Getting Started with
Course Redesign
Tammy Muhs, Ph.D.
Assistant Chair, Mathematics Department
University of Central Florida
NCAT Redesign Scholar
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IDENTIFY the problem(s)
CHOOSE the learning technology, text, and
method of delivery that best fit your goals
BUILD an assessment plan
WORK collaboratively
START small
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Questions and Answers
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Why did we consider a mathematics
course redesign?
 Increase learning outcomes and
success rates while decreasing cost*
and withdrawal rates
 Received the NCAT Grant in Spring
2008
 Cost* - this goal was added as a
requirement for the NCAT participation
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A) Current success rate of students
B) Budget concerns
C) Space concerns
D) Administration request or requirement
E) Creation of online or blended learning
options
F) Two or more of the above
G) None of the above
 Emporium
(Lab) Model***
 Replacement (Hybrid) Model***
 Supplemental Model
 Fully Online Model
***Typically produces the best results (student
learning and cost) for Mathematics courses
 Students
class
spend one hour in
◦ review concepts from the previous week
◦ highlight upcoming material
◦ receive administration information
Students spend a required three hours
in the Mathematics Assistance and
Learning Lab (MALL)
• Online hw and quiz assignments are
completed for the most part in the lab
• Proctored environment
• MALL staff provide on-demand assistance
for students
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Testing is completed online in a proctored
environment using a password system
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Immediate feedback
Free response questions or multiple choice
Challenge week
ADA time accommodation adjustments
Integrity violations almost non-existent
Cost savings
A) Emporium (Lab) Model
B) Replacement (Hybrid) Model
C) Supplemental Model
D) Fully Online Model
Current Trend nationwide
 Provides for immediate feedback
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◦ Reduces grading
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Addresses the needs of our students
◦ Anytime, anywhere learning
◦ Flexibility
◦ Delivery system that they are
accustomed to using
How
much do you believe the
Help me solve this feature helped
you learn College Algebra? (Fall
2011; n=1266)
◦ 92.1% of students replied with
either very much or somewhat
Will the technology and
associated textbook be used in
 face-to-face classes?
 blended (hybrid) classes?
 a lab setting?
 completely online classes?
Does my institution require use
of a specific LMS?
 Integration concerns
Provision of technical support?
 Technical support for students and
faculty
Progress monitoring?
 Does the technology support
A) Yes
B) No
C) I don’t know
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We cannot state that students are learning
unless we have evidence to support the claim.
We do not know if or how to change our
strategies unless we have analyzed the data
from measures.
We cannot develop our effectiveness as
teachers unless we synthesize the results of
multiple assessments to improve our
performance.
The purpose of Assessment is to
provide a continuous process of
 planning
 measuring
 analyzing results
 using the results to make informed
decisions
◦ preferably, this will lead to
improvements
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Well defined learning goals
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Well defined learning objectives
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Two measures for each
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Consistency
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Identifying reasons for variability
 Creating
a workable plan
 Sell
the plan, keep everyone
informed
 Faculty
should be consulted on all
decisions
 UCF
team meets weekly to discuss
content as well as plan curriculum
and assessment
 UCF
used the “coordinator”
function of MyMathLab
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UCF is the 2nd largest in the country
◦ Fall 2013 enrollment 59,770
One of Florida’s eleven public
universities
 Academic Programs:
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91 Bachelor’s
86 Master’s
3 Specialist
30 Doctoral
1 Professional (Medicine)
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Our pilot was 941 students!
Most successful redesigns have
started with a pilot and continued
until fully implemented
Add additional technology as
comfortable
 Some institutions start with homework and then
add quizzes, tests, adaptive learning, multimedia,
study plan, etc.