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Journal of Higher Education Policy and
Management
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Supporting online, non-traditional
students through the introduction of
effective e-learning tools in a pre-
university tertiary enabling programme
George Lambrinidis
a
a
Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, Australia
Published online: 29 May 2014.
To cite this article: George Lambrinidis (2014) Supporting online, non-traditional students
through the introduction of effective e-learning tools in a pre-university tertiary enabling
programme, Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 36:3, 257-267, DOI:
10.1080/01587919.2014.899053
To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01587919.2014.899053
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Supporting online, non-traditional students through the introduction
of effective e-learning tools in a pre-university tertiary enabling
programme
George Lambrinidis*
Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, Australia
The increasing number of external students enrolling at Charles Darwin University has
led to the university investing in new technologies to provide better support for
students studying online. Many students, however, come from non-traditional back-
grounds and lack some of the skills and confidence to participate successfully in an e-
learning environment at university. This article discusses the findings of a pilot study
conducted in a pre-university tertiary enabling programme. Three e-learning tools were
developed for external students to enhance their understanding of the learning materi-
als and create a greater sense of connectedness between students, staff and the learning
materials. Academic staff implemented the use of video clips and synchronous online
tutorials and also refined their use of discussion groups to facilitate interactive engage-
ment with learning materials.
Keywords: diversity; e-learning; enabling; flexible delivery
Introduction
Background to the e-learning environment
There are many reasons why implementing technology in tertiary institutions for teaching
purposes has become more and more important, particularly in distance education and
flexible delivery using the online environment. The growth of e-learning around the world
is developing incrementally, and higher education institutions need to become more
competitive for funds and for students (OECD, 2008). Bates (2000) lists some of the
reasons, relating them to the cost of education, widening access, providing technology
skills required in future work life and improving the quality of learning.
Technology can be used to motivate students to continue in their studies if students
find it interesting and engaging. Richardson and Swan (2003) argue that a better model
for online courses is one that not only presents information and materials to students, but
also incorporates social aspects of learning in both their design and instruction of online
courses. They noted that students with high overall perceptions of social presence also
scored high in terms of perceived learning and perceived satisfaction with the instructor.
For students from non-traditional backgrounds, social presence in particular is vital to
creating a learning environment conducive to students feeling connected to each other and
their respective tutors. Salmon (2005, p. 214) states that teaching online has almost
nothing to do with computers and everything to do with time, motivation, knowledge and
the new agency of cyber-experience, as well as good, appropriate teaching. Given these
*Email: george.lambrinidis@cdu.edu.au
Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 2014
Vol. 36, No. 3, 257267, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01587919.2014.899053
2014 Association for Tertiary Education Management and the LH Martin Institute for Tertiary Education Leadership and
Management
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circumstances, it is imperative that more research is conducted to determine whether
introducing new learning technologies will be beneficial for students studying online.
Improving the academic performance and success of students in the Programme
Charles Darwin University (CDU) is a dual sector institution that provides higher educa-
tion and vocational training courses. It is situated in the Northern Territory, Australia, and
attracts domestic students from across the country as well as international students. Its
student demography is significantly different from many other Australian universities.
About 62 per cent of students study online, rarely if ever visiting the Universitys
campuses (CDU, 2011, p.11). Seventy-three per cent of the total student population is
female and mature age with only 5 per cent being younger than 20 years of age (CDU,
2010a).
The Tertiary Enabling Programme (hereafter referred to as the Programme) is a 12-
week pre-university programme that enables students, who may have had an educationally
disruptive or disadvantaged background, to become familiar with the expectations of
university culture and acquire the academic skills necessary for further study. If students
pass all four units in this programme, they are offered a place in an undergraduate course.
