There is increasing awareness that technological developments should enhance student learning experience and compliment traditional teaching methodologies (McGugan and Peakcock, 2005). The recently published JISC inquiry into the implications of Web 2.0 technology for higher education (2009), highlighted how learners make effective use of Web 2.0 technology in social contexts. However, at present our knowledge of how university students and staff engage with and use technologies, including Web 2.0 technology, both through the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and outside of it is limited. This project aimed to explore how Sport Sciences students expect, use, and would like to see, technologies used to enhance their learning whilst at university. The project adopted a collaborative approach by involving students in development of the study, particularly in assisting with design of data collection tools, participant recruitment and interpretation of findings. The study involved interviewing twenty-one students about their familiarity and use of Web 2.0 technologies. These students also gave ideas for potential technological enhancements within the sport curriculum. This data then formed the basis of a staff and a student questionnaire used to ascertain broader views of technologies as well as the perceived potential of such technologies to enhance student learning. The findings from this wider survey of staff (n = 17) and students (n = 323) informed curricular innovations in teaching and learning that involved introduction of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and discussion boards in the institutional VLE as well as use of Facebook for specific student learning activity. The presentation will include a demonstration of how FAQs and Facebook have been utilised and report on initial staff and student evaluation of how these particular approaches to using technology enhance student learning. Issues associated with the use of these technologies are discussed

Allin, Linda

Turnock, Chris

English

Northumbria Research Link

Northumbria Research Link
Citation:  Turnock,  Chris and Allin,  Linda (2010) Enhancing teaching and learning with technology 
through collaborative research with students. In: The London Scholarship of Teaching and Learning 
(SoTL)  8th  International  Conference,  13-14  May  2010,  The  Royal  College  of  Obstetricians  and 
Gynaecologists, Regent's Park, London. 
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Enhancing teaching and learning with technology through collaborative research with
students
Abstract
The recently published JISC inquiry into the implications of Web 2.0 technology for higher
education highlighted how learners make effective use of Web 2.0 technology in social
contexts. At present our knowledge of how university students and staff engage with and use
Web 2.0 technologies, both through the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and outside of it
is limited (Sharpe et al., 2005). This project aimed to explore how Sport Sciences students
expect, use, and would like to see, technologies used to enhance their learning whilst at
university. The methodology of the project is of note as it adopted a collaborative approach
by involving students in development of the study, particularly in assisting with design of data
collection tools, participant recruitment and interpretation of findings. The study involved
interviewing twenty-one students about their familiarity and use of Web 2.0 technologies.
These students also gave ideas for potential technological enhancements within the sport
curriculum. This data then formed the basis of a staff and a student questionnaire used to
ascertain broader views of Web 2.0 technologies as well as the perceived potential of such
technologies to enhance student learning. The findings from this wider survey of staff (n =
17) and students (n = 323) informed curricular innovations in teaching and learning that
involved introduction of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and discussion boards in the
institutional VLE as well as use of Facebook for specific student learning activity. The paper
reflects on the learning through this project and its contribution to the scholarship of learning
and teaching.
Introduction
The use of technology in universities has developed rapidly over recent years, and it seems
that learners also have high expectations of technological provision in higher education
institutions as well as using it in their social and leisure activities (Sharpe, Beetham,
Benfield, DeCicco and Lessner, 2009). Moreover, it has been suggested that young people
are now ‘digital natives’; immersed in technology throughout their lives and familiar with
technology to such an extent that educational methods need to change to keep pace with
changes in student learning preferences, skills and interests (Prensky, 2001). For example,
courses are beginning to experiment with the use of emerging technologies such as Second
Life, or Facebook as learning tools; hooking into the increasing use of these technologies in
young people’s social lives. Whilst the notion of students as ‘digital natives’ is now being
subject to more critical discussion and review (see Bennett. Maton and Kervin, 2008), there
remains relatively scarce literature on how learners view, experience and engage with
technologies in their learning (Sharpe et al., 2005), or indeed how learners themselves
would like technology to be used to their benefit (Sharpe et al., 2009).
