Maximizing Student Retention Through Effective Course Design and Engagement

1. Retention: YOU are the Key!Instructor Strategies for Retaining Students Troy University eTROY Colloquium April 17-18, 2012

2. Instructional Design to Encourage, Engage, and Educate the Distance Learning Student Pamela T. Dunning Pamela A. Gibson

3. Purpose • Provide the principles of the Quality Matters™ approach to course design • Provide tips for developing syllabi and incorporating Blackboard tools to help link course learning objectives with • Learner engagement • Instructional materials • Technology • Assessment & measurements

4. Quality Matters™ (QM) • A faculty centered, peer review process • Designed to certify course quality with specific attention to online components

5. Troy Participation • Troy became a QM consortium member in Fall 2008 • 24 Troy faculty have completed the QM Peer Reviewer Certification course • 65 have completed Troy University training and conducted reviews • As of July 2011, 420+ course, covering over 50% of all discipline areas within the five colleges, have been reviewed • 80% successfully met the 85% standard

6. Troy Blackboard Training • Two training modules • The“Exemplary eCourse” module introduces instructors to Best Practices in online course design and delivery • “Intro to QM” is a separate self-directed Bb training module with information on Quality Matters principles

8. Course Meets Quality Expectations Course Revision Quality Matters: Peer Course Review Process Faculty Course Developers Institutions National Standards & Research Literature Course Rubric Faculty Reviewers Training Peer Course Review Feedback Instructional Designers

9. The Rubric Eight General Standards: Course Overview and Introduction Learning Objectives Assessment and Measurement Instructional Materials Learner Engagement &Interaction Course Technology Learner Support Accessibility Key components must align

10. The Rubric • Alignment: • Critical course elements work together to ensure that students achieve the desired learning outcomes • Stated Course Objectives – Activities – Assessments – are consistent with one another

11. Key sections that must align… Course Learning Objectives (2) Learner Engagement & Interaction (5) Instructional Materials (4) & Technology (6) Assessment and Measurement (3)

12. Incorporating Alignment Into Your Course • Standards used in both on-line and hybrid classes • Following are examples of the general standards that pertain to alignment and ways to incorporate them in your course (2011-2013 Rubric)

13. Course Learning Objectives • Are clearly stated • Use of a course design matrix that ties together stated learning objectives to specific content, strategy to achieve them & assessment of success • Should include unit-level learning objectives • Include instruction as to how to meet the objectives

15. PA 6650 Course Design Matrix

16. Learner Engagement & Interaction • Engaging students to become active learners • Ideally should include • Faculty to student • Self-introduction, discussion postings and responses, feedback on project assignments, e-mail communication • Student to content • Essays, term papers, group projects, etc. based on readings, videos, and other course content; self assessment exercises; group work products • Student to student (if applicable) • Group discussion board • Blogs, wiki’s • Presentations

17. Learner Engagement & Interaction • Clear standards for: • Instructor response and availability • How to contact • When to contact • Response time – 24-48 hours • Weekly submission times for discussion board postings • Quantity • Quality • Examples

18. Instructional Materials • Materials that support course objectives • Use of different types of accessible media • Textbooks • Lecture notes/outlines • Wimba/Collaborate/Blackboard IM • PowerPoint • Video • NBC Learn, TED, You Tube, etc. • Websites • Identified as background information, additional personal enrichment, or required for an assignment

19. Course Technology • Facilitates student learning & not difficult to learn to use • Technology should “enhance” rather than be the end product • Be easily accessible • Downloadable, instructions provided • Course tools & Student Resource Tab (educational technology)

20. Assessment & Measurement • Implemented to allow instructors to measure student learning and allow students to measure their own learning • Use of multiple assessment and feedback mechanisms • Discussion board • Draft assignments • Email feedback • Quick Comments function in Grade Center

21. Assessment & Measurement • Options for students to measure their own learning process • Writing assignments that allow for submission of a draft for instructor comment & suggestions for improvement • Interactive games/simulations with built-in feedback • Self-scoring practice quizzes • Peer reviews • Turnitin

22. Course Overview & Introduction • Although not part of alignment, but a QM standard and a critical element in creating a conducive learning environment for students • Clear instructions to make navigating the course easy for students • Use of “Start Here” button • Instructor and student introduction • Identification of course and technology requirements • Syllabus or Bb menu item

24. Conclusion • Course learning objectives describe measurable outcomes but are not useful unless students engage with learning activities, materials & other resources to help them achieve those objectives • Alignment of these areas will provide students with the tools they need to succeed

25. For more information about Quality Matters: • www.qualitymatters.org • For more information on eTROY’s Quality Assurance program: • Dr. Deb Fortune (dfortune@troy.edu)