Enhancements of CIS Instruction

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Enhancements of CIS Instruction

• Sandi Poindexter
• Northern Michigan University

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E-distribution of materials

• Push methods use class email messages, with or
  without with attachment.
• Advantage
• There is a record that materials were sent
• The recipient does not have to remember to check
  a website for downloads
• Checking email is pretty reliable expectation for
  most students.
• Disadvantages
• Information is not all in one place,
• emails can get deleted before being read,
• inboxes can get clogged if attachments are large.
  
• If it's really critical, you can send the email
  with a Return Receipt requested

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E-distribution of materials

• Pull methods use a course website or an
  instructors' server to post all materials for
  download when a student visits the site.
• Advantage
• All materials can be listed in groups, folders,
  or links for a historical archive or document
  retrieval in a logical format.
• Students know where to get any document at any
  time of day.
• Disadvantage
• There is no easy record of student visitation.
• Blending push and pull is possible by emailing an
  announcement that materials are ready for online
  retrieval

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Tips for e-distribution

• Avoid the "where do I get it?" syndrome with a
  comprehensive course outline as your repository
• Avoid the "what did I call it?" or "what is that
  file?" syndromes with a file naming convention
  and provide the filename as the link on the web
  page
• Avoid the "where did I put it?" syndrome with a
  folder organization scheme for each course or
  class. Train students early to download files
  into the appropriate folders and reinforce it by
  using the same folder scheme yourself.
• Avoid the "which do I need?" syndrome by zipping
  multiple files into one.

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E-Presentations

• Lecture slides is there value-added?
• Leave empty slides or bullets
• Insert review questions
• Students view in design mode
• Have students type anything to keep active

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Facilitate in-class collaboration

• Provide groups with an active exercise during
  class used to collect group solutions/thoughts
  (see sample exercise)
• Use Word if the input is textual (see a sample
  text worksheet).
• Use Excel if you are asking student to rate or
  tally and can use numbers (see a sample numeric
  worksheet).
• One student can be the group's recorder by typing
  comments into the worksheet.
• When finished the instructor can be emailed the
  file as a attachment.

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Facilitate in-class collaboration

• Advantages
• Everyone can be emailed the file
• Files can be consolidated on instructor machine
  for discussion

• Disadvantages
• Not everyone can see the typing
• Sufficient battery power is needed, but power
  source can be shared to ensure at least one
  machine stays up during the exercise.

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E-submission of assignments

• Course management system dropbox
• Objective collection agent
• Slower retrieval and posting of grades
• Email file attachments using designated subject
  line for each course.
• Course subfolders in your inbox for each
  assignment within each course
• Email filter automatically file each assignment
  as it arrives

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Tips for e-submission

• Keep organized
• Insist on student identity
• Move due dates away from class meeting times.
  With e-submission there is no requirement that an
  assignment be due at class time to extend the
  class beyond the boundaries of the physical room
  and time.

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E-Grading

• Use "revision" mode in Word documents
• Create a grading matrix/rubric (grading template)
  for each assignment using Excel. Leave the
  spreadsheet open while you grade
• Open the folder containing the student submission
  files, and leave open as you grade
• Open submitted files
• Type the points earned for the assignment being
  graded into the spreadsheet template master,
  copy/paste spreadsheet cells to the top of the
  student document. See a sample graded submission

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E-Grading

• Advantages
• Both you and the student(s) have a graded copy
• If you use a point matrix, the auto summation in
  Excel ensures accurate tallies
• Legible comments can be placed directly adjacent
  to the related content.
• A lot more commenting tends to be given because
  it is easier to provide when you don't have to
  rewrite them.
• Disadvantages
• Reading from a screen may be less comfortable
• Files must be backed up to avoid possible loss
• Laptop becomes more a part of your carried
  materials.

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Tips for e-grading

• Open multiple submissions at once to move more
  quickly.
• While grading, copy the typed student comments
  into a master of common comments.
• Copy/paste common comments from master to student
  copy to reduce writing time.

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Administer e-essay tests

• Each student should download and name the test
  file with their userid, name, or a number as part
  of the test file to prevent duplicate names.
• Students open the test file and type their
  answers after each question since the space
  automatically enlarges as they type.
• When finished, students email the test file as an
  attachment, copying themselves on the email
  submission to ensure the attachment is the right
  file.
• Open each attachment as it arrives, there are
  fewer to handle when the test time is over. This
  is critical to avoid a lost or corrupted test
  file.
• Plan for a 5 minute break after a test to give
  enough time to verify all tests have been
  received.
• E-grade them and return test via email

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Administer e-essay tests

• Advantages
• Grading legible writing that has been at least
  minimally spelled checked is priceless.
• Students use copy/paste to rearrange their answer
  so flow is better organized.
• Disadvantages
• Students retain a digital copy of your test which
  could be shared with others, requiring unique
  tests for multiple sections.
• Students could cheat by opening other software or
  using the clipboard during the test to check
  their notes.
• Sufficient battery power is needed. Tips

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Tips for e-essays

• When typing the test, leave a few blank lines or
  insert a table of 1 row x 1 column (Insert
  Table in Word) with two blank lines after each
  question.
• Secure the test using a password until you are
  ready to begin.
• Remove the test from the server once everyone has
  their copy.
• Close all other software, including chat. Show
  Taskbar.
• Random walking around the room during the test
  helps ensure this.
• Make the test challenging enough, so they are too
  busy typing to cheat.
• An open book/open note test eliminates some
  reason to cheat.
• Grade each question across all tests for easier
  comparison of answers and copy/pasting of common
  comments.

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References

• General faculty.nmu.edu/spoindex/
• This topic faculty.nmu.edu/spoindex/paperless.htm
  
• These slides faculty.nmu.edu/spoindex/research/G
  reatLakespaperlessclassS05.ppt
• Readings faculty.nmu.edu/spoindex/readings.htm