Thomas M. DiLorenzo Professor and Chair Department of Psychology University of Delaware

1. Transformation of Classrooms into E-Learning Spaces: The Important Link between Technology and Learning Thomas M. DiLorenzo Professor and Chair Department of Psychology University of Delaware

2. Technology in the Service of What? Issues to Consider in Deciding Whether to Use Instructional Technology in the Classroom: Should We Give Up the Chalk

3. News Journal (1/25/06) “Don’t feel like going to class? No problem, watch it later online …Technology spurs student absenteeism”

4. News Journal (1/25/06) “Don’t feel like going to class? No problem, watch it later online …Technology spurs student absenteeism” The instructor was demoralized.

5. News Journal (1/25/06) “Don’t feel like going to class? No problem, watch it later online …Technology spurs student absenteeism” The instructor was demoralized. Why? Technology in the service of what?

6. In the Service of Learning Our goal is to enable University of Delaware faculty to enhance student learning through the use of technology. -Janet de Vry IT User Services

7. Partnerships: Faculty Members and IT Staff • Started on a personal level • WebCT – My class • Quickly escalated • WebCT Dep’t Training Workshops • Dep’t of Psychology Technology Initiative • Outcomes of survey

8. Psychology Department Technology Initiative: Needs Analysis • Introduction • Staff Development • Current Situation • Recommendations • Course Design • Current Situation • Recommendations • Web Site Enhancements • Virtual PSYC Labs

9. Psychology Department Technology Initiative: Needs Analysis (con’t) • Departmental Repository • Software/Hardware Requests • General Advice for Technology Committee • Requests for Support of Research Activities • Appendix: Questionnaire used during interview process

10. Three Initiatives 1. Personal Response Systems (Clickers) 2. Sympodium 3. The Ultimate Classroom

11. 1. PRS Personal Response Systems Handheld Clickers Looks like a remote control device Immediate feedback on understanding of concepts

12. Use of Technology to Enhance Learning I decided to use Clickers to try to increase reading before class • 5 questions at the beginning of • 12 class periods, that were • Randomly selected • Over the readings due for the day • With total possible extra points • Equal to 9% of the total grade

13. Compared “clicker” class to “non-clicker” class • On question “How often did you read before class,” the “clicker” class rated this item significantly higher than the “non-clicker” class. • On exam scores, the “clicker” class scored higher on 3 out of 4 exams – the score on the 4th exam was the same in both classes.

14. So, I used clickers at the beginning of class, Students read more, This led to better discussions (active learning/conceptual thinking), And the outcome was higher grades.

15. Learning comes about More quickly as we increase time-on-task

16. Last semester I used the “homework” feature of the clickers for students to answer questions while at home studying/reading for the next class period. Answers were stored in the clicker and downloaded at the very beginning of class. Results were projected and scores collected.

17. Benefits • Increases time-on-task • Increases probability of reading • Enhances group work outside of class • Gives me first-hand information on • What the students understand • How to structure “in-class” time • The feedback is incredibly helpful

18. Another Case: Human Sexuality (367) • No credit for clicker use • Total anonymity • Upper level • 3XX elective course

19. Human Sexuality (367) • Please rate the extent to which you agree with the following statement: I think the clickers are a valuable asset to this class. • Strongly Disagree = 1 • Strongly Agree = 5 • Mean: 4.58 Std Dev: .77

20. Human Sexuality (367) • Please rate the extent to which you agree with the following statement: I think that the clickers should be used again in this class. • Strongly Disagree = 1 • Strongly Agree = 5 • Mean: 4.74 Std Dev: .73

21. PRS Standardization: Faculty-IT Staff Committee • Within about one year, faculty were already using several systems • During the Spring, 2006 semester, a faculty-IT staff committee formed to • Recommend 1 system for the campus • We invited four companies to campus • Presentations and Q&A session

22. Hardware Clicker Size Functionality LCD Battery life and signal Receiver Radio Frequency required Number of responses Ease of installation Receive from other Life span of hardware Software Ease of Use Integration with PowerPoint Mac compatibility Functionality Business Model Registration Process Storing student data Support model(s) Purchase process Costs (and to whom?) Checklist for PRS Vendor

23. Decided on one system • Fairly easy • Cost is one-time/relatively small • Came up with a system that felt right for our campus • Faculty readily accepted the decision • Use has grown significantly • Lots of excitement

24. 2. Sympodium • Equipped with the same software as SMART Board Interactive Whiteboards • Classroom with 300 seats/desks • Interactive pen display • Connected to computer and projector • Write directly on screen/slides in digital ink

25. Sympodium (con’t) • Will save your notes • Access any website • Project on a large screen • Use Word, PowerPoint, Excel or • Web browser • Clicker questions are in PowerPoint so readily accessible

31. 3. The Ultimate Classroom • Faculty members attended IT workshops on PBL and IT • Started with discussion (Chair, faculty member, dep’t IT person, media services personnel) about PBL room • Added discussion about computing • Computers on tables? How to run wires? • Battery life of laptops?

32. Typical PBL classroom 1 computer per desk Only 1 person works on computer at a time Others do “individual” group work Battery life of computer New PBL classroom w/projection capabilities 1 wireless keyboard and projector per desk 1 person works on keyboard All work on group project together Few battery issues One more example of the Use of Technology to Enhance Learning

40. Technology Costs • LCD projector, Thin Client • Wireless keyboards, screens • Smartboard, outlets • Cabinetry, instructor’s computer • Server for student stations • Misc. License/software/video switcher • Total = $30,870

41. Use of the Room • Measurement and Statistics • Research Methods • Outcomes – Faculty responses from upper level courses • Sensation and Perception • Other Departments • Tours from multiple universities

42. Transformation of Classrooms into E-Learning Spaces: The Important Link between Technology and Learning Ask yourself: technology in the service of what? Our goals should be to enhance student learning through the use of technology.

43. Questions?

45. Problems/What can go wrong? • IR technology Corrected • Paying for clickers Corrected • Registering clickers Corrected • Data off campus Corrected • Student concerns Corrected • Reception of data • PP in CPS software Corrected

46. What will I do differently next time? • Make my expectations more transparent • Clearly lay out how “learning” is enhanced with the use of clickers • No extra credit (although there is another perspective (Kendall – extra credit can be fun, bad questions leads to learned helplessness, problem solving really leads to learning, group work can be very helpful, just make it worth a small portion of the grade)) Kendall – “I loved the clickers” • Use clickers to determine understanding of material