Using a Glossary Random Entry Tool on Moodle online learning sites to improve students' engagement

A pilot study

Abstract

Making online learning material visually stimulating to students is vital for student learning. Engaging with interactive material that captures the students' attention and develops their interest can be particularly challenging for core 100-level papers. This paper reports an initiative to design a highly visual 'key-concepts' component for the Moodle online learning environment to stimulate students' interest and improve engagement. Key concepts were generated from the 100-level paper - Applied Sciences for Health Professionals - and then presented through a Glossary Random Entry function. The design of each key concept is short, highly visual and easy to understand. We report initial usage statistics of the component compared to other items on the learning site and conclude that the introduction of a highly visual 'key-concepts' does stimulate student interest and engagement with the online learning site.