From Education Hurdles to WileyPLUS Solutions and
Positive Learning Outcomes––Instructor and Student
Perspectives on Using WileyPLUS
Presented by Robin Zuniga, Executive Director, Learning Curves Educational Network
version 1.0
A Message From John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
WileyPLUS is the complete course management solution that is integrated with a full
online version of the text, plus an easy-to-navigate suite of teaching and learning tools.
Using WileyPLUS, nearly one-half million instructors and students in three thousand
courses have achieved a higher level of positive learning outcomes that they attribute to
their WileyPLUS experience.
WileyPLUS proudly carries the Wiley name, as well as the mission that continues to
define Wiley higher education: Helping Teachers Teach and Students Learn.
We do this by listening to our customers, first and foremost.
Instructor Inspired…
"WileyPLUS was very easy to adopt and
implement from a faculty perspective; and
the students very quickly learned to use it."
Student-Approved…
89% of students surveyed said they would recommend WileyPLUS to their other
instructors!
This paper is the culmination of customer feedback tracked over a two-year period (Fall
05 through Fall 07) to measure the WileyPLUS experience from the perspective of both
instructors and students who say they have solved their course-specific issues using the
online text and resources contained in WileyPLUS. This feedback has been gathered through:
• Split Tests: Conducted in courses for an entire semester, where some students
used WileyPLUS and some did not—with results based upon documented case studies
• WileyPLUS User Conference 11/06: 54 users gathered to share best practices
and product development ideas.
• End-of-Semester Student Surveys: Conducted Fall 05 through Fall 07, with
responses from over 7,000 students who have used WileyPLUS.
• Tracked use of support programs such as:
o Wiley Faculty Network events: Faculty-led, discipline-specific live
workshops and virtual seminars where faculty connect to share best
practices for integrating technology into their courses.
o The 1st Day of Class websites containing narrated 2-Minute Tutorials,
user guides, and resources instructors and students have asked for to
help them get started as WileyPLUS users.
o Account Managers’ customer activity from personalized user experiences regarding test driving, training, and fulfillment WileyPLUS courses.
PG 1
o Technical Support activity tracked from website usage of search-bytopic, submit a question online, and live chat help, as well as instructor
phone support.
These are the Learning Outcomes instructors and students have come to expect
from using WileyPLUS as the solution they need to succeed. Using WileyPLUS, students come to class more prepared, more interested, and more confident in their
ability to succeed, and they:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Use their assigned text more
Spend more time on task
Achieve a higher level of understanding
Become more accountable for completing homework assignments
Become more responsible for focusing their study and practice activities
Reach a common level of comprehension faster among their peers
Perform with greater skill, confidence, and success
Committed to the WileyPLUS user experience, we continue to develop WileyPLUS as the
course management solution designed to deliver the user experience today’s instructors
and students expect and deserve.
The following WileyPLUS Case Studies are presented by Robin Zuniga of Learning
Curves, Inc. and are intended to provide scenarios grounded in solid market research and
customer feedback from instructors just like you—and students just like yours.
We look forward to your feedback and we look forward to helping you and your students
solve the problems inherent to your courses!
The following WileyPLUS Case Studies are presented by Robin Zuniga of Learning
Curves, Inc. and are intended to provide scenarios grounded in solid market research and
customer feedback from instructors just like you—and students just like yours.
Biography
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Case Study #1: Using WileyPLUS
To Give Students More Practice
PG 3-4
Case Study #2: Using the Online
Version of the Textbook in
WileyPLUS PG 5-6
Robin Etter Zúñiga
Robin Etter Zúñiga is Executive Director of the nonprofit
Learning Curves Education Network. She was formerly the
associate director of the Flashlight Program and lead developer of the Flashlight evaluation tools. Ms. Zuniga was also
the principal investigator on the Better Education through
Assessment (BETA) project funded by the Fund for the
Improvement of Postsecondary Education. Ms. Zúñiga has
more than 20 years of experience consulting with institutions on best practices in the use of technology in instruction.
Case Study #3: Using WileyPLUS
for Student Self-Assessment in
an Online Course PG 7-8
Case Study #4: Making Sure
WileyPLUS is Easy to Use . PG 9-10
Summary & Conclusion of
Findings PG 11-14
PG 2
Case Study #1: Using WileyPLUS to Give Students More Practice
“By assigning electronic homework, I feel about 25% of my time is saved
for other activities like current events, reinforcing concepts, using other
technologies in the classroom (clickers). I don’t have to spend class time
turning back papers, going over homework issues and handling student’s
‘bluff’ about turning in assignments…”
“…WileyPLUS helps our students in overall learning.”
