Embedded Academic Language and Learning support via an e-learning tool

Research team:Ms Ruth Warwick, lecturer, Academic Language and Learning Success

Program, CDU; Dr Jennifer Silburn, Head of School, School of Academic Language and

Learning (SALL), CDUMr Malcolm Flack, lecturer School of Health, CDU, andMs Sharon Bridgeman, Project manager/Academic Quality, SALL, CDU

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Introduction

Brief discussion of a study on the efficacy of an e-learning tool to deliver an ALL program to external students at CDU.

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CDU student demography

• Non-traditional background• Low SES background• Indigenous students in remote areas• 1st generation in the family• Mature aged• LOTE domestic students with low academic

language competency.

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CDU student demographyExternal students

• External students make up an average of 12% of the population of Australian universities (DEEWR, 2010).

• 62% of CDU students are studying externally.A valuable cohort to CDU and deserve optimum support.

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CDU student demographyAddressing the challenge

One strategy (with external students in mind)... In 2008 the Wimba virtual classroom was introduced

• Synchronous on-line collaboration with other students and the lecturer.

• Workshops recorded and archived for asynchronous access 24/7.

School of Academic Language and Learning (SALL) has trialled a variety of pedagogical strategies.

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Background of ALL support

Stevenson and Kokkinn (2007) I. 1980s counselling natureII. ‘Educational training’III. ‘study skills’ support, mainly by counsellorsIV. Integral component of academic studies, with ‘ALL

lecturers’“... was time consuming for all involved and was only successful when the academic staff had the motivation and time to commit to the approach” (p. A-49)

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Background of ALL supportPurser, Donohue, Skillen, Peake and Deane (2008)• Supported integration of ALL support• They found that this approach generated dialogue and collaboration

between the ALL lecturers and the discipline lecturers, and influenced policy regarding teaching of ALL.

Huijser, Kimmins and Galligan (2008)• Students learn more effectively if academic skills are integrated into

discipline specific courses and programs as opposed to it being offered as isolated ‘remedial’ courses with generic content.

• On a continuum of learning enhancement strategies, “embedding academic skills development into discipline-specific curricula would be placed on the ideal end of the continuum” (p. 1)

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Background of ALL supportDe Fazio (2008)• Value of having the content lecturer present in ALL learning

workshops.• ‘trialogic engagement’ between students, content lecturer and ALL

lecturer’• This interaction essential for e-learning• “... the occasions of triadic interaction ... provide a powerful way to

address teaching and learning issues specific to on-line distance learner needs in the area of academic written discourse” (p. 238).

De Fazio and Crock (2008)• Effectiveness of a generic on-line writing tutorial –multi-disciplinary

students• Assignment marks demonstrated an improvement in academic writing

skills.

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Background of ALL support

Mallory, Ramage, Snow and Coyle (2009)

• Wimba Voice Chat system• Aural, oral and visual channels >< limitations of written

format as on discussion board.• Community building > trust > communication among

peers > reinforces information retention

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Background of ALL support at CDUWorkshops• Suite of 21 academic skills workshops, rotated throughout semester.• Generic content on-campus and on-line• On-line > synchronous and asynchronous archived recordings.• Student attendance 10-15 per workshop.

Since 2009...• Embedded ALL programs > three way engagement between students,

discipline lecturer and ALL lecturer• Shifting ALL intervention away from the deficit model.• Agree with Stevenson and Kokkinn (2007) that it is time consuming,

but outcomes show it appears to be worthwhile.

Individual support consultations, and on-line resources.

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Study aim & hypotheses

HypothesisIt was anticipated that the group which participated in the ALL support via Wimba would be more likely to attain higher assignment marks in comparison to the control group which did not take part in the Wimba support classes. Additionally, it was anticipated that the students would find the on-line learning experience effective and rewarding.

AimTo establish the process issues and potential benefits of embedding ALL support via an on-line medium, in an existing CDU unit, with this support delivered via the Wimba e-learning environment.