This paper outlines the process and findings of a collaborative pedagogic research project in
the then Division of Sport Sciences, which explored sport students’ familiarity and use of
technologies in learning. A key aim of the project was to be able to develop potential
enhancements to teaching and learning within the sport curriculum, based on knowledge
derived from this research and based on student input.
The full aims of the project were to:
1. Use research into student use of new and emerging technologies to inform curricular
and teaching innovations
2. Enable staff to engage with contemporary developments in the use of technology in
student learning to enhance their practice
3. Engage students in pedagogic research to analyse the current and future potential of
technology to enhance learning within the curriculum
Methodology
The approach taken in this project was that of ‘pedagogical action research’ (Norton, 2009,
p.50). That is, we felt this was a piece of systematic research, undertaken by practitioners,
with the aim of improving learning and engaging with the pedagogic literature on learning.
The research followed a characteristic action-research cycle; beginning with a current
problem within sport of how best to engage and develop students through e-learning; inviting
discussion through focus groups; planning a survey based on findings and reflections from
these groups; and modifying practice based on the findings. Reflection occurred throughout
the process, both individually and within meetings, and it is anticipated that further reflection
and action cycles will follow.
The project arose initially through collaboration between a member of staff working in the
sport department at Northumbria University, and a colleague who worked in the central
Learning and Teaching Academy at Northumbria. However, we also aimed for collaboration
with students in the processes of design, data collection and interpretation phases of the
work. Our inclusion of students as researchers was based on our constructivist philosophy,
emphasising our view that learning occurs through interactions with others (see Palincsar,
1998) and our belief that it was important that the ideas for enhancements derived from a
shared understanding rather than the thoughts of lecturers alone – that is, we, as staff, were
also learning (see Boyer, 1990). At the same time, we felt that engaging students in
pedagogic research was an important part of engaging them in a scholarly ‘community of
practice’; exposing them to pedagogic research and developing their research and critical
inquiry skills (Brew, 2003).
Student involvement
Fielding (2001) identifies four levels of potential student involvement or collaboration in
research or inquiry 1) Students as a data source 2) students as active responders, 3)
students as co-researchers 4) students as researchers. Fielding (2001) recognises that
different models and levels of engagement by students and teachers are appropriate at
different times and contexts, but suggests it is the level of ‘student as researchers’ that
should be strived for, and which reflects transformatory assumptions and values about
education and learning.
In the initial phase of the project, students were involved mainly as a data source: interviews
were undertaken between October and December 2008 with 11 undergraduate students
across levels 4, 5, and 6 (years 1, 2, and 3) and a focus group was undertaken with 10
postgraduate students (level 7). Students were provided with a list of technologies and
asked to discuss both their knowledge of the technology and how, if at all, they used it. They
were also asked to identify which technologies they were most familiar with, and which they
were least familiar with. Students were also asked what they thought were ‘emerging
technologies’, what they saw as the purpose of technology and what they expected of
universities in relation to the use of technology in learning. Students were then invited to a
subsequent interview to explore themes emerging from initial data analysis and to gain
student input into ideas for potential curricular enhancements. Following the advice of
Sharpe et al. (2005), students were asked about how they used particular technologies in
their own life and subsequently how they might relate these to their learning, rather than
asking about tutor provided technologies.
Student suggestions for enhancements, and their responses to the different uses of
technology were used as the basis of the wider staff and student survey. Here, the students
from the interviews or focus groups became more ‘active responders’ as they were asked for
comments on the development of a wider student survey. This survey included asking
students to ‘rank’ the student-identified enhancements on a scale of 1 (most value to
learning) to 9 (least value in learning). Three students commented on the draft survey, and
questions were subsequently changed to reduce confusion and to clarify particular
questions.
Interviewees were then e-mailed to ask if they would be interested in being involved in the
data collection phase and two final year students came forward. These students appeared to
become more ‘co-researchers’ than active responders; they went into seminars, explaining
to other students their involvement in the project and its aims, and invited participation from
other students in the survey. In total, 344 student questionnaires were completed; 323 from
level 4 and 5, and 21 from level 6. Postgraduate students did not complete the survey as the
entire cohort had taken part in the focus group.
