Transcript: TECHNICAL​ ​SUPPORT​ ​AND​ ​SYSTEM​ ​ADMINISTRATION

 

TECHNICAL​ ​SUPPORT​ ​AND​ ​SYSTEM​ ​ADMINISTRATION FOR​ ​THE​ ​UP​ ​OPEN​ ​UNIVERSITY​ ​MASSIVE​ ​OPEN​ ​DISTANCE E-LEARNING​ ​PLATFORM

Reinald​ ​Adrian​ ​Pugoy
University​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Philippines​ ​Open​ ​University adpugoy@up.edu.ph

Verna​ ​Banasihan
University​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Philippines​ ​Open​ ​University verna.banasihan@upou.edu.ph

ABSTRACT

As an ally of openness, the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) has started offering its version of massive open online courses (MOOCs) called Massive Open Distance e-Learning or MODeL as part of its mandate to democratize access to quality education. MODeL is based on Moodle, a free and open-source Learning Management System (LMS). This paper details the UPOU experience in providing technical support and handling system administration for the MODeL platform. Technical support is commonly referred as rendering assistance to the users of the platform in order to address specific problems or issues they encounter. The platform types of users include the teachers/course coordinators and the learners/students. On the other hand, system administration pertains to the responsibility of maintaining, configuring, and upkeep of the whole platform. In other words, the system administrators​ ​have​ ​to​ ​ensure​ ​the​ ​reliability​ ​of​ ​the​ ​platform’s​ ​operations.

This study identifies, discusses, and compares various system administration and technical support issues provided to students and course coordinators from January to September 2017. During the said period, twenty-one MOOCs have been offered to a total of 1,448 students. The findings of this study shall help system administrators in managing the platform better and providing effective assistance to the platform’s users. These shall also serve as a contribution to academic institutions who are currently managing their own LMS or will be setting up the same in​ ​the​ ​future.

Keywords: Learning Management System, Technical Support, System Administration, Massive Open Distance​ ​e-Learning

INTRODUCTION

The University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU), an ally on openness in education, has been mandated to democratize access to quality higher education (Bandalaria & Alfonso, 2015). By virtue of Republic Act No. 10650 or the Open Distance Learning Act, UPOU was tasked to provide leadership in the development of ODeL, to promote its best practices, and to facilitate quality ODeL programs in the Philippines (Official Gazette, 2014). In this regard, the University has started offering its own version of massive open online courses (MOOCs) called Massive Open Distance e-Learning (MODeL). The MODeL platform hosts the MOOCs offered by​ ​UPOU​ ​and​ ​uses​ ​Moodle​ ​as​ ​its​ ​Learning​ ​Management​ ​System​ ​(LMS).

An LMS is a software for the administration, documentation, tracking, reporting, and delivery of e-Learning education courses or training programs (Sharma & Vatta, 2013). Moodle, being a free and open source LMS, allows educators to create courses and websites for effective online learning (Lopes, 2011; Borromeo, 2013). Furthermore, the teaching and learning design of Moodle allows direct instructions from teachers, academic interactions among learners, automated quizzes for learning assessment, blogging, and peer assessment. These were the reasons​ ​why​ ​it​ ​was​ ​chosen​ ​as​ ​the​ ​base​ ​LMS​ ​of​ ​UPOU​ ​MODeL​ ​(Bandalaria​ ​&​ ​Alfonso,​ ​2015).

LMS is similar to other recent technologies wherein providing technical support and system administration play a crucial role in its operation. According to Afable (2002), technical support is a service that pertains to assisting users with technological/technical issues and providing acceptable, effective, and efficient resolutions. For a learning platform such as MODeL, it is essential to create an environment which helps its students to learn, therefore, technological assistance and support are necessary (Sirkemaa, 2001). This is due to the fact that the ability of teachers and students to use technology is compromised without proper support and maintenance of even most current sophisticated hardware and software (Valdez, Fulton, Glenn, Wimmer, & Blomeyer, 2004). The technical support team must then make an effort to ensure user satisfaction because after all, technical support has an effect on the perceived ease of use and usefulness of the LMS (Afable, 2002; Sanchez & Hueros, 2010). Furthermore, Gray, Ryan, and Coulon (2003) added that the success of an e-Learning project depends on skills and quality​ ​of​ ​technical​ ​support​ ​provided​ ​to​ ​users.