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Study design: Participants

Participants• 86 students enrolled in the unit were recruited to

participate in the study• 29 internal (control group)• 57 external

• Some chose synchronous Wimba• Some chose asynchronous Wimba• Some chose not to participate

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Participants

Figure 1: Depiction of participant groups

Figure 1: Depiction of participant groups

Figure 1: Depiction of participant groupsFigure 1: Depiction of participant groupsFigure 1: Depiction of participant groups

All external students were offered 7% credit points if they attended at least 80% of the academic skills program.

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Design: Methodology

Mixed methodologyWe wanted to know (a) if their academic writing skills improved and (b) if they enjoyed the experience of learning ALL in an on-line environment.– Quantitative:

• Assessment marks for their major essay• Survey responses on a Likert Scale

– Qualitative• Open questions

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Design:Schedule Design DetailWk 3 Survey 1 First on-line questionnaire. This sought to determine (a) the level of

confidence they had in their academic writing skills, as well as (b) their experience of studying externally by asking questions relating to isolation, flexibility and communication.

Wk 4 Assignment 1

All groups submitted the assignment which was a short academic essay. The grades for this first assignment provided the pre-intervention assessment of academic essay writing skills.

Wks 5,6,7,8 Intervention Four 1 hour workshops were delivered live via the Wimba on-line medium. These were recorded and archived.

Wk 9 Assignment 2

The post-intervention assessment was the grade from their final essay.

Wk 9 Survey 2 On-line questionnaire after students had submitted Assignment 2, and before they had received their results. Again, (a) it sought to determine their confidence levels. (b) Some additional questions sought to ascertain their impression of studying in an on-line class room.

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Intervention: 4 x 1hr workshops

Discipline lecturer identified the skills that his students needed for the essay task.Discipline lecturer agreed to be present in each of the workshops.Students had access to both discipline lecturer and ALL lecturer.

(i) Week 5: Analysing the essay question and planning the essay.

(ii) Week 6: Essay Structure and Format.

(iii) Week 7: Critical Analysis.

(iv) Week 8: APA referencing style.

Attendance averaged 44 students per workshop. This attendance reflects a 79% ‘full’ participation rate for the external group.

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Results: Assignment 1 results

Figure 4: Pre-test score for students in the four groups

Live Wimba (n=14) Archive Wimba (n=31) Non-Wimba Group (n=12)

Internal Class-Control Group (n=29)

70.29

74.16

66.77 66.82

Pretest: Short Essay Marks (%)

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Results: Assignment 2 results

Figure 5: Adjusted grades for final critical reflection essay for the four groups

Live Wimba (n=14) Archive Wimba (n=31) Non-Wimba Group (n=12)

Internal Class-Control Group (n=29)

77.16

68.6367.1

65.63

Adjusted Final Essay Grade (%)

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Results: Survey resultsStudent’s experience of using the

Wimba mediumPositive

responsesNegative

responses

Survey 2 (Likert scale) 90% 10%Open questions 79% 21%

Figure 6: Students’ experience of using the Wimba medium.

The open, i.e, undirected questions were of particular interest to the researchers. 73% of the positive responses were due to contact and communication with other students and the lecturers. The other positive responses were about the content of the workshops.

The open, that is, undirected questions, were of particular interest to the researchers. 73% of the positive responses spoke of their positive reaction to having the contact and communication with other students and the lecturers. The other positive responses were about the content of the workshops.

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Examples of positive open responses

• Wimba gave me a chance to clarify my ideas; • I feel like I am in a classroom rather than at the other end of the

country; • I feel I can ask questions and I get answers straight away;• Very interactive; I learn so much more this way;• Excellent that somebody actually explains what is required instead of

just reading it and not fully understanding;• Gauge my level of knowledge against other students, and• Learn what queries other students have.

“Suggest (if applicable) up to 3 positive experiences about learning academic skills in a Wimba classroom”.

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Examples of negative open responses

• It was hard to say what I wanted to because I had to type everything.• Not everyone is confident in asking questions.• Internet connection difficulties• Sometimes students’ levels of knowledge are broader than others, and

they spend too much time on one subject.• Cover some topics too slowly.

“Suggest (if applicable) up to 3 negative experiences about learning academic skills in a Wimba classroom”.