The two student ‘co-researchers’ who helped with data collection were also invited to
comment on the findings and final write up of the project, and one helped with the
dissemination of the project by presenting alongside staff at a cross-university dissemination
event and at the SOTL conference. I believe that we did not fully achieve the level of
students as researchers, however, and this has become the focus of a further reflective
paper exploring SOTL and the notion of ‘collaboration’ between staff and students in higher
education.
Analysis
Findings: Student use of technology in their learning
It was clear from our findings that students now expect universities to provide them with
information and communication ‘on the go’; laptops, wi-fi and access to information through
the VLE are seen as essential aspects of university life. The VLE is widely used for gathering
evidence and preparation of university work, with the university library resource NORA and
search engines such as Google Scholar also viewed as key evidence gathering resources.
E-mail is also central to student communication and tutor support. Students view this as a
direct way of contacting fellow students, and gaining information, advice and responses to
questions from staff. Students identified the potential value of discussion boards in
collaborative student learning, but also had issues with its use. Student comments
suggested that success with discussion boards may be enhanced through integration and
developing their use throughout the curriculum from level 4, encouraging use by peers and
with greater direction and facilitation by staff. It is also important for students to see the use
of these technologies as relevant and useful to their studies.
However, the research showed that the sport students were not as technologically literate as
might be thought. Familiarity and use of emerging technologies remained confined to a
minority of students. As such, the debate surrounding whether or not current students are
really ‘digital natives’ continues. The research revealed similar findings to the JISC (2009)
inquiry and Sharpe et al. (2009) review of various projects. A minority of key technologies
such as E-mail, Facebook and YouTube were in common use by almost all (over 90%) of
sport students (and indeed, the majority of staff).
Second Life, Delicious and Twitter were rarely used by students, but there was some
evidence of increasing familiar with a wider range of technologies, and using podcasts and
Twitter significantly more. This may be due to increasing promotion of these technologies
through the internet, and increased use of podcasting in the media (for example of news or
other television programmes).
Lack of Engagement
The main reasons identified from the student survey for non-engagement with aspects of the
VLE or technologies were primarily associated with lack of perceived need or relevance; lack
of awareness of the technologies; and lack of knowledge/understanding in relation to how to
use the technologies. Students also identified lack of use by peers (students and staff) and
lack of direction from staff as factors influencing their non-engagement with aspects of the
VLE. For the use of discussion boards, students identified both lack of use and or good
facilitation by staff, plus a concern with ‘looking stupid’ through the type of posts that put
forward for public display:
‘Discussion boards aren’t used particularly often in my course….when
they are I don’t really engage with them because they tend to not be
very useful in the way they are run. It just tends to be a lot of people
asking the same questions, there is not much interaction on there, so
I don’t engage with them’ (level 6 student)
‘...the whole not wanting to look stupid in front of your peers prevents
you from using it I suppose’ (level 5 student)
Suggested Enhancements
Students comments in interviews related to a number of potential enhancements to the
curriculum, notably the use of podcasts, interactive whiteboards, integration of discussion
boards, group Facebook discussions, video-conferencing, and a Frequently Asked
Questions section on modules. From the wider survey results, sport student potential ‘top
three’ enhancements were identified as below:
Initial Curriculum Developments
From these findings, the use of FAQ sections; the development of discussion boards, and
the development of a Facebook type community were identified as potential areas to work
on, with the use of podcasts a further development to explore. It was felt that the
incorporation of FAQs was a fairly easy and ‘quick’ enhancement to begin to develop: so that
students could see how their input had made an impact. This involved further collaboration
between the Learning and Teaching Academy and academic staff and resulted in a ‘new
look’ FAQ document for a placement module; providing instant access to responses in
relation to gaining placements and the placement process. Further FAQs are anticipated for
sport dissertation modules and student views on this will be sought. As a member of staff
who had previously been unsuccessful with discussion boards, I also reflected on some of
