Teaching large classes using online learning techniques and tools

1
Teaching large classes using online learning
techniques and tools

• Birgit Loch
• Department of MathematicsComputing
• University of Southern Queensland
• lochb_at_usq.edu.au

2
Overview

• USQ
• Material preparation
• (online) Delivery S2 2007
• Assessment
• Two examples (large service courses)
• MAT1008 Professional Attributes for Nursing B
• CSC1402 Foundation Computing

3
USQ

• 25,000 students
• Three campuses (HQ Toowoomba, Qld)
• On campus and distance students
• More than 70 distance
• Domestic/International
• Rural/Metropolitan
• School leavers/Mature age
• Full time/Part time

4
Material preparation

• Integrated Content Environment (ICE)
• Corporate look
• Word/Open Office
• Transmodal (web, CD, print)
• Everything printable
• Multimedia content
• Different preferred learning modalities
• visual
• aural
• read/write text
• kinesthetic

CSC1402 example MAT1008 example
5
Material preparation

• Screen recordings
• Snippets
• Mathematical problem solving (pen based)
• Software walk-throughs
• Adobe Captivate/ Camtasia, SnagIt, Jing

Heading Styles
iPod demo
6
OpenCourseWare

• http//ocw.usq.edu.au

7
Delivery - S2 2007

• Website
• USQ WebCT -gt Moodle
• Simple website (authentication)
• ICE course material
• Recordings
• Asynchronous Bulletin Board

8
Asynchronous Bulletin Board

• Students helping students
• Others follow the supportive lead
• Responses very detailed
• Often many messages exchanged in short period of
  time
• this is very rewarding
• Saves teaching staff time

9
(No Transcript)
10
Delivery S2 2007

• Lectures recorded in previous semester (CSC1402)
• Flash movies (audio static PPT/screen video)
• MP3 (audio only)
• M4V (iPod video)
• Provided on course CD
• Prac classes

11
Student comments (recordings)

• Could you please tell me why we would be doing
  an assignment when there is no lecture
  recording for it?
• Is there a version of the lectures that I can
  download to transfer onto my MP3 or CD? I do not
  have a laptop but would like to be able to listen
  to the lectures whilst on the move or in hiding
  from the children.

12
Delivery S2 2007

• Only one lecture this semester
• All students treated the same (nearly)

13
Delivery S2 2007

• Online (synchronous) classes through
• Windows Live Messenger (MSN, typed/written) handw
  riting
• Skype conference call
• Elluminate Live and vRoom
• Recordings of Elluminate classes
• MAT1102 CSC1402

14
Assessment

• 8 assignments
• Electronic submission
• Peer reviewed
• Clear marking criteria (yes/no)
• Moderator review
• Very fast feedback
• (implemented by M. de Raadt)

15
Trials at USQ

• Elluminate Live Trial S2 2007
• Camtasia user group
• Resistance to change!

16
Questions?

• http//www.sci.usq.edu.au/staff/lochb
• lochb_at_usq.edu.au