IBIS Faculty Report
1. Provide an overview of your course and what you redesigned for the IBIS project
2. Explain the data you collected
3. Provide a data analysis and your conclusions about the course experience. The central
question is did the blend positively or negatively or not at all affect student learning? This is
the core of your report.
4. Provide a section outlining your peer mentor experience. When did you meet? What
guidelines did you set up? What worked well? What didn't work well?
1. Overview and Redesign:
Course description (from catalogue): This course (CAS 101) is an introduction to
study in the disciplines of the College of Arts and Sciences. This course is designed to
increase student success at college. The overall goal of the course is to facilitate a smooth
transition to college life by engaging students in a structured curriculum of academic and
life skills enhancement while, at the same time, encouraging the development of enduring
relationships between students, faculty and advisors, and classmates. To accomplish this
goal, the content of the class includes: locating and utilizing campus resources, the
importance of co-curricular activity on campus, goal setting and time management skills,
writing skills, test preparation and taking skills, critical and creative thinking skills, and
career and major/minor exploration.
In general I wanted to try to increase student engagement with the material in this
course. More specifically, I was interested in focusing on the objectives for topic #3
from the master syllabus, “Engaged Learning at UMD” and especially on 3.c.i. “Engage
and participate in activities/ events,” and 3.c.ii. “Identify and engage in co-curricular
opportunities at UMass Dartmouth.”
Discussion boards were added to increase student:student (and faculty:student)
interaction and further conversations of a selected topic from the face-to-face classes.
The redesign will investigate the effectiveness of these discussion boards and weekly email reminders with respect to increasing student engagement with the material in the
course in general and specifically with increasing participation in campus life and a sense
of community.
2. Data:
Please see attached surveys for question details. Pre and post surveys were used
to measure activities (psychomotor) and perceptions (affective). [Note: Quizzes served to
assess general knowledge (cognitive), another topic covered in objective #3.] The pre
and post surveys were designed to monitor scope (variety) of activities as well as
enumerate involvement and time spent with activities. Survey questions in the affective
domain were designed to address attitude and perceived interest even if actual activity
has not changed.
Unfortunately a control group could not be established this semester, but similar
questions from pre and post surveys can be compared. It is proposed that in future
offerings, a control group from another section of CAS 101 will also be surveyed.
3. Data analysis/ conclusions:
What was the “baseline” level of engagement?
In the absence of a control group and in an attempt to understand the level of
involvement in activities prior to UMD the pre survey asked questions about co- and
extra-curricular activities in high school. Responses included a wide range of activities
including sports, performing arts, civic and social causes. Approximately 72% of the
students indicated that they spent at least 6 hours a week with these activities in high
school and 50% of the students indicated that they spent at least 11 hours a week engaged
in these activities in high school. This indicates that most of the group was active to
some degree and about half the group was moderately active in activities prior to coming
to UMD.
How does the level of participation in these activities change once at UMD?
In contrast to 72% participation in high school only 24% of the students
responded that they participated in co- or extra-curricular activities for 6 or more hours a
week in their first semester at UMD. The types of activities also appeared more limited
as compared to high school with the most obvious being a decline in playing organized
sports. Approximately half of the students indicated no participation in activities at all
and roughly 25% indicated a minimal level of activity (under 5 hours per week).
What are attitudes about participating in activities at college?
The question, “Do you feel it is important to participate in activities on campus?”
was asked at the beginning and the end of the semester. At the beginning of the semester
about 61% of the students thought it was at least slightly important and at the end of the
semester about 66% thought it was at least slightly important. Given the small sample
size this difference can be attributed to roughly one student’s response so strong
conclusions can’t be drawn with respect to any change in attitude from the beginning to
the end of the semester. It can be concluded, however, that even though they didn’t
actually participate, more than 60% of the students think it is important to participate in
activities in college. That attitude didn’t appear to change from the beginning to the end
of the first semester.
How effective is CAS 101 with respect to campus engagement and community
building?
At the end of the semester students were asked how much CAS 101 increased
their awareness of activities and events on campus. All the students (100%) indicated
that CAS 101 increased their awareness at least slightly, 62% indicated that CAS 101
increased their awareness a moderate amount of more.
At the end of the semester students were also asked how much CAS 101 increased
their interest in participating in activities and events on campus. Approximately 75%
indicated that CAS 101 increased their interest at least slightly, 38% indicated that CAS
101 increased their interest a moderate amount or more.
