Transcript Document

Presentation by Dr Stephen Hibberd
School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Nottingham
MELEES – an environment to support
dyslexic students?
Project Team:
Dr Stephen Hibberd, Dr Cliff Litton
Claire Chambers, Matthew Heath, Peter Rowlett
University of Nottingham E-learning Development Funded project
DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004
1
Overview
Background perspective
• University of Nottingham
• School of Mathematical Sciences
• MELEES – Implementation 2002-2004
• Examples of MELEES environment
• Case studies – monitoring and feedback
• MELEES – Dealing with learning disabilities
DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004
2
Background
“ The University of Nottingham welcomes applications from all students.
Our aim is to provide a high level of support and guidance from the
moment you first enquire to the moment you graduate.”
part of disability statement (2002)
• University Web Site – Significant investment in a new CMS system to
roll-out at least AA conformance on Main and School web sites
• Study Support Centre - offer specific assistance to students with
disabilities that affect their academic studies
• Office of Disability Issues – making the physical environment
accessible
• Staff and Educational Development Unit (SEDU)
Project – Models, Methods and Materials: Departmental Strategies for
supporting Disabled Students (case studies in selected Schools)
Sessions on disability issues to new staff (PGCHE) and staff
development
• Disability Liaison Officer (DLO) – coordinate liaison in each School
DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004
3
Background Statistics I
University wide - students declaring a disability:
2001/2 – 6.3%, 2001/2 – 8.2%, 2002/3 – 4.7%
Disability statistics by School (undergraduate) 2002/3
School
Mathematical Sciences
Total
441
Chem. & Env. Eng
Civil Eng
Elec & Elec
Mech, Mats, Man Eng
Built Eviron.
285
318
429
734
634
8%
8%
8%
10%
8%
Chemistry
Physics & Astron.
430
413
10%
8%
15491
7%
University
% declared
6%
DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004
4
Background Statistics II
Disability type by School (undergraduate) 2002/3
School
Total
% dyslexic
% visually
impaired
% unseen
disability
Mathematical Sciences
33
17
3
64
Chem. & Env. Eng
26
31
4
58
Civil Eng
30
50
0
40
Elec & Elec
36
33
11
42
Mech, Mats, Man Eng
85
50
0
38
Built Environ.
57
40
4
46
Chemistry
50
24
1
63
Physics & Astron.
35
26
4
41
1304
26
3
51
University
DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004
5
MELEES is a web-based environment to support non-specialist
mathematics students taking University level mathematics
Service Mathematics provision at Nottingham
Foundation
3 modules
50 students (per Semester)
Engineering
First Year
12 modules
800 students (per Semester)
Engin. Built Env. Physics,
Chemistry
Second Year
6 modules
400 students (per Semester)
Engineering
Third/Fourth Year
5 modules
300 students (per Session)
Engineering
UNiM
5 modules
100 students (per Semester)
Engineering
Lectures remain a well-tested and successful approach to
Mathematics teaching. MELEES is to help provide a comprehensive
programme of support to enable high quality learning.
DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004
6
Rationale
• information about the mathematics provision and individual modules;
• supports the transition to University level mathematics;
• learning materials and motivation to support lectures;
• comprehensive and coordinated access to module specific materials;
• provide access to external learning and self-assessment materials;
• motivation through links to their subject curriculum;
• helping students refine their own learning strategies;
• provision of a framework for feedback, information and dissemination to
students, their lecturers, teaching support and client schools.
DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004
7
Implementation
Phase 1: Pilot implementations for Session 2002-3
Autumn Semester: 1 module
Spring Semester:
4 modules
Feedback from web-logs and email student questionnaire
Phase 2: For the Session 2003-4 the provision extended to
18 modules (all first and second year modules – approx.
2000 students, ~20 teaching staff); enabled by:
• ‘generic’ module template
• guidance on ‘good practice’
• informing and involving module teaching staff
• minimum core requirements for each module
• exemplar materials available to module staff
• project support to module conveners
DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004
8
Examples of MELEES environment
WebCT underpins the Environment as the Content
Management System (CMS) – individual student
configuration
Access to MELEES is through internet access on or off campus
Trial version URL: www.maths.nottingham.ac.uk/melees
Username: melees 2003, password: melees 2003
DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004
9
Examples of MELEES environment
DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004
10
Examples of MELEES environment
DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004
11
Examples of MELEES environment
DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004
12
Examples of MELEES environment
DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004
13
Dissemination - Phase 2
• 1910 new students, over 72,000 hits
• Approx 1,380 students logged in after the end of formal teaching
• Over 170 hours spent viewing general support workbooks
• Over 100 responses to email survey prior to exam
• 97% perceived it to be helpful
• Extremely positive feedback from lecturers and students.
Usage of MELEES
Regular MELEES
user
13%
4%
Logged in once
Never logged on
83%
DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004
14
Student Feedback - Phase 2
• The best module website I have available to me.
• All inclusive, well organised web site, a perfect example
on excellent teaching resources, which other modules could
follow
• A brilliant, useful website, that has helped a lot. It is the
most organised, professional module I have been lectured.
• Very useful, as I have access in my room, and it’s easy to
look up if I am stuck with anything.
• Good job! Thanks a lot for creating the MELEES website! I
feel much more convenient for collecting useful information
if there’s no lecturer at hand! Do wish you go on making the
site better!
DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004
15
Disability Case Study I
Partially sighted student having difficulty reading
some documents
• Best format identified
• Key documents converted
• Separate area created and populated with different
format
• Individual access to area
• High contrast for ease of use
• Continued liaison with student for future modules
DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004
16
Disability Case Study I
DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004
17
Disability Case Study II – Student usage
No. of
sessions
CW test
Overall
mark
Student 1 10
Download 44/50
(270 hits)
1/27
42%
Student 2 14
View on
(258 hits) screen
2/27
44%
Student 3 9
Download 49/50
(108 hits) /print
10/27
44%
Group
average
15/27
54%
(90 hits)
Strategy
Average
CW mark
41/50
41/50
DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004
18
Student Tracking Facility
Student strategies can be deduced from usage information
DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004
19
Disability Support in MELEES
Extend MELEES by focussing on implementation of an e-learning
environment and evaluation of ‘good practice’ for the support of
students who have dyslexia or are partially sighted, with a focus
on mathematical formulae, algebraic manipulation and graphical
display. {extension to MELEES project – to December 2004}
1. Dedicated URL to access the CMS system - user-friendly to
disability students and detailing relevant local information.
(eg replacement of FLASH animations, larger icons, info. to teaching staff)
2. Local and other briefing documents available to teaching staff
on ‘disability issues’ (eg Disability issues in mathematics – Heath & Rowlett
2004)
3. Simple mechanism for disabled students to enable access to
individually configured mathematical resources
DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004
20
Disability Support in MELEES
4 Module templates on MELEES to be configured to
‘good practice’ guidelines.
5. Best practice guidelines, suggestions and examples
(made readily available in ‘teaching resources’ to teaching staff on
MELEES as a resource)
6. Enable special provisions made for individual students
to be reusable to others.
7. Enable monitoring of learning preferences of disability
students to be monitored to provide evidence-base for
further developments.
8. To enable effective evaluation of the teaching
provision to students with disabilities (inclusiveness)
DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004
21