Teaching research methodology

IN AN ONLINE ODL ENVIRONMENT:

STRATEGIES FOLLOWED AND LESSONS
LEARNT

M. de Beer*
Department of Industrial and Organisational Psychology
e-mail: dbeerm@unisa.ac.za

S. C. van der Westhuizen*

Department of Industrial and Organisational Psychology
e-mail: vdwessc@unisa.ac.za

N. N. Bekwa*
Department of Industrial and Organisational Psychology
e-mail: bekwann@unisa.ac.za

M. Petersen-Waughtal*
Directorate: Curriculum and Learning Development
e-mail: peterm1@unisa.ac.za

L. E. van Zyl*
Department of Industrial and Organisational Psychology
e-mail: vzylle@unisa.ac.za

university
of south africa

South African Journal of Higher Education ISSN 1011-3487

Volume 29 | Number 2 | 2015 © Unisa Press
pp. 56–81

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De Beer et al. Teaching research methodology

M. Sadiki*
Department of Industrial and Organisational Psychology
e-mail: sadikm@unisa.ac.za

* University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa

Abstract
This article provides an overview of an open and distance learning (ODL) honours
online research methodology module. The module was developed to address
the requirements of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET)
for the new Programme Quality Mix (PQM) honours degrees. This semester
module involves 15 active weeks of learning, culminating in the submission of
a Portfolio of Evidence summative assessment task. Specific features of the
module are described to illustrate how teaching the content was approached
in an ODL context. The aim of the approach followed was to enhance student
motivation, while maintaining consistent progress in achieving the required
learning outcomes throughout the semester. Initial results and student feedback
are presented.

Keywords: open and distance learning, online teaching and learning, research
methodology, postgraduate students

INTRODUCTION
Technology impacts on all spheres of life – including teaching. It has become a core
element of online teaching and learning in particular, and its impact on the educational
domain (Schober et al. 2006, 73), especially in open and distance learning (ODL)
contexts, is undeniable. In ODL, the aim is to open the world of higher education (HE)
to more individuals by bridging the distance created by communication difficulties,
economic, educational, geographical and social factors and time. It aims to bring
together students and the higher education institutions (HEIs), students and lecturers,
students and their courseware (learning environments) and students and their peers
(Odeyemi 2012, 73; O’Rourke 2009, 7; Unisa 2008, 2). ODL provides flexible
learning opportunities through learning environments that are process oriented and
designed to promote discovery versus memorisation or mere repetition of contents
(Bates 2012b; Odeyemi 2012, 74). The nature of the ODL environment requires
students to manage the diverse and often conflicting demands and responsibilities
of work and family, along with their commitment to further education and learning.

57
De Beer et al. Teaching research methodology

For the new Programme Quality Mix (PQM) degrees at honours level, the
Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) legislated that at least 30
of the 120 credits of the degree should relate to research in the form of conducting
and reporting on research under supervision (Department of Education 2007).
These credits do not include the preparatory research methodology teaching that is
required to equip students with the knowledge, skills and understanding necessary
to prepare an acceptable research proposal and to conduct research and report the
results in an acceptable scientific/academic format. Among many other dilemmas
faced in the development of an online ODL module for the teaching of research
methodology, there is a tendency towards negativity among students about research-
related modules. In fact, the majority of students only take these (unpopular) modules
because they are compulsory (Schober et al. 2006, 73). Introducing innovative and
alternative approaches to the teaching of these modules is therefore key in creating a
positive teaching and learning environment for both lecturers and students.
Research into teaching and learning in ODL contexts is receiving a growing
amount of attention and should lead to a better understanding of the demands and
benefits of this approach towards academic offering (Schober et al. 2006, 73). The
current article presents the specific approaches, methods and techniques used in
the development of an online ODL module for Honours level study of Research
Methodology, as well as academic results and some biographical information of
students. Institutional ethics approval was obtained for ODL research on modules
offered in the Department. For the questionnaire in which biographical and other
data was gathered, only the data of students who had provided consent for their
information to be used is presented.

CONTEXTUAL FACTORS IMPACTING ON THE

DEVELOPMENT OF AN ODL MODULE IN RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY

Online tuition in an ODL context

Using online platforms, ODL institutions can enhance their reach and address the
educational needs of their students around the world (Simpson 2002, 8). Online
delivery has the potential to provide effective, dialogic, student-centred, personalised
education for students around the globe, as opposed to the more traditional
transmission model of education (Simpson 2002, 8). Online tuition provides access
to additional resources, explanations and glossaries through various web links (the
connectivist approach to teaching and learning). Since the younger generation of
students has grown up with technology, they are likely to be intrigued by the use of
technology in a teaching environment (Al-Khatib 2009, 1–2; Bates 2012a, 2012b;

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De Beer et al. Teaching research methodology

