Student Feedback on Blended Learning

May 1999: SPJC Seminole Campus

Course Evaluations: Western Humanities 2210 (37 students completed surveys)

Thirty six students took the online WebCT course evaluation for Western Humanities I. These students represented a Monday class (7:00 PM-9:40 PM) and a MWF class (8:10-9:00 AM). The morning class began using WebCT at the mid-semester point due to a change in instructors. Neither class knew the course would be offered using Web-enhanced technology. Consequently the tradition from Web-enhanced to Web-based delivery was very gradual in both classes.

Comfort Level: Technology

Of the 36 students taking the course evaluation, 53% responded that they were very comfortable with computers. Another 42% students responded that they knew how to use computers, but were not very experienced users of the Internet prior to the course. Only 5% expressed a strong discomfort to computers and the Internet or two students out of thirty six. One student described himself or herself as a complete technophobe who had never touched a computer or had been on the Internet prior to class. It is significant that over 95% of these classes felt comfortable using technology to some extent and willing to learn new skills using Web-based communication tools necessary for class activities. These activities ranged from e-mail, bulletin boards, Internet research, and interactive quizzes.

Blended vs. Traditional Learning

95% of students survey preferred blended or distance learning to traditional classes that are lecture-based. Of the 95%, the majority (70%) prefer classes blending multimedia and Internet in a classroom, while 25% prefer entirely online or distance learning. It is significant that only 5% of the students surveyed prefer traditional methods of learning (lecture) after taking a class using blended delivery.

Preparation for Distance Learning

Most students felt better prepared for distance learning after taking a course with blended delivery. 89% of the students felt better prepared for distance learning, while 11% responded distaste for online learning. 46% of the students expressed a strong readiness and desire for completely online classes. Overall, 95% of the students polled approved of Blended Learning and would recommend the course to students who like using technology. These results increased to 100% in Western Humanities II.

Ratio of Time in Blended Learning: Classroom vs. Online

Most students feel blended learning should split time between class and online activities from the Information Commons or home computers. Only 20% of the students polled wanted the full contact time in class with traditional lectures as the method of delivery. The remaining 80% favored a non-traditional blending of delivery. Of the 80% favoring blended delivery, 46% favored a 50/50 split between class time and online activities. The remaining 54% favored an even more radical split in favor of online delivery. 36% of those students in favor of blended learning wanted to spend 75% of their time online and only 25% of their time in the classroom. 20% of the students favoring blended learning said the course should be delivered entirely online.

Surprising Result

One surprising result was the overall approval of the interactive quizzes using WebCT. Over 95% of the students found the quizzes a valuable learning activity, supporting the readings in the text, and preparing them for the midterm and final. Some of this approval was the ability to retake quizzes for mastery. It certainly reduced the test anxiety from which many of our students suffer. In another question, students also rated the interactive quizzes as one of the most valuable learning activities of the course. Interactive quizzes using WebCT were valued slightly above the Internet and lectures as the most valuable learning activities of the course content. These quizzes were seen as more valuable than bulletin board postings and other forms of multimedia. Although the process of making a data bank of weekly quizzes on WebCT can be very time-consuming, the payoff is great for student learning, and subsequent tracking. Both the midterm and final are now taken and submitted electronically.

Written Responses

Amazingly, thirty students out of thirty six offered written responses. These responses covered a range of comments for improvement to overall evaluations of the course and its delivery. Some of the more salient comments are summarized as follows:

The convenience of working online from home was a great benefit (driving time).
Exact due dates are needed instead of weekly assignments.
Post grades via e-mail.
Drop the videos of Professor Webber- his voice is annoying.
Spend more time in the Information Commons during class.
Morning class was too early. (I agree.)
I was not aware it would be a hybrid class, but it worked out OK.
With quick response e-mail, it would be a good Internet course.
I enjoyed the responses back on my tests.
Being able to retake the quizzes was a wonderful idea.
The quizzes helped me study. I used them as notes.
Quizzes online are very helpful and should be continued.
The newer technology can be effective in the classroom.
Excessive amount of work between web portion and text readings.
Workload of 1.5 classes. Too much writing: weekly and research papers.
Walk everyone through WebCT and Internet on the first night of class.
More detailed classroom sessions with the class expectations.
We should be able to have computers in front of us in class.
It's hard to say school is fun but I had a good time in this Humanities class.

My favorites were these:

In everyday life, I am beginning to understand how things have been influenced by Western Europe and have been able to assemble a timeline in my mind
I definitely like this style of teaching, it will prepare us in the business world.

The last student critique points to some interesting research in bridging the gap between higher education and industry. The student was really commenting on computer literacy developed as well as the academic content addressed in the previous response, which strikes to the core learning objectives of Western Humanities I.

Source

Course Evaluation: WebCT Quiz Info, Student Results. Western Humanities I- Morgan.

http//wild.spjc.cc.fl.us:8900

Preliminary Analysis

The first semester of blended learning in the humanities has been a relative success, considering many students were taken by surprise by the online learning component to their classes at SPJC Seminole. Most of our students overwhelming approve of the use of WebCT and the added conveniences of Web-based and online learning. While some students are ready for completely online delivery, most feel comfortable with blended learning. Only a very small margin of students, (5%) seem to prefer traditional classroom delivery after exposure to blended delivery. This margin may reflect the same margin of students who expressed a discomfort with using technology before taking the course. The vast majority of SPJC Seminole students are already realizing the benefit of Web-enhanced technology in their education. Some even realize the important connection between technological literacy and the job market for the information age of the 21st century.

The CyberLibrary Survey of 469 students reflected a similar profile of student preference for technology at the SPJC Seminole Campus. 71 % of students polled use the SPJC CyberLibrary as the most often used source of information both on campus and from home, while only 8% used the Seminole Community Library and 4% used the traditional SPJC libraries. The remaining 17% mainly use the Internet without the aid of the CyberLibrary as a source of information. This last category may reflect students who are computer savvy enough to be independent of the CyberLibrary. About 95% of the students polled used the Internet at least once a week. More than 90% of the students polled found the CyberLibrary easy to use, Students also found the information current and well organized.

We need to advertise which classes are Web-based so students are not surprised and we need to continue to move ahead in using appropriate technologies to enhance education at the SPJC Seminole Campus. Now that students know what to expect, instructors and designers need to refine and redesign the prototypes from last year in the process of continual improvement. Perhaps the best ratio of course offerings will reflect our student preferences and needs. Most of our students need some form of blended delivery for now, but each semester students should become more prepared for online education. If 75% of our courses were blended, the remaining 25% could be online. Traditional classes would only satisfy 5% of the student body, but not help these students acquire the computer literacy necessary for the 21st century. Traditional classes should be entirely phased out as instructors and students become more technologically literate at the SPJC Seminole Campus. The infrastructure is already in place and most of the students are ready. The Internet is growing every day and rich in educational possibilities. Now it is up to faculty to respond to the call for innovation and change. Technology is not just another fad. Those that refuse to innovate will surely stagnate as we enter the next millennium.