the comments made to revamp my use of the discussion board feature on the VLE. In
particular, I tried to develop a more interactive style; providing tasks, asking questions and
inviting peer to peer discussions as well as tutor-peer responses on a regular basis. In order
to do this, I also engaged more with the e-learning literature to explore effective facilitation,
noting that participants in on-line learning need to be supported in structured and
Suggested Enhancement Percent of student responses in the
‘top three’ rating
Integrating and developing use of
discussion boards in all modules
48.1%
Introduction of a Frequently Asked
Questions board for specific modules
51.5%
Introducing Blogs or Wikis in specific
modules
11.5%
Introduce use of podcasts/video
lectures for specific modules/levels
34.9%
Allow electronic assignment
submission in specific modules
38.2%
Develop use of interactive
whiteboards in lectures
41.6%
Develop use of video-conferencing 22.2%
Development of a Facebook-type
community
46.6%
developmental way if they are to be to be successful, and it is important to facilitate student
understanding of why they are learning in that way, as well as how to engage (Salmon
(2007). From having ‘zero’ engagement in my discussion board, this increased to 13
participants in an on-line discussion task – slow progress, but progress nevertheless! I also
presented the findings to a staff curriculum discussion, so that the issues, concerns and
potential enhancements from students can be shared and taken further. A further pilot
enhancement was the introduction of a ‘Facebook’ page for a final year module. Initial
feedback on this, however, is that students are engaging with the page, but in a similar
fashion to the way they engaged with discussion boards: hence further exploration of the use
and facilitation of Facebook as a potential collaborative tool for learning is needed.
These initial enhancements are only the first step in the next action-research cycle exploring
student use of technology in learning. What has been particularly important on reflection,
however, has been the process: engaging students in research into e-learning
Feedback from these students indicated that they found it an interesting and valuable
learning experience:
‘I found taking part in the study interesting as I am interested within e-
learning and new technologies. The focus group was good as it allowed
the time for certain technologies that I hadn't heard of before to be
explained to me, this helped when completing the survey at a later date.
I also thought that the survey was very easy to fill in and was presented
well. It was interesting to be involved in the research starting from the
focus group and then seeing the survey that was produced using
information from them. I found gaining student involvement fine as it took
place in lectures meaning it is easier to improve engagement with the
research’ (level 6 student 1).
‘Personally I found it interesting. I didn't realise how vast the differing
databases there were, it challenged my own thinking and current
learning. I feel that whilst there are lots of opportunities there is little
information given to students, the focus group (there was only me in one
session!) I attended allowed me to express ideas and thoughts of current
and future learning tools’ (level 6 student 2)


Enhancing teaching and learning with technology through collaborative research with students

Northumbria University Research Portal

Enhancing teaching and learning with technology through collaborative research withstudentsAbstractThe recently published JISC inquiry into the implications of Web 2.0 technology for highereducation highlighted how learners make effective use of Web 2.0 technology in socialcontexts. At present our knowledge of how university students and staff engage with and useWeb 2.0 technologies, both through the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and outside of itis limited (Sharpe et al., 2005). This project aimed to explore how Sport Sciences studentsexpect, use, and would like to see, technologies used to enhance their learning whilst atuniversity. The methodology of the project is of note as it adopted a collaborative approachby involving students in development of the study, particularly in assisting with design of datacollection tools, participant recruitment and interpretation of findings. The study involvedinterviewing twenty-one students about their familiarity and use of Web 2.0 technologies.These students also gave ideas for potential technological enhancements within the sportcurriculum. This data then formed the basis of a staff and a student questionnaire used toascertain broader views of Web 2.0 technologies as well as the perceived potential of suchtechnologies to enhance student learning. The findings from this wider survey of staff (n =17) and students (n = 323) informed curricular innovations in teaching and learning thatinvolved introduction of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and discussion boards in theinstitutional VLE as well as use of Facebook for specific student learning activity. The paperreflects on the learning through this project and its contribution to the