As part of our ongoing exploration of how personalisation can help improve MyEd, our User Research intern Yuru Yang has written this post about how we evaluated one of our pilot projects, the Moray House Students portlet.

Moray House Students Portlet

The Moray House portlet is a specialized feature designed for students of Moray House. It offers essential resources tailored to the needs of these students, while also serving as a pilot project for personalisation within MyEd.

Moray House students portlet – version one

Why conduct research for the Moray House portlet?

We’ve previously interviewed staff about their experience of the portlet, and have analysed usage data. However we hadn’t yet done any research with students about their experience of using the portlet. We could see that usage was very variable, and we also had feedback that some students were completely unaware of the portlet, so we wanted to know more about how students are using (or not using) it, and what was and was not useful to them.

Methodology and participants

To gain a comprehensive understanding of students’ usage and perspectives regarding the Moray House portlet, we employed a multi-method approach that included survey research, and community café focus group, interviews. All participants involved in our research activities were exclusively students enrolled at Moray House.

Research findings and conclusions

Personalised information

Students expressed the desire for timely and relevant information based on their specific needs. For example, they would like to receive new activity information at the start of the semester, learning resources or support towards the end of the semester, and dissertation guides as they approach graduation. Students wanted to see events that were timely, such as course information, latest news, and opportunities. They were interested in the help topics such as study help, but found the events section to be of less value. The students noted that the same events appeared repeatedly on the Moray House Portlet, reducing their motivation to check it in the future. Therefore we should focus on timely and actionable information, such as essential tasks at the start of the semester and prioritize high-priority items that require student action.

MyEd as a functional tool rather than a news app

The variable usage of the Moray House Portlet can be attributed to students primarily perceiving MyEd as a functional tool rather than a news app. As a result, they lack the habit of regularly checking for new events or updates on MyEd or other platforms. Instead, they rely on alternative channels like WhatsApp, Teams channels, and email to obtain the information they need. To address this, it is crucial to promote the portlet effectively by providing relevant and time-sensitive notifications within MyEd, encouraging more frequent engagement.

Less prominent visibility within MyEd

The second contributing factor to the low click-through rate of the Moray House Portlet is its less prominent visibility within MyEd. Currently, students need to scroll down to find it after logging in, leading to many students overlooking the portlet entirely. To address this issue, enhancing the portlet’s visibility upon logging in can significantly improve its noticeability. For instance, placing it in a more prominent position on the homepage, without requiring scrolling, could be a practical solution. Alternatively, considering swapping its position with the “Help and Support” section or adding the portlet to the menu bar are also viable options to make it more easily accessible to students.

Information which is less useful for students

Lastly, the events section of the Moray House Portlet has been perceived as less valuable due to repetitive content, leading to decreased motivation among students to check it regularly. To address this issue, the events section should be regularly updated with fresh and diverse activities, reflecting students’ interests and preferences, such as timely course information, latest news, and various opportunities. Alternatively, we could consider removing events altogether, or explore the possibility of utilizing notifications as an alternative to the portlet.

By taking these factors into consideration and implementing appropriate measures, we can elevate the usage of the portlet and create a more engaging platform that effectively serves students’ needs and interests.