General Psychology Redesign

Challenges and Solutions

Chattanooga, Tennessee

General Psychology Course Design

• Classes: – total enrollment approximately 1500 per year – 7 on-ground sections main campus (100 students per section)– 3 on-ground sections at satellite campuses (40-50 students per

section)– 5 online sections (30-40 students per section)

• Contact Hours: – each on-ground section meets 2 hours per week– 2 optional one-hour help sessions per week

• Faculty: – 4 full-time faculty (one serves as department chair)– 5 adjunct instructors

General Psychology Curriculum

• Curriculum: – Uniform learning objectives and student learning outcomes across

all sections

• Assessment – Standardized across all sections– 1 syllabus quiz, 1 essay quiz, 14 interactive chapter quizzes,

1 learning strategies quiz, 3 unit exams, 1 final exam

• Resources: – Wileyplus Interactive Website

• PowerPoint slides, animations, streaming video, online textbook, web resources, self-assessments

Faculty Collaboration

• The process– Frequent meetings– Formal and informal meetings

• What makes it work?– Maintaining academic freedom– The individual is subsumed to the whole– Candor– Climate of innovation– Willingness to negotiate– Use of humor– Ability to handle criticism

Student Outcomes

• Improved student learning – pre and post test data verification

• Increased learner-focused curriculum

• Designated Psychology area/classroom – building a learning community

• Online and on-ground students have the same materials and opportunities

– Faculty available for all students (on-ground and on-line)

– One website for all on-ground students – maximum peer interaction and interactive mastery learning opportunities

Student Outcomes, Continued

• Flexible scheduling

– Eliminate drop/add confusion - students can enroll in any open section and attend any section with a seat as many times as they wish

• “Now, I know. I need the lecture.” – can begin attending any or all lectures

• “Job change. Can’t come to class.” or “My baby is due next week.” - not a problem just complete everything online without benefit of lecture

• “Wow, if I’m sick one day or my car breaks down, I can take the exam on one of the other days it is offered.”

Faculty Outcomes• Streamlined management - eliminating replication of work

– set of modularized course components that map to desired learning outcomes (one site – one syllabus – one set of materials developed collaboratively)

– mass emailing and replication of course calendar• most weeks students receive an informative email --“ How are you

doing?”, Office Hours, Due Date Reminders, Study Tips, “Where are you?”, …

• Increased office time for other course development or research

• Attention to students’ diverse learning styles

• Less dependence on adjunct faculty instructors

• Collaboration with other colleges and universities

College Outcomes• Increased and consistent faculty use of educational

technology

• Decreased demand upon classroom space

• Reduction of instructional costs

• Faculty development of new courses and revision of current offerings

• Reduction of administrative hassles – scheduling and drop/add

• Curriculum consistency across all sections – increased transferability and reduced grade inflation

• Excellent SACS and Academic Audit Reviews

Information • National Center for Academic Transformation

http://www.thencat.org/R2R/Abstracts/CSTCC_Abstract.htm

• National Center for Academic Transformation- national project outcomes http://www.thencat.org/R2R/R2R_Project_Outcomes.htm

• The Learning MarketSpace http://www.thencat.org/subscribe.htm