Creating and collaborating: students’ and tutors’ perceptions of an online group project

Although collaboration skills are highly valued by employers, convincing students that collaborative learning activities are worthwhile, and ensuring that the experience is both useful and enjoyable, are significant challenges for educators. This paper addresses these challenges by exploring students’ and tutors’ experiences of a group project where part-time distance learners collaborate online to create a website. Focus groups were conducted with students who had recently completed the project, and discussion forums were used to gather feedback from tutors who supported students and marked their group work. The research showed that students’ attitudes towards the group project on completion were generally favourable. Findings highlighted key aspects for successful online group projects and for motivating students to participate fully. These included: the design of authentic tasks, with skills development relevant to the workplace; careful attention to how the group work is assessed; and enabling students to develop websites they could be proud of. Frustrations for students were associated with the lack of engagement of fellow students and with limitations of the tool provided for building the website. Tutors found marking the work a time-consuming and complex process. Tutors were also unconvinced of the value and fairness of assessing students partly on a group, as opposed to an individual, basis

Using wikis for online group projects: student and tutor perspectives

This paper presents a study of the use of wikis to support online group projects in two courses at the UK Open University. The research aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a wiki in supporting (i) student collaboration and (ii) tutors’ marking of the students’ collaborative work. The paper uses the main factors previously identified by the technology acceptance model (TAM) as a starting point to examine and discuss the experiences of these two very different user groups: students and tutors. Data was gathered from students via a survey and from tutors via a range of methods. The findings suggest that, when used in tandem with an online forum, the wiki was a valuable tool for groups of students developing a shared resource. As previous studies using the TAM have shown, usefulness and ease of use were both important to students’ acceptance of the wiki. However, the use of a wiki in this context was less well-received by tutors, because it led to an increase in their workload in assessing the quality of students’ collaborative processes. It was possible to reduce the tutor workload by introducing a greater degree of structure in the students’ tasks. We conclude that when introducing collaborative technologies to support assessed group projects, the perceptions and needs of both students and tutors should be carefully considered

A schema for cryptographic keys generation using hybrid biometrics

Biometric identifiers refer to unique physical properties or behavioural attributes of individuals. Some of the well known biometric identifiers are voice, finger prints, retina or iris, facial structure etc. In our daily interaction with others directly or indirectly, we implicitly use biometrics to know, distinguish and trust people. Biometric identifiers represent the concept of "who a person is" by gathering vital characteristics that don't correspond to any other person. The human brain to some extent is able to ascertain disparities or variation in certain physical attributes and yet verify the authenticity of a person. But this is difficult to be implemented in electronic systems due to the intense requirements of artificial decision making and hard-coded logic. This paper examines the possibility of using a combination of biometric attributes to overcome common problems in having a single biometric scheme for authentication. It also investigates possible schemes and features to deal with variations in Biometric attributes. The material presented is related to ongoing research by the Computer Communications Research Group at Leeds Metropolitan University. We use this paper as a starting step and as a plan for advanced research. It offers ideas and proposition for implementing hybrid biometrics in conjunction with cryptography. This is work in progress and is in a very preliminary stage

Social media for professional development and networking opportunities in academia

The research reported on in this article explores the use of social media for work-related or professional purposes. In particular, it focuses on the perceptions and use of social media by academics in the UK. The purpose of the research was to explore the potential social media has to facilitate the changing landscape of higher education and support the individual academic in their role. Of particular interest is how specific social media tools are being used to enhance networking opportunities and contribute to career progression. The use of social media was explored in detail through interviews and a survey. Typical activities that are currently being undertaken were identified and user group profiles developed that articulate different levels of engagement with these tools and the motivations that each group of users have for using social media. The study found that, with increasing levels of activity, the number of motivations for using social media increase, as does the perceived number of successful outcomes, including contributions towards career progression. The main barriers to using social media were identified as a lack of time and skills to undertake these activities, as well as a negative perception of social media. Recommendations for increasing participation are to provide practical training, including the sharing of good practice, and to initiate dialogues within institutions regarding the potential career progression opportunities that social media may afford

