Joint Information Systems Committee 10/04/23 | | Slide 1

FindingsRhona Sharpe, Oxford Brookes University

Learners’ Experiences of e-Learning Workshops: November 2008 – March 2009Learners’ Experiences of e-Learning Workshops: November 2008 – March 2009 slide 13

How have we investigated e-learners?

Background survey of existing research Sharpe et al 2006– ‘Scarcity of studies on learner experience, often about very specific

and narrow aspects of learning (e.g. CMC), often discussing observable behaviours rather than intentions, beliefs, feelings’

Phase 1: two large-scale studies Creanor et al 2006, Conole et al 2006

Phase 2: seven focused studies to investigate specific issues plus support and synthesis (ongoing)

BLUPS | e4L | Lead | LexDis

PB-LXP | STROLL | Thema

Learners’ Experiences of e-Learning Workshops: November 2008 – March 2009 slide 3

… is pervasive in learners’ lives

Learners’ Experiences of e-Learning Workshops: November 2008 – March 2009

Key messages

10/04/23 | slide 4

Learners’ Experiences of e-Learning Workshops: November 2008 – March 2009 10/04/23 | slide 5

Flexibility, reliability, convenience

Learners are living complex lives.

Learners are positive about VLEs where they provide easy access to everything they need

High expectations for robust, visible, ubiquitous services.

Time is a constraint, and a persistent worry for disabled learners

My favourite piece of technology is “my phone, because I record lectures ... I am more likely to watch what I have recorded than to log on the [VLE] and to go through the long procedure of finding something…” (E4L)

Learners’ Experiences of e-Learning Workshops: November 2008 – March 2009 10/04/23 | slide 6

Personal technology

There is high ownership and access to personal technology, but note institutional differences

Where access or ownership is lacking, students feel disadvantaged

Most students are not sure how to use personal technology to aid study,

“If we are required to be networked for a computer workshop, for example, there generally aren’t places you can plug in a laptop with assistive technology in. So, then you are reliant on whatever assistive technologies are available on the network.” (LexDis)

Learners’ Experiences of e-Learning Workshops: November 2008 – March 2009 10/04/23 | slide 7

Study habits and strategies

New learners are conservative in their study habits and approaches

Influenced initially by prior educational experience, and later by their tutors

Disabled learners are agile technology users who understand the affordances of technology

Learn skills from each other

“Well firstly if I want to look anything up… I will usually Google it... Then I would fire up MSN… Finally [the VLE] and all the resources the University makes available online.” (STROLL)

Learners’ Experiences of e-Learning Workshops: November 2008 – March 2009 10/04/23 | slide 8

Working with others

Extensive use of social networking sites – for recreational use

Extensive use of peers for support, especially technical support

Technologies used to support the process of groupwork

Social networking used where they have a cohort identity

“University e-mail I don’t really use for people at University, I usually use texting, Facebook or MSN. If they’re on-line, on MSN, I know hopefully they’ll respond straightaway. You can get an immediate response with phones and Messenger.” (E4L)

Learners’ Experiences of e-Learning Workshops: November 2008 – March 2009 10/04/23 | slide 9

Learner differences

There are many differences between learners; which may be due to prior experience, discipline, and context

Learners show evidence of maturing, in use of online resources, and organising themselves.

Some learners are more digital than others, and there is still a small minority who prefer not to engage with technology

Learners’ Experiences of e-Learning Workshops: November 2008 – March 2009 slide 10

Access

Preferences, choices, patterns of use

Personalisation

Beliefs and expectations

Effective e-learners

Change and transition

Social software

Specific learners & contexts

Institutional level practices

Course level practices

Programme Themes

Learners’ Experiences of e-Learning Workshops: November 2008 – March 2009 slide 11

1. Issues learners struggle with in transition

Little understanding of how they will be expected to study and learn – even after induction

Uncertainty and loss of familiar processes

Transfer of key processes from paper to computer

Wider variety of software, more choice, upgrading

Over-confidence in information skills

Disabled learners having to master assistive technologies

?clash of knowledge cultures (practice, authority, media)

Learners’ Experiences of e-Learning Workshops: November 2008 – March 2009 slide 12

Ways in which learners mature in their studies

Increased use of technology and a broader range of uses

– Athens, online databases, journals, library system, podcasts…

Increased time spent online, especially on academic sites

Introduced to many subject-specific technologies

Learners’ Experiences of e-Learning Workshops: November 2008 – March 2009 slide 13

More ways in which learners mature in their studies

More careful and strategic over use of time

Improved research and investigation skills

Preferences change

– mobiles and laptops over desktops, USB sticks over discs, digital over paper-based media…

Use of personal and social technologies for learning

– e-portfolios, blogs, social bookmarking…

Learners’ Experiences of e-Learning Workshops: November 2008 – March 2009

Want to know more?

10/04/23 | slide 14