Transcript Desire2Learn for Quality Matters

Desire2Learn for
Quality Matters
Haomin Wang, Manager of Instructional Technology
Mingming Shao, Instructional Designer
Dakota State University
Background
Growing attention on assessment
 Measurable learning objectives
 Alignments between learning objectives
and assessment measures

Dakota State University
A small public baccalaureate university in
South Dakota
 Using Course Management System to
support online and hybrid course delivery
since 1998
 Started using Desire2Learn as the statewide CMS in Spring 2008

Quality Matters
Developed by MarylandOnline
 Standard-based rubric to improve quality
of online courses through a faculty peer
review process
 Assessment aligned with learning
objectives
 Assessment be formative and progressive
 Grading procedures be open and
transparent to students

Desire2Learn to Help
A built-in structure for integrating
competency-learning objective-learning
activity
 Learning activities associated with
learning objectives
 Learning activities assessed with grading
rubrics

D2L COA Structure
COA Hierarchy
Activities
Learning activities can be discussion
topics, assignment submissions, quizzes,
and surveys.
 Most activities, except for quiz or grade
item, need to be assessed through rubrics.
 Rubrics must be created before activities.

Rubrics
A bulleted list or a tabular form specifying
levels of performance and grading criteria.
 Performance benchmarks
 Assignment guidelines
 Assessment contract between students
and instructor.

A Sample Rubric
Accuracy &
Clarity
A
90 or higher
B
80-89
C
70-79
D
60-69
Covered all key
points. Well informed
& supported. Clearly
and effectively
presented.
Covered most key
points. Generally
accurate & clear.
Support not
always
appropriate.
Covered about
half of the points.
Some minor
misconceptions or
misinterpretations.
Little support
Missed more than
half of the points.
Some major
misconceptions or
misinterpretations.
No support.
Mostly coherent,
Noticeable lack of
focus, with
irrelevant points.
Much of the
content is
irrelevant.
Text is readable,
but does not flow.
Lacks transitions.
A number of
mechanical errors.
Text lacks
organization & is
hard to read.
Some major
mechanical errors.
Coherence & Consistently
with occasional
coherent and focused
Focus
digression
Text
Well organized. Text
flows smoothly. Free
of mechanical errors.
Text is generally
organized & easy
to read. Lacks
some transitions.
Some mechanical
errors.
Benefits of Rubrics (1)
Rubrics help students and teachers define
"quality."
 Rubrics reduce the time teachers spend
grading student work and make it easier
for teachers to explain to students why
they got the grade they did and what they
can do to improve.

Benefits of Rubrics (2)
When students use rubrics regularly to
judge their own work, they begin to
accept more responsibility for the end
product.
 It cuts down on the "am I done yet?"
questions.

What We Have Learned
Control levels of competencies
 Define Measurable learning objectives
 Write rubrics with good granularity
 Monitor learner progress
 Manage learning paths

Control Levels of Competency

How many
levels?
Measurable Learning Objectives
Measurable
 Action-oriented
 Specific

Some Sample Learning Objectives
Be able to describe the conceptual
structures of arrays.
 Be able to describe how arrays are
initialized and accessed.
 Be able to declare and initialize arrays,
populate arrays with data, and retrieve
data from arrays.
 Be able to integrate the applications of
arrays with loops.

Building Granular Rubrics
Measurable: Criteria should be in
measurable terms and can be assessed in
reference to learning outcomes.
 Granular: Levels of performance should
be differentiated.
 Comprehensive: All important aspects of
the task should be covered.

A Sample of Granularity
A Level: Posts are consistently reflective,
insightful, original, and thoughtful.
 B Level: Posts are generally reflective and
thoughtful, with some original thoughts.
 C Level: Posts are sometimes reflective,
and occasionally show original thoughts.
 D Level: Posts are not reflective nor
original. Posts mostly echo other posts.
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Rubric Resources
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http://rubistar.4teachers.org
http://www.rubrics4teachers.com/
http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schr
ockguide/assess.html
iRubric:
http://www.blurtit.com/answers.php?quer
y=rubrics&uid=adwords-TS10269-SJ20071211-05002137&search_type=content&ad=108398333
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Monitoring Learning Progress
Competency
Results
 ClassList >
Learner Progress

Using Release Conditions to
Manage Learning Paths
Linear paths
 Restrictive preview

Questions?
[email protected]
 [email protected]
