Providing Online Providing Online Support for Student Support for Student

WritingWriting

……a case studya case study

With class sizes increasing, it is With class sizes increasing, it is becoming increasingly difficult to becoming increasingly difficult to support research and writing support research and writing activities activities

Participation in Course Design Participation in Course Design InstituteInstitute– Summer 2009Summer 2009

Use of online tools to support writing Use of online tools to support writing activities in a large undergraduate activities in a large undergraduate coursecourse

Without a TA, I used Blackboard, Without a TA, I used Blackboard, Google Docs, and Wimba Classroom to Google Docs, and Wimba Classroom to support 107 students as they support 107 students as they completed several written assignmentscompleted several written assignments

How did it go?How did it go?

This pretty much This pretty much sums it up…sums it up…

Some tactics workedSome tactics worked

Many tactics did not work BUT…Many tactics did not work BUT…

– Provided a great foundationProvided a great foundation

Group PapersGroup Papers

In PSY 332, students worked in In PSY 332, students worked in groups to write research papersgroups to write research papers– increase opportunities for meaningful increase opportunities for meaningful

learning while minimizing the amount of learning while minimizing the amount of grading neededgrading needed

– Right? Right?

Students don’t like group Students don’t like group paperspapers

Students often dislike group work for Students often dislike group work for two specific reasons:two specific reasons:

– They find it difficult to coordinate They find it difficult to coordinate schedules so that they can work schedules so that they can work together outside of the classroomtogether outside of the classroom

– They often feel that the workload is not They often feel that the workload is not shared equally, and grades are unfairly shared equally, and grades are unfairly distributed distributed

Helping students with group Helping students with group paperspapers

Google Docs - edit documents online Google Docs - edit documents online without creating multiple versionswithout creating multiple versions– Reduce the likelihood of having to meet in Reduce the likelihood of having to meet in

person outside of classperson outside of class

Online tools in blackboard to assess group Online tools in blackboard to assess group members’ contributionsmembers’ contributions– Individual grades were divided on the basis of Individual grades were divided on the basis of

contribution contribution – Attempted to design the tool so that the Attempted to design the tool so that the

assessments could be calculated automatically assessments could be calculated automatically in blackboardin blackboard

Other writing assignmentsOther writing assignments

Weekly reaction papersWeekly reaction papers Individual research proposal due at Individual research proposal due at

end of courseend of course

All papers were submitted online All papers were submitted online All feedback was provided online All feedback was provided online

(except for final paper)(except for final paper)

Online office hours, in addition to in-Online office hours, in addition to in-person office hours, for additional person office hours, for additional supportsupport

General and group discussion boardsGeneral and group discussion boards– Anonymous feedback regarding courseAnonymous feedback regarding course– Keep in contact with group membersKeep in contact with group members

Assessment CriteriaAssessment Criteria

The criteria used to determine the The criteria used to determine the success of online tools adopted in the success of online tools adopted in the course were:course were:– Reduced workload for instructor Reduced workload for instructor – Student use of online tools, and ease of Student use of online tools, and ease of

useuse– Students’ perceptionsStudents’ perceptions

Assessment ToolsAssessment Tools

A SALG instrument was administered at A SALG instrument was administered at the end of the coursethe end of the course– Student Assessment of Learning GainsStudent Assessment of Learning Gains

I tracked the use of various online tools I tracked the use of various online tools over the course of the semesterover the course of the semester

My own subjective experienceMy own subjective experience

Results: Results: Online Support for Writing Online Support for Writing

PapersPapers

Was there Was there a a decrease decrease in grading in grading workload?workload?

Was there Was there a a decrease decrease in overall in overall workload?workload?

Did peer Did peer assessmeassessment work?nt work?

Did Did Google Google Docs Docs work?work?

Average Ratings from the Average Ratings from the SALGSALG

Avg rating Avg rating of group of group paperspapers

Avg rating Avg rating of of

Individual Individual paperspapers

Avg rating Avg rating of of

Professor Professor FeedbackFeedback

3.423.42 4.134.13 4.044.04

BUTBUT– Online submission worked wellOnline submission worked well– Online feedback worked wellOnline feedback worked well

For both group papers and weekly reaction For both group papers and weekly reaction paperspapers

– SALG assessement revealed that students SALG assessement revealed that students liked groupwork – they just didn’t like to liked groupwork – they just didn’t like to be assessed as a groupbe assessed as a group

Results: Blackboard Discussion Results: Blackboard Discussion BoardsBoards

Students never used the general Students never used the general discussion boarddiscussion board

Students rarely used discussion Students rarely used discussion boards designed for their specific boards designed for their specific groupsgroups

Results: Wimba Online Office Results: Wimba Online Office HoursHours

Throughout the entire semester, only Throughout the entire semester, only one student ever took advantage of one student ever took advantage of the online office hoursthe online office hours– Students preferred to come and see me Students preferred to come and see me

in personin person

What did I learn?What did I learn?

Online tools work, when coupled with good Online tools work, when coupled with good teaching…teaching…– First time structuring group papersFirst time structuring group papers

It’s important to learn more about It’s important to learn more about when when certain online tools might helpcertain online tools might help– Online office hours might be more useful in Online office hours might be more useful in

other contextsother contexts Trying to incorporate these new tools into Trying to incorporate these new tools into

my class helped me to push my boundaries, my class helped me to push my boundaries, and I’ve landed somewhere in betweenand I’ve landed somewhere in between

Second IterationSecond Iteration

No group papersNo group papers No general discussion boardsNo general discussion boards No Wimba online office hoursNo Wimba online office hours

I still have many writing I still have many writing assignments, and some groupwork, assignments, and some groupwork, but no group papersbut no group papers

I am using many online tools to I am using many online tools to help me manage the coursehelp me manage the course

Submit assignments through Submit assignments through BlackboardBlackboard

Feedback provided via BlackboardFeedback provided via Blackboard Slides, assignment instructions, Slides, assignment instructions,

assignment examples posted on assignment examples posted on BlackboardBlackboard

Use group discussion board for exam Use group discussion board for exam reviewreview– Students like this a lotStudents like this a lot

Demonstration of my Blackboard siteDemonstration of my Blackboard site