Fostering Active Learning in an Online Environment Timothy P. Hickman, MD, MEd, MPH Mary M. Gerkovich, PhD Monica Gaddis, PhD Department of Biomedical.

Fostering Active Learning in an Online EnvironmentTimothy P. Hickman, MD, MEd, MPH

Mary M. Gerkovich, PhDMonica Gaddis, PhD

Department of Biomedical and Health InformaticsUMKC School of Medicine

UMKC Online Conference 1

Learning Objectives

• Define active learning and student engagement especially as it applies to online learning.

• List and describe specific teaching and learning strategies that promote online active learning and student engagement.

• Describe examples of successful active learning and student engagement strategies from courses in Biostatistics, Research Methodology, and Social Determinants of Health.


Engagement Definition

• “The engagement premise is straightforward and easily understood: the more students study a subject, the more they know about it, and the more students practice and get feedback from faculty and staff members on their writing and collaborative problem solving, the deeper they come to understand what they are learning”


Kuh, 2009, p.5

Engagement Types• Student-Content

– Realistic Workload– Multiple Modes– Application of Content

• Student-Student– Social– Peer Feedback– Learner-Teacher (Student Centered Learning)– Problem Solving


Engagement Types

• Student-Teacher– Clear Expectations– Modeling– Feedback

• Rapid• Formative

– Social• Student as Colleague in Learning


Online Engagement Strategies• Think “active”: require students to apply, design,

explore or create.• Think “collaborate”: student-student interaction on

shared projects, discussion, student as teacher• Demonstrate instructor enthusiasm and knowledge

of topic• Learn about students• Help student learn how to learn• Model face-to-face engagement strategies• Learn about online learning and engagement


Meyer, 2014, p. 102

References• Kuh, G. D. (2009). The national survey of student engagement: Conceptual and empirical foundations. In R.

M.Gonyea&G.D. Kuh (Eds.),NewDirections for Institutional Research: No. 141. Using NSSE in institutional research (pp. 5–20). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

• Meyer, K. A. (2014). Student Engagement in Online Learning: What Works and Why. ASHE Higher Education Report; 40(6): 1-114.


Link to Monograph

• Student Engagement in Online Learning


http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aehe.20018/epdf

Fostering Active Learning in an Online Environment

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Implementing a Flipped Class FormatMary M. Gerkovich, PhD

UMKC Online Conference 2016_Gerkovich

Overview

• Course context• Course objectives• Student projects and evaluation• Methods implemented to foster active

learning and engagement• Lessons learned

10UMKC Online Conference 2016_Gerkovich 10

Course Context

• MEDB 5510 – Clinical Research Methodology• Required course• Cover range of issues related to “clinical”

research• On-campus and Online sections• Diversity of students


Course Objectives

• Overall objective – – Information and skills– Train “active” participation in research

• Conducting their own research projects• Member of a research team

– Research that will contribute to improvements in diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes

– Become more knowledgeable “consumers” of healthcare-related information


Projects and Evaluation

• Discussion participation• Assessment item development• Quiz• Assignments• Final projects

– Presentation– Poster material– Written proposal


Methods Implemented

• Assessment item development• Discussion activities• Student moderators• Assignments• Oral presentation• Written proposal


Methods Implemented

• Active Learning– Assignments– Discussion activities

• Engagement – taking ownership– Converting course material for use in designing

their own project• Transfer of learning

– Course proposals that are developed into thesis/dissertation


Lessons Learned

• Viewing of recorded lecture material• Time management – keeping up with

discussion forums for online section• Curating assessment item discussion forums• Providing proposal structure that cuts back

on my work• Workload doing both on-campus and online

sections


Teaching “numbers”

Staying in touch for maximum knowledge transfer in an Asynchronous-taught online statistics course

“Lions and Tigers and Bears! Oh My!”

