Abstract:
Academics often develop software for teaching and learning purposes with the best of
intentions, only to be disappointed by the low acceptance rate of the software by their
students once it is implemented. In this study, the focus is on software that was designed to
enable veterinary students to record their clinical skills. A pilot of the software clearly showed
that the program had not been received as well as had been anticipated, and therefore the
researchers used a group interview and a questionnaire with closed-ended and open-ended
questions to obtain the students’ feedback. The open-ended questions were analysed with
conceptual content analysis, and themes were identified. Students made valuable suggestions
about what they regarded as important considerations when a new software program is
introduced. The most important lesson learnt was that students cannot always predict their
needs accurately if they are asked for input prior to the development of software. For that
reason student input should be obtained on a continuous and regular basis throughout the
design and development phases.
