Power Point slides used the the Digital Learning Spring Conference on April 19. the session was at 10:45-11:30 am and was titled "Increasing Completion Reates by Providing Online Skills" by Dal LIttle
2. Introductions
Dal Little
Online Support Teacher for:
Sooke School District’s
- WestShore Centre for Learning
- Juan de Fuca Distributed Learning
- Byte Alternate
3. Today’s Agenda
Effectiveness of an online orientation course
Platform neutral (WebCT/Blackboard, Moodle, D2L ...)
The purpose of today's presentation is to share one
year’s worth of data from one year ago and show you
the results
Overview of WestShore Centre
WestShore Centre’s rationale, process and outcomes
Course structure and outcomes
4. Not For Sale
Learning Strategies is designed for one school
Learning Strategies is not for sale or sharing
Too much licensing (AVID content)
Must be configured like WestShore
Re-developing for new Blackboard 9.1
5. A Little Background
WestShore’s History
Started in Community Education (CE)
Adults began registering for K-12 courses leading
towards established DL delivery
Mainly online with a some blended classroom
New funding, 8-12 students (under 19 yrs) registering
School started reconfiguring to accommodate
For several years, we had some of the lowest completion
rates, i.e. 20-25 % on average
6. Background continue
WestShore Centre opened Juan de Fuca DL
Accommodating grade 8-12 students
At the time, limited choices, knowledge, services
Passionate staff wanting to make a difference
We want to change something to improve rates
DL schools were evolving, as result, each school has
developed its own way of registering students,
delivering courses and complying to the DL policies
We were told “Make do with what we have”
Our completion rate remained low
7. Issue to Investigate
We start brainstorming the problems and issues:
Clearly identify profile of referred students
Often not successful in regular settings
Not just adults, but 8-12 students were increasing
WestShore Centre is an urban school
Consider themselves IT capable, navigate a course and
do the expected work in an LMS
We also knew we had to remain within Activation Policy
We looked at the goals of what we wanted to achieve.
8. Improve Low Completion Rates
As a staff, we focused on the goals of what we wanted to
achieve:
Increase student course completion
Funding policies would dictate $$ available
Education Counselor, Bonnie, suggested designing and
developing a Board Authorized Course (BAA) to achieve
these goals and make 2 credits for funding
9. Criteria for Course
Student profiles and school issues
1 hour Orientation was insufficient preparation
(Teachers provided “How-To” and not Subject Learning Outcomes)
Too much information for most students remember
Needed time to reflect and understand online learning
(i.e. Online learning is self-management, Reading and writing basics)
Needed time to practice the mechanics of “How-To”
(i.e. Attach files, Save as .rtf, navigate course structures, students think
they know, but at home they can’t remember. Do not ask for Help!)
Needed to ensure funding was in place
Conclusion: Needed a credited course on “How-To”
10. What Learning Strategies provided
Teachers wanted to teach the material in the course.
Teachers did not want to provide a continual technical support
and administrative role
The course was to act a filter for those student who register, do
not do anything, leave, and then start again.
Establish a quality control, set the bar high at the outset
(See assignment as example)
The course needed to provide a sense of everyone being on the
same page, have a common understanding of expectations for
students and teachers
Efficient way of setting academic expectations and standards
Focused more on the process of learning and not content
First step of a path towards entering academic courses
11. Operational Configurations
o Changed the term Activation to Active Status
o each course TOC has an Active Status location (after 10%)
o attending first class of Learning Strategies is mandatory
o after completed the Learning Strategies, two weeks are
allocated for you to reach the Active Status point
o to receive textbooks/resources after reaching Active Status
o to contact the Principal or Vice-Principal if students do not
reach the Active Status in academic course
o to submit assignments regularly, with at least one submitted
assignment or a mail message each week.
12. Developed Five Units of Instruction
Unit 1 - provides an overview of what is expected of students and
what students can expect of WestShore Centre.
Unit 2 allows students to investigate their current level of
competency in online skills in the LMS (Tools)
Unit 3 allows students to review and update their knowledge and
skills using a computer and conducting basic file management
activities.
Unit 4 encourages students to determine their learning strengths
and challenges and what may be needed for them to succeed in
an online environment.
Unit 5 encourages students to extend learning skills by note-
taking, studying and understanding course material.
13. Unit 1 - Learning Outcomes
Unit 1 provides you with an overview of what is expected of
students and what students can expect of WestShore Centre