TRANSFORMING LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

THROUGH COURSE REDESIGN

TODAY’S DISCUSSION The National Center for Academic

Transformation Overview of the Methodology and Findings

of the Program in Course Redesign Proven Models for Successful Redesign

• 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

BRIEF HISTORY OF COURSE REDESIGN

• The Roadmap to Redesign (R2R)2003 – 2006 (20 institutions)

• Colleagues Committed to Redesign (C2R)2006 - 2009 (60 institutions)

• Programs with Systems & States2006 – present (~80 institutions)

• The Redesign Alliance2006 – present (70+ institutions)

• Changing the Equation2009 – 2012 (25+ institutions)

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

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.

30 projects50,000+ students

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.

• Course redesign is not just about putting courses online.

• It is about rethinking the way we deliver instruction in light of the possibilities that new technology offers.

WHY REDESIGN?

Look for courses where redesign will have a high impact:

• 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

QUANTITATIVE (13)

• Mathematics– Iowa State University– Northern Arizona University– Rio Salado College– Riverside CC– University of Alabama– University of Idaho– Virginia Tech

• Statistics– Carnegie Mellon University– Ohio State University– Penn State– U of Illinois-Urbana Champaign

• Computer Programming– Drexel University– University at Buffalo

SCIENCE (5) SOCIAL SCIENCE (6)

• Biology– Fairfield University– University of Massachusetts

• Chemistry– University of Iowa– U of Wisconsin-Madison

• Astronomy– U of Colorado-Boulder

• Psychology– Cal Poly Pomona– University of Dayton– University of New Mexico– U of Southern Maine

• Sociology– IUPUI

• American Government– U of Central Florida

HUMANITIES (6)

• English Composition– Brigham Young University– Tallahassee CC

• Spanish– Portland State University– University of Tennessee

• Fine Arts– Florida Gulf Coast University

• World Literature– University of Southern

Mississippi

TEAM EFFORT IS KEY

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

IT IS POSSIBLE TO INCREASE LEARNING WHILE REDUCING COST• 25 of 30 PCR projects

improved learning; the other 5 showed equal learning.

• 24 measured course completion rates; 18 showed improvement.

• All 30 reduced costs by 37% on average, with a range of 15% to 77%.

Program in Course Redesign

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE SAVINGS?• Stay in department for continuous course

improvement and/or redesign of others• Provide a greater range of offerings at upper division

or graduate level• Accommodate greater numbers of students with same

resources• Stay in department to reduce teaching load and

provide more time for research• Redesign similar courses• Miscellaneous

– Offer distance sections – Reduce rental expenditures– Improve training of part-time faculty

NCAT METHODOLOGY:Relevance and Utility

• Discipline: math & literature

• Age: traditional & working adults

• Institution: small & large• Location: on-campus & at

a distance • Redesign: current & new

courses• Level: introductory &

advanced

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.”

SIX 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 Replace developmental courses with just-in-time workshops

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.

SUPPLEMENTAL MODEL• Retains the basic structure, especially class

meetings• Supplements lectures and textbooks with

technology-based, out-of-class activities to – encourage greater student engagement with course

content – ensure that students are prepared when they come to

class• May also change what goes on in class by

creating an active learning environment within a large lecture hall setting.

BIOLOGYUniversity of Massachusetts

CHALLENGES• Inconsistent student preparation• Poor class attendance• Lectures that repeated the contents of the

textbook• High dissatisfaction with course by both

faculty and students

BIOLOGYUniversity of Massachusetts

• Continue to have large class meetings• Require short pre-tests before the start of the

first class each week and these are available for the entire term as review

• Receive small number of points for taking the online quiz

• Provide 24/7 online study materials• Include small group interactions during class

focused on applied biology problems• Class periods are now used to discuss

biology problems, rather than lecture

BIOLOGYUniversity of Massachusetts

Student Outcomes

• In spite of more difficult questions, scores on exams in the redesigned course averaged 73% vs. 61% in the traditional course.

• 23% of the exam questions in the traditional model required reasoning or problem solving skills vs. 67% in the redesigned course.