Assessing online collaborative work

Skills in communicating and collaborating are highly valued by employers. However, a significant challenge facing educators is convincing students that collaborative learning activities are worthwhile. This session discusses research that explored student and tutor perceptions of online group projects. The context is an undergraduate module in communication technology, where groups of part-time distance learners collaborate online to create the content for a wiki, and a website for a particular scenario (e.g. a walking club or a cafe). The group work is supported and marked by students’ tutors. Marks are given for the products students create and the process of the collaboration; some marks are individual, and some are for the group as a whole. The research explored students’ and tutors’ experiences of the following key areas: • The collaboration – how students connect with each other, and how they use online tools to plan and carry out the collaborative work. • The task – what students are asked to do, and to create, and how this relates to their learning and professional practice (Herrington et al., 2010) • The assessment– how the activities and outputs are marked, so that contributions are fairly assessed (Roberts & McInnerney, 2007; Strauss et al., 2014). An online survey was used to obtain feedback from 74 students on the wiki element of the group project, and online focus groups were conducted with 27 students to explore the website element in detail. Discussion forums were used to gather feedback from 18 tutors. Thematic analysis was applied to the qualitative data collated via these methods, and the findings were organised around the three aspects highlighted above. In terms of the collaboration, the findings show that most students found this challenging yet rewarding; however, the group work caused anxiety for some students. In terms of the task, there was a tension between giving students the opportunity to explore technically challenging solutions; and ensuring that their time was focused on the key aspects. In terms of the assessment, students were divided about the fairness of having group marks; tutors thought group marks did not fairly reflect the division of work among group members. Based on these findings, an assessment framework is proposed that can be applied to the design and assessment of online group work. The framework promotes consideration of how marks are divided between: • the collaboration process, and the final products created; • group marks and individual marks. Participants in the session will be invited to consider how this framework can best be applied, so that online group projects are engaging to students and are fairly assessed. References Herrington, J., Reeves, T.C. and Oliver, R. (2010) A Guide to Authentic eLearning. Routledge, New York. Roberts, T.S. & McInnerney, J.M. (2007). Seven problems of online group learning (and their solutions). Educational Technology & Society, 10(4), 257-268. Strauss, P. U-Mackey, A. & Crothers, C. (2014). ‘They drag my marks down!’ – challenges faced by lecturers in the allocation of marks for multicultural group projects. Intercultural education, 25(3), 229-241

Entering STEM in later life: examining the motivations of adult women studying computing

The number of female students qualifying in IT/ computing degrees in the UK has fallen by 10% over the past 5 years (BCS 2016). While most research focuses on young women entering the IT sector, this study examines mature women students at a distance education university in the UK. Our data showed a much lower proportion of women enrolling on the single honours Computing & IT degree programme (12%) compared to the joint honours or open degree programmes (25%) and we wanted to examine their motivation for choosing these different pathways. We found no gender difference in actual attainment or progression once enrolled, but our study showed that women were more likely to have reservations about confidence in their ability to study IT, suggesting that participation in computing, even among women who are already working, continues to be influenced by gendered perceptions and behaviours

Career change or career progression? Motivations of women studying computing as adult learners

The proportion of female students qualifying in computing and IT degrees in the UK has decreased over the past five years and is one of the lowest in Europe. While most research on underrepresentation focuses on school age girls and young women entering higher education, there is little written about adult women learners and their motivation for entry into IT work. Adult learners are a compelling sample because they illustrate that studies of gender and careers can benefit from a life-course perspective. In addition, studying adult learners can add to intersectional understandings of underrepresentation by bringing in age/life-stage as a variable in the same way as considerations of ethnicity/race have enriched previous understandings. This paper addresses this gap using a mixed methods study of adult learners pursuing computing degrees part-time through distance learning at one UK institution. The study included an online survey of 253 students, as well as focus groups with women students. While women were underrepresented across the two main degree programmes included in the study, the proportion of women was higher on qualifications where computing was studied along with other subjects rather than computing on its own. The survey showed other gender differences - a higher proportion of men were already working in the IT industry, whereas more women were looking to enter into an IT related role for the first time. The women were also more likely to be career changers - more women than men had a previous STEM-related degree. Nevertheless, some women expressed confidence issues, in particular about entering into careers in the industry rather than their ability to study IT. This suggests that employability in computing, even among women who have successfully completed STEM degrees in the past, or are already working, continues to be influenced by gendered structural barriers and behaviours

The impact of emotions on student participation in an assessed, online, collaborative activity

