Using electronic voting systems data outside lectures to support learning

Nielsen, Niels Bech (2007) Using electronic voting systems data outside lectures to support learning. MSc(R) thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

Many years of research into using Electronic Voting Systems (EVS) within lectures has so far led to the conclusion that EVS is of beneficial value to students’ learning by involving students directly in conversation and deeper reflection. EVS researchers have proposed that using the voting data from EVS outside the lecture theatre may also benefit learning. They suggest that an Integrated Learning Environment (ILE) presenting this data would enable students to self-direct their learning and tutors to continue the dialogue from lectures.
This thesis describes the implementation of such an ILE used within an introductory programming course at the University of Glasgow, in order to investigate these proposed benefits. The results show that there are certain benefits to this approach but these are small compared to the benefits within lectures. Only some questions are likely to generate these benefits and only some students seem to have an attitude towards learning to appreciate this. The results also show that there may not be reason to build an ILE to provide these benefits.
This thesis discusses to what extent students use the questions in lectures as an instigator into deeper reflection and to what extent the EVS data can be used to provide an accurate assessment of students’ attainment. This thesis also discusses what impact the instructional design of the course has on students’ learning and uses this discussion to illuminate the findings. This reasoning leads to suggested changes to the instructional design to provide better opportunity for deeper reflection amongst the students. This suggestion is currently being trialled and judging from early observations seems prosperous.

• Item Type: Thesis (MSc(R))
• Qualification Level: Masters
• Keywords: EVS, Laurillard, conversational dialogue, electronic voting systems.
• Subjects: Q Science > QA Mathematics > QA75 Electronic computers. Computer science; L Education > LC Special aspects of education
• Colleges/Schools: College of Science and Engineering > School of Computing Science
• Supervisor's Name: Cutts, Dr Quintin I.
• Date of Award: 2007
• Depositing User: Mr Niels B Nielsen
• Unique ID: glathesis:2007-46
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 11 Jan 2008
• Last Modified: 10 Dec 2012 13:15
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/46