Steve Teeter, Utah Valley State University
teeterst@uvsc.com
Educational Hurdle
Instructors want to have students complete more practice exercises and homework, but
don’t have the time to grade that many “more” assignments. Further, they want students
to spend quality time doing their homework so they will come to class prepared.
WileyPLUS Solution
Homework system that gives the instructor the opportunity to automate and assign more
practice work without having to spend additional time grading. Students get instant feedback, help, and a range of resources to help them review and reinforce material as they are
working on assignments.
Learning Outcome
Students spend more time on task and learn by doing. Instructors spend less time in class
reviewing homework and more time teaching with greater depth. Instructors have
observed that students don’t need as much direction on how to complete assignments
when they use WileyPLUS. Instructors save a lot of time, freeing them up to concentrate on
enhancing the course experience in other ways.
THE SCENARIO AT UTAH VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY:
Steve Teeter has been a power user of WileyPlus since 2005. Students in Professor Teeter’s
classes take advantage of the WileyPLUS resources that are readily available to them
(online text links, other question assistance). They see immediate results (right/wrong
answers) so they know what to study for the exams; furthermore, they are able to track
their own progress (personal gradebook). As a result they build the skill and confidence
necessary to enjoy a more fulfilling and successful classroom experience.
Professor Teeter’s Motivation for Assigning WileyPlus
Steve Teeter recognized that students who had more opportunities to practice accounting
problems, and receive feedback on their work, achieve more. He adopted WileyPlus
because he wants to give his students more opportunities to practice accounting problems
without adding to his workload.
PG 3
Professor Teeter’s Perspective: Q&A with Robin Zuniga, L.C.E.N., Inc.
I spoke to Steve Teeter, an accounting instructor at Utah Valley State College, in
Orem, Utah about his adoption of WileyPlus. Mr. Teeter has been a power user
of WileyPLUS since 2005. He adopted WileyPLUS with Kimmel’s Financial
Accounting textbook for his financial accounting courses. He decided to adopt
the WileyPLUS system because he was looking for a way to give his students
more opportunities to practice accounting problems and receive feedback.
RZ: Professor Teeter why did you adopt the WileyPLUS system for your
financial accounting courses?
ST: Assigning and grading problem sets in my courses required many hours —
time I did not have. Furthermore, the quality of the homework turned in by students
in my courses was lacking. Students had the option of using an accounting lab
where help was available for completing their homework. I found that some of
them would go to the lab and just copy the work, while others made a half-hearted
attempt at the homework, turning in sloppy and partially completed work.
RZ: Has using WileyPLUS changed the way you teach or the way your student’s study?
ST: Things have definitely changed as a result of adopting WileyPLUS. I am
now able to assign as many problem sets as I need. Since WileyPLUS creates the
problem sets and provides students with automatic feedback and solutions to
the problems, it saves me a lot of time. I can then spend that time covering current events, reinforcing concepts, and learning how to use other technologies in
the classroom like the clicker response systems. I also don’t have to spend class
time turning back papers, going over homework issues and handling student’s
‘bluff’ about turning in assignments. Even better while there is still some homework outstanding, I found that most students got involved and did their homework.
RZ: Steve, have you seen any changes in student learning outcomes?
ST: Yes, the students using WileyPLUS receive exact grades on their homework.
In classes where I am not using WileyPLUS I don’t have the time to grade assignments. As a consequence, I have to take more time in class going over assignments in those classes. I am very confident that WileyPLUS helps my students in
overall learning.
Here is what some of Steve Teeter’s students say about their WileyPlus experience:
“The immediate feedback on questions and assignments is very helpful.”
“Without WileyPLUS, there would be no way I could get through my accounting course. I love the interactive activities along with the feedback, the self tests
are very helpful, and the links to the texts were a great idea!”
600 Accounting students responded to a WileyPLUS user survey at the end of
the Fall 2006 semester:
74% reported that WileyPLUS improved their grade
87% said WileyPLUS improved their understanding of the material
82% said it made them better prepared for tests
90% said it was as good as or better than other comparable tools
81% gave WileyPLUS a “good” or “ excellent” rating.
