The Effects Of Students’ Perception Of Blended Learning With Moodle On Their Goal Setting And Learni...

THE EFFECTS OF STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION OF BLENDED LEARNING WITH MOODLE ON THEIR GOAL SETTING AND LEARNING STRATEGIES Tang Thi Thuy, Nguyen Thi Thao Linh, Pham Tuan Anh (VNU University of Education) Abstract Blended learning plays an important role in the learning process of students during the Covid 19 pandemic In consequence, the study aims to explore the impact of the Moodle platform on students’ goal setting and learning strategies in a blended learning environment The study employed quantitativ[.]

WITH MOODLE ON THEIR GOAL SETTING AND LEARNING STRATEGIES

Tang Thi Thuy, Nguyen Thi Thao Linh, Pham Tuan Anh

(VNU University of Education)

Abstract: Blended learning plays an important role in the learning process of students during the Covid-19

pandemic In consequence, the study aims to explore the impact of the Moodle platform on students’ goal setting and learning strategies in a blended learning environment The study employed quantitative research by using an online survey created at Google Form involving 292 undergraduates at Vietnam National University - University

of Education (VNU-UEd) SPSS 25.0 was used to perform linear regression analysis of Moodle features, which involved collaborative learning, perceived behavioural control, emotion and the intention to continue using the platform Additionally, the study inspected whether the mentioned features have a significant influence on students’ ability to set goals and strategize their learning process The research findings could aid instructors to implement Moodle efficiently and accelerate the self-directed learning process of students.

Keywords: Blended learning, Moodle, goal setting, learning strategies.

1 INTRODUCTION

There is no doubt that the education industry has suffered from disruption and challenges posed

by the Covid-19 pandemic Consequently, it is evident that the sector must undergo acclimatization to the contemporary situation This leads to a change in the form of education when traditional or online teaching is no longer suitable for the current context, and that form is called blended learning or BL (Tayebi Nik & Puteh, 2012)

In order to overcome the existing disadvantages of online teaching and inflexibility of traditional teaching, an educational model that accentuates the merits of the two styles should be desirable Results show that the BL implementation in higher education institutions was quickly secured, as lectures discovered that the diverse combination of learning forms could help students facilitate goal setting and the development of effective learning strategies to achieve desired learning outcomes (Lim & Morris, 2009)

To be able to learn effectively in a blended environment, learners are recommended to be active, prioritize tasks, and schedule timelines for assignments, etc (Zimmerman, 1990) Therefore, setting goals and strategies in learning is among the factors contributing to the process of forming and developing self-regulation (Chang, 2018)

Moodle, the online learning platform, is widely used around the world because it offers more flexibility than other learning environments in terms of location, time and pace of learners’ learning (Hung, Chang, & Hwang, 2011) According to Maghfiroh (2017), Moodle encourages self-regulation

of learners by implementing the “Problem-based Learning” model Unfortunately, the study only

encompasses the properties of the goal setting and planning components in the self-control capacity, but neglects to show the impact of Moodle on the mentioned components

With the ability to create a highly interactive environment and a variety of resources, conducting educational activities on Moodle increases learners’ self-regulation, including choosing appropriate learning strategies (Núñez et al., 2011) For university students, Moodle promotes a series of strategies which allow students to manage their learning processes in a more proficient and autonomous way Furthermore, students engaged in the Moodle platform could notice a significant improvement in their knowledge as well as enrichment in academic understanding

In addition, linguistic communication skills are also improved, enhancing the communication effectiveness between teachers and students as well as between students themselves (Al-Ani, 2013) Siirak (2008) also believes that the application of information technology in the blended learning environment like on Moodle may prove beneficial to building a suitable, safe, and convenient learning environment for students

In Vietnam, teaching in a mixed environment based on the Moodle platform has piqued the interest

of many educators and researchers However, there has been limited literature focusing on its impact on learners’ self-regulation involving goal setting and strategy formulation Therefore, this study aims to achieve the following objectives:

