Case Study No' 5 Rebekka Chapman

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Case Study No. 5 Rebekka Chapman

• Presented by Grace Huang Kathleen
  Borsos-WooleyOctober 11, 2006

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Case Overview

• Players
• Scenario
• Initial Performance Analysis (trainwreck!)
• Findings What to see and learn?
• Related Concepts/Theories
• Recommendations
• Conclusions
• References

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Who are the Players ?
Help
George Allen- Department Head
Consumer Retailing Students (100)
Tami Linden -Instructor
Sara Jane Coffman
Lenny Russell
Faculty Instructional Services Center
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Instructor-Tami Linden

• New professor (new to both teaching and the
  university) not having success with her students
  (large class of 100) in a consumer retailing
  course.

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Students

• Students have complained to the department head
  instructor was strong willed and they didnt like
  being given writing assignments.

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Instructor-Tami Linden

• Meanwhile, Tami Linden (the instructor) felt that
  the class was going well and was frustrated that
  the students arent happy.

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Performance Analysisto date

• To determine optimals vs. actuals the following
  steps were taken
• Sara Jane Coffman and Lenny Russell (campus
  Faculty Instructional Services Center) did the
  following
• Interviewed the instructor
• Observed a class lecture
• Conducted course instructor evaluation with
  students (SGID)

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Findings

• Findings reveal a trilogy of problems and
  several instances of incongruence.
• 1. Departments Perspective
• Department has perception of instructors
  personality that may not be accurate
  (strong-willed). Lack of history from department
  head and faculty (instructor new to university
  and department)

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Findings, cont.

• 2. Instructors Perspective
• Lack of confidence in herself (first teaching
  job).
• Opinion that students writing is poor. Wants to
  provide real world experience for her students.
  
• Charting new territory by asking for writing
  assignments (no other courses in the department
  required them).

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Findings, cont.

• 3. Students Perspective
• Lack of trust for instructor
• Relevance Issue instructor going out of her
  realm by requiring writing assignments (she
  claims their writing skills are poor and that
  they will need good writing skills in their
  careers). They say We got As in English 101. No
  other classes in the department have questioned
  our writings skills.
• We arent being treated as adults!

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PA revealsIncongruence abounds

• Disconnects between students, instructor,
  department head and PT .
• According to students, instructor strong willed
• According to PT, instructor approachable and
  engaging. But students exclaimed less teaching
  from the book and more discussion. PT suggested
  instructor do more lecturing/ less asking
  questions of the students.
• Students said our writing skills are
  good.Instructor said appalling!!

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Results of instructor evaluation by students

• Outcome of evaluation (student opinions)
• Give fewer writing assignments
• Give more direction on assignments
• Clarify the point system
• Let class see test average
• Provide exam reviews
• Less teaching from the book and more discussion
• Provide better organization
• Treat students like adults
• Get happy (??)
• Get rid of this instructor (ouch!!! Is it
  possible for students to have a change of heart
  with this sentiment?)

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Positives/ Hurdles
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Recommendations

• More querying needed to clean up incongruencies.
• For PT
• For Department Head
• For Instructor

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Recommendationsfor PT

• Interview a SME model teacher and share
  findings with instructor
• Conduct focus group consisting of a few student
  volunteers, instructor, PTers and department
  head (Bring the students to the table by
  including their opinions).

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Interview with SME

• PTer to interview model teacher for insight and
  suggestions to present to instructor.
• Need buy-in from students. Donate a class session
  to addressing the situation and acknowledge
  recommendations made by the students (in previous
  evaluation) and model teacher (in interview).

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Recommended Focus Group Questions

• Questions to ask Instructor
• What would happy students look like?
• What could students say and do to garner your
  respect?
• Questions to ask students
• What do you see in the instructor that you DO
  like?
• What do you see in the instructor that you DONT
  like?
• What could she say and do to garner your respect?

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Recommendationsfor Department Head

• department revisit curriculum for future course
  offering

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Recommendationsfor Instructor

• Based on feedback from SME (model teacher)
• instructor must be authentic and address concerns
• Must find common ground / value of the class
• needs clearer communication with students
• needs more clarification regarding the value of
  the writing assignments
• Invite a professional (SME) into the classroom
  who could talk about the importance of good
  writing
• Dont just tell the students their writing is
  improving, show them by using anonymous examples
• Review educational theories related to adult
  learning (ie. ARCS Model,
• Theory of Flow Csikszentmihalyi and Zone of
  Proximal Development Social Development Theory
  Lev Vygotsky, Gagnes 9 Events of Learning)
• If environment supports it, have students break
  into small groups for project work, as opposed to
  all lecture.
• Pair up with experienced team teacher

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Conclusions

• Initial analysis yielded incongruent findings
• Called for more analysis
• SME provided insight and recommendations for
  instructor
• Need to find common ground honest and authentic
  discussion between instructor and students
  necessary so all can embrace value of the class

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References

• ARCs Model John Keller. Retrieved October 9,
  2006 from http//www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/vidconf/
  instruct.html
• Ertmer,P. Quinn, D. (2003). The ID Casebook
  Case Studies in Instructional Design (2nd ed.).
  Upper Saddle River, New Jersey Merrill Prentice
  Hall.
• Functional Context (T. Sticht). Retrieved October
  9, 2006 from http//tip.psychology.org/sticht.html
  
• Gagnes 9 Events of Learning. Retrieved October
  9, 2006 from http//tip.psychology.org/gagne.html

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References, cont.

• Mager, R. Pipe, P. (1997) Analyzing Performance
  Problems (3rd ed). Atlanta, GA CEP Press.
• Rossett, A. (1999). First Things Fast A
  Handbook for Performance Analysis (1st ed.). San
  Francisco, CA Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer.
• Van Tiem, D.M., Moseley, J.L., Dessinger, J.C.
  (2004). Fundamentals of performance technology A
  guide to improving people, process, and
  performance (2nd ed.). Silver Spring, MD
  International Society for Performance
  Improvement.
• Zone of Proximal Development Lev Vygotsky.
  Retrieved October 9, 2006 from http//en.wikipedia
  .org/wiki/Zone_of_proximal_development