Chaves 2009, 1; Kisling 2012, 536; Odeyemi 2012, 73; Tracey 2009). Such use of
technology to link up with students is in line with the new approaches to teaching
and learning, all of which focus on the active involvement of students in the learning
process. ‘The aim is to reorient the learners to remain within and not outside learning
and look at innovative ways to raise the interest of the learner through grounding
learning in the context of the learner’ (Al-Khatib 2009, 2–3).
Although various authors propose that online tuition could meet the learning
needs of students in ODL environments, it is essential to keep a balanced view.
Online tuition has the potential to be associated with a pedagogy that reflects the
transmission model – an approach that alienates students and does not generate the
desired engagement (Al-Khatib 2009, 2). In this regard, Al-Khatib (2009, 4) proposes
that instead of simply including information and communication technology (ICT)-
supported activities in existing instructional pedagogy, ICT integration should entail
new models that reflect the context of the learners and their experience of a practice-
reflection duality in the learning process. These models should therefore engage the
learners in a dialogic and enquiry-based process in their pursuit of learning.

Unisa online learning environment

In 2006, the University of South Africa (Unisa) introduced an online learning
environment in the form of myUnisa and students eagerly embraced the online
learning environment. This is evidenced in this research module’s 2012 myUnisa
usage statistics. During the first and second semesters of this first year that the
module was offered (when 676 and 841 students were, respectively, registered for
this module), 130 894 and 106 981 student activities were recorded on myUnisa. The
myUnisa tools utilised the most were announcements (course emails) on the part of
the lecturers, and assignment submissions and file downloads (usually in the form of
study material downloads) on the part of the students.

Diversity of the student population

As an ODL institution, Unisa accommodates huge student numbers and the wide
dispersion of students in terms of their location has led to increased use of technology
to improve the interaction with and service delivery to students. Student numbers
in 2011 were reported at 328 179 (Unisa 2012b, 3) with the majority (41.47%)
registering in the College of Economic and Management Sciences (CEMS) (Unisa
2012b, 4), the college for which this module was initially developed. In terms of
gender distribution, females make up the majority (61.4%) of Unisa students (Unisa
2012b, 10), while in terms of ‘race groups’ the majority of students are African
(69.4%), followed by white (17.7%), Indian (7.5%) and coloured (5.4%) (Unisa
2012b, 11). The majority (56.8%) of the Unisa student population is in the 25- to
29-year-old age group, followed by 24 years and younger (25.8%), 40 to 49 years

59
De Beer et al. Teaching research methodology

old (14.1%) and 50 years and older (3.3%). Most students (88.7%) study part time
(Unisa 2012b, 10), which means that they have multiple responsibilities at work and
at home in addition to their study commitments. The above institutional information
justifies to some extent the use of technology, online teaching and online learning
offerings to deliver an optimal service to students as far as their learning experience
and administrative support are concerned.
The diversity of the student population to which the research methodology
module is presented needs to be acknowledged. This diversity is, however, not limited
to the usual demographics, but extends to the level of exposure the students have had
to research. Nguyen and Clark (2005, 3) stress the importance of this diversity in
cases similar to this module, where students with advanced knowledge of research
are welcomed, students with intermediate knowledge are accepted and those students
who are underprepared with no prior knowledge or exposure to research are catered
for. This wide range of experience makes it imperative to consider a balancing act
between the level at which the module is pitched and the experience of the students
(Nguyen and Clark 2005, 3). These factors were taken into account when the module
was planned, developed and implemented.
The diversity of the group of students is clear from Table 1, which presents some
biographical data for those students who completed the baseline survey in the second
week of the two semesters concerned.

Students’ attitudes towards research methodology courses

It has been reported that the majority of students in the tertiary education environment
experience elevated levels of psychological distress and disengagement (Howell
2009, 1–2; Ouweneel, Le Blanc and Schaufeli 2011, 142–143; Van Zyl 2012, 117).
These affective responses are facilitated through a perceived feeling of incompetence
when exposed to elements perceived not to be in the students’ current field of interest/
study (Noddings 2003, 89; Wiggins 1993, 107). Furthermore, learning difficulties
in research methodology classes often have a negative impact on students’ attitude
towards and interest in research, as well as on their academic performance (Wheeler
and Elliott 2008, 133). Similarly, students enrolled for study in the economic and
management sciences do not readily assume that aspects of research and statistics
will be studied (Kreitner and Kinicki 2007, 207). As a result, they may report higher
levels of anxiety, psychological stress and study disengagement if there is a large
discrepancy between their expectation of the course and their actual experience
(Howell 2009, 9; Ouweneel et al. 2011, 149–152).

60
 Total Semester Semester
Variable of Percentage Percentage Percentage
Category N= 1 2
interest (%) (%) (%)
550 N = 344 N = 206
Table 1:
De Beer et al.

