scholarly journals THE USE OF A SERIES OF ONLINE MINI-LECTURES TO DELIVER FACTS IN FIRST YEAR PROGRAMMING

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol Hulls ◽  
Chris Rennick
Keyword(s):  
Traditional Approach ◽  
Traditional Classroom ◽  
First Year ◽  
Student Knowledge ◽  
Final Exam ◽  
Course Grades ◽  
Course Material ◽  
Traditional Classroom Instruction ◽  
Basic Facts ◽  
Lecture Time

In the first year programming course given to ME and MTE students at uWaterloo, four hours of traditional classroom instruction have been replaced with a series of short online mini-lectures that deliver some of the basic facts necessary to be able to code programs. The students’ comprehension of this content is assessed online by quizzes and on the midterm exam. This approach was used in a course which was not otherwise delivered online. The goal was to front-load the course to make space for a design project later in the term. The online mini-lectures were designed to be “lecture-time neutral”. The accelerated start of term allowed threshold concepts to show up on assignments a week earlier than with the traditional approach, giving students an additional week of practice with these topics. This led to noticeable gains in understanding on the final exam. Survey data was collected, and focus groups were run, to capture student feedback on the approach; additionally, course grades were analyzed to assess impact on student knowledge of course material.

scholarly journals A learning philosophy assignment positively impacts student learning outcomes

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neil C. Haave ◽  
Kelly Keus ◽  
Tonya Simpson
Keyword(s):  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Cognitive Complexity ◽  
Intellectual Development ◽  
Student Learning Outcomes ◽  
First Year ◽  
Final Exam ◽  
Course Content ◽  
Bachelor Of Science ◽  
Course Material ◽  
Second Year

Engaging students in metacognition can improve their learning outcomes. Students’ consideration of their learning philosophy is one way for students to be metacognitive about their learning. This study analyzed the effect of a learning philosophy assignment on students’ intellectual development and mastery of first-year biology and second-year biochemistry course content. All students were invited to complete the Learning Environment Preferences (LEP) survey at the beginning and end of the term to determine if students’ cognitive complexity was impacted by the assignment. The ability to master course content was assessed by comparing students’ midterm and final exam marks. We found that the learning philosophy assignment rescued Bachelor of Science students in the first-year biology course from a decrease in cognitive complexity. Additionally, the guided metacognition rescued second-year biochemistry students from performing poorer on the final relative to the midterm exam and promoted an increase in their cognitive complexity. These results suggest that a learning philosophy assignment may be an effective way of engaging students’ in metacognition of their learning to promote their intellectual development and mastery of course material.

scholarly journals Correlation of Preadmission Organic Chemistry Courses and Academic Performance in Biochemistry at a Midwest Chiropractic Doctoral Program*

2010 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc P. McRae
Keyword(s):  
Organic Chemistry ◽  
Academic Success ◽  
Doctoral Program ◽  
Correlation Coefficients ◽  
First Year ◽  
Final Exam ◽  
Academic Difficulty ◽  
First Semester ◽  
Course Grades ◽  
The Difference

Purpose: Organic chemistry has been shown to correlate with academic success in the preclinical years of medicine, dentistry, and graduate physiology. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between undergraduate organic chemistry grades and first-semester biochemistry grades at a Midwest chiropractic doctoral program. Methods: Students enrolled in a first-semester biochemistry course who had completed the prerequisite courses in organic chemistry offered at this same institution were entered into the study. The total grade for each of the three courses was calculated using the midterm and final exam raw scores with a weighting of 50% each. Analysis consisted of obtaining correlation coefficients between the total grades of organic 1 with biochemistry and organic 2 with biochemistry. Using the biochemistry total grade, the students were divided into quartiles and course grades for both organic chemistry 1 and 2 were calculated. Results: For the 109 students in the study, the correlation coefficient between the biochemistry and organic chemistry 1 and biochemistry and organic chemistry 2 courses was r = 0.744 and r = 0.725, respectively. The difference in organic chemistry grades between those in the first and fourth quartiles was 63.2% and 86.9% for organic chemistry 1 (p < .001) and 60.9% and 79.4% for organic chemistry 2 (p < .001). Conclusion: This study shows that organic chemistry can be used as an indicator of future academic success in a chiropractic biochemistry course. Knowledge of such a relationship could prove useful to identify students who may potentially run into academic difficulty with first-year biochemistry.

