Studying behaviour of students engaging with online learning

1
Studying behaviour of students engaging with
on-line learning

• Tracy Harwood, Hülya Oztel,
• Harish Ravat Manish Ravat
• Leicester Business School

2
Introduction

• Overview of study
• Comparison of modules
• Preliminary findings
• Conclusion

3
Overview of study

• TQEF funded project
• Aims evaluate student on-line behaviour and its
  impact on performance
• 2 core business modules
• 1st year Principles of Marketing
• Final year Applied Strategic Management

4
Comparison of modules

• 1st Year Principles of Marketing
• 3070 - coursework final (unseen) exam
• coursework, compulsory online phase test
• formative assessment also online
• Final Year Applied Strategic Management
• 3rd year module
• 4030 30 - essay role play final (unseen)
  exam
• essay, linked to optional online discussion groups

5
Preliminary analysis
6
Preliminary analysis
7
Preliminary findings

• Final Year Applied Strategic Mgmt, 2002-3 (n92)

8
Preliminary findings

• 1st Year Principles of Marketing, 2002-3 (n60)

9
Preliminary findings

• Distribution seems to be normal across cohorts
• Q would not good students engage with on-line
  learning anyway?
• H on-line engagement does not affect performance

10
Preliminary findings
MODULE APPLIED STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT
16
14
Number of hits in groupings
12
1 or less
10
1-20 hits
8
21-40 hits
6
41-60 hits
4
61-80 hits
2
81-100 his
Count
0
100-120 hits
above
below
Hits grouped by below or above mean module mark
(52.98)
11
Preliminary analysis
12
Preliminary findings
Number of hits in groupings
MODULE PRINCIPLES OF MARKETING
101-120 hits
7
121-140 hits
1 or less
6
141-160 hits
1-20 hits
5
161-180 hits
21-40 hits
181-200 hits
4
41-60 hits
201-220 hits
61-80 hits
3
221-240 hits
81-100 his
2
241-280 hits
1
281-300 hits
Count
0
gt301 hits
above mean
below mean
Hits grouped by below or above mean module mark
(40.58)
13
Preliminary findings
MODULE PRINCIPLES OF MARKETING
14
12
grade bandings
10
up to 29
between 30-39
8
between 40-49
6
between 50-59
4
between 60- 69
2
between 70- 79
Count
gt80
0
above
below
above or below mean number of hits on website
(102.87 hits)
14
Preliminary findings
MODULE APPLIED STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT
30
grade bandings
20
below 29
between 30-39
between 40-49
10
between 50-59
between 60-69
Count
between 70-79
0
above
below
above or below mean number of hits on website
(38.80 hits)
15
Interim conclusions

• Both modules
• Q Good students would engage with on-line
  learning anyway? YES
• Q Would we expect students to do badly even if
  they engage heavily with vle? MIXED
• Q

16
Preliminary findings

• Appears to be optimum level of online engagement
• Small group with high engagement seem to fail
• Rule of diminishing returns?
• Quality of engagement?
• Average students?

17
Conclusion

• Students with high (gt70) grades have high level
  of online engagement
• Students with high hit rate still fail
• Is hypothesis true?

18
Conclusion

• This contradicts our expectations, we would like
  to believe that average (borderline) students
  enhance their performance through online
  engagement, but we cant prove it!