1. Introduction

Holding Students Accountable in Distance EducationJanet B. Forbess, and Craig G. RennieJuly 31, 2012

1. Introduction • 5 Part Presentation on Student Accountability in Distance Education: • Introduction (10 minutes) • Groups create and post ideas (5 minutes) • Class discussion of ideas (10 minutes) • Summary of Quality Matters® General Standard 3, and checklist (10 minutes) • Conclusion and Questions (10 minutes)

1. Introduction (Contd.) • Holding Students Accountable in Distance Education is an especially important topic owing to the characteristics of Distance Education, including… • Teachers and students are at different locations • Wide variety of instruction delivery media • Communication can be interactive synchronous (real time) or asynchronous (delayed) • Technology is constantly changing • Blackboard is an increasingly powerful but complex canned design tool

2. Groups Accountability Problem Examples: • Students don’t do the readings or listen to the lectures • Students don’t do their own work (plagiarism) • Students use work from a previous class • Students make inappropriate comments in discussions/lack of etiquette • Students do not meet the standards of rigor for the class • Students have little or no participation in discussions • Students fail to meet deadlines • Others?

2. Groups (Contd.) Students don’t do the readings or listen to the lectures • Refer to points made in the lecture/text for assignments (“Using the guidelines of effective rules for the classroom presented in the text/lecture, design a poster to show your rules”) • Have students compare/contrast the various methods of __________ described in the readings.

2. Groups (Contd.) Students don’t do their own work • Word assignments so that students can’t just “cut and paste” their answers, but must show creativity or use higher-order thinking skills. • Change up the assignments from previous semesters

2. Groups (Contd.) Students use work from a previous class • Require the use of a specific format • Include a statement in the instructions that warns students against doing this

2. Groups (Contd.) Students make inappropriate comments in discussions • Set specific guidelines • Have students set guidelines at the beginning • Deduct points for inappropriate comments

2. Groups (Contd.) Students do not meet standards of rigor for class • Include a specific rubric in the assignment instructions so students know the standard ahead of time • Stick to the standard for excellence • Provide specific feedback and examples to show what the expected outcome looks like • Ensure that the workload is manageable and appropriate

2. Groups (Contd.) Students have little or no participation in discussions • Require a minimum number of posts • Encourage interactivity with instructor comments which bring students together • Build a sense of community in the first week (have students post pictures and interests)

2. Groups (Contd.) Students fail to meet deadlines • Give an appropriate amount of time for an assignment to be completed • Post the deadline in more than one place • Lock out the assignment (can’t submit past the deadline)

2. Groups (Contd.) “Instructor Presence” • The instructor must be a “real” person with whom the students interact. • Establishing a class as a community helps the students feel that they are not alone in the course and helps to hold them accountable. • References: • http://www.duq.edu/cte/teaching/online-teaching-presence.cfm • http://jolt.merlot.org/vol5no2/olt_0609.htm

4. Quality Matters® and Checklist Quality Matters® - General Standard 3: Assessment and Measurement 3.1. Types of assessments selected measure stated learning objectives and are consistent with course activities and resources (alignment) 3.2. Course grading policy is stated clearly 3.3. Specific and descriptive criteria are provided for evaluation of students’ work and participation, and are tied to course grading policy 3.4. Assessment instruments are sequenced, varied, and appropriate to student work assessed 3.5. Students have multiple opportunities to measure own learning progress

4. Quality Matters® and Checklist (Contd.) Quality Matters® - General Standard 3 (Contd.) • Examples of learning objective-assessment alignment: • Problem analysis demos critical thinking • Multiple choice quiz verifies vocabulary knowledge • Composition shows writing skills • Examples of lack of this alignment: • Write a persuasive essay objective – using a multiple choice test • Demonstrate discipline specific information literacy – using a term paper with no prior practice on information literacy skills • Look for • list of activities, tests, etc., for final grade; explanation between letter grades and points/%; explain relation between points/%; evidence instructor states evaluation criteria with points; how discussion participation is graded; multiple types of assessment; assignments allowing draft, self-mastery tests, practice assignments, etc.

5. Conclusion • Holding Students Accountable in Distance Education important owing to following characteristics of Distance Education: • Teachers and students are not collocated • Wide variety of instruction delivery media • Communication can be interactive synchronous (real time) or a synchronous (delayed) – latter creates need for additional accountability • Technology changes • Blackboard is powerful but complex • Presentation included: • Introduction • Group discussion • Class discussion – including Quality Matters® General Standard 3 • Checklist generation • Conclusion

Questions?

1. Introduction

1. Introduction

Presentation Transcript

1. Introduction

1. INTRODUCTION

1. INTRODUCTION

1 Introduction

CH.1 Introduction 1-1 Introduction

1. Introduction

1-1 Introduction

1. INTRODUCTION

1. Introduction

1. Introduction

1. Introduction

Introduction 1

1: Introduction

INTRODUCTION (1)

1: Introduction

1. Introduction

Introduction 1

1 INTRODUCTION