CASE STUDIES IN COURSE REDESIGN Using the Five Models

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CASE STUDIES IN COURSE REDESIGNUsing the Five
Models

• Statistics at a Large Research University
• Fine Arts at a State University

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STATISTICSPenn State UniversityChallenges

• Lectures are passive, and students do not engage
  with the content
• Faculty want to address different learning
  student preferences
• The course has high personnel costs and requires
  12 GTAs, which are hard to find
• No tutoring is available
• Students do not remember what they learned in
  subsequent courses

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STATISTICSPenn State UniversityRedesign Plan

• Weekly lectures are reduced from 3 to 1
• Readiness Assessment Tests (RATs) identify both
  individual and group readiness to move on by
  measuring mastery of material
• Traditional recitations are now computer-mediated
  workshops
• Greater one-to-one contact between students and
  faculty
• GTA roles shift from instruction to guidance

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TRADITIONAL VS. REDESIGN

• Annual enrollment 2200 students
• Sections 240
• 4 FT faculty lecture 3 times a week
• 12 GTAs lead 2 recitation sections of 40
  students
• GTAs hold office hours and grade

• Annual enrollment 2200 students
• Sections 240
• 4 FT faculty lecture 1 hour per week, assist
  students in lab and supervise GTAs
• 2 one-hour labs
• 4 GTAs assist in lab and proctor tests
• UGTAs assist in lab

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STATISTICSPenn State UniversityOutcomes

• Redesign students outperformed traditional
  students 66 vs. 60
• DFW rates reduced from 12 to 9.8
• Using UGTAs extremely successful
• GTAs needed reduced from 12 to 4
• Cost-per-student reduced by 44

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FINE ARTSFlorida Gulf Coast UniversityChallenges

• Lack of consistency among multiple sections
  leading to course drift
• Difficulty finding faculty and adjuncts with the
  breadth of knowledge needed
• Poor student performance in this required course
• Anticipated enrollment with limited resources for
  new faculty

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FINE ARTSFlorida Gulf Coast UniversityRedesign
Plan

• Three modules covering different aspects of the
  fine arts are each designed and monitored by a
  faculty expert
• One course coordinator manages one section of
  400 students each term
• Students divided into six-person learning teams
• Undergraduate peer tutors and adjuncts guide
  discussion groups and evaluate longer papers
• Interactive learning resources available 247

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FINE ARTSFlorida Gulf Coast UniversityRedesign
Plan

• Online tests are evaluated automatically
• Intelligent Essay Assessor (after being trained)
  evaluates short, focused essays
• Students attend performances and art exhibits in
  the community or on campus
• Model is scalable because more peer learning
  teams can be added as needed.

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FLORIDA GULF COAST U Visual Performing Arts

• Traditional
• 25 sections (30)
• 6 sections (15) 800
• Taught mainly by adjuncts
• Course drift
• 132 cost-per-student

• Redesign
• Single section (950)
• Taught by 1 faculty, 1 course coordinator, 16
  preceptors
• Consistent coherent
• 81 cost-per-student

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FINE ARTSFlorida Gulf Coast UniversityOutcomes

• Average exam scores increased from 70 to 85
• Number of As and Bs increased from 31 to 75
• DFW rate decreased from 45 to 11

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