Abstract:

The ability to access relevant information online and harness the resources offered by the views and opinions of others have become important skills recognised by individuals, organisations and institutions (Goldie, 2016 p.1066). There are multiple interactions that the computer science (CS) undergraduate students carryout to acquire information and skills to execute their projects. Understanding these interactions is quite a challenge. The student join a myriad of technical and technology interest groups and some take a number of online lessons delivered through network learning communities (NLC) using innumerable learning approaches.

This research aims to externalise the student learning on this module from the interactions with network learning nodes (Cronin, Cochrane and Gordon, 2016 p.1). A content relativist ontological (O’Grady, 2010, p.285) belief is pursued in this research. An emic epistemology (Olive, 2014, p.3) is employed to analyse the multiple interactions of the students at different stages of their projects to gain an in-depth knowledge about the student learning. Using inductive reasoning, the epistemology of networked learning knowledge from the study is constructed in relational dialogue or collaborative interaction (Hodgson et al, 2012 p.293) from the data collected. This knowledge in this research is generated with a subject, idiographic, qualitative and insider perspective in the analysis and results due to the fluid nature of the CS content.

A qualitative research to explore students learning on the module at Lancaster University Ghana using semi-structured interview is presented, buttressed by the researcher’s experience as well as the experience of the other three faculties at the department. A post analysis using a single case study methodology of the module in 2018/19 academic year is used. The analysis on the current use of online CS learning resources by students, learning activities, learning environment, situations as they formulate, delineate and execute their projects are presented through connectivism lens.

The research questions are formulated as follows:
RQ1: What are the learning challenges for Computer Science students particularly in the initial stages of the CS projects module?
RQ2: How do the third year LUG CS students select their project topic within their personal networked learning community?
RQ3: How does connectivism learning practices and principles guide the students in their project module?

A random sample of six students from the 17 students in class were interviewed. Additional data from students’ end of module presentations, final write-up, and semi-structured interviews with the other three supervisors are used in triangulation and peer debriefing validation.

From the results and discussion there are multiple versions of learning on this module, but the learning is shaped by the context of the class, and the projects they embark on. The projects understudy are mainly connectivism and network learning theory based. The results show some tacit knowledge (Virtaren 2011, p.3) at work in acquiring the skills needed by the students.

The study informs the future CS curriculum design, learning outcomes specification, undergraduate pedagogy practices, as well as how to support and scaffold teaching and learning activities (Biggs and Tang, 2011).

Keywords:

Network learning, connectivism, computer science.