Web-based student support and course management

Students on the Mathematics degree programme at Sheffield Hallam University are supported by a custom designed website that integrates the basic delivery of module information with four separate key features: 1. Student coursework loading is managed by an assignment scheduling system…2. When adding a new assignment, staff can choose to allow students to submit their coursework materials electronically. Students will then be able to use the website to upload their coursework…3. For each of the assignments entered on the system, feedback can be entered using templates, stored in a database, emailed to students and summarised for reference or for quality assurance (QA) purposes. Students can access their current and previous feedback whenever they like; and, 4. The website also provides access to an electronic log, in which students reflect on their progress, identify problems, develop action plans for resolving them and report on progress towards doing so. They also are expected to show they have read and responded to the feedback provided, as described above. This paper will illustrate the integrated system, discuss its advantages with regard to managing and communicating with the students as individuals and report some of their reactions to it….