Effectiveness of I-SLT in Determining Student Learning Time

Abstract

Student Learning Time (SLT) aims to a balance under- and overloading students by focusing on the total time required to achieve learning objectives, beyond just classroom hours. i-SLT is a SLT calculator that utilizes the visual basic for application features in Microsoft Excel. The main advantage of i-SLT is the capability to include unlimited teaching and learning (T&L) components (for both conventional and online learning) for the SLT calculation. It is highly flexible, enabling users to easily add or delete components and set the course duration. Components can be defined in four units: hours, minutes, numbers, or pages. i-SLT calculates contact time, independent learning time, and total SLT for each component, and provides detailed breakdowns, including percentages of practical vs. theoretical learning, conventional vs. online learning, and synchronous vs. asynchronous learning. To facilitate the blended learning culture, the i-SLT can also display the indicator whether the course achieves the Supportive Blended Learning or the Substitute Blended Learning status. With a proper usage of i-SLT, users can confidently show the actual loading of each course by taking consideration of all the T&L elements and components.