Abstract:

This study analyses the use of two ICT tools in the theory learning of a chemical engineering course. Moodle tests and Socrative quizzes were applied with the aim of favouring continuous study, student motivation and satisfaction with course topics learning in order to improve students’ academic results. For this purpose, the marks of the exams are related to the ICT tools used in order to select the most efficient tool.

In order to check whether the use of these two tools influence on the students’ marks, the study has been applied to three groups with around 50 students in each. The subject’s syllabus includes seven theory lessons. These were divided in three blocks. In each group, Moodle tests, Socrative quizzes and no ICT tool were applied to the blocks. This way, each group uses a different tool for a given block of theory lessons. Only one tool per block and group were used in order to analyse the effect of each tool. All the tools were applied to all the groups but in different blocks.

Results of three academic years, 2017-2018, 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 are compared. In the academic year 2017-2018 no ICT tools were used, whilst these tools were used in the following other academic years. The results in general show that higher scores are obtained in block I, regardless the methodology used.

When analyzing and comparing the scores obtained for the same block in different class groups, no clear trend is observed. This allows to conclude no significant influence of the use of ICTs on students’ performance.

Keywords:

ICT tool, Higher Education, academic results.