Developing online activities for
postgraduate students in computing
Judith Jeffcoate
Associate Teaching Fellow
COLMSCT
Centre for Open Learning of Mathematics, Science, Computing and Technology (COLMSCT)
Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning
The Open University is incorporated by Royal Charter (RC 000391), an exempt charity in England & Wales and a charity registered in Scotland (SC 038302).
Background
• This project focuses on support for postgraduate
students taking OU computing courses
• M883 Software Requirements for Business Systems
– Presented twice a year (May and November)
– Printed and online materials via a VLE (Moodle)
– Limited tutorial support via three assignments
• Outcomes include: “understand the state-of-the-art in
requirements engineering, leading to a deep and
systematic understanding of the subject area”
• Achieved “through the use of books, reference papers
(e.g. conference and journal publications) and other
audio/visual media”
2
Project structure
Step 1
Survey of tutorial
group from Nov 06
presentation
Analysis
of findings
Step 2
Pilot study with
volunteers on May 07
presentation
Analysis
of findings
Step 3
Full study
open to all on
May 08 presentation
Evaluation
3
Survey: online tools
Students were asked
to consider how useful
five online tools were
for ten different tasks
They preferred
certain tools to
carry out specific
tasks
40
35
30
25
Total score (all tasks) 20
15
10
5
0
Not at all useful (5)
(4)
Chat
Forum
(3)
Wiki
(2)
Blog
Very useful (1)
Journal
4
Survey: examples (1)
Task 5: Specify a set of requirements in a given context
6
5
No of responses
4
3
2
1
0
Very useful (1)
(2)
(3)
Chat
Forum
Wiki
(4)
Blog
Not at all useful (5)
Journal
Task 9: Use the OU Library and other online resources to identify papers
6
5
4
No of responses
How useful do you
think each of the
online tools might
be in helping you
to complete this
task?
3
2
1
0
Very useful (1)
(2)
(3)
Chat
Forum
Wiki
(4)
Blog
Journal
Not at all useful (5)
5
Survey: requirements
• Students were
asked to identify
up to three
requirements for
online activities
• Responses
analysed using
NVivo
6
Survey: examples (2)
• Task (description)
– “A clear ‘framework for use’ is circulated prior to the exercise”
– “The criteria for completion of the tasks should be clearly
stated”
• Group (identification of others)
– “Ability to easily see who wrote what and when (depends on
nature of activity)”
• Individual (learning)
– “Online activities should back up what I’ve learned from reading
the course materials”
• System (usability)
– “Easy and reliable means of creating and editing contributions”
7
Pilot study
•
Group of volunteers from May 07 presentation
–
–
•
•
Six students (3 male and 3 female)
Undertook to take part in one or more activities and provide
feedback
Separate VLE space provided, access limited to
volunteers and researcher
Five activities
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Introductions (General Forum)
Evaluating a paper (Wiki)
Writing a critical summary (Q & A Forum)
Comparing styles – two extracts (Wiki)
How to criticise – three papers (Q & A Forum)
8
Summary of activities
Number of student activities logged by VLE between
12 June and 9 October 07
Student
Active
Passive
Total
Active %
A
C
27
7
145
186
172
193
16
4
H
K
M
1
8
21
18
119
385
19
127
406
5
6
5
R
1
15
16
Active = add, delete, update, edit
Passive = view
6
9
VLE log: example
Course
Time
JMJ38-WORKSPACE
2007 July 3 19:43
JMJ38-WORKSPACE
2007 July 3 19:35
JMJ38-WORKSPACE
2007 July 3 19:33
JMJ38-WORKSPACE
2007 July 3 19:33
JMJ38-WORKSPACE
2007 July 3 19:04
JMJ38-WORKSPACE
2007 July 3 18:52
JMJ38-WORKSPACE
2007 July 3 18:51
JMJ38-WORKSPACE
2007 July 3 18:51
JMJ38-WORKSPACE
2007 July 3 18:49
JMJ38-WORKSPACE
2007 July 3 18:49
JMJ38-WORKSPACE
2007 July 3 18:47
JMJ38-WORKSPACE
2007 July 3 18:47
JMJ38-WORKSPACE
2007 July 3 18:46
JMJ38-WORKSPACE
2007 July 3 17:36
JMJ38-WORKSPACE
2007 July 3 17:36
JMJ38-WORKSPACE
2007 July 3 17:36
JMJ38-WORKSPACE
2007 July 3 17:36
JMJ38-WORKSPACE
2007 July 3 17:36
JMJ38-WORKSPACE
2007 July 3 17:35
JMJ38-WORKSPACE
2007 July 3 17:35
IP AddressFull name Action
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
wiki info
wiki view
forum view discussion
forum add post
forum view discussion
wiki view
forum view discussion
forum add post
forum view discussion
forum add post
forum view discussion
forum view forum
course view
wiki view
wiki info
wiki view
course view
forum view discussion
forum view forum
course view
Information
Activity 2: Evaluating a paper: Evaluating a paper
Activity 2: Evaluating a paper: Evaluating a paper
3035
10428
3035
Activity 2: Evaluating a paper: Evaluating a paper
3035
10426
3035
10425
3035
1720
3083
Activity 2: Evaluating a paper: Evaluating a paper
Activity 2: Evaluating a paper: Evaluating a paper
Activity 2: Evaluating a paper: Evaluating a paper
3083
3035
1720
3083
Original includes links to relevant forum and wiki pages
10
Example: activity
Activity 3: Writing a critical summary
1. What is the main question addressed in this paper? Is this
question important? If so, why?
2. What is the significance of the findings in this paper for
requirements engineering?
3. Do the findings help explain the phenomenon under study
and make predictions about it?
4. Are the findings only true for the particular example(s)
studied? Or is there reason to believe they will apply in other
cases?
5. Does this paper provide a significant contribution to the
subject area?
11
C
H
K
18
/0
17
/0
16
/0
20
07
8/
20
07
8/
20
07
8/
20
07
7
8/
20
07
8/
20
07
8/
20
07
45
15
/0
14
/0
13
/0
8/
20
07
8/
20
07
8/
20
07
8/
20
07
8/
20
07
8/
20
07
8/
20
07
8/
20
07
20
12
/0
11
/0
09
/0
A
10
/0
08
/0
07
/0
06
/0
05
/0
5
8/
20
07
15
04
/0
8/
20
07
8/
20
07
35
03
/0
02
/0
8/
20
07
7/
20
07
7/
40
01
/0
31
/0
30
/0
No of actions
Example: interactions
Visualisation of Moodle logs
50
2
3
Activity 3 started
2
6
30
1
25
1
1
2
1
10
1
0
M
Figures in circles are the number of active contributions to the
discussion on a given day
12
Examples: extracts
Comments on Activity 3
• “I swore I would not just paraphrase the paper but, in
Q3, I think I just have.” (A)
• “Well I've had a go, and yes, it would probably have
been better to do questions 1 and 2 first!” (M)
• “Wish i'd answered them in order and read them through
first to make sure they flowed into a complete critique.
Also found it hard to evaluate with respect to the subject
area when my knowledge of it is so limited.” (K)
13
Conclusions and future plans
• Volunteers found activities helpful in preparing for
assignments and exams
• Requirements
– Ease of use
– Ability to see who wrote what and when
• Preferred three or four activities over course lifetime,
using discussion forums
• Stage 3: three optional activities in May 08 presentation
• Evaluation
– Examination of VLE logs
– Telephone interviews
14