1 Discover the factors influencing the ability to set goals and develop learning strategies of students

2 Describe the impact of characteristics of BL through learning on the Moodle platform on setting goals and strategic learning

3 Build a model showing the relationship between the mentioned factors, thereby making conclusions and recommendations facilitating self-regulation among students

2 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Blended learning

2.1.1 Definition

The term “Blended learning” is generally understood to be a pedagogical method that combines face-to-face and online learning As depicted by Leibowitz and Frank (2011), the BL method synergizes with both conventional and online classrooms, with the former regarded as an extension of the traditional method The integration of BL also enables educators to host a portion of classroom activities online instead of undergoing the traditional means with the aim of achieving the highest educational efficiency (Picciano, 2006) Another matter of importance is the ratio of the two educational methods In their analysis of blended learning, Allen et al (2007) underlines that 30 percent to 79 percent of the course duration conducted online is the requirement for one to be defined as a BL course

There is a considerable amount of literature on the close correlation between the adaptation of

BL and usage of the Moodle software Established on the socio-cultural model (Moodle, 2012), Moodle boasts capabilities as a student-centered teaching method, in which both learners and educators are actively engaged in the educational process Tertiary institutions have a tendency to adopt BL in order to improve the accessibility and flexibility of the learning environment as well as improve cost effectiveness, while the vital goal remains to be the improvement of the quality of learning practices In a study assessing the

academic results of learners in BL conditions, Means et al (2013) points out a higher education efficiency among students in BL courses than those solely following the traditional method

2.1.2 Features of blended learning 

2.1.2.1 Learning method flexibility

Jackson (2017) underlines the importance of flexibility in the Moodle application, which allows students to have easy access to the course materials and adjusts itself to the schedule and ability of every individual (Susana et al., 2015)

The learning methodology (LM) of BL consists of effective goal setting and a step-by-step learning strategy Sarah (2020) has established the following principles for LM:

1 Enrich the learning experience for learners by combining traditional and online learning environments

2 Increase learners - learners and learners - teachers interactions through the application of advanced technology and appropriate teaching methods

3 Clearly define goals and learning plans in the learning process

4 Evaluate academic performance of students

Thus, learning method flexibility (LMF) creates a dynamic learning environment that encourages interaction between class members, facilitates goal setting and strategic learning, and evaluates the satisfaction of the set goals

2.1.2.2 Collaborative learning

“Goal setting” is defined by Moeller et al (2012) to refer to the process of setting clear and suitable learning goals in accordance with the learners’ own abilities In their seminal paper of 1991, Latham & Locke asserted the modulation of behaviors of learners by GS, which has since been developed into a standard framework for prediction, explanation, and improvement of a person’s motivation in a work environment

The GS theory suggests that there are two orientations in which learners could develop their goals The first direction is task-oriented with the purpose of self-improvement, while the other is competency-oriented and fixating on endowments at the end of the course (Dweck, 1986)

Additionally, Latham, Locke, & Fasina (2002) mentioned in a study that people who set high and specific goals achieve higher performance than those with ambiguous goals Therefore, it could be inferred that the established goal must be unambiguous and ambitious enough yet still attainable provided with the ability of the learner

2.2 Learning management system Moodle

Moodle (Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment) is an open source Content Management System (CMS) software that enables educators to provide learners with study materials with the goal of building a quality online environment (Shrestha & Pokharel, 2021) According to Baker and Yacef (2009), Moodle is simultaneously referred to as a Learning Management System (LMS) and a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) through which users could learn, participate in educational forums and communicate with others Through the means of Moodle, evaluation of education performances and the effectiveness of learning materials would demand less effort than that following a traditional classroom

Moodle has flourished especially at tertiary level for the last few decades In actuality, educational institutions use Moodle to deploy online learning solutions due to either the lack of the necessary infrastructure and resources (Schredina et al., 2021) or external factors such as the Covid pandemic, the former of which prevents students from attending face-to-face education

