Dr. Maria Limniou The School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering

Dr. Maria Limniou

The School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil EngineeringThe University of Manchester

Pedagogical beliefs of engineering Pedagogical beliefs of engineering teachers and students by using VLEteachers and students by using VLE

A case of e-assessments supported by A case of e-assessments supported by feedbackfeedback

Students “Net Generation” Students “Net Generation”

Prefer (Oblinger and Oblinger, 2005)

• to receive information quickly

• to have multi/multimodal communication channels to access information

• to e-communicate with their peers and tutors

Our main concern is to relate students’ learning with the learning technology.

Ellis et al., 2009

VLEsVLEs (Blackboard, WebCT etc.) (Blackboard, WebCT etc.)

• Provide a great flexibility without the need to download and/or install any kind of software

• Provide an interface for designing a course by using a set of education tools to facilitate learning, communication, collaboration and assessments

• Provide a set of administration tools to assist the teachers in the process of management and continuous improvement of their courses

• Provide support for both on-campus or off-campus learning

TeachersTeachers

Do not use VLEs extensively because of:

• their workloads

• their unfamiliarity with the use of ICT

• the design of high quality material

• their unfamiliarity with electronic communication

• the lack of training on the new technologies

Heaton-Shrestha et al., 2005

Training CourseTraining Course

The School of MMechanical AAerospace and CCivil EEngineering (MACEMACE)

Covers topics regarding

• The design and management of e-courses

• E-assessment methods and plagiarism detection

• Podcasting and Communication tools and

• Virtual Labs

A surveyA survey

• 33 teachersteachers who cover 11 courses The questionnaire was seeking information about the

use of VLEs and their teaching approach Two main categories 1. General questions: the use of VLE’s components and

their teaching difficulties and needs2. 5-point Likert-type scale for the design and use of

online courses

• 108 engineering studentsengineering studentsThe questionnaire was seeking information about their

learning experience Limniou and Smith, 2010

11stst Question Question

Teachers: Teachers: In which way do you prefer to present your teachingteaching material?

Students: Students: In which way do you prefer your learninglearning material to be presented?

Most chosen Most chosen responsesresponses

TeachersTeachers StudentsStudents

Printed material

Slides using an over head projector

PowerPoint Presentations

Websites

Online courses on VLE

51.52 % 88.89 %

42.42 % 44.44 %

78.79 % 44.44 %

15.15 %15.15 % 77.78 %77.78 %

9.09 %9.09 % 66.67 %66.67 %

22ndnd Question Question

Which difficulties do you face in your course?

Most chosen Most chosen responsesresponses

TeachersTeachers StudentsStudents

Limited time

Background Knowledge

Giving/Receiving individual feedback

Assessment methods

57.58 %57.58 % 16.67 %16.67 %

30.30 % 48.72 %

3.03 %3.03 % 39.32 %39.32 %

12.12 %12.12 % 56.41 %56.41 %

33rdrd Question Question

Which VLE component(s) do you believe are more useful for your course?

Most chosen Most chosen responsesresponses

TeachersTeachers StudentsStudents

Online learning modules

Assessment

Assignment

Discussion Board

Announcements

Email

75.76 %75.76 % 55.56 %55.56 %

48.48 %48.48 % 61.11 %61.11 %

36.36 % 22.22 %

42.42 %42.42 % 83.33 %83.33 %

48.48 %48.48 % 50.00 %50.00 %

15.15 % 44.44 %

44thth Question Question

Teachers: Teachers: Which teachingteaching needs do you have as a teacher for your course?

Students: Students: Which learninglearning needs do you have as a student for your course?

Most chosen Most chosen responsesresponses

TeachersTeachers StudentsStudents

Students learn through feedback

Students manage their own learning

Students work together

Students search on the Internet

24.24 % 55.56 %55.56 %

78.78 %78.78 % 88.89 %88.89 %

9.09 % 66.67 %66.67 %

12.12 % 66.67 %66.67 %

ConclusionsConclusions

QuestionsQuestions TeachersTeachers StudentsStudents

Material PowerPoint PresentationsPrinted materialPrinted material

Printed materialPrinted materialWebsitesOnline courses on VLE

Difficulties Limited TimeBackground Background KnowledgeKnowledge

Assessment methodsBackground KnowledgeBackground KnowledgeReceive individual feedback

VLE components

Online learning Online learning modulesmodulesAssessments Assessments Announcements

Discussion BoardAssessments Assessments Online learning modulesOnline learning modules

Needs Manage learning Manage learning Manage learningManage learningSearch on the InternetWork together Feedback

FeedbackFeedback

For teachers: For teachers: students do not pay attention to the feedback provided on assessments,

because they cannot see their usefulness in their learning and also complain that assessments are expensive (of staff time) to be prepared.

(Bloxham & Boyd, 2007)

For students: For students: The National Student Survey (NSS) indicated that only a 1%1% rise in student satisfaction

with feedback that they received

The lack of detailed teacher comments and delays on receiving feedback.

(HEFCE, 2009).

Assessments within The SchoolAssessments within The School

In some cases students waited for several weeks to receive feedback.

Many students felt frustrated with the traditional delivery method of assessment and feedback

Many students find their courses difficult and need more practice and the opportunity to study alone outside normal hours.

National Student Survey (2008-2009)

Discussion Discussion

Any suggestions how we could enhance the learning without overload teachers’ time!!!

Basic points: improve the assessment methods supported by feedback,students to manage their own learning

BeAM ProjectBeAM Project

An project entitled BBlackBoard ee-AAssessment for MMACE (BeAMBeAM) was funded by the Academic Support of the Manchester University

Academic year: Academic year: 2009-2010

Aim: Aim: study the contribution of other university members such as PhD students to the creation of e-assessments by delivering feedback to students through VLEs.

ObjectivesObjectives

• How PhD students could contribute to teaching and learning by using VLEs without decreasing the quality of the education,

• How students reacted to e-formative assessments designed by PhD students and

• What are students’ expectations for their learning by using e-formative assessments

Participants and experimental Participants and experimental conditioncondition

8 courses and two groups of students

104 students BBefore the BeAMBeAM project (B-BeAMB-BeAM)where academic staff designed e-assessments without providing feedback

126 students AAfter the BeAMBeAM project (A-BeAMA-BeAM)where PhD students created e-assessments with feedback

34 e-assessments: 34 e-assessments: for each quiz was created 10-15 questions by PhD students working with the teachers

For all e-assessments: For all e-assessments: different types of questions (multiple choice, matching short answer etc.)

Case 1: Feedback on each student’s Case 1: Feedback on each student’s responseresponse

Case 2: General feedback to students Case 2: General feedback to students independent on their response independent on their response

Project EvaluationProject Evaluation

Multiple choices: Multiple choices: general questions and

Likert-type scale: Likert-type scale: affective factor, practicality and pedagogy

The difficulties that they face in their The difficulties that they face in their coursecourse

46 %

60 %

31 %

14 %

52 %

24 %

ConclusionsConclusions

E-assessment supported by feedback gave the students the opportunity to

• actively participate in their own learning process

• be more responsible for their own learning

• control their learning process in terms of what they already knew and what they needed to know and

• develop critical reflective skills on their learning outcomes.

Thank you Thank you

Any questions!!!

Dr. Maria LimniouMaria.Limniou@manchester.ac.uk