Description of the study
The study by Abdelaziz Bouroumi and Rkia Fajr is devoted to the usage of online technologies in studies, particularly, the collaborative and cooperative learning. The study involved two groups of students (24 and 23) who took a course of algorithms and programming and had the permanent access to the online version of this course hosted by Moodle (Bouroumi and Fajr 67). The three-part course was meant for a full semester and was aimed, among other activities, at collaborative learning. The opportunities of the platform were explained to students in face-to-face sessions. The results of the various forms of activities were expressed in the numerical form and compared to the previous performance of students in the non-Moodle course. The feedback from the students was collected on every stage of the study.
What makes it a case study?
The study is a case study since it is devoted to a consistent, long-term, and thorough investigation of the particular case. The data included students’ feedback, which is characteristic of qualitative studies; the results were interpreted in the context of the study. The comparisons and numerical expression of the results, while not exactly characteristic of qualitative research, can be used in a case study; in this situation, both measures were necessary to make the results more understandable and reliable (Maxwell 244-245).
What can we learn from their results?
The results of the study demonstrate that e-learning appears to increase students’ engagement, initiative, and communication, all of which has a positive impact on their learning outcomes (that includes writing and communication skills), and even serves to increase their self-esteem. The online chats were not very popular, but students commented positively on the option. Quiz tools proved to be useful for teachers as well as students; they also provided evidence to the fact that e-learning students perform better. The effectiveness of collaboration also increased which was demonstrated by the students’ project performance. The results of the study clearly indicate that the opportunities of e-learning should be used by modern tutors and students.
What are the potential strengths and weaknesses of this study?
The major strength of the study is the highly contemporary and much-needed topic: the opportunities offered by modern technologies but underused in practice. The applicability of the study is another strength along with the format of a case study and the consequent all-encompassing analysis of the project. The comparison of the results to the performance of pre-Moodle students makes the outcomes more tangible and assessable.
The primary weakness of the paper is the sudden discrepancy in the test results (the mid-term failure). While the authors found the explanation for the problem, other explanations could be suggested as well. Another problem is the face-to-face sessions that were designed to assist students in understanding the possibilities of the platform. This is a bit unrealistic and makes the results somewhat artificial. However, this drawback could be regarded as a guideline, as it demonstrates that the creation of customized e-learning tool is insufficient; students must be taught how to use the tool.
The weaknesses of the study
- The face-to-face explanations, while effective, seem to be somewhat unrealistic. I would suggest group discussion or a guide for the tool. At the same time, I realize that such suggestions have drawbacks (the guide would require continuous updating; group discussions may reduce the understanding for some students). What could be the possible solution?
- According to the authors, the drop in the mid-term performance that was caused by the switch to the “classic” type of tests is explained by the fact that this type of tests cannot evaluate the outcomes of the e-learning. Also, they believe that the standard tests cannot be properly implemented in the electronic form (Bouroumi and Fajr 71). Could there be other reasons for this drop? For example, the higher possibility of cheating during multiple choice tests (guesses), students getting used to a particular type of tests and so on?
Works Cited
Bouroumi, Abdelaziz, and Rkia Fajr. “Collaborative And Cooperative E-Learning In Higher Education In Morocco: A Case Study”. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning 9.1 (2014): 66-72. International Association of Online Engineering Database. Web.
Maxwell, Joseph. “Designing a Qualitative Study.” The SAGE Handbook of Applied Social Research Methods. Ed. Leonard Bickman, and Debra J. Rog. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc., 2009. 214-54. SAGE knowledge. Web.