Evaluation of D-flag students accessibility to and use of online tutorials and forums in L2 modules

Project leader(s): Sarah DaniellLorraine Waters
Theme: Access, Participation and Success
Faculty: STEM
Status: Archived
Dates: May 2020 to May 2024

It remains the case that despite different initiatives to encourage tutorial attendance, few students attend live online tutorials in LHCS. Similarly, forum use is also unpopular, with many students only using their tutor group forums for activities related to assessment, rather than for communicating with other students and building a sense of community. This lack of engagement is often a source of concern and frustration for associate lecturers as many students appear not to be fully utilising the resources available to help their study. Until now, the reasons for this have been speculative, the concern being that lack of confidence and fear of the online classroom environment may be off-putting to some students. Students experiencing mental ill-health (for example anxiety) may be particularly sensitive to these issues. Students may build up a pattern of behaviour where they do not attend synchronous tuition events, and instead rely on social media platforms to support their studies. In so doing they may miss vital information and module resources, impacting collaborative and investigative aspects of their studies, assignment scores, motivation and ultimately retention. It is widely accepted that students who do engage more fully, have a better learning experience, and are more likely to achieve their learning potential.

This study aimed to gain a better understanding of our students’ perceptions of the synchronous and asynchronous support available on S294 (Cell Biology) and SK299 (Human Biology), and any barriers which prevent these resources from being used more extensively.