shining a flashlight on teaching and learning with the web dr. craig m. ross department of...
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Shining a Flashlight on Teaching and Learning with the Web
Shining a Flashlight on Teaching and Learning with the Web
Dr. Craig M. RossDepartment of Recreation & Park Administration
Rising Use of Technology in Instruction
59.3
42.7
30.7
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
%
Email WebResources
Course WebPage
Percentage of courses using IT resourcesCampus Computing Project 2000
1995199819992000
“...incoming college students expect to receive technology in the classroom just as much as they expect to receive a library card to use the library.”
“New technologies seldom support old working practices...they tend to undermine existing practices and demand new ones.”
(Gavin, 1999)
Presentation Overview
Background • Pieces of the puzzle• Teaching, learning, and technology
Research purpose Seven Principles of Good Practice Flashlight Program overview Study overview Methodology Results Conclusions Discussion
Pieces of the Puzzle
Teaching
HPER
Technology
Learning
Research Purpose
To study the impact of web-enhanced course delivery methods on undergraduate teaching and learning from a student and faculty perspective• A web-enhanced course was defined as a course that is taught in
a classroom and is supplemented with course related information delivered on the internet. These include lectures/notes on the web, on-line gradebook and quizzes, chat rooms, discussion boards, web links, e-mail, etc.
Specifically:• Impact on teaching and learning practice across a
number of courses in School of HPER• Foster Seven Principles for Good Practice • Perceived impact on learning – students/faculty• Learner satisfaction• Most and least useful features• Greatest barriers/benefits to faculty
1. Frequent Student-Faculty Contact• “Frequent student-faculty contact in and out of
classes is the most important factor in student motivation and involvement.”
2. Cooperation Among Students• “Learning is enhanced when it is more like a team
effort than a solo race.”
3. Active Learning• “Learning is not a spectator sport. Students do not
learn much just sitting in classes listening to a teacher, memorizing pre-packaged assignments, and spitting out answers.”
4. Give Prompt Feedback• “Knowing what you know and don’t know focuses
learning. Students need appropriate feedback on performance.”
Seven Principles For Good Practice in Undergraduate Education
(Arthur Chickering & Zelda Gamson, AAHE Bulletin, March 1987)
Seven Principles For Good Practice in Undergraduate Education (Cont’d)
5. Time on Task• “Time plus energy equals learning. There is no
substitute for time on task.”
6. Communicate High Expectations• “Expect more and you will get it. High expectations
are important for everyone.”
7. Respect Diverse Talents and Ways of Learning• “There are many roads to learning. People bring
different talents and types of learning to college.”
(Arthur Chickering & Zelda Gamson, AAHE Bulletin, March 1987)
Flashlight Program Model
(http://www.tltgroup.org/programs/flashlight.html)
HPER Students and Faculty
Students• # of students: 1,515• 53% male 47% female• BS Degree Programs: 3 with 19
undergraduate major emphases• Avg credit hour load: 13.39 hrs/semester • Avg class size: 40 students
Faculty• #: 62 full-time
Departments• Applied Health Science• Kinesiology• Recreation & Park Administration
Study Population and Methodology
Spring 2002 Student survey:
• 53 item in-class survey• 18 sections of students in courses of 13 instructors• Total number of students enrolled: 1,050
Items drawn from Flashlight Current Student Inventory
Focus groups Faculty survey:
• Full-time faculty• Currently using web enhancements• 24 item mail survey
Focus groups
Student Demographics
737 survey respondents (70.2%)• Applied Health Science – 17.5% (129)• Kinesiology – 19.5% (144)• Recreation & Park Adm – 20.2% (149)• Other – 42.7% (315)
Gender• Female: 68.9% Male: 31.1%
Students by Class Level (n=737)
Class Level Percentage
Freshman 12.6
Sophomore 24.2
Junior 29.9
Senior 33.3
Students by Age (n=737)
Age Percentage
18 5.8
19 16.8
20 22.5
21 27.4
22 17.2
23 or older 10.2
Student Computer Skills
23.5
12.9
69.2
53.5
7.3
33.6
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
%
Better Same Worse
vs Peersvs Instructor
Prerequisites for Using Technology
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree
Strongly Disagree
I am at a disadvantage because I do not possess adequate keyboard/typing skills. (91.6)
2.6 5.9 50.6 41.0
I am at a disadvantage because I do not possess adequate computer skills. (91)
2.1 6.9 52.8 38.2
I am at a disadvantage because I do not have Internet access at home. (87.2)
3.8 9.0 52.5 34.7
How Often Students Log Into Course Web Site
22.9
35.0 34.9
4.7
2.4
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
%
<Once perwk
Once perwk
Fewtimes/ wk
Once perday
>Once perday
WWW Browser Used
14.7
83.6
1.6
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
%
Netscape InternetExplorer
Other
Personal Computer Owned by Students
72.3
22.6
9.0 10.9
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
%
Desktop Laptop Both Neither
Overall Usefulness of Web-Enhancements
Very Useful Useful
Somewhat
Useful
Not atAll NA
Online gradebook (82.1) 57.3 24.8 3.7 1.1 13.0
Access to course assignments (88.8)
54.9 33.9 6.6 .4 4.2
Announcements (82.3) 53.2 29.1 7.1 .8 9.7
Access to lecture notes/ PowerPoint (68.8)
42.7 26.1 7.0 1.5 22.7
Access to course readings (67.2)
37.3 29.9 8.5 2.6 21.8
E-mail links to students and instructors (57.6)
25.5 32.1 13.5 5.2 23.6
External course-related websites (51.5)
22.3 29.2 12.6 4.7 31.2
Online quizzes/tests 17.5 15.2 6.3 3.6 57.4
Discussion board 11.0 10.2 7.8 6.9 64.1
Active Learning
MoreLikely
About the
SameLess
Likely
Think about a similar course you have had that relied primarily on paper and pencil assignments and face-to-face lectures and discussions. Compared to that course, because of the way this course uses web-enhancements, how likely are you to:
Use the Internet as a source of course-related information.
