Project Objectives

The project studied the perceptions and needs of the students about eLearning strategies in order to inform eLearning strategy planning and improvements. A 62-item online questionnaire was sent to all undergraduate CUHK students. Although the response rate was not high (13.4%), there were 1440 replies and responders were representative of all year levels and faculties. There was also an even gender balance. Preliminary results showed: (1) while most of the students used computers for a variety of purposes, they used them extensively for social networking and communication; (2) students had limited experience in eLearning strategies but the expected usefulness of these strategies was high; (3) students could relate eLearning strategies to many different kinds of learning benefits (acquisition of knowledge being the most obvious one). Additional survey data was collected with over 400 secondary school students, and in three focus groups of undergraduates.

Evaluation of outcomes

We expected that the project would be useful: if the study was carried out systematically with a representative sample; if the data enabled us to better understand relevant issues; and results were widely disseminated. We are satisfied that these conditions have been fulfilled and that the project’s results will inform improvements of existing eLearning strategies, and the directions for the next generation of eLearning innovations (including the selection of the CUHK eLearning platform).

Dissemination of results & deliverables

Further analyses are now ongoing (as planned). Preliminary results of the study were reported in CUHK’s Expo (http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/eLearning/expo/) and are recorded in one paper recently submitted to an international conference. One report was written to inform eLearning planning in the Faculty of Arts. A sharing session is also being organized with staff in the Educational Development Centre at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.