Exploring the Learning Management System Features and Its Impact on the Oral Communication Skills of First Year College Students

Abstract

The teaching and learning process has been challenged due to the sudden shift in modality brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, in the Philippines, schools have shifted from purely online classes to hybrid setup, while some conduct classes purely onsite. With the continuous implementation of online classes, schools utilise learning management systems (LMS) to allow the teaching and learning process to proceed. This research aimed to explore the different features of the learning management system and how these impact the oral communication skills of first-year college students. The study was conducted in a private tertiary educational institution based in Manila where first-year college students were purposively tapped as respondents. Said students were taking the general education course Purposive Communication during the second term of the school year. Mixed-method design was employed, where two instruments were used to gather data from the respondents: a survey and an interview. Out of the respondents who consented to participate in the survey, ten (10) were randomly selected to take part in the online interview. Descriptive analysis and thematic analysis were used to provide answers to the research questions, which are about the features of the learning management system that aid students in honing their oral communication skills and how these LMS features impact the students’ enhancement of the said skill. The study aimed to significantly aid the educational institution where the study was implemented, professors handling Purposive Communication, and the student-respondents as they work on improving their oral communication skills.