81.763.7
15.618.2
2.718.2
Search for answers to your questions, rather than ask your instructor or other students.
68.336.4
27.027.3
4.736.4
Spend more time investigating and studying course concepts on your own.
57.760.0
35.610.0
6.730.0
Apply what you are learning to “real world” problems.
46.6 46.9 6.5
Refer to the course syllabus. 66.672.8
28.90
4.527.3Blue=faculty response
Student/Faculty Collaboration
MoreLikely
About the
SameLess
Likely
Think about a similar course you have had that relied primarily on paper and pencil assignments and face-to-face lectures and discussions. Compared to that course, because of the way this course uses web-enhancements, how likely are you to:
Discuss ideas and concepts taught in the course with your classmates.
36.5 50.9 12.6
Work on assignments with other students.
35.450.0
47.712.5
16.837.5
Communicate and interact with your instructor.
57.954.5
32.218.2
9.927.3
Time on Task
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Think about a similar course you have had that relied primarily on paper and pencil assignments and face-to-face lectures and discussions. Compared to that course, because of the way this course uses web-enhancements, how strongly do you agree/ disagree with this statement:
I am learning to make study time more productive
8.6 55.9 31.8 3.7
I spend more time on course-related work.
8.7 47.7 41.4 2.1
I spend too much time trying to gain access to a computer.
3.4 12.3 61.4 22.9
I spend too much time “surfing” the web instead of studying.
6.4 28.8 47.7 17.1
Perceived Impact on Learning
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Think about a similar course you have had that relied primarily on paper and pencil assignments and face-to-face lectures and discussions. Compared to that course, because of the way this course uses web-enhancements, how strongly do you agree/ disagree with this statement:
I have access to a greater variety of learning materials.
27.6 60.7 10.9 .7
I am better able to understand the ideas and concepts of this course.
15.08.3
63.183.3
20.20.0
1.78.3
I seem to always know what is going on in this course.
23.88.3
53.991.7
18.60.0
3.70.0
I am more likely to review lecture notes.
20.537.5
51.150.0
25.412.5
3.00.0
Other Student Perspectives
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree
Strongly Disagree
I would like to have web-enhancements used in other courses.
29.1 58.9 9.1 2.9
The course was suited to my learning style.
18.0 66.8 12.4 2.7
I put more thought into my comments on-line since my classmates will be reading them.
10.6 45.0 37.5 6.9
Online discussions encourage more thinking about course concepts.
10.2 41.3 40.4 8.1
There was not enough social interaction.
5.7 25.3 56.1 12.9
Faculty Demographics
Number of faculty: 12 Department:
• Applied Health Science: 5• Kinesiology: 3• Recreation & Park Adm: 4
Academic rank:• Professor: 1• Associate Professor: 5• Assistant Professor: 6
Tenure status:• Pre-tenure: 4• Tenured: 5• Non-tenure track: 3
Faculty Demographics
Average number of years teaching: 12.5 years Own a personal computer: 100.0% Internet access at home: 100.0% Update course web site: 66.6% at least once per/wk
Faculty Computer Skills
Faculty member skills compared to colleagues and students
66.7
50
33.3
50
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
%
Same Better
ColleaguesStudents
Time Spent Using Web-Enhancements
58.3
8.3
33.3
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
%
Higher Lower About theSame
+3.08 hrs/wk
+3.08 hrs/wk
The Seven Principles Revisited....
16.7
41.7
33.3
8.3
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
%
Much MoreLikely
SomewhatMore Likely
About theSame
Much LessLikely
Do Web-Enhancements in Your Course Encourage Student - Faculty Contact?
Faculty Perspectives
The Seven Principles Revisited....
16.7
33.3
41.7
8.3
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
%
Much MoreLikely
SomewhatMore Likely
About theSame
Much LessLikely
Do Web-Enhancements in Your Course Encourage Collaboration Among Students?