scholarship of learningand teaching.IntroductionThe use of technology in universities has developed rapidly over recent years, and it seemsthat learners also have high expectations of technological provision in higher educationinstitutions as well as using it in their social and leisure activities (Sharpe, Beetham,Benfield, DeCicco and Lessner, 2009). Moreover, it has been suggested that young peopleare now ‘digital natives’; immersed in technology throughout their lives and familiar withtechnology to such an extent that educational methods need to change to keep pace withchanges in student learning preferences, skills and interests (Prensky, 2001). For example,courses are beginning to experiment with the use of emerging technologies such as SecondLife, or Facebook as learning tools; hooking into the increasing use of these technologies inyoung people’s social lives. Whilst the notion of students as ‘digital natives’ is now beingsubject to more critical discussion and review (see Bennett. Maton and Kervin, 2008), thereremains relatively scarce literature on how learners view, experience and engage withtechnologies in their learning (Sharpe et al., 2005), or indeed how learners themselveswould like technology to be used to their benefit (Sharpe et al., 2009).This paper outlines the process and findings of a collaborative pedagogic research project inthe then Division of Sport Sciences, which explored sport students’ familiarity and use oftechnologies in learning. A key aim of the project was to be able to develop potentialenhancements to teaching and learning within the sport curriculum, based on knowledgederived from this research and based on student input.The full aims of the project were to:1. Use research into student use of new and emerging technologies to inform curricularand teaching innovations2. Enable staff to engage with contemporary developments in the use of technology instudent learning to enhance their practice3. Engage students in pedagogic research to analyse the current and future potential oftechnology to enhance learning within the curriculumMethodologyThe approach taken in this project was that of ‘pedagogical action research’ (Norton, 2009,p.50). That is, we felt this was a piece of systematic research, undertaken by practitioners,with the aim of improving learning and engaging with the pedagogic literature on learning.The research followed a characteristic action-research cycle; beginning with a currentproblem within sport of how best to engage and develop students through e-learning; invitingdiscussion through focus groups; planning a survey based on findings and reflections fromthese groups; and modifying practice based on the findings. Reflection occurred throughoutthe process, both individually and within meetings, and it is anticipated that further reflectionand action cycles will follow.The project arose initially through collaboration between a member of staff working in thesport department at Northumbria University, and a colleague who worked in the centralLearning and Teaching Academy at Northumbria. However, we also aimed for collaborationwith students in the processes of design, data collection and interpretation phases of thework. Our inclusion of students as researchers was based on our constructivist philosophy,emphasising our view that learning occurs through interactions with others (see Palincsar,1998) and our belief that it was important that the ideas for enhancements derived from ashared understanding rather than the thoughts of lecturers alone – that is, we, as staff, werealso learning (see Boyer, 1990). At the same time, we felt that engaging students inpedagogic research was an important part of engaging them in a scholarly ‘community ofpractice’; exposing them to pedagogic research and developing their research and criticalinquiry skills (Brew, 2003).Student involvementFielding (2001) identifies four levels of potential student involvement or collaboration inresearch or inquiry 1) Students as a data source 2) students as active responders, 3)students as co-researchers 4) students as researchers. Fielding (2001) recognises thatdifferent models and levels of engagement by students and teachers are appropriate atdifferent times and contexts, but suggests it is the level of ‘student as researchers’ thatshould be strived for, and which reflects transformatory assumptions and values abouteducation and learning.In the initial phase of the project, students were involved mainly as a data source: interviewswere undertaken between October and December 2008 with 11 undergraduate studentsacross levels 4, 5, and 6 (years 1, 2, and 3) and a focus group was undertaken with 10postgraduate students (level 7). Students were provided with a list of technologies andasked to discuss both their knowledge of the technology and how, if at all, they used it. Theywere also asked to identify which technologies they were most familiar with, and which theywere least familiar with. Students were also asked what they thought were ‘emergingtechnologies’, what they saw as the purpose of technology and what they expected ofuniversities in relation to the use of technology in learning. Students were then invited