Abstract:

Using technology as an instructional tool improves students understanding [1] and enhances their productivity. In early 2006, Ajman University of Science & Technology (AUST) decided to adopt Moodle as a Learning Management System (LMS) to incorporate the traditional face-to-face teaching method with a web-based learning environment to improve the ways:
i) Course materials are delivered,
ii) Assessments are provided to its students, and also
iii) Interaction between students/instructors and students/students is enhanced.
iv) Improve quality control of student faculty interaction

Since its inception three years ago the Academic E-Services at AUSt have had 50% of courses and 50% of the Faculty members and 60% of our students are using the system. Measure the number of users, the frequency of use, and the number of courses has always been easy. Although this information is helpful, it is not enough if the University wants to measure the effectiveness of the implementation of LMS for enhancing AUST pedagogic performance.

This study describes the integration of the Moodle Learning Management System (LMS) as a supplementary tool to the traditional learning process, which is adopted for by AUST to foster the student new competencies. This will enable them to learn more successfully in a rapidly changing technological society [2]. This approach requires a change in the student learning process which has to be directed toward a constructivist [3] learning method that promotes self-learning, the instructor as informant and facilitator and also peer teaching.
In order to adequately assess the effectiveness of this new instructional tool, two survey forms (one for students and another one for instructors) were prepared using reliable and validated questions.
This paper describes the result of this study which indicates that new instructional tools give meaningful improvement to the learning/teaching process, and encourage students to be self-learners. Furthermore, the paper suggests a set of recommendations to improve the limitations students and instructors are facing in the use of the new learning methodology.

References:
[1]: Hanna, B.E. & De Nooy, J.
A funny thing happened on the way to the forum: Electronic discussion and foreign language learning. Language Learning & Technology, 7 (1), 2003.

[2]: Shanaa, Z.
Learning with Technology: Using Discussion Forums to augment a traditional-Style Class. Educational Technology & Society, 12 (3), 2009.

[3]: Martin, A. & Rader, H.
Towards e-literacy, Information and IT literacy: enabling learning in the 21st century, 2003.

Keywords:

Constructivist learning model, e-learning, instructional tools, assessment, students’ performance.