Suguna Chundur University of Cincinnati Clermont College E-LEARN October, 2009 Suguna Chundur University of Cincinnati Clermont College Teaching online in an Open Access College: Best Practices to Overcome Challenges

E-LEARN October, 2009 ABSTRACT An open admissions institution, providing access to higher education to anyone with a high school diploma or equivalency, has unique challenges in delivering courses online. There are major differences in the mission and the student body of an open admission institution compared to a traditional educational institution. Instructors cannot assume that all students would possess the basic computer literacy skills that are required for success in online classes. The digital divide is more pronounced in such a campus where students with varying technical skills are enrolled. Williams and Japzon (2007) have commented on the impact of technology on non-traditional students. Yet, it is precisely such students who benefit most from the flexibility offered by online classes as most of them have busy professional and personal lives. This presentation deals with the technical and pedagogical obstacles to student success in online classes at an open admissions institution and best practices to overcome them.

E-LEARN October, 2009 Student demography Open Access – Students with a high school equivalency can enroll College located in the east side of Cincinnati in the Appalachian area Many students are first generation college attendees Technology and high-speed internet access limited in the rural areas

Course Information E-LEARN October, 2009 Online sections of this course attracting increasing number of students over the past year. Involves learning a combination of basic hardware, software and applications of computer technology. Critical introductory computer course taken by most students entering our college. Received State Grant to retool online students of this course, Assessment of student learning and performance Development of innovative methods of delivery based on principles of good practice for distance learning.

E-LEARN October, 2009 Course Statistics

Strategies to increase student Access and learning E-LEARN October, 2009 Strategies to increase student Access and learning Student Prepardness Blackboard Course Redesign Online Readiness Survey Syllabus Quiz Technology Screen Captures Podcasts Learning Videos Communi-cation Synchronous :Elluminate, Blackboard Chat Discussion Board, Email

Continuous Improvement of Course Organization and Delivery E-LEARN October, 2009 Continuous Improvement of Course Organization and Delivery Course Improvement Adding Course Orientation BB Course Layout Creating Video Learning Objects Streamlining Synchronous and Asynchronous Communications Feedback from students through initial and mid-quarter surveys

Student prepardness Blackboard redesign E-LEARN October, 2009 Student prepardness Blackboard redesign Short video orientation on Blackboard Online Readiness Survey Syllabus Quiz

Initial Survey I am very self-motivated E-LEARN October, 2009 Initial Survey I am very self-motivated I have good time-management skills I have good reading skills.  I remember what I read and am able to integrate what I have learned with other sources of information.  I work well on my own.  I do not need the stimulation of other students to get excited about the material I am studying.  I am very self-disciplined.  I always have assignments prepared and handed in on time. I have good study skills.  I do well on both essay and objective type tests. I am a problem-solver.  When learning to use new technologies, I usually rely on help screens, books, or online tutorials to figure out what I need to know.   I have good basic computer skills in keyboarding, word processing, web browsing and file management. I am very comfortable downloading and uploading files via the web. If I run into problems on the web, I don't get frustrated easily. I try to explore different ways to approach the problem. I am interested in learning about newer methods of course instruction delivery that enhance online learning, such as podcasts, live chats, synchronous virtual meetings etc

Student Perception and Feedback Survey administered Mid-quarter E-LEARN October, 2009 Student Perception and Feedback Survey administered Mid-quarter Q1: I am well-prepared for this online class. Q2: The layout of the blackboard course site was appropriate and intuitive.  I was able to easily access material Q3: The visual learning objects available under the "Help" link were useful tools in my online learning. Q4: The course syllabus clearly laid out expectations of this course.  I was able to plan out my entire quarter's work for this course. Q5: I found the asynchronous methods of communications (email, bb forum etc) to be useful and helpful. Q6: The online, real time sessions on Elluminate were helpful in the learning process. Q7: Setting aside my personal learning style, the multimedia and interactive components were appropriate and sufficient for the material covered by the course. Q8: From what you have seen so far in this quarter, in your opinion, the online delivery format is appropriate for this course.

Technology: Course design and presentation E-LEARN October, 2009 Technology: Course design and presentation Redesign of Blackboard site to make it more intuitive. Design of learning objects Design of synchronous and asynchronous communication sessions Design of visual elements such as screen captures, short videos https://ucfilespace.uc.edu/~chundusa/Word2007/Word2007.html https://ucfilespace.uc.edu/~chundusa/Excel2007/Excel2007.html

Communications Discussion Forums Virtual Classrooms E-LEARN October, 2009 Communications Discussion Forums Virtual Classrooms Elluminate – Real time, collaborative sessions Podcasts

Discussion and Future Work E-LEARN October, 2009 Discussion and Future Work Student body is changing – Mix of fresh high school graduates, GED certificate holders, laid off workers Perceptions and attitudes towards technology changing Within student body, differences between technology majors and non-technology majors We plan to implement changes/augment the survey and continuously improve the course.