GREEN MODULES FOR SUSTAINABILITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION: A LONGITUDE STUDY ON IMPACT ON STUDENTS

1. GREEN MODULES FOR SUSTAINABILITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION: A LONGITUDE STUDY ON IMPACT ON STUDENTS By Dr. Fadi Safieddine & Dr. Sin Wee Lee Keywords: Green Module, Paperless, Education, Student Experience, Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).

2. Presentation Content • Introduction • Background • Methodology • Results and outcome • Conclusion and recommendations for further research. 2

3. Introduction: Part 1 • The concept of Paperless classroom is not new. • No previous study looked at the effect the switch has on students as they move from: Paper based Classroom Paperless Classroom  Green Classroom 3

4. Introduction: Part 2 • Green Classroom (or subject) is a term where a module is delivered completely green. • A completely green classroom means teaching, delivery of material, assessment, feedback and marking done: • Paperless • No use of storage devices • This paper studies the progress of four modules over period of six years as they switch from paper based, to paperless and then to Green modules. • The focus of this paper is the effect of this switch on students performance and experience. 4

5. Case Study: • Four modules in Computing over five years of teaching moving from paper-based (P) to paperless (PL) then totally Green (G). • Progress of these modules show table 1. Table 1: Transfer from paper-based, paperless and onto Green modules. 5

6. Methodology: • Use of Virtual Learning Environment to deliver subject: 6

7. Methodology: • Student submit their assignment online via the website: 7

8. Methodology: • Course work collected by academics online and marked using ‘Comments’ in MS Word. 8

9. Methodology: • Course work is uploaded back online with detailed feedback returned with grade to students.

10. Methodology: • The full management of course work is done online by multiple groups and tutors. 10

11. Methodology: • The full management of course work is done online by multiple groups and tutors. 11

12. Methodology: • Students end of term Feedback is collected and analysed online. 12

13. Methodology: • Even work collated for external review, internal and external validations are stored electronically. 13

14. Research Questions • Two research questions are examined to determine the impact of switching from a paper-based module to a green module on students: • What effect, if any, does the switch from paper-based to green module has on students performance? • What effect, if any, does the switch from paper-based to green module has on students experience? 14

15. Research Results: • Questions 1: Whateffect, ifany, doestheswitchfrompaper-basedtogreen module has onstudents performance? • For question one, we shall review students’grades and passing rate from period 2006/2007 to 2007/2008 and compare them with period between 2009/2010 to 2011/2012 and whether there is a difference and is this difference statistically significant. Table 2: Passing rates (UEL Delta Records, 2012) 15

16. Research Results: • Questions 1: Whateffect, ifany, doestheswitchfrompaper-basedtogreen module has onstudents performance? Table 3: Class average grade. (UEL Delta Records, 2012) 16

17. Research Results: • Questions 1: Whateffect, ifany, doestheswitchfrompaper-basedtogreen module has onstudents performance? • Analysis: • While all correlation results show positive correlation on all the modules, there are some significant variations. • Passing rate: Only two out of the four module could be considered statistically significant. • Class average: three out of the four module could be considered significant correlation with one module having minor or no correlation significance. • Conclusions: • The team can safely conclude that the switch to from paper-based to Green module will not have a negative impact on progression rate or class average. • In fact, positive impact should be expected in most cases. 17

18. Research Results: • Questions 2: What effect, if any, does the switch from paper-based to green module has on students experience? • For question two, we reviewed students’ feedback period between 2009/2010 to 2011/2012 on their experience with Green modules as compared to their experiences with none Green modules that are running parallel and whether there is a difference and is this difference statistically significant. Table 4: Green module feedback (Source WebCTassessment) 18

19. Research Results: • Questions 2: What effect, if any, does the switch from paper-based to green module has on students experience? • Analysis & Conclusion: • The rate of satisfaction with the green module across all four modules is 78.8% as opposed to 5.7% who are not satisfied with the switch. • We are able to conclusively demonstrate that the majority of students welcomed the switch and the resistance to the switched was within acceptable rate. 19

20. Research Limitations: • General limitations: • All four modules are computing, which not includes final year computing, and module with exams as part of the assessment method. • All computing modules may have facilitated the switch given that all students tend to have a computer and/or majority have laptops or tablets as well. • Some of the results in module improvements maybe attributed to the natural process of improvements the module has over the years as staff get more experienced in the subject. 20

