Piloting Sakai & OSP for a Non-Traditional MBA Program

Sara HillCarey Business School

Johns Hopkins University

A Non-traditional Format

• No “courses”• “Modular” format• Multiple instructors

How do we facilitate communication

& assess student learning?

Cohort Learning

• Three-year program• Life sciences professionals • Program design models product

development cycle of a life sciences

organization

Sakai for Communication

• J Forum for

-Discussion

-Private messaging

-Member listing• Announcements• E-mail archive

Member Listing

Facilitating Learning Through Documentation

• Students gain “confidence in their competence”

• Students have opportunities for

-progress self-checks

-critical reflection

-peer learning

Reporting on Learning

• Track students progress towards program outcomes and provide evidence of learning

-students (matrices)

-faculty (matrices and reports)

-department chairs (reports)

-accreditation (matrices and reports)

Program Design

Understanding by Design by Wiggins & McTighe

• Identify program learning outcomes• Determine acceptable evidence of learning• Plan learning experiences

Matrix Design

• Enduring Understandings• Knowledge • Skills

Students determine which artifacts

indicate progress toward these outcomes

Learning Theory

• Learning is the constant; time is the variable• Shift from teaching to learning• Authentic assessment• Constructivist approach• Learning as a Way of Being: Strategies for

Survival in a World of Permanent White Water by Peter Vaill

Matrix Scaffolding• Cell status feature is not used• All cells remain open through the duration

of the program• Evaluators are fellow students and faculty• Evaluation is formative rather than

summative• Students post and reflect on artifacts at the

conclusion of each module

Enduring Understandings

Knowledge

Successful students will know

Skills

Successful students will be able to

Lessons Learned

• Start small• Involve faculty• Integrate reflection into the curriculum• Schedule reflection intervals• Involve peers in evaluation/feedback

Questions?