The effect of remote learning on students’ use of online resources

I continuously reflect on my teaching practice and strive to understand how students' use the teaching material that we provide them and how that helps them learn. 

With the switch to remote learning in 2020, I took the initiative, as the co-convenor of the Neuroscience Fundamentals (NEUR2201) course, to use Moodle Learning Analytics to evaluate whether using online learning resources affected student performance, comparing use of the same online resources in 2019.

Analysis of the recorded lectures showed total lecture views were significantly higher in 2020 than in 2019 (56 ± 2.5% vs. 45 ± 3.4%; p=0.0097, unpaired t-test), perhaps due to students having more time to study when in lockdown. I also found significantly higher engagement with structured online learning resources such as a H5P revision activity that lets the students engage with and consolidate their knowledge on neuronal activity (Average views/student, 1.19 ± 0.1, 2020 vs. 0.64 ± 0.09, 2019; p<0.0001, unpaired t-test). Understanding the students’ need for interactive, engaging revision material I introduced an additional H5P revision activity in 2021, with feedback from students that they would like even more of these kinds of resources. I continue to reflect on activities and different platforms I can use to design revision material to enhance student learning.