Business Analysis Report Technological tools and their features that could be adopted for online learning satisfaction.

1 Business Analysis Report Prepared by: Nguyen Thai Huynh (S3836504) Connor Angus Mac Donald (S3864232) Nghi Nguyen (S3864162) Anh Tien Tran (S3870272) Nguyen Huu Huynh (S3872109) Manan Syed Abdul Tariq (S3870084) September | 2020 Table of Contents Executive Summary Introduction Analysis 4 Satisfactory learning experience for online learning Factors that influence the satisfactory experience of learners for online learning Playfulness: Engagement: Learning Styles: Instructor’s Proficiency: Technological tools and their features that could be adopted for online learning satisfaction Learning Management Systems: Communication Tools: Presentation Tools: Recommendations Context: Solution: Implement training for the solution Training users to adapt to the online learning concept: 7 10 Conclusion 10 References 10 Appendices 13 Executive Summary The goal of this report is to design a simple online learning solution that provides a satisfactory learning experience for students based on technological tools The introduction will talk briefly about online learning State the main purpose of the report which include: Analysis of the satisfaction factors of online learning and technological tools, suggesting a simple online learning solution and implementing it In the analysis section, We understand that students are satisfied with online learning when they experience a pleasant feeling by engaging in the learning process and can use the features of online learning simply and effectively We discussed factors and technological tools that have the potential to increase online learning satisfactions Factors influence online learning satisfaction: playfulness, engagements, learning styles, instructor’s proficiency Technology tools to achieve those factors: Learning Management, System, communication tools and presentation tools In the recommendations section, we linked the factors that influence online learning with the technological tools to create practical and functional solutions to meet learners expectations Introduction In 2020, the world faced a pandemic of epic proportions! For the first time in nearly 100 years, Countries scrambled to control a situation that had the propensity to get completely out of control In order to try and get the situation under control Countries went into lockdown which resulted in not only no international and internal travel taking place, but businesses, schools and Higher Education and Training Institutes having to close, due to the spread of the 21stcentury’s pandemic, Covid-19 The pandemic has had a significantly negative impact on global education To stifle the effects of Covid-19 and the dire situation of a “lost generation”, Educational institutions were quick to start implementing online learning/e-learning programmes to ensure students could continue with their school year with as minimal impact as possible E-learning is the act of engaging in an educational course through electronic media/in an online setting (Instructure n.d.) With technology today and the availability and support of electronic tools and media, and students spending a large amount of time online, e-learning can also be asynchronous This report will focus on the main factors that impact satisfaction in learning with the tools that will be incorporated into an online learning solution to best stimulate satisfactory learning Analysis Satisfactory learning experience for online learning Before we can define the satisfaction experiences of online learning for the students, the end-users need to have the basic requirements for the online courses The end-users, mostly teachers and students, must be able to have an understanding of technology at least at a novice level Equally important, the technology requirements include two core things which are a computer and an internet connection (Algonquin College n.d., Eberly College of Science n.d.) The computer requires a fitting specification for the software that the course is using Internet connection speed must be fast enough for the end-users to comfortably navigate around Online learning is commonly known as “access to learning experiences via the support of technological tools” Online learning provides accessibility as well as connectivity, flexibility, and the ability to promote varied interactions to educational opportunities for learners with geographic boundaries (Moore, Dickson-Deane & Galyen 2011) Students are satisfied with online learning when they experience a pleasant feeling by engaging in the learning process and can use the features of online learning simply and effectively Keengwe, Diteeyont, & Lawson-Body (2012) stated that satisfaction was most influenced by learning convenience combined with the effectiveness of e-learning tools Factors that influence the satisfactory experience of learners for online learning Playfulness: The idea of playfulness is perceived as a degree of satisfaction that is experienced when the students are taking part in an activity (Barnett 1990) To consolidate this, Yi & Hwang (2003) claim that enjoyment which is an important component of playfulness has a positive effect on “perceived usefulness” which means when an individual believes that using a particular system would enhance their performance Furthermore, Yi & Hwang believe that enjoyment has a positive effect on the “application of self-efficacy” which affects all aspects of life Ormrod (2008) states that an individual with high self-efficacy is likely to make the correct decision which they will succeed at and achieve higher goals than those with low self-efficacy When students are experiencing enjoyment and pleasure, they will be more engaged in their learning as enjoyment helps boost the active participation of the students According to Lin, Wu, & Tsai (2005), individuals who scored high in playfulness, display better performance and give greater effective responses to training tasks on the computer in comparison to those who did not score well This suggests that if playfulness is incorporated into the online learning atmosphere, it is expected that the students will perform better academically Engagement: Student engagement is believed to be a significant factor that can influence a satisfactory learning experience According to