Built with open source code, Moodle is susceptible to modification by adding of the desired functionalities in the form of plugins, packages, or modules (Kolekar et al., 2018) The creation and application of said modules could be carried out without interfering with the native system However, to

be able to combine all these functions, one must be mindful of portability and apply a common standard for modules Regarding the Moodle software in the developmental stage, Magdin (2016) underlines the need for easy access for facilitators and ability to integrate the educational content before applying it to the teaching curriculum

More than just a platform to host teaching videos and give students assignments, Moodle could organize CL for learners through online discussion forums and keep a record of their activities through the logging system (Aher & Lobo, 2012) Dutt et al (2017) point out that learners generate large amounts of data such as course completion rates, attendance, and academic results by interacting with the software itself As a result, the Moodle LMS could design a personalized course suitable for each individual based on the original student model The accumulated metadata would be used for research or assessment purposes, thereby allowing the system to tailor the course to the learner’s expectations and abilities (Limongelli et al., 2011)

2.3 Goal setting and Strategy learning

2.3.1 Goal setting

“Goal setting” is defined by Moeller et al (2012) to refer to the process of setting clear and suitable learning goals in accordance with the learners’ own abilities In their seminal paper of 1991, Latham & Locke asserted the modulation of behaviors of learners by GS, which has since been developed into a standard framework for prediction, explanation, and improvement of a person’s motivation in a work environment

The GS theory suggests that there are two orientations in which learners could develop their goals The first direction is task-oriented with the purpose of self-improvement, while the other is competency-oriented and fixating on endowments at the end of the course (Dweck, 1986)

Additionally, Latham, Locke, & Fasina (2002) mentioned in a study that people who set high and specific goals achieve higher performance than those with ambiguous goals Therefore, it could be inferred that the established goal must be unambiguous and ambitious enough yet still attainable provided with the ability of the learner

2.3.2 Strategy learning

According to Pino-Juste & Lopéz (2010), the ability to learn is exemplified by an individual capable

of observing, experiencing new things, relating accumulated knowledge with new one, and applying said knowledge in appropriate situations A learning strategy would comprise a sequence of steps or actions which learners would follow to have a more meaningful learning experience and satisfy the demands of the course

In a VLE, direct and immediate help from the educator might not always be available, necessitating the modification of the learning process for students to achieve their learning goals Contrary to the fixed schedule in the traditional classroom, the VLE grants learners an opportunity to deliberately arrange their schedule and access learning materials at their own discretion (Kizilcec et al., 2017)

Setting goals and having a learning strategy is among the first steps to develop self-regulated learning Should learners set specific goals and develop a practical study plan, the chance of academic success and accomplishment of the course objectives would improve

3 METHOD

3.1 Sample 

A sample is described as a part or representative of the population that must be studied (Iswanto, 2021) A total of 292 students studying at University of Education - VNU in the second semester of the academic year 2020-2021 were randomly selected This sample represents students who are using Moodle

as a type of blended learning on the courses The description of the study sample is shown in Table 1

Table 1 The demographic description of the study sample

Study levels

Major group

With 292 students participating in this study, 155 out of 292 are freshmen (approx 53.1%), 95 are sophomores (approx 32.5%), 25 are juniors (approx 8.6%), and the remaining 17 are seniors (approx 5.8%) The majority of the students participating in the survey are female, which accounts for nearly 87.7% More than half of the surveyees (approx 53.1%) belong to the specialised group GD1, which consists of Mathematics and Natural Sciences majors

3.2 Research Instrument

According to Louis et al (2000), questionnaires are a widely used tool for collecting useful information and an effective statistical database The questionnaire used in this research is close-ended and built on Google Form Its structure consists of three parts:

Part 1: Collecting personal information including gender, study-levels, majors and time spent on the Moodle software

Part 2: Measuring the ability to set goals and develop learning strategies with 2 constructs, namely

GS and SL, accompanied by 12 items The components are adapted from those of Barnard et al (2010)

Part 3: Collecting information about students’ attitudes when learning in a blended learning environment (Moodle) through the 2 constructs

