Investigating student engagement with online interactive learning tools at level one, as well as the actual and perceived value of these resources

The project considered the extent to which Level 1 students in Business and Law were making use of interactive activities within the online module materials eg reflective activities, multiple choice questions and drag-and-drop exercises. The aim was to establish, using data, the level of usage and follow this up with a questionnaire for students and a series of focus groups to ascertain the way in which students are using the interactive materials and the value they attach to these.

The study found that, on the whole, students valued the inclusion of interactive activities within their course materials. It reported that having a variety of activities led to more engaged and active learning, with shorter activities also being popular, as a way of breaking up reading, checking knowledge and allowing students to undertake a useful activity in a short amount of study time. New business students preferred the drag and drop activities, quizzes/multiple choice questions and case studies, while new law students preferred case studies, links to study skill activities and quizzes/multiple choice questions. Students also valued the availability of immediate feedback from completing interactive activities, allowing them to recognise gaps in their own learning and serving as a useful reference point of reference when completing assignments. The most common barrier to engaging with the interactive activities was IT issues.

The project recommended that those creating learning materials should ensure that interactive activities are integral; a variety of activities are used; that other teaching content is considered carefully when deciding on length and complexity of the activity; feedback is provided for activities; and an indication of how long an activity is likely to take is included. 

The team shared their findings with the relevant module teams, outlining recommendations to take forward in module creation to build interactivities in a way which is most effective for students’ overall achievement and progression. The research subsequently impacted the development of several modules on the new OU Law Degree.

Outputs

Journals

• Henderson, S. and Trupia-Melluish, B. (2023) Investigating student engagement with online interactive learning tools at level one, as well as the actual and perceived value of these resources.
• Available at: European Association of Distance Teaching Universities. (2023, November 14). 
• EADTU: Accelerating towards a digital and inclusive campus. Proceedings of the Innovating Higher Education Conference 2023. DOI: 10.5281/ZENODO.10123535

Conferences

• EADTU, Istanbul, October 2023
• Accelerating towards a digital and inclusive campus. Proceedings of the Innovating Higher Education Conference 2023. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10123535 pg. 156-172

Other outputs

• Henderson, S., Trupia-Melluish, B. (2025). Investigating Student Engagement with Digital Interactive Learning Tools at Level One: Actual and Perceived Value of These Resources. In: Baxter, J., Selby-Fell, H., Gilbert, A. (eds) Creativity and Critique in Digital Learning and Teaching. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-68086-1_5 
• Henderson, S., and Melluish, B., (2020). Exploring engagement with online interactivities: An introduction to our project. Available at: https://oro.open.ac.uk/103069/. The Scholarship Centre for innovation in online Legal and Business education (SCiLAB), The Open University

Meet the team

Sarah Henderson

Sarah is an Associate Dean of Undergraduate Laws at the University of London and Associate Lecturer at the Open University. She is also a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and holds an LLB, LLM and Post Graduate Certificate in Academic Practice. Sarah has a particular interest in the provision of digital learning resources and how these can enhance students’ learning experiences and outcomes. Her current role is also heavily focused on the development of assessment, using a research-based approach to enhance opportunities for learning and development through assessment.  

Ben Trupia-Melluish

Ben is a Senior Lecturer, Business and Management and is the Head of Student Experience in the Law School. Ben is recognised as a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, holds an MBA, PGCE and BA (Hons) International Business Management. Ben is also a Chartered Manager Fellow recognised by the Chartered Management Institute. Ben has recently been recognised by the Charted Association of Business Schools as a Certified Management and Business Educator. Ben's current research interests centre on the theme of links between how students learn and what motivates students to continue and progress within their chosen study paths, in particular the role module design and interactivities have in this space. Ben's scholarship is positively influencing pedagogy across the Open University and HE sector.