At the end of the semester students were asked how likely it is that they will
participate in more activities on campus in the future. Approximately 71% indicated that
it was at least slightly possible that they would increase their participation, 62% indicated
that it was likely or very likely that they would increase their level of participation in the
future.
At the end of the semester students were asked how much CAS 101 helped to
increase their sense of community on campus. An overwhelming 90% of the students
indicated that CAS 101 increased their sense of community on campus at least slightly,
43% indicated that the course increased their sense of community at least a moderate
amount or more.
At the end of the semester students were asked how much CAS 101 helped them
to feel more engaged in their college experience. Again, 90% of the students indicated
that CAS 101 helped them feel more engaged at least slightly, 52% indicated that the
course helped them feel more engaged at least at a moderate amount or more.
General Conclusions:
Although the level of participation and engagement in extra-curricular activities
appeared to decrease significantly during the transition from high school to college, most
students still feel it is important to participate in these kinds of activities and will likely
participate more in the future. Many responses in the open response questions about
participation in events demonstrated a cautious, “wait and see” concept. In other words,
the students didn't want to get too involved with other activities on campus until they
knew more about the academic and general demands of college life. With respect to
blended CAS 101 helping students feel more engaged and part of the community it can
be concluded that the vast majority of the students thought it was helpful. Future
offerings of the blended course with comparison to a control group will more clearly
demonstrate that the blended offering is at least as effective as a traditional offering in
this area.
4. Peer Mentor Experience:
My mentor and an additional reviewer provided written comments on my
proposal wiki during the summer. This was very helpful and allowed me to focus my
project. My mentor observed my class on September 27, 2012, and provided a follow-up
critique. This was very helpful, supportive and validating. Later in the semester I
received a written critique of the course webpage with several very useful suggestions.
We had a face-to-face meeting on February 7, 2013 to discuss the whole process in more
depth. The process seemed to work fine for us.
INITIAL SURVEY
1) In your own words, please describe the purposes of higher education.
2) How involved were you in high school? Please list the types of co-curricular and extracurricular activities you participated in during high school (things like clubs, music
groups, sports teams, theater groups, etc.).
3) Please estimate the average amount of time you spent per week participating in cocurricular or extra-curricular activities while in high school.
a. 0-5h,
b. 6-10h,
c. 11-15h,
d. 16-20h,
e. >20h
4) How involved are you at UMD? Please list the types of co-curricular and extra-curricular
activities you participate in at college (things like clubs, music groups, sports teams,
theater groups, etc.).
5) Please estimate the average amount of time you spend per week participating in cocurricular or extra-curricular activities at college.
a. 0-5h,
b. 6-10h,
c. 11-15h,
d. 16-20h,
e. >20h
6) Do you feel it is important to participate in activities on campus?
a. No, not at all.
b. It might be fun, but it is not really important
c. It is slightly important
d. It is important
e. It is very important
POST SURVEY:
1) How involved are you at UMD? Please list the types of co-curricular and extra-curricular
activities you participate in at college (things like clubs, music groups, sports teams,
theater groups, etc.).
2) Please estimate the average amount of time you spend per week participating in cocurricular or extra-curricular activities at college.
a. 0-5h,
b. 6-10h,
c. 11-15h,
d. 16-20h,
e. >20h
3) Do you feel it is important to participate in activities on campus?
a. No, not at all.
b. It might be fun, but it is not really important
c. It is slightly important
d. It is important
e. It is very important
4) Please estimate the number of UMD events you attended this semester.
a. Sporting events
i. None
ii. 1-3
iii. 4-6
iv. 7-10
v. >10
b. Visual & performing arts events (Music/ Theater/ Art Shows)
i. None
ii. 1-3
iii. 4-6
iv. 7-10
v. >10
c. Multicultural events
i. None
ii. 1-3
iii. 4-6
iv. 7-10
v. >10
d. Club events
i. None
ii. 1-3
iii. 4-6
iv. 7-10
v. >10
5) ________ On a scale of 1-5 where 1 is none and 5 is very much. How much do you feel
that CAS 101 increased your awareness of activities and events available on campus?
6) ________ On a scale of 1-5 where 1 is none and 5 is very much. How much has CAS 101
increased your interest in participating in activities and events available on campus?
7) ________ On a scale of 1-5 where 1 is not likely and 5 is very likely. How likely is it that
you will participate in more activities and events on campus in the future?
8) ________ On a scale of 1-5 where 1 is none and 5 is very much. How much has CAS 101
helped to increase your sense of community on campus?
9) ________ On a scale of 1-5 where 1 is none and 5 is very much. How much has CAS 101
helped you to feel more engaged in your college experience?