Highest Missing data 2 .4 - - 2 1.0

completed
3 year
qualification 428 77.8 275 79.9 153 74.3
B-degree
survey

4 year
101 18.4 55 16.0 46 22.3
B-degree
Honours
17 3.1 12 3.5 5 2.4
degree
Master’s
2 .4 2 .6 - -
degree
Home Afrikaans 96 17.5 74 21.5 22 10.7

61
language
English 197 35.8 130 37.8 67 32.5
isiNdebele 11 2.0 5 1.5 6 2.9
isiXhosa 34 6.2 23 6.7 11 5.3
isiZulu 41 7.5 24 7.0 17 8.3
Sepedi 42 7.6 19 5.5 23 11.2
Sesotho 23 4.2 12 3.5 11 5.3
Setswana 39 7.1 19 5.5 20 9.7
SiSwati 9 1.6 6 1.7 3 1.5
Tshivenda 5 .9 3 .9 2 1.0
Xitsonga 17 3.1 9 2.6 8 3.9
Other 36 6.5 20 5.8 16 7.8
Some biographical information of students who completed the baseline
Teaching research methodology
De Beer et al. Teaching research methodology

*Reflecting the results only of students who had completed the questionnaire and provided consent for use
17.0

10.7

72.3

36.9

55.3
3.9
3.9
-
149

114
35

22

76
8
8
-
70.9

38.1

51.5
8.1

4.4
5.8
.9

-
244

131

177
72

28

15
20
1
19.5

71.5

37.6

52.9
9.1

4.2
5.1
.2
107

393

207

291
50

23
28
1
Working part
Unemployed

Missing data
Unisa centre
Internet café
Working full

computer

computer
Work

Own
time

time
Employment

of their data
Internet
access
status

The popularity of research courses compared with that of the main study focus areas
is generally significantly lower (Schober et al. 2006, 73). Students therefore tend to
show lower levels of motivation to actively participate in research method modules
(Bauman 2004, 143; Wheeler and Elliott 2008, 134). Not only do students start
out with lower levels of motivation for the research courses, but in many instances
their interest also declines further over time (Schober et al. 2006, 73). According to
Schober et al. (2006, 74), ‘methodology courses are not only unpopular, but are also

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De Beer et al. Teaching research methodology

associated with the highest levels of anxiety among students’. Students often register
for research methodology courses because they are compulsory, and not because they
voluntarily choose to take these courses. This reluctance is usually associated with
the negative attitudes that students have towards research and other research-related
courses such as statistics and mathematics (Coetzee and Van der Merwe 2010, 1;
Papanastasiou 2005, 1; Terre Blanche, Durrheim and Painter 2006, vii).
Lower levels of motivation in a specific module affect not only dedication to
the content, but also productivity, study engagement and academic performance
(Bauman 2004, 143–144; Epstein 1987, 78). Low motivation also instills higher
levels of resistance to research in the given fields (Epstein 1987, 78–79; Wheeler and
Elliott 2008, 134–135). A negative attitude towards methodology courses is often
associated with postponed enrolment, poor performance and avoidance of application
of the subject content after completion (Schober et al. 2006, 74). What is more,
the value of research in students’ current/future occupations is diminished by these
negative perceptions (Holley et al. 2007, 101). Specific strategies and interventions
must be introduced and implemented to address these negative outcomes.
Because students are generally less than positive about taking (often compulsory)
research methodology modules (Ekmekci, Hancock and Swayze 2012, 272; Schober
et al. 2006, 73), the staff involved in the development of an online ODL module
for research methodology was particularly concerned about providing a worthwhile
learning experience to students. The aim was to help them to remain engaged
with their academic learning for this module and not to feel overwhelmed by the
demands of a module often associated with higher levels of anxiety among students.
Various techniques and methods were incorporated in the development and online
presentation of the module concerned and are reported on in this article.

The importance of collaboration and team work in the

development of online ODL courses
Properly designed learning environments are a vital element in an ODL system such
as Unisa’s. Lecturers engage with students via the learning environments and (if
properly designed) these learning environments promote self-directed learning on
the part of students. During the planning stage, serious consideration was given
to recognising the importance of the interrelated components of online learning,
namely technology, course content, people and the learning tasks (Chen 2007, 75).
Technology is explained as the mode that drives the online aspect of the module, while
course content is based on the requirements for a module in Research Methodology
at honours level. The people component includes all the key role players (such as the
administrator, students, lecturers, course developers, lecturers as course managers
and external markers), while the learning tasks entail the learning outcomes or goals
of the module (Allach, Essaaidi and Ahmed 2011, 107; Chen 2007, 75). All these

