Teaching with Technology Innovations Program:
Incentivizing Faculty and Enhancing Student Learning

Jane Harris, Ph.D. Instructional Technology Consultant, HHP
Phone: 336-334-3269
Email: [email protected]

Kay Lovelace, Ph.D. Associate Professor Public Health Education
Phone: 336-334-3246
Email: [email protected]

 

Part 1: Innovations Program Overview

Part 2: Encourage Student Participation and Preparation through On-Line Moderated Discussion

 

Part 1: Innovations Program Overview

Program

 

Forms:
Information
Proposal
Outcomes

Goal: To employ instructional technology to facilitate and enhance teaching and active learning for instructors and students.

Definitions:
Active learning: “instructional activities involving students in doing things and thinking about what they are doing.” (Charles Bonwell, http://www.ntlf.com/html/lib/bib/91-9dig.htm)

Instructional technologies consist of Blackboard and/or other software currently available at UNCG or easily procurable and employable during this academic year.

  • Year: 2003-2004
  • Innovation: instructional technology
  • Outcomes Required: quantitative + qualitative
  • Effort Required: substantive but not daunting
  • Compensation: $500. for professional expenses

School

School of Health and Human Performance

Disciplines

  • Communications Sciences Disorders
  • Dance
  • Exercise and Sport Science
  • Public Health Education
  • Recreation, Parks, and Tourism
Professional, Clinical, Performing Arts

Faculty

 

  • 61 Candidate faculty
  • 32 Faculty participating to date
  • (20 More faculty have received instructional technology support)

Survey

(Sept 2003)

 

N=41

Usage

  • 98% used Bb 1 or more semesters
  • 90-98% posted content, syllabus, posted announcements, assignments
  • 44% used discussion (18 faculty; at most there were 20 faculty using discussions at that pt)
  • 37% used gradebook
  • 32% used quiz/survey

Reported biggest learning challenges for students

  • Challenging content
  • Grasping concepts
  • Application
  • Critical thinking
  • Problem solving
  • Not prepared for what is required in the course
  • Working in groups
  • Time management

Teaching techniques you’d like to explore

  • Active Learning: Case based learning/Problem-based learning/Cooperative Learning
  • Student writing
  • Student research
  • Blackboard online small group work/discussions
  • Other Blackboard tools / Moving course components online
  • Teaching totally online

Proposals

Proposal List

Types

  • 14 Discussions, chat, MOO
  • 10 Diverse means of content presentation – narrated PPT, video, etc
  • 2 Assessment (one course; one program)
  • 2 Blackboard organizations
  • 3 other (internship database; online course; automating student technique feedback sheets in DCE)

Class Profile
Graduate/Undergraduate Classes - even split; 4 classes had both.

Class Size - range: 4-150 students; average: 28.5 students

Program Outcomes

 

  • Faculty who completed projects last semester are using technology this semester.
  • Many more faculty members are aware of the instructional technology options.
  • 10 proposals this semester are direct result of exposure to a peer faculty project.
  • 6 faculty members have future plans based on what they’ve seen.
  • 25% increase in use of discussions
  • 16-17% increase in use of multimedia for content presentation.

Faculty
Student Outcomes

 

Student Surveys, Faculty Reflections on Outcomes Document
  • Faculty member felt more satisfied with the teaching experience.
  • Students felt learning opportunities were more convenient.
  • Students felt they learned more – particularly from their peers.
  • Faculty felt students exhibited deeper learning.

Support
for
Faculty
Innovations

 

What Makes a Difference?

Faculty

  • Enthusiastic, hard-working faculty
  • Pent up need - ideas were often already there
  • Open to instructional technology innovation

Institution

  • Strong support from the dean
  • $$ compensation
  • High quality campus support from Blackboard administrator and colleagues

Program Design

  • Focus on pedagogically driven solutions
  • Realistic amount of effort required for faculty
  • Cracker barrel event (with food!) each semester for faculty

Instructional Technology Support

  • Full time support in the building
  • Just-in-time response to faculty requests
  • Support in classroom for implementation of projects
  • Judicious use of broadcast email updates on the program and participants

Next Steps

 

  • Encourage pedagogical research and publication.
  • Two instructors have IRB approval and are researching their innovations.
  • Support from the Interdisciplinary Center for E-Learning.
  • New associate dean – expect goal-setting discussions.
  • In the meantime, concentrating on dissemination – expect to do much more video and looking into Quandary (action maze creation software) to create tutorials, self-practice, cases.