Academic Language and Learning Support Program| November2011

The results from this survey support Tinto’s (1997) discussions about collaborative learning strategies. He found that students learn by interacting in the classroom, and voicing their ideas. He defined the classroom as

“the crossroads where the social and academic meet” (p. 1).

Similarly, Cross (1998) states that “the current wave of interest in learning communities is not, I think, just nostalgia for the human touch, or just research about the efficacy of small-group learning, but a fundamental revolution in epistemology” (p. 7).

Results from surveys

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FindingsAssignment 1

No significant differences between intervention and control groups.

Assignment 2Significant difference (11%) between the intervention group and the control group • Intervention group mean = 77%• Control group mean = 66%.

Unexpected outcome... only those who took part in the live Wimba workshops exhibited academic improvement. Those who listened to the archived classes did not.

Live class produced 24 pages of texting ‘conversations’ + voice communications. This represents their active engagement with the learning activities, with each other, and with the lecturers, and this contributed to them feeling part of a learning community.

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Implications for ALL educatorsChallenges• Lectures need skills in on-line tools• Technology may fail• Students may not have sufficient band width• Students may lack computer literacy.• Difference in time zones• Lecturers may have to work beyond business hours.• Small attendance if not made mandatory.• If full attendance, a large class may be difficult to manage in a virtual

room.• ALL lecturer needs a good relationship with the discipline lecturer.

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Implications for ALL educators

Opportunities• External students learn in an on-line medium, by interacting with

others, just as they do in a face to face tutorial.• ALL support in a virtual environment gives external students the

ALL skills which they may not otherwise learn.• ALL lecturers may consider including a strong component of

interactivity in their learning materials.• Discipline lecturers receive better essays. Increased marks may

reduced incidence of Fails.• ALL lecturers can reach more students with the e-learning tool

than they would otherwise. May reduce demand for ALL consultations.

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Conclusion

• The study suggests there are benefits of teaching ALL via an on-line environment.

• It reinforced the benefits of using aural, oral and visual senses to discuss and synthesise information, reinforcing Mallory et al.’s theory.

• Learning outcomes may be achieved if real time communication is used in the e-learning environment.

• De Fazio’s trialogic engagement, or three-way interaction, may be replicated and achieved in an on-line medium.

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ReferencesCross, K. (1998). Why learning communities? Why Now? Transforming Campuses into Learning Communities conference.

University of Miami. 

Department of Education, Employment and Workforce Relations. (2010). Table 28, All students September 2010 update in selected higher education statistics. Retrieved November 1, 2011, from http://www.deewr.gov.au/HigherEducation/Publications/HEStatistics/Publications/Pages/2010StudentFullYear.aspx

 

De Fazio, T. (2008). Academic conversations in cyberspace: A model of trialogic e, Hello! Where are you in the landscape of educational technology? Proceedings ascilite Melbourne. Retrieved February 28, 2010, from http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/melbourne08/procs/defazio-1.pdf

 

De Fazio, T., & Crock, M. (2008). Enabling learning, addressing retention: Supporting students via on-line tutorials with Smarthinking, Hello! Where are you in the landscape of educational technology? Proceedings ascilite Melbourne. Retrieved February 28, 2010, from http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/melbourne08/procs/defazio-2.pdf

Huijser, H., Kimmins, L., & Galligan, L. (2008). Evaluating individual teaching on the road to embedding academic skills. Journal of Academic Language & Learning, 2(1) A-23-A-38.

 

Mallory, L., Ramage, M., Snow, J., & Coyle, M. (2009). Grad school in your pyjamas, MEDSURG Nursing 18(2), 132-133. 

Purser, E., Donohue, J., Skillen, J., Peake, K., & Deane, M. (2008). Developing academic literacy in context. Zeitschrift-Schreiben. Retrieved February 20, 2010, from www.zeitschrift-schreiben.eu

 

Stevenson, M., & Kokkinn, B. (2007). Pinned to the margins? The contextual shaping of academic language and learning practice. Journal of Academic Language & Learning 1(1) A-44-A54.

 

Tinto, V. (1997). Classrooms as communities: Exploring the educational character of student persistence. Journal of higher education, 68(6). Ohio State University Press.