engaging students with web 2.0

Engaging Students with Web 2.0

What interactive online tools are students using? Could these be adapted for use within Higher Education?

College Conference 6th July 2009

D.Renfree@ucb.ac.uk

“Technologies that enable communication, collaboration, participation and sharing.”

“We have deliberately chosen not to regard VLEs as Web 2.0 technology… their management and direction are firmly in institutional hands and, moreover, they generally operate only in the environment of the particular institution.”

“Use of Web 2.0 technologies is high and pervasive across all age groups from 11 to 15 upwards.”

Five principal perspectives on the Social Web:“It’s overblown and over-rated”“It’s going to take time to have an impact”“It represents revolution, and for the worse”“It’s a force for good and offers possibilities for more of everything”“It’s begun well but this is fleeting”

Committee of Inquiry into the Changing Learner Experience (2009) Higher education in a web 2.0 world. London: JISC.

“young people are more technologically literate than older age groups within the range of applications they use, but much writing over-estimates the impact of ICT on young people and under-estimates its effect on older people.”

“There is a match between what are seen as 21st century learning skills and those engendered by engagement with Web 2.0 – communication, participation, networking, sharing.”

Recommendation: “HEIs [to] explore ways in which the tutor / student relationship might be developed based on the Web 2.0 skills and attitudes of students.”

Committee of Inquiry into the Changing Learner Experience (2009) Higher education in a web 2.0 world. London: JISC.

Sampling

Questionnaire was distributed during three week period beginning in

early May

‘Captive audience’ of BA ECS / FdA EY students, so high response rate.

Mainly 1st years, also a few responses from 2nd / 3rd years from

distribution in library.

140 responses used in results presented here; also another

‘miscellaneous’ group not presented here.

74 Full Time / 66 Part Time responses

Social Networking

Do you use any of the following websites (tick as many as apply)?

Social Networking

If you do use social networking sites, how often do you check your account?

Social Networking

If the College was to set up some social networking pages with information about the library, course information etc, would you be likely to use them?

Chat Software

Do you use any of the following chat services (tick as many as apply)?

“I chat online to other Chinese students all the time about the College, my course and so on; it also helped me to learn about the College before I arrived”

“I used to, but I don’t have time now that I have kids and a family”

Chat Software

If the College was to set up a chat service with staff (eg a live enquiry service for the library), would you be likely to use it?

“I’d like to contact my dissertation supervisor in this way”

Blogs

Do you read the subject blogs on Blackboard?

Blogs

If you do, do you find the information provided for your subject area useful?

Blogs

Do you read other blogs?

Blogs

Do you have your own blog?

“I use my blog to stay in touch with friends and family at home”

Podcasts

Do you listen to podcasts?

“What’s a podcast?”

Podcasts

If you do, what device do you use to listen to them (tick as many as apply)?

Podcasts

If the College provided teaching material as podcasts, would you be likely to listen?

“YES!!!!”

Mobile Phones

Do you own a mobile phone?

“Mobile Phone(s)”

Mobile Phones

If you do, as well as making calls, which of the following do you use your mobile for (tick as many as apply)?

Mobile Phones

Would you be interested in receiving text alerts from the College with important messages from the library or your lecturers?

“Very much!”

“Not if it was to tell me I’m late for a lesson!”

Social Bookmarking

Do you use any of the following services?

“Never heard of these!!!”

Miscellaneous

Do you use Twitter?

Miscellaneous

Do you use YouTube?

Conclusions

Full Time students are slightly more engaged than the Part Time students, but it’s not a huge gap

Findings from ‘Miscellaneous’ group suggest that findings may be consistent across the College

There is evidence of a willingness to use these tools within an educational context

Not all services are as widely used as we’ve been led to believe

Focus group to explore further?