Presentation at the D2L Connection: South Carolina Edition on May 10, 2019 at Piedmont Technical College, Newberry Campus. Presenters Lisa b Martin, Brad Griggs, and Rachel Hollaway, all of PTC.

1. Rethinking Student
Engagement in the Digital
Classroom
Dr. Brad Griggs
Dr. Lisa Martin
Ms. Rachael Holloway

2. 2
Why Focus on Engagement in Online Classes?

3. Evolution of the Digital Classroom
➝ Read the book, take the test
➝ Interactive journey through the content with the instructor as
an active guide
➝ What has driven this?
⇾ New technologies have made it easier to provide a
robust interactive digital classroom
⇾ Student engagement increases student success.
⇾ Mandated by the DOE
3

4. Why Focus on Engagement
4
“Engaging students
in the learning
process increases
their attention and
focus, motivates
them to practice
higher-level critical
thinking skills and
promotes
meaningful learning
experiences.”
University of Washington Center for
Teaching and Learning

5. Why Focus on Engagement in Online Classes?
➝ American Association of Community Colleges, Trends in Community College Enrollment and
Completion Data — March 2016
5
Increased student
engagement leads
to:
• Increased course
success
• Increased
retention
• Increased
completion

6. DOE
Regular and Substantive Interaction
➝ Substantive interaction “may” include:
⇾ Participating in regularly scheduled learning sessions
(where there is an opportunity for direct interaction between
the student and the instructor).
⇾ • Submitting an academic assignment.
⇾ • Taking an exam, an interactive tutorial, or computer-
assisted instruction.
⇾ • Attending a study group that is assigned by the institution.
⇾ • Participating in an online discussion about academic
matters.
⇾ • Consultation with a faculty mentor to discuss academic
course content.
⇾ • Participation in an instructor-guided independent study.
(Department of Education, 2014)

7. DOE
Regular and Substantive Interaction
➝ Regular Interaction:
⇾ Predictable and regular interactions.
⇾ Monitoring the student’s progress and providing
feedback when needed.
⇾ “We do not consider interaction that is wholly optional or
initiated primarily by the student to be regular and
substantive interaction between students and
instructors. Interaction that occurs only upon the
request of the student would not be considered regular
and substantive interaction.” (Department of Education, 2014)

8. DOE Program Review –
PTC’s Experience
➝ Questions were raised by the auditors about the substantive
and regular feedback requirement with some PTC online
courses.
➝ Additional information provided by the college ultimately
answered all questions and our online courses were found in
compliance.
⇾ Communication needs to be documented if it does not
happen in the LMS.
⇾ Artifacts from 3rd party resources need to be
maintained.
⇾ A robust peer review system and rubric outlining
requirements for design and facilitation of courses are
essential.
8

9. Regular and Substantive Interaction Leads to
Increased Student Engagement
➝ The DOE requirements are aimed at improving engagement,
student learning, course success, and completion.
➝ Research supports the importance of these practices
⇾ Regular and substantive student instructor interactivity
is a key determinant of quality in online education; it
leads to improved student satisfaction, learning, and
outcomes.
⇾ Online students desire greater student instructor
interaction and the online education community is also
calling for a stronger focus on such interactivity…
9
Does online education live up to its promise? A look at the evidence and implications for federal
policy. Spiros Protopsaltis and Sandy Baum -- January 2019

10. PTC: Ensuring Quality & Promoting
Engagement in Online Courses
➝ Early Engagement and Integrated Support; High Impact
Practices (Strategic Plan)
➝ Online Learning Steering Committee
➝ Online and Hybrid Peer Reviews
➝ Quality Standards Rubric
➝ Faculty Training
⇾ Quality Course Design
⇾ Quality Facilitation
⇾ (Merging into one course Fall 2019)
➝ Course Feedback Widget
➝ Semester Start-up Checklist
10

11. Quality Rubric
➝ Instructions for getting started and navigating course
➝ Course overview is provided
➝ Links to syllabus and course information documents
➝ Instructor introduction in Getting Started module
➝ Clearly stated unit/module competencies
➝ Content is grammatically correct, appropriate, and
accessible
➝ Correct due dates
➝ Date-specific assignments
➝ One or more proctored assessments required
➝ Course assignments, activities, & assessments linked
to unit/module competencies
11

12. Rubric Continued
➝ Consistency in design of content modules
➝ Logical and efficient course navigation
➝ How-to instructions provided for supplementary sites (ex:
MyLabs)
➝ Variety of assessment measures used; clear assignment,
course-participation expectations
➝ Regular, substantive, and timely feedback on assessments
➝ 24-hr response to student emails
➝ Updated gradebook and attendance register
➝ Required student introductions
➝ Opportunities for direct, real-time communication with the
instructor
12

13. Course Feedback Widget
13
Course Feedback
Widget:
On course homepage,
to the right of
announcements.
Students prompted to
leave Course
Feedback – in all D2L
Course Shells
Especially helpful in
online classes.
Provides immediate
answers/assistance to
students.

14. 14
Her “ability to
initiate learning
relationships
increases
success for
students.
Students can see
those successes
in their work.”
CATEGORIES
Instructor Praise
Course Navigation
Communication from
Instructor
Other

15. 15
“She’s a great
leader and
helps you
answer your
own questions
by steering
you in the right
direction but
never just
doing it for
you.
I have one
single issue. . .
The grade
system that
posts and you
start at 0%
and work to
current grade.”

