Developing and investigating an electronic performance support system (EPSS) for academic performance

Abstract

The aim of this study was to develop an electronic performance support system (EPSS) to improve students’ performance in the topic of scientific research methods. A review of the literature shows that EPSSs are usually developed using advanced programming technologies. This limits the widespread use of EPSS for educators and researchers. In this study, a mid-level EPSS was developed by integrating Moodle to a static (non-interactive) educational system, without using advanced programming. The study was designed and carried out using the developmental research method. Study participants were second year students from the Faculty of Medicine of Hacettepe University in Turkey. The system was designed by taking students’ needs into account, as well as other issues that the literature identified as points of consideration when developing an EPSS. The mid-level EPSS developed within the framework of this study increased the students’ academic achievement and students stated that the system met their expectations.
 Implications for practice or policy:
 
 Educators can support scientific research methods courses with EPSSs.
 Educators and researchers may take advantage of detailed steps in this research, if they want to develop such an EPSS.
 A mid-level EPSS is taken as reference when developing an EPSS without advanced programming skills.

Instructional Design Made Easy! Instructional Design Models, Categories, Frameworks, Educational Context, and Recommendations for Future Work

“…The authors of [ 26 ] used Kirkpatrick’s theoretical model to study the universal design for learning (UDL) environment. The authors of [ 27 ] utilized the electronic performance support system (EPSS). In [ 28 ], the authors implemented a group of theories, including the connectivity theory, the self-directed learning theory, and the theory of the online learning community.…”

“…[ 25 ] LMS through an online lab course, ref. [ 26 ] simulation-based training, and [ 27 ] Moodle and flipped instructional design (FID). The authors of [ 28 ] used LMS platform and flipped instructional design, while the authors of [ 30 ] used learning management systems (LMS).…”

“…ID research is virtually exclusively undertaken on humans. Based on our examination of the samples used in the selected publications, we can say with confidence that the vast majority of samples for ID studies consist mostly of “learners” [ 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 29 , 30 , 32 , 33 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 47 ]. Fifteen ( n = 15) total samples were collected, with learners accounting for 48% of the total.…”

“…Studies [ 19 , 21 , 24 , 25 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 37 , 39 , 40 , 43 , 45 , 47 ] were all carried out and published in the US. There have been just two investigations undertaken in Turkey [ 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 ], two more in Australia [ 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 ], and two in Indonesia [ 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 ]. In the interim, 12 papers were published globally, accounting for 39% of the articles examined: Ref.…”

“…[ 21 , 28 , 33 , 34 , 36 ] were theoretically based. When investigating ID frameworks in educational contexts, we discovered that [ 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 ] made use of the UDL environment. This is because the design strategies of this kind of online course may be improved by addressing UDL, accessibility, usability, and online AT access.…”