Multi-Disciplinary Learning and Innovation

Advancements in technology have transformed education by enabling new ways of learning and increasing collaboration. However, learners’ perception and challenges faced with the adoption of technology are unclear. Understanding this is important as it will allow organisations to design effective strategies to promote a seamless integration of technology to enhance classroom learning.   
The aim of this study is to understand the perceptions and challenges faced by learners upon the implementation of e-learning techniques in an institution. 
This study was conducted in a social service training institute from January to February 2018. Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to learners who attended a blended-learning course. Blended-learning course was defined as a course which consisted of either 1) electronic notes (e-notes) or 2) pre-learning activity (e.g. e-quiz) on the online learning platform (i.e. Learning Cloud). Self-administered questionnaire covered areas on the ease of access to Learning Cloud, learners’ perception on the integration of technology into training pedagogy and if this enhanced learning. Descriptive statistics was employed to describe the responses. 
Of the 417 learners surveyed, 4 learners who did not provide demographic information were excluded, leaving 413 (99%) learners for the analyses. The profile of our learners were: 38.4% were aged between 20-29 years, 76.6% were Chinese, 69% were female and 78.6% held a degree and higher qualifications. In general, learners had a positive perception towards the integration of technology into training pedagogy. Results showed that 90.2% of the learners were able to access the training materials on Learning Cloud. In addition, 69.5% of the learners perceived an improvement in learning experience while 63.1% of the learners acknowledged that the pre-learning helped to reinforce classroom learning. Importantly, 60% of the learners commented that e-learning enhanced learning experience and translated to improved job performance. Key challenges faced by learners were related to note-taking with the integration of e-notes, logistics of an additional device and navigation issues of Learning Cloud. 
In summary, learners perceived the integration of technology with training pedagogy as beneficial to self-learning. However, there are factors the institution should be mindful of to ensure a seamless integration of technology with classroom learning. 
 

Online education is widely recognised as providing the general community with greater access to higher education including those with disabilities. However, this mode of study can introduce additional learning barriers to those with disabilities. The present research evaluated the usability of an online psychology course site that had adopted key web accessibility principles. This evaluation comprised two components: (i) one-to-one interviews with students with disabilities, who examined the online course site and provided feedback on usability and ease of navigation, and (ii) examination of learning analytics data and subject evaluation survey of student experience to examine whether adoption of web accessibility principles impacted on student engagement, interaction, and satisfaction. The findings indicate clear benefits for students with disabilities with regards to removing learning barriers within the online learning environment. Comparison of subject experience survey results obtained from students (with and without disability) enrolled in the subject pre-adoption of accessibility standards with students enrolled in the subject post-adoption of web accessibility standards indicated no substantial differences in student satisfaction, with student satisfaction being consistently high in both teaching sessions. However, examination of learning analytics data obtained for the two sessions suggests increased engagement and interactions with the learning resources after adoption of web accessibility standards. The findings of this project indicate that adoption of web accessibility standards has clear benefits for all students, not just those students with accessibility issues. In order to implement web accessibility standards within the online learning environment, it is recommended that a university-wide strategy for implementation of web accessibility standards be adopted to develop staff competencies in accessibility. Training can focus on understanding these standards, developing sites that conform to these standards, and using assistive tools/software for accessibility. A university-wide strategy is required to ensure appropriate resourcing to support the adoption of web accessibility standards (e.g., IT support for selecting and piloting software/platforms that support accessibility, Educational Designer support in designing online subject sites that meet standards, appropriate resourcing to support implementation of web accessibility standards, and appropriate workload allocation to academic staff for developing and maintaining subject sites).