21. Further Research: • More inclusive experiment in other schools. • Answering two more questions regarding the quantitative aspects of the switch which will be in our future publication. • What is the quantitative cost benefit effect of converting a module from paper based to green? • What is the qualitative cost benefit effect of converting a module from paper based to green? 21

22. References: Adams, W. J. and Jansen, B.J. (1997). Information technology and the classroom of the future. Society for Information Technology in Education Conference. Orlando, Florida. Jadali, F. (1999). Paperless classrooms. Tech Directions 14(2). Retrieved November 2, 2008 from Academic Search Complete: ISSN 10629351. Fei Wang, Jeremy (2010). Creating a Paperless Classroom with the Best of Two Worlds, Journal of Instructional Pedagogies. 2. Slowinski, J. (2000). Flaunt IT: Construction of a Paperless Classroom, in L. Mealy and B. Loller (eds) e-learning: Expanding the Training Classroom through Technology, pp. 117-127, IHRIM, Inc. Rea, A., White, D., McHaney, R. and Sanchez, C. (2000) Pedagogical Methodology in Virtual Courses,” in A. Aggarwal (ed.) Web-based learning and teaching technologies: opportunities and challenges, pp. 138-139, Idea Group. Lutes, Kyle D., Harriger, Alka (2003). Essignments – A step toward the paperless classroom. Meyer, Barabra (2008). The Process of Implementing a Paperless Classroom in Teacher Education Using an Electronic Portfolio System. MountainRise, the International Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. Downloaded from the Internet on September 22, 2012 at http://www.wcu.edu/facctr/mountainrise/archive/vol5no1/html/MR83.pdf Arney, J., Jones,I., and Wolf, A. (2010) Going green: paperless technology and feedback from the classroom, Journal of Sustainability and Green Business. – Downloaded from http://www.aabri.com/manuscripts/10539.pdf (Last accessed 4th of September 2012) De Bonis, Susan and De Bonis, Nick (2011). Going Green: Managing a Paperless Classroom, US-China Education Review A 1 (2011) 83-87. ISSN 1548-6613 Whilser, V., and Prater, M. (2010). Economics of Paperless Classroom, Council for Economic Education National Association of Economic Educators – Global Association of Teachers of Economics. Annual conference – Miami, Florida. Kupetz, Allen H. (2008). Is the Paperless Classroom Possible? Biz Ed. January/February 2008 edition. Downloaded from the Internet on September 22, 2012 at Hawaii International Conference on Education. Downloaded from the Internet on September 22, 2012 at http://www.shaunperry.info/uploads/6/4/5/4/6454831/36-41_paperless_bized.pdf Keller, J., and Burkman, E. (1994) Motivation Principles in M. Fleming and W. H. Levie (eds) Instructional Message Design: Principles from the Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences, 2nd edition, Englewood Cliffs NJ: Educational Technology Publications. Ryan, J.T. (2008). Document-management systems offer efficiency, save paper. Central Penn Business Journal, 1(2). Thompson, T.(2008). Less paper trumps paperless. Health Management Technology, pp. 42-43. Jurgens, F. M. (2000). The paperless classroom goes to sea. Sea Power 43(2). Retrieved November 2, 2008 from ProQuest: ISSN 01991337. Osmon, Peter (2011). Paperless classrooms: a networked Tablet PC in front of every child. Smith, C. (Ed.) Proceedings of the British Society for Research into Learning Mathematics 31(2). Davis, D. (2002). The paperless classroom: e-filing and e-valuating students’ work in English composition. Teaching English in the Two Year College, 30(2), pp. 162-176. WebCT (2012) Blackboard Digital Content, August 2012. Available at: http://www.blackboard.com/Platforms/Learn/Products/Blackboard-Digital-Content.aspx 22

23. Q&A • For more details, please read our publication at: • INTED 2013: Safieddine. F. and Wee Lee .S (2013). Green Modules For Sustainability in Higher Education: A Longitude Study on Impact on Students. INTED. Valencia, Spain. • Contact us: • Dr. Fadi Safieddine, Dr. Sin Wee Lee • f.safieddine@uel.ac.uk, s.w.lee@uel.ac.uk 23