New Math in the SON:

Sample, 40 x 10 = 931

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The Process Before 2009(Design)

• 1 cohort, level 3

• 40 groups (facilitated by faculty and TA’s)

• 10-12 students/grp

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The Process Before 2009(course design)

• 1-hour large group lecture (experts)

• 2-hour tutorial (faculty/TA facilitated)

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The Process Before 2009(design & evaluation)

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The Process In 2009(student distribution)

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The Process In 2009(student distribution)

2 cohorts, levels 2 and 3

Tues Wed Thurs Fri(Mac) (Con) (Con) (Moh)336 107 147 267

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The Process In 2009(Design)

• eliminated 40 tutorial groups

• 2 faculty (course planners)

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The Process In 2009(design & evaluation)

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The Process In 2009(design & evaluation)

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A typical 2 hour class

• housekeeping (5 mins)

• feedback to previous groups (5 mins)

• feedback on quizzes (5 mins)

• group presentations (1.5 hours)

• quiz (15 mins)

The Process In 2009(design & evaluation)

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Group Presentations (15%)

• students formed own groups (4-6, 14-18)

• we could fit in only 26 topics.

• students chose own topics.

The Process In 2009(design & evaluation)

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Group Presentations (15%)

• group grade based on:– creativity– content– references

• faculty evaluation form (2)

• peer evaluation forms (931 minus presenting group)

The Process In 2009(design & evaluation)

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Presentation Reflections (15%)

• students wrote individual, 2-page reflections

- role in presentation (research, presenter, ppt, etc.)

- describe one new aspect learned, “aha” moment.

The Process In 2009(design & evaluation)

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Weekly Quizzes (30%)

• 3 questions based on readings

• T/F, multiple-choice & short answer

• 11 units of course content

• total of 33% (3x11), discarded lowest score

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Issue: in-class quizzes

Environment and Health

2. Name two countries that have entered into the Great Lakes agreement resulting in cleaner, safer drinking water.

1. _________________     2.  ___________________

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Issue: in-class quizzes

Environment and Health

2. Name two countries that have entered into the Great Lakes agreement resulting in cleaner, safer drinking water.

1. _________________     2.  ___________________

• Canada & Switzerland• Canada & Iceland• Canada & Alaska• Canada & Australia• California & New York• UK & Canada• America & Europe• England & USA• USA & India

The Process In 2009(design & evaluation)

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Registrar Administered Exam (40%)

• 80 questions (T/F, MCQ, Short Ans)

• based on readings

• similar to quizzes

• developed over multiple Tim Hortons coffees in one afternoon!

The Challenges In 2009

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Issue: taking responsibility

•  in the beginning, some students were resistant to the idea of group presentations - expected faculty to lecture - emailed us with complaints.

• some students came late, only to write the quiz (disruptive, disrespectful, devalues effort of peers, circumvents the learning value of the presentations).

Management of the paperwork

• handing out, collecting, and recording tests and other assignments for 931 students.

• grading 85 reflective papers per week!

• make-up quizzes (for those absent) 5-10%

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Management of distractions

• talking, noise levels

• late arrivals

• early departures

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Diverse background and preparation of students

• different levels of English,

• Maturity of students

• Capacity for SDL

• Sophistication of content

• range / hierarchy of levels

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Large classes also pose significant challenges to

learning

• not knowing what is relevant or important information,

• hesitation in asking questions or in other ways indicating a lack of knowledge

• lack of experience with time management, studying, or other skills necessary for success in college

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Other ChallengesELM:

- group sign-up sheets

- disappearing grades

- unreliability of attaching reflections

Illness:

- rescheduling quizzes, presentations, reflection papers

Accommodation during the course (sporting events)

Volume of emails (hundreds/week)

TA strike

Disappearing quizzes (52)

Jimmy Kim – student anonymity, who is in the class

Duplicate Names (3-4)

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The Rewards In 2009

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Group Presentations• created own videos• interviewed >800 students• found appropriate YouTube videos• developed games• wrote skits

The Rewards In 2009

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Reflections

• profoundly personal

• supported lifelong learning

• opinions challenged and changed

• “from now on I’m going to vote”

• “…going to join the RNAO so I can be a change agent.”

The Rewards In 2009

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Weekly Quizzes

• social contract

Lesson: quizzes provide incentive for attendance.

Proof: Friday aft - before long weekend - 92% attendance

Attendance rates: 97%, 96%, 95%, 94%, 93%, 92%, 91%, 92%

The Rewards In 2009

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Registrar Administered Exam

• layering of Bloom’s taxonomy (knowledge, application, synthesis)

• concepts reinforced from readings, presentations, and other coursework (pharmacology, pathophysiology, PBL)

• students did exceptionally well.

The Rewards In 2009

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Other (from students’ perspectives)• wrote an RNAO position paper on gender issues.• debated with evidence aboriginal rights with her

family.• described living through the Chernobyl disaster.• two students offered to come back next year to

speak to the 2010 cohort.• personal discussion of mental health issues.

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