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De Beer et al. Teaching research methodology

components were considered when developing and implementing the compulsory

Research Methodology module that was introduced for the honours degree in 2012.
A team approach was adopted to ensure that all elements were covered towards
enhancing the success of the implementation process (Unisa 2010, 2). Njenga and
Fourie (2010, 209–210) recommend that since most lecturers are constrained for
time when designing online learning programmes, all possible stakeholders should
be engaged in the development process. From 2011 onwards, Unisa mandated the
use of a team approach in the design, development and facilitation of learning
experiences. At different stages in this process, a team comprising the lecturers and
other support departments (such as ICT), Library Services, curriculum and learning
design division and layout artists) work together (Nikolaou and Koutsouba 2012, 1;
Odeyemi 2012, 73; Unisa 2010, 2). Since the Research Methodology module was
one of the first fully online modules with such high student numbers, the learning
content that lecturers wanted to include in the module had to be carefully weighed
against practical system constraints on ICT’s side, copyright restrictions on the
part of the Library Services, and solid assessment principles as prescribed by the
curriculum and learning design division.
All of the above were crucial factors to be taken into account in the attempt to
understand and accommodate specific requirements within the context in which the
online module would be developed and implemented.

OPTIMISING LEARNING: THE MODULE DESIGN AND

PRESENTATION

Adopting a structured approach

With due consideration to the above challenges, a structured framework was adopted
in which the module was broken down into manageable weekly topics. This was
deliberately done to ensure that students would not be overwhelmed by the volume
of work contained in the module. As suggested by Nguyen and Clark (2005, 2), it is
essential to optimise learning by managing, minimising and maximising the intrinsic,
extraneous and germane cognitive loads, respectively. For this research module, the
intrinsic load would be the weekly topic guide sections (used to introduce the content
for the week and provide referrals to the prescribed book), while the extraneous load
would be the resources provided for each of the weeks. The topics were compiled
per week for ease of access and the germane load included additional resources
such as the templates, research proposal examples and datasets that were added to
enhance learning. The extraneous load was revised and trimmed down for the second
semester by deleting all the repeated resources and using a single reference to each
resource, linking to the week in which it was first provided.

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De Beer et al. Teaching research methodology

The total content of the module was divided into smaller steps covering the 15-
week study period allowed in a semester. This was presented in a tabulated format
dealing with the week number, dates, theme for each week, the relevant chapter in
the prescribed book, the self-assessment or output for each week, and additional or
optional resources. An extract from the table supplied to the students is provided
in Figure 1 below. The additional optional tasks were prepared specifically for the
advanced students who may have been exposed to research prior to this module
and who would feel less challenged if treated similarly as students with no prior
knowledge of research. The inclusion of these tasks therefore addresses the specific
need to challenge the advanced students.

Figure 1: Extract from tabulated content of the module presented to students

In addition to the structured tabulated framework, an illustration of the so-called

‘research walk’ was presented to allow students to depict the steps to be taken in the
15-week journey of learning. Further information clearly stated the time demands of
the module, the learning tasks, the responsibilities of the lecturers and the expectations
and duties of students. According to Hess, Falkofske and Young (2009, 4), providing
clear and detailed information on what is ahead in a learning sphere enables students
to approach their learning experience with realistic expectations and less anxiety.
The constructivist learning approach adopted in the module provided for
continuous assessment and activities for students to promote meaningful learning

65
De Beer et al. Teaching research methodology

during each week. It also afforded students the opportunity to reflect on experiences
for personal growth (Chen 2007, 74; Duron, Limbach and Waugh 2006, 160). All
these activities demanded the investment of a lot of time and effort by key role
players to ensure the success of the module.

Self-assessment activities to enhance student study

engagement
Since the module was developed in such a way that it encourages students to
engage with the learning content on a weekly basis, a brief online questionnaire
for self-evaluation was compiled to test student knowledge of the content covered
in the particular week. This is in line with the practice of constantly quizzing or
evaluating students, which Marcell (2008, 1) highlights as being essential to increase
participation and performance online. It was also decided to include a baseline
measurement for students to complete in the first week of commencing the research
methodology module. The baseline measurement served several purposes. One of
the primary purposes was to increase early and ongoing student engagement in the
module. As the first self-evaluation to be completed for the module, its aim was to
help students to familiarise themselves with the use of the self-evaluation tool on
myUnisa and getting into the routine of completing self-evaluations on a weekly
basis.
Previous research suggests that a practical approach in modules or authentic
learning tasks embedded in the course content will enable students to see the
value of the knowledge and skills that they are acquiring and will increase their
understanding of the theory (Schulze 2009, 995). Hence another purpose of the
baseline questionnaire was to practically illustrate some of the principles and
content that students were learning about in the module. During the completion of
the baseline measurement, students were taught one of the basic ethical principles
when conducting research, namely informed consent. Students were asked to give
their informed consent when completing the baseline measurement, but were first
taught the meaning of informed consent and the reason for its importance when
conducting research. Another element that was illustrated for students in completing
the baseline measurement was the difference between quantitative and qualitative
questions, because examples of each are included in the measurement (Baran and
Jones 2012, 515–516).
Feedback on the baseline questionnaire was presented to students within two
weeks of their submission of the baseline questionnaire data. The reasoning was
that once students had completed the online baseline questionnaire themselves, they
would find it interesting to see the questions’ results for the student group registered
for this module. Both quantitative and qualitative data obtained from students who
had submitted the questionnaire (and provided consent for their data to be used)