scholarly journals Implementing Concept-based Learning in a Large Undergraduate Classroom

2008 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 243-253 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Morse ◽  
France Jutras
Keyword(s):  
Student Performance ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Cell Biology ◽  
Concept Maps ◽  
First Year ◽  
Final Exam ◽  
Course Material ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Student Problem

An experiment explicitly introducing learning strategies to a large, first-year undergraduate cell biology course was undertaken to see whether awareness and use of strategies had a measurable impact on student performance. The construction of concept maps was selected as the strategy to be introduced because of an inherent coherence with a course structured by concepts. Data were collected over three different semesters of an introductory cell biology course, all teaching similar course material with the same professor and all evaluated using similar examinations. The first group, used as a control, did not construct concept maps, the second group constructed individual concept maps, and the third group first constructed individual maps then validated their maps in small teams to provide peer feedback about the individual maps. Assessment of the experiment involved student performance on the final exam, anonymous polls of student perceptions, failure rate, and retention of information at the start of the following year. The main conclusion drawn is that concept maps without feedback have no significant effect on student performance, whereas concept maps with feedback produced a measurable increase in student problem-solving performance and a decrease in failure rates.

scholarly journals “A Little Flip Goes a Long Way”—The Impact of a Flipped Classroom Design on Student Performance and Engagement in a First-Year Undergraduate Economics Classroom

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 319
Author(s):  
Nadia Singh
Keyword(s):  
Active Learning ◽  
Flipped Classroom ◽  
Traditional Classroom ◽  
Control Group ◽  
First Year ◽  
Classroom Design ◽  
Final Exam ◽  
Traditional Lectures ◽  
Undergraduate Economics ◽  
The Impact

The flipped classroom is gaining prominence as an active learning pedagogy to engage a new generation of students. However, all courses do not lend themselves to a fully flipped design and instructors are often reluctant to flip lectures due to the additional time and effort involved, especially so in case of technical subjects such as economics. This study experiments with a flipped classroom design in a first-year undergraduate economics course. The research was motivated by the fact that many undergraduate economics students do not engage with traditional lectures. They fail to acquire critical thinking, data handling and reasoning skills, which are thought to be at the core of the economics curriculum. In this flipped classroom format, traditional lectures were substituted with micro-lectures and the remaining class time was devoted to active learning pedagogies including quizzes, group work and student presentations. The full lectures were panopto recorded and put up on the e-learning site, Blackboard. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the flipped classroom format, I compared the final exam scores of students in the flipped classroom with those in the control group, which followed a traditional lecture-based approach. The key results from the analysis revealed that students in the flipped classroom performed better in the final exams vis-à-vis students in the traditional classroom format. Furthermore, students in the flipped classroom format were 1.61 times less likely to fail in the module as compared to students in a traditional classroom format. This format also resulted in better student engagement, more flexibility and enhanced student–tutor interactions within the classroom.

scholarly journals Validation Evidence from using Generalizability Theory in a Basic-Science Course

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 16
Author(s):  
Michael Peeters ◽  
M Kenneth Cor ◽  
Sai Boddu ◽  
Jerry Nesamony
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Generalizability Theory ◽  
First Year ◽  
High Stakes ◽  
Final Exam ◽  
Course Grades ◽  
Added Benefit ◽  
Acceptable Reliability ◽  
Composite Reliability ◽  
Better Than