• Attendance averaged 89.9% in the redesigned course vs. 67% in the traditional course.

REPLACEMENT MODEL• Reduces the number of in-class

meetings• Replaces in-class time with online,

interactive learning activities • Determines what activities require

face-to-face and what can be done online

• Provides 24/7 access to online learning resources

• Includes online self-assessment activities with immediate feedback

COMPUTER LITERACYArizona State University

GOALS Update content and delivery

Cover modern methods and technologies Promote self-directed learning Use modern learning environment and technology to

deliver course Reduce cost

Decrease delivery costs – efficient sustainable delivery structure for ~2200 students each term

COMPUTER LITERACYArizona State University

Updated ContentTraditional Course 4 paper-based, multiple choice exams based on computer

technology too introductory for today's tech-savvy students 12 assignments in Microsoft Word, Excel, and FileMaker Pro,

submitted in hard copyRedesigned Course 9 online quizzes demonstrating understanding of modern

computing concepts 7 self-guided learning assignments applying computing concepts

and computer-driven problem solving techniques, submitted via various online methods

4 major projects requiring substantial independent inquiry, submitted via various online methods

COMPUTER LITERACYArizona State University

Updated Delivery Traditional Model

2 lectures per week Open lab hours for assistance, staffed by TAs and graders Assignments turned in hard copy during lecture – graded by

graders, and returned hard copy during lecture Paper-based, multiple choice exams completed in lecture

Redesign Model 1 optional lecture per week, all content on Blackboard Scheduled guidance in lab, staffed by Undergraduate Learning

Assistants (ULAs) Discussion board available for assistance daily All assignments, quizzes and projects submitted via the Web

COMPUTER LITERACYArizona State University

Learning Outcomes: Traditional Sections

Average of 26% of students earned 70% or more Redesigned Sections

Average of 65% of students earned 70% or more, on a demonstrably more difficult course

Cost Reduction: a reduction from $50 to $35 per student, which is a 30% savings.

EMPORIUM MODEL• Eliminates all lectures• Replaces them with a learning-resource

center (lab) model – interactive software– on-demand, personalized assistance

• Permits the use of multiple kinds of personnel

• Allows multiple courses to be offered at the same time and place

• Can be adapted for different kinds of institutions and disciplines

THE EMPORIUM MODEL77% Cost Reduction (V1)30% Cost Reduction (V2)

THE MATH EMPORIUMat Virginia Tech

Traditional• 38 sections (~40)• 10 tenured faculty, 13

instructors, 15 GTAs• 2 hours per week• $91 cost-per-student

Redesign• 1 section (~1520)• 1 instructor, grad &

undergrad TAs + 2 tech support staff

• 24*7 in open lab• $21 cost-per-student

Replicated at U of Alabama, U of Idaho, LSU, Wayne State, U Missouri-St. Louis, Seton Hall, Cleveland State CC, Northeast State CC, Jackson State CC

UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMAMath Learning Center

UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMASuccess Rates

Semester Success Rate Semester Success RateFall 1998 47.1% Spring 1999 44.2% Fall 1999 40.6% Spring 2000 53.5%Fall 2000 50.2% Spring 2001 35.8%Fall 2001 60.5% Spring 2002 49.8%Fall 2002 63.0% Spring 2003 41.8%Fall 2003 78.9% Spring 2004 55.4%Fall 2004 76.2% Spring 2005 60.1%Fall 2005 66.7% Spring 2006 56.6%Fall 2006 73.8% Spring 2007 59.8%Fall 2007 75.2% Spring 2008 57.3%Fall 2008 78.1%

FULLY ONLINE MODEL

• Eliminates all in-class meetings and moves all (or most) learning experiences online

• Adopts successful design elements of other models including

– web-based, multi-media resources– commercial software– automatically evaluated assessments

with guided feedback– links to additional resources and

alternative staffing models

FINE ARTSFlorida Gulf Coast University

CHALLENGES• Significant inconsistency among multiple

sections• Difficulty finding either faculty or adjuncts

with the breadth of knowledge in all of the humanities

• Poor performance in this course that is required by all freshmen

• Growth in students and no money for new faculty

FINE ARTSFlorida Gulf Coast University

• Each module covers one aspect of the Humanities

• Each module is designed and monitored by a faculty expert in that academic area

