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Teaching and Learning a Blended Introduction Course for All Learners Susan De La Paz, Ph.D. Polly Maccini, Ph.D. Deirdre Barnwell, Ph.D. Tori Page Voth, Ph.D. Department of Counseling, Higher Education and Special Education College of Education

Teaching and Learning a Blended Introduction Course for ... · F2F format while continuing to explore other technology-based ... evaluation pertinent to the f2f and online learning

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Teaching and Learning a Blended Introduction Course for All Learners

Susan De La Paz, Ph.D. Polly Maccini, Ph.D.

Deirdre Barnwell, Ph.D. Tori Page Voth, Ph.D.

Department of Counseling, Higher Education and Special Education

College of Education

Overview •  Introductions • Description of the course and goals • Phase 1: Developing the blended course (Polly & Deirdre)

•  Preparation •  Ongoing OIT support •  Curriculum development •  Lessons learned

• Phase 2: Modifications of the course (Susan & Tori) •  Meeting new challenges •  Lessons learned •  Future goals

EDSP 470: Introduction to Special Education •  Addresses the needs of undergraduate and graduate students (non-

majors) who are interested in developing their knowledge of exceptional children as relevant to their major and/or teaching experience

•  Provides an overview of the field of special education by examining the nature and characteristics of various exceptionalities (across age and severity).

•  Focuses on services and programs that help meet students educational, social, and/or personal goals.

Additional Goals

Provide information, and resources for students who are likely to interact with persons with disabilities in their adult lives:

•  Students who are not majoring in education may not understand the impact that disabilities have on children, families, and the community

•  Allows students to explore the full range of the human experience, and to realize how their individual actions can enable others to have fuller lives

•  Also allows students opportunity to develop or strengthen their ability to work in a group, with a long term project

Why use a blended format?

We specifically want to explore best practices for enhancing our existing F2F format while continuing to explore other technology-based alternatives within a blended learning format to maximize student understanding and engagement.

Goals:

1)  How the use of a blended instructional approach can be integrated to complement and further maximize existing F2F time in EDSP 470

2)  Disseminate the information and course materials developed to faculty who teach other sections of the courses.

Preparation Timeline Preparation

Prior Training with Developing Online Courses 2011-2012

•  Attended OIT Workshops: Wimba Live; Camtasia; Designing Blended Courses; Adapting Syllabi for Online Learning; Sloan C Workshop for Planning Blended Instruction

•  Organized Student Preparation: 2 additional times established outside of class for student training on system requirements and Wimba access

August 2012 •  Planned instructional blended learning modules to be used in EDSP 470, assessment tools; develop tool for student evaluation pertinent to the f2f and online learning environment

•  Met with OIT Academic Support Instructional Design Team to review: draft of syllabi and blended instructional modules

•  Developed work schedule for collaborative planning: Mondays

September 2012 – April 2013:

•  Continued with blended module development •  Interview and stream video of “field related experts” for module

content •  Obtained consumer feedback and revised: Reviewed student

evaluation pertinent to the f2f and online learning environment and revised course materials; Shared drafts and obtained feedback from instructors of EDSP 210, 470, and revised based on the feedback

Curriculum Development

• Syllabus • Mode of delivery (half face-to-face and half online)

• Face-to-Face (F2F): guest speakers, enrichment activities, Wiki Inquiry presentations, community building

• Online: Wimba classroom, modules, discussion boards and Wiki Inquiry Project

• Policies for blended class: preparing for success, course communication, technical requirements and technical support

Examples from Polly and Deirdre

• Modules • Wiki Inquiry Project • Lessons Learned

• Weekly follow-up •  Informal evaluation completed at midpoint • More online community building in addition to ftf

Sample Wiki Inquiry Project https://umcp.blackboard.com

Susan and Tori’s changes to the course

• WHY?

•  Larger section, twice per week format, with less overall time •  Blended session followed by F2F session (‘flipped’) course

•  Few students (5%) majoring in education •  Blended session followed by F2F session (‘flipped’) course

•  Simultaneous changes in ELMS and Turning Point affect instructors

and students – in positive as well as negative ways

Meeting challenges •  https://myelms.umd.edu/courses/877060

•  Minor changes in modules •  Additional scaffolds (prompt students to work on group project in

RR assignments) •  Clicker questions •  Reliance on group leaders to help facilitate completion of task •  Use of current events to link course content with background of

current students

Sample Reading Reflection

TurningPoint5

•  Braille may be the most important thing to learn for a person with blindness. True or False

•  People who are born blind will never be able to accomplish some physical feats like sighted-people do, such as climbing Mount Everest. True or False

•  Children who are blind and attend summer camp would never play with rockets or dissect animals. True or False

•  If both parents in a marriage are blind, they will not be able to raise sighted children. True or False

Sample Student Comments

Tori’s reflections on the changes •  22 years experience • Spent a great deal of time, developing, adapting, and fine

tuning Introduction to Special Education for audiences of graduate and undergraduate students.

• Groups have ranged in size from 8 to 50. • Age range of students from 18 to 68 • Classes have included seasoned teachers of 30 years, as

well as students who were taking their initial course at the University of Maryland.

Core values of past teaching: • Excellence in Education: • Clear syllabus • Engaging lectures and class activities • Meaningful evaluations of learning • Use face to face contact for emphasis of essential material

• Teacher directed learning

Blended course surprises:

Students are more engaged (rather then less) in learning course content. Learning opportunities can be shared between students and teacher in a meaningful and personalized way online. The online modules are “more work” then face to face delivery of content– for both students and teachers!

Greatest benefits of using a blended course format:

• Students are actively engaged in the learning process for every lesson.

• Students are put in a position of taking responsibility for their own learning and there is a evaluation of every step.

• Develops independent learners and thinkers.

Plans and Future Goals

• Continue to modify content based on student cohorts •  The course is sometimes offered to groups of students who major

in education

• Create a more ‘intimate’ classroom climate in large F2F session, based on current success of blended format

• Continue to monitor for integrity of individual work completion and ways to facilitate

• Use clickers (TP5) to enhance class discussion •  Need longer class sessions •  Would like a better classroom, with more room for students to work

in the learning environment

Comments, questions, or suggestions? Thank you!