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De Beer et al. Teaching research methodology

were reported to all registered students. The aim was to provide them with a basic
understanding of these two broad approaches that form part of the learning material of
the module (Baran and Jones 2012, 515). It was deemed imperative to engage students
in this way early in the semester, so that they could develop a basic understanding
of working with data from both a quantitative and a qualitative perspective. Having
answered the relevant questions themselves, it was hoped that by presenting the
student group information, some of the analysis methods used would not seem so
overwhelming or strange to the majority of students. This strategy was intended to
teach them what is involved in a typical research process and to motivate them to
equip themselves with the necessary skills to independently conduct similar (survey
and other research) activities.
Feedback on the two formative assignments and other self-assessment exercises
was managed in a similar fashion. Feedback on the results of the student group was
provided within two weeks of the submission of the assignments and incorporated
feedback on the self-assessment exercises completed up to the formative submission
dates. In the feedback, both quantitative and qualitative data was presented – once
again to provide students with first-hand examples of the different approaches, the
type of analysis done and what kind of results could be reported (Baran and Jones
2012, 515–516).
Since this is a new module, the baseline measurement is also used to gain a
better understanding of the group of students enrolled for the module. According to
O’Rourke (2009, 11), one should make a conscious effort to identify the needs and
other factors that influence students’ learning experience so as to successfully meet
their learning need. In ODL research, one cannot assume that there are large numbers
of similar students. Furthermore, in an ODL institution, the distance does not only
imply a physical distance, but also a psychological distance from the institution
(O’Rourke 2009, 7). Students are often rooted in their own reality, and this may
be totally different from the institution’s perception of the students. Hence, besides
gathering biographical and background information from the students, the baseline
measurement also encourages students to share their current thoughts and feelings
on research. As mentioned earlier, it is assumed that postgraduate students, like
undergraduate students, would typically tend to have negative attitudes and feelings
towards research-related courses (Papanastasiou 2005, 16; Schulze 2009, 993). Since
such attitudes could be obstacles to student learning or even influence performance
in a course (Papanastasiou 2005, 16; Schulze 2009, 992), it seems imperative to gain
some knowledge of students’ attitudes towards research at the very outset, when they
enrol for this module. Students are asked to rate their attitude towards research in
terms of the degree to which they experience anxiety about research, the degree to
which they regard it as valuable or useful for their career, and the degree to which
they harbour positive feelings about the subject of research. Preliminary inspection
of the qualitative data that was gathered from the first group of students enrolled for

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De Beer et al. Teaching research methodology

this module confirmed previous research on students’ anxiety towards research. The
following are a few examples of students’ verbatim responses:
Taking this module has made me extremely anxious and unsure of myself. The last time i
ever had to do any research was during high school for assignments and projects. Although
i enjoyed the reseach process and putting the project together, i feel that in this stage of my
life, career and studies, i will struggle with this module. I’ve always embraced challenges
and i will try to see passing the module as another challenge that i will enjoy overcoming.
All I expect for the semester ahead is lots of support from my lecturers. i already suspect that
i will have no problem in that regard, so i’m excited, though anxious, about progressing with
this module … [sic].

I feel scared and very anxious about research methodology. I have always avoided coursed
that had to do with research. I think I have an ideal about what the course entails but I am
not sure, I think also that reseach methodology might be interesting. My expectations are to
find out what the course entails and how to do research, how to collect dat, analyse and draw
conclusions. I also want to find out how to approach the collection of data, and get over my
anxiety ... [sic].

However, besides expressing some fear and foreboding, a number of students also
expressed excitement about the module:
I am very excited to be enrolled in the Research Methods module for 2012. For me, research
stimulates my mind and helps me to think out of the box ... [sic].

I am looking forward to what this module offers in terms of knowledge and skills. I am
slightly nervous about my ability to perform research but my confidence will hopefully
increase throughout the year. I expect this module to be challenging with a large amount of
practical application … [sic].

An additional purpose of the baseline questionnaire was to use the data to evaluate
the effectiveness of the module. Arthur, Tubre, Paul and Edens (2003, 277) argue
that using the final course grade to evaluate what students learnt in the course may be
inappropriate. There seems to be several reasons for this viewpoint, for instance that
the final course grade may be influenced by factors such as bias in the examination
process. Since the final mark only serves as a measurement after completion of the
module (post-test only), it is recommended that an objective pre-/post measurement
of student learning should also be incorporated.
Davis and Sandifer-Stech (2006, 59) propose that besides addressing knowledge
and skills, research methodology education should also attempt to improve students’
levels of confidence in their research abilities (research self-efficacy) and ameliorate
certain problems such as their experience of anxiety about statistics. In line with
these suggestions, Davis and Sandifer-Stech (2006, 61) developed learning criteria
to measure their students’ success in an undergraduate curriculum teaching

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De Beer et al. Teaching research methodology

research methodology. Their measure included a section collecting biographical

and background information from the students. It also included an assessment of
students’ self-reported confidence in their own research skills and abilities, as well
as a measure to assess their actual knowledge and skills. The baseline questionnaire
followed the same approach and measured students’ attitude towards research, their
research self-efficacy and their current knowledge of research methodology that
would typically be covered in the module. The data reflecting students’ position
before and after completion of the module was used by Davis and Sandifer-Stech
(2006) to investigate the effect of the module in improving not only students’
knowledge, but also their confidence in their own abilities. Such results are not the
focus of this article.

