Utilizing an Online Course Design Matrix to Enhance Learner Engagement

1. Utilizing an Online Course Design Matrix to Enhance Learner Engagement 2019 Distance Teaching and Learning Conference Jenny Wells, PhD & Cecily Ornelles, PhD Department of Special Education University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa

2. Small groups: Course Design Matrix Roadmap of Presentation Embedding factors across course elements Factors in student engagement Adult online learners • Examples of assignments that enhance student engagement

3. Adult Online Learners Choose online learning because of the opportunity for balancing their family and work responsibilities with their education. Enrolled to advance in their current career or to prepare for a career change 74% of online graduate students are 25 years or older Clinefelter and Aslanian, 2016; Yoo and Huang, 2013

4. Predictors of Student Engagement and Learning • Opportunity for questions and provision of satisfactory answers • Support and management of course content, including feedback from instructor • Positive sense of the instructor’s presence in the course; and Kang & Im, 2013

5. Instructional Design and Facilitation • Community building component • Faculty to learners • Peer to peer • Real world problems related to immediate needs of learners • Specifies a rationale for learning • Aligned with course content • Choice related to learner’s personal interests • Incorporates learner’s personal frame of reference • Encourages active reflection Social Interaction Problem- Based Learning Contexts Personal Factors Learner Engagement

6. Personal Factors • Providing opportunities for adult learners to reflect and draw upon their existing frames of reference allows them to apply information in personally meaningful ways. This promotes their retention and use of information.

7. Personal Factors • Structuring online learning opportunities in ways that encourage learners to analyze and think deeply about critical issues can inspire their personal commitment to addressing these vitally important and challenging aspects.

8. Personal Factors • Personal factors including self-concept, life experience, and motivation to learn have a significant impact on learners’ engagement.

9. Social interaction • The value of online learning experiences can be further enhanced through social interaction as learners draw from the ideas and knowledge bases of others.

10. Social interaction • The instructor-student relationship can be strengthened when the instructor personalizes feedback to each student. Actionable feedback is valuable as adult learners can directly apply information to their practice.

11. Social interaction • Strategically requiring collaboration between adult learners through discussions (i.e., virtual discussion; synchronous and asynchronous) has the potential to enhance and extend deeper understanding of course material (Davis, 2013).

12. Problem-Based Learning • Acquiring and refining problem-solving skills that address real-life issues may motivate learners and offer them with opportunities to deepen their learning and critical thinking skills.

14. Examples of Enhancing Student Engagement Through Course Design and Instructor Facilitation

15. SPED-642 Who’s Who Your turn - add a slide with a short intro • See the example on the next slide • Click on Insert-->New Slide after placing the cursor below my exemplar • Create your slide • Add one or two photos of yourself (and of anything important to you) • Add info on: • Your current job and what you do (e.g. grade levels you work with, focus of your work, etc) • Share something about yourself • Tell us the island and area where you live.

16. Lanikai is my favorite beach. Hi, I’m Jenny Wells My job: I am a professor at the UH Manoa College of Education. I teach courses on the principles of behavior, autism and severe disabilities, special education law and research methods. Formerly with the Hawaii DOE for 15 years, I have been a classroom teacher, special education resource teacher, autism consultation teacher and educational specialist for special education and later for autism programs. A little about me: I have lived on the Windward side of Oahu for 33 years. I enjoy my dogs and action adventure movies. Ursa

17. Aloha! I’m Gena Bonaccorsi Kai’ehitu Canoe Club My Job: I am currently working as an autism consultation/resource teacher for the West Hawaii Complex on the Big Island. I have taught in Kona, Hawaii for the past eight years in various special education classes. My mother and I outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art My favorite race during regatta season: Open 4 A little about me: I am originally from outside Philadelphia and relocated on the Big Island in January 2009 to teach! I love the Big Island and all that is has to offer. I enjoy paddling, singing karaoke, and watching Netflix with my cat Kolu. My cat Kolu

19. Course Evaluation: Comment “I enjoyed the group assignments where we had to work collaboratively, and how we shared our work in the Forums. I enjoyed seeing what others did and their thoughts. I was able to gain ideas, see another's perspective, and overall increase my knowledge on certain topics. “

20. Examples of Enhancing Student Engagement Through Course Design and Instructor Facilitation

21. Content Application: Unit Plan DESCRIPTION • Learners work individually or with peers to develop a Unit Plan. • Learners develop a unit plan based on a topic or theme of their choice. • Learners present a series of lessons that reflect knowledge and sensitivity to students’ interests, culture of the community, and creativity. • Design of the unit plan draws from content that had been learned over the course of the semester. • Each member of the team must contribute.

22. Content Application: Unit Plan Critical Components Addressed • Option to complete with a peer or team. • Assignment capitalizes on peer-to-peer interaction. • All members accountable (specified in directions). • Potential to further promote community building within a cohort. Learner(s) • Choice: Selects unit theme. • Choice: Working individually or with a team. • Targets age/grade level relevant to his her interest/reflecting current field experience. • Learner reflects on and selects a topic that is important to the student, school & larger community (cultural considerations). • Learners apply content previously learned in the design of a unit plan. • Learners design a plan that may potentially be implemented (in part or in its entirety); addressing their students’ needs. • Learners negotiate what content to include and how they will represent ideas. Social Problem- Based Personal Learner Engagement

23. Course Evaluation: Comment Item: Provide feedback on your level of engagement with peers and the instructor in this course. “Technology makes it easy. I love group discussion and digging into topics, concepts, and ideas. This helps me to understand things more comprehensively. I love playing the devil’s advocate to consider all possible options, to be prepared for anything, and make the most out of possible decisions; talk about it until we fully understand it.”

24. Culminating Activity: Case Study DESCRIPTION • Assignment comprised of three parts: (a) Assessment, (b) Instructional Planning and (c) Strategy to Support Growth • Case study of a child provided to the class • Students worked together as well as individually Formats: Online work (small meeting groups; individual work; face-to-face team work) • Students analyze assessment data; generate goals and objectives for a child; identify specific strategies to support learning

25. Culminating Activity: Case Study Critical Components Addressed • Shared case study vs. different student profiles: Supporting discourse, team reflection and problem solving • Peer interaction supporting learning process, problem-solving • Learners make connections between evidence (assessment data) and student’s strengths and needs profile. • Learners draw from multiple sources (materials, resources, instructor feedback, peer interactions) to generate a case summary and related action plan for instruction. • Knowledge and skills critical for professional practice. • Relevance to individual’s field or work experience. Social Personal Problem- Based Learner Engagement

26. Course Evaluation: Comment Item: What specific teaching methods, assignments, or projects best facilitated your acquisition of course content? “The [case study] assignment. Interpreting assessments. Learning about the different standards and how they’ll change in the next year. Writing goals, objectives, and creating assessments. All those fabulous continuums. Thematic unit planning. I loved using the references the instructors provided. With distance learning comes a lot of self-teaching, and it’s really helpful to have reliable resources on hand that guide us through the assignments.”

27. Course Design Matrix for Embedding Critical Components of Engagement

28. Your Turn: Small Group Activity • Work in small groups to design course activities and assignments utilizing the Course Design Matrix for Embedding Critical Components of Engagement.

29. Large Group Discussion

30. For More Information, please emailJenny Wells, Ph.D.jwells@hawaii.edu Cecily Ornelles, Ph.D. cecily@hawaii.edu • Ornelles, C., Ray, A. B., Wells, J. C. (in press). Designing online courses in teacher education to enhance adult learner engagement. The International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 31(3).