PG 4
Case Study #2: Using the Online Version of the Textbook in WileyPLUS
“Today, most of my students do not read the text before they attempt
the end of chapter assignments. They usually go to the problems and
then consult the text when they need it.”
Gary Schader, Associate Professor of Accounting, Kean University
gschader@comcast.net
Educational Hurdle
Instructors are frequently frustrated by their students’ lack of preparation for class. They
are seeking a way to encourage students to review the assigned content before attending
class so that they can spend class time teaching.
WileyPLUS Solution
The WileyPLUS link to text feature gives students immediate access to specific portions of
the fully integrated online version of their text directly from their homework problems.
This context sensitive help gives students assistance when they need it most.
Learning Outcome
Students have an easier time finding material online than in a print textbook. As a result
instructors have observed changes in student understanding and retention of the subject
matter using the link-to-text feature in WileyPLUS. Students are better prepared for class
when they have accessed the required content ahead of time.
THE SCENARIO AT KEAN UNIVERSITY:
Professor Gary Schader assigned WileyPLUS to his students—without the printed textbook, for his entire class. His was among the first classes to choose the online text
option only. Students saved 60% off the price of the printed text by buying WileyPLUS
access only and using the online version of their text instead of buying the new textbook. A summary of their results follows.
Professor Schader’s Motivation for Assigning the Online text Only
Textbooks have been almost a given in most fields for as long as we can remember.
Instructors rely on them and students expect them. But, do students actually read them?
Gary Schader, an accounting professor at Kean University in Union, NJ recognizes that
many of his students are not reading the textbook before attending the related lecture.
Professor Schader’s students say they work on their assignments before reading the related chapter material and refer to the textbook only as needed.
Students, of course, have another issue with textbooks – the cost. Professor Schader’s students say they really want to save some money and are very concerned with the high
prices of textbooks. So it is not surprising that when they were asked, students say they
would prefer to be assigned only the online text at a lower cost.
PG 5
Professor Schader’s Perspective: Q&A with Robin Zuniga, Learning Curves Inc.
I spoke recently with Gary about why he decided to assign WileyPLUS access only. Mr.
Schader has been concerned about his students being prepared for class—and he understands their concern for saving money on assigned classroom materials.
RZ: Professor Schader, you said that you were concerned about students reading the textbook assigned for the course. When you adopted WileyPLUS what were you hoping to accomplish?
GS: I noticed a changing trend in my students’ outside class preparation for lectures.
When my students were asked if they read the textbook, each semester more and more students stated that they work on their assignments first and refer to the textbook only as
needed. I wanted them to access the content from the textbook and hoped the WileyPLUS
link to text feature would encourage them to access the text when working on the homework assignments.” RZ:
RZ: How did students feel about using the e-book contained in WileyPLUS versus using
a print textbook?
GS: “In spring 2006, I decided to assign my principles of accounting students WileyPLUS
access only (e- book), at about 40% of the cost of the print text from the bookstore so that
they could save money on the cost of the text. The WileyPLUS program has an advantage
over other e-book programs with which I’m familiar. WileyPLUS allows students to use the
e-book for 2 weeks. If they then want the print book version after this time, they can buy
one at 50% off the retail price. Additionally, students also can print individual sections
from the e-book. So, any student who decided to purchase the print version of the text at
50% of the retail price wound up paying the same total cost for WileyPLUS plus the print
version of the text as they would have paid if they purchased only the text from the bookstore. However, for those students who decided that they could successfully use the ebook version alone, their savings was substantial.”
RZ: How did using the WileyPLUS e-book impact student performance?
GS: “It appears that students who used the e-text version did not perform at a lower level
than the students who used the print text version. I was concerned that the students might
not grasp the material as well as they would if they had the text available in the classroom
to which they could reference during my lectures. Also, I wasn’t sure if they would comprehend the material at the same level by reading directly from their computer monitor as
they would if they read from the printed page. It seems that their performance was at the
same level if they used the e-text version alone as it was when they used the printed text version.
Students using WileyPLUS are also more likely to complete their homework––and seek me
out during office hours to discuss things they don’t understand. This difference in student
activity is noteworthy.”
of Gary Schader’s students said they would
use the e-Book only in WileyPLUS again. Here is what
his—and other—students say about their e-book only
WileyPLUS experience:
87%
“I can assign more homework because it is being graded, and
students are being provided with solutions as they complete
their homework. Also, their having multiple attempts to complete an assignment which shows them the correct portions of
the assignments after each attempt and allows them to redo
the incorrect portions as many times as I allow is of significant benefit. Also, I now have more classroom time to teach—
because I don’t have to spend so much of my class time going
over the homework.” -Gary Schader-
“I paid almost half the price for WileyPLUS and the
e-book was everything and more than a regular
hardcopy book.”
