Cohorts for Online Classes –

What Works and What Doesn't  

AMATYC Conference 2014S017

Dr. Peg PankowskiDr. Calandra Davis

IntroductionsAbout WGUPeg◦Cohort for Struggling Students

Calandra◦Cohort for Self-Selecting Students

Q&A

AGENDA

Private, nonprofit university50,000 studentsOnline courses (solely), competency-based◦Proctored testing

Four degree programs◦General Education: Traditional core classes

Western Governors University

Students sign up to join cohort and commit to:

◦Attend weekly webinars◦Meet weekly with me◦Meet weekly with student partner◦Spend at least 10 – 12 hours per week on homework and unit post tests

Cohort for Struggling Students

Adobe conference room PowerPoint presentation sent to students in advance of webinar along with log in instructions◦Most students participate online using chat box

◦Few students participate by phone◦Conference room has screen sharing and white board capabilities

Weekly cohort webinars

Program Overview◦Required Activities◦Schedule◦Questions and Answers◦Student Partners Introductions Work Spaces

Week 1 Real Numbers Webinar Wrap Up – Questions and Answers

Tonight’s Agenda

Attend Weekly Monday evening webinars

Spend at least 10 hours per week doing homework tutorials and/or posttests in MyMathLab.

Check in weekly with Dr. Peg Check in weekly with student partner Take QLC1 Assessment early November

◦ White board/scratch paper policy reminder

Required Activities

Regularly scheduled weekly QLC 1 Webinars

Questions and Answers

Recorded presentation available◦Math Anxiety and Math Study Strategies Presentation

◦Next presentation Wed. Sept. 10th, 6:30 PM Mountain Time http://wgu.adobeconnect.com/mathfoundation

siii/ Call in Number 1-855-810-8948, Passcode: 331860#

Math Anxiety and Study Strategies

AndrewTuesdays and Fridays7 to 9PM Mountain Time    http://wgu.adobeconnect.com/agrzadzielewski/

1-855-810-8948Participant passcode:  825330#

Open Office Hours

Email if you have a preference

Will be assigned if no preference

Possible Work Spaces:◦AdobeConnect (This Room)◦JoinMe.com◦Skype◦FaceTime◦Other

Student Partners

Name

Math Background

Love It or Hate It?

Hours Available to Work on Math/Time Zone

Introductions

QLC1 Unit 1 – Real Numbers Lays the foundation for the entire course Some content may be review Longest unit in the course 9 of 36 items on Assessment from this unit Go through entire HW tutorial; use learning

aids as needed to complete each question Redo question until you really understand it Show mastery with 80% on Post-Test Call the math help line (1-866-895-

9660, x1758, M-Th* 9-7, F 9-5, and Sat 9-3 MT) as needed

Next Steps◦Homework Unit 1, Real Numbers◦Weekly check ins Dr. Peg Student Partner

◦Post Test, Unit 1◦Preview Unit 5 if time permits

Questions and Answers

Wrap Up

20 – 30 minutes scheduled Can be brief if students do not have questions

Serve to keep students on track Q&A Check on student partners Sometimes used as tutoring sessions

◦Screen sharing◦Tablet used to work through problems

Weekly Meetings

We use a version of Pearson’s MyMathLab

I can view student gradebooks: How much time they’ve spent working

Which homework/post test questions they missed

Similar problems/Help me solve this/link to e-text

Homework and Post tests

Students wanted guidance (not independent study)

Complete course in 8-weeks◦Two live sessions; flipped classroom model

◦All sessions recorded

College Algebra Cohort

Flipped Classroom Model Online

Topic videos (watch prior to session)

Live Sessions in Adobe Meeting Room

Getting Help

Attendance dwindled Not all students completed course in cohort timeframe◦Many students would take cohort multiple times

More positive feedback from flipped classroom than purely lecturing

Upcoming changes: More student interaction (Google Groups)

Observations

Dr. Peg Pankowski◦peg.pankowski@wgu.edu◦877.HELP.WGU, Ext. 4297

Dr. Calandra Davis◦calandra.davis@wgu.edu◦877.HELP.WGU, Ext.5041

Contact Information