decision to miss classes. Student responses from two courses, one introductory and one advanced, were compared. Students in the introductory Genetics course reported that having access to enhanced podcasts was “very important” in their decision to miss class more often (39%) than those in the advanced Microbiology course (20%). They also reported missing more classes than students in the advanced course. Students in both courses found the enhanced podcasts helpful for a range of learning activities. First year students who missed just a few classes and those who missed many classes both found the enhanced podcasts to be very helpful for learning activities. We argue that creating these resources is a good choice for instructors irrespective of the level of the course they teach and that the potential value of these resources, particularly for first year students, outweighs any impact that having access to supplementary enhanced podcasts of the lectures may have on class attendance.     

Attitudes and confidence towards computers and books as learning tools: a cross-sectional study of student cohorts

Students today comprise a very diverse group, and this will be reflected in their attitudes towards learning. This study set out to examine four different cohorts of UK students during the same time period. Contrary to expectations, it was found that attitudes towards books and computers, as measured by separate but matched scales, were equal, even though experience of the two media varied considerably. A key predictor for computer attitude was found to be confidence for learning from computers rather than general computer confidence. Further, attitudes and confidence towards books and computers as learning tools varied significantly across the four cohorts.     

Consistency and variability of learning strategies in different university courses

The present study addressed the question of consistency and variability in learning strategies. Four university courses provided different learning contexts. The same group of students reported about their learning strategies by completing identical questionnaires on each of these courses. Participants were 85 students attending the first year of Law studies. A second study consisted of 63 students attending similar courses in the following academic year. An analysis of variance showed that students varied their reported learning strategies as a function of different learning contexts. This indicated a context-specific component in strategy use. Intercorrelations, however, showed that students displayed consistency in reported learning strategies across course contexts as well. This indicated a personal, habitual component in strategy use. It thus seems that the question of variability and consistency in learning strategies does not yield an either-or, answer. Context variables were explored to explain the variations. Use of stated cases, provision of a clear organisation of subject matter and of diverse didactic resources appeared to diminish encountered problems and lack of regulation (which proved to be related variables), and promote the use of concrete processing, relating, analyzing, self-regulation and externally regulated strategies. Evidence was found that learning strategies differed among each other in the degree of variability. Memorizing turned out to be relatively resistant to differences in course context, whereas concrete processing strategies and lack of regulation showed relatively large susceptibility to course context. Explanations were proposed in terms of different stages in the development of learning strategies and in terms of context-variables.     

Student outcomes associated with use of asynchronous online discussion forums in gross anatomy teaching

Asynchronous online discussion forums are increasingly common in blended learning environments but the relationship to student learning outcomes has not been reported for anatomy teaching. Forums were monitored in two multicampus anatomy courses; an introductory first year course and a second year physiotherapy‐specific course. The forums are structured with a separate site for each course module and moderated weekly by staff. Students are encouraged to post to new threads (initial post) and answer queries in threads started by others (reply post). Analysis of forums was conducted separately for each course and included overall activity (posts and views) for a full semester and a detailed analysis for one week in the middle of semester. Students were classified as zero, moderate, or high contributors to the forums based on the number of posts. Final mark for the course was related to level of forum contribution using nonparametric tests. Forum threads were characterized as task‐focused, administrative, or other. A higher proportion of second year (36%) than first‐year (17%) students posted on the forums and the postings were more likely to be task‐focused and student initiated. Second‐year students that posted frequently to the forum gained a higher final mark for the course than those that did not post or only posted a moderate number of times (P < 0.01). This relationship was not evident for first‐year students who had a much higher proportion of administrative threads. Forums in anatomy courses can be powerful learning tools encouraging deeper learning and improved learning outcomes. Anat Sci Educ 6: 101–106. © 2012 American Association of Anatomists.     

Effects of an augmented reality-based mobile system on students’ learning achievements and motivation for a liberal arts course

ABSTRACT

Although Augmented Reality (AR) technology has already been adopted into mobile learning environments, additional effort must be put towards providing strong evidence that AR-based mobile systems are excellent educational tools that make a positive impact in or outside of the classroom. Our study utilized a similar AR-based mobile learning system developed to authentically teach a liberal arts course at a Taiwanese university. Under controlled study environments, we were able to design a system that could impart relevant concepts from the course to students outside of the traditional classroom setting. Experimental results demonstrated that students with the opportunity to learn through the proposed system demonstrated higher learning motivation, had better learning performance and comprehension abilities than those studying via the conventional outdoor instruction approach. Moreover, the questionnaire survey conducted after our study revealed that “confidence” was the most highly rated motivational factor among students who used the proposed system, suggesting that students were quite motivated to learn using the novel system supplemented with technological advances because they felt more sure of their knowledge and performance. Thus, we believe that using the proposed system can effectively improve the learning outcomes of students enrolled in the liberal arts course, with the particular benefit of boosting confidence in gaining new knowledge, which leads to an improvement of overall learning performance and motivation.     