“Without WileyPLUS, there would be no way I
could get through my accounting course. I love the
interactive activities along with the feedback, the self
tests are very helpful, and the links to the texts were
a great idea!”
PG 6
Case Study #3: Using WileyPLUS for Student Self-Assessment in an Online Course
“The ease of use has been huge for me …I can create a 10 question
assignment on the current topic in 10 minutes.”
“WileyPLUS helps me to assess student learning,…I can easily correlate
the homework grades for each student against their grades on the
formal assessments.”
John Arle, Instructor of Anatomy and Physiology, Phoenix College
john.arle@pcmail.maricopia.edu
Educational Hurdle
Instructors, especially those delivering online courses, need an easy to use system for creating assignments and effectively assessing student’ progress.
WileyPLUS Solution
The WileyPlus homework system is linked to the fully integrated, online textbook making
it easy to develop problem sets for homework assignments in quick order. By automating
the assigning and grading of homework in far less time using WileyPLUS, I can spend my
time more productively, customizing lectures to meet my students’ learning needs. The
critical task of assessment has become more effective for me—and my students using WileyPLUS.
Learning Outcome
Using WileyPLUS, students can assess their own comprehension to focus their study and
practice activities accordingly; and I can assess their comprehension individually or as a
class instantly to tailor assignments and lectures to meet their needs. As a result, students
come to class better prepared for lectures that I have tailored—all based upon real-time
assessment that is available to me and my students using WileyPLUS.
THE SCENARIO AT PHOENIX COLLEGE:
Paper homework is not an option when you are teaching an online course. While the
appeal of a course management system is their ability to automatically create and grade
homework assignments, using them can be counter-productive for instructors if they are
not easy to use--for instructors creating and grading assignments, and for students assessing their own comprehension to study and practice further where they need additional
help the most.
When we talk about assessment of student learning we generally think about outcomes
assessment and grades. But many instructors, like John Arle, realize that assessment of
student learning is a continuous process that can be used to improve student learning. I
spoke with John Arle, a biology instructor at Phoenix College in Arizona, about how he
used WileyPLUS for assessing student learning and encouraging their self-assessment of
their own learning.
PG 7
Instructor’s Perspective: Q&A with Robin Zuniga, Learning Curves, Inc.
RZ: Mr. Arle, you told me that you adopted WileyPLUS because you were looking for a better
way of assessing student learning? Would you please tell me why you decided to adopt WileyPLUS?
JA: In fall 2005, I adopted WileyPLUS for the textbook Principles of Anatomy and Physiology
by Tortora. I have taught this course online for more than a decade. My goal in adopting
WileyPLUS was to have a system that would enable students in the online course to selfassess their knowledge as they progress through the course.
I needed an online system to assign homework and give feedback. But creating homework
in the course management system I was using before WileyPLUS would take me a full day
of work to develop even one short assignment. With WileyPLUS, on the other hand, I can
create a 10 question assignment on the current topic in 10 minutes. The ease of use of
WileyPLUS has been huge for me.
RZ: John, it seems that WileyPlus is easy for the instructor to use in creating homework. Is
there any other ways in which it supports assessment?
JA: WileyPLUS also enables me to track student progress. With the personal grade books
I am able to see which students have completed which assignments and how they are
doing. Not only can I assess student learning via their homework scores, I can easily correlate
the homework grades for each student against their grades on the formal assessments.
RZ: Have you observed any impact on overall student learning as a result of using WileyPLUS?
JA: Starting in fall 2005, I made changes to the virtual lab and added WileyPLUS. Prior
to these changes 2/3 of students who were enrolled after the early withdrawal deadline
completed the course with a C or better. After adding WileyPLUS and changing the virtual lab, * of the students enrolled after early withdrawal complete the course with a C or
better. Since course retention is highly correlated to course success, I have also noticed a
significant reduction in course attrition.
The overall achievement level of my students also has increased. In earlier years, the average overall student grade was in the high 70 percent range. Today, students in my anatomy and physiology course are completing with an overall average grade in the 80s.
RZ: To what do you attribute this success?