The majority of students in the programme can be categorised as equity students (low
socio-economic backgrounds, students from rural and isolated areas, students with dis-
abilities and students from non-English-speaking backgrounds) and as such it plays an
essential role in fulfilling the universitys obligations for providing access and equity to
students from non-traditional backgrounds. A market research survey conducted in 2010
sampled 2000 students. It was noted that 47 per cent of those sampled were the first in
their family to attend university, 61 per cent were working more than 30 hours per week
and 90 per cent worked more than 10 hours per week. The research also indicated that
48 per cent of the respondents had dependent children (CDU, 2010b).
Research into CDU students motivations to attend university shows they want a
second life: a changed life through education. Tertiary education is also seen by students
as a means of acquiring a better level of economic and personal control in their lives. Not
surprisingly, many of these students lack confidence in computing skills and online
literacies.
As new Commonwealth funding models put universities on notice to increase reten-
tion, it is important that CDU continues to implement new strategies to increase retention
(Department of Education & Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR), 2012).
The current dropout rate for the programme students is high at approximately 65 per cent,
which has affected the success rate. When grades for all six TEP units were aggregated,
only 32 per cent were a pass or higher (CDU, 2010a). This low pass rate is a reflection of
this high drop out. Additionally, the fact that 75 per cent of these students enrolled in
external mode highlights the need for interventions to be focused on this mode (CDU,
2010a).
In 2011, the following e-learning tools were introduced via CDUs learning manage-
ment system, Learnline:

Video clips: Camtasia is a screen recording programme that also enables the user to
be video recorded and included as a talking head on screen.

Synchronous online tutorials: Wimba Classroom is an online communication based

programme that provides a live virtual-based environment for the students to
interact with their lecturers and their peers in real time tutorials. It includes audio,
258 G. Lambrinidis
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video, application sharing and content display (e.g., students can view their lec-
turers screen). Tutorials can be recorded and archived so that students can view the
sessions at a later time.

Online discussion boards: Discussion boards are available via the learning manage-
ment system, and most of the units in the programme include some discussion board
tasks. These discussion boards are analogous to the discussions boards available on
the web; however, they are only available to students enrolled in the unit. Students
can post a thread in forums posted by the lecturer and respond to students posts.
E-learning tools utilised in the study
The video clips were used as a tool to introduce students to their lecturer or unit
coordinator and help them to become familiar with ways in which they could navigate
around the Learnline site. They also provided information to students about the unit they
were enrolled in, thus giving students a clear understanding of the units aims and
objectives.
Students were also connected to other students through the synchronous online
tutorials (Wimba), where they were able to discuss issues of concern and further their
understanding of the expectations of lecturer. These tutorials also helped to ameliorate
their feelings of isolation and encourage a sense of psychological closeness amongst
students.
While the discussion boards were previously used by some unit coordinators for
assessable and non-assessable activities, in 2011, all unit coordinators in the programme
were asked to ensure that they regularly utilised the discussion board facility on Learnline.
Through the active involvement of the lecturers in directing and promoting productive
discussion of topics by students, students gained a better understanding of the topic and
the level of academic input expected.
This study investigated whether the use of three online technologies, video clips,
synchronous online tutorials and Learnline discussion boards, could be effectively used to
facilitate students engagement and learning.
Methodology
Ethics clearance was obtained to conduct three surveys over two semesters in 2011, in
which participants provided feedback on the synchronous online tutorials and the online
videos (Figure 1). Some students also volunteered to participate in a telephone interview,
which further investigated these online tools and also provided an opportunity to obtain
some feedback about the students experience with the Learnline discussion boards.
During the first semester of 2011, external students in the programme were invited to
participate in two online surveys to investigate the impact of the two specific online tools
(video clips and synchronous online tutorials) on their engagement and learning. In
addition to this, 10 students were selected at random and invited to participate in a
15 minute telephone interview to develop a more fine grained understanding of the effect
that these tools has had on student engagement and learning. Students were informed that
the surveys would be anonymous and that they would not be identified by anything that
was written in subsequent publications. Those students interviewed by telephone signed a
consent form. Students were asked to volunteer their time to complete the surveys and
participate in the interviews.
Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management 259
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Semester one: Survey 1
A link to Survey 1 was e-mailed to all 300 students enrolled in a unit externally in the
programme during week 5 of the semester. The survey sought to determine how well the
first video assisted in providing the students with a clear understanding of the unit and to
ascertain to what degree aspects of the video clips helped them to establish a connection
with the lecturer and the unit. The survey consisted of two sections: the first section
related primarily to the students consent and included questions to ensure that the student
was aware of the background to the survey, as well as their rights with respect to ethics. It
also gave them the opportunity to request a copy of the project summary report. The
second section contained 12 questions. The first four related to demographic data, while
questions 512 specifically referred to the video clips.
All the collated data for Survey 1 was evaluated to determine how the strategies used
in semester one of 2011 were of assistance to students engagement and learning pro-
cesses and to what extent they could be improved. The information was disseminated to
teaching staff and formed the basis of an earlier paper (Lambrinidis & Silburn, 2011).
Semester two: Survey 2
Survey 2 was administered during week 11 of semester one and sought to determine the
extent to which students understanding of assessment tasks had been enhanced by the
subsequent video clips, where the lecturer provided students with information on
expectations for assessments and ways in which the tasks could be addressed This
survey also sought to determine whether synchronous online tutorials held during the
semester were valuable to students in terms of connecting them to other students and the
lecturer and working through any academic issues, which they might have encountered
in their units.
Semester two: Survey 3
In semester 2 of 2011, students were invited to complete a single survey (Survey 3),
which was essentially equivalent to Survey 2, except that there were some extra questions.
Survey 1
Week 5
Survey 2
Week 11
Interviews
Week 12/13
Survey 3
Week 8
Interviews
Week 11
Semester 1
Semester 2
Figure 1. Timeline of Surveys 1, 2 and 3, and student interviews for semesters one and two, 2011.
260 G. Lambrinidis
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The first additional question aimed to determine why students who had missed the
scheduled online tutorial may not have accessed the archives. Three more questions
were also added to determine whether students found the synchronous online tutorials
useful overall as an online learning tool and to explain why they did or did not find them
to be useful.
It is important to note that the questions were not made compulsory, and as such the
number of responses for each question may differ. It is also relevant to note that the
response rate is likely to be affected by the high attrition rate of students enrolled in the
enabling programme (CDU, 2010a).
Findings
Response rates
The response rates for the three surveys that were e-mailed to all external students
enrolled in the Tertiary Enabling Programme are low but consistent with web-based
surveys (Cobb, 2009). For Survey 1, 91 (30.3 per cent) of the 300 students responded;
for Survey 2, 41 (13.7 per cent) of the 300 external students responded; and for Survey 3,
143 (22.3 per cent) of the 640 external students responded.
It was anticipated that as the semester progressed, the greater the likelihood of a lower
response rate due to attrition, and this was observed for semester one. As a consequence,
Survey 3 was introduced in week eight in order to capture the students that were likely to
have been exposed to both the videos and online classes before attrition became too high.
Unfortunately, there was a poor response from students invited to be interviewed
during semester one, and a decision was made to open the invitation to all students for
both semesters one and two. Four students accepted the invitation in semester one and
seven students in semester two. In depth, interviews with the students who consented to
be interviewed were undertaken to increase the understanding of the student learning
experience and which, if any, of the tools (video clips and synchronous online tutorials)
were useful to them and in what ways they assisted/detracted from the learning experi-
ence. Students use and experience of the discussion boards were also included in the
interviews. This was conducted by week 12 of both semesters before the revision and
exam weeks.
Feedback from the first survey indicated that external students had been engaging with
the online tools. This feedback helped to motivate staff to prepare additional videos and to
develop the synchronous online tutorials. The implementation of new technologies
required staff training and support, which would have been much more difficult to provide
without some positive initial feedback. The results of all three surveys indicate that
students engaged with both the video clips and synchronous online tutorials.