Description of the Problem: Reliability is critical validation evidence on which to base high-stakes decision-making. Many times, one exam in a didactic course may not be acceptably reliable on its own. But how much might multiple exams add when combined together? The Innovation: To improve validation evidence towards high-stakes decision-making, Generalizability Theory (G-Theory) can combine reliabilities from multiple exams into one composite-reliability (G_String IV software). Further, G-Theory decision-studies can illustrate changes in course-grade reliability, depending on the number of exams and exam-items. Critical Analysis: 101 first-year PharmD students took two midterm-exams and one final-exam in a pharmaceutics course. Individually, Exam1 had 50MCQ (KR-20=0.69), Exam2 had 43MCQ (KR-20=0.65), and Exam3 had 67MCQ (KR-20=0.67). After combining exam occasions using G-Theory, the composite-reliability was 0.71 for overall course-grades—better than any exam alone. Remarkably, increased numbers of exam occasions showed fewer items per exam were needed, and fewer items over all exams, to obtain an acceptable composite-reliability. Acceptable reliability could be achieved with different combinations of number of MCQs on each exam and number of exam occasions. Implications: G-Theory provided reliability critical validation evidence towards high-stakes decision-making. Final course-grades appeared quite reliable after combining multiple course exams—though this reliability could and should be improved. Notably, more exam occasions allowed fewer items per exam and fewer items over all the exams. Thus, one added benefit of more exam occasions for educators is developing fewer items per exam and fewer items over all exams.

The Effects of Online Assignments and Weekly Deadlines on Student Outcomes in a Macroeconomics Course

2020 ◽  
pp. 056943452096825
Author(s):  
Laurie A. Miller ◽  
James R. Schmidt
Keyword(s):  
Student Retention ◽  
Adaptive Learning ◽  
Student Outcomes ◽  
Knowledge Retention ◽  
The Other ◽  
Student Knowledge ◽  
Final Exam ◽  
Online Assignments ◽  
Positive Effect ◽  
Jel Classifications

This study examined how weekly, externally set deadlines affected the completion of adaptive learning assignments and student outcomes in an introductory macroeconomics course. We imposed different deadline schemes for the same adaptive learning assignments in two sections of the course. One section was given flexible deadlines and the other section was given rigid weekly deadlines. We found that weekly deadlines did not affect assignment completions or total points earned on unit exams. We investigated how the adaptive learning assignments affected student retention of material. A measure of staying on pace in the course provided a positive effect on the comprehensive final exam for students with weekly deadlines. The weekly deadlines may not have influenced assignment completions but consistent engagement with the flow of topics through the course increased student knowledge retention. Regardless of deadline type, completions of adaptive learning assignments positively affected outcomes on the unit exams and final exam. JEL Classifications: A20, A22

scholarly journals An Assessment of the Effectiveness of e-learning in Corporate Training Programs

2002 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith B. Strother
Keyword(s):  
Classroom Instruction ◽  
Training Programs ◽  
Corporate Training ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Traditional Classroom ◽  
Corporate Managers ◽  
Travel Costs ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Traditional Classroom Instruction ◽  
Time Away

<P class=abstract>Corporate managers are constantly looking for more cost-effective ways to deliver training to their employees. E-learning is less expensive than traditional classroom instruction. In addition, many expenses - booking training facilities, travel costs for employees or trainers, plus employee time away from the job - are greatly reduced. However, some firms that have spent large amounts of money on new e-learning efforts have not received the desired economic advantages. </P>

scholarly journals Turning chemistry education on its head: Design, experience and evaluation of a learning-centred ‘Modern Chemistry’ subject

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 179-194
Author(s):  
Ingo Koeper ◽  
◽  
Joe Shapter ◽  
Vanessa North ◽  
Don Houston ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Flipped Classroom ◽  
Chemistry Education ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Analytical Techniques ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Initial Assessment ◽  
First Year ◽  
Learning Approaches ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Final Exam

