USM Course Redesign ProjectUSM Course Redesign ProjectThe University of BaltimoreThe University of Baltimore

ContextContext

UB=Transfer InstitutionUB=Transfer Institution

HistoryHistory1980s: The need for an upper-level gen-ed 1980s: The need for an upper-level gen-ed

writing course--writing course--Ideas in WritingIdeas in Writing

Over a 15-year period, the quality of Over a 15-year period, the quality of Ideas in Ideas in WritingWriting began to suffer… began to suffer…

Ideas in WritingIdeas in Writing Adjunct-dependentAdjunct-dependent Inadequate supervision Inadequate supervision Lack of content and quality controlLack of content and quality control

Meanwhile…Meanwhile… The state implemented a standardized The state implemented a standardized

lower-level gen-ed corelower-level gen-ed core Various disciplines were moving away Various disciplines were moving away

from university core courses to a silo from university core courses to a silo mentalitymentality

In short, it was time to re-evaluate our junior In short, it was time to re-evaluate our junior level writing course.level writing course.

The ProcessThe Process Meetings at the departmental levelMeetings at the departmental level Meetings at the college levelMeetings at the college level Meetings at the university levelMeetings at the university level

The RedesignThe Redesign……and at the same time, along came the and at the same time, along came the

MCRI/NCAT course redesign initiative!MCRI/NCAT course redesign initiative!

The RedesignThe Redesign Some pieces didn’t fitSome pieces didn’t fit

• large group lectureslarge group lectures• student teaching assistantsstudent teaching assistants

Some pieces didSome pieces did• Hybrid structureHybrid structure

The New CourseThe New Courseincluded these elementsincluded these elements

Advanced expository writingAdvanced expository writing

……in the disciplinesin the disciplines Faculty developmentFaculty development Fulltime-adjunct balanceFulltime-adjunct balance More accountable supervision/overightMore accountable supervision/overight Technology-reliantTechnology-reliant

The New CourseThe New Course Improved CommunicationImproved Communication

Student-studentStudent-student Student-facultyStudent-faculty Faculty-facultyFaculty-faculty

The New CourseThe New Course Efficiencies of StaffingEfficiencies of Staffing

WRIT 300WRIT 300 Students attend a face-to-face, Students attend a face-to-face,

heterogeneous class (composed of heterogeneous class (composed of students representing various majors) on students representing various majors) on Monday or Tuesday or online (if the Monday or Tuesday or online (if the student chose a fully online section).student chose a fully online section).

Instructor A teaches students a lesson Instructor A teaches students a lesson following the week’s objectives.following the week’s objectives.

Students also participate in an online, Students also participate in an online, discipline-specific classroom taught by discipline-specific classroom taught by Instructor B. Instructor B.

Each instructor is reassigned to manage a Each instructor is reassigned to manage a discipline-specific online classroom. discipline-specific online classroom.

In that online classroom, students… In that online classroom, students… Read articles related to their major and discuss Read articles related to their major and discuss

them with peersthem with peers Discuss topics related to the weekly objectivesDiscuss topics related to the weekly objectives Complete short writing exercisesComplete short writing exercises Post draftsPost drafts Conduct peer reviews Conduct peer reviews

WRIT 300WRIT 300

Students complete shorter writing Students complete shorter writing exercises in their online classroom, but exercises in their online classroom, but as the semester progresses, longer, as the semester progresses, longer, more challenging and complex writing more challenging and complex writing projects are…projects are…

Assigned by Instructor AAssigned by Instructor A Reviewed by Instructor B and peers in the Reviewed by Instructor B and peers in the

online classroomonline classroom Graded by Instructor A Graded by Instructor A

WRIT 300WRIT 300

Major writing projects are designed to be Major writing projects are designed to be discipline-specificdiscipline-specific

For exampleFor example Business students write business proposals Business students write business proposals

for their persuasive projectfor their persuasive project Government and public policy students write Government and public policy students write

white paperswhite papers

WRIT 300WRIT 300

SuccessesSuccesses More engagement in the writing process when More engagement in the writing process when

writing about topics related to majorswriting about topics related to majors

Discipline-specific and authentic writing Discipline-specific and authentic writing assignments convey a greater sense of assignments convey a greater sense of “relevance” and “application”“relevance” and “application”

Students enjoyed schedule flexibility the Students enjoyed schedule flexibility the blended model provides blended model provides

SuccessesSuccesses More control of their learning experienceMore control of their learning experience

Blended model = maximum exposure to non-Blended model = maximum exposure to non-verbal, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and written verbal, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and written communicationcommunication

Digital archive of faculty feedback and student Digital archive of faculty feedback and student writing ideal for reviewing information, student writing ideal for reviewing information, student self-assessment, and revision. self-assessment, and revision.

