Dear Moodle Community,
my Master's dissertation in Information Management will be partly a Usability Study regarding Moodle. The current working title is: "Make the most of your studies: A comparative usability study on the collaborative virtual learning environment Moodle with postgraduate students from Oil & Gas related courses".
The overall aim of this study is to find out how the collaborative virtual learning environment Moodle is integrated and embedded in the studies of postgraduate Oil & Gas related courses at The Robert Gordon University (Aberdeen, Scotland).
From the literature review I undertook during the proposal stage, I noticed, not many usability studies regarding virtual learning environment (and in particular Moodle) were undertaken.
So, my question is: Is there anyone out there, who does have experience? I would also appreciate, if any links or references to this question could be posted.
Many thanks.
Syndia
Usability: Moodle - Usability Study (for an MSc): Anyone experience?
by Syndia Lengyel -
Number of replies: 4
In reply to Syndia Lengyel
Re: Usability: Moodle - Usability Study (for an MSc): Anyone experience?
by Christos Karakirios -
Hello Syndia (and Happy New Year)
First of all sorry for my English. Since it's not my mother language I would probably make some (or alot) of mistakes.
I've read your message and some questions appeared in my mind: You say that "the overall aim of this study is to find out how the collaborative virtual learning environment Moodle is integrated and embedded in the studies of postgraduate Oil & Gas related courses at The Robert Gordon University (Aberdeen, Scotland)". That means (at least for me) that RGU's Oil & Gas postgraduate related courses are already using moodle and you are trying to find HOW moodle is integrated and embedded in them. If that is the case, sorry but I have not any experience of these specific courses.
Now, if you would like to see a comprative usability study with Moodle, I've present one in a conference. The presentation can be found here and the paper published in the proceedings of the conference can be found here. I insist that there is no relation between presentation and the particular courses you're referring to, and also that contextual, socio-economical and educational background of participants are different.
Btw, try to search for the TAM (Technology Acceptance Model) in Google. It might help you in your research.
If you have any questions, or you need some more data (surveys, methodology, etc) feel free to IM me, email me or to post your questions here (it will come also to my email "info@e-courses.gr").
Wish you best luck and, again, happy new year
.
First of all sorry for my English. Since it's not my mother language I would probably make some (or alot) of mistakes.
I've read your message and some questions appeared in my mind: You say that "the overall aim of this study is to find out how the collaborative virtual learning environment Moodle is integrated and embedded in the studies of postgraduate Oil & Gas related courses at The Robert Gordon University (Aberdeen, Scotland)". That means (at least for me) that RGU's Oil & Gas postgraduate related courses are already using moodle and you are trying to find HOW moodle is integrated and embedded in them. If that is the case, sorry but I have not any experience of these specific courses.
Now, if you would like to see a comprative usability study with Moodle, I've present one in a conference. The presentation can be found here and the paper published in the proceedings of the conference can be found here. I insist that there is no relation between presentation and the particular courses you're referring to, and also that contextual, socio-economical and educational background of participants are different.
Btw, try to search for the TAM (Technology Acceptance Model) in Google. It might help you in your research.
If you have any questions, or you need some more data (surveys, methodology, etc) feel free to IM me, email me or to post your questions here (it will come also to my email "info@e-courses.gr").
Wish you best luck and, again, happy new year
In reply to Christos Karakirios
Re: Usability: Moodle - Usability Study (for an MSc): Anyone experience?
by Syndia Lengyel -
Hello Christos,
I am not a native speaker either, so please do not worry too much about mistakes.
The Robert Gordon University (Aberdeen, Scotland) rolled out Moodle in September 2008. Special Moodle Pages were set up. Currently, I am still enrolled as a student and my personal overall impression is that Moodle is not used to the extend it could be. For my own personal taste it is not interactive enough to encourage students to explore learning material in more depth as useful connections are currently not made.
I will concentrate on one particular module and compare full-time students and distance learners. Usability is one part of the study, but also other components. In my proposal, I established five objectives:
Thank you very much and Happy New Year.
Syndia.
I am not a native speaker either, so please do not worry too much about mistakes.
The Robert Gordon University (Aberdeen, Scotland) rolled out Moodle in September 2008. Special Moodle Pages were set up. Currently, I am still enrolled as a student and my personal overall impression is that Moodle is not used to the extend it could be. For my own personal taste it is not interactive enough to encourage students to explore learning material in more depth as useful connections are currently not made.
I will concentrate on one particular module and compare full-time students and distance learners. Usability is one part of the study, but also other components. In my proposal, I established five objectives:
- To examine a wide range of different information sources in order to conduct a literature review
- To analyse and synthesize students' learning styles
- To investigate the use of the system Moodle
- To establish conditions under which the use of the collaborative virtual learning environment could impact positively on students' learning experience
- To draw up recommendations for improvement on embedding Moodle into existing learning content.
Thank you very much and Happy New Year.
Syndia.