to asubsequent interview to explore themes emerging from initial data analysis and to gainstudent input into ideas for potential curricular enhancements. Following the advice ofSharpe et al. (2005), students were asked about how they used particular technologies intheir own life and subsequently how they might relate these to their learning, rather thanasking about tutor provided technologies.Student suggestions for enhancements, and their responses to the different uses oftechnology were used as the basis of the wider staff and student survey. Here, the studentsfrom the interviews or focus groups became more ‘active responders’ as they were asked forcomments on the development of a wider student survey. This survey included askingstudents to ‘rank’ the student-identified enhancements on a scale of 1 (most value tolearning) to 9 (least value in learning). Three students commented on the draft survey, andquestions were subsequently changed to reduce confusion and to clarify particularquestions.Interviewees were then e-mailed to ask if they would be interested in being involved in thedata collection phase and two final year students came forward. These students appeared tobecome more ‘co-researchers’ than active responders; they went into seminars, explainingto other students their involvement in the project and its aims, and invited participation fromother students in the survey. In total, 344 student questionnaires were completed; 323 fromlevel 4 and 5, and 21 from level 6. Postgraduate students did not complete the survey as theentire cohort had taken part in the focus group.The two student ‘co-researchers’ who helped with data collection were also invited tocomment on the findings and final write up of the project, and one helped with thedissemination of the project by presenting alongside staff at a cross-university disseminationevent and at the SOTL conference. I believe that we did not fully achieve the level ofstudents as researchers, however, and this has become the focus of a further reflectivepaper exploring SOTL and the notion of ‘collaboration’ between staff and students in highereducation.AnalysisFindings: Student use of technology in their learningIt was clear from our findings that students now expect universities to provide them withinformation and communication ‘on the go’; laptops, wi-fi and access to information throughthe VLE are seen as essential aspects of university life. The VLE is widely used for gatheringevidence and preparation of university work, with the university library resource NORA andsearch engines such as Google Scholar also viewed as key evidence gathering resources.E-mail is also central to student communication and tutor support. Students view this as adirect way of contacting fellow students, and gaining information, advice and responses toquestions from staff. Students identified the potential value of discussion boards incollaborative student learning, but also had issues with its use. Student commentssuggested that success with discussion boards may be enhanced through integration anddeveloping their use throughout the curriculum from level 4, encouraging use by peers andwith greater direction and facilitation by staff. It is also important for students to see the useof these technologies as relevant and useful to their studies.However, the research showed that the sport students were not as technologically literate asmight be thought. Familiarity and use of emerging technologies remained confined to aminority of students. As such, the debate surrounding whether or not current students arereally ‘digital natives’ continues. The research revealed similar findings to the JISC (2009)inquiry and Sharpe et al. (2009) review of various projects. A minority of key technologiessuch as E-mail, Facebook and YouTube were in common use by almost all (over 90%) ofsport students (and indeed, the majority of staff).Second Life, Delicious and Twitter were rarely used by students, but there was someevidence of increasing familiar with a wider range of technologies, and using podcasts andTwitter significantly more. This may be due to increasing promotion of these technologiesthrough the internet, and increased use of podcasting in the media (for example of news orother television programmes).Lack of EngagementThe main reasons identified from the student survey for non-engagement with aspects of theVLE or technologies were primarily associated with lack of perceived need or relevance; lackof awareness of the technologies; and lack of knowledge/understanding in relation to how touse the technologies. Students also identified lack of use by peers (students and staff) andlack of direction from staff as factors influencing their non-engagement with aspects of theVLE. For the use of discussion boards, students identified both lack of use and or goodfacilitation by staff, plus a concern with ‘looking stupid’ through the type of posts that putforward for public display:‘Discussion boards aren’t used particularly often in my course….whenthey are I don’t really engage with them because they tend to not bevery useful in the way they are run. It just tends to be a lot of peopleasking the same questions, there