JA: In my opinion this increase in success rate is due to the ease of creating “just in time”
practice problems, that are tied to instant feedback. Having these practice problems is very
important to the students. Having the ability to have free, self-assessments is important to
my students. They can take the practice tests and find out if they are on target with their studies.
75 percent of Mr. Arle’s students who use WileyPlus successfully complete the
course with a C or better, up from a 66 percent success rate before the use of Wiley Plus.
“…it helped me re-read the information and then use different activities to help me understand and relate each concept. And even quizzed my knowledge at the end, letting me
know whether or not I was prepared to write an exam on the information.”
“Anatomy & Physiology is an extremely difficult course to understand. Therefore, we
needed as many visual and hands-on extra help outside of the teacher's visuals.”
“I took the first section of Anatomy twice, the first time I got a "C" the second time I got an
"A". The second time I took the course I had this website to help me.”
PG 8
Case Study #4: Making Sure WileyPLUS is Easy to Use!
“…If it isn't easy, we won't use it. If faculty have problems with their students, they
won't use it. If there are publisher problems the first week or two of school, we
won't use it.!”
WileyPLUS Instructor
Educational Hurdle
Instructional technology can make it possible for students and faculty to engage in better
teaching and learning practices, than would be possible without it. But, if the technology
is difficult to learn, or cumbersome to use, if adequate training and support are not available, the potential of a new technology to support learning is seriously diminished.
WileyPLUS Solution
WileyPLUS is designed to be easy to use by both instructors and students. To ensure that
it is used, WileyPLUS offers a variety of ways to receive technical support: via e-mail, live
online chat, an online support site, and phone line for instructors. Instructors can evaluate WileyPLUS for themselves with the help of a WileyPLUS Account Manager, who is
there to help them get training and get comfortable with WileyPLUS features and functionality from the 30-day test drive online to tracking bookstore orders. Students and
Instructors access 1st Day of Class resources to help them get started using WileyPLUS.
Learning Outcome
Instructors and students are generally pleased with the ease of use of WileyPLUS.
Fifty-seven percent of the students who used WileyPLUS in spring 2006 said it was “easy
to use, no problems,” and an additional 40 percent said the ease of use was “adequate.”
As a result, 89% of students say they would recommend WileyPLUS to their other instructors.
Instructors, likewise, say students are receptive to WileyPLUS, and therefore are more likely to complete their homework, use the e-book and use other WileyPLUS features to support their learning. Instructors also say that they are confident their students have the
resources they need to decide how to buy WileyPLUS access (with or without the printed
textbook); to get registered “using provided” tutorials and user guides that clearly show
and tell the process; to get started using their WileyPLUS resources; and to get help when
they need it most.
Instructor Perspective
Faculty support starts with the 1st day of class website for instructors. On this website,
instructors help themselves to resources designed to help them set up their class; create
their first assignment; automate the assigning and grading of homework and quizzes, get
training from the Wiley Faculty Network if and when they need it; and help students
understand why they are required to use WileyPLUS. From faculty-led 2-minute tutorials
to video and print resources including WileyPLUS for Dummies, a user guide, and more,
PG 9
instructors access these resources to learn how to get the most out of WileyPLUS from the
first day of class forward.
When they were asked about the WileyPLUS training they received, instructors said:
"Very well structured; not too much information; explanations superb.Careful; thorough handling
of all questions."
-Chris Kisiel, MT WACHUSETT Community College
I love the teaching and learning benefits of WileyPLUS. Your demonstration was clear and responsive; and I am particularly assured that I may count on help with using this program."
-Ggisela Nass, UMUC
"The presenter was superb; and I got lots of good hints on many aspects of teaching the course with
WileyPLUS." Bob Keller, Professor of Physics, University of Delaware
"I did get a lot of my questions answered at the training session. Thanks for including me!"
Kathryn Yarbrough, UNC Charlotte
"I thoroughly love WileyPLUS and cannot imagine my life without it, quite frankly. I have no concerns to share; nothing but positive feedback on my end."