Synchronous online tutorials
Towards the end of semester one and two, all external students in the programme had the
opportunity to either attend a synchronous online tutorial in each of their units or view the
archived recording of that session. The second and third surveys investigated students
perception about the usefulness of synchronous online tutorials for better supporting their
learning. There was a positive response by those who attended the synchronous online
tutorials, and this is evident in their responses to question one of Surveys 2 and 3
(Figures 2 and 3).
Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management 261
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For Survey 3, a new question was included to determine whether students found the
Wimba online tutorials useful overall as an online learning tool. Forty-five (33.6 per cent)
of the 134 students indicated that they had participated in a Wimba online tutorial, and of
these 36 (81.8 per cent) found the Wimba online classes useful overall as an online
learning tool. Eighty-nine respondents (66.4 per cent) did not participate.
The reasons why students who attended the synchronous online tutorials found them
useful in their learning can be identified in the open-ended responses to question three of
Survey 3 (Figure 4). This question was also a new question that was not previously
included in Survey 2. It was added to Survey 3 to try to determine the reasons why
students felt that they had benefitted from the synchronous online tutorials. Of the 35
respondents, a large number of students (22 respondents) stated that the Wimba classes
helped them to feel more connected to their tutor and/or other students. The ability to ask
questions and get answers was the next most common response (11 respondents). Students
also noted that the synchronous online tutorials helped them to clarify or reinforce
concepts (10 respondents). Students also noted that the synchronous online tutorials
helped them to feel less isolated (seven respondents) and others found the visual or
audio medium stimulating (four responses).
0 per cent 20 per cent 40 per cent 60 per cent 80 per cent 100 per cent
(a) I found the Wimba online classes helpful in connecting
with other students and staff.
(b) I found the Wimba online classes useful in helping me
to understand the task or skills being addressed.
(c) By participating in the Wimba online classes I gained additional
information about the assignment/s and how to structure my response.
(d) The Wimba online classes helped me to understand that
other students were experiencing challenges in their studies.
(e) The Wimba technology was simple to use and
accessible.
(f) I felt satisfied with the information provided in the
Wimba online classes.
1. Strongly agree 2. Agree 3. Slightly agree
Figure 2. Students responses to questions on synchronous online classes (Wimba) in Survey 2
(15 responses).
(a) I found the Wimba online classes helpful in connecting with
other students and staff.
(b) I found the Wimba online classes useful in helping me to
understand the task or skills being addressed.
(c) By participating in the Wimba online classes I gained additional
information about the assignment/s and how to structure my response.
(d) The Wimba online classes helped me to understand that
other students were experiencing challenges in their studies.
(e) The Wimba technology was simple to use and accessible.
(f) I felt satisfied with the information provided in the Wimba
online classes.
0 per cent 20 per cent 40 per cent 60 per cent 80 per cent 100 per cent
1. Strongly agree 2. Agree 3. Slightly agree
Figure 3. Students responses to questions on synchronous online classes (Wimba) in Survey 3
(44 responses).
262 G. Lambrinidis
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Respondents to Wimba question four of Survey 3 identified that poorly planned or
presented classes was one of the main reasons why they did not find the synchronous online
tutorials useful. However, on average for students who attended synchronous online
tutorials and viewed the video clips, a greater number indicated that the synchronous online
tutorials were more helpful in increasing their understanding of their units (Figure 5).
Students interviewed in semesters one and two also favoured online classes as a more
effective tool to support their learning. An example of the students views can be seen by an
answer to the question, Why did you find synchronous online classes more effective?