Mandernach et al (2011) student engagement consists of personality, motivation, effort, and self-confidence When students are motivated to perform well in their courses, it will enhance their desire to learn, thus increasing their effort in improving their performance in their learning process, resulting in them being engaged in education Moreover, motivation encourages students to become more conscientious, conscientiousness is a type of personality which correlates with work discipline, concentration (Schouwenburg 1995) 5 Having discipline and concentration increases productivity in learning is effective in getting work done promptly and feeling satisfied with themselves for completing their tasks Having the students motivated will strengthen their self-confidence, which allows the students to be more active in their courses and not afraid of making mistakes This benefits them to become more resilient and successful in the future In detail, self-confidence helps students to become more outspoken, as openness personality is connected with questioning and analyzing arguments (Schouwenburg 1995) and improves the students’ critical evaluation and the ability to analyze relationships (Blickle 1996) It helps the student to have the courage to interact with others Without prominent interaction, the students will be distracted on the course materials, which will lead to bad engagement in class Learning Styles: Learning styles are viewed as another key factor that can influence a satisfactory learning experience When students use web-based learning, they tend to acquire higher achievements (Douzenis 1999) The quality of the e-learning programs can be a precedent factor that could satisfy the students Virtual characteristics of e-learning such as online interactive discussion, multimedia presentation, all known as a web-based learning platform, could assist learners in establishing learning models effectively and motivating continuous online learners (Piccoli 2001) Web-based learning can be suitable for both active and reflective learners Active learners often seek interactive discussion and explanations pertaining to what they have learned, this often results in discussion between students and lecturers in discussion forums or online communication software For reflective learners, they prefer to study on their own in a quiet area when they study online The only requirement is having an internet connection (Felder & Silverman 1988) The internet quality can positively influence them as if it’s running fast, the students will be able to research as well as submitting their works on time Web-based learning applies to both visual and verbal learners, for instance, visual learners prefer seeing images, diagrams, or graphs to help aid process information and teachers have the access to add images in the learning material for students on a webbased learning platform Whereas verbal learners prefer to process information by reading or listening, this can be accomplished by having videos on the platform to explain information to those students (Becker & Dwyer 1998) Instructor’s Proficiency: The instructor’s attitudes toward E-learning is considered as a factor that can benefit a student's satisfactory learning experience According to Arbaugh (2002), the instructor’s timely response has a considerable impact on the learner’s satisfaction as well as their final result Teaching styles, especially interaction between teachers and students, can play a decisive role in learning activities (Borbely 1994) Therefore, if the instructor is competent in handling E-learning activities and responding to student’s problems, the learning satisfaction for the student will rapidly improve 6 Technological tools and their features that could be adopted for online learning satisfaction To achieve the learning satisfaction that is required for the online learning experience, diverse technological tools need to be implemented to achieve the desired satisfaction level Therefore, multiple tools such as a learning management system, communication tool, and presentation tool would be essential to application Learning Management Systems: Learning Management System (LMS), which is also termed as Integrated Learning System (ILS), was introduced as the framework that operates all of the aspects of the learning process, from managing educational contents, supporting students with their studies, to collecting and presenting data to supervising students learning progress (Szabo & Flesher 2002) The learning management system is beneficial to online learning solutions as they contain a high level of network security such as Secure Sockets layer (SSL), SingleSign-on (SSO), and encrypted passwords that have a level of complexity Students are likely to exploit the learning management system as an asynchronous learning device to boost learning satisfaction as there’s complete flexibility in asynchronous learning An outstanding example of an effective asynchronous learning system could be Canvas Canvas offered several crucial features, specifically, the “Announcement” tab, to assist teachers with alerting students about upcoming events Aside from Announcements, they also provide “Modules” tab, with the function of helping students to access the in-course materials online, “Discussion” tab, where discussions between students and lecturers happen within and just as importantly, the “Quiz” tab, where students will be able to complete their online tests Besides these major features, Canvas offered considerably more additional features that could provide the best e-learning experience for students, but to make the learning experience become more effective for students, Canvas should consider adding a “Gamification” feature into their system According to Sitzmann (2011), learners of gamification learned more facts and accomplished more skills compared to others Consequently, adding gamification will help them to further the playfulness of learner’s experience more, which results in the rising degree of learning satisfaction Communication Tools: Communication tools are classified as the second most handy tool for online education It allows synchronous learning through interaction and collaboration in real-time with other students and teachers An example of this could be Zoom, where synchronous communication enables supervising the learner’s reactions to