learning - Academic Conferences Limited

Online Student Engagement: Unfulfilled Promises or
Promises Unfulfilled?
Linda Martin, Gary Spolander, Imran Ali and Beulah Maas
Coventry University, UK
hsx185@coventry.ac.uk
aa2912@coventry.ac.uk
aa2446@coventry.ac.uk
aa4895@coventry.ac.uk
Abstract: Engagement is often seen as a reliable proxy for learning (Coates, 2005) but also in general abilities
and critical thinking (Gellin, 2003), student satisfaction (Kuh et al, 2007), cognitive development (Pascarella &
Terenzini, 2005) and improved grades (Tross et al, 2000). Whilst Coventry University have made significant
efforts to support early engagement and promote good technology support, experience indicates that some
students of on line programmes continue to experience "engagement challenges". These include choosing to
study in isolation; students maximizing offered flexibility of eLearning to the detriment of synchronous
collaboration, accessing learning materials only shortly before the submission of assessed work is due and as a
result failing to move from surface level to in-depth approaches of cognitive processing (Henri, 1992). As a result
what was intended as a dynamic, interactive medium for shared learning can become a pragmatic approach to
individualistic achievement. In response to these concerns on a distance based online Health and Social Care
degree, a project was launched to explore the impact of collaborative peer assessment and whether this would
result in greater motivation to develop and share approaches to learning. Would developing this increased
"critical space" (Jankowska & Atlay, 2008) result in an improved level of academic work being presented for
assessment?
Keywords: on line; peer assessment; collaborative; student engagement; shared learning
1. Introduction
ELearning presents a dynamic approach to study which has opened a multitude of flexible
opportunities for students not previously experienced. Innovative, creative resources can contribute to
the development of the knowledge base within the student group through more responsive
participative methods, especially when compared to the large and small group discussions so
frequently used in traditional 'classroom' teaching in higher education. ELearning presents a panacea
to the challenges of flexible learning, and increased opportunity for student engagement experienced
through offering both synchronous and asynchronous opportunities to communicate verbally, visually
and in writing within learning communities. The flexibility of eLearning enables lecturers to respond to
the individual learning needs of students.
2. Developing communities of learning
At Coventry University, the Foundation, BA and Master’s degrees in Social and Health Care
Management were launched three years ago as wholly online programmes to offer increased
flexibility and innovative course delivery. In this time, significant differences and concerns emerged in
the responses from students on these three programmes. Notably the Foundation degree students
demonstrated lower levels of engagement and academic learning. Further analysis by the course
team suggested that this was influenced by a complex array of factors linked to developments in the
social care and health sector, HEI sector responses to government initiatives and challenges and the
individual characteristics of students. In response the course team developed a pilot peer assessment
process as a means of promoting engagement and with a view to developing a better understanding
of academic expectations for the Foundation degree students. This paper outlines this process, by
exploring the rationale, approach taken and the initial results of the pilot. This is a work in progress
and further development is ongoing.
There have been considerable changes in recent years in the social care sector, with the increased
use of independent sector organizations to deliver care services. Although the need for leadership
and management training is undisputed in the sector, it pays low wages (Low Pay Commission,
2011), staffing levels are often stretched (Mansell, 2011) and there is little incentive for senior
managers to support staff in acquiring professional training. In the health sector, the picture is slightly
different with many staff in the position of needing to achieve degree status in order to be eligible for
promotion in the National Health Service (NHS). The level of self motivation is therefore variable
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