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Program
Forms:
Information
Proposal
Outcomes
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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.
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- Year: 2003-2004
- Innovation: instructional technology
- Outcomes Required: quantitative + qualitative
- Effort Required: substantive but not daunting
- Compensation: $500. for professional expenses
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School
School of Health and Human Performance
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Disciplines
- Communications Sciences Disorders
- Dance
- Exercise and Sport Science
- Public Health Education
- Recreation, Parks, and Tourism
Professional, Clinical, Performing Arts
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Faculty
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- 61 Candidate faculty
- 32 Faculty participating to date
- (20 More faculty have received instructional technology support)
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Survey
(Sept 2003)
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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
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Proposals
Proposal List
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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
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Program Outcomes
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- 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.
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Faculty
Student Outcomes
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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.
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Support
for
Faculty
Innovations
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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
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Next Steps
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- Encourage pedagogical research and publication.
- Two instructors have IRB approval and are researching their innovations.
- Support from the Interdisciplinary Center for E-Learning.
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- New associate dean – expect goal-setting discussions.
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- 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.
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