their messages, which motivates them to devote more attention to their learning (Hrastinski 2008) as well as completing their tasks Besides, learners could also take advantage of video call and file sharing features, which support them to cooperate instantly In addition, synchronous learners, in particular, residential and distance scholars, could potentially use communication tools to get immediate feedback, diverse perspectives, and expressive connections throughout their e-learning courses (Park & Bonk 2007) Therefore, if students work more collaboratively online, the perception of their learning engagement and participation will increase (Thurmond & Wambach 2014) 7 Presentation Tools: Presentation tools like Microsoft PowerPoint, incorporate graphical slides, animation effects, and slide notes to support learners with note-taking It provides students the opportunity to express their knowledge as well as obtaining greater understanding Furthermore, Microsoft PowerPoint affects student’s learning by improving student’s shortand long-term memory as they could function the mental image of the presented outline to study, retrieving the information on a test, and organizing their answer (Clark & Paivio 1991) Overall, the presentation tool is effective as it benefits the student’s learning style and learning satisfaction Recommendations Context: To create a simple online learning solution, a multitude of tools and applications need to be adopted to allow a satisfactory experience whilst optimising the learning capabilities of the users To establish the desired result, the learning solution should include a Learning Management System (LMS), Collaboration/Communication tools and Presentation Tools as stated above to be used in unison Solution: A Fundamental learning system requires three main attributes to succeed, these include the teaching of subject matter, absorption of the subject matter and the assessment of subject matter To accomplish a satisfactory experience the online system requires the reinforcement of the learning material This is possible by enhancing the learner experience to embed the knowledge and allow for competency based assessment to be conducted Both summative (assessment of learners where the focus is on the outcome of a programme.) and formative (range of formal and informal assessment procedures conducted by teachers during the learning process in order to modify teaching and learning activities to improve results and satisfaction of learning To create an online learning environment all three factors must work in unison The provided online learning solution should be both Informative and interesting to learn through It should also be present clearly through multiple channels and mediums The tools and channels that will be utilised are the LMS, Communication tools and presentation tools as listed above in the analysis These tools will be capable of allowing both synchronous and asynchronous learning when used in unison in the online learning solution Utilising a LMS such as canvas to be used by students to access in class lecture slides, YouTube videos, Lecture Videos and documentation that could assist in learning The LMS boosts satisfaction by allowing students to study at their own pace and location of choice allowing them to perform at an optimal level whilst maintaining high comfort while studying which boosts student enjoyment and engagement The student engagement factor would be utilised by student emotion, motivation and self efficacy The student will be able to study at their own pace in addition to their own comfort and relaxation This boosts their satisfaction whilst allowing the student to be engaged by processing and gathering information by themselves to further understand the topic, boosting the reinforcement of the information converting it to knowledge This knowledge could be further enhanced and reinforced by employing the playfulness factor by introducing gamification to the course as people adopt better understanding of the work whilst having a large amount of enjoyment and pleasure While gamification is beneficial, this only affects students who are prone to this type of learning style The learner, once studying the information through use of LMS is completed, the students will then be able to attend online classes by use of communication tools such as Microsoft Teams The use of this tool will allow the student to study synchronously with a lecturer/teacher to further instill and reinforce the knowledge gained through the self study This allows further engagement and communication for the student whilst assisting students with different learning styles and habits The students use both of the tools listed above in unison with presentation tools such as YouTube or PowerPoint These tools can be used by the student and administrator to create lecture videos and an entertainment form of studying The playfulness of the video with the instructors proficiency will be key elements of the presentation tools to ensure student enjoyment and satisfaction of learning while maintaining the appropriate educational standards To achieve a satisfactory learning experience, student engagement is important Personality, motivation, effort and self confidence are the key factors Having work discipline and concentration increases productivity and allows more room for motivation This leads to a better academic outcome and performance Students having motivation are more confident in their work and are not afraid of making mistakes Communication tools facilitate a student’s motivation to better in their courses, especially by e-learning, because it provides them with a platform that makes it easier to communicate with teachers and students alike This provides them with feedback on how to improve in a certain course Examples of these platforms include Microsoft Teams or Zoom Another factor that leads to a better learning experience are learning styles E-learning tends to produce a better outcome as it has interactive online discussions and multimedia presentations Communication tools are helpful for different kinds of students such as active learners as it provides them with feedback and allows them to discuss with other students or their respective teacher, what they have just learnt and receive different perspectives It is also beneficial to visual or verbal learners as online