Elements included to provide affective support to students

One way in which to manage negative affective responses is through encouragement
and support (Howell 2009, 8; Noddings 2003, 91). In the Unisa online module, the
aim was to address the potentially higher levels of negative affect experienced by
participants towards research methodology through weekly introductory messages
and by relating the ‘new’ content to existing knowledge. Podcast messages were
used to encourage students close to the due dates of assessment tasks.
The weekly introductory messages were used to familiarise students with the
content of the specific week and also to encourage them along their learning journey.
The messages were encouraging and supportive and aimed at addressing not only
the weekly theme, but also administrative matters. According to Noddings (2003,
77), instructions presented in an encouraging and supportive manner help to alleviate
anxiety, which results in increased study engagement (Howell 2009).
The Unisa lecturers also endeavoured to address students’ potential levels of
anxiety by linking the module’s structure with the tough but popular Comrades
Marathon held annually in South Africa. Noddings (2003, 188–189) argues that
students are more inclined to understand new information if it is related to previous
knowledge and experience. Research also suggests that metaphors, symbols and
narratives are effective to provide context for the internalisation of new information
(Noddings 2003, 47; Seligman 2011, 99). The Comrades Marathon analogy helps to
familiarise students with the process of the module and provides a familiar yardstick
for determining progress. An example of a weekly introductory message is provided
in Figure 2 below.

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De Beer et al. Teaching research methodology

Figure 2: Example from a home page message

Elements included to provide peer-related learning and support

Learning synergies can best be achieved in most distance education programmes
when the creation of a virtual learning community is at the heart of the e-learning
curricula (Chaves 2009, 1). A sense of community can be established through
student-student, student-instructor and student-content interactions (Aiken 2012,
511; Unisa 2011, 1).
Chaves (2009, 2–3) highlights various theories that one can consider in relation
to student interaction and involvement, including Tinto’s interaction model, Astin’s
involvement theory, Kolb’s experiential learning construct, McCarthy’s 4MAT
curriculum model, Chickering and Gamson’s Seven Principles of Good Practice for
Undergraduate Education (SPGPUE) (which serves to combine most of the preceding
theoretical constructs into one) and Chaves’s Online Curriculum Interaction Model.
According to Chaves’s model, the most intimate level of engagement is achieved
through the inclusion of information technology tools such as real-time (synchronous)
voice, text chat, camera images and full-motion videos (Chaves 2009). At Unisa,
interactivity is understood as providing a learning environment in which students
can interact with their lecturers and peers and the module content is supported by

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De Beer et al. Teaching research methodology

myUnisa (Chaves 2009, 4; Drouin 2008, 269; Nikolaou and Koutsouba 2012, 1;
Unisa 2011, 1).
Discussion forums can also be used to promote active peer collaborative
learning. In-graded student projects, threaded discussions and synchronous chat
sessions should be designed to foster students’ motivation for active learning and to
encourage them to work together towards creating learning resources and receiving
peer feedback (Al-Khatib 2009, 4; Chaves 2009, 4).
In this module, online discussion forums provided students with a platform
to engage with peers and created opportunities for exchanging social support
(Noddings 2003, 67). The discussion forums acted as a medium through which
students could engage with the content of the module and discuss areas of concern
with peers. The lecturers acted as moderators for these forums and interjected where
necessary. Students actively engaged in these online forums and assisted one another
in mastering the content.

Using technology in assessment and feedback to students

Assessing and marking students’ work is an essential part of the Unisa ODL tuition
model. Formal assessment can be a time-consuming activity, especially due to the
large numbers of students enrolled at Unisa (Unisa 2012a). Nonetheless, assessing
student work and providing meaningful feedback and comments make an invaluable
contribution to students’ learning. Unfortunately, meaningful assessment is often
neglected because of the burden of administrative tasks such as adding marks,
completing class lists and distributing marked assignments to external markers and
others (Unisa 2012a).
A centralised router system and onscreen marking tools are two of the methods
used in this module so as to manage the marking of assignments/tests and to provide
feedback to students in an effective and efficient manner.
The router system provides a centralised management system of students’
submitted assignments for the online module in the ODL environment. The router
promotes timely feedback on assignments and portfolios since it enables the system
administrator to receive both unmarked and marked assignments/portfolios in a
central electronic location. From there, unmarked assignments and portfolios can
be posted to markers and marked assignments can be returned to students. This
procedure is far more streamlined than paper-based assessment, where feedback
takes much longer to reach students, because results/grades must first return to the
Assignment Department before they can be mailed to the students via the post office
(Kumar, Perraton and Machotka 2010, 4). A further benefit is that electronic copies
of marked assignments and portfolios can be saved for backup purposes.
The router works hand in hand with onscreen marking software. Copies of
assignments and portfolios are distributed electronically and marked on screen by