Implementing Student‐Centered Learning Practices in a Large Enrollment,Introductory Food Science and Human Nutrition Course

Informed by the latest research on how people learn, effective teachers address both aspects of the teaching–learning equation—they engage students in the course material by implementing best teaching practices and they prepare students for learning by sharing best learning practices. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of student‐centered learning practices on students’ perceptions of their ability to learn, specifically in a large enrollment, introductory food science and human nutrition course. Featured student‐centered learning practices included required assignments, optional study tools, and supplemental learning resources. A mixed method survey instrument with 5‐point Likert scales and qualitative, open‐ended questions was used to determine students’ (1) use of optional study tools and supplemental learning resources; (2) perceptions as to the quality and impact of required assignments, optional study tools, and supplemental learning resources to enhance their ability to learn; (3) perceptions as to the usefulness of required assignments, optional study tools, and supplemental learning resources to help them perform better in this course; and (4) overall satisfaction, as a learner, in this course. Overall, students identified study guides (developed using Bloom's taxonomy action verbs) (Mean = 4.34), microthemes (Mean = 4.27), and quizzes (Mean = 4.11) as the most beneficial resources to enhance their learning of the course material. Overall, 85% of students said they were extremely or very satisfied as learners in the course and nearly 75% of the students said the student‐centered learning practices should be offered to future FSHN 101 students.     

Medical students' perceptions and performance in an online regional anatomy course during the Covid-19 pandemic

The present study evaluated the students' psychological well-being, experiences, performance, and perception of learning regional anatomy remotely. A regional anatomy remote learning curriculum was designed and learning materials were delivered virtually to 120 undergraduate medical students at Jinan University, China. All the students consented and voluntarily participated in this study by completing self-administered online questionnaires including the Zung's Self-Rating Anxiety and Depression Scales at the beginning and end of the learning session. A subset participated in focus group discussions. Most of the students (90.0%) positively evaluated the current distance learning model. More than 80% were satisfied with the content arrangement and coverage. Many students preferred virtual lectures (68.2%) and videos showing dissections (70.6%) during the distance learning sessions. However, writing laboratory reports and case-based learning were the least preferred modes of learning as they were only preferred by 23.2% and 14.1% of the students, respectively. There was no significant lockdown-related anxiety or depression reported by students using depression and anxiety scales as well as feedback from focus group discussions. The surveyed students' confidence scores in distance learning were significantly higher after 5 weeks than at the beginning of the session (3.05 ± 0.83 vs. 3.70 ± 0.71, P < 0.05). Furthermore, the present results showed no significant differences between the current group's academic performance in the unit tests as well as the final overall evaluation for different parts of the course compared to that of the previous year's cohort. The findings above were congruent with focus group discussion data that the use of the online teaching platform for regional anatomy significantly improved the students' confidence in virtual and self-directed learning and did not negatively affect their academic performance.     

Teachers’ perspectives on their use of ICT in teaching and learning: A case study

This article presents the perspectives of science and mathematics teachers on their use of information and communication technology (ICT) in teaching and learning in Tanzania. The findings show that few teachers used computers for teaching and learning purposes while majority of them used computers for administrative purposes. Additionally, teachers were found to have limited confidence in using technology to facilitate specific concepts or skills, to support creativity, and to support students to learn complex concepts. Therefore, it is suggested that schools explore strategies ICT integration strategies that focus more on making a shift from teaching technology or using technology for administrative purpose to appropriate pedagogical uses that could enhance student learning.     

Integration of virtual microscopy podcasts in the histology discipline in osteopathic medical school: Learning outcomes

Virtual microscopy podcasts (VMPs) are narrative recordings of digital histology images. This study evaluated the outcomes of integrating the VMPs into teaching histology to osteopathic medical students. The hypothesis was that incorporating virtual microscopy podcasts as supplementary histology resources to the curriculum would have a positive impact on student performance and satisfaction. Sixty-one podcasts of dynamic microscopic images were created using screen recordings of the digital slides. The VMPs were integrated as supplementary histology resources in multiple courses during the first and second years of the medical curriculum for three classes, a total of 477 osteopathic medical students. A voluntary and anonymous survey was obtained from the students using a questionnaire that included two open-ended questions. The overall performance of the three classes on the histology content of the preclinical course examinations was compared to historical controls of the previous two classes that did not have access to the VMPs. Most students indicated that the podcasts enabled more efficient study time and improved their confidence in the histology content on examinations. The findings indicated a positive association between podcast viewing and efficient study time utilization and class performance. The class average scores of the three consecutive cohorts that used the VMPs progressively increased by 7.69%, 14.88%, and 14.91% compared to the controls. A summary of students' feedback and academic performance supported that integration of the VMPs into Histology teaching improved the learning experience. The findings align with previous studies on the effectiveness of multimedia-based teaching in histology laboratory modules.     