I found it better to actually hear somebodys voice. I learn better that way and because I am
an external student, you dont get that because youre not in a classroom. Just sitting,
listening and having a different type of media was fantastic... It gives you the opportunity
to ask a question if you have one. (Interviewee one, semester one, 2011)
Wimba online
classes, 43, 70%
Camtasia video clips,
18, 30%
Figure 5. Students preference of online tools in increasing their understanding of the unit/s
(n = 61).
Opportunity to ask
questions and get
answers, 11, 19%
Clarified or reinforced
concepts or provided
extra information, 10,
18%
Felt connected to the
tutor and/or other
students, 22, 39%
Visual/oral interactive
medium was
engaging/stimulating,
4, 7%
Felt less isolated; felt
like it was face to face,
7, 12%
Other/uncategorised,
3, 5%
Figure 4. Pie chart indicating the useful aspects of synchronous online classes (Wimba), grouped
into five broad categories, as perceived by students.
Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management 263
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Student feedback indicated that synchronous online tutorials could be improved by
ensuring that the sessions are well planned and have direction and focus that relate to
either the unit content (formative) or summative assessment items. Importantly, they need
to be effectively managed by the lecturer who must be in control of who is able to talk or
write on the whiteboard. There were also ongoing technical issues, which in some
instances prevented student attendance; however, it is anticipated that the universitys
upgrading to a new asynchronous online programme called Collaborate will help to
reduce the technical issues identified by students.
Video clips online
It is clear from all three surveys that the respondents who viewed the video clips felt that
they were a useful resource to support their learning overall (Survey 1 = 96.5 per cent;
Survey 2 = 93.9 per cent; Survey 3 = 90.2 per cent). The students responses to the open-
ended questions (Survey 1, question eight; Survey 2 and 3, question nine) also support the
argument that the videos were useful for improving the learning processes (Figure 6).
Student responses to this question were grouped into three broad categories including
understanding the assessments/learning tasks, navigating the learning management system
or gaining a better understanding of the aims and/objectives of the unit. Interestingly, the
graphs clearly show a greater number of respondents found that the videos were helpful in
understanding the unit aims and navigating the learning management system for Survey 1
compared to Surveys 2 or 3, which were both undertaken later in the semester. This may
be because of the timing of Survey 1 by which time most videos were created to introduce
the lecturers and learning management system to the students. By the time Survey 2 was
e-mailed to students, more videos may have been created to support students with their
assignments or weekly learning tasks. Hence, the students responses for Survey 2 show a
very high number of respondents stating that videos aided in their understanding of the
assessment or learning tasks. By this time, the respondents did not identify that the videos
were as useful for understanding the aims of the unit as in Survey 1. This may also be
7
17
23
2
8
21
0
3
2
13
63
3
31
1
26
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Understand tasks Navigate LMS Unit Aims Connected to Uni Contact with
lecturers
N
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e
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p
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t
s
Survey 1 Survey 2 Survey 3
Figure 6. Student perceptions about the benefits of the video clips over two semesters, grouped into
five broad categories, as perceived by students. Survey 1, n = 44; Survey 2, n = 41; Survey 3, n = 144.
Note: Students may have provided more than one response.
LMS, learning management system.
264 G. Lambrinidis
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because students had gained the necessary understanding of the unit aims and objectives
by this time.
Students were surveyed in semester two (Survey 3) at a time where they had the
opportunity to have experienced both introductory videos and videos relating to weekly
tasks or assessment tasks. It is interesting to note that navigating the learning management
system was not rated as high as understanding the learning or assessment tasks or the unit
aims (Figure 6). This may also be a result of the timing of the survey. By week eight of
the semester, most students should have had adequate experience of using the learning
management system, and as such understanding the learning and assessment tasks would
be more important for them as this stage of the unit.
Discussion boards
Interviews were used to gauge students feedback on the effectiveness of the discussion
boards. The discussion boards were used by all students interviewed; however, there were
differing views in their usefulness as a learning tool. For example, some students felt that
some discussion boards were used only to submit learning assessments and were not
promoted as a discussion tool.
