Training ELF faculty to create a blended learning environment: Encouraging CMS adoption and implementation

Travis Cote & Brett Milliner Tamagawa University

EuroCALL - Universita di Padova, Italy 26~29 August 2015

tertiary institutions are embracing technology and

e-learning

(Alharbi & Drew, 2014; Lee & Cheong, 2008)

touting e-learning strategies and components

1. To attract prospective students

2. To receive government grants

e-learning components are tied to educational grants

universities have invested in expensive CMS and LMS

systems

(Alharbi & Drew, 2014; Arroway et al., 2009; Browne et al., 2006; Fathema & Sutton, 2013; Toland, White, Millis & Bolliger, 2014)

yet…

faculty (CMS & LMS) usage rates are very low

(Black, Beck, Dawson, Jinks & DiPietro, 2007; Fathema & Sutton, 2013; Halawi and McCarthy, 2007; Park, Lee & Cheong, 2008)

Tokyo, JapanTamagawa University

Center for English as a Lingua Franca (CELF)

✤ 2800 students (1st ~ 4th year) ✤ 43 teachers (12 full-time & 31 part-time) ✤ wide variety of first language & cultural

backgrounds

the Blackboard CMS

Blackboard system utilisationPe

rcen

tage

of u

se

0%

50%

100%

97%

57%54%

(Hashimoto, 2014)

Classroom Teacher Student

campus-wide Blackboard CMS utilisation (Hashimoto, 2014)

58%42%

Using Bb Not using Bb

22%

78%

Part-time faculty usageFull-time faculty usage

Blackboard apps usage App Usage

Announcements 485Blogs 534

Discussion Boards 74Class Materials 456

Tests 69e-mail 2

Teacher Information 30Grades 80

Bb CMS usage by department Department full-time faculty part-time facultyHumanities 100% 47%Engineering 97% 42%ELF Center 89% 78%

Tourism 88% 0%Business 87% 56%

Liberal Arts 87% 76%Arts 86% 33%

Agriculture 76% 36%Education 64% 23%

(Hashimoto, 2014; Milliner & Cote, 2014)

our research

Research details• Observe how ELF teachers are employing the Bb CMS. • Identify where we can provide more effective support. • Identify reasons why CELF faculty are higher frequency

users of the Bb CMS. • Identify how we can foster a more effective application

of the Blackboard CMS in our ELF program.

Blackboard use: CELF (fall 2014)

Overall clicks 1815 45~12,810

Teacher clicks 318 0~10,000

Student clicks 485 0~2,934

Note: Data is taken from a total of 76 classes, a student population of 1800, and 33 faculty members

lower degree of utilisation (fall 2014)

MeasureNumber of

classes (n=76)

Number of teachers (N=33)

<500 Overall clicks 24 11

(9 p/t) <100

Teacher clicks 24 13 (11 p/t)

<500 Student clicks 32 16

(14 p/t)Note: Data is taken from a total of 76 classes, a student population of 1800, and 33 faculty members

the technology acceptance model (TAM)

(Davis 1989; Alharbi & Drew, 2014)

the technology acceptance model (TAM)Perceived

usefulness

Perceived ease of

use

Attitude toward using

Behavioural intention

to use

Actual system

use

(Davis, 1989; Alharbi & Drew, 2014)

TAM questionnaire

• Faculty orientation mtg. March 2015

• 29 respondents • 7 full-time • 22 part-time

CMS experience

Experience # of teachers %

none 8 23%

<1year 3 10%1~3 Years 14 48%3~5 Years 2 7%

>5 Years 2 7%

reliability & validity

✤ .91 Cronbach Alpha score

>.07 is considered as having a high internal consistency and reliability. (Fathema & Sutton, 2013)

hypotheses tests

1. Perceived ease of use (PEOU) &

Perceived usefulness (PU)

Correlations Factors PU

rs-value .512

PEOU p-value .005

2. Perceived ease of use (PEOU) &

Attitude towards using (ATU)

Correlations Factors ATU

rs-value .461

PEOU p-value .012

3. Perceived usefulness (PU) &

Attitude towards using (ATU)

Correlations Factors ATU

rs-value .754

PU p-value .000

4. Perceived usefulness (PU) &

Behavioural intention to use (BIU)

Correlations Factors BIU

rs-value .669

PU p-value .000

5. Attitude towards use (ATU) &

Behavioural intention to use (BIU)

Correlations Factors BIU

rs-value .595

ATU p-value .001

6. Perceived ease of use (PEOU) &

Behavioural intention to use (BIU)

Correlations Factors BIU

rs-value .364

PEOU p-value .053

additional variables

1. Teacher’s Blackboard experience 2. Teacher’s employment status

conclusions

conclusions✤ CELF faculty are among the highest user groups on campus ✤ 1/3 of faculty were identified as underutilising the system ✤ Areas where faculty need more training and support were

identified ✤ CELF faculty generally have a positive attitude towards our

Blackboard CMS ✤ Faculty perceptions of Blackboard’s usefulness appears to be the

strongest influence on their decisions to use the CMS ✤ When perceived ease of use increases, faculty perceptions of the

CMS’ usefulness, and their general attitude towards using the software, is strengthened

moving forward

✤ More training to focus on areas faculty are underutilising the system. (e.g., grades and tests)

✤ Focus CMS training on providing concrete examples of how the CMS can be effectively used in ELF classes

✤ Share more examples of how the CMS can be effectively used in ELF classes on the CELF teacher’s webpage.

✤ Promote the ease of using the CMS

ReferencesAlharbi, S., & Drew, S. (2014). Using the technology assessment model in understanding academics behavioral intention to use learning management systems. International Journal of Advanced Computer Science Applications, 5(1), 143-154.

Arroway, P., Davenport, E., Xu, G., & Undergrove, D. (2009). EDUCAUSE core data service for fiscal year 2009 summary report. Boulder, CO: EDUCAUSE.

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McCabe, D. B., & Meuter, M. L. (2011). A student view of technology in the classroom: Does it enhance the seven principles of good practice in undergraduate education?, The Journal of Marketing Education 33(2), 149-159. DOI: 10.1177/0273475311410847

Milliner, B., & Cote, T. (2014). Blackboard in the center for English as a lingua franca, e-Education Newsletter 2, 1-6.

Shroff, R. H., Deneen, C., & Ng., E. M. (2011). Analysis of the technology acceptance model in examining students’ behavioural intention to use an e-portfolio system. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 27(4), 600-618.

Toland, S., White, J., Mills, D., & Bolliger, D. U. (2014). EFL instructors perceptions of usefulness and ease of use of the LMS Manaba, The jaltcalljournal, 10(3), 221-236.

Travis Cote -travis@bus.tamagawa.ac.jp Brett Milliner -milliner@lit.tamagawa.ac.jp

Thank you for attending

EuroCALL - Universita di Padova, Italy, 26~29 August 2015