Engaging students through digital asynchronous tutorials
Lecturer Caitlin Healy , Senior Lecturer Judy Hart , Associate Professor John Daniels School of Materials Science and Engineering , Faculty of Science
As part of the digital uplift process , we were provided with the opportunity to create a standalone website of modular interactive online tutorials . The project first started with our two first-year courses with scope for the creation of revision tutorials for higher year courses and the creation of new modules for other courses . The purpose of the tutorial website for the students was to allow for asynchronous learning , giving the students continuous feedback on their understanding . For the instructors , it was to be able to identify areas at which students are having difficulty and provide the flexibility to create different modules for each course drawn from a centralised database .
With the historical and future changes to higher education learning management systems , an independent website in conjunction with Qualtrics quizzes and checkpoint questions was chosen to ensure the longevity of the tutorials . Direct links to each tutorial can be embedded into the Moodle site or course notes for easy implementation into any course . Each topic and learning theme of the courses had their own tutorial created that the students can access prior to or after attending the lectures . The asynchronous delivery was chosen to give the students autonomy over their learning , online with the study by Beyth-Marom et al . which found asynchronous tutorials to be preferred over synchronous live tutorials for the majority of students [ 1 ]. The inbuilt checkpoint questions and summary quizzes provided the students with continuous feedback . Importantly when the students get a question incorrect , it allows for hints to stimulate their thought process and points them back to the content . This ensures that the students can target their revision to the areas in which they are struggling the most .
Since their implementation in term 1 , 2019 , the digital asynchronous tutorials have featured multiple times in each of the terms myExperience feedback . Below are a few examples that highlight the student ’ s positive engagement with the content . “ The online tutorials of this course are wonderful ´ -T1 2019 “ the online tutorials were excellent , they were well structured and were full of relevant ” - T3 2019 “ The online tutorials were very effective in helping me consolidate my knowledge ” - T1 2020
[ 1 ] R . Beyth-Marom , K . Saporta , A . Caspi , Synchronous vs . Asynchronous Tutorials , J . Res . Technol . Educ . 37 ( 2005 ) 245 – 262 . doi : 10.1080 / 15391523.2005.10782436 .
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