Please cite as: Abascal, M., Hernández-Leo, D. (2023), How does the use of activities and resources in the Learning Management System of a higher education institution vary before, during and after Covid-19?, CIDUI International Conference on University Teaching and Innovation, Lleida, 4-6 June 2023 Higher education institutions (HEIs) have traditionally used the Learning Management Systems (LMS) more for distributing resources than for supporting activities. With Covid-19 and ERT, the usage of LMS evolved towards higher rates of activities. This paper studies the evolution of this ratio over time - before, during and after the pandemic periods. Results show an increase in numbers during the pandemic but a trend towards pre-pandemic levels in the new normality.

1. How does the use of activities and resources in the
Learning Management System of a higher education
institution vary before, during and after Covid-19?
Total numbers and comparison by subjects across time
Maria Abascal Guerrero &
maria.abascal@upf.edu
Davinia Hernández- Leo
davinia.hernandez-leo@upf.edu
Please cite as: Abascal, M., Hernández-Leo, D. (2023), How does the use of
activities and resources in the Learning Management System of a higher education
institution vary before, during and after Covid-19?, CIDUI International
Conference on University Teaching and Innovation, Lleida, 4-6 June 2023

2. Higher education institutions (HEIs) have traditionally used the Learning Management
Systems (LMS) more for distributing resources than for supporting activities (Zhang et
al., 2022).
Due to (lack of) familiarity with advanced functionalities, self-perceived usefulness
(Fearnley, et al., 2020)
With Covid-19 and Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) and mixed teaching, technology
played a key role.
Introduction

3. Expectations:
Introduction
1. Higher number of resources and activities in
the LMS are used during pandemic restrictions
(ERT and subsequent periods of mixed
teaching)
2. In the new normality, professors would
use the LMS more than before the pandemic

4. Objective
Study the evolution in the use of resources and activities in the learning
designs configured by professors in the LMS of a brick-and-mortar HEI
from the first trimester of 2019-20 (pre-Covid)
to the first trimester of the 2022-23 academic course (post-Covid).

5. Methodology
Data collection
❖ N=5175 subjects
❖ N=521184 resources and activities
configured in the LMS

6. Data pre-processing
Elements configured in the
Moodle LMS were classified
considering two types:
● PASSIVE (resources) → files, folders,
videos…
● ACTIVE (activities) → submission of tasks,
questionnaires, participation in forums…
Methodology

7. Results
64% resources
36% activities
ERT (P3) is the only period where the number of
activities surpass the number of resources.

8. 52 118 LMS
elements have
been configured
on average by
period
Resources:
64%
Activities:
36%
Total amount of resources and activities is substantially
higher in ERT due to a high use of activities configured in
the LMS.
ERT (P3) is the only period where the number of activities
surpass the number of resources.
After ERT period, the total number of LMS elements
and the proportion between both decrease until they
reach a trend with similar numbers and proportions to
those of the pre-Covid-19 situation.

10. LMS elements mainly used
The use of videoconferences was not present before
Covid-19 and were highly present during ERT.
Resources: 80% files
Activities: 35% tasks or assignments, followed by forums,
videoconferences and questionnaires
LMS
elements

11. 1. Higher number of resources and activities in
the LMS are used during pandemic restrictions
(ERT and subsequent periods of mixed
teaching)
2. In the new normality, professors would
use the LMS more than before the pandemic
Results confirm that
only in the first
trimesters without
Covid-19 restrictions
The numbers of recent
terms are decreasing
in a trend towards
pre-pandemic levels.
Conclusion
Expectations:
During ERT and
mixed teaching

12. Discussion, possible explanations
➔ Is that the changes in the learning designs made during the pandemic
were not innovative? I.e. essentially mimic traditional practices -
which no longer require technology support in the new normality.
➔ Is that professors have understood better the value of co-located
learning and that they have improved their teaching methodologies in
ways that are maybe only partially supported by the LMS?

13. ➔ Extending the analysis with the forthcoming trimesters of the current
academic year
➔ Understanding the variety and patterns in the use of resources and
activity types by subject and triangulating with the overall course
plans
Future work

14. Thank you!
davinia.hernandez-leo@upf.edu
@daviniahl
How does the use of activities and resources in the
Learning Management System of a higher education
institution vary before, during and after Covid-19?
Please cite as: Abascal, M., Hernández-Leo, D. (2023), How does the use of
activities and resources in the Learning Management System of a higher education
institution vary before, during and after Covid-19?, CIDUI International
Conference on University Teaching and Innovation, Lleida, 4-6 June 2023