Distance Learning Initiatives

Transcription

1 Distance Learning Initiatives Infrastructure and sftware enhancements made t facilitate educatin since Summer 2011, Fall 2011 and Spring Cntracted with Mdlerms fr use f Mdle as University s primary Learning Management System (LMS). Students have access t a managed hsted vendr LMS with "enterprise" features and enhancements. The university is n lnger respnsible fr hsting an LMS n campus. Mdle LMS is hsted by Mdlerms, Inc. Mdlerms, Inc., is ne f the largest Mdle partners in the wrld, appraching 1,000,000 users wrldwide. Mdlerms prvides nline learning management slutins based n pen-surce Mdle t K-12 schls, cmmunity clleges and universities. Additinally, Mdle is an all-inclusive, managed pen-surce learning management platfrm n the Dell Services Clud. Cntracted with Integrated Mdlerms Client Engagement Teams. This service prvides supprt fr administratrs. Mdlerms upgrade f Jule 1.6 Maintenance Pack. This maintenance pack imprved the functinality and usability f Jule 1.6. Cnduit 1.5 database sftware upgrade. Cnduit makes the prcess f rlling ver curses and managing drp/adds each term faster and easier. Administratrs can autmate user and curse management tasks such as enrlling users, authenticating passwrds thrugh Banner integratin. Implemented Twitter sftware in Mdle. Twitter is an nline scial netwrking service and micrblgging service that enables its users t send and read text-based psts f up t 140 characters, knwn as "tweets". This als gives students the ability t interact with the instructr. Cntinued t equip and systematically upgrade videcnferencing suites. Videcnferencing suites will have the latest technlgy in rder t enhance the vide quality and sund clarity that will result in a better learning envirnment fr the student. List f prfessinal develpment activities since Summer 2011, Fall 2011 and Spring Grambling State University embraces the if yu build it will they cme mtt: The University will build quality curses and quality prgrams. This effrt will increase learning student enrllment. These wrkshps are intended t increase the quality, interactin and student engagement level f nline curses at Grambling State University. Mdle Administrative Overview A training wrkshp prvided by Mdlerms, Inc. fr Mdle administratrs. Mdle (Levels I & II) Level I- This wrkshp will rient the instructrs n basic features f curse site develpment and management. Tpics include: requesting Mdle curse shells, adding curse annuncements, adding a curse syllabus and ther curse materials, creating flders, cpying r mving cntent, custmizing curse settings, and sending thrugh Mdle. Level II- This wrkshp ges ver varius ways that students can submit wrk t instructrs. Instructrs will learn hw t manage assignments, submit feedback, and maintain their grade bk in relatin t managing assignments.

2 Virtual Chat/Messaging in Mdle This wrkshp will rient the instructr n the virtual chat/messaging feature in Mdle. Chat is the mst useful in simple cllabratin situatins, where yu just want t have a cnversatin with students. Pdcasting in Mdle This wrkshp will rient the instructr n pdcasting. A pdcast is a package f multimedia files that can be dwnladed frm the Internet and played n a cmputer r a mbile device. A pdcast can be a useful supplementary tl fr nline curses r blended curses. Instructrs culd pst relevant news clippings, interviews, and discussins r they culd pst their wn lectures available fr dwnlad. TurnITin This training will intrduce instructrs t the features f Turnitin. Turnitin is the leading academic plagiarism detectr, utilized by instructrs and students t avid plagiarism and ensure academic integrity. Utilizing Skype in the nline envirnment This training will intrduce instructrs n hw t use skype in the nline envirnment. Skype is a sftware applicatin that allws users t make vice and vide calls ver the Internet. Skype in the Classrm (Vide) can make it easier fr students and teachers t interact in an nline envirnment. Utilizing videcnferencing equipment This training will prepare instructrs fr using videcnferencing by familiarizing them with the equipment and addressing the issues that may ccur. Faculty Prfessinal Develpment Resurce site The Faculty Prfessinal Develpment Resurce site is hused n Mdle and is available t all faculty. It gives the faculty access t prfessinal develpment vides, tutrials and self paced exercises. Training activities fr students since Summer 2011, Fall 2011 and Spring Student Mdle Student training is available fr all GSU students wh wish t learn Mdle. Students will be intrduced t the structure and navigatin f Mdle alng with its set f tls and their functins. Tpics discussed: Find imprtant class dcuments Syllabus Handuts Lecture ntes Easily access e-reserves Lk up assignment due dates and exam schedules Read class annuncements Participate in nline discussins Take quizzes and exams Turn in assignments Check n grades Faculty can schedule a training sessin fr a class during their scheduled class meeting time(s). Student training labs are available in academic buildings.