Barb Warschawski, Schenectady County Community College
Student Perspective
Over the first two months of the Spring 2007 semester, more than 40,000 students accessed
the 1st Day of Class website to find resources they need to buy WileyPLUS, get registered,
and get started using all of their WileyPLUS resources including the online text, assignment
help, technical support, and their personal gradebook. When students access the “1st day
of class” website for WileyPLUS they find out about their option to purchase WileyPLUS
with or without a printed textbook. They also gain access to 2-minute tutorials with audio
and screen captures to show and tell them how to register; use the complete online text
contained in WileyPLUS; track their own progress using the personal grade book; and complete their first assignment. Print resources include user guides, and live links give students immediate access to technical support via live chat, search-by-topic, or submit a
question using an online form. A video shows students the benefits of using WileyPLUS,
including testimonials from other students who have been successful using WileyPLUS in
their classes.
The following quotes reflect the perspectives of students who have used WileyPLUS
"WileyPLUS is very easy to use! I wish some of my other classes used this product..."student,
Wharton County Junior College
"It was like having a teacher help me with my homework."
Heidi Hursen, University of Pittsburgh
"It [WileyPLUS] was new to me...More of an experience I can take with me to other classes."
Bryan Opitz, Kean University
"WileyPLUS is the best tool to help me with my studying!"
Alex Meglino, Adirondack Community College
Based upon 7000 responses to WileyPLUS student user surveys conducted over Academic
year Spring 2006-Spring 2007.
PG 10
Conclusion & Summary of Findings
Several years ago I was in a meeting with a group of instructors. We were discussing
their use of information technologies, such as “smart classrooms,” the Internet and
PowerPoint. In the midst of the conversation, one instructor said: “Before I am going to use
technology in my courses, I need to be shown that [technology] will help my teaching.”
This was, and is, a very reasonable reaction. All too often, those of us who are proponents of the educational uses of technology (or some other new trend, technique, or tool),
become so focused on the “thing itself,” we forget that our purpose is to promote a quality teaching and learning experience. Instructor skepticism toward the next “big” thing is
not only reasonable, it is very healthy.
This instructor’s reaction reminded me that technology, no matter how new or glamorous, is first and foremost a tool that helps us reach a larger goal. In fact, educational technologies comprise a myriad of tools that have the potential of helping instructors convey
information to students with different learning styles (audio, visual); give and receive
instantaneous feedback about gaps in student understanding and student performance;
increase student time on task; enable students to review material more than once; and
much more. Our job is to listen to instructors about what tools they need to support teaching and learning; explore the ways in which new tools may be able to meet these needs;
and provide examples of how these tools can be used effectively to respond to teaching
and learning challenges.
This paper was conceived and delivered to provide information on what instructors and
students say they need from an online publication resource, in this case a product from
John Wiley and Sons -- WileyPLUS. WileyPLUS is an online instructional environment
designed to support subject matter content in areas as diverse as accounting, physics, biology, chemistry, engineering, psychology, management/business, geography, mathematics
and psychology. It provides users of specific textbooks with tailored, online homework
and quiz tools, practice problems and quizzes, automated assignment creation, an online
grade book, presentation resources, and the full online version of the text.
In fall 2005 and spring 2006, John Wiley and Sons surveyed students and faculty who
have used WileyPLUS. Students who use WileyPLUS are most likely to say they used the
system to complete assigned homework and quizzes, studying for tests, and trying practice problems (ungraded). Fewer students, but still a majority, say they use WileyPLUS to
“[access] the online book and other tutorials; and that they use it to “track [their] own
progress in the personal grade book.”
Similar to the students, the vast majority of instructors surveyed mentioned use of the
WileyPLUS homework system as the feature they use the most. More than two-thirds say
they use the WileyPLUS system to assign “required, graded homework” (66.7 percent) and
to “provide optional practice assignments for students” (62.5 percent). However, the most
important use of WileyPLUS for faculty was making the textbook available to students
online (70.8 percent).
Nearly two-thirds (60 percent) of the students surveyed in spring 2006 gave WileyPLUS
a “Good” or “Excellent” rating. Similar percents (60 percent) say that being able to view
the solutions to the problems is “very helpful” to them, a majority say this about the practice problems. More than two-fifths also think feedback on their answers and links to the
online textbook are “very helpful.” Just over one-third of the students say this about the
online hints and direct links to their online text.