Faculty Perspectives
The Seven Principles Revisited....
16.7
50.0
25.0
8.3
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
%
Much MoreLikely
SomewhatMore Likely
About theSame
Much LessLikely
Do Web-Enhancements in Your Course Encourage Active Learning?
Faculty Perspectives
The Seven Principles Revisited....
33.3
41.7
16.7
8.3
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
%
Much MoreLikely
SomewhatMore Likely
About theSame
Much LessLikely
Do Web-Enhancements in Your Course Encourage Prompt Feedback?
Faculty Perspectives
The Seven Principles Revisited....
25.0
16.7
41.7
16.7
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
%
Much MoreLikely
SomewhatMore Likely
About theSame
Much LessLikely
Do Web-Enhancements in Your Course Emphasize Time on Task?
Faculty Perspectives
The Seven Principles Revisited....
25.0
50.0
16.7
8.3
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
%
Much MoreLikely
SomewhatMore Likely
About theSame
Much LessLikely
Do Web-Enhancements in Your Course Communicate High Expectations?
Faculty Perspectives
The Seven Principles Revisited....
8.3
50.0
33.3
8.3
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
%
Much MoreLikely
SomewhatMore Likely
About theSame
Much LessLikely
Do Web-Enhancements in Your Course Respect Diverse Talents and Ways of
Learning?
Faculty Perspectives
Faculty Perspective...
Greatest barrier(s) to you as an instructor using web enhancements?
Time involved in maintaining course material on the Web (58.3%)
Time involved in responding to student email (50.0%)
Time involved in redesigning teaching approaches (41.7%)
Preference for face-to-face student-instructor interactions (41.7%)
Student’s inexperience with computers and FTP (40.1%)
Faculty Perspective...
Greatest benefit(s) to you as an instructor using web enhancements?
Keeping the course organized (91.7%)
Ability to keep students informed about the course (83.3%)
Convenience to using the Web (83.3%)
Access to enriched teaching materials (75.0%)
Time – responding to email
Faculty Perspective...
Did Your Approach to Teaching or Your Teaching Practices Change as a Result of the
Way You Used Web-Enhancements?
• “Yes, more prep time involved but worth the time for student learning and communication.”
• “Yes. I’m much more aware of how students receive and access information.”
• “Yes. My expectations of student familiarity with the course material is higher. Increase in the time that I spend in class on key concepts as opposed to descriptive material.”
• “Web-enhancements allow a variety of teaching/learning styles to be successful.”
• “Allows students to be proactive.”• “Better able to track student progress from anywhere.”• “Email from students can be overwhelming!”• “Made assumption that students had web notes/overheads.”• “I think my lectures are more boring to students since they have
access to the notes....I think it makes me more dependent on the technology.”
Faculty Perspective...
How Did Your Use of Web-Enhancements Affect the Students’ Learning Experience?
• “Able to communicate to all students outside of class time.”• “My course content includes a large amount of terminology
which is a barrier to learning the concepts. The web-enhancements that I implemented tends to increase the exposure of the student to familiarity and terminology so the key concepts are easier taught.”
• “Web-enhancements have affected student learning by improving students’ abilities to organize course information through on-line lecture notes.”
• “By having lecture outline/materials available to students before class reduces copying time and increases listening time in class.
• “Better able to focus on discussion rather than taking notes.”
• “Less face-to-face interaction with students.”• “Student access to lecture notes seem to negatively impact
attendance....don’t seem to pay attention.”• “Students appear to be neglecting non-web based educational
materials…..anything not quick!”
Positive
Negative
Conclusions
Student computer skills• adequate keyboard/typing skills• adequate computer skills
Student computer access• Adequate Internet access at home• Desktop/laptop ownership• Computer cluster support
Preferred web browser• Internet Explorer
Majority of students were satisfied with the web-enhancements used in their course
Conclusions
Student perspective
Most Useful
???
Online quizzes,
discussion, chat room
Notes, course readings, external
links to course related content
Communication in terms of online gradebook, assignments, and
announcements
Conclusions
Faculty perspective:
• While still positive, not as strongly supportive of learning outcomes as students
• Enhanced several of the Seven Principles. However, more study needed on:
• Collaboration among students• Time on task• Diverse talents and ways of learning
• Also experienced the value of better communication with the students
What Did We Learn/Gain?
Hands-on experience in using the Flashlight tool Positive results regarding the use of web-enhanced
course delivery methods Useful findings to share with other faculty and
instructional support staff to improve practices and outcomes
Ideas for future studies• Part-time faculty• Non-web users• Use of Flashlight online survey instrument• Graduate education• Cost analysis• Other uses of technology (ie Oncourse, PowerPoint, etc.)
Development of a website for faculty to improve online teaching (See Virginia Tech)
“Effective Uses of Online Course Tools”Virginia Tech University
Discussion, Comments, ....
Thank You