3 Walk in Cnsultatin Office f Distance Learning nrmal perating hurs are frm 7:30am-5:00pm Mnday-Thursday and 7:30am-11:30 Friday. Students wh wish t learn Mdle r simply need a refresher curse n hw t use it can cme by during ffice hurs. Students can access Mdle tutrials and quick start guides n the Grambling State University web site. Steps taken t imprve the assessment f nline curses by students since Summer 2011, Fall 2011 and Spring We have instituted a cmprehensive training, develpment and design review prgram n ur campus using the Quality Matters system (Rubric) fr assessing and evaluating faculty develped and nline curses. Each nline instructr is required t cmplete an in-huse, self-paced nline instructinal curse that discusses Quality Matters, SACS Best Practices as well as instructins fr the university LMS. The primary gal f the instrument is t supply useful feedback t instructrs t imprve teaching effectiveness and enhance student satisfactin with the nline experience. The ODL cllects evaluatins using the web and STC Banner. Table 1 reflects samplings f student pinin surveys fr Academic Year relating t level f satisfactin with instructin. Table 1 - Sample f Student Opinin Survey Results - Instructin Academic Year Strngly Disagree Disagree Agree Strngly Agree Questin Ttal I wuld take anther nline curse frm this instructr Hw wuld yu characterize cmmunicatin with the instructr and thers fr this curse? Online curses were thrugh the elearning curse management systems, Mdle. Mdle des nt have a feature that restricts students frm attending a curse withut respnding t the survey. In an effrt t increase the number f student respnses, ODL deplys the survey and survey ntice 3-4 weeks befre the end f the curse and the faculty assist in encuraging students t respnd t the surveys.

4 Mrever, student survey results fr University services received by learning students were psitive. Table 2 reflects samplings f student pinin surveys fr Academic Year relating t level f satisfactin with services. Table 2 - Sample f Student Opinin Survey Results Services Academic Year Smewhat Satisfied Smewhat Dissatisfied N Respnse Questin Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Ttal Overall, hw satisfied are yu with the supprt services prvided by the Office f Distance Learning? Overall, hw satisfied are yu with the supprt services prvided by elearning Systems (Mdle)? Overall, hw satisfied are yu with the elearning resurces thrugh Distance Learning (nline cmmunicatin, curse technlgy tutrial, hw t access curse materials, etc)? The evaluatin instrument administered fr nline curses gives the students pprtunity t prvide feedback in the fllwing areas: Teacher Perfrmance knwledge f subject matter, rganizatin f materials, fairness in grading Resurces-library, cunseling, rientatin Cmmunicatin with the instructr-psting f curse prcedures, discussin grups Student evaluatins f curse are reviewed by the Office f Distance Learning s Instructinal designer fr cnstructive suggestins and immediately discussed with the Instructr. Evaluatin results are als shared with the Instructr s department head. Results are used t make imprvements f the curse. descriptin f current initiatives t create and expand educatinal fferings by educatin Grambling State University has determined that ffering selected learning prgrams and degrees will facilitate the cmpletin f its missin. Grambling State University has determined that ffering selected learning prgrams and degrees will facilitate the cmpletin f its missin. The faculty has prpsed that the fllwing prgrams be ffered via educatin: Bachelr f Science in Child Develpment, Master f Science in Criminal Justice, Pst Masters Certificate, Master f Science in Develpmental Educatin and the Dctrate in Develpmental Educatin. GSU was selected t participate in the American Assciatin f State Clleges and Universities (AASCU) Red Balln Prject n Blended Learning. We will nw ffer Blended curses in freshman cmpsitin and pre-calculus. Blended curses are curse that use traditinal face t

5 face lectures alng with lectures via. The grant fcuses n perfrmance levels fr students f particular demgraphics and financial needs. GSU entered int a partnership agreement with Luisiana Delta Cmmunity Cllege (ASN-RN t BSN). The plan is t ffer many f the curses via. descriptin f any efficiencies realized thrugh educatin Grambling State University transitined frm Blackbard as the Learning Management System t Mdle in Fall During AY , the University realized a savings f apprximately $40,750 in transitining t this new management system. Additinal efficiencies were realized as a result f space and energy savings assciated with curses ffered that were 100%. Based n GSU estimates, GSU saves $19.20 fr lighting per curse and $ savings fr HVAC use per curse. During Summer 2011, Fall 2011 and Spring 2012 semesters, % curses were ffered, resulting in a ttal savings f $18, fr lighting and HVAC.

6 3.b.i. Number f curse sectins with 50% and with 100% instructin thrugh educatin (Tracked) Term f Data # f curse sectins that are 50-99% # f curse sectins that are 100% Baseline Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 AY AY AY AY AY AY AY (Fall 11-Spr 12) b.ii. Number f students enrlled in curses with 50% and with 100% instructin thrugh educatin, duplicated headcunt (Tracked) Term f Data # f students enrlled in curses that are 50-99% # f students enrlled in curses that are 100% Baseline Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 AY AY AY AY AY AY AY (Fall 11-Spr 12)

7 3.b.iii. Number f prgrams ffered thrugh 100% educatin by award level (Tracked) Baseline Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Term f Data AY AY AY AY AY AY AY Assciate Baccalaureate Pst- 0 0 Baccalaureate 0 Masters Dctral Prfessinal TOTAL 0 0 0