Information architecture for first-year modules on Moodle: A Nelson Mandela University case study

Abstract

Students enrolled in first-year programming modules at higher education institutions often struggle to master the material, resulting in poor performance and high dropout rates. Although blended learning and implementation of various pedagogical approaches have been introduced to address this challenge, the structure and organisation of online course content are underexplored and may affect student engagement and learning. To address this gap, this paper examines the effectiveness of utilising an Information Architecture (IA) specifically designed to structure various types of content in online courses, thereby supporting students’ diverse learning styles. Grounded in the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (CTML), the research employed a multi-method approach: a questionnaire completed by 64 students and focus group discussions with  six students. The findings indicated that inadequate navigation and labelling, poorly structured module content, and a lack of engaging learning materials contribute to student  frustration, reduced motivation, and higher dropout rates. Building on our earlier work, which proposed information architecture (IA) guidelines for online course  content, this paper demonstrates how these IA guidelines can be applied to the design of online course content.