Engaging Students in the First Year
Computer Literacy Course with Self-Paced, Flexible,
Online InstructionMava Wilson, PhD
Bill Jaber, PhD
Department of Business
Computer Information Systems
Background• Computer literate student population
• Varying degrees of literacy
• Disengaged in the introductory course
• Computer literacy classes not meeting needs
• Met and discussed with the administration a new plan for the computer literacy courses
Student Needs• Students were largely disengaged
o Due in large part to students growing up with technology
• Misunderstood surfing and social networking as computer literate
• Experience indicated students were not skilled in computer concepts, spreadsheets or database
The Plan• Past computer literacy exam
produced few passing scores
• Developed two proposals for considerationo Plan 1 - The courses are going to be self-paced with a
schedule.
o Plan 2 - The courses are going to traditional classroom setting.
• Presented these plans to Department Chair and Deano The administrations elected to try Plan 1.
The Design• General Literacy Course
o Two sections
o Pre/Post-Tests in Excel, Word, PP, Computer Literacy
• Option to receive “P” by passing all four with 80+
• Business Literacy Courseo Two sections
• Pre/Post-Tests in Excel & Access
The Design (cont)• Calendar with DUE dates
• Training (simulation; observe, practice, apply; not for grade)
• Tutorials (simulation; up-to-three times; 10 chances per task; graded)
• Project (case problem; live in software; submit/receive feedback immediately; submit up-to-three times; graded)
• Quiz (second scenario; live in software; submit one time; graded)
• Capstone Project (cumulative; graded)
• Post-Test (graded as test)
The Operation• Attendance not required
• Self-paced, meeting deadlines
• Material completed = course completed
• Help / mini-lectures / explanationso In class
o Office hours
o Via email
The Experience• Students
o No one passed all pre-tests
o Slow purchasing book/access codes
o Mac issues
o Slow getting used to method
o Book not seen as “necessary”
o Little attendance for 8:00 class
o Group that attend class
o Very “picky”
o Doesn’t follow standards
• Facultyo Difficult getting everything
setup
o Issues with access first few days
o Important to have everything ready
o More questions via email
o Last minute “help” on due dates
o Control w/passwords for Capstones
o Grading scale “curve”
The Survey Feedback
• 26 responses from General Literacy (out of 55 – 47%)23 responses from Business Literacy (out of 51 – 45%)
• GL - 25 students like self-paced component; one no opinion
• BL – 19 students like self-paced component; three dislike; one no opiniono One person needs more self-discipline
o One person likes more one-on-one help in “lecture class”
• GL – one student felt this way is not quite as good compared to what they’ve heard about other sections; 21 felt it was better or much better
• BL – one student student felt this way is not quite as good compared to what they’ve heard about other sections; 15 felt it was better or much better
The Feedback (cont)• “really enjoying self-paced nature. With
my schedule it makes it much easier”
• “puts a lot of responsibility on the students…catch myself doing it last minute literally…student wants a good grade in this class its easy to attain just a matter of time management…”
• “Like doing the assignments in SAM not from book” & “I love SAM!!! I hate SAM and the book together…”
• “…wish training covered the whole project just not part…”
The Feedback (cont)• “I like the way it works. Wish it wasn’t so picky or
would give a more definitive answer to ones that are missed”
• “format of class is excellent; SAM site is not always the best to work with…automated feedback on projects can sometimes be obscure or confusing leading to some degree of frustration instead rather than learning” & “Confusing sometimes”
• “Do not like this way of learning. .. Feel like I am failing in the class because of the lack of one-on-one help. Yes, I can come to class but that one period can only do so much since we do everything outside of class. I’d rather have this be a lecture class explaining in a clearer way what is in each chapter”
The Feedback (cont)• Unexpected learning
o Quick feedback on the Case problem projects is helping me to pay more attention to detail and reading instructions carefully
• 12 strongly agree
• 8 moderately agree
• 3 neutral
The Feedback• Video Clips of students
The Next Phase• Spring 2011 – online component with
black/white copy of book
• Two sections of General Literacyo Similar format
• Two large sections of Business Literacyo One faculty
o Two lab-assistants
o Half of class attend one-day-per-week
o Scheduled labs with assistants
The Future• Questions to be answered
• Outcomes
• Course Organization
o Lab assistants
o Class size
• Faculty Load/Administration
Questions?
Mava Wilson, PhD
Bill Jaber, PhD
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