Blended Learning in a First-Year Experience Course

Shannon JenkinsElizabeth LehrUniversity of Massachusetts Dartmouth

Blended Learning in a First-Year Experience Course

Overview: Background Research Questions Data Results Conclusion

Background

College of Arts & Sciences is the only college of five without a first-year seminar

Fall 2010: CAS Dean and Chairs decide to create a 1-credit course and form a curriculum committee of CAS faculty

Initial offering Fall 2011, with course development during spring/summer 2011

CAS 101 Objectives

Framed for student success:

Academic component: introduction to the Humanities, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences

Personal development: orientation to the university and place in it

Study skills: success in both college and lifelong learning

Pedagogical Parameters

Blended format allowed “flipped classroom” approach written into modules

Faculty unfamiliar with each other’s disciplinary fields used a shared framework

Discussion boards ensured that all students had opportunities to express views

Online quizzes supported student reading

Online learning practices learned for future

Logistical Parameters

Space considerations: 25-30 sections needed to be scheduled into spaces already reserved for fall classes

Each section met f2f once every two weeks (total of 7 times) for either 50 (MWF) or 75 (TR) minutes

Technical Details

Use of WebCT’s Vista product (owned by BB)

Asynchronous discussion boards, quizzes, wiki spaces, journals

7 modules, each divided into 2 two-week segments with materials to be read, tasks to perform, and deadlines

Textbook combined study skills with some development

Supplemental “academic” readings on eReserve (another piece of software)

Research Questions

We examine whether students who interacted more frequently with the online course components: expressed greater confidence in their

aptitude for college increased their commitment to remain at

UMass Dartmouth earned higher grades in the course and

in their first semester at UMass Dartmouth.

Data

3 main sources: Learner Management System interaction

data Student Survey Institutional Data

Data

3 main sources: Learner Management System interaction

data▪ Interaction with specific tools▪ Time spent in system and interacting with

tools▪ Overall interaction with course

Data

3 main sources: Learner Management System interaction

data▪ Interaction with specific tools▪ Time spent in system and interacting with

tools▪ Overall interaction with course

Data

3 main sources: Learner Management System interaction

data Student Survey▪ Pre and post survey▪ Includes questions on:▪ Student perceptions of blended format (post only)▪ Commitment to institution (pre and post)▪ Confidence in skills and abilities (pre and post)▪ For this analysis, post results only

Data

3 main sources: Learner Management System interaction data Student Survey Institutional Data▪ Academic performance:▪ Grade in the course▪ GPA for the Fall 2011 semester▪ GPA as of Fall 2012 semester

▪ Background Controls▪ HS GPA▪ Sex▪ Minority Status

DataVariable Mean Standard

DeviationMin Max

LMS Variables (Independent Variables)Sessions 29.19 21.444 1 181Files Viewed 109.76 91.272 1 656Days To Entry 4.41 7.043 0 69Survey Variables (Dependent Variables)Possess Academic Skills

4.33 .685 2 5

Possess Personal Qualities

4.30 .664 2 5

Understand Expectations

4.4 .619 3 5

Earn Degree from UMD

3.69 1.147 1 5

Stay at UMD Spring

4.46 .860 1 5

Academic Performance (Dependent Variables)Course Grade 2.56 1.419 0 4Fall GPA 2.55 .973 0 4Current GPA 2.53 .931 0 4Background Information (Control Variables)High School GPA

3.13 .493 1.819 4.868

Results: Perceptions of Course Blend

Students’ perceptions of course blend were generally speaking not positive

Results: Perceptions of Course Blend

Results: Perceptions of Course Blend

Results: Perceptions of Course Blend

Results: Perceptions of Course Blend

Students’ perceptions of course blend were generally speaking not positive

Despite this dissatisfaction, interaction with the online components of this first year course is positively related to some student outcomes, particularly academic outcomes

Results: Commitment to Institution and Confidence in Abilities

Only one of the LMS interaction variables are significantly related to commitment to institution and confidence in abilities: The number of days before a student

first accesses the system is negatively related to plans to remain at UMass Dartmouth next semester

Results: Academic Performance

Interaction with the LMS is significantly related to measures of academic performance: Students who initiate more sessions had

a higher grade in CAS 101 and a higher Fall 2011 and Fall 2012 GPA

Students who viewed more files had a higher grade in CAS 101 and a higher Fall 2011 and Fall 2012 GPA

Results: Academic Performance

Effect of Number of Sessions on Academic Performance

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 1800.000

0.500

1.000

1.500

2.000

2.500

3.000

3.500

4.000

GradeFall 2011 GPAFall 2012 GPA

Sessions

Results: Academic Performance

Effect of Number of Files Viewed on Academic Performance

0 50 100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

0.000

0.200

0.400

0.600

0.800

1.000

1.200

1.400

1.600

GradeFall 2011/2012 GPA

Files Viewed

Conclusions

LMS interaction strong predictor of academic success, but not attitudes, even when controlling for past academic performance (HS GPA)

Interaction is a sign of good academic behavior, even among those who already have good academic behavior in high school – students were persistent even in the face of a course they did not like

Lack of effect for attitudinal variables may be due to course design – students may have done the work, but that doesn’t mean they have to like doing it

Conclusions

This is both good and bad: we’re interested in academic achievement:

we want students to succeed but we also want students to learn: this

was not a “transformative” experience Need to move to better blend

Maximize f2f time: every week, interactive Put readings and “lecture” materials online,

including study skills, but reduce amount Remove all online tasks, except quizzes