• One course coordinator manages the course of 400+ students each term

• Undergraduate peer tutors and adjuncts guide discussion groups and evaluate longer papers

• 24/7 interactive learning resources are available anytime, any place

FINE ARTSFlorida Gulf Coast University

Traditional• 25 sections (~30); 6

sections (~15) = 800• Taught mainly by

adjuncts• “Course drift”• $132 cost-per-student

Redesign• Single section (~950)• Taught by 1 faculty, 1

course coordinator, 20 preceptors

• Consistent & coherent• $81 cost-per-student

Average exam scores increased from 70% to 85% Number of A’s/B’s increased from 31% to 75% DFW rate decreased from 45% to 11%

EMERGENT LITERACYArizona State University

• Traditional: Graduate level course taught f2f with FT faculty once a year on multiple campuses in sections of ~30 – enrollment ~100 now, but cannot meet demand

• Redesign: Students from any campus enroll online; course taught every term with enrollment projected to grow to 300-500 annually; GTAs lead online course with FT faculty oversight

• Learning assessed through common finals and use of common rubrics for written work

• No difference in learning or change in DFW rates• Plan is to change all 14 courses in the MS degree

BUFFET MODEL• Assess each student’s knowledge/skill level

and preferred learning style• Provide an array of high-quality, interactive

learning materials and activities• Develop individualized study plans• Built in continuous assessment to provide

instantaneous feedback • Offer appropriate, varied

human interaction whenneeded

STATISTICSOhio State University

CHALLENGES• Previous redesign using IT increased the cost • Students had highly variable learning styles• Lectures were poorly attended• 20% of the students repeat the course each

quarter even though most have satisfactorily completed initial modules

• Too many emails for faculty• Faculty time was used inefficiently• Inconsistency among sections

STATISTICSOhio State University

• Students use online assessment by Felder and Solomon.

• There are multiple routes to established outcomes for each module.

• Students are assisted in thinking about how they approach learning and what mode is easiest for them.

• Students file a learning plan for each module.• Various kinds of learning activities using

websites, software, video lectures, small group discussions, individual and group projects.

STATISTICSOhio State University

OUTCOMES

• Redesign students had greater success on common exams (mean = 78.3) than traditional students (mean = 70).

• The number of students needing to retake the course was reduced from 33% to 12%.

• Cost reduction from $191 per student in the traditional to $132 per student in the redesign

LINKED WORKSHOP MODEL• Retains the basic structure of college-level course,

especially class meetings• Replace remedial/developmental course with just-in-

time (JIT) workshops– designed to remove deficiencies– computer-based instruction, small-group activities and test

reviews – individually assigned modules based on diagnostic

assessments– facilitated by students who have previously excelled in core

course who are trained and supervised by core faculty• JIT workshop activities designed so students use

concepts during next core course class session, which in turn motivates them to do workshop activities

DEVELOPMENTAL MATHAustin Peay State University

Student Success Rates

College Course Before SLA

Fund of Math 32.4% 69.9%

Elem Statistics 22.4% 52.5%*

* Higher than the success rate for students with 19-22 ACT subscores

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• Five Models for Assessing

Student Learning• Five Critical Implementation

Issues• Planning Checklist

MANY DIFFERENT COURSES• Mathematics

– Developmental Math– Pre-calculus Math – College Algebra – Discrete Math – Introductory Algebra – Elementary Algebra – Beginning Algebra – Intermediate Algebra – Linear Algebra

• Statistics– Business Statistics– Introductory Statistics – Elementary Statistics – Economic Statistics

• Computing– Computer Programming– Information Technology

Concepts – Computer Literacy – Information Literacy – Tools for the Information

Age

• SCIENCE– Anatomy and

Physiology– Astronomy – Biology – Ethnobotany – Chemistry – Geology

• SOCIAL SCIENCE– American

Government – Macro and

Microeconomics – Psychology – Sociology – Urban Affairs

HUMANITIES• British Literature• Communication Studies• Developmental Reading• Developmental Writing• English Composition• European and US History• Great Ideas in Western Music• History of Western Civilization • Public Speaking • Spanish• Technical Writing• Visual & Performing Arts • Women & Gender Studies• World Literature

PROFESSIONAL• Accounting • Education: The Curriculum• Elementary Education• Engineering• Nursing• Nutrition• Organizational Behavior

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

TRANSFORMING LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

THROUGH COURSE REDESIGN

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

www.theNCAT.org

BREAK

WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT WE HAVE LEARNED

ABOUT QUALITY AND COST?

