Student Perceptions of Moodle

Dr Mel Hudson Smith

Graduate School of Management

Plymouth University

New Moodle site

Anticipation of new possibilities…

…but…

Did the students notice?

Rationale

Saunders & Gale (2012) Learning enhanced by VLE tech

Students use tech strategically for best benefit

Students like VLE tech…but only as a supplement

Concern over losing ‘traditional’ T&L

Margaryan et al (2011) Digital Natives ≠ enthusiasm for digital innovation in T&L

Students don’t understand how digital tech can improve T&L

Follow lecturers on digital innovations

Expect digital T&L to mirror conventional T&L

O’Neill & Sai (2014) Students expect to be taught by lecturers

Lectures motivate students to turn up and work

So…what should we expect?

Technology Acceptance Model (Davis, 1989) Perceived Usefulness

Perceived Ease of Use

TAM2 (Venkatesh & Davis, 2000) Drivers of Perceived Usefulness

Experience

Subjective Norm (peer pressure to use)

Image (enhance social status if used)

Job Relevance

Output Quality

Result Demonstrability (tangible benefits)

Theory

To evaluate student perceptions of the newly implemented DLE.

Highlight the key issues around initial acceptance and engagement with digital learning

Identify the key drivers of perceived value in this context.

Research Aims

Short survey of 2nd & final yr students

Qualtrics online survey, covering: digital literacy

ease of use

perceived improvements over the old system and

potential value

Sent to 1121 students in PBS via email in Feb 2015

Follow up emails sent 2 weeks later

107 responses, 4 excluded = 103 = 9.2% response rate

Approach

Respondents: 37% 2nd year

63% final year students

58% studying Business/Management

42% studying other specialist subjects within PBS

Use of Moodle All had heard of & used Moodle (…phew )

79% use Moodle all the time for their studies

21% use Moodle some of the time

Accessing Moodle All students access Moodle via PC / Laptop

67% also access it by phone

42% also access it by tablet

Results

Digital Skills

Creating word processed documents

Watching video / audio content on the web

Downloading Lecture Slides

Using internet search engines / library databases for research

Using email

Skills in which >75% students are experienced are highlighted YELLOW

Skills in which >25% students have no experience are highlighted RED

Downloading podcasts

Participating on online forums

Creating web content

Creating audio / video materials

Contributing to blogs/wikis

Uploading video / audio materials to the web

Creating electronic presentation materials

Perceptions of MOODLE

I Prefer Moodle to Tulip

Moodle Improved Module Comms

Moodle Easy to Use

Moodle Easy to Access

Consistent use of Moodle by staff

Tutors regularly update Moodle

Moodle is important for my studies

Moodle enhances my learning

81% agree

75% agree

91% agree

85% agree

80% agree

81% agree

84% agree

73% agree

Comparisons with Tulip

LectureSlides

Electronic Reading

listsOnline Submission

TurnitinDiscussion Forums Web

links

PodcastsBlogs /wikis

Videos Other Electronic

Files

Value of digital resources

LectureSlides

Electronic Reading

listsOnline Submission

TurnitinDiscussion Forums Web

links

PodcastsBlogs /wikis

Videos Other Electronic

Files

Links to TAM Perceived Ease of Use - Yes! Perceived Usefulness

Experience Students not as digitally literate as hoped …but can perceive value without experience

Job Relevance important for studies, updated regularly, consistent use by staff

Output Quality improves communication & enhances learning

Result Demonstrability prefer to tulip

Image & Subjective Norms – not measured

Students DO use digital tech strategically And assess value based on learned experiences …but do see value in more innovative tech, even where it isn’t used

Conclusions

Davis, F. D. (1989), "Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and user acceptance of information technology", MIS Quarterly 13 (3): 319–340

Venkatesh, V. Davis, F.D. (2000) “A Theoretical Extension of the Technology Acceptance Model: Four Longitudinal Field Studies”, Management Science 46(2):186-204.

Margaryan, A. Littlejohn, A. & Vojt, G. (2011) “Are Digital Natives a Myth or Reality? University Students’ Use of Digital Technologies”, Computers & Education, 56:429-440.

O’Neill, K. & Sai, T.H. (2014) “Why Not? Examining college Students’ Reasons for Avoiding an Online Course”, Higher Education, 68:1-14.

Saunders, F. & Gale, A. (2012) “Digital or Didactic: Using Learning Technology to Confront the Challenge of Large Cohort Teaching”, British Journal of Educational Technology, 43(6):847-858.

References