There is growing recognition of the importance of emotions in academic online learning contexts. However, there is still little known about the role of emotions in social and collaborative online learning settings, especially the relationship between emotions and student participation. To explore this relationship, this study used a prospective longitudinal research design to follow 46 distance learning students throughout a 3-week assessed, online, collaborative activity. This approach allowed the fluctuating and dynamic aspects of emotions to be explored as well as the relationship between emotions and student participation in the collaborative activity. Self-report data were gathered using a semistructured online diary at five time points throughout the task (once at the start of the collaborative activity, three times during the activity, and the final entry after the activity had finished). Findings revealed that learners generally perceived pleasant emotions (such as relief, satisfaction and enjoyment) to have positive impacts, or no impact, on participation, whereas unpleasant emotions (such as anxiety, frustration, and disappointment) were generally perceived to have negative impacts, or no impact, on participation. Interestingly, however, anxiety, and to a smaller extent frustration, were perceived by a number of students to have positive impacts during the activity. To conclude this paper, implications for educators are highlighted

Using OpenStudio in STEM learning - final report to eSTEeM, the OU centre for STEM pedagogy

The ‘Using OpenStudio in STEM learning’ project was established to evaluate the use of online studio-based learning in the Open University. Studio-based learning provides a model that can be adapted for online learning. In conventional teaching settings, studio-based learning follows an apprenticeship model where students work independently or in groups, under the guidance of a tutor, using real-world activities. The project consisted of two main phases: a workshop for module team chairs followed by an in- depth study of the use of OpenStudio on two Computing & IT modules. Educators representing distance learning modules from a range of STEM disciplines including Computing and IT, Design, Engineering and Environmental Technology participated in a workshop to share information about the use of OpenStudio on their modules. A simple model of OpenStudio activities was derived from the workshop to illustrate the process of 'showing and sharing', viewing and reviewing', commenting and critiquing', and 'reviewing and reflecting' involved. Two Computing and IT undergraduate modules were then selected for more detailed analysis, one at level 1 (TU100) and another at level 3 (TM354). Both quantitative and qualitative data were gathered from samples of students on these modules and analysed. In addition, tutors from both TU100 and TM354 were invited to participate in focus groups in online forums to provide a fuller picture of the activities. The data suggest that students enjoy the OpenStudio activities, especially the visual nature of artefacts and the idea that shorter comments may be made, rather than longer more discursive pieces of writing. In addition to learning about their subject area, students are also learning how to give feedback to their peers and how to use the feedback they receive, both of which are important skills. Many students are confident in their own ability and are able to evaluate the feedback they receive. However, some students may lack confidence in their own ability to give feedback on the work of their peers, particularly at level 1. Importantly, there needs to be an opportunity to complete the cycle of the experiential learning model in the activity by allowing students to produce another artefact. The experiential nature of the online studio activity presents an opportunity for students to reflect-in-action as well as reflect on their actions (Schön, 1983). Comparisons between the OpenStudio model, the survey findings and Kolb’s Experiential Learning model (1984) revealed the range of student views and the diversity of students’ experiences of the learning activities, and provided some thought-provoking insights into student behaviour in carrying out the OpenStudio activities. The project team was awarded the Project of the Year trophy in the Innovative/Original Approach to Teaching category at the 8th eSTEeM Annual Conference

Learning and peer feedback in shared online spaces

Peer feedback, where students evaluate and give comments on each other's work, is a valued form of learning activity. Giving and receiving peer feedback, particularly if assessed, encourages students to engage with the assessment criteria and reflect on their work, promoting a deeper understanding. This paper introduces a project to investigate approaches to using peer feedback in shared online spaces, as part of distance learning courses. One approach uses a wiki, where students each contribute their work and other students provide evaluative comments and advice. The other approach uses OpenStudio, a 'studio' environment where students upload self-produced media objects, such as photographs and presentations, and comment on each other's work. Both approaches have produced high levels of student engagement. An initial examination of peer feedback in a wiki indicates that the quality of feedback is high, but students do not make as much use of it as they might. Survey results for a course using a studio (with feedback from peers but not tutors) reveals some students who, while they enjoy the sharing activities, believe they need 'expert' opinion. This project will evaluate these two approaches to online peer feedback in order to identify successful features in terms of (a) engaging students and (b) promoting student learning. The project will also identify areas for improvement. The first stage will map the uses of peer feedback in Computing and IT courses of the UK Open University. This stage will document: the educational objectives and intended learning outcomes of the activities; what students share and discuss in the activities; and, if the activities are assessed, how this is done. The second stage will evaluate the peer feedback activities in three courses which use online spaces for sharing and peer feedback. Data will be collected from students and tutors through focus groups and online surveys. The course forums will also be used to invite students to give their views. A qualitative analysis will be undertaken of online artefacts and interactions. Skills in evaluating the work of others and giving constructive feedback are important, both in education and beyond. This project will help develop these skills in online learning students. It will do this by generating case studies, investigating learning designs and proposing best practice guidelines for using and assessing online peer feedback