REDESIGNING GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY at Frostburg State University Dr. Megan Bradley February 12, 2013

1. REDESIGNINGGENERAL PSYCHOLOGYat Frostburg State UniversityDr. Megan BradleyFebruary 12, 2013

2. TODAY’S DISCUSSION • Brief Introduction to Course Redesign • Proven Model for Successful Redesign: Psychology at Frostburg State University by Dr. Megan Bradley

3. 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

4. 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.

5. WHY REDESIGN? Look for courses where redesign will have a high impact – let’s make a difference: Improving Student learning • High withdrawal/failure rates • Inconsistency of preparation • Difficulty in subsequent courses Reducing Instructional Costs • Students on waiting lists • Students turned away – graduation bottleneck • Over enrollment of courses leading to multiple majors • Difficulty getting qualified adjuncts

6. TEAM EFFORT IS KEY Each team included • Administrator • Faculty experts • Technology expertise • Assessment assistance

7. 120+ REDESIGNED COURSES • 160,000 students nationwide • Improved student learning: 72% Equivalent student learning: 28% • Cost reduction: 37% (9% to 77%) Annual savings: ~$9.5 million • Other outcomes • Increased course-completion rates • Improved retention • Better student attitudes toward the subject • Increased student satisfaction with the mode of instruction

8. 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

9. 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 – JIT workshops linked to college level course

10. 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.

11. 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 • Four Models for Assessing Student Learning • Five Critical Implementation Issues • Planning Checklist

12. REDESIGNINGGENERAL PSYCHOLOGY Carolyn Jarmon, Ph.D. cjarmon@theNCAT.org www.theNCAT.org

13. Redesigning General Psychology Dr. Megan Bradley Professor Frostburg State University mbradley@frostburg.edu Dr. Carolyn Jarmon Vice President National Center for Academic Transformation cjarmon@theNCAT.org