Students commented that in some units, the discussion boards were used effectively to
provide an opportunity to either discuss unit content or assessment tasks or to provide a
social setting to discuss their unit. It is clear that to make the discussion boards effective, it
is important that staff continue to make an active and regular contribution to the discus-
sion boards and that activities are designed to promote discussion about the coursework
and to promote student-to-student and students-to-teacher interaction.
While there were varying views by interviewees about the discussion boards, some
students stated that they felt connected to other students. An example is provided by
Interviewee five: I really felt we were discussing the subject and felt as though I knew
these people.
Comparison of synchronous online tutorials and video clips
Students were more likely to watch the video clips (average 80.3 per cent of respondents)
than they were to attend an online tutorial (average of 35.1 per cent of respondents).
Students who watched the video clips and attended the synchronous online tutorials found
them to be useful online learning tools overall (average 92.8 per cent for the videos and
81.8 per cent for the synchronous online tutorials).
Most students who accessed the archives found them useful (average 96.3 per cent).
Of the students who accessed both synchronous online tutorials and video clips, it was
evident that they preferred the synchronous online tutorials (see Figure 4).
Respondents to the open-ended question eight in Survey 1 and question nine in
Surveys 2 and 3 identified that the videos helped them to feel connected to their
lecturers and that this was a useful aspect of the videos (Figure 5). They also responded
positively to the synchronous online tutorials in being helpful in connecting with other
students and staff (Figures 2 and 3). The open-ended question three of Survey 3
provided further evidence that students appreciate the feeling of connectedness with
the lecturer and/or other students. One of the main benefits of the synchronous online
tutorials was that students were able to ask questions and get immediate feedback. This
is consistent with the current research in which student learning and satisfaction with
online courses is related to their perceptions of social presence and the degree of
Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management 265
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interaction with the instructor and fellow students (Wuensch, Aziz, Ozan, Kishore, &
Tabrizi, 2009).
The reasons students provided for not being able to attend the online classes included
that they did not have the time, the timing was not appropriate, they did not know how to
attend, were not aware they were available, had technical difficulties or thought they could
not attend because they did not have headphones or a microphone. Only a very small
proportion of students stated that they did not feel that they needed the classes in both
Surveys 2 and 3.
The surveys identified similar reasons for students not accessing the videos to that of
the synchronous online tutorials. It is possible that the students who did not view the
videos found them difficult to access as 10 of the 26 respondents in Survey 1, who had not
viewed any videos, answered no to question ten, Were the video clips easy to use and
accessible? The reasons that the students may not have found the videos accessible were
stated as; not being aware that they were available, simply did not have time to watch
them or simply did not realise their value.
Conclusion
Feedback from students indicates that each of the tools is perceived as a useful
learning tool and has the capacity to promote engagement. The Camtasia videos
were accessed more readily than the Wimba online classes and students found them
useful in helping to connect with their lecturers and to learn more about the units
aims and objectives as well as providing further information about assessments. Of the
students who participated in both the video clips and the synchronous online tutorials,
a majority preferred the synchronous online tutorials as they were able to ask ques-
tions and get immediate feedback. Of concern, however, is the low participation rate
for students in the synchronous online tutorials. Students indicated that this was due to
a lack of time or the timing not being suitable for them to attend. Those who did not
attend the synchronous online tutorials did, however, feel that they benefited from
having access to the archived sessions, which they could access at a time convenient
to them.
This research indicates that students benefit from online learning tools, and further
development of these enhance student engagement and learning. It is recommended that
academics working in an online environment develop a regular schedule for synchronous
online tutorial sessions so that students can plan these into their timetable. It is also
suggested that high quality video clips are developed to support students learning.
Furthermore, with regards to discussion boards, staff should direct students learning in
more active ways by providing prompt feedback, which addresses students needs. To
achieve these aims, teaching staff require targeted training so that they are able to use
online pedagogies effectively.
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