The RIT PRPA Model for Course Design

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The RIT P-R-P-A Model for Course Design

• Sarah Cass Donaldson
• Online Learning Specialist

2
Plan for this session

• Introduction
• Initial design meeting with faculty
• The RIT course design model (P-R-P-A)
• Short interactive demonstration of the design
  process
• Apply design to your course

3
Distance Learning at RIT

• RIT has been providing Distance Learning for
  almost 25 years
• 125 course sections/quarter, 150 active
  faculty/year, 4000 unique students/year
• Number of programs/certificates offered online
• Undergraduate
• 4 undergrad degree programs
• 17 undergrad certificates
• Graduate
• 9 masters degree programs
• 5 advanced certificates

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Teaching, Learning and Technology Continuum
Tech Enhanced
Web Enhanced
Blended
Distance
Traditional
Word
PowerPoint
Email
Online Handouts
Proctored Exams Direct Observation Consensus and
Decision Making Equipment/Lab Demonstrations with
QA
Digital Dropbox
Online Student Groups
Online Discussion
Chat
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The P-R-P-A model

• In 2002, OL Effective Practices Team crafted the
  PRPA design model as a collaborative effort
• Designed for novice online teachers
• Works for courses or classes
• Focus on student learning, not faculty teaching
• Clear statements of expectations
• All elements are consistent and congruent

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Initial meeting

• Rapport building
• Overview of our services, the course management
  system and the designers role
• Discuss course, and any ideas faculty has
  regarding its design.
• Identify needs design, training, media
• Review effective teaching practices
• Introduce the PRPA model
• Develop a design document

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Effective Practices
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The P-R-P-A model

• An iterative process of course design
• Performance Outcomes
• Resources
• Practice Activities
• Assessment of student learning

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Worksheet PRPA Course Design
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Using the P-R-P-A Model

• Identify Performance Outcomes
• What must the students be able to demonstrate
  they can do at the end of this block of
  instruction?
• What level of learning is required? Recitation?
  Synthesis? Analysis?
• Use active verbs when writing Performance
  Outcomes

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An Example PRPA Worksheet

• Performance Outcomes
•  Integration to describe the connection between
  glycolysis and the citric acid cycle
• Energetics to explain the points where energy
  is trapped in the citric acid cycle and relate
  this to high energy intermediates in the pathway
• Mechanism to recognize the function of
  cofactors in the citric acid cycle
• Mechanism to distinguish between catalytic and
  stoichiometric cofactors
• Pathway to distinguish the glyoxylate pathway
  and the citric acid cycle

• Resources
• Biochemistry, 5th edition
• Students Companion to Biochemistry, 5th edition
• Biochemistry, 5th edition web site
  http//bcs.whfreeman.com/biochem5/
• Biochemistry CD-ROM
• Lecture notes in the files section for this
  course at http//mycourses.rit.edu
•  

• Assessment
• Minute paper please submit an email once each
  week indicating two things (1) the most
  significant thing I learned in class and (2) the
  one thing that still really confuses me.
• Online discussion fat in our diet
• Performance on examinations (graded)
• Metabolism Disease submission of list of 3
  references

• Practice
•   Chapter 17 problems in the textbook (detailed
  answers are available on the Biochemistry, 5th
  edition web site (http//bcs.whfreeman.com/biochem
  5/)
•     In-class problem sets
• Review of old exams posted on MyCourses

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Using the P-R-P-A Model

• 2. Identify Resources
• Stored information Texts, audio/video, library,
  Internet
• Processes and procedures
• Instructor
• Peers
• Personal learning circle

13
An Example PRPA Worksheet

• Performance Outcomes
•  Integration to describe the connection between
  glycolysis and the citric acid cycle
• Energetics to explain the points where energy
  is trapped in the citric acid cycle and relate
  this to high energy intermediates in the pathway
• Mechanism to recognize the function of
  cofactors in the citric acid cycle
• Mechanism to distinguish between catalytic and
  stoichiometric cofactors
• Pathway to distinguish the glyoxylate pathway
  and the citric acid cycle

• Resources
• Biochemistry, 5th edition
• Students Companion to Biochemistry, 5th edition
• Biochemistry, 5th edition web site
  http//bcs.whfreeman.com/biochem5/
• Biochemistry CD-ROM
• Lecture notes in the files section for this
  course at http//mycourses.rit.edu
•  

• Practice
•   Chapter 17 problems in the textbook (detailed
  answers are available on the Biochemistry, 5th
  edition web site (http//bcs.whfreeman.com/biochem
  5/)
•     In-class problem sets
• Review of old exams posted on MyCourses

• Assessment
• Minute paper please submit an email once each
  week indicating two things (1) the most
  significant thing I learned in class and (2) the
  one thing that still really confuses me.
• Online discussion fat in our diet
• Performance on examinations (graded)
• Metabolism Disease submission of list of 3
  references

14
Using the P-R-P-A Model

• 3. Identify Practice activities
• How will the students practice with the resources
  to accomplish the learning objectives?
• Homework? Computational exercises? Labs? Studios?
  Writing? Design and Assembly?
• Interaction with other students for rehearsal of
  learning, and feedback