Quantifying participation in,and the effectiveness of,remediating assessment in a university mathematics module

In Maths for Business, a large first-year mathematics module, the continuous assessment component comprises 10 weekly quizzes which combine to contribute 40% of the final module mark. If students did not receive the full five marks on their weekly quiz, they were provided with the opportunity to resubmit their corrected weekly quiz with an explanation of their error(s) for one additional mark. We refer to this process as ‘remediation’. Of the students who had the opportunity to remediate, ～70% did. Through examining learning management system data, we show that the remediation process encouraged students to access module resources. Furthermore, by using a Bayesian hierarchical model to account for students’ level of participation, achievement and prior knowledge, we show that participation in the remediation process positively impacted the final examination marks of moderate to high-achieving students (based on initial continuous assessment marks). However, participation in the remediation process provided limited benefit to low-achieving students. We conjecture this is because these students had not achieved a level of understanding whereby participation in the remediation process could progress their knowledge.     

Incorporating a Modified Problem‐Based Learning Exercise in a Traditional Lecture and Lab‐Based Dairy Products Course

Abstract: A modified problem‐based learning (PBL) exercise was implemented in a food science Dairy Products course, which had previously been taught in the traditional lecture and laboratory format only. The first 10 wk of the course consisted of weekly lectures and laboratory exercises. During the remaining 3 wk, students were presented with a case study that described milk quality problems that could be encountered by the dairy industry. Each week, students received a set of case disclosures containing relevant information that assisted in solving the case. Students were asked to present their findings at the end of the course in the form of a written “consultant's report.” In addition, students were given a survey asking for feedback on the PBL exercise, and the usefulness of having the lectures and labs prior to the PBL experience. Eighty percent of the students found that lectures and labs provided them with sufficient background knowledge to understand and solve the PBL case, 70% found that the PBL reinforced course material covered during lecture and labs, 50% responded that PBL helped them develop new ways of reasoning about the subject matter and 65% reported that PBL taught them to think critically. Of the total students surveyed, 56% would prefer to participate in similar types of PBL exercises in the future. Incorporating PBL into traditionally taught food science courses can have a positive influence on the learning process.     

Integrating PCR theory and bioinformatics into a research-oriented primer design exercise

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a conceptually difficult technique that embodies many fundamental biological processes. Traditionally, students have struggled to analyze PCR results due to an incomplete understanding of the biological concepts (theory) of DNA replication and strand complementarity. Here we describe the design of a novel research-oriented exercise that prepares students to design DNA primers for PCR. Our exercise design includes broad and specific learning goals and assessments of student performance and perceptions. We developed this interactive Primer Design Exercise using the principles of scientific teaching to enhance student understanding of the theory behind PCR and provide practice in designing PCR primers to amplify DNA. In the end, the students were more poised to troubleshoot problems that arose in real experiments using PCR. In addition, students had the opportunity to utilize several bioinformatics tools to gain an increased understanding of primer quality, directionality, and specificity. In the course of this study many misconceptions about DNA replication during PCR and the need for primer specificity were identified and addressed. Students were receptive to the new materials and the majority achieved the learning goals.     

(Re)Producing Mathematics Educators: A sociological perspective

Whilst participation in higher education has increased dramatically over the last two decades, many universities are only now beginning to pay more attention to the learning experiences of first year students. It is important for universities to understand how first year students conceive of learning and knowing in order to promote effective approaches to learning. Even though an extensive body of research demonstrates that beliefs about learning and knowing influence student approaches to learning and learning outcomes, there has been no Australian research that has investigated this critical learner characteristic across first year university students. This paper reports on preliminary data from an ongoing longitudinal study designed to investigate first year students’ beliefs about knowing and learning (epistemological beliefs). Students from teacher education and creative industry faculties in two Australian universities completed the Epistemological Beliefs Survey (EBS) in the first week of their first semester of study. A series of one‐way ANOVA using key demographics as independent variables and the EBS factor scores as dependent variables showed that epistemological beliefs were related to the course of study, previous post‐school education experience, family experience at university, gender, and age. These data help us to understand students’ beliefs about learning and knowing with a view to informing effective learning in higher education.     

Attitudes and coping practices of using mobile phones for teaching and learning in a Uganda secondary school

This study investigated the opportunities for learning afforded by access to mobile phones, and the associated challenges created by their use in a peri-urban private secondary school in Uganda. The study was motivated by availability of phones with facilities to connect to the Internet and to access free open education resources (OERs), which if used appropriately, could support changes in pedagogy required to promote learning in rural schools in Uganda. Information was collected using interviews, observations and focus group discussions with parents, students and their teachers between June 2014 and July 2015. Results show a slow positive change in attitude amongst teachers and parents that phones are useful in learning; an increased enthusiasm and eagerness among students, and more engaging and interactive lessons. Some teachers found challenges in accessing education resources due to poor Internet connectivity, while others required skills and knowledge about appropriate OERs that promote interactive learning. The study recommends re-skilling of teachers to use mobile phones to access the Internet, use of OERs and ICT interactive pedagogies especially in schools with limited access to computers and Internet connectivity.