is not much interaction on there, soI don’t engage with them’ (level 6 student)‘...the whole not wanting to look stupid in front of your peers preventsyou from using it I suppose’ (level 5 student)Suggested EnhancementsStudents comments in interviews related to a number of potential enhancements to thecurriculum, notably the use of podcasts, interactive whiteboards, integration of discussionboards, group Facebook discussions, video-conferencing, and a Frequently AskedQuestions section on modules. From the wider survey results, sport student potential ‘topthree’ enhancements were identified as below:Initial Curriculum DevelopmentsFrom these findings, the use of FAQ sections; the development of discussion boards, andthe development of a Facebook type community were identified as potential areas to workon, with the use of podcasts a further development to explore. It was felt that theincorporation of FAQs was a fairly easy and ‘quick’ enhancement to begin to develop: so thatstudents could see how their input had made an impact. This involved further collaborationbetween the Learning and Teaching Academy and academic staff and resulted in a ‘newlook’ FAQ document for a placement module; providing instant access to responses inrelation to gaining placements and the placement process. Further FAQs are anticipated forsport dissertation modules and student views on this will be sought. As a member of staffwho had previously been unsuccessful with discussion boards, I also reflected on some ofthe comments made to revamp my use of the discussion board feature on the VLE. Inparticular, I tried to develop a more interactive style; providing tasks, asking questions andinviting peer to peer discussions as well as tutor-peer responses on a regular basis. In orderto do this, I also engaged more with the e-learning literature to explore effective facilitation,noting that participants in on-line learning need to be supported in structured andSuggested Enhancement Percent of student responses in the‘top three’ ratingIntegrating and developing use ofdiscussion boards in all modules 48.1%Introduction of a Frequently AskedQuestions board for specific modules 51.5%Introducing Blogs or Wikis in specificmodules 11.5%Introduce use of podcasts/videolectures for specific modules/levels 34.9%Allow electronic assignmentsubmission in specific modules 38.2%Develop use of interactivewhiteboards in lectures 41.6%Develop use of video-conferencing 22.2%Development of a Facebook-typecommunity 46.6%developmental way if they are to be to be successful, and it is important to facilitate studentunderstanding of why they are learning in that way, as well as how to engage (Salmon(2007). From having ‘zero’ engagement in my discussion board, this increased to 13participants in an on-line discussion task – slow progress, but progress nevertheless! I alsopresented the findings to a staff curriculum discussion, so that the issues, concerns andpotential enhancements from students can be shared and taken further. A further pilotenhancement was the introduction of a ‘Facebook’ page for a final year module. Initialfeedback on this, however, is that students are engaging with the page, but in a similarfashion to the way they engaged with discussion boards: hence further exploration of the useand facilitation of Facebook as a potential collaborative tool for learning is needed.These initial enhancements are only the first step in the next action-research cycle exploringstudent use of technology in learning. What has been particularly important on reflection,however, has been the process: engaging students in research into e-learningFeedback from these students indicated that they found it an interesting and valuablelearning experience:‘I found taking part in the study interesting as I am interested within e-learning and new technologies. The focus group was good as it allowedthe time for certain technologies that I hadn't heard of before to beexplained to me, this helped when completing the survey at a later date.I also thought that the survey was very easy to fill in and was presentedwell. It was interesting to be involved in the research starting from thefocus group and then seeing the survey that was produced usinginformation from them. I found gaining student involvement fine as it tookplace in lectures meaning it is easier to improve engagement with theresearch’ (level 6 student 1).‘Personally I found it interesting. I didn't realise how vast the differingdatabases there were, it challenged my own thinking and currentlearning. I feel that whilst there are lots of opportunities there is littleinformation given to students, the focus group (there was only me in onesession!) I attended allowed me to express ideas and thoughts of currentand future learning tools’ (level 6 student 2)

http://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/3736/1/Turnock%20C%2C%20Allin%20L%20-%20Enhancing%20teaching%20and%20learning%20with%20technology%20through%20collaborative%20research%20with%20students%20-%20conference%20paper.pdf

Enhancing teaching and learning with technology through collaborative research with students

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