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