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lecturers and external markers (University of Cambridge 2002, 2). Assignments are
submitted by students in a Portable Document Format (PDF) file and made available
to the course team through the router. Students submit their assignments via the
myUnisa platform, from where these electronic files are routed by module code to
the relevant lecturers and external markers. With the router, all assignments and
portfolios received in an electronic format can easily be distributed to lecturers and
markers. Since this is a new module and some students are not yet used to online
modules, a small number of them still sent hard-copy assignments that had to be
scanned in to enable use of the onscreen marking program. The aim is to work
towards 100 per cent online submission with no paper-based assignments.
Marked assignments are returned by the markers via the router and selective
moderation is done on an ad hoc basis (by the module lecturers) before the
assignments are posted back to students’ myUnisa email accounts via the router.
Students can send their enquiries to the module email address (Kumar et al. 2010, 4)
from where such enquiries are managed by the module team.

Facilitating communication between lecturers and students

Regardless of the number of students registered for the module, regular and clear
communication is undoubtedly the key to a successful teaching and learning
experience with an online module in an ODL environment for both learners and
instructors (Faculty Focus 2012, 8 ; Kumar et al. 2010, 4).
Communication via the course email address constitutes one of the principal
tools of interaction with students for this module. It is linked to the myUnisa site for
the module, to which all students have access through login details provided by the
university when they register for the module. The use of the course email helps to
create a fully online communication environment as opposed to the more traditional
approach of communication by means of printed tutorial letters, the telephone
and office visits by students. The support team (lecturers and administrative staff)
communicate with students on a daily basis by responding to emails sent to the
course email address. A 24-hour response time has been set as a quality benchmark
for responding to students’ enquiries or requests submitted via the course contact
email. Since student enquiries range from administrative to academic, it was deemed
essential to evaluate the kind of enquiries that come through the course email. A large
proportion was found to be administrative rather than academic, mostly because
students do not read carefully through the available information and instructions or
announcements posted on the course site.

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INITIAL ACADEMIC RESULTS AND FEEDBACK FROM

STUDENTS
The academic results of the first two student groups registered for this module are
reported in Table 2. The mean scores indicate that, on average, students achieved a
pass mark.

Table 2: Descriptive results of academic performance of students for the first two
semesters
Semester Assessment N Minimum Maximum Mean SD
1 Assignment 01 (written) 627 5.00 89.00 58.21 14.70
Assignment 02 (MCQ) 627 0.00 88.00 58.24 15.82
Portfolio (combination) 556 9.00 94.00 59.28 18.83
Final mark 556 8.00 93.00 59.88 16.58
2 Assignment 01 (written) 667 2.00 92.00 53.97 16.25
Assignment 02 (MCQ) 666 1.00 89.50 55.58 17.73
Portfolio (combination) 521 1.00 95.00 49.87 21.34
Final mark 521 4.00 92.00 52.29 18.59
*Excluding students who had plagiarised in the written Assignment or the Portfolio

In terms of the distribution of the final results, it is clear that although some
students failed the module, the majority of students achieved a pass mark. For the
two semesters, the percentages of students who submitted the final portfolio and
achieved a final pass mark in this module were 78.62 per cent (first semester) and
64.04 per cent (second semester). A comparison of the average results between the
Honours semester modules in the College of Economic and Management Sciences
(75.18% for semester 1 and 74.49% for semester 2) and in the University (60.23%
for semester 1 and 61.06% for semester 2) shows that the online module has indeed
rendered positive results (2013, Personal communication with the Department of
Institutional Statistics and Analysis (DISA)).

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De Beer et al. Teaching research methodology

Figure 3: Distribution of final academic results for Semester 1

As indicated in some of the reflective qualitative feedback from students reported

below, limited time and a high volume of work that needed to be covered every week
could have contributed to some students not achieving a pass mark in this module.
According to Duron et al. (2006, 163), one of the primary aspects of active
learning is affording students the opportunity to reflect on their learning experiences.
Phan (2009, 943) asserts that reflecting develops a curiosity to question and explore,
which are essential characteristics of a researcher. In this module, reflective tasks
were set on a weekly basis. Students were encouraged to respond to two qualitative
questions on how they had experienced the learning of that week. The following are
examples of the verbatim comments and feedback from students:

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De Beer et al. Teaching research methodology

Figure 4: Distribution of final academic results for Semester 2

The outlay of the subject – giving an overview is very helpful in understanding the concept.
It is still a long way to go and a lot of work. I see this as building a puzzle, the outer border
is completed, now we are starting inner, nitty gritty, of the puzzle... [sic].

