The impact of technology on the teaching and assessment of ‘systems’ diagrams in two online environmental management modules

Abstract

The context and tools used to create diagrams may hinder or help students in learning how to represent a situation and how to learn about diagramming and the situation at the same time. These equally provide opportunities and challenges to tutors in teaching, assessing and providing feedback on these diagrams, particularly for students studying at a distance. Two online undergraduate modules, dealing with environmental management at The Open University UK, require students to share diagrams with other students, to work collaboratively on diagrams in small groups and include diagrams in all assignments. This paper reports on students’ and tutors’ experiences of using diagrams before, during and outside involvement with both modules to better understand the main factors that influence their educational value, in particular the part that familiarity, experience and confidence in the techniques, the technologies and acts of sharing played in supporting learning or not.

Keywords:

• Diagrams
• technology
• teaching and assessment
• systems

Notes

1. A current example of this is the free Guide to Diagrams available on the OU UK’s OpenLearn website.

2. A full degree requires 360 credits; with 120 credits gained at each level.

3. While a few students may study at full time intensity all OU UK students are classified as studying part-time in official statistics.

4. This is essentially like the photo sharing site Flickr.

5. Free resources explaining systems thinking and systems diagrams as taught at the OU UK can be found on the OU UK’s OpenLearn website at http://www.open.edu/openlearn/science-maths-technology/computing-and-ict/systems-computer/systems-thinking-and-practice/content-section-0 and http://www.open.edu/openlearn/science-maths-technology/computing-and-ict/systems-computer/systems-diagramming/content-section-0

6. Although reference is also made to the free Guide to Diagrams mentioned earlier.

7. The textual quotes from participants in this research study are presented verbatim, including any spelling, punctuation or grammatical errors, as these do not affect the meaning of the quotes but ensure the authenticity of this data-set for readers.