On campus or distance? Reducing the gap through technology enhanced learning and teaching of mathematics Birgit Loch Department of Mathematics and Computing.

On campus or distance? Reducing the gap through technology enhanced learning and teaching of

mathematics

On campus or distance? Reducing the gap through technology enhanced learning and teaching of

mathematics

Birgit Loch

Department of Mathematics and Computing

University of Southern Queensland

[email protected]

http://www.sci.usq.edu.au/staff/lochb

CETL-MSOR Conference, Milton Keynes, 7-8 September 2009


OverviewOverview

• USQ Context• Fleximode at USQ• Fleximode in maths/stats/OR teaching• The Tablet PC project


University of Southern Queensland - LocationUniversity of Southern Queensland - Location


USQ ContextUSQ Context

• USQ - regional, multi-campus, 26,000 students • Large distance student population - 75% of students studying off

campus in over 70 countries (WEB, EXT, ONC)

• Large percentage of students mature age, work full-time, study part-time, live remotely, low socio-economic background. Incarcerated student. “Open” university.

***

• USQ Vision – to provide flexible and inclusive learning experiences. “Fleximode”.


Fleximode?Fleximode?

• Every course to have an online presence on StudyDesk• Lecturers/tutors to participate in online discussion groups• Electronic assignment submission encouraged• Electronic marking encouraged• Course material available in Integrated Content Environment

(ICE) for web, CD, print delivery

• Equity? Closing the gap between distance and on campus learning?


Fleximode in maths/stats/OR teaching?Fleximode in maths/stats/OR teaching?

• Electronic writing in lectures• Screen and audio capture of lectures• Electronic communication with students• Online tutorials• Electronic assignment submission • Electronic assignment marking


Fleximode in maths/stats/OR teaching?Fleximode in maths/stats/OR teaching?

• Electronic writing in lectures• Screen and audio capture of lectures• Electronic communication with students• Online tutorials• Electronic assignment submission • Electronic assignment marking

Tablet PCs!


• Keep record of writing in class. Can produce screencast of the whole lecture.– Students can revise. External students can see handwritten

development of solution. Students see how a problem is saved using hand writing

• Electronic communication of mathematical content with distance students

• Electronic marking of assignments

At USQ, 10/14 lecturers teaching into maths/stats/OR courses use a Tablet PC/graphics tablet.

Why are tablets so useful for e-learning in maths?Why are tablets so useful for e-learning in maths?


Examples of Tablet use at USQExamples of Tablet use at USQMathematics and Statistics• MSN Messenger (with Christine McDonald; others joined later)

– Discrete Mathematics and Data Analysis– Foundation Mathematics

• Web conferencing– Linear Algebra and Calculus– Statistics (Christine McDonald)


More examplesMore examples

• Writing electronically in lectures– 1st year Calculus– 1st year Operations Research

• Recording of writing in lectures, assignment marking, student support, iPod/iPhone video files– Operations Research


More examplesMore examples

• Statistical software walk-throughs– Data analysis (Christine McDonald)

• Recording of assignment feedback (Linda Galligan)

• Multimodal course material (ICE)– Operations Research


Tablet PC ProjectTablet PC Project

Staff component: 2009• 20+ existing tablet PCs• 25+ new tablet PCs, 10 new graphics tablets• 50+ new tablet users

Student component: 2010• 20 Digital note pens• 20+ mini tablet PCs


Student digital pen trialStudent digital pen trial


Student Tablet PC trialStudent Tablet PC trial


Some student comments…Some student comments…

• Live lecture screen casts:– makes me feel more like I’m 'at' uni as an external student [EXT]– I wasn’t able to attend all of the lectures so this allowed me to go at

my own pace. [ONC]– To be honest, without these online screencasts, I would not have

understood concepts or passed this course. [EXT]

– I watched the first screencast, but I don’t really find this artificial environment useful to my learning. I require a more personal one on one exchange when learning allowing for feedback and gestures to assist in the message. [ONC]

– A short recording would be better as it could be of a focused topic or problem only [EXT]


More student comments…More student comments…• Student support screen casts

– The screencasts I accessed in response to my questions were very helpful as I could see at what point I had begun to get off track.

• Web conferencing– I have really enjoyed my experience with the Elluminate

tutorials and highly recommend it. • Writing in lectures

– Perfect lecture setup, perfect course for that matter. I’ve really enjoyed this subject, each maths subject should have this setup.

• General– I am very impressed with the external learning facilities at

USQ so far.


Lecturer commentsLecturer comments

2007/2008:• It saved precious time in class• It is cumbersome to switch between the whiteboard and the data

projector. Using the Tablet PC I didn’t need to use the whiteboard at all

• Students themselves were able to suggest corrections on their texts as an added and very useful learning/teaching experience


Initial results from Tablet PC projectInitial results from Tablet PC project

• Legibility of handwriting an issue• Reliability of tablet PCs• Students are asking for more library classes

• Engages students more (Finance)• Those disciplines with equations and diagrams will benefit most • Far superior to using screenshots with typed texts which are pre-

prepared (library)

I would like to thank Christine McDonald and Linda Galligan for providing examples shown in this presentation


PowerPointPowerPoint

Linear Algebra and Calculus. 2006. B.Loch


Windows JournalWindows Journal

Operations Research. 2008. B.Loch

Back


Electronic assignment marking with hand written annotations


• Word DOC files• PPT files• XLS files• PDF files





• Word DOC files• PPT files• XLS files• PDF files


Master thesis edits. 2008. B.Loch

Back


Student supportStudent support

Back

Operations Research I. 2008. B.Loch


Web conferencingWeb conferencing Back

Linear Algebra and Calculus. 2006/7. B.Loch


Recording of assignment feedbackRecording of assignment feedbackBack

The Learning Centre. 2007. L.Galligan


Operations Research I. 2009. B.Loch

BackScreencast embedded in course materialScreencast embedded in course material

On campus or distance? Reducing the gap through technology enhanced learning and teaching of mathematics Birgit Loch Department of Mathematics and Computing.

Documents

cetlmsor conference

milton keynes

electronic writing

usq fleximode

usq mathematics

assignment marking

external students

tablet pc project slide