blended by design: student readiness, student crisis points, and student teams
TRANSCRIPT
Blended by Design
Students: Readiness and Expectations
Blended course examples• Examples of completely redesigned courses
▫ http://thencat.org/PCR/model_replace.htm
• Brigham Young University: English Composition• State Polytechnic University, Pomona: General Psychology• Drexel University: Computer Programming• Penn State University: Elementary Statistics• Portland State University: Introductory Spanish• Riverside Community College: Elementary Algebra• Tallahassee Community College: College Composition• University at Buffalo (SUNY): Computer Literacy• University of Central Florida: American National Government• University of Colorado at Boulder: Introductory Astronomy• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: Economic Statistics• University of Iowa: General Chemistry• The University of Tennessee, Knoxville: Intermediate Spanish
Transition• University of Wisconsin-Madison: General Chemistry
Poll
•Identify the top 2 areas that students would need help in a blended course
•http://www.polldaddy.com/p/293690/
Readiness Assessment Strategies•Formal
▫eLearning website ▫Screening surveys
Pre and post enrollment with feedback▫Debunking incorrect impressions
•Informal ▫FAQs ▫Examples ▫Pros/Cons ▫Testimonials
Assess…• Skills (reading) • Learning styles• Work and study habits• Technical requirements
(hardware, software, connectivity)
• Need and immediacy for course
• Feedback preferences • Ability to self-help (when
things are difficult) • Attitude toward the nature
of learning online
Readiness Means…1. Determining who is
ready 2. Ready now = start
course 3. Not ready now =
1. Getting ready via tutorials, etc. or
2. Redirecting to other delivery modes
4. UCF Learning Online
Are you ready for MY course?•Take a moment to review some of the course
readiness surveys (in binder)
• Identify 4 areas that your students might struggle with
•Come up with 4 strategies that you would offer to support students with these
•How would you customize these readiness surveys for your course to further communicate to students specific success requirements
Student Crisis Points
Poll
•What is the mostly likely cause of a student crisis point
•http://www.polldaddy.com/p/293696/
What are they?•Moments during your course when students
are most likely to need support and assistance
▫Example: The first time a student logs in to your course web site and cannot successfully locate the address and insert the username and password?
• Identify crisis points in advance, so you can make sure that you have a plan in place to mitigate student problems and avoid frustration
How to identify them1. Review the sequence of learning activities
and course modules you have planned
2. What student skills will be required1. Technological skills
1. Using course management system (tests, finding materials, email, groups, etc.)
2. Learning skills
1. Time management
2. Ability to retain and use your course content
•List 4 potential problems that you can identify
• 2 technological • 2 pedagogical
•How will you address, support and troubleshoot your students' technological and pedagogical needs during your course
Utilizing student teams and other collaborations
Poll
•Which best describes your experience with student teams
•http://www.polldaddy.com/p/293705/
Using Teams • Based on the work of Larry
Michaelsen (University of Oklahoma)
• 3 Keys1. Promoting ongoing
accountability
2. Using linked and mutually reinforcing assignments
3. Adopting practices that stimulate idea exchange
Promoting ongoing accountability
• Require pre-group work
• Require group members to express individual opinions and monitor via another member
• Include peer evaluation in grading
• Readiness Assurance Process
▫ Test over readings
▫ Group: Test, discuss, reach consensus and retest
▫ Provides information for peer feedback process
Using linked and mutually reinforcing assignments: 3 Ss
Adopting practices that stimulate idea exchangeUse of assignments that create conditions that foster give-and-take interaction
Diversity of opinion, ideas, and perspectives
• Not too easy• Not too much writing • Employ, select, apply
concepts from the course
• Assign roles • Use permanent groups• Allow some in-class group
work • Size: 4-7
Team Tips• Outline learning goals
• Teach team skills
• Clear and detailed instructions
• Rubric
• Stages of team development
Team Contracts • Purpose, goals, and
missions • Expectations • Roles• Conflict resolution
strategies • Meetings• Communication • Decision-making policy • Agendas• Record-keeping
Other Resources
•Team Based Learning (Michaelsen) ▫http://www.ou.edu/pii/
teamlearning/index.htm
•Video Demonstrations▫Pick one or two ▫http://www.ou.edu/pii/
teamlearning/video.htm
4 Questions• What do I want students to be
able to DO after this unit of instruction (behavioral outcomes)
• What will students have to KNOW to do XYZ (learning outcomes)
• How can I ASSESS whether or not students have successfully mastered key course concepts?
• How can I tell if students will be able to USE their knowledge of key course concepts? (application)
Activity• Using the 4 questions,
develop a team activity for a unit in your course
▫ Specify the activity
▫ Explain how it will be conducted using the RAT process