SuccessesSuccesses Blended model offers opportunities for Blended model offers opportunities for

students to better understand the differences students to better understand the differences between academic and informal discoursebetween academic and informal discourse

Great opportunities to discuss computer, Great opportunities to discuss computer, information, media, and digital literacyinformation, media, and digital literacy

Standardized curriculum allows more Standardized curriculum allows more consistency and rigorous writing standardsconsistency and rigorous writing standards

ChallengesChallenges Specific needs within our general education Specific needs within our general education

writing program need to be addressed. writing program need to be addressed.

Not all students are ready or prepared to learn Not all students are ready or prepared to learn online. online.

Course’s complex design has created new Course’s complex design has created new challenges, specifically in the area of writing in challenges, specifically in the area of writing in the disciplines. the disciplines.

ChallengesChallenges Extensive training is required to teach this Extensive training is required to teach this

coursecourse

Redesign has made an impact on existing Redesign has made an impact on existing resources including E-Learning Center, resources including E-Learning Center, registration process, and placement testing.registration process, and placement testing.

ChallengesChallenges

Student retentionStudent retention A total of 68 students enrolled in the three A total of 68 students enrolled in the three

pilot sectionspilot sections 11 officially withdrew11 officially withdrew 8 attended some classes, never finished the 8 attended some classes, never finished the

course, and never officially withdrewcourse, and never officially withdrew One student never attended any courses and One student never attended any courses and

never officially withdrewnever officially withdrew 20 students, or 29% of the original enrollment, 20 students, or 29% of the original enrollment,

never finished the course and must retake itnever finished the course and must retake it

Lessons LearnedLessons Learned

TechnologyTechnology

How can we help students become better online How can we help students become better online learners? learners? TutorialsTutorials Workshops for studentsWorkshops for students FAQ pagesFAQ pages Online videos introducing students to the course and Online videos introducing students to the course and

their instructorstheir instructors

Lessons LearnedLessons Learned Faculty cannot easily track essay drafts (and subsequently student Faculty cannot easily track essay drafts (and subsequently student

progress) because the primary instructor is not reading students’ progress) because the primary instructor is not reading students’ drafts. drafts.

The transition from the face-to-face “lecture” to the online “lab” has The transition from the face-to-face “lecture” to the online “lab” has been bumpy, especially with two different faculty members been bumpy, especially with two different faculty members managing two different sets of students.managing two different sets of students.

The workload the course calls for is daunting for full- or part-time The workload the course calls for is daunting for full- or part-time

faculty. faculty.

To tailor each writing and reading assignment to a specific major, To tailor each writing and reading assignment to a specific major, within the context of one classroom experience, is also difficult. within the context of one classroom experience, is also difficult.

Lessons LearnedLessons Learned

Students having two instructors and instructors Students having two instructors and instructors having two sets of students (for half the amount having two sets of students (for half the amount of time than normal) = CONFUSING of time than normal) = CONFUSING

Not enough time in the lecture or lab to cover Not enough time in the lecture or lab to cover necessary material. necessary material.

Requires a level of coordination and Requires a level of coordination and synchronicity among faculty that is difficult to synchronicity among faculty that is difficult to maintain.maintain.

Assessment ProcessesAssessment Processes

Developed a rubric based on learning Developed a rubric based on learning outcomes and tested the rubric for outcomes and tested the rubric for consistency across graders on two writing consistency across graders on two writing samples not related to this projectsamples not related to this project

Selected writing assignments from the Selected writing assignments from the courses to use as pre- and post-test courses to use as pre- and post-test artifactsartifacts

Assessment Processes, ContinuedAssessment Processes, Continued

Randomly selected writing samples:Randomly selected writing samples: 30 pre-test artifacts from blended courses30 pre-test artifacts from blended courses 30 post-test artifacts from blended courses30 post-test artifacts from blended courses 30 pre-test artifacts from “regular” courses30 pre-test artifacts from “regular” courses 30 post-test artifacts from “regular” courses30 post-test artifacts from “regular” courses

Each artifact rated by two graders; when Each artifact rated by two graders; when variation was more than 1.0 in any variation was more than 1.0 in any category, a 3category, a 3rdrd grader rated the artifact grader rated the artifact

Rubric CategoriesRubric Categories

Critical ThinkingCritical Thinking Coherence of WritingCoherence of Writing Clarity of WritingClarity of Writing Quality of Writing: GrammarQuality of Writing: Grammar Quality of Writing: MechanicsQuality of Writing: Mechanics

3.5 Standards3.5 Standards

Critical ThinkingCritical Thinking: Demonstrated ability to work : Demonstrated ability to work with key concepts and apply them by drawing with key concepts and apply them by drawing inferences, analyzing patterns, and/or inferences, analyzing patterns, and/or communicating contrasts and comparisons.communicating contrasts and comparisons.

