This document discusses the development of an online general education math/finances course at LaGrange College. It began in 2013 with smaller class sizes and students submitting digital work. Versions 1.x added introduction videos and basic quizzes while class sizes grew. Versions 2.x implemented low-stakes assessments in the Moodle Lesson module. Versions 3.x focused on improving video content and assessment clarity. Outcomes included increased student grades, a well-built portable course, and available data on student performance and demographics.

1. An Online, General Education
Math/Finances/Spreadsheet
Course v. 3.x
Jon Ernstberger
13 March 2015

2. LaGrange College and Online Courses
● Private, Wesleyan, small; operational since
1831.
● Online classes began in 2013.
● Summer courses are 50% online enrollment
only; 69% some online.
● Fall/Spring find 26% in online courses in just
two years.

3. CORE 1140 - Computer Applications
● A gen. ed., one credit-hour, finances course.
● Topics: simple interest, compound interest,
annuities, cost of living increases, mortgage
amortization.
● Linear and exponential algebra.
● Consumer mathematics course.

4. Versions 0.x
● Barebones
● Students submitted digital spreadsheets by
specific deadlines.
● I provided lecture notes and my own work.
● Smaller class size (13).
● Off-campus students could not have
survived.

5. Versions 1.x
● Included introduction
presentations and
videos
● Basic quizzes
● Class sizes
increased to 45-50
[2]

6. Versions 2.x
Primary change: use of the Moodle Lesson.[1]
● Implement low-stakes assessments
(multiple-choice, true/false)
● Minimum time lengths imposed
● Minimum passing score before proceeding
to medium- and high-stakes assessments.
● Chickering & Gamson “Seven Principles” [3]

7. Versions 3.x
● “An online course without conversation is
just a correspondence course.”
● Significant video revisions were made.
● Module and assessment objectives clarified.
● Complete assessment rubrics made
available to students.
● College-consistent branding employed.

8. Education of the Educator
● Participation takes on a different meaning.
● Tools change.
● Communication must improve.
● Content to be re-refined again.

9. Outcomes
● Student grades increased (qualitative).
● Portable, well-built course
● Data/logs are available.
○ Conditional probability (P(student passing | student
passed syllabus quiz))
○ Information about student body (ex: connections
between gender/ethnicity and community)

10. References
[1] Lesson module. (n.d.). Retrieved March 7, 2015, from
https://docs.moodle.org/28/en/Lesson_module
[2] Ko, S., & Rossen, S. (2004). Teaching Online: A
practical Guide (2nd. ed.). Houghton Mifflin: Boston.
[3] Chickering, A. W., & Gamson, Z. F. (1987). Seven
principles for good practice in undergraduate education.
AAHE bulletin, 3, 7.

11. Presentation/Social
Jon Ernstberger
jernstberger@lagrange.edu