On the other hand, system administration refers to the responsibility of maintaining, configuring, and upkeep of the whole platform or system (“System administrator troubleshooting responsibilities”, n.d.). The system administrators have to ensure the reliability and performance of the platform’s operations 24 hours a day. According to Frisch (2002), the main goal of system administration is providing an environment where users can get done what they need to, easily and​ ​efficiently,​ ​given​ ​the​ ​demands​ ​of​ ​security,​ ​inherent​ ​capabilities,​ ​realities,​ ​and​ ​constraints.

Objective​ ​and​ ​Significance​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Study

The objective of this study is to identify, discuss, and compare issues raised by MODeL users from January to September 2017. This is essential so as to allow better management of the platform by its system administrators and effective assistance to course coordinators and participants. Moreover, the findings of this study shall serve as a contribution to academic institutions that are currently running their LMS or are planning to setup their own LMS for MOOCs​ ​in​ ​the​ ​future.

REVIEW​ ​OF​ ​RELATED​ ​CONCEPTS

There are four levels of technical support from level 0 to level 3. Level 0 also known as self-service, e-support or online support, provides users the ability to resolve issues on their own. Self-help related information such as online documentation, printed instructions, frequently asked questions (FAQs) and other documented support guidelines and resources are used. Level 0 is the latest among four levels of support as it was created with the advent of technology. Through reliable and faster technologies, organizations developed tools that can provide Level 0 support. One example of a tool are websites containing FAQs. Another online tools are those which allows users to reset passwords. These tools are not meant to lessen the level of support but are for alleviating simple technical issues so that more time can be given to projects​ ​requiring​ ​special​ ​attention​ ​(​Afable,​ ​2002​).

Level 1 also called as Helpdesk forms the first line of support for many organizations. It’s made up of direct phone support and person-to-person communication. Here the analyst tries to solve the issue using developed troubleshooting documents or personal knowledge and experience (​Afable, 2002​). Level 2 which are Field Support are handled by analysts with 1 to 2 years of technical experience with their expertise. Excellent customer service skills are required to properly communicate to users and extract necessary information (​Afable, 2002​). Level 3, the last line of support consists of groups with highly specialized skills attained through hands-on experience and education. Issues escalated to this group become immediate priority since it affects many users. Problems related to server and database access are examples of issues handled​ ​by​ ​this​ ​level​ ​(​Afable,​ ​2002​).

METHODOLOGY

Emails containing various issues and concerns sent to the UPOU MODeL Support Team from January to September 2017 were identified and were further categorized according to observed common themes. During the said period, twenty-one MOOCs have been offered, with a total of 1,448 students. Afterward, the frequency of emails per each category were determined. These categories were then contrasted among each other by comparing their respective frequencies and percentages. Furthermore, technical concerns that were encountered by the administrators while​ ​maintaining​ ​the​ ​whole​ ​MODeL​ ​platform​ ​were​ ​listed​ ​and​ ​explained.

RESULTS​ ​AND​ ​DISCUSSION Common​ ​Themes​ ​as​ ​Categories

Table​ ​1​ ​shows​ ​different​ ​categories​ ​that​ ​were​ ​identified​ ​after​ ​observing​ ​common​ ​themes​ ​and patterns​ ​from​ ​the​ ​issues​ ​and​ ​concerns​ ​forwarded​ ​to​ ​the​ ​MODeL​ ​Support​ ​Team

                      

Student​ ​Concerns

Figures 1 and 2 show that the biggest concerns amongst students are course availability and registration (both obtained 70 emails or 27.67%). Course availability concerns primarily consist of students asking when a particular MOOC would be opened or available. On the other hand, registration concerns include queries on enrolment and email account confirmation. The prevalence of these concerns may be due to the following: First, the course site was not yet ready to be opened by the teacher on the announced date of offering. Second, home page of MODeL​ ​did​ ​not​ ​prominently​ ​display​ ​registration​ ​instructions.

The second biggest concern is course details, with 15.02% (or 38) of total emails. In this category, the actual details and possible content of MODeL courses, including whether the courses​ ​offered​ ​by​ ​the​ ​university​ ​were​ ​free,​ ​were​ ​asked.

The third biggest concern is course results and certificate issuance (18 emails or 7.11%). Here, the students inquired about the results of the course they have taken and the availability of their digital​ ​certificates​ ​to​ ​be​ ​issued​ ​after​ ​the​ ​completion​ ​of​ ​the​ ​course.

Issues regarding the DE Readiness Module are the fourth biggest concern (16 emails or 6.32%). Usually, students asked about the procedures on taking the DE Readiness Module, a preparatory course that tackles Open and Distance e-Learning, before proceeding to take other courses​ ​in​ ​the​ ​MODeL​ ​platform.

The fifth biggest concern pertains to course materials and submission of requirements (13 emails or 5.14%) in which the students asked about the course site content and the submission process​ ​of​ ​the​ ​learning​ ​activities.

