The University of Edinburgh’s upgrade to Learn Ultra, its virtual learning environment (VLE), was a significant step towards enhancing the digital learning experience for students. A comprehensive evaluation, including a detailed student survey, has provided valuable insights into the success of the upgrade.

This blog post delves into the key findings from the student survey, highlighting the overall satisfaction, usability, and specific task performance of Learn Ultra. For more information on the Learn Ultra evaluation, please see the project’s Sharepoint site.

Overview of the Student Survey 

To understand student perceptions of Learn Ultra, a campus-wide survey was conducted, gathering responses from 391 undergraduate students between late March and late April 2024. The survey aimed to gather views of students who only have experience with Learn Ultra – referred to as ‘Cohort 1’ below – and also students who have experience with both Learn Original and Learn Ultra – referred to as Cohort 2 below.  

Key Findings from the Survey 

General Satisfaction and Usability 

The survey results indicate a high level of satisfaction with Learn Ultra. 

70% of Cohort 1 find accessing courses on Learn Ultra ‘easy’ or ‘very easy,’ with only 6% finding it ‘hard’ or ‘very hard.’  

Similarly, 37% of Cohort 2 stated that accessing courses has become ‘easier’ or ‘much easier’ since the upgrade, compared to 27% who find it ‘harder’ or ‘much harder’. Around one third of Cohort 2 find no difference, which is to be expected given the similarities between Original and Ultra. 

Specific Task Performance 

The survey delved into specific tasks carried out in Lean Ultra to gauge a more detailed understanding of students’ experiences. Here are some example findings: 

Accessing lecture slides:  

81% of Cohort 1 find it ‘easy’ or ‘very easy’ to locate lecture slides, compared to 5% who find it ‘hard’ or ‘very hard’. 

33% of Cohort 2 find it ‘easier’ or ‘much easier’ compared to Learn Original, compared to 26% who find it ‘harder’ or ‘much harder’. 

Additional lecture materials: 

65% of Cohort 1 find it ‘easy’ or ‘very easy’ to find other lecture materials such as notes, outlines or handouts, outlines or handouts, compared to 11% who find it ‘hard’ or ‘very hard’. 

34% of Cohort 2 find it ‘easier’ or ‘much easier’ to access additional lecture materials, compared to 29% who find it ‘harder’ or ‘much harder’. 

Upgrade to Learn Ultra – Student Survey / Educational Design and Engagement by v1kstev9 is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 3.0

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