Active Learning in Online
Courses?
Beth L Chance (bchance@calpoly.edu)
Department of Statistics
Cal Poly – San Luis Obispo
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With thanks to
Cal Poly Center for Teaching and Learning (and
Technology), Frank Chance, Virginia Burroughs,
Allan Rossman, Soma Roy, Andrew Schaffner, and
Karen McGaughey

Caveats
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Adapting/Enhancing existing course into online format vs. creating online course
◦ What students are doing outside of class
Twice as a five-week summer course
◦ Hybrid option: One meeting per week but no face-to-face-only option
◦ It’s been a year
Still a novice!
◦ Short courses, seminars in web design
JSM 2013 2

Essential principles (CTLT)
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Portability, accessibility of technology
– Browser checker
– Initial “low stakes” tests
Access to (technology) help
Student introduction to course/expectations
Consistency
– Especially in due dates
Webpage design
– Content per page
JSM 2013 3

My course design goals
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Delivery of material
◦ Reading
◦ “Learn by doing”
◦ Lab assignments as centerpiece
Self/Formative assessment opportunities
Student-instructor interaction
Data collection project
Examinations/Quizzes for grades
JSM 2013 4

Delivery: Lab assignments
• Self-contained, fully guided statistical investigations
 Online instructions for completing assignment
 “Fill in” Word files for saving output explaining results
 Print screen (Mac: Cmd-shift-4), Snipping tool
JSM 2013 5

Delivery: Embedded applets.
JSM 2013 6

Delivery: Scaffolding
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Pull-down menus
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Pop-up instructions
“Stop and think” triggers
JSM 2013 7

Self/Formative assessments
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CMS: Multiple choice/practice problems, with feedback
“What went wrong?” problems
Recorded (audio, visual) worked-out examples
JSM 2013 8

Self/Formative assessments

Self/Formative: Pre-Labs
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Forms (email, individual feedback)
JSM 2013 10

Self/Formative: Pre-Labs
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Google docs (spreadsheet of responses)
JSM 2013 11

Data collection.
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Google docs
JSM 2013 12

Student-faculty interaction
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Online office hours
◦ Discussion boards
◦ Chat rooms
◦ Blackboard collaborate
◦ GoogleHangouts
◦ join.me
JSM 2013 13

JSM 2013 14

Data collection projects
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The Island
JSM 2013 15

Assessment
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Multiple choice and short answer quizzes in CMS
TRIAL RUN
◦ Embedding images EARLY ON!
Exams
◦ Blackboard Collaborate (webcam)
JSM 2013 16

Dynamic webpages
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Javascript
◦ Data collection on students
 Updated instructions
◦ Integration of technology instructions
◦ URL parameters
 Default settings in applets (data, display)
Examples: http://www.rossmanchance.com/jsm2013/
JSM 2013 17

Directions to go…
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Choice of symbols, terms you want to use
Give students instantaneous feedback as they work through questions
JSM 2013 18

Summary/Advice
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Can make some simple enhancements without much overhead
Rethink student engagement, interactivity
Collaborate
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Be a student in an online course!
https://www.qualitymatters.org/rubric
JSM 2013 19

Thank you!
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Questions?
◦ bchance@calpoly.edu
JSM 2013 20

Helpfulness of Materials
(Summer 12, n = 16)
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Class Meetings/Notes
Textbook
Self-tests
Lab assignments
Data collection project
Quizzes
Exam review handout
Review questions
Exam solutions
Discussion boards
4 5
27% 33%
19% 25%
19% 13%
44% 38%
25% 0%
44% 13%
31% 31%
39% 19%
50% 19%
25% 19%
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Prelabs (Summer 11) 45% 9%
JSM 2013 21

What want more of
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More worked out examples (44%)
More audio lectures (50%)
More face to face meetings (50%)
JSM 2013 22

Javascript: URL Parameters
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Default settings when load applet
JSM 2013 23

Simplified view
JSM 2013 24

Javascript: Data input
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Enter class results
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Updates future web pages
JSM 2013 25

Javascript: Toggle instructions
JSM 2013 26

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