Enhancements of CIS Instruction

1. August 9, 2005 GREAT LAKES COMPUTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS LEADERS Enhancements of CIS Instruction Sandi Poindexter Northern Michigan University

2. August 9, 2005 GREAT LAKES COMPUTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS LEADERS E-distribution of materials Push methods use class email messages, with or without with attachment. Advantage There is a record that materials were sent The recipient does not have to remember to check a website for downloads Checking email is pretty reliable expectation for most students. Disadvantages Information is not all in one place, emails can get deleted before being read, inboxes can get clogged if attachments are large. If it's really critical, you can send the email with a Return Receipt requested

3. August 9, 2005 GREAT LAKES COMPUTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS LEADERS E-distribution of materials Pull methods use a course website or an instructors' server to post all materials for download when a student visits the site. Advantage All materials can be listed in groups, folders, or links for a historical archive or document retrieval in a logical format. Students know where to get any document at any time of day. Disadvantage There is no easy record of student visitation. Blending push and pull is possible by emailing an announcement that materials are ready for online retrieval

4. August 9, 2005 GREAT LAKES COMPUTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS LEADERS Tips for e-distribution Avoid the "where do I get it?" syndrome with a comprehensive course outline as your repository Avoid the "what did I call it?" or "what is that file?" syndromes with a file naming convention and provide the filename as the link on the web page Avoid the "where did I put it?" syndrome with a folder organization scheme for each course or class. Train students early to download files into the appropriate folders and reinforce it by using the same folder scheme yourself. Avoid the "which do I need?" syndrome by zipping multiple files into one.

5. August 9, 2005 GREAT LAKES COMPUTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS LEADERS E-Presentations Lecture slides – is there value-added? Leave empty slides or bullets Insert review questions Students view in design mode Have students type – anything to keep active

6. August 9, 2005 GREAT LAKES COMPUTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS LEADERS Facilitate in-class collaboration Provide groups with an active exercise during class used to collect group solutions/thoughts (see sample exercise) Use Word if the input is textual (see a sample text worksheet). Use Excel if you are asking student to rate or tally and can use numbers (see a sample numeric worksheet). One student can be the group's recorder by typing comments into the worksheet. When finished the instructor can be emailed the file as a attachment. 

7. August 9, 2005 GREAT LAKES COMPUTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS LEADERS Facilitate in-class collaboration Advantages Everyone can be emailed the file Files can be consolidated on instructor machine for discussion Disadvantages Not everyone can see the typing Sufficient battery power is needed, but power source can be shared to ensure at least one machine stays up during the exercise.

8. August 9, 2005 GREAT LAKES COMPUTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS LEADERS E-submission of assignments Course management system dropbox Objective collection “agent” Slower retrieval and posting of grades Email file attachments using designated subject line for each course. Course subfolders in your inbox for each assignment within each course Email filter automatically file each assignment as it arrives

9. August 9, 2005 GREAT LAKES COMPUTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS LEADERS Tips for e-submission Keep organized Insist on student identity Move due dates away from class meeting times. With e-submission there is no requirement that an assignment be due at class time to extend the class beyond the boundaries of the physical room and time.

10. August 9, 2005 GREAT LAKES COMPUTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS LEADERS E-Grading Use "revision" mode in Word documents Create a grading matrix/rubric (grading template) for each assignment using Excel. Leave the spreadsheet open while you grade Open the folder containing the student submission files, and leave open as you grade Open submitted files Type the points earned for the assignment being graded into the spreadsheet template master, copy/paste spreadsheet cells to the top of the student document. See a sample graded submission

11. August 9, 2005 GREAT LAKES COMPUTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS LEADERS E-Grading Advantages Both you and the student(s) have a graded copy If you use a point matrix, the auto summation in Excel ensures accurate tallies Legible comments can be placed directly adjacent to the related content. A lot more commenting tends to be given because it is easier to provide when you don't have to rewrite them. Disadvantages Reading from a screen may be less comfortable Files must be backed up to avoid possible loss Laptop becomes more a part of your carried materials.

12. August 9, 2005 GREAT LAKES COMPUTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS LEADERS Tips for e-grading Open multiple submissions at once to move more quickly. While grading, copy the typed student comments into a master of common comments. Copy/paste common comments from master to student copy to reduce writing time.

13. August 9, 2005 GREAT LAKES COMPUTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS LEADERS Administer e-essay tests Each student should download and name the test file with their userid, name, or a number as part of the test file to prevent duplicate names. Students open the test file and type their answers after each question since the space automatically enlarges as they type. When finished, students email the test file as an attachment, copying themselves on the email submission to ensure the attachment is the right file. Open each attachment as it arrives, there are fewer to handle when the test time is over. This is critical to avoid a lost or corrupted test file. Plan for a 5 minute break after a test to give enough time to verify all tests have been received. E-grade them and return test via email

14. August 9, 2005 GREAT LAKES COMPUTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS LEADERS Administer e-essay tests Advantages Grading legible writing that has been at least minimally spelled checked is priceless. Students use copy/paste to rearrange their answer so flow is better organized. Disadvantages Students retain a digital copy of your test which could be shared with others, requiring unique tests for multiple sections. Students could cheat by opening other software or using the clipboard during the test to check their notes. Sufficient battery power is needed. Tips

15. August 9, 2005 GREAT LAKES COMPUTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS LEADERS Tips for e-essays When typing the test, leave a few blank lines or insert a table of 1 row x 1 column (Insert | Table in Word) with two blank lines after each question. Secure the test using a password until you are ready to begin. Remove the test from the server once everyone has their copy. Close all other software, including chat. Show Taskbar. Random walking around the room during the test helps ensure this. Make the test challenging enough, so they are too busy typing to cheat. An open book/open note test eliminates some reason to cheat. Grade each question across all tests for easier comparison of answers and copy/pasting of common comments.

16. August 9, 2005 GREAT LAKES COMPUTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS LEADERS References General: faculty.nmu.edu/spoindex/ This topic: faculty.nmu.edu/spoindex/paperless.htm These slides: faculty.nmu.edu/spoindex/research/GreatLakespaperlessclassS05.ppt Readings: faculty.nmu.edu/spoindex/readings.htm