• When I tell people that one of the ways that I teach Biostatistics is “online” the response that I get almost 100% of the time is:– NO WAY!!! I could never take statistics online. It’s bad

enough in a classroom!• With this, one would think that no one would take statistics

online.• But the evidence says otherwise.

Statistics:

• Last Semester, Biostatistics I (MEDB5501), a graduate level statistics course, was taught in two sections:– Traditional: 17 Students– Online: 13 Students

• So, regardless of the fear factor, there appears to be a demand for online taught math-based classes.

Statistics is a “Different Bird”• Teaching “numbers” classes online can be a bit

different.– The information is very concrete

• Math is yes or no; right or wrong• There is little room for “variety in answers”

But all Birds have Feathers• The goals of online education are the same:

– Successful transfer of knowledge from Instructor to Student

– Successful transfer of knowledge (application of the materials) by the student.

– Successful Instructor-Student communication

Feathers Function Similarly• This transfer of knowledge for the online class must be the

same or similar to that of the traditional class

In “Terms of Engagement”• Student-Content• Student-Student• Student-Instructor

Student-Content• Online

– Blackboard Driven– Tegrity Lectures– Weekly Course Materials

• Homework• Data Files• SPSS Directions• Additional Reading

– Semester Project

• Traditional– Blackboard Driven– In-Class Lectures– Weekly Course Materials

• Homework• Data Files• SPSS Directions• Additional Reading

– Semester Project

Student-Student• Online Statistics

– Unless the students know one another, and communicate with one another, there is very little Student-Student Interaction

• Traditional Online methods such as the Discussion Board have not worked.

– Monitoring the Discussion Board is “a full time job”– When questions are posed, one incorrect answer can

spread rapidly.– The Instructor is left to “undo the damage”

Student-Instructor• Student-Instructor engagement is a major strength of my online

Biostatistics I and II courses.• Student-Instructor engagement is labor intensive

– The students are generally• Working fulltime• Physicians (Fellows or Staff)• Taking other classes with School-School conflicts

– Students take this class because it is Asynchronous • Set times for discussions does not work due to schedules

– All student’s time availability does not match Instructors or one another

Student-Instructor: From the Instructor

• Syllabus• Class Introduction via Tegrity• Regular use of “Announcements” in Blackboard• Emails to all or individual students• “Office Hours” to meet the student’s schedule

– Meet in office– Meet outside of office– Phone meeting with student

• Encourage Student communication with me, the Instructor– This is most important

• Students must feel that I, the Instructor, am available

From the Student• The student must be engaged in this system.• The student must keep up with the weekly schedule and all

work.• The student must be willing to communicate with the

instructor.• Students must feel that I, the Instructor, am approachable.

Summary:• Teaching “numbers” classes online requires an intensive Instructor-Student

communication process for successful knowledge transfer.• Both Instructors and Students must be engaged in the process.• Its OK to “go outside the box” of standard online methods for teaching and

communication.• Because of the required engagement of the online students, the final

grade average for the online section is usually higher than the traditional in-class average.

• Bonus:– I feel that I get to know my online students as well or better than my

traditional (in-class) students.

Conclusion:• When teaching an online statistics course with a unique

audience, I must be creative in my methods of knowledge transfer and communication.

• In other words:

– Creative solutions address unique demands

Social Determinants of Health

Using Discussion Questions to Engage Students


Overview of Course

• Elective• Online Asynchronous• The course explores how social, economic and

political factors affect health.– Specific Social Determinants (Socio-economic

status, environment, access to healthy food)– Life Course (Children, Aging Adults, Women’s and

Reproductive Health)– “Target” Populations (Race/Ethnicity, Poverty)


Discussion Questions

• Focused on weekly topic• Applied question• Model response• Substantial Feedback

– More intensive at start of semester– Require students to comment on other students

responses


Example• In the lecture and the article: Jones CP, Jones CY, Perry GS,

Barclay G. Addressing the social determinants of children’s health: a cliff analogy. J Health Care Poor Underserved. 2009;20(4 Supp):1-12 we introduce the types of prevention and the relation between prevention and changing social determinants to enhance health outcomes. We defined prevention asPrimary: Preventing the Disease or Condition

• Secondary: Identifying a Disease or Condition prior to symptoms occurring

• Tertiary: Treating and limiting effects of an existing Disease or Condition.


