Getting Started with Course Redesign

Lead Speaker:

• Carolyn Jarmon, Vice President, National Center for Academic Transformation

Participants:

• Beverlee Drucker, Mathematics Instructor at Northern Virginia Community College (VA)

• Danae Hudson, Associate Psychology Professor at Missouri State University (MO)

• Teresa Overton, Developmental Math Coordinator at Northern Virginia Community College (VA)

• Brooke Whisenhunt, Associate Psychology Professor at Missouri State University (MO)

REDESIGNING STUDENT LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS:

Getting Started

TODAY’S DISCUSSION

Quick Overview… Readiness Criteria Case Examples

• Established in 1999 as a university Center at RPI funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts

• Became an independent non-profit organization in 2003

• Mission: help colleges and universities learn how to use technology to improve student learning outcomes and reduce their instructional costs

TRADITIONAL INSTRUCTION

SeminarsLectures

“BOLT-ON” INSTRUCTION

WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE LECTURE?

• Treats all students as if they are the same

• Ineffective in engaging students

• Inadequate individual assistance

• Poor attendance and success rates

• Students fail to retain learning

WHAT’S WRONG WITH MULTIPLE SECTIONS?

• In theory: greater interaction• In practice: large class size• In practice: dominated by the

same presentation techniques• Lack of coordination• Inconsistent outcomes

WHAT DOES NCAT MEAN BY COURSE REDESIGN?

Course redesign is the process of redesigning whole courses (rather than individual classes or sections) to achieve better learning outcomes at a lower cost by taking advantage of the capabilities of information technology.

PROGRAM IN COURSE REDESIGN

To encourage colleges and universities to redesign their approaches to instruction using technology to achieve cost savings as well as quality enhancements.

50,000 students

30 projects

WHY REDESIGN?

Look for courses where redesign will have a high impact – let’s make a difference:

• High withdrawal/failure rates• Students on waiting lists• Students turned away – graduation bottleneck• Over enrollment of courses leading to multiple

majors • Inconsistency of preparation • Difficulty getting qualified adjuncts• Difficulty in subsequent courses

TEAM EFFORT IS KEY

Each team included– Administrator– Faculty experts– Technology expertise– Assessment assistance

WHAT DO THE FACULTY SAY?

• “It’s the best experience I’ve ever had in a classroom.”

• “The quality of my worklife has changed immeasurably for the better.”

• “It’s a lot of work during the transition--but it’s worth it.”

REDESIGN MODELS• Supplemental – Add to the current structure and/or

change the content • Replacement – Blend face-to-face with online

activities• Emporium – Move all classes to a lab setting

Fully online – Conduct all (most)

learning activities online• Buffet – Mix and match according

to student preferences• Linked Workshop – JIT workshops

linked to college level course

REDESIGN CHARACTERISTICS • Redesign the whole course—not just a

single class• Emphasize active learning—greater

student engagement with the material and with one another

• Rely heavily on readily available interactive software—used independently and in teams

• Mastery learning—not self-paced• Increase on-demand, individualized

assistance • Automate only those course

components that can benefit from automation—e.g., homework, quizzes, exams

• Replace single mode instruction with differentiated personnel strategies

Technology enables good pedagogy with large #s of students.

FACULTY BENEFITS• Increased opportunity to work directly with

students who need help• Reduced grading • Technology does the tracking and monitoring• More practice and interaction for students

without faculty effort• Ability to try different approaches to meet

different student needs• Opportunity for continuous improvement of

materials and approaches

A STREAMLINED REDESIGN METHODOLOGY

“A Menu of Redesign Options”

• Six Models for Course Redesign

• Five Principles of Successful Course Redesign

• Cost Reduction Strategies• Course Planning Tool• Course Structure Form• Four Models for Assessing

Student Learning• Five Critical Implementation

Issues• Planning Checklist

READINESS CRITERIA• What does it mean to be “ready” to do a

major course redesign?• Is your institution ready?• Which courses are “ready”—i.e., are good

candidates for a comprehensive redesign?

READINESS CRITERION #1Course Choice

• What impact would redesigning the course have on the curriculum, on students and on the institution—i.e., why do you want to redesign this course?

FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN THINKING ABOUT HIGH IMPACT

• High drop-failure-withdrawal rates• Student performance in subsequent courses • Students on waiting lists• Student complaints• Other departmental complaints• Lack of consistency in multiple sections• Difficulty finding qualified adjuncts

READINESS CRITERION #2Redesign Model

• Which redesign model do you think would be most appropriate for your redesign? Why?

• What aspects fit your particular discipline and your particular students?

READINESS CRITERION #3Assessment Plan

• Which assessment model do you think would be most appropriate for your redesign? Why?

ASSESSMENT GOAL

To establish the degree to which

improved learning has been

achieved as a result of the

course redesign.

ASSESSMENT PLANNING

Step 1. Establish the method of obtaining data.

Step 2. Choose the measurement method.

ESTABLISH THE METHOD OF OBTAINING DATA

• Baseline “Before” (traditional) and “After” (redesign)

• Parallel Sections – Compare traditional sections and redesigned sections

CHOOSE THE MEASUREMENT METHOD: FOUR MODELS

A. Comparisons of Final Exams

B. Comparisons of Common Content Items Selected from Exams

C. Comparisons of Pre- and Post- Tests

D. Comparisons of Student Work using Common Rubrics

READINESS CRITERION #4Cost Savings Plan

• Which cost savings strategy do you think would be most appropriate for your redesign? Why?

COST SAVINGS GOAL

Create cost savings that can be used to

sustain ongoing redesign, to fund

future operations and to free up resources for program and/or

institutional priorities.

WHAT’S YOUR ENROLLMENT SITUATION?

• Is your enrollment growing or projected to grow?

• Is your enrollment stable or declining?

ACCOMMODATE ENROLLMENT GROWTH

• Increase the number of sections. • Increase the section size.• Change the mix of personnel

teaching the course.

Mix and match for greater savings!

RIO SALADO COLLEGEPre-Calculus Math

Traditional• 4 courses taught

by 4 instructors • Student

interaction = each instructor

• $49 cost-per-student

Redesign• 4 courses taught by 1

instructor• Student interaction =

interactive software, 1 course assistant, and 1 instructor

• $31 cost-per-student

U OF TENNESSEESpanish

Traditional• 57 sections (~27)• Adjuncts + 6 TAs• 100% in class• $167,074

($2931/section)• 1529 students @ $109

Redesign• 38 sections (~54)• Instructor-TA pairs• 50% in class, 50%

online• $56,838 ($1496/section)• 2052 students @ $28

STABLE COURSE ENROLLMENT

• Reduce the number of sections and increase the section size. (Reduce the number teaching the course.)

• Reduce the number of graduate teaching assistants (Only 9 of 30 projects!)

• Change the mix of personnel teaching the course (Adjuncts, undergraduate learning assistants.)

Mix and match for greater savings!

FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITYGeneral Biology

Traditional• 7 sections (~35)• 7 faculty• 100% wet labs• $131,610• $506 cost-per-student

Redesign• 2 sections (~140)• 4 faculty• 50% wet, 50% virtual• $98,033• $350 cost-per-student

READINESS CRITERION #5Learning Materials

• Are the faculty able and willing to incorporate existing curricular materials in order to focus work on redesign issues rather than materials creation?

READINESS CRITERION #6Active Learning

• Do the faculty members have an understanding of and some experience with integrating elements of computer-based instruction into existing courses?

READINESS CRITERION #7Collective Commitment

• Describe the members of your team, the skills they bring to the project and what their roles will be in both the planning and implementation phases of the project.

NCAT PLANNING RESOURCES

http://www.thencat.org/R2R/R2R_Planning_Resources.htm

REDESIGNING STUDENT LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS:

Getting Started

Carolyn Jarmon, Ph.D.cjarmon@theNCAT.org

www.theNCAT.org

CASE STUDIES

Danae Hudson and Brooke WhisenhuntDepartment of Psychology

Missouri State University

Teresa Overton and Beverlee DruckerDepartment of Mathematics

Northern Virginia Community College

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

• What problem are you trying to solve?• What barriers exist to getting started?• What data would be useful?• Who should be part of the team?• What process would be useful in

getting started?

CONTACT INFORMATION

• Carolyn Jarmoncjarmon@theNCAT.org

• Danae HudsonDanaeHudson@missouristate.edu

• Brooke Whisenhuntbwhisenhunt@missouristate.edu

• Teresa Overtontoverton@nvcc.edu

• Beverlee Drucker

bdrucker@nvcc.edu