15
An Example PRPA Worksheet

• Performance Outcomes
•  Integration to describe the connection between
  glycolysis and the citric acid cycle
• Energetics to explain the points where energy
  is trapped in the citric acid cycle and relate
  this to high energy intermediates in the pathway
• Mechanism to recognize the function of
  cofactors in the citric acid cycle
• Mechanism to distinguish between catalytic and
  stoichiometric cofactors
• Pathway to distinguish the glyoxylate pathway
  and the citric acid cycle

• Resources
• Biochemistry, 5th edition
• Students Companion to Biochemistry, 5th edition
• Biochemistry, 5th edition web site
  http//bcs.whfreeman.com/biochem5/
• Biochemistry CD-ROM
• Lecture notes in the files section for this
  course at http//mycourses.rit.edu
•  

• Practice
•   Chapter 17 problems in the textbook (detailed
  answers are available on the Biochemistry, 5th
  edition web site (http//bcs.whfreeman.com/biochem
  5/)
•     In-class problem sets
• Review of old exams posted on MyCourses

• Assessment
• Minute paper please submit an email once each
  week indicating two things (1) the most
  significant thing I learned in class and (2) the
  one thing that still really confuses me.
• Online discussion fat in our diet
• Performance on examinations (graded)
• Metabolism Disease submission of list of 3
  references

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Using the P-R-P-A Model

• 4. Assessment
• How will the students demonstrate they have
  accomplished the performance outcomes?
• Is this in the same form that they have
  practiced different data?
• How will they know when they have succeeded?

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An Example PRPA Worksheet

• Performance Outcomes
•  Integration to describe the connection between
  glycolysis and the citric acid cycle
• Energetics to explain the points where energy
  is trapped in the citric acid cycle and relate
  this to high energy intermediates in the pathway
• Mechanism to recognize the function of
  cofactors in the citric acid cycle
• Mechanism to distinguish between catalytic and
  stoichiometric cofactors
• Pathway to distinguish the glyoxylate pathway
  and the citric acid cycle

• Resources
• Biochemistry, 5th edition
• Students Companion to Biochemistry, 5th edition
• Biochemistry, 5th edition web site
  http//bcs.whfreeman.com/biochem5/
• Biochemistry CD-ROM
• Lecture notes in the files section for this
  course at http//mycourses.rit.edu
•  

• Assessment
• Minute paper please submit an email once each
  week indicating two things (1) the most
  significant thing I learned in class and (2) the
  one thing that still really confuses me.
• Online discussion fat in our diet
• Performance on examinations (graded)
• Metabolism Disease submission of list of 3
  references

• Practice
•   Chapter 17 problems in the textbook (detailed
  answers are available on the Biochemistry, 5th
  edition web site (http//bcs.whfreeman.com/biochem
  5/)
•     In-class problem sets
• Review of old exams posted on MyCourses

18
An Example PRPA Worksheet

• Performance Outcomes
•  Integration to describe the connection between
  glycolysis and the citric acid cycle
• Energetics to explain the points where energy
  is trapped in the citric acid cycle and relate
  this to high energy intermediates in the pathway
• Mechanism to recognize the function of
  cofactors in the citric acid cycle
• Mechanism to distinguish between catalytic and
  stoichiometric cofactors
• Pathway to distinguish the glyoxylate pathway
  and the citric acid cycle

• Resources
• Biochemistry, 5th edition
• Students Companion to Biochemistry, 5th edition
• Biochemistry, 5th edition web site
  http//bcs.whfreeman.com/biochem5/
• Biochemistry CD-ROM
• Lecture notes in the files section for this
  course at http//mycourses.rit.edu
•  

• Practice
•   Chapter 17 problems in the textbook (detailed
  answers are available on the Biochemistry, 5th
  edition web site (http//bcs.whfreeman.com/biochem
  5/)
•     In-class problem sets
• Review of old exams posted on MyCourses

• Assessment
• Minute paper please submit an email once each
  week indicating two things (1) the most
  significant thing I learned in class and (2) the
  one thing that still really confuses me.
• Online discussion fat in our diet
• Performance on examinations (graded)
• Metabolism Disease submission of list of 3
  references

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Effective Practices

• The most consistently adopted strategies and
  tools represent good practices
• Evidence of good teaching and support of Seven
  Principles of Good Practice in Undergraduate
  Education
• Grading policy, written assignments, course
  materials description, course schedule,
  instructor contact information, student
  introductions, Q A folder and welcome from
  instructor

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Using the worksheet in a course
Surveyed students reported that the PRPA model
helped them stay focused on the course objectives.
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Summary P-R-P-A course development model

• Determine Course Performance Outcomes
• Determine modular structure for course
• Weeks? Topics? Other time periods?
• For each module
• Write performance outcomes
• Determine resources
• Choose student practice activities
• Choose assessment tools

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QA

• Thank you for participating.
• Please fill out your evaluation forms.