16. 16
Online
Engagement
Strategies

17. Weekly Participation Survey
➝ Create under the “More” tab from
navigation bar.
➝ Do not make anonymous.
➝ First question asks for current
phone number.
➝ Other questions vary each week.
17

18. Sample Question
What is the most important
thing you have learned about
online learning since the
beginning of the semester?
How will that change your
game plan for this class as
we move forward?
18

19. Responses
“One of the most
important things I
have learned
would be how to
manage my time.
I plan to stay
ahead of
schedule with my
due dates in this
class.”
“I am beginning
to learn that I
have more focus
and
concentration
while online
because I have
more time to
read and reread
to get a better
understanding of
the lesson in
front of me. It will
change me for
better because I
feel I will be able
to put my all into
this course all
well as my others
to come out on
top.”
“online learning
is so difficult. i
should have
taken this course
in class. there is
so much you
need to keep up
with and so many
deadline and
different stuff.
and this is really
changing my
game plan
because online
classes are
actually hard and
i want to pass
with a good
average.”
19

20. Sample Question
Please give some feedback
on the Peer Review
assignment. Did you
complete it? If not, why?
What did you learn about
your own writing based on
the feedback you gave and
received from classmates?
Do you have any
suggestions to improve the
peer review assignment for
the next module?
20

21. Responses
“After completing
my peer review I
learned that I
should review my
papers more
closely than I
have done in the
past. I can not
think of any
recommendation
s to improve this
assignment. I
believe
everything
worked out well
for all involved!”
“Yes i have
completed this
assignment. I
really liked doing
this assignment.
Being able to
give feedback to
my classmates
essay helped me
find things that i
did wrong with
my essay. I do
not have any
suggestions to
improve the peer
review.”
“I enjoyed
completing the
peer review. I like
getting feedback
from my fellow
peers help me to
re think, and go
through my
essay; step by
step to see what
they seen that I
haven't. I think
the review
assignment is an
awesome thing, I
love it.”
21

22. Sample Question
Midterm grades will be posted this
week. This is one way your
instructor can let you know how
he/she thinks you are progressing
in a course. In preparation for that
grade, how do you think you are
doing in English so far?
What are some things you need to
start doing? Stop doing? Continue
doing?
What is your plan to be successful
in the second part of the
semester?
22

23. 23
Responses
“I'm not looking forward to my midterm grade. This class is very difficult to me even though I'm
thinking I can do this, I cannot understand the work and comprehend how it is suppose to be done. I
need to start working harder on my concentration to better understand, and stop telling myself I'm
going to fail. My plan for the second part of the semester is to work harder and come out on top.”
“I feel as though I could be doing ALOT better in English 100, I'm afraid to look at my midterm grade.
I'm having a hard time in this course because I have a fear of writing, I feel as though my writing
could be so much better once I let this fear subside. To become successful I need to fall in love with
my writing and have more confidence within myself once I pick up my pen.”
“I cannot believe that the semester is almost half way through! It seems like only yesterday I was
taking my first set of notes for my first essay. I believe since that time I have slowly improved on my
writing. In my opinion, I believe I'm doing very well in this class so far. However, I could spend more
brainstorming ideas and not just going with my first choice. I could weigh each topic and really pick
one that I'm fully confident in. On the other hand, I will continue to manage my time according to my
writing schedule. Hopefully by improving in choosing a topic more wisely and continuing to manage
my time, I will be successful in the second half of this semester!”

24. 24
Weekly Announcement
Reminds and links students to the survey.

25. 25
Conditionally Released Announcement
Only appears for students who complete the survey

26. 26
Intelligent Agent Reminder

27. Detailed Feedback with
Embedded Support
➝ Quickmark Set in TurnItIn
➝ Embedded links to OER textbook
➝ Embedded links to video lessons
27

28. Sample Comment
28

29. Want big impact?
Use big image.
29

30. Want big impact?
Use big image.
30

31. 31
Using the Grades Tool for
Outreach/Engagement
Another Way to Show Instructor Availability:

32. 32
Using the Grades Tool for
Outreach/Engagement (Cont’d)
Supplements IA Reminders (Missed Assignments)/Revisions Needed
Address student by name
Offer specific feedback
Opportunity for revision
Link to assignment directions

33. Announcements: An Engagement Tool
➝ Instructor
Interaction
Best
Practice:
Post at least
weekly.
➝ SOME
EXAMPLES:
➝ Provide a
Review of a
Difficult
Subject.
➝ Link to
Assignment
Directions.
➝ Share a
Grading
Update.
➝ Encourage
Students.
➝ Post
Homework
Reminders
➝ Reminder of
Upcoming
Due Dates.
➝ Campus
News.
➝ Reminders
about How to
Reach
Instructor.
33

34. ANNOUNCEMENT: Review of Difficult Subject
34

35. ANNOUNCEMENT: Link to Assignment
Directions
35

36. ANNOUNCEMENTS: Sample List (ENG 100)
36
INSTRUCTOR
INTERACTION
ENGAGING WITH
STUDENTS
OUTREACH TO
STUDENTS
REGULAR POSTS
SUBSTANTIVE
FEEDBACK AND
INFORMATION

37. ANNOUNCEMENT: Student Self
Check/Instructor Outreach
37

38. ANNOUNCEMENT: Campus News
38

39. Team wrap up/Q & A
39
• Online education continues to be at the forefront of national
policy discussions, particularly the importance of engaging
online students.
• Colleges have to make a concerted effort to provide support
and guidance needed to ensure their online classes have
regular, substantive, engaging activities.
• Faculty are the key to the practical implementation of
engagement strategies that lead to a robust online classroom
community – where students can succeed and thrive.
Any questions/
comments?