In science courses in general, but especially in first year chemistry classes, the amount of content that is delivered is often overwhelming and too complex for the student to easily cope with. Students not only have to gain knowledge in a variety of different field, they also have to learn new laboratory skills and analytical techniques. Additionally, there is an issue with more and more information being available to everybody through the internet, while our education often still focusses on delivering that knowledge, rather than exploring ways how students can be guided to understanding and using the knowledge provided. There have been different approaches on how to make ‘dry’ scientific concepts more interesting and how enhance student engagement, ranging from problem-based learning approaches, case studies or flipped classroom models. We have recently turned a fairly classic first year chemistry course on its head. In the new structure, students are gaining knowledge and understanding purely through the completion of a range of challenges. We have removed all lectures, tutorials and the final exam, and all interaction with the student happens in the laboratory. Throughout the semester, students attempt to complete a range of challenges, both theoretical and practical, find relevant information, propose approaches to solving the challenges, and discuss these and subsequent outcomes with academic staff. In order to analyse the design, we have conducted structured interviews with students from 2016-2018. Initial assessment of the data suggests a high level of engagement of the students, paired with a better preparation of students for their subsequent studies. Students enjoyed having the freedom to choose and design their own experiments. Additionally, students improved significantly in non-content related aspects such as timemanagement, organisation, planning and self-learning, with notable impact on their learning in higher years.

scholarly journals Preparing the Next Generation of After-School Educators: College Students’ Perceived Learning and Civic Engagement Associated with the CASE Program

2010 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 27-Nov
Author(s):  
Briana M. Hinga ◽  
Joseph L. Mahoney
Keyword(s):  
Multicultural Education ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
After School Programs ◽  
After School ◽  
Civic Responsibility ◽  
First Year ◽  
School Programs ◽  
Course Material ◽  
The University ◽  
And Training

First-year evaluation findings from the University of California, Irvine Department of Education’s Certificate in After-School Education (CASE) program are reported in this paper. The goal of CASE is to promote positive youth development in diverse learners through education and training of the after-school workforce. CASE blends instruction across five, 10-week long courses with 70+ hours of fieldwork in local after-school programs (ASPs). CASE course and fieldwork enrollment, perceived understanding of course material, multicultural education, and civic interests and engagement were measured through student surveys. Students in CASE courses report higher levels of perceived course understanding (p < .01), civic responsibility (p < .01) and empowerment (p < .05) than students in the non-CASE courses. Students enrolled in CASE courses requiring fieldwork report greater perceived course understanding (p < .01) and academic engagement (p < .01) than CASE students without fieldwork. The findings suggest the program is achieving several of its early goals.

Web-Based Collateral Support for Traditional Learning

2000 ◽  
pp. 282-292 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tim Hill ◽  
Laku Chidambaram
Keyword(s):  
Distance Learning ◽  
Traditional Classroom ◽  
Traditional Learning ◽  
Web Based ◽  
User Adoption ◽  
Usage Patterns ◽  
Traditional Classroom Instruction ◽  
Multimedia Technologies ◽  
Repeated Use ◽  
The Web

The emergence of the Web and the growth of multimedia technologies offer new mechanisms to support and enhance traditional classroom instruction. This chapter reports on a field study in the use of a Web-based distance learning tool. Students enrolled in traditional classroom courses were provided with asynchronous distance learning support consisting of anytime/anyplace access to classroom lectures via the World Wide Web. The traditional classroom lectures were audio-recorded and the audio transcripts digitized, compressed and stored, along with the synchronized lecture slides, for accessing and viewing via the Web. Usage patterns were unobtrusively monitored and correlated with performance. Additionally, participants’ perceptions were collected, compiled and analyzed. The results showed that repeated use of the Web-based supplement was correlated with better overall performance in the class. They also provided some clues to the motivations of users who seek out and explore collateral Web-based support for their own individual learning. This study provides a foundation for further research and application by: 1) helping to assess the utility of collateral support for traditional instruction using Web-based media, 2) shedding light on user adoption behaviors and attitudes, and 3) identifying practical considerations in the implementation of Web-based support for distance learning.

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