Using Moodle to familiarise prospective students with HE level learning Carolyne Jacobs Presented at Moodlemoot Edinburgh 2014 www.moodlemoot.ie

1. Using Moodle to familiarise prospective
students with HE level learning
Carolyne Jacobs, University of Portsmouth
Moodle Moot 2014, Edinburgh

2. Moodle helping prepare students for HE learning
Preparing for the University of
Portsmouth (PrepUP)
What is it?
History?
Evidence of success?
Where are we now?
Transferability?

3. Moodle helping prepare students for HE learning
Students’expectations and experiences:
what are the mismatches?
Research-based evidence highlight the following issues:
❏ Coping academically
❏ ‘Fitting in’ with others on their course
❏ Making new friends generally
❏ Knowing what is expected of them
Mismatches can have a negative impact on student
experiences and retention

4. Moodle helping prepare students for HE learning
Students need/want to know?
❏ Topics they will be studying
❏ What happens in a typical week
❏ The format of a lecture seminar (how many students? what they will be
expected to do, etc.)
❏ Balance of contact time/independent study
+
❏ information about the city (location, transport,
etc.)
❏ accommodation
❏ social activities/sport

5. Moodle helping prepare students for HE learning
What is PrepUP?
Moodle-based resource:
Hints and tips about preparing for HE level study
Structure of course
University structure (faculties, depts/schools, etc.)
University heirarchy (VC, Deans, HoDs, lecturers)
Library and student services
+
Course-based groups on Facebook

6. Moodle helping prepare students for HE learning
PrepUP: history
2008: started as a small faculty-based project in
Blackboard (WebCT) resources and discussion grps
2009: web-based resources with Fb grps
2013: transferred to Moodle + Fb grps
Approx
2,500 registrations per year for website/Moodle
1,500 for Fb groups

7. Moodle helping prepare students for HE learning
Feedback from students
“The 'My Course' section was very helpful when I was preparing for university. The sections on 'Recommended Reading' and
'First Year Topics' were also great and gave me an insight into what to expect.”
“I think the videos really help students imagine the life ahead of them so they know what to expect from university.”
“Timetable was quite useful, quizzes were a good way to get me to research things about the Uni, for example I didn't know
anything about the Spinnaker Tower, after doing the quiz on it I felt like I built the thing!”
“It relieved some of my anxiety,especially towards walking into the lecture of my own.”
“As an international student, this site helped me a lot in learning more about the university.and also,communicating with other
new students around the globe gave me a satisfactory view about the school, how organised and standardised the university
operate.”
Demo

8. Moodle helping prepare students for HE learning
Impact on retention
Did not access PrepUP Did access PrepUP
2011: No show/left course early
23.1% 8.6%
2013:
No show/left course early 6.8% 3.1%

9. Moodle helping prepare students for HE learning
The future….
At University of Portsmouth
❏ Keeping in Moodle
❏ Re-designing for September 2014
Transferability
??

10. Moodle helping prepare students for HE learning
Thank you
Carolyne Jacobs
Head of Technology Enhanced Learning (Projects)
University of Portsmouth
carolyne.jacobs@port.ac.uk