Getting Started on Course Redesign
Jennifer L. Hearne, Ph.D.
Baltimore, Maryland
January 25, 2011
OVERVIEW
• NCAT & MCRI
– www.thencat.org
•
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Institutional & Course Readiness
UMES Team & Principles of Chemistry I
Efficiency and Effectiveness Strategies
Key Aspects
Assessment
Implementation Issues
Motivational Factors
NCAT & MCRI
Goals of the MCRI
• Adopt new ways to improve student learning
outcomes
• Demonstrate
these
rigorous assessment
improvements
through
• Reduce institutional costs
• Release
instructional
purposes
resources
for
other
• Develop the internal capacity of USM Faculty and
Staff to continue the redesign process
INSTITUTIONAL READINESS
Does your institution want to control or reduce
costs?
Does your institution want to increase productivity?
• Academic productivity of students
• Academic course offerings
• Scholarly activity of faculty
COURSE READINESS
•
High drop-failure-withdrawal rates
•
Poor student performance in subsequent courses
•
Creates a bottleneck
•
Student & Departmental complaints
• Course drift -> Inconsistent learning outcomes
•
Difficulty finding qualified personnel
UMES & MCRI
University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Thelma B. Thompson, Ph.D., President
Charles Williams, Ph.D., Vice President
Academic Affairs
MCRI Team at UMES
Yan Y. Waguespack, Ph.D.
Joseph M. Okoh, Ph.D.
Gladys G. Shelton, Ph.D
Charles Williams, Ph.D.
Amelia G. Potter
James R. Hayes
University System of Maryland
for
Principles of Chemistry I
Population
• Caters to science and health professions students
• 20% of freshman class
• 73% Freshman
• 6% nontraditional
Goals
• Basic atomic and molecular theory
• Nomenclature
• Reaction stoichiometry
• Gas laws
Principles of Chemistry I
Academic Issues
• Inconsistent knowledge of incoming students
• 55% student retention rate
• Lack of coordination among the professors
teaching the sections of the course leading to
course drift and inconsistent learning outcomes
NCAT REPLACEMENT MODEL
• Replaces in-class time with online, interactive
learning activities
• May keep remaining in-class activities the same
or may make significant changes
• May schedule out-of-class activities in computer
lab or totally online so that students can
participate anytime, anywhere
KEY ASPECTS OF REDESIGN
Infusion of technology components
Use of integrated staffing
Offering of individualized, active assistance
Restructure the course
REDESIGN STRATEGY
NCAT Principle #1: Redesign the whole course.
• Restructure the course - Chemistry 111E
Results
• Eliminates course drift
• Eliminates duplication of effort
• Creates opportunities for integrated staffing
• Reduced faculty preparation and presentation
time
REDESIGN STRATEGY
NCAT Principle #2: Encourage active learning.
• Incorporate technology-based exercises
• Recitation or PBL sessions
Results
• Student
learning
and
interaction
with
materials/each other
• Reduced faculty preparation and presentation
time
• Reduced grading time
REDESIGN STRATEGY
NCAT
Principle
#3:
Provide
students
with
individualized assistance.
• Dedicated Computer Lab
• Integrated Staffing: Undergraduate Learning
Assistants (ULAs) and Learning Assistants (LAs)
• Recitation
Results
• Students are provided with help when they need
it (electronic or human intervention).
REDESIGN STRATEGY
NCAT Principle #4: Build in ongoing assessment and
prompt (automatic) feedback.
• Technology-based program
• Hints
• Provides solutions
• Instantaneous grading
• Cumulative grade postings
Results
• Enables practice
• Provides diagnostic feedback for focused time
on task
REDESIGN STRATEGY
Principle #5: Ensure time on task and monitor student
progress.
• Web-based program/technology
• Classroom management system implementation
• ULAs/LA monitor students’ time-on-task
Results
• Milestone-learning
KEY ASPECTS OF REDESIGN
Infusion of technology components
Integrated staffing
Individualized, active assistance
Restructure the course
INFUSION OF TECHNOLOGY
Blackboard
CengageNOW
http://login.cengage.com/sso//
• Tutorials and exercises that can be repeated in
an attempt to earn a perfect score
• Hints/Answers -> Instantaneous grading
• Grade management
• Monitors time-on-task
Establishment of a Chemistry Computer Lab
INDIVIDUALIZED ASSISTANCE &
INTEGRATED STAFFING
• ULAs and LA
– monitor students’ time-on-task in computer lab
– Offer on-demand assistance
• Cumulative grade posted every Monday
– Office door/Blackboard
– CengageNOW grade available in student account
• Call or text from 8AM-9PM
RESTRUCTURED CHEMISTRY 111
Course
Section
Size
Meetings
Sections /
Professors
per
academic
year
Integrated
Staffing
Traditional
Chemistry 111
Up tp
40
MWF
50 min
7/6
No
Pilot
Chemistry
111E
Up to
80
M
75 min + 2h in
computer lab
Recitation
offered
1
Yes
Chemistry
111E
Up to
114
MW
50 minutes +
1h in computer
lab
3/2
Yes
ASSESSMENT
• Choose the measurement method
• Use of historical data
• Parallel offering of Traditional and Pilot Section of
Redesigned Course
• Minimize differences between the student populations in the
traditional and Pilot Section offerings
• Use the same measures and procedures to collect the data for
the Pilot and Full Implementation
SUCCESS OF STUDENTS
70
60
Percentage
50
40
30
20
10
0
A
B
C
D
F
W A-C
Traditional 12.1 18.2 24.2 18.2 21.2 6.1 54.5
Pilot
17.2 31.3 17.2 15.6 4.7 14.1 65.7
Traditional Course
54.5% A-C
61.1% enrolled in
CHEM 112
54.5% A-C
Pilot Course
65.7% A-C
61.8% enrolled in
CHEM112
61.9% earned A-C
In comparison to students enrolled in the Traditional
course section, Pilot course section students were:
7.4% more likely to earn the grade of A, B or C in
Principles of Chemistry II (Chemistry 112)
COST ASSESSMENT
300
USD
250
200
150
100
50
0
Traditional
Pilot
Full Implementation
Population
33
76
220
Institutional
Cost per
Student
268
151
80
Cost to
Student
200
265
105
WHAT HAPPENS TO THE SAVINGS?
• Stay in department for continuous
improvement and/or redesign
• BIOL111
• CHEM112
course
• Provide a greater range of offerings at upper
division or graduate level
• Accommodate greater numbers of students with
same resources
• Stay in department to reduce teaching load and
provide more time for research
IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES
• Faculty perspectives
• Technology
• Administrative issues
– Scheduling
– Teaching load
MOTIVATIONAL
FACTORS
 Professional Development Opportunities
 Publications
 Presentations
 Publicity
 Increased opportunity to work directly with students who need
help
 Reduced time spent on grading
 Ability to try different approaches to meet different student needs
 Opportunity for continuous improvement of materials and
approaches
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
NCAT – Carolyn Jarmon and Carol Twigg
USM – Don Spicer, Nancy Shapiro and Stan Jakubik
UMES –Team, Administration, ULAs and LAs, MARC
U*STAR and MBRS RISE Programs
Contact: JLHearne@umes.edu