Pedagogy of Online Teaching Indiana University of Pennsylvania May 10, 2010 Lorna Kearns [email protected]
AgendaQuality assurance processLearning objectivesOnline assessment practicesOnline learning activities
Quality MattersPeer review process to certify quality of online course design
Launched in 2003 by MarylandOnline with funding from a FIPSE grant
Self-sustaining in 2006Offers subscription memberships to colleges and universities
Institutional members request peer review for their online courses
How It WorksQuality Matters is a quality improvement process that is continuous, collegial, and collaborative.
Peer review team 3 QM certified peer reviewers including:
1 master reviewer 1 content expert
Uses rubric comprising eight standards of quality instructional design
8 Standards1. Course overview & introduction2. Learning objectives3. Assessment & measurement4. Resources & materials5. Learner engagement6. Course technology7. Learner support8. Accessibility
Critical course components must be aligned
Course Overview and Introduction
Provide clear instructions for getting started.
Organize your site so that it is easy to understand and navigate.
Make the entire course available at beginning of semester.
Give your students opportunities for practice with the technology.
Provide information about yourself.Ask students to introduce themselves to
one another.
SyllabusCourse overview and rationaleRequired readingsAssignment descriptionsAssignment point distributionScheduleCourse policiesTips for success
Online Student Success
Manage your time effectively.Cultivate good study habits and
practices.Recognize and develop an
appropriate set of technology skills.Develop and follow a set of good
research practices and policies.Know how to communicate
effectively online.
Learning ObjectivesWhat will your students be able to do …
At the end of the course? At the end of each unit of instruction?
Learning objective should be: Observable Measurable
What are you observing and measuring? Skills Attitudes Knowledge
Bloom's TaxonomyEvaluation Assess, conclude, evaluate,
recommend, select
Synthesis Build, create, design, predict, synthesize
Analysis Analyze, categorize, classify, deconstruct, examine
Application Apply, relate, write an example, show, demonstrate
Comprehension
Explain, rephrase, restate, compare, summarize
Knowledge List, define, describe, identify, match, recognize
Higher Order
Learning
Lower Order
Learning
Some ExamplesDiscuss theories of distance
education.Understand the structures and
purposes of basic components of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
Describe advantages and disadvantages of electronic health record systems.
Explain the relationship between systems theory and information.
Instructional Alignment
Objectives
ActivitiesAssessme
nts
QM Instructional Alignment
1. Course overview & introduction2. Learning objectives3. Assessment & measurement4. Resources & materials5. Learner engagement6. Course technology7. Learner support8. Accessibility
ObjectivesAssessments
Activities
Backward Design“Given a task to be accomplished, how do we get there?”
-- Grant Wiggins and Jay McTigheUnderstanding by Design (1998)
Identify desired results.Determine acceptable evidence.Plan learning experiences and
instruction.
Backward Design
Objectives
ActivitiesAssessme
nts
Assessment for Online Learning
Forces impacting assessment practices in online learning: Separation of student from instructor Authentic assessment
Academic IntegrityIs cheating easier online? Both college students and faculty
believe it is easier in distance learning courses (Kennedy et al. 2000)
College student self-reports of cheating for online learning no higher than f2f (Grijalva, Kerkvliet, & Nowell, 2006)
Very little change in cheating rates over 20 years (Vandehay, Diekhoff, & LaBeff, 2007)
Assessment Continuum
1. Q&A discussion board2. Blog3. Response paper4. Research paper
InformalLow-stakesShort time frameNo revisionNot gradedFormative
FormalHigh-stakes
Time for planning
Revised & polishedGraded
Summative
31 42
Traditional AssessmentsUse features of your course
management system to make use of: Large pool of test items Randomized selection of items Randomized selection of item response
order Timed tests
Use proctored exams for major summative assessments.
Devise a backup plan for technology failure.
Authentic AssessmentsField workConcept mappingPortfolio assessmentGroup workOnline discussion
To reduce academic misconduct: Use cumulative assignments that build on one another. Benchmark student writing ability. Employ plagiarism detection strategies. Incorporate personal experiences. Ask for connections to timely, current events.
