The document discusses strategies for designing effective blended courses, including assessing student readiness, interactions, and using student teams. It provides tips for identifying potential crisis points students may face and how to support them. Suggestions are given for formative and online assessments, utilizing student teams, and facilitating interactions in blended learning environments.

1. Blended by Design: Designing and Developing a Blended Course Veronica Diaz, PhD, [email_address] Jennifer Strickland, PhD, [email_address] Laura Ballard, [email_address]

2. Day 3: Online assessment, student success, and collaboration

3. Objectives Describe the importance and value of interaction in the blended course. List various types of student interactions for blended learning environments. List strategies to assess student readiness for blended learning environments. List ways to utilize teams in blended learning environments.

4. Objectives Describe the importance and value of interaction in the blended course. List various types of student interactions for blended learning environments. List strategies to assess student readiness for blended learning environments. List ways to utilize teams in blended learning environments.

5. Figure out what your assessing Good ole’ Bloom’s Taxonomy

6. Benefits of Assessing Online Automatic grading & instant feedback Anytime, any place Easily randomize question sequence Can randomly pull certain categories of question so no two tests are alike Can build and track portfolio and project based assessments Instant access to resources

7. Limits to Online Assessment Cheating Quirkiness of technology Access to online resources & paper mills

8. How do you build a foolproof online assessment? ?????

9. Suggestions for Better Assessment Build multiple “check point” assessments Allow open note/book timed tests Have in class quizzes and tests as well Project-based assessments Portfolio assessments Assign group work in a wiki area that tracks student participation Provide best practice guidelines for taking exams online (See handouts)

10. Don’t forget formative assessment! In any technology mediated course, you MUST check frequently for comprehension – this helps with retention & success

11. Brainstorm ideas for formatively assessing student learning…

12. My Formative Assessment List CATs !!! (most can be created using a survey tool, or just email your students questions) Polls (polldaddy.com, survey monkey, survey tool in Bb) Drill & practice activities w/participation points (softchalk, quizzes) Peer review & feedback

13. Student Readiness

14. Support in the blended course?

15. Readiness Assessment Strategies eLearning website Screening surveys Pre and post enrollment with feedback Debunking incorrect impressions Advisor meeting Website Welcome materials FAQs Examples Pros/Cons Testimonials Formal Informal

16. Assess… Skills (reading) Learning styles Work and study habits Technical requirements (hardware, software, connectivity) Need and immediacy for course Feedback preferences Ability to self-help (when things are difficult) Attitude toward the nature of learning online

17. Readiness Means… Determining who is ready Ready now = start course Not ready now = Tutorials Support Advisor meeting UCF Learning Online

18. Are you ready for MY course? Take a moment to review some of the course readiness surveys Identify 2 areas where your students might struggle Come up with a strategy that you would offer to support students with these How would you customize these readiness surveys for your course to further communicate to students specific success requirements

19. Student Crisis Points

20. Student Crisis Point Causes

21. What are they? Moments during your course when students are most likely to need support and assistance Example: The first time a student logs in to your course web site and cannot successfully locate the address and insert the username and password? Identify crisis points in advance, so you can make sure that you have a plan in place to mitigate student problems and avoid frustration

22. How do you identify them? Review the sequence of learning activities and course modules you have planned What student skills will be required to be successful Technological skills Using course management system (tests, finding materials, email, groups, web 2.0 tools, etc.) Learning skills Time management Ability to retain and use your course content

23. Preempting Crisis Points Identify 4 potential student crisis points 2 technological 2 pedagogical How will you address, support and troubleshoot your students' technological and pedagogical needs during your course

24. Utilizing Student Teams and Community Building

25. Which best describes your experience with student teams?

26. Using Teams Based on the work of Larry Michaelsen (University of Oklahoma) 3 Keys Promoting ongoing accountability Using linked and mutually reinforcing assignments Adopting practices that stimulate idea exchange

27. Promoting Ongoing Accountability Require pre-group work Require group members to express individual opinions and monitor via another member Include peer evaluation in grading Readiness Assurance Process Test over readings Group: Test, discuss, reach consensus and retest Provide information for peer feedback process

28. Using linked and Mutually Reinforcing Assignments

29. Adopting Practices that Stimulate Idea Exchange Use of assignments that create conditions that foster give-and-take interaction Assign roles Use permanent groups Allow some in-class group work Size: 4-7 Diversity of opinion, ideas, and perspectives Not too easy Not too much writing Employ, select, apply concepts from the course

30. Team Teaching Tips Outline learning goals Teach team skills Clear and detailed instructions Rubric Stages of team development Forming - polite but untrusting Storming - testing others Norming - valuing other types Performing - flexibility from trust

31. Team Contracts Purpose, goals, and missions Expectations Roles Conflict resolution strategies Meetings Communication Decision-making policy Agendas Record-keeping

32. Other Resources Team Based Learning (Michaelsen) http://www.ou.edu/pii/teamlearning/index.htm Video Demonstrations http://www.ou.edu/pii/teamlearning/video.htm

34. 4 Questions What do I want students to be able to DO after this unit of instruction (behavioral outcomes) What will students have to KNOW to do XYZ (learning outcomes) How can I ASSESS whether or not students have successfully mastered key course concepts? How can I tell if students will be able to USE their knowledge of key course concepts? (application)

35. Activity Using the 4 questions, develop some type of team activity for a unit in your course Report out