Implementing Online Peer-Assisted Learning for Teaching Case Study Coursework

Case study teaching is now frequently appear in many disciplines such as law, medical, education, science, and engineering. It is a very effective technique allows students to develop their creativity and innovative thinking for solving real-life problems that they might face in their career fields after graduation. Many students especially first and second year students at the Department of Civil Engineering, Middle East College (MEC), Sultanate of Oman, are often have unfamiliar experience with research and writing skills, and discussing and analyzing a case in their coursework assessments which negatively affect their performance. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the use of Online Peer Assisted Learning (OPAL) in teaching case study coursework in compared with the traditional teaching method as an educational strategy to enhance students' performance, and to develop learners' attributes at MEC. This evaluation is conducted from the students' and faculty perspective. The study is mainly targeted all audience of second year (semester four) Civil Engineering students who have studied Introduction to Environmental Engineering module during 2016/2017 academic year, with a total number of 70 students including those academically at risk and high risk. The results indicated that the use of OPAL improved students' performance by approximately 13.1 % than the traditional method. Another significant indicator of the effectiveness of the OPAL scheme in contrast with the traditional method, is that relatively higher minimum and maximum marks have been achieved by students in the OPAL group as compared with the minimum and maximum marks achieved using the traditional method. Students' and faculty feedback showed that the OPAL enhances learner attributes at MEC particularly communication skills, leadership and teamwork skills, intercultural competence, lifelong learning, digital competence, and professional competence through research and writing skills, the use of library resources, and understanding the subject matter of the coursework clearly.