Student usage of a learning management system at an open distance learning institute: A case study in electrical engineering

Abstract

Growth in student numbers and heavy teaching workloads may negatively influence the quality of teaching and learning in higher education. Various strategies have been introduced to try and address these concerns. One specific strategy involves the use of learning management systems to enhance the interaction between students and academics. The purpose of this article is to highlight student usage of a learning management system in electrical engineering at an open distance learning institute in South Africa, correlating it to the student’s academic achievement. The lack of 100% student engagement suggests that not all students have access to the Internet. A relationship was established between the pass rates of the modules and the student usage of the learning management system and student support given via the learning management system. Final grade results suggest that students who fully engaged with the learning management system are more likely to succeed in an open distance learning environment.