91app

At the 91app, understanding and adapting to the needs of a global student community is one of our greatest challenges and opportunities. No two online, distance and flexible learners will have the same study experience, and so the work of the Centre for Online and Distance Education (CODE) is crucial in researching and understanding best practice in online and distance education. 

An example of this is the project undertaken with UoL students Eliya Ndume Nduelib and Alexander Wade to learn more about the student experience of online assessments, which led to a SEDA/Jisc Student Partnership Impact award for their contribution. We caught up with them to hear about their experience of taking part in the research and how it helped them to connect with their fellow students. 

How did you get involved in the Centre for Online and Distance Education? 

Eliya Ndume: I saw the advertisement that CODE were looking for volunteers to do some research on the student experience of online assessments. As someone who had completed assessments both online and in-person, I was interested in the research and felt like I had an experience to share. 

Alex: I saw the email invite to apply to become a CODE Student Fellow and I was keen to develop my research skills and gain some experience for my CV, so decided to go for it. I was quite surprised when I got accepted, so it just goes to show you should always give something a try! 

Could you tell us a bit more about the project? 

A: It was all related to the impact of the pandemic on distance learning and the very rapid transition that the University had to make into online assessments. Our task was to take part in the research with the student body itself, conducting research interviews, collecting data and feedback on how students felt about the process.  

E: The experience was very rich; I talked to people from Southern African countries, Europe, America, Australia, learning about people’s experience of studying and being assessed on science and the social sciences all over the world. Winning the award was really encouraging; I didn’t think that the contribution I had made would be so highly valued. I thought I was doing something simple at the time, but seeing the interest in the research has motivated me to take on similar projects in the future, to give people the voice and the frame to express themselves. 

How did you find balancing involvement with CODE with your studies?

E: The flexibility of CODE and the UoL degree structure helped me to balance my studies. I would spend some time on my module readings and contributing to discussion forums. I could arrange interviews for the project around my work commitments with the people I was interviewing. 

A: Over the year, the time commitment of CODE is very manageable. We had one initial meeting with the whole cohort which was really enjoyable, and after that we could manage our workload independently. CODE Student Fellows are in their second year of University onwards, so by that time you have learned how to manage your time. 

What advice would you give to your fellow students looking to get involved with research projects? 

A: Don’t be intimidated to try something new. There is lots that you can learn to do quite quickly with no prior experience. I would particularly encourage independent learners to apply when the opportunity arises, as being involved in CODE really connected me to the wider University community. 

E: You can gain a lot of experience from a project like this. Collecting and analysing qualitative data requires reflection and good listening skills. Even people studying on the same programme will have different backgrounds and constraints and research like this shines a light on students’ experiences. It was a great opportunity for me to put the theory I had learned on my programme into practice and I got a great sense of accomplishment from the project. 

CODE Student Fellows support the Centre’s projects by carrying out specific tasks in agreement with a CODE Fellow supervisor. The opportunity allows students to gain transferable skills in areas such as resource evaluation, collecting and analysing data, undertaking a literature review and conducting a survey. 

Look out for the next invitation to apply for a placement as a CODE Student Fellow.