Redesigning Tutorials

Web-based, Interactive Discussions of Real-Life Case Studies to Develop Project Management Skills

Abstract

 IT Project and Change Management (ISYS90050) is a core subject in the Master of Information Systems course, designed to be practice oriented. It helps students develop technical and interpersonal skills essential for becoming effective IT project managers. Managing real-world projects requires more than conceptual understanding—it requires abilities to make informed decisions and apply project management skills in complex situations. A key teaching challenge was bridging the gap between theoretical skills and their real-world application (Hanney, 2021). Multiple studies highlight the positive impact of roleplay on learning (Boyle et al., 2014; Qian, 2016; Weidner, 2012). To address this gap, we embedded web-based, interactive discussions and roleplays of real-life case studies into all our tutorials, enabling students to apply their skills in realistic project situations. These tutorials incorporated gamification elements to enhance engagement and offer immediate feedback, aligning well with the symposium theme. Our work supports the university's Advancing Student Experience strategy by highlighting practices that leverage digital tools, improve teaching quality, and enhance student experience.

The tutorials were redesigned to incorporate web-based, interactive discussions and roleplay of real-life case studies. The roleplays reenact real-life project management issues and foster situated and problem-based learning (Sherwood, 2004). To enhance the learning experience, Animaker was used to create animated videos featuring characters engaging in conversations to present the case scenarios. Students were then introduced to various concepts through HTML-based drag-and-drop tasks and multiple-choice quizzes, all presented in one place using H5P. While students engaged in group discussions, they also received immediate individual feedback upon submitting their answers online. Throughout the tutorials, tutors facilitated the learning process.

The effectiveness is evaluated through various methods. These include student responses from the End-of-Semester Survey (ESS) and analytics from the H5P platform, such as the number of attempts and improvement across multiple attempts. Tutor reflection offers additional insights into the learning process, while discussions with students during the tutorials further validate the effectiveness.

Tutors reported that the new tutorial design enhanced student engagement, increased active learning, and encouraged more discussions. Learning analytics from H5P tracked 17 tutorial activities from 2021 until 2025. On average, 408 students attempted each activity and made over 18,000 recorded attempts. These statistics represent multiple attempts by students across different semesters, with each student typically attempting each activity on an average of 2 – 3 times to reach the correct answer. Their score increased from 71% in their first attempt to 94% in their final attempt. Students also highlighted the tutorials as one of the best aspects in the ESS.

Our work offers a practical, low-cost, and highly effective method for transforming tutorials into an engaging classroom experience, supporting situated and problem-based learning. This approach has catered to around 300 students each year since 2021. Additionally, this interactive design using H5P on Canvas was shared with colleagues in one workshop as an example of how tutorials can be structured on Canvas to promote engaging learning.

We plan to show a brief example of an animated case study and a live demo of some interactive tutorial activities. During this, we will explain the backstories, design choices, and pedagogical reasoning behind the design.