PG 11
Likelihood instructor would recommend WileyPLUS
no, 8.30%
yes,
enthusiastically
29.20%
neutral/
unsure, 25.00%
yes, generally,
37.50%
Ease of Using WileyPLUS (Students, spring 2006)
difficult to use
3%
average
40%
very easy,
no problem
57%
PG 12
The vast majority of instructors responding to the survey say they would recommend
WileyPLUS to their colleagues and almost 30 percent say they would recommend it
“enthusiastically.” More than three-fourths of the instructors (76 percent) rated WileyPLUS
overall as “Good” or “Excellent.” Instructors are also overwhelming satisfied with the
“instructor’s registration process,” the “speed of the program,” the “algorithmic changing
of problem values,” “service from the publisher after adoption,” the “accuracy of the content,” the “reliability of the system,” and the way in which” homework results are recorded” in the system. A somewhat smaller majority of instructors rate other WileyPLUS features as “Good” or “Excellent,” such as: the “student registration process;” “technical support;” “aggregation of results from classes in summary reports;” “handling of responses to
questions;” “ease of navigation;” “ease of selecting and designing assignments;” and the
“training provided by the publisher.”
Most of the students using WileyPLUS say that it is “very easy to use, no problems.” The
ease of use of WileyPLUS explains why only 10 percent of the students say they contacted
WileyPLUS’ technical support. WileyPLUS provides technical support to students online,
through online chats, by phone and by e-mail. Of those that did use technical support, the
largest portion (32 percent) say they found out what they needed by going to the online
support site, followed by those that used the online chat for technical support (23 percent)
and those that e-mailed their request for help (21 percent). Only 13 percent say they used
the telephone support line. Regardless of how they reached the WileyPLUS technical support, the vast majority (67 percent) say their problems or questions were “promptly resolved.”
• Over 67,000 students accessed helpful information such as a “how to register”
tutorial & WileyPLUS purchase options on the 1st Day of Class website
for students.
Instructors say that receiving training from the publisher and technical support are very
important to them. Fortunately, they also rate the training from the publisher, and technical support for WileyPLUS as “Good” or “Excellent.”
When asked how helpful the WileyPLUS features were to their WileyPLUS Account
Manager success in this course, a majority of the students (54 percent) say WileyPLUS had
a major impact on their studying. Close to three-fourths of the students say they believe
they earned a better grade in the course because they were able to use WileyPLUS.
How did WileyPLUS do this? According to the vast majority of these students WileyPLUS
increased the time they spent learning the material, and made learning the material more
interesting. Consequently, they say their understanding of the material was improved, they
were better able to retain and remember material, and they were better prepared for tests.
Moreover, almost half of the instructors say WileyPLUS had “a positive effect” on student
learning and almost 5 percent say WileyPLUS had “a major positive effect.” Of those that
felt WileyPLUS had a positive effect, the vast majority say that it “increased the time [students] spent learning the material” and “made learning the material more interesting.”
Perhaps as a consequence of the increased time on task, they also say that it “helped [students] retain and remember the material” and “improved their understanding of the material.”
Some instructors have observed significant improvements in student learning outcomes.
For example:
• Biology students in an online course increased their average overall grade from a high
C (75-79 percent) average to a B (80 percent) average.
PG 13
No single resource or tool is the "magic bullet" that solves all of instructor's challenges.
However, WileyPLUS has been shown to be a valuable teaching and learning resource
to help:
• Students access classroom content easier, less expensively, and more intuitively
Instructors assign WileyPLUS, but students decide how to buy it. They can choose to buy
WileyPLUS access packaged with their new textbook at no additional cost over the new
book, or they can buy access only, use the online version of their text, and save 60% off the
cost of the new book. WileyPLUS works the way students do--with direct links to specific
sections of the online text provided for students as they are working, students read and
explore further the concepts they do not understand.
• Instructors assign more homework and get instant results
Instructors who want to assign more homework use WileyPLUS to automate the assignment creation--and grading of homework for their students. Hence, they are able to assign
more homework and track results--by student or by class--instantly in their online gradebook.
• Students spend more time on task
Students assess their own comprehension and use self-guided practice activities and tools
to reinforce their studies where they need help the most--with instant feedback that helps
them to focus their studies and spend quality time completing homework, preparing for
classroom lectures, and studying for tests.
• Instructors spend more time teaching (than reviewing) in class
Students come to class better prepared when they are using WileyPLUS, and instructors
use its lively presentation tools to create compelling lecture materials that give students
the opportunity to see how to apply the concepts under study. Less class time is spent
reviewing the reading and answering students' questions, because they are given extra
help and instant feedback as they read, study, and practice on their own using WileyPLUS.
It is clear that, among the many instructional resources/technologies available today,
WileyPLUS fills a significant niche for both instructors and students.
PG 14