Getting Started on Course Redesign

Jennifer L. Hearne, Ph.D.Baltimore, Maryland

January 25, 2011

OVERVIEW• NCAT & MCRI – www.thencat.org

• Institutional & Course Readiness• UMES Team & Principles of Chemistry I• Efficiency and Effectiveness Strategies• Key Aspects• Assessment• Implementation Issues• Motivational Factors

NCAT & MCRIGoals of the MCRI• Adopt new ways to improve student learning outcomes

• Demonstrate these improvements through rigorous assessment

• Reduce institutional costs

• Release instructional resources for other purposes

• Develop the internal capacity of USM Faculty and Staff to continue the redesign process

INSTITUTIONAL READINESSDoes your institution want to control or reduce costs?

Does your institution want to increase productivity?• Academic productivity of students• Academic course offerings• Scholarly activity of faculty

COURSE READINESS• High drop-failure-withdrawal rates

• Poor student performance in subsequent courses

• Creates a bottleneck

• Student & Departmental complaints

• Course drift -> Inconsistent learning outcomes

• Difficulty finding qualified personnel

UMES & MCRIUniversity of Maryland Eastern Shore

Thelma B. Thompson, Ph.D., PresidentCharles Williams, Ph.D., Vice President for

Academic Affairs

MCRI Team at UMESYan Y. Waguespack, Ph.D. Joseph M. Okoh, Ph.D.Gladys G. Shelton, Ph.D Charles Williams, Ph.D.Amelia G. PotterJames R. Hayes

University System of Maryland

Principles of Chemistry IPopulation• Caters to science and health professions

students • 20% of freshman class

• 73% Freshman • 6% nontraditional

Goals• Basic atomic and molecular theory• Nomenclature• Reaction stoichiometry• Gas laws

Principles of Chemistry IAcademic Issues• Inconsistent knowledge of incoming students

• 55% student retention rate

• Lack of coordination among the professors teaching the sections of the course leading to course drift and inconsistent learning outcomes

NCAT REPLACEMENT MODEL• Replaces in-class time with online, interactive

learning activities

• May keep remaining in-class activities the same or may make significant changes

• May schedule out-of-class activities in computer lab or totally online so that students can participate anytime, anywhere

KEY ASPECTS OF REDESIGNInfusion of technology components

Use of integrated staffing

Offering of individualized, active assistance

Restructure the course

REDESIGN STRATEGYNCAT Principle #1: Redesign the whole course. • Restructure the course - Chemistry 111E

Results• Eliminates course drift • Eliminates duplication of effort • Creates opportunities for integrated staffing• Reduced faculty preparation and

presentation time

NCAT Principle #2: Encourage active learning. • Incorporate technology-based exercises• Recitation or PBL sessions

Results• Student learning and interaction with

materials/each other• Reduced faculty preparation and presentation

time • Reduced grading time

REDESIGN STRATEGY

NCAT Principle #3: Provide students with individualized assistance.• Dedicated Computer Lab• Integrated Staffing: Undergraduate Learning

Assistants (ULAs) and Learning Assistants (LAs) • Recitation

Results• Students are provided with help when they

need it (electronic or human intervention).

REDESIGN STRATEGY

NCAT Principle #4: Build in ongoing assessment and prompt (automatic) feedback. • Technology-based program

• Hints• Provides solutions • Instantaneous grading

• Cumulative grade postings

Results• Enables practice• Provides diagnostic feedback for focused time

on task

REDESIGN STRATEGY

Principle #5: Ensure time on task and monitor student progress. • Web-based program/technology• Classroom management system

implementation• ULAs/LA monitor students’ time-on-task

Results• Milestone-learning

REDESIGN STRATEGY

KEY ASPECTS OF REDESIGNInfusion of technology components

Integrated staffing

Individualized, active assistance

Restructure the course

INFUSION OF TECHNOLOGYBlackboard

CengageNOW http://login.cengage.com/sso//• Tutorials and exercises that can be repeated in

an attempt to earn a perfect score• Hints/Answers -> Instantaneous grading• Grade management• Monitors time-on-task

Establishment of a Chemistry Computer Lab

INDIVIDUALIZED ASSISTANCE & INTEGRATED STAFFING

• ULAs and LA – monitor students’ time-on-task in computer lab– Offer on-demand assistance

• Cumulative grade posted every Monday– Office door/Blackboard– CengageNOW grade available in student

account

• Call or text from 8AM-9PM

RESTRUCTURED CHEMISTRY 111Course Sectio

n SizeMeetings Sections /

Professors per

academic year

Integrated

Staffing

Traditional Chemistry 111

Up tp 40

MWF50 min

7/6 No

Pilot Chemistry 111E

Up to 80

M75 min + 2h in computer

labRecitation

offered

1 Yes

Chemistry 111E

Up to 114

MW50 minutes +

1h in computer lab

3/2 Yes

ASSESSMENT • Choose the measurement method

• Use of historical data• Parallel offering of Traditional and Pilot Section of

Redesigned Course

• Minimize differences between the student populations in the traditional and Pilot Section offerings

• Use the same measures and procedures to collect the data for the Pilot and Full Implementation

SUCCESS OF STUDENTS

In comparison to students enrolled in the Traditional course section, Pilot course section students were:

7.4% more likely to earn the grade of A, B or C in Principles of Chemistry II (Chemistry 112)

Traditional Course Pilot Course54.5% A-C 65.7% A-C61.1% enrolled in CHEM 112

61.8% enrolled in CHEM112

54.5% A-C 61.9% earned A-C

COST ASSESSMENT

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE SAVINGS?

• Stay in department for continuous course improvement and/or redesign• BIOL111• CHEM112

• Provide a greater range of offerings at upper division or graduate level

• Accommodate greater numbers of students with same resources

• Stay in department to reduce teaching load and provide more time for research

IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES • Faculty perspectives

• Technology

• Administrative issues– Scheduling– Teaching load

MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS Professional Development Opportunities

Publications Presentations Publicity

Increased opportunity to work directly with students who need help

Reduced time spent on grading

Ability to try different approaches to meet different student needs

Opportunity for continuous improvement of materials and approaches

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSNCAT – Carolyn Jarmon and Carol Twigg

USM – Don Spicer, Nancy Shapiro and Stan Jakubik

UMES –Team, Administration, ULAs and LAs, MARC U*STAR and MBRS RISE Programs

Contact: JLHearne@umes.edu