Assignment WeightingAutho
rs N Findings
Arend (2007)
60 courses
98% used discussion w/ average weight of
17%
83% used exams w/ average weight of 48%
63% used papers w/ average weight of 24%
Swan (2001)
73 courses
82% used discussion; most w/ weight
between 10 & 25%
57% used exams; most w/ weight between 26
& 50%
37% used papers; most w/ weight between
10 & 25%
General Assessment Strategies
Define cheating and plagiarism.State and enforce explicit policies.Create community environment.Develop meaningful assessments.Vary assessment types.
Assessments?Identify parts of a sonnet.Assess an individual’s health with an
emphasis on health promotion and disease prevention.
Select media to address a specific visual art problem.
Learning Activities
Content PresentationReadingsElectronic resources from textbook
publisherTextVideoAudioLearning objectsPowerPoint
PowerPointKeep presentations short.Make bulleted items clear. Leave ample white space. Use colors that provide adequate contrast for
reading.Use appropriate resolution and sizing for images. Be sure charts and graphs can be read
comfortably.Remember copyright issues.Script your narration.Check out Audacity and Jing.
PowerPoint Caveats• Powerpoint is most effective for
conveying information in visual images like charts, graphs, diagrams, photos, schematics.
• Choose alternative media when information is primarily text-based.
• Use to supplement rather than recapitulate required reading.
Active LearningDiscussion boardWikisBlogsWeb site explorationWeb 2.0 activities
Discussion Board Questions
Convergent questions have a right answer
Divergent questions require interpretationConvergent Divergent
According to our reading sthis week, what are some common reasons for not changing modifiable health behaviors?
Think about someone you know who you believe would benefit from a change in health behaviors. What are the barriers that person faces in changing his/her behavior? What strategies from our readings have potential to overcome these barriers? Why?
Discussion Board Instructions
Please post your initial response within the first three days of the week. Respond to at least two of your classmate’s postings. Keep in mind that a meaningful response will usually entail introducing some new information or insight into the discussion. When you make reference to a body of work, please provide the citation. While it is fine to express agreement with a posting or ask for elaboration, a meaningful response must go beyond that type of rejoinder.
Your discussion grade will be based on the timeliness of your postings, the substance of your participation, and the degree to which it extends the group discussion.
Discussion Board UsesIce breaker activitiesCreative thinking activitiesCritical thinking activitiesCollaborative learning activities
(Bonk and Dennen , 2003)
Wikis
Discussion Board, Wiki, Blog Comparison
Discussion Board Wiki Blog
Format Outline format Web site format Chronological log
Structure Forum with multiple threads; threads with multiple posts
Multiple linked pages Journal entries ordered chronologically, most recent on top
Typical uses Class discussion Project repository Reflective journal
Media Text with optional hyperlinks
Text, hyperlinks, images, audio, video
Text, hyperlinks, images, audio, video
Editing privileges
Anyone in group can post but no editing of others’ work
Anyone in group can create new work or edit existing work
Anyone in group can post but no editing others’ work
Affordances Conversational turn-taking, easy to use
Compartmentalization of material
Facilitates reflection on progress, easy to use
Limitations Longer threads difficult to skim
Complex structure, students may be uncomfortable editing each others’ work
No compartmentalization
Web Site ExplorationGive students a goal that you know
will expose them to what you want them to see.
Use principles of scavenger hunt.
Web 2.0Current generation of World Wide Web
tools used to enable social and participatory activity (Anderson, 2007)
Sometimes used interchangeably with the terms “social software” and “social media”
Technology SelectionLearning objectives should guide
technology selection.When multiple technologies can be used
to meet learning objectives, use variety.In choosing technologies for your course,
consider: Your level of expertise Your students’ level of expertise Students’ access to technology Institutional support for particular technology
Technology AlignmentSystems analysis term project with
archive of project artifactsGuest presentation about harm
reduction for intravenous drug usersPronunciation practice in second
language learningReflection on pre-service teaching
experience
Learner SupportNew student orientationStudent advisingCourse evaluationsStudent satisfaction surveysCommunity building activitiesCourse checkpoints like assignment
submission and exam performanceTechnology help deskLibrary services
AccessibilityAll course Web pages should be
accessible to individuals with disabilities
Syllabus includes a statement about how students with disabilities can request accommodations
Managing the Workload
Course design takes time.First time teaching is also time consuming.Use these strategies to manage the
workload: Complete course design by beginning of
semester. Develop rubrics. Make students aware of your policies for
responding to email. Create FAQs. Develop naming and organization standards for
your digital files.
Questions?
Thank You!