learning provides different types of multimedia such as graphs, diagrams and images In general, it provides a satisfactory e-learning experience Presentation tools allow a student to improve their online learning experience as it provides them with graphics, images and animations to retain information for a longer period of time An example of this platform is Microsoft Powerpoint Motivation, effort and selfconfidence are important factors that influence a student’s learning With the provision of these presentation tools, students find it easier to answer questions and remember important details This motivates them and provides them with more confidence in their online learning experience Learning styles are helpful to a wide range of students and presentation tools further enhance this experience It is especially beneficial to students who have a more visual inclination towards learning as it provides them with graphics and color images and allows them to have a mental image of what they have to study It also allows them to better understand the information that is being provided to them An instructor’s ability to handle online activities and respond to students on time is very important to a student’s e-learning experience The more interaction between a student and a teacher, the better the learning outcome would be Presentation tools come in handy as it allows the teacher to visually present what they are teaching and better explain the information at hand Moreover, it improves the satisfaction of a learner as well as their final result Implement training for the solution The team can not expect users to have a good proficiency of online learning They need to be trained to get used to it Teachers, one of our main consumers, need about three months of courses to really become effective online (Adams 2020) One of the important implementations is training users, mostly teachers and students, to use the team online learning solution There are already institutions that are willingly or forced to apply online learning Training teachers for online learning already exists in some educational institutions like Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and so on For institutions that are being forced to apply online learning, it is quite obvious that they are institutions that get impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, and their area is required to enforce social distancing or lockdown measures Instructor’s proficiency is a factor in student online learning satisfaction as stated in our analysis Teachers with poor training in online learning will negatively impact student satisfaction, and it showed during the Covid-19 pandemic (Adams 2020) The teachers need to be trained properly in understanding the concept of online learning, and using the utility of its technological tools in order to fit with various learning styles, essentially giving students a satisfied online learning experience The training goals will try to help the teachers to integrate the team online learning solution to the students Training users to adapt to the online learning concept: The concept of online learning and its environment is quite different from offline learning To simplify the comparison between online and offline learning, offline environments require having face-to-face synchronous classes in a physical school location, which is not recommended in some areas during Covid-19 These offline environments are optional in online learning However, the biggest disadvantage of online learning compared to offline is the lack of dynamic physical social interaction between humans (E-Student 2019), teachers and students are reasonably struggling to adapt to this concept of online learning in their classes during Covid-19 (Reilly 2020; Gonchar, M & Doyne, S 2020) This concept will dramatically determine the success of the team online learning solution If there is low interaction and engagement, the team’s solution fails to satisfy Our training programs must include helping teachers to understand the online learning concepts In Comas-Quinn conclusion (2011, pp 230), training about understanding of professional transformation, since teachers are going from offline teaching to online, are equally important as training knowledge and skills to use online learning technological tools In short, training offline learning teachers to become online learning teachers In addition, the technological tools in our analysis should be included in the training programs to help minimize the impact of online learning social isolation (E-Student 2019) through face-to-face visual and audio interaction, the learning management system can also 10 give feedback to teachers about students overall health and performance All with the aim of increasing students’ satisfaction in online learning Conclusion To create a suitable, satisfactory online learning solution, a multitude of factors had to be analysed to best understand human psychology and methodologies With this knowledge it was possible to create an online solution using an LMS, communication tools and presentation tools to optimise the student knowledge intake and satisfaction of the given solution These tools will be used in unison to further amplify the learning experience as stated above and assist in the development of the student online learning solution References Adams, C 2020, 'Teachers need lots of training to online learning well Coronavirus closures gave many just days.', The Hechinger Report, 17 April 2020, viewed 19 September 2020, Algonquin College n.d., Technical requirements for online courses, Algonquin College, viewed 19 September 2020, Arbaugh, J-B 2002, ‘Managing the on-line classroom: a study of 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Instructor’s Proficiency: Technological tools and their features that could be adopted for online learning satisfaction Learning Management Systems: Communication Tools: Presentation Tools: Recommendations... learning with the tools that will be incorporated into an online learning solution to best stimulate satisfactory learning Analysis Satisfactory learning experience for online learning Before we can... in handling E -learning activities and responding to student’s problems, the learning satisfaction for the student will rapidly improve 6 Technological tools and their features that could be adopted