5 Course Design Tips to Increase Engagement and Outcomes

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The Journey to Digital Professional Development Series

October 21, 2015

5 Course Design Tips to Increase Engagement and Outcomes

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Questions and Comments

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Today’s Presenter

Dr. Greg GelleneTexas Tech University

Lubbock, Texas

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Greg’s Story

1990sLCD projection panel (8 shades of magenta!)

WebAssign - /X

2000sConnect (McGraw-Hill)

OWL (v1)

2014MindTap

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My 5 Course Design Tips

1. Put your students at ease2. Homework: think “how structured” vs. “how much” 3. Use instructional (contextual) assignments4. Abandon the weekly homework paradigm5. The Booster Shot Session

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Tip #1: Put Your Students at Ease

What excuses for learning do you hear at the beginning of the term?

Try a pep talk

Help students get comfortable early

Keep students comfortable

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Tip #2: Homework: Think “how structured” rather than “how much”

“Learning results from what the student does and thinks and only from what the student does and thinks. The teacher can advance learning only by influencing what the student does to learn.”

Herbert SimonNobel Laureate, Economics 1978

Most of what students “do” is homework – Help them do more

Distribution and timing of assignments Tip #4

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A common approach

What could go wrong

What can help bridge the gap

Tip #3: Use Instructional (Contextual) Assignments

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Tip #3: Use Instructional (Contextual) Exercises

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Tip #3: Use Instructional (Contextual) Exercises

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Tip #4: Abandon the Weekly Homework Paradigm

Approach• Each Assignment 2-3 hours• New assignments MWF• Rarely asked for an extension

Benefits• High homework completion• Students are prepared for lecture • “Auto” flipped classroom

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Tip #4: Abandon the Weekly Homework Paradigm

0 - <1

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- <20

20 - <

3030

- <40

40 - <

5050

- <60

60 - <

7070

- <80

80 - <

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00%

10%

20%

30%

40%

DistributedHomework

(Bi-)weeklyHomework

Percent Homework Completed

Perc

ent o

f Stu

dent

s

A B C DFW0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Distributed Homework

(Bi-) Weekly Homework

Course GradePe

rcen

t of S

tude

nts

Value of Distributed Homework – First implementation in 2013

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How I used to think online homework systems led to content mastery: Tip #5: The Booster Shot Session

incorrect

Assignment

Correct Answer and Feedback

Content Mastery

correct

Answer

Newly generated question(s)

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Tip #5: The Booster Shot Session

0 – 1 time through the loop

Long-term memory

2+ times through the loop

Medium-term memory

(at best)

What I learned seemed to be going on

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18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 350%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%Without Support With Support

CPE Score

% D

FW in

CH

EM 1

307

p < 0.001 p > 0.10

Weekly, highly interactive Clicker-based sessions

Reinforce problem solving techniques and concept understanding

~20 multiple choice questions

Results:

Tip #5: The Booster Shot Session

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Outcomes and Student Feedback

A B C DFW0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

10.6%

20.1%

27.6%

41.7%42.5%

29.5%

12.3%15.8%

Face-to-Face Distance

CHEM 1307 Grade

% S

tude

nts

MindTapMastering

Questions?

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The Journey to Digital Professional Development Series

September 24, 2015

Incorporating Technology to Strengthen Critical Minds