Utilizing Research-Based effective online teaching and learning practices in a major curriculum redesign initiative – Hussein Abdul-Hamid & Elizabeth Mulherrin University of Maryland University College

University of Maryland University College one of the largest providers of online education and the student group is very diverse so wanted to look at a redesign of curriculum. They used an outcomes approach to course design and assessment.

Challenges were that the programmes are open access and so many students have not studied before but some have so how to meet needs? Retention is another issue especially for those who have not studied. There is a large and distributed faculty to teach and support programmes.

Goals were to create a holistic and systematic approach to online teaching and learning through building course content and activities aligned with programme outcomes, identifying effective teaching processes for online delivery, helping faculty to improve quality, use evaluation and assessment data as well as peer observations of classes and helping students to be effective.

A multi-phased longitudinal study using mixed method approach. Developed the instructional practices inventory from literature about what worked and adapted this for online environment.  More than 30 different teaching strategies were identified for the following areas.

• Learning objectives and assessment
• Building the learning environment
• Faculty feedback
• Learner development and support
• Integrating technology
• Class management
• Class interaction

Some of the most successful strategies were continuous involvement and feedback, real life experiences being used and problem solving and collaborative learning. To incorporate real life examples the team used media and simulations and problem solving. They undertook projects that w ere related to real problems and practice.

Instructional strategies included reflection and introducing students to cultures and sub cultures related to work.

Withdrawal rates were reduced by 5 -12% and pass rates increased 10 – 20%.

This data was then used for a redesign project called SEGUE = supporting educational goals for undergraduate excellence.

Started with what students could do as result of the programme and used a backwards approach.  Used the outcomes as integrated parts of the programme and aligned these to teaching.  Then asked lecturers to plot a student’s path through the programme which was revealing, Students had huge choices but this made moving through the programme complex and lecturers had not explored their programme this way.

The SEGUE programme design process was:

Step 1 map current programmes

Step 2 brainstorm programme outcomes

Step 3 map ideal programmes to meet the outcomes

Step 4 developed programme outcome guides so lecturers had to identify outcomes but then identify what knowledge needed, how this should be taught, how it would assessed. The key was making all this clear to students and the lecturers developing modules

Step 5 Develop module guides to meet programme outcomes and ensure some of the outcomes that should be common to all such as critical discussion are covered in all

Step 6 teachers then developed teaching guides for sessions.

This provided an opportunity to get together faculty who normally work online and not face to face but for the redesign this was important.

They make all whole teach do an online course to orientate them and they have to see the student views as well as lecturer.

The work they have done is similar to the work we often do with colleagues getting them to review their programme from the student perspective but also look at the outcomes across the programme.