Some of the content discussed in this section I did last year in Marketing but this is done in
a lot more depth ... [sic].

I’m not coping as well as I would like to. I don’t think the work is unmanageable, it’s my
time management skills that need refining. I’m currently two weeks behind, but I’ve cut out
my social life until I finish this module. This should help. [sic]

It’s almost a culture now that I have to study two hours per day to try to reach the weekly
target … [sic]

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Thus far I have found it a bit more challenging each week to stay on the bus in terms of
the workload, there is a substantial amount of reading to do and I am apprehensive about
applying my knowledge of what I have learnt in this course when it comes to the assignments.
When I read the material it seems relatively easy but when it gets to the practical application
I find myself struggling. This has lead to me falling off the bus on quite a few occasions,
however as a result of the time constraints on this module I have managed to get back onto
the bus ... [sic].

The above examples are a snippet of the information shared by students over the
duration of the module. They seemed to be concerned about time availability and
management, while recognising a need to cope so as not to be left behind in the
proposed learning schedule. The students nonetheless took responsibility for finding
ways to cope, and their feedback can be used to revise and improve aspects of the
presentation or content of the module. These reflections often require students to
take time to think through their learning experiences. As mentioned by Phan (2009,
942), self-reflection is an in-depth analysis exercise that cannot be taken lightly if it
is to be done properly.

LESSONS LEARNT AND THE WAY FORWARD

The following are some lessons learnt from the practices highlighted in this article:

●● Providing a proper learning environment and learning experiences by means

of design, planning and development should be at the core of online teaching
(Bates 2012b; Nikolaou and Koutsouba 2012, 7; Unisa 2010, 2). Teaching needs
to be redesigned to fit the needs of online students – in essence, one needs to
rethink the way one teaches (Aiken 2012, 511; Bates 2012a). This approach
is promoted through the use of design teams that provide effective technical
support and the use of an LMS such as myUnisa (Bates 2012a; Unisa 2010, 2).
●● Besides using their desktop and laptop computers, students can interact with the
myUnisa site via their cell phones by uploading multiple-choice assignments,
receiving feedback on their assignments and downloading course material.
Unisa is exploring the use of mobile technology in more aspects of its online
tuition, seeing that ‘South Africa has the third largest mobile Internet-using
population in the world’ (Czerniewicz 2009, 14). According to Lanerolle (2012,
6), ‘internet use has more than doubled in the last four years’ and a third of adults
use the internet – the majority (71%) by means of mobile phones. Kreutzer’s
research (cited in Czerniewicz 2009, 15) on the low-income youth in South
Africa indicated that about 83 per cent of this group have access to the internet
via cell phones. Internationally, mobile access accounts for 10.01 per cent of
internet usage and has increased from 3.81 per cent in 2010 (Russel 2012).
Course design teams should take cognisance of these trends and incorporate

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mobile applications in their e-course designs. Use of mobile technology can

improve accessibility as well as student-to-student and student-to-lecturer
communication, in particular if social networks are also utilised (Mayisela
2013, 1).
●● The use of additional multimedia and information technology tools such as real-
time (synchronous) voice (podcasts), text chat, camera images and full-motion
videos should be enhanced. Use of sound and video helps students to move
between the concrete and abstract (Bates 2012a). This will promote higher
levels of engagement, especially in courses that have large student numbers,
causing students to feel more isolated.
●● One of the main challenges in terms of the present module is the teaching
of writing skills to students in an ODL online environment. Developing and
expressing ideas in written form is an essential element towards graduateness or
the success of students in their academic and professional development (Castello,
Banales and Vega 2010, 1255; Zimmerman 1997, 73). Proper referencing and
avoidance of plagiarism should also be emphasised – along with logical and
coherent construction of written content. According to Nelson, Range and
Ross (2012, 378) checklists can be particularly useful for helping students to
overcome the more mechanical writing problems.
●● Lastly, managing the ethical component of research and academic writing is a
particularly important facet of research teaching and learning at Honours level.
The development of an online module for teaching Research Methodology has been an
exciting though arduous journey. It has required all stakeholders in the broader team
to remain closely involved through the development, implementation and ongoing
management of the module. On the positive side, it has been an utterly rewarding
experience. The excitement of using new approaches/technologies and experiencing
the connectedness with students that these approaches offer has balanced the effort
and time involved in launching this new module. The constant learning along the
way has been enriching and the generally positive feedback received from students
encouraging. As a first step, this has inspired all those involved and has acted as a
springboard towards a culture of teamwork and collaboration among academic staff,
support staff and other stakeholders and contributors to the process.

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