In reply to Syndia Lengyel
Re: Usability: Moodle - Usability Study (for an MSc): Anyone experience?
by Christos Karakirios -
Hello Syndia,
yes, your personal overall impression seems to be right. At least, most of the students taking the COLLES survey during the moodle lessons respond the lowest in interactivity section, so you are right.
Martin Dougiamas, moodle founder, was aiming to the socio-constructivist way of learning, as he wrote 1998, November at his "Journey into constructivism". That's the reason forums are the main moodle tool. Others Dougiama's writings can be found here. Also these articles plus the articles for teachers in moodle.org would be very helpful for your third objective.
But what constructivist is meant and how moodle can assist on this theory?
For sure, by just creating a forum you cannot suggest that you've created a lesson, course or even lesson object. Many other things exist you should take in mind. Students, hardware, curriculum, activities, resources, time need to be spent, etc (and not in this order). A very nice handbook for help is TPOL (Theory and Practise of Online Learning - also exists a second edition). No, you will not find moodle toolkit there but principles and theories for how to achieve various aims in online learning (as moodle is). It will be probably the best solution for your first objective.
Your second objective is going out of the moodle and online learning theory. Mostly you're getting into psychology and that is not my special area even if I've get involved somehow. Btw, if you need to be involved in that, ask assistant from a specialist. There are so many tools in internet for learning styles that I don't believe that there are so many people to handle and interpret them. The fourth and fifth objectives you've set are abit dangerous, as they are declared. I would propose instead of "conditions" to seek for "best practices" and suggestions instead of recommendations. Just have in mind that there is no need for re-inventing the wheel.
Last but not least: in order to compare two groups (full-time and distance learners) just have in mind that we cannot compare apples with oranges, they must be the same. Even in the case you manage to compare same data, this cannot be performed with just one module (in classroom, can they use only the pen without a writebook ?). So, a proposal is to design correctly the courses, establish questionnaires and surveys in appropriate format and time, and use wisely the results. Just keep in mind that we survey in advance well-established hypothetical questions.
So, Happy New Year and I wish you good luck.
P.S. Btw, where are you from?
yes, your personal overall impression seems to be right. At least, most of the students taking the COLLES survey during the moodle lessons respond the lowest in interactivity section, so you are right.
Martin Dougiamas, moodle founder, was aiming to the socio-constructivist way of learning, as he wrote 1998, November at his "Journey into constructivism". That's the reason forums are the main moodle tool. Others Dougiama's writings can be found here. Also these articles plus the articles for teachers in moodle.org would be very helpful for your third objective.
But what constructivist is meant and how moodle can assist on this theory?
For sure, by just creating a forum you cannot suggest that you've created a lesson, course or even lesson object. Many other things exist you should take in mind. Students, hardware, curriculum, activities, resources, time need to be spent, etc (and not in this order). A very nice handbook for help is TPOL (Theory and Practise of Online Learning - also exists a second edition). No, you will not find moodle toolkit there but principles and theories for how to achieve various aims in online learning (as moodle is). It will be probably the best solution for your first objective.
Your second objective is going out of the moodle and online learning theory. Mostly you're getting into psychology and that is not my special area even if I've get involved somehow. Btw, if you need to be involved in that, ask assistant from a specialist. There are so many tools in internet for learning styles that I don't believe that there are so many people to handle and interpret them. The fourth and fifth objectives you've set are abit dangerous, as they are declared. I would propose instead of "conditions" to seek for "best practices" and suggestions instead of recommendations. Just have in mind that there is no need for re-inventing the wheel.
Last but not least: in order to compare two groups (full-time and distance learners) just have in mind that we cannot compare apples with oranges, they must be the same. Even in the case you manage to compare same data, this cannot be performed with just one module (in classroom, can they use only the pen without a writebook ?). So, a proposal is to design correctly the courses, establish questionnaires and surveys in appropriate format and time, and use wisely the results. Just keep in mind that we survey in advance well-established hypothetical questions.
So, Happy New Year and I wish you good luck
P.S. Btw, where are you from?
In reply to Syndia Lengyel
Re: Usability: Moodle - Usability Study (for an MSc): Anyone experience?
by Syndia Lengyel -
Dear Moodle Community,
obviously, there is not a lot of research or experience out there. So, I decided to track my actions via the Blog option here (of course only, what I actually allowed to from a data protection point of view). I hope, it helps and encourage other people to investigate a lot more into Moodle and its use.
If the University may allow to publish my dissertation online, I would do so, if someone knows a serious / academic website where I do not have pay. Alternatively, you may wish to send me an email and request it directly. But as I wrote, it may depend on the permission of the University.
All the best.
Syndia.
If the University may allow to publish my dissertation online, I would do so, if someone knows a serious / academic website where I do not have pay. Alternatively, you may wish to send me an email and request it directly. But as I wrote, it may depend on the permission of the University.
All the best.
Syndia.