The factors that lead to increased student learning and increased student retention are the same as those that lead to reduced instructional costs!

#1: REDESIGN THE WHOLE COURSE SEQUENCE

– Quality: Eliminate “course drift”; greater course coherence and quality control

– Cost: Eliminate duplicate effort; create opportunities for alternate staffing

#2: ENCOURAGE ACTIVE LEARNING

– Quality: “Learning is not a spectator sport.”

– Cost: Reduce faculty preparation and presentation time; reduce grading time (e.g., interactive software)

#3: PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH INDIVIDUALIZED ASSISTANCE

– Quality: Students get help when they are “stuck” and stay on task rather than giving up (e.g., software tutorials, F2F in labs)

– Cost: Apply the right level of human intervention (e.g., tutors, course assistants)

#4: BUILD IN ONGOING ASSESSMENT AND PROMPT (AUTOMATED) FEEDBACK

– Quality: Enables practice, diagnostic feedback, focused time on task

– Cost: Good pedagogy with large numbers of students; automated grading; faculty spend time on what students don’t understand

#5: ENSURE SUFFICIENT TIME ON TASK AND MONITOR STUDENT

PROGRESS

– Quality: Self-pacing vs. milestones for completion; points for engagement

– Cost: Course management systems can reduce costs while increasing oversight; automated intervention; focus on students who need help

FIVE PRINCIPLES OF SUCCESSFUL COURSE REDESIGN

#1: Redesign the whole course#2: Encourage active learning#3: Provide students with

individualized assistance#4: Build in ongoing assessment

and prompt (automated) feedback#5: Ensure sufficient time on task

and monitor student progress

FIVE CRITICAL IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES

• Prepare students (and their parents) and the campus for changes in the course.

• Train instructors, GTAs and undergraduate peer tutors.

• Ensure an adequate technological infrastructure to support the redesign as planned.

• Achieve initial and ongoing faculty consensus about the redesign.

• Avoid backsliding by building ongoing institutional commitment to the redesign.

AFTER LUNCH

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: FIVE MODELS

A. Comparisons of Final ExamsB. Comparisons of Common Content

Items Selected from ExamsC. Comparisons of Pre- and Post- TestsD. Comparisons of Student Work using

Common RubricsE. Comparisons of Course Grades using

Common Criteria

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, keep section size the same and keep personnel the same.

• Reduce the number of sections, increase the section size and change the mix of personnel.

• Change the mix of personnel teaching the course.

Mix and match for greater savings!

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!

VIRGINIA TECHLinear Algebra

Traditional• 38 sections (~40) • 10 tenured faculty,

13 instructors, 15 GTAs

• 2 hours per week• $91 cost-per-student

Redesign• Single section (1520)• 1 tenured faculty,

graduate & under-graduate assistants

• 24 x 7 in open computer lab

• $21 cost-per-student

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

INNOVATIVE COURSE REDESIGN PRACTICES

• Creating "Small" within "Large“

• Undergraduate Learning Assistants

• Freshmen Don’t Do Optional

• Modularization• New Instructional Roles• Avoiding “Either/or”

Choices

REDESIGN CHECKLIST

• Consensus about Curriculum• Course Organization• Materials Selection and Adaptation• Faculty Development and Training• Student Preparation• Infrastructure

ASSIGNMENT• What are the obstacles to redesigning your

course at UNC Charlotte?• What issues do you need to consider?• What evidence would help you overcome

the obstacles?• What information do you need to gather?• What process, if any, might help overcome

the obstacles?• Choose one person to make note of any

specific questions.