Blended by Design: Designing and Developing a Blended Course

Veronica Diaz, PhD, veronica.diaz@domail.maricopa.edu Jennifer Strickland, PhD, jennifer.strickland@pvmail.maricopa.edu

Day 3: Online assessment, student success, and collaboration

Objectives

Review options for online assessment techniques

List strategies to assess student readiness for blended learning environments

Describe some ways to prepare for student crisis points

Mapping Your Course, Part III

Benefits of Assessing Online Regular feedback Various types of

assessments Low stakes Self assessment

Automatic grading & instant feedback

Anytime, any place Instant access to

resources

Can randomly pull certain categories of questions so no two tests are alike

Can build and track portfolio and project based assessments

Limits to Online Assessment

Cheating Quirkiness of technology Access to online resources & paper

mills

Suggestions for Better Assessment

Build multiple “check point” assessments

Allow open note/book timed tests Have in-class quizzes and tests as

well Project-based assessments Portfolio assessments Assign group work in a wiki area that

tracks student participation

CATs: What are they?

A method used to inform you on ….

students learning effectiveness of

course content effectiveness of

teaching methods

CAT Benefits

Learner-centered Teacher-prompted Mutually beneficial Formative Fast to administer Fast to interpret Non-threatening Ongoing Foster trust

between student and instructor

Basic CAT Steps

1. Choose a learning goal to assess

2. Choose an assessment technique

3. Apply the technique

4. Analyze the data and share the results with students

5. Respond to the data, i.e., make modifications as necessary

5 Suggestions for CATs

Customize to your specific needs and learning environment (f2f/online)

Should be consistent with your instructional philosophy

Test out a CAT and assess their effectiveness

Allow extra time to carry out and respond to the assessment

Let students know what you learn from their feedback and how you and they can use that information to improve learning

CAT Examples

Minute paper Chain notes Memory matrix Directed paraphrasing One-sentence summary Exam evaluations Application cards Student-generated test

questions Can be easily modified

or converted to an online environment

Other ideas

Most CATs can be created using a survey tool, or just email your students questions

Polls (polldaddy.com, survey monkey, survey tool in Bb or WebCT)

Drill & practice activities with participation points (softchalk, quizzes)

Peer review & feedback

Exercise

Review the CATs and pick one Identify the goal for your CAT Develop or adapt an existing

CAT for your blended course

Explain why this CAT is helpful/necessary in this particular area of the course

Explain why/where you would use this CAT in a f2f or online environment & is there a pro or a con to moving it online

How and when will students receive feedback on the CAT

Assessment Resources

http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/assess-2.htm

http://www.ntlf.com/html/lib/bib/assess.htm

http://www.ntlf.com/html/sf/vc75.htm

Break

Student Readiness

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Support in the blended course?

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Readiness Assessment Strategies

FORMAL

eLearning website Screening surveys Pre and post

enrollment with feedback

Debunking incorrect impressions

Advisor meeting

INFORMAL

Website Welcome materials FAQs Examples Pros/Cons Testimonials

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Assess…

Skills (reading) Learning styles Work and study habits Technical requirements

(hardware, software, connectivity)

Need and immediacy for course

Feedback preferences Ability to self-help (when

things are difficult) Attitude toward the

nature of learning online

Readiness Means…

Determining who is ready

Ready now = start course

Not ready now = Tutorials Support Advisor meeting

UCF Learning Online

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Are you ready for MY course? Take a moment to review some of

the course readiness surveys Identify 2 areas where your

students might struggle Come up with a strategy that you

would offer to support students with these

How would you customize these readiness surveys for your course to further communicate to students specific success requirements

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Student Crisis Points

Student Crisis Point Causes

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What are they?

Moments during your course when students are most likely to need support and assistance Example: The first time a student logs

in to your course web site and cannot successfully locate the address and insert the username and password?

Identify crisis points in advance, so you can make sure that you have a plan in place to mitigate student problems and avoid frustration

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How do you identify them? Review the sequence of learning

activities and course modules you have planned

What student skills will be required to be successful Technological skills ▪ Using course management system (tests, finding

materials, email, groups, web 2.0 tools, etc.) Learning skills ▪ Time management▪ Ability to retain and use your course content

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Preempting Crisis Points

Identify 4 potential student crisis points 2 technological 2 pedagogical

How will you address, support and troubleshoot your students' technological and pedagogical needs during your course

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Learning Technologies