Increasing student grades in large online subjects: Combining tutorial support with technology

Abstract

Three large first-year undergraduate subjects with 240-517 enrolled students were selected to participate in this pilot study. A meeting scheduling tool was embedded in the learning management system and thirty-minute, one-on-one tutorial sessions were available to students in the 2 weeks leading up to the due date of at least one large written task. Thirty one percent (31%) of enrolled students attended at least one appointment with a tutor. There was no difference in the average assessment mark that students obtained before the first tutorial was offered between those who attended a tutorial session for a later assessment item and those who did not. There was a significant increase in the average cumulative grade (10%, p<0.05) of students who attended a tutorial. The novel use of the calendar booking tool combined with online meeting technology provides a simple and convenient method to provide personalised feedback to a large cohort of students.