The sixth and seventh biggest concerns correspond to unenrolment (11 emails or 4.35%) and account retrieval (9 emails or 3.56%) respectively. Unenrolment refers to the requests of the students who asked to be unenrolled from the MOOC they previously enrolled. On the other hand, account retrieval covers password reset, logging in problems and change of email address.

The concern that obtained the lowest percentage is degree programs-related issues (5 emails or 1.98%). Potential students asked for formal programs not offered by MODeL but offered by faculties of study at UPOU. For this type of query, students were directed to send their concerns to​ ​the​ ​UPOU​ ​Office​ ​of​ ​the​ ​University​ ​Registrar.

Teacher​ ​Concerns

Figures 3 and 4 summarize the concerns originating from the teachers. More than 50% of concerns fall under course site issues, which include overall configuration of and assignment of teachers to course sites. Learning activities, which involve quiz, assignment, and groupings, comprise 14.63% of concerns. Issues on certificates constitute 12.20% that involve requests to setup digital certificates upon submission of list of completers by the teachers. Teacher accounts and scheduling matters have 7.32% each. Finally, request to install new plugins in the LMS​ ​pertain​ ​to​ ​4.88%​ ​of​ ​teacher​ ​concerns.

Listed​ ​below​ ​are​ ​various​ ​concerns​ ​that​ ​were​ ​encountered​ ​by​ ​the​ ​system​ ​administrators​ ​during the​ ​maintenance​ ​of​ ​the​ ​UPOU​ ​MODeL​ ​platform.

Site Inaccessibility. There was a particular period when the system was down. The main reason for this was that the disk space size of the server where MODeL was housed almost ran out.​ ​Disk​ ​space​ ​size​ ​should​ ​be​ ​monitored​ ​all​ ​throughout.

Failure of the Job Scheduler to Run​. This happened three times when the job scheduler (which enables the sending of messages, awarding of badges, and forum in MODeL) failed to run.​ ​The​ ​temporary​ ​solution​ ​for​ ​this​ ​was​ ​to​ ​run​ ​the​ ​job​ ​scheduler​ ​manually.

Inconsistency in Reports​. In terms of various reports generated in MODeL, inconsistencies regarding submission of requirements and activity report were identified. One reason for this is that the activity completion was set to ​‘Students can mark the activity as completed’. When a student participated in a discussion forum, it was automatically counted in the course participation report. It did not change even of the post or reply of the student was already deleted.​ ​To​ ​address​ ​this​ ​issue,​ ​manual​ ​activity​ ​completion​ ​was​ ​disabled.

Groupings for Learning Activities.​ The use of groupings in learning activities also became an issue in running the course sites. When the activity such as assignment was set to separate groups, the students should be a member of any group to submit the said requirement. However, groups can only be created by course coordinators and administrators. Students also noticed this issue because they were unable to participate in such activities. Therefore, groupings​ ​should​ ​be​ ​used​ ​with​ ​utmost​ ​caution.

Use of Workshops as a Learning Activity. Workshop learning activity is another concern especially when it is set by group. Aside from the need for groupings, the different phases should be done one by one. It means all students should submit their requirement at the same time and assess their peers submission during the same allotted period. Once the phase was switched to assessment phase, the participants could no longer submit their assignment unless the​ ​said​ ​phase​ ​was​ ​switched​ ​back​ ​to​ ​the​ ​previous​ ​one.

Continuous Enrolment at the End of the Course. This means that enrolment in a course was still allowed at the end of the course. The course should be set hidden so that the learners cannot​ ​access​ ​it​ ​anymore.

SUMMARY​ ​AND​ ​RECOMMENDATIONS

This study has identified, categorized, and discussed issues and concerns encountered by students, teachers, and system administrators in the operation of the MODeL platform. For the students, the top issues were course availability and registration. For the teachers, the top issue was course site configuration. The findings of this study shall then prepare and enable the UPOU MODeL Support Team to develop strategies in order to minimize these concerns and to manage the platform more effectively. As a potential step, this may involve modifying and enhancing​ ​the​ ​MODeL​ ​platform​ ​to​ ​a​ ​certain​ ​extent.

In the future, the institution of a complete ticketing system for MODeL shall be considered. A ticketing system shall provide an interface for posting of new queries. It shall also contain a repository of Frequently Asked Questions for queries already asked before. Furthermore, another​ ​suggestion​ ​is​ ​the​ ​creation​ ​of​ ​a​ ​separate​ ​manual​ ​for​ ​teachers/course​ ​coordinators.

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