Transcript Document 7126719

Transformation of
Classrooms into ELearning Spaces: The
Important Link between
Technology and Learning
Thomas M. DiLorenzo
Professor and Chair
Department of Psychology
University of Delaware
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Technology in the Service
of What?
Issues to Consider in Deciding Whether
to Use Instructional Technology in the
Classroom: Should We Give Up the
Chalk
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News Journal (1/25/06)
“Don’t feel like going to class? No
problem, watch it later online
…Technology spurs student
absenteeism”
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News Journal (1/25/06)
“Don’t feel like going to class? No
problem, watch it later online
…Technology spurs student
absenteeism”
The instructor was demoralized.
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News Journal (1/25/06)
“Don’t feel like going to class? No
problem, watch it later online
…Technology spurs student
absenteeism”
The instructor was demoralized. Why?
Technology in the service of what?
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In the Service of Learning
Our goal is to enable University of
Delaware faculty to enhance student
learning through the use of
technology.
-Janet de Vry
IT User Services
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Partnerships: Faculty
Members and IT Staff
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Started on a personal level
– WebCT – My class
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Quickly escalated
– WebCT Dep’t Training Workshops
– Dep’t of Psychology Technology
Initiative
– Outcomes of survey
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Psychology Department
Technology Initiative: Needs
Analysis
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Introduction
– Staff Development
Current Situation
 Recommendations
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– Course Design
Current Situation
 Recommendations
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– Web Site Enhancements
– Virtual PSYC Labs
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Psychology Department
Technology Initiative: Needs
Analysis (con’t)
– Departmental Repository
– Software/Hardware Requests
– General Advice for Technology Committee
– Requests for Support of Research
Activities
– Appendix: Questionnaire used during
interview process
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Three Initiatives
1. Personal Response Systems (Clickers)
2. Sympodium
3. The Ultimate Classroom
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1. PRS
Personal Response Systems
Handheld Clickers
Looks like a remote control device
Immediate feedback on
understanding of concepts
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Use of Technology to
Enhance Learning
I decided to use Clickers to try to
increase reading before class
 5 questions at the beginning of
 12 class periods, that were
 Randomly selected
 Over the readings due for the day
 With total possible extra points
 Equal to 9% of the total grade
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Compared “clicker” class
to “non-clicker” class
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On question “How often did you read
before class,” the “clicker” class rated
this item significantly higher than the
“non-clicker” class.
On exam scores, the “clicker” class
scored higher on 3 out of 4 exams –
the score on the 4th exam was the
same in both classes.
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So,
I used clickers at the beginning of class,
Students read more,
This led to better discussions (active
learning/conceptual thinking),
And the outcome was higher grades.
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Learning comes about
More quickly
as we increase
time-on-task
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Last semester
I used the “homework” feature of the
clickers for students to answer
questions while at home
studying/reading for the next class
period. Answers were stored in the
clicker and downloaded at the very
beginning of class. Results were
projected and scores collected.
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Benefits
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Increases time-on-task
Increases probability of reading
Enhances group work outside of class
Gives me first-hand information on
– What the students understand
– How to structure “in-class” time
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The feedback is incredibly helpful
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Another Case:
Human Sexuality (367)
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No credit for clicker use
Total anonymity
Upper level
3XX elective course
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Human Sexuality (367)
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Please rate the extent to which you
agree with the following statement: I
think the clickers are a valuable asset
to this class.
Strongly Disagree = 1
Strongly Agree = 5
Mean: 4.58 Std Dev: .77
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Human Sexuality (367)
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Please rate the extent to which you
agree with the following statement: I
think that the clickers should be used
again in this class.
Strongly Disagree = 1
Strongly Agree = 5
Mean: 4.74 Std Dev: .73
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PRS Standardization:
Faculty-IT Staff Committee
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Within about one year, faculty were
already using several systems
During the Spring, 2006 semester, a
faculty-IT staff committee formed to
Recommend 1 system for the campus
We invited four companies to campus
Presentations and Q&A session
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Checklist for PRS Vendor
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Hardware
Clicker
– Size
– Functionality
– LCD
– Battery life and signal
Receiver
– Radio Frequency
required
– Number of responses
– Ease of installation
– Receive from other
Life span of hardware
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Software
– Ease of Use
– Integration with
PowerPoint
– Mac compatibility
– Functionality
Business Model
– Registration Process
– Storing student data
– Support model(s)
– Purchase process
– Costs (and to whom?)22
Decided on one system
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Fairly easy
Cost is one-time/relatively small
Came up with a system that felt right
for our campus
Faculty readily accepted the decision
Use has grown significantly
Lots of excitement
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2. Sympodium
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Equipped with the same software as
SMART Board Interactive Whiteboards
Classroom with 300 seats/desks
Interactive pen display
Connected to computer and projector
Write directly on screen/slides in
digital ink
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Sympodium (con’t)
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Will save your notes
Access any website
Project on a large screen
Use Word, PowerPoint, Excel or
Web browser
Clicker questions are in PowerPoint so
readily accessible
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3. The Ultimate Classroom
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Faculty members attended IT workshops
on PBL and IT
Started with discussion (Chair, faculty
member, dep’t IT person, media services
personnel) about PBL room
Added discussion about computing
Computers on tables? How to run wires?
Battery life of laptops?
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One more example of the
Use of Technology to
Enhance Learning
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Typical PBL
classroom
– 1 computer per
desk
– Only 1 person works
on computer at a
time
– Others do
“individual” group
work
– Battery life of
computer
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New PBL classroom
w/projection
capabilities
– 1 wireless keyboard
and projector per
desk
– 1 person works on
keyboard
– All work on group
project together
– Few battery issues 32
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Technology Costs
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LCD projector, Thin Client
Wireless keyboards, screens
Smartboard, outlets
Cabinetry, instructor’s computer
Server for student stations
Misc. License/software/video switcher
Total = $30,870
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Use of the Room
1.
2.
Measurement and Statistics
Research Methods
 Outcomes – Faculty responses from
upper level courses
3.
4.
5.
Sensation and Perception
Other Departments
Tours from multiple universities
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Transformation of Classrooms into
E-Learning Spaces: The Important
Link between Technology and
Learning
Ask yourself: technology in the service
of what?
Our goals should be to enhance student
learning through the use of
technology.
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Questions?
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Problems/What can go
wrong?
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IR technology
Paying for clickers
Registering clickers
Data off campus
Student concerns
Corrected
Corrected
Corrected
Corrected
Corrected
– Reception of data
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PP in CPS software
Corrected
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What will I do differently
next time?
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Make my expectations more transparent
Clearly lay out how “learning” is enhanced
with the use of clickers
No extra credit (although there is another
perspective (Kendall – extra credit can be
fun, bad questions leads to learned
helplessness, problem solving really leads to
learning, group work can be very helpful,
just make it worth a small portion of the
grade)) Kendall – “I loved the clickers”
Use clickers to determine understanding of
material
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