The Economic System:
2nd Year Full Implementation
• Buffalo State College( part of SUNY system) with
11,000+ students.
• Department of Economics & Finance
• The course is a Gen Ed course for students who
will not major in economics
• Redesign Goal: Transform course from
traditional lecture style course with multiple
sections to a larger- 300+ hybrid course with 60%
of the course on–line, and the utilization of
undergrad learning assistants
Evolution of ULA Role
• Original ULAs Education/Social Studies majors
who had been successful in the course & were
recruited through their respective depts.
• 1st year, primarily used in class once a week with
the class divided into ULA sections.
• Review of class materials; go over on-line
materials; use of games- like Jeopardy for class
participation; some one-on-one tutoring.
• ULAs receive academic credit for their work &
during the 2 year grant period small stipends.
Today: Full Implementation
• ULAs recruited from the class each semester;
wide variety of majors.
• Their role almost entirely on-line, each has a
groups of students & monitor the students online activities- quizzes, economic forums, Toon
Doon- online cartoon creation.
• Division of labor among ULAs- some take care of
ANGEL( announcements, attendance through
Clicker system, entering exam scores on
ANGEL(our version of Blackboard).
• Hold office hours both on-line & in person
Instructional Technology
• The director of the campus ANGEL system,
Meghan Pereira, was a co-author of the
NCAT/SUNY grant & is a full partner in
implementation to hybrid course.
• From the outset the training of the ULAs has
been a joint project between the instructor and
Ms. Pereira.
• Introduction of embedded videos in the on-line
text, introduction of Toondoon activities;
construction of on-line quizzes & forums, as well,
as weekly assistance to the ULAs
Institutional Support
• College Provost Dennis Ponton(now Interim
President) promoted the course redesign
initiative & supported throughout.
• Associate Dean, Dr. Karen O’Quin, is the
project director, as a well as the honcho of the
writing grant & reporting the results.
• Department moved through a transition in
chair people and maintained support. Role of
Instructional Resources staff already noted
Results & Problems
• Now we offer one large section per semester
• Fewer withdrawals, much lower failure rate
• Higher exam scores tested again a 1st year control group
study with a traditional section.
• One problem: lecture hall assignment to offer course at
popular times in large lecture hall.
• ULA recruitment has been primary responsibly of current
primary faculty member- need for an institutionalized
process.
• Cost savings for department allowed for faculty
assignments to growth in department’s graduate program.
• Future assurances that cost savings are reinvested back in
the dept that has successful course redesign