Evaluating Mathematics e-Learning Materials: Do Evaluators Agree with Distance Learners?

Distance education might be the best thing the academic world can offer to adults who missed tertiary education for one reason or another. Studying part-time and working full-time, distance learners do need as much help they can get in order for them to survived and sustained. With the advancement of technology, educators are themselves learning to utilise and making good use of technology for the betterment of their teaching. Realizing this, the author started developing Mathematics e-learning materials in academic year 2006/2007 for first year distance learners majoring in Biology, Chemistry and Physics from School of Distance Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia. The topics covered are mostly from Calculus. E-learning materials were developed using PowerPoint, MathType and Articulate Presenter. Students can access the e-learning materials through Moodle. This paper tries to explore whether there are agreement between evaluators who were knowledgeable in e-learning and had experience in e-learning with distance learners on Mathematics e-learning materials. They were given questionnaire formulated from ARCS model of motivation. The survey was administered during intensive course of 2008/2009 academic session. One of the objectives of the research is to investigate the need, perception and expectation of distance learners on using Articulate as an alternative tool for distance learning. Results show that distance learners mean score were higher in three (attention, confidence and satisfaction) out of four ARCS model strategies compared to the evaluators. Since the evaluators were superior in terms of knowledge in Calculus, it is consistent that their mean is higher in the relevance strategies. The outcome from this research will be use to improve development of elearning Materials in terms of content and pedagogy in future.