Date of Award

2001

Document Type

Thesis

Publisher

Edith Cowan University

Degree Name

Bachelor of Communications Honours

Faculty

Faculty of Communication, Health and Science

First Supervisor

Professor Ron Oliver

Abstract

This study sought to evaluate the user experience of the Race Around ECU (NAHCU) Web site (Seddon. Grant, Kosh, White & Hunt, 2000) http://www.ecu.edu.au/pa/raecu, in an attempt to understand the extent that a web-based solution can enhance high school students prior knowledge of the issues that students encounter during transition to university and how effective the site is in raising their aspirations to attend university. It sought to determine the extent to which the provision of Web promoted engagement and to explore the extent to which teaching strategies that support the integration of Web site use within existing class structures and curriculum objectives, could raise student knowledge and awareness of university life and transition. This was undertaken by surveying groups of high school students before and after their interaction with the RAECU Web site and comparing the results. Two methods of Web site interaction were used - guided and unguided, to try to determine how teaching strategies might make a difference in the level of knowledge retention. The surveys focused on transitional issues and the RAECU Web site's efficacy upon student engagement and preferential use aft he Web site. Additional questions sought some level of student understanding of the Web site's content. The efficacy of Web site's accessibility was considered in terms of student level of Internet and Computer Technology (ITC) skills.

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