Experience with Online Live Tutorials

By Zaid Ali Alsagoff Head, Research and Development, UNITAR [email_address] Experience with Online Live Tutorials

Contents

Introduction

UNITAR’s Hybrid e-Learning Model

What are Online Live Tutorials?

Study Background

Methodology

Key Findings

Seven (7) Recommendations

What Has Happened Since the Survey?

Conclusion

Introduction

University Tun Abdul Razak (UNITAR) is a premier e-learning university established in 1998.

It pioneers a hybrid environment, combining the best from the e-learning and conventional approaches.

UNITAR’s philosophy:

To provide quality education at an affordable fee with emphasis on skill development through the use of state-of-the-art technology.

UNITAR’s Hybrid E-Learning Model

Six (6) major components:

Courseware – CD-based and web-based.

Course Management System - Virtual Online Instructional Support System (VOISS)

Tutorials – Online/face-to-face tutorials and online forums.

Study Centers – Classrooms, workstations, library, etc.

Virtual Library – Online databases (e.g. Emerald, ProQuest, ERIC), staff publications, past exam papers, etc.

Customer Relations Management – Online/Offline support to students (and staff) facing academic, technical and personal problems (e.g. telephone, fax, emails, chat).

UNITAR’s Hybrid E-Learning Model

Online live tutorials (OLT) are online meetings conducted by facilitators over the Internet with students in real-time mode.

UNITAR students participate in scheduled OLT with facilitators, 1-4 times per course (2 hours per session).

We are using Centra Symposium as our engine or real-time delivery platform for OLT.

What are Online Live Tutorials? Participant Interface

What are Online Live Tutorials? Presenter Interface

Features regularly used during an OLT:

PowerPoint Presentation with audio (94.3%)

Real-Time Interactivity

Surveys (8.6%)

Quiz (14.3%)

Discussions (85.7%)

Online Search (14.3%)

Whiteboard (74.3%)

Chat (88.6%)

Whiteboard (74.3%)

Application/Screen Sharing

Study Background

A survey was conducted from 12th to 23rd September (2003):

To obtain and examine students’ and facilitators’ perceptions, preferences, difficulties, practices and feedback in using OLT system.

To examine students’ general satisfaction towards UNITAR and its teaching and learning model.

Methodology

Survey

OLT & UNITAR General Satisfaction survey: Students (586 participants)

OLT survey Facilitators (35 participants)

Key Findings

Students’ Demographics on OLT Access:

Most are full-time (76.5%).

More female (59.4%).

Most are 30 years or below (95.8%).

Most own a personal computer (83.9%).

Most have had more than three semesters of OLT experience (68.9%).

Most either access the OLT from Kelana Jaya study center (46.1%) or from home (41.4%).

(34.5%) use a dial-up connection (56K or less).

Key Findings

Facilitators’ Demographics on OLT Access:

The majority is female (58.8%).

Most (52.9%) are from the 21 to 30 years age group, while (32.4%) are 31 to 40.

A majority have had three semesters or more experience conducting OLT (88.6%).

Key Findings

Students’ and Facilitators’ Time and Duration Preferences for OLT :

Majority of both students (72.4%) and facilitators (90.6%) prefer to have OLT on weekdays.

Most students prefer OLT to be between 90 – 45 minutes (82.2%), and most facilitators prefer OLT to be between 90-60 minutes (69.7%) *

The majority of both students (69.5%) including part-time students (61%) and facilitators (73.5%) believe that the ratio between OLT compared to face-to-face tutorials should only be 1:4 (or 25%).

Key Findings Time preferences for OLT: Part-time Vs Full-time Students

Key Findings

Students’ OLT Satisfaction :

Overall satisfaction with OLT is (2.83).

The only statement above UNITAR’s overall satisfaction mean (3.45) “OLT is flexible, because I can attend from anywhere (3.51).“

Are less satisfied with OLT compared to other online applications used by UNITAR, such as VOISS (3.66), e-mail (3.96), and courseware (3.51).

Prefer face-to-face (3.86) tutorials compared to OLT (2.55).

Key Findings

Students’ OLT Satisfaction (Continued) :

“ OLT is easy to access” (2.35) received the lowest mean.

(62%, or 120 out of 194) additional comments are about problems with OLT access.

Problems accessing OLT using Broadband (Only 16% agreed that OLT is easy-to-access).

OLT access problems are most during peak periods (18.00-22.00 pm).

Comfortable using the chat feature (3.10), satisfied with the facilitators’ OLT competency skills (3.12) and student/facilitator interaction (3.05) during OLT.

Key Findings

Facilitators’ OLT Satisfaction (Continued) :

Centra is easy-to-use (3.85)

Received sufficient training (3.37)

Easy to conduct OLT (3.31)

Easy-to-access (3.23)

Liked conducting OLT (3.17).

In general, most did not prefer conducting OLT (2.65) to face-to-face tutorials.

In general, most felt that quality learning cannot take place without face-to-face interaction (2.66).

Their biggest dissatisfaction was with the technical support (2.31), in cases of unexpected technical problems.

Areas we need to re-examine and improve:

Technical Infrastructure

The server and network infrastructure must be stable, reliable, and robust, or any other action taken would be fruitless.

Monitoring

Internal & External Network

Centra’s server(s) performance

Regular Online/Offline surveys

Scheduling

Better communication between the scheduling unit and technical staff.

Understand technical and User License limitations (e.g. 150 concurrent users), as well as the needs of each faculty.

Training

Regular workshops for students and facilitators.

Facilitators should play a more active role in helping students using OLT, especially new students.

OLT pedagogy (or Andragogy).

Support

Online and offline support

User Guide, FAQs, Online Forums, Chat, etc.

CRM, Technical personnel, and Facilitators

OLT Culture

Online/offline OLT community

Facilitate an OLT culture, where OLT is seen as a necessary and enjoyable learning experience, instead of being seen as a burden and hassle.

OLT Strategy

More flexible OLT Vs face-to-face tutorial ratio (e.g. Less OLT for full-time students).

Improve student attendance and participation.

Only for courses and topics that are suitable.

What Has Happened Since the Survey?

Based on CRM report from the months of February-June, there have only been 31 complaints on OLT.

(44%) of the students (in a follow-up survey) believe that OLT access has improved.

Conduct weekly OLT workshops for facilitators, tutors, and students.

OLT general satisfaction has improved from (2.83) to ( 3.06 ).

Less OLT are conducted by FHSS and FBA.

Conclusion

We need to re-examine and improve the technical infrastructure, monitoring, scheduling, training, online/offline support, and facilitate a more dynamic OLT culture and flexible strategy or model.

Positive note : More people are using Broadband, and commercial web-conferencing tools are becoming less-bandwidth intensive, cheaper, and increasingly resembling an actual classroom.

Communicate, Collaborate, Discuss, and Decide with students, facilitators, technical staff, etc. on how OLT can be best utilized to improve teaching and learning. The key is to get everyone involved.

Conclusion

Deal with problems head on ! Celebrate problems! Identifying, understanding, communicating, discussing and solving problems, is a major key to success in e-learning.

“ For every problem there is opportunity for Improvement. If we enjoy dealing with problems as much as we do with success, e-Learning (or OLT) will be a wonderful adventure (and success). ” (Zaid Ali Alsagoff)

The End Thank You!

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