Example

• This weeks discussion question is to identify a child or adolescent health outcome and identify and primary, secondary and tertiary prevention approaches and to suggest a mechanism to improve or mitigate the effect of a social determinant on the health outcome


Example• So as an example, in the lecture I mentioned a study on oral

health in children.• Primary Prevention: Begin oral health practices at birth or

shortly after including infant brushing strategies (guidelines suggest brushing gums prior to eruption of teeth).

• Secondary Prevention: Ensure screening for dental problems early. This can begin as soon as teeth erupt on regular pediatric visits and screening by dentist at an early age (I think the recommendation for the first dental visit as at 2 years of age, part of the reason is to begin visits prior to painful or uncomfortable procedures so children can associate some dental visits with positive experiences).


Example

• Tertiary Prevention: As soon as any cavities or plaque is identified start an aggressive dental health promotion program to prevent progression of existing cavities

• Social Determinants of Health: I think one example is a program run by the UMKC School of Medicine Dental School. They have a school based program to educate children about oral health and screen children for dental problems. This mitigates some of the access problems.


Environmental Scanning• Students as Teachers• Scan for material that applies to weekly topic;

journal article, website, magazine, newspaper• Instructor also does the work (provides an

example)• Students respond to other students• Great source of journal articles and web sites

for future course (Teacher as Student, Colleague)


Example

• Each week you should report or summarize one news article or report, journal article, internet resource, etc. that addresses some aspect of the Social Determinants of Health. Environmental scanning is an information gathering technique that allows you to report relevant information from sources that you already view or utilize. It is expected that students and the instructor will respond to other’s postings. For this week, try to find something related to Social Determinants of Child and Adolescent Health.


Example• When I was scanning a copy of JAMA Pediatrics, I can across

another example of the consequences of under vaccination. Glanz JM et al. Association between under vaccination with Diphtheria, Tetanus Toxoids, and Acellular Pertussis (DTaP) vaccine and risk of Pertussis infection in children 3-6 months old. JAMA Ped. 2013 (Online first). http://archpedi.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleID=1735653&utm_source=Silverchair%20Information%20Systems&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=JAMAPediatrics%3AOnlineFirst09%2F09%2F2013


http://archpedi.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleID=1735653&utm_source=Silverchair%20Information%20Systems&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=JAMAPediatrics:OnlineFirst09/09/2013




Example

• The study demonstrated a substantial association between under vaccination and diagnosis of Pertussis. "Children under vaccinated for 3 or 4 doses of DTaP vaccine were 18.56 (95% CI, 4.92-69.95) and 28.38 (95% CI, 3.19-252.63) times more likely, respectively, to have received a diagnosis of pertussis than children who were age-appropriately vaccinated."


Example

• The adult version of the vaccine (Tdap) was the first vaccine licensed for adolescents and adults (May 3, 2005) that including coverage for pertussis.

• http://www.immunize.org/timeline/ This change was made due to apparent decrease in immunity in many adults, who can have more severe consequences from pertussis.


http://www.immunize.org/timeline/

http://www.immunize.org/timeline/

Discussion Question “Tug of War”

• Better developed “applied questions” enhance student engagement

• Examples set expectations• Detailed responses demonstrate instructor

engagement and interest• BALANCE OF STUDENT ENGAGEMENT WITH

INSTRUCTOR TIME COMMITTMENT


Questions?

• For further questions, will invite you to contact the presenters– [email protected]– [email protected]– [email protected]


mailto:[email protected]



Fostering Active Learning in an Online Environment Timothy P. Hickman, MD, MEd, MPH Mary M. Gerkovich, PhD Monica Gaddis, PhD Department of Biomedical.

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