Coherence of WritingCoherence of Writing: Demonstrated command : Demonstrated command of unifying strategies: introduction, conclusion, of unifying strategies: introduction, conclusion, transitions. Adequacy of overall organization.transitions. Adequacy of overall organization.

Clarity of WritingClarity of Writing: Demonstrated command of : Demonstrated command of complex sentence structures.complex sentence structures.

3.5 Standard, Continued3.5 Standard, Continued

Quality of Writing-GrammarQuality of Writing-Grammar: Accuracy of : Accuracy of basic sentence skills: avoiding fragment, basic sentence skills: avoiding fragment, correct choices in pronoun and verb forms correct choices in pronoun and verb forms and agreement, correct choices in modifier and agreement, correct choices in modifier forms and placement.forms and placement.

Quality of Writing-MechanicsQuality of Writing-Mechanics: Accuracy of : Accuracy of punctuation usage, spelling, and punctuation usage, spelling, and capitalization.capitalization.

Blended Pre-Post Test ScoresBlended Pre-Post Test ScoresBlended Pre and Post Test Score Averages

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

CriticalThinking

Coherence Clarity Grammar Mechanics

Categories

Ru

bri

c S

co

re

Blended pre

Blended post

Regular Pre-Post Test ScoresRegular Pre-Post Test Scores

Regular Pre and Post Test Scores

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

CriticalThinking

Coherence Clarity Grammar Mechanics

Categories

Ru

bri

c S

core

Regular pre

Regular post

Greater growth in regular formatGreater growth in regular format

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

CriticalThinking

Coherence Clarity Grammar Mechanics

Blended Pre

Blended Post

Difference

Regular Pre

Regular Post

Difference

Differences Blended/RegularDifferences Blended/Regular

0.6

0.4

0.027 0.03

0.31

0.72

0.65 0.65 0.64

0.46

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

CriticalThinking

Coherence Clarity Grammar Mechanics

Blended-Growth

Regular-Growth

More Students in Blended Class More Students in Blended Class Achieved 3.5+ in each categoryAchieved 3.5+ in each category

Students Achieving 3.5+ in each category

2223

15

181919

18

15

17

13

0

5

10

15

20

25

CriticalThinking

Coherence Clarity Grammar Mechanics

Number of students

Blended 3.5+

Regular 3.5+

Fewer Students in Blended Class Fewer Students in Blended Class Achieved 3.0 or BelowAchieved 3.0 or Below

87

15

121111

12

15

13

17

0

5

10

15

20

25

CriticalThinking

Coherence Clarity Grammar Mechanics

Categories

Nu

mb

ers

of

Stu

den

ts

Blended 3 or less

Regular 3 or less

Lessons LearnedLessons Learned

Although there was greater growth indicated for Although there was greater growth indicated for the regular course, the pre-test scores for that the regular course, the pre-test scores for that group were lower.group were lower.

More students in the “blended” course achieved More students in the “blended” course achieved the 3.5 standard or above.the 3.5 standard or above.

We need to continue to improve our We need to continue to improve our standardizing of embedding assessment standardizing of embedding assessment artifacts into the courses; we were unable to artifacts into the courses; we were unable to assess “recall of general knowledge” and “use of assess “recall of general knowledge” and “use of specialized knowledge” because of variations in specialized knowledge” because of variations in the writing prompts for the artifacts.the writing prompts for the artifacts.

Next StepsNext Steps

The content and pedagogy in each format The content and pedagogy in each format should be examined so each set of instructors should be examined so each set of instructors can learn from each other about the different can learn from each other about the different successes realized in this pilot:successes realized in this pilot: What is it about the blended course that encourages What is it about the blended course that encourages

such high achievement in clarity and correctness of such high achievement in clarity and correctness of mechanics?mechanics?

What is it about the regular course that yielded such What is it about the regular course that yielded such strong growth in critical thinking and coherence?strong growth in critical thinking and coherence?