EVIDENCE BASED TEACHING
STRATEGY:
APPLIED TO STUDENT ORIENTATION
Diane Ruiz Cairns, Ed.S.
Lawrence Technological University
eLearning Services
Agenda
◦ Overview of project
◦ Evidence Based Teaching
◦ Re-Design
◦ Q&A
Overview of Project
University staff provide student orientation sessions to new students each semester.
The staff choose their method of teaching students about university resources using
techniques and tools based on intuition and previous experience rather than on
scientific evidence of effectiveness.
The College of Management is developing a student orientation program by applying
evidence-based teaching.
The enhanced program helps staff to choose techniques and tools that maximize
student learning.
Examples of the application of evidence-based teaching strategies will be provided with
the orientation to Academic Honor Code - Student Code of Conduct and Plagiarism.
Evidence Based Teaching
◦ Engage students using active learning strategies
◦ Data gathered on student performance
◦ Identify functional relationships
◦ Reinforce successive approximation to mastery of material
◦ Instructor/administrators serve as facilitator, rather than gatekeeper
◦ Allow multiple opportunities; rapid feedback
Element of Redesign
Student Orientation
◦ Identify desired results
◦ All students receive orientation
◦ Knowledge of Academic Honor Code /
Plagiarism
◦ Planning for appropriate learning
experience
◦ Design of Curriculum
◦ Methods of instruction
◦ Comprehension of APA Requirements
◦ Lecture, Demonstration
◦ Application of Standards
◦ Examples of Acceptable Work
◦ Acceptable evidence
◦ Example of Plagiarism
◦ All students complete orientation
◦ Demonstrate ability to identify and
resolve
◦ Quiz scores
◦ Complete quiz
◦ Faculty feedback
Instruction Strategies
◦ For each topic a set of student-centered learning outcomes are developed
◦ The outcomes are designed to challenge students beyond recall
◦ Students are expected to apply concepts to situations
◦ Assessment of learning through quizzes aligned with learning outcomes
◦ Immediate feedback provided with correct and incorrect responses
◦ Taped lectures of the traditional content delivered by skilled lecturer
◦ Students will be provided access to the material prior to the start of the semester; at
time of enrollment; reminder two weeks before class starts.
◦ Students are required to complete the instruction and quiz in the first week of class
◦ Vary examples each semester (students required to complete student orientation each
semester)
Need for Change - Plagiarism
◦ Countless cases of plagiarism are detected
◦ Generally responses to the issue focus on punitive, rather than educative,
measures
◦ Learning and teaching strategies varied
◦ Interpretation of plagiarism policy and practice varied
◦ Increase awareness of plagiarism policy
◦ Increase knowledge of APA standards, scholarly writing
◦ Reduce plagiarism
Information Gathering
◦ Quiz scores
◦ Identify student, degree program
◦ Topics requiring further instruction / attention
◦ Consistent low score across student population
◦ Students requiring follow-up: tutoring
◦ Number of students completing the quiz in a timely fashion
◦ Satisfaction with instruction
◦ Data will be used to evaluate effectiveness of student comprehension of instruction
◦ Faculty reports of plagiarism
◦ Data will be used to evaluate Student Orientation Program: Plagiarism instruction
Student Orientation Program
◦ Welcoming Remarks – Dean
◦ 15 mins for each topic; Face-to-Face; Reference to Webpages; Handouts
◦ Library
◦ Blackboard
◦ Academic Achievement Center
◦ Student Advising
◦ Policy on Course Attendance
◦ Time Management / Study Skills
◦ Academic Honor Code / Student Code of Conduct
◦ Plagiarism
◦ Examples of plagiarism; explanation of why the example demonstrates plagiarism
◦ Examples of scholarly writing; citing sources; paraphrasing; quoting, etc.
◦ Resources available for reference
Resources
◦ Development of Orientation
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◦
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University Media Pro - Development
Course Designer – Design, Development
College Dean’s Office – Requirements, Communication
College Student Administrator(s) – Requirements, Student Communication,
Evaluation of Results
◦ Commitment of resources to evaluate results and report out
◦ Follow-up with students by second week of semester to address tutoring
options
◦ Document faculty reports of plagiarism
◦ Update orientation material with fresh/current examples
Implementation
◦ College of Management
◦ Introduced to Faculty at start of semester faculty meeting(s)
◦ Fall 2015 first semester
◦ Soft requirement for students to complete
◦ Plan for mandatory compliance following first academic year of implementation
Example of Student Orientation
Program
◦ Blackboard Organization
◦ Student enrollment refreshed each semester
◦ University eHelp services host current orientation material
◦ Academic Honor Code / Student Code of Conduct and Plagiarism quiz within
Blackboard Organization
Example of College of Management Student Orientation
Example of Proposed Student Orientation
Example of Proposed Administrator Presentation
Style of Orientation to
Follow current Blackboard
Orientation:
• Welcome by Dean
• Topic specific video for
each academic
support service
• Professional Delivery
• Consistent delivery
method
Apply same format as Faculty Orientation
• Visual of department administrator
• Talking points
• Examples for use of resources
• Standard location external to LMS
Next Steps
◦ Confirm transcript for each Student Support Service department
◦ Review of past recorded orientations
◦ Recommended transcript
◦ Develop examples to support comprehension of material
◦ Implement August 2015
◦ Deploy to all College of Management students
◦ Evaluate
◦ Adjust
◦ Mandatory for all students
◦ Standard Operational Support
Discussion
There is nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right
direction.
-- Winston Churchill
References