All questionnaire items use 5-point Likert-type items scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to

5 (strongly agree) According to Iswanto (2021), the closed data is divided into four levels which are low average rating, medium average rating, high average rating, and very high rating The low average obtained according to the Likert scale is the class with an average value of 1.00-2.60, the medium average is moderated with the range 2.60 - 3.40, the high average ranges from 3.40-4.20, and the very high average is among the range of 4.20-5.00

O determine the reliability of the device, Cronbach-Alpha was used, and a random sample of 30 students was selected The value was found to be 0.943 out of total items, 0.906 for goal setting, 0.878 for strategic learning and 0.939 for the features of Blended learning All of the mentioned values are above 0.800, which indicates great liability of subsequent results

3.3 Data collection 

The survey was conducted from April 19 to April 30, 2021 The questionnaire was sent to each student via Google Form During data collection, we explained the purpose of the survey and their participation was voluntary, anonymous and they could withdraw it at any time Each student took about 15-20 minutes to answer the questionnaire The collected data was transferred to an excel file and transferred to SPSS 25.0 for analysis

3.4 Data analysis 

The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 25.0, the statistical analysis includes qualitative analysis and building a regression model that demonstrates the relationship between the features of BL and student’s goal setting and learning strategies

4 RESULT

Table 2 Moodle knowledge and use

Frequency Percentage

Major group

Moodle

experience

Regarding the Moodle experience, the large group of respondents (50.7%) reported having one semester of experience and only 5.5% reported less than one semester of experience, suggesting that most students use Moodle for the first time when they begin their university studies Most participants used Moodle from 1-3 hours a week (49.7%), and only 11.3% reported using it more than 5 hours a week

This study identifies the features of BL that affect students’ attitudes toward learning and using the Moodle online learning platform The features are shown in Table 3

Table 3 Means and Standard Deviation of students’ responses for the features of BL

LMF

LMF1 The objectives and program outcome standards of courses on

Moodle are clearly defined and easy to understand

LMF2 The course content and materials provided on Moodle are

arranged in a logical and efficient order

LMF3 I can develop a suitable learning method when using Moodle 3.66 0.773

LMF

LMF4 Thanks to Moodle, I can participate in class discussions more

effectively

LMF5 By using Moodle, I can access materials and participate in

educational activities anywhere and anytime

LMF6 The academic resources on Moodle are diverse and substantial 3.64 0.793

LMF7 I can learn at my own pace using Moodle 3.75 0.723

LMF8 I can easily modify my study plan using Moodle 3.69 0.751

CL

CL1 I can interact regularly with my teachers and classmates on Moodle 3.46 0.866

CL2 I can exchange ideas with my classmates in discussion forums

on Moodle

CL3 Thanks to the discussion tool (or Forum), I actively participate in

discussions with the class

CL4 I get feedback and help from my teachers and classmates on

Moodle

The results show the features of BL in learning at a high level of effectiveness ranges from 3.4 to 4.2 as a criterion for evaluation A flexible learning method receives the highest agreement of 3.73 when students were learning on Moodle It makes students feel active in learning, choosing the suitable course, understanding their learning process and being able to study at any time they want Then, collaboration and communication, the features of the Moodle platform, is 3.51

Through students’ answers (Table 3), it is inferred that students can access documents and participate

in learning activities anywhere and anytime thanks to Moodle (3.88) Furthermore, students found they could easily adjust their study plan using Moodle (3.69)

Getting the learning results as well as the feedback from teachers and classmates is considered essential, and students receive them when learning on Moodle (3.61) Thanks to the discussion tool (Forum), students feel that they are more actively engaged in discussions with the class on forums, which helps them adjust and choose better learning strategies (3.54)

When studying in different environments, students will come up with different learning goals and strategies to achieve the desired learning outcomes

Table 4 Means and Standard Deviation of GS and SL

Mean Deviation Std

GS

GS1 I develop a study plan for all 4 years of university 3.64 0.865 GS2 I develop a study plan for each course to achieve my learning goals 3.70 0.831 GS3 I set specific goals for each of my assignments 3.63 0.808

GS5 I develop a study plan for each course to get good grades 3.74 0.817

SL

SL2 I take pictures of the lecture slides in class 3.83 0.850 SL3 I read all materials required by the instructor 3.61 0.836 SL4 I look up more course-related materials that are not included in the course

requirements

3.57 0.803

SL5 I discuss with my classmates to revise what I have learned 3.81 0.829 SL6 I discuss what I know and do not know about the course with my classmate 3.86 0.782

SL7 I ask questions to the instructor whenever I have difficulties with the course 3.60 0.850

Table 4 describes students’ perception about planning and learning strategies of students during

their study at the university With goal setting or study planning, most students have planned for each module to help them get a good result (3.74), especially if they have a study plan for the next 4 years at university (3.64) Their goals are detailed for each of their learning tasks (3.63)

After setting detailed and clear learning goals, the choice of learning strategies plays an important role

in achieving those goals (3.74) Taking careful notes of lectures in class (3.9) or taking pictures slides of lecturers in class (3.83) is one of the strategies that most students carry out in the learning process When they do not clearly understand a certain content or knowledge, students will choose to discuss with their classmates (3.86), with lectures (3.6) or read the documents requested by lecturers (3.61) but actively searching and reading more documents related to the course that are not included in the required documents did not get high results compared to other criteria (3.57)

In summary, students agree on the need for goal setting and strategic choices during their study at the University In a blended learning environment through the Moodle platform, does it help students improve goal setting and choose strategies to achieve better learning outcomes?

Table 5.  Correlations among the features of BL with goal setting and strategy learning

** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed)

The correlations were all higher than 0.3 were statistically significant at the 0.01 confidence level

In our correlation matrix, all correlations between factors are statistically significant at the 0.01 level, with values greater than or equal to 0.4

To see clearly which factors of BL had the strongest/least impact on GS and SL, we ran a multivariable regression model and gave the results in Table 6

Table 6 Coefficients features of BL with goal setting

Unstandardized

Table 7 Coefficients features of BL with strategy learning

Unstandardized

The results show that sig Regression coefficients of the independent variables (LMF, CL) are all less than 0.05, so these variables are all significant for the dependent variable (GS, SL), no variables are removed We have the standard regression model as follows:

GS = 1.573 + 0.227 LMF + 0.315 CL

SL = 2.085 + 0.302 LMF + 0.177 CL

All factors have significatively positive effects on GS and SL In which, CL has a strongly positive impact on GS (Beta = 0.315) While, SL is strongly influenced by LMF (Beta = 0.302) It means student’s goal setting and strategy learning affected by student’s perception on blended learning This is positive correlation

5 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

Moodle is an effective BL, and its application suffices as an online learning platform during the pandemic (Iswanto, 2021) Therefore, determining learning goals as well as choosing a reasonable strategy is necessary when learning in a BL environment

The aim of this study was to identify the factors affecting students’ ability to set goals and develop learning strategies, and provide a model illustrating the relationship between the mentioned factors When determining the learning goal, students will pay attention to the interactive process and ask their classmates or lecturers about what you have learned through this module Meanwhile, in order to choose a smart and appropriate learning strategy, students believe that the flexible BL method helps them better identify the needed process when learning from other classmates’ experiences

Supposing students do not study in a blended learning environment, it may prove difficult for them to set course goals and learning strategies for the coming school years Therefore, the BL learning environment has helped students improve these two skills through flexible and collaborative learning methods

All in all, in order to increase the ability to plan and set learning goals, it is advised that teachers tailor lessons to increase interaction and group activities on the Moodle platform, hence instigating their desire to explore, discover their own abilities, and understand more about the content of the course Furthermore, diversifying the course materials provides a wider array of selection for learners to

do research on the extra information other than that is required At the same time, being flexible in study time and place helps learners to actively learn and develop appropriate learning strategies to achieve high academic results

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