Impact of online tools on the learning experience of students in higher education

Abstract

The evolution of teaching and learning has come across various significant phases over the past hundreds of years. History has witnessed tremendous and revolutionary changes in teaching & learning, from Education 1.0 to Education 4.0 and beyond. Overall experts may have a difference of opinion on various aspects of teaching and learning and their evolution however one thing we all agree on is that the modern classroom has changed to an extent that we have witnessed revolutionary innovations happening in the way the modern classroom is managed, lecture delivery, learning environment, and collaboration. Activity-based learning and the use of tools and web applications have significantly increased over the past one and a half to two decades. Numerous applications and tools are utilized to boost student participation, interest, motivation, and concentration levels. Moreover, revision and repetition of topics are also being done innovatively. This research study is based on the evaluation of a teaching and learning tool Socrative. This research study comprehensively analyses the effectiveness of this tool and its impact on the learning experience of the students. The study has been conducted in one of the premier higher education institutions in the Sultanate of Oman.