Enhancing the online learning experience using virtual interactive classrooms

Abstract

Objective: Enhancing online learning through the design, implementation and evaluation of a project piloting virtual interactive classrooms.

Design: The virtual interactive classroom (classroom) design was underpinned with current best practice in higher education pedagogy. Evaluation of the project used a cross-sectional, electronic survey.

Setting: This study was undertaken at a School of Nursing and Midwifery in a Western Australia University.

Subjects: 144 nurse students: 130 undergraduate, 14 postgraduate.

Interventions: Classroom options were introduced into two online units, incorporating blended learning approaches and promoting active participation in learning.

Main outcome measures: Quantitative measures included student demographics, ease of classroom navigation, percentage participating in the classroom option in real-time and those who did so actively (questioning, discussing, etc.). Qualitative data of
student learning experiences informed the findings further.

Results: Fifty-six percent of enrolled students participated in classrooms in real-time and 9% viewed recorded sessions. The survey response rate was 56%. Non-traditional students were highly represented; with 65% of undergraduate and 100% of postgraduate students being mature-age. Seventy-one percent of undergraduate and 89% of postgraduate survey responders who participated in classrooms in real-time did so actively. The most common reason for participation in real-time was family and work commitments (76%). Participating students gave overwhelming positive feedback of the classroom experience, in particular around its interactive nature, blended learning approaches and user-friendliness.

Conclusion: The classrooms supported active student participation in online learning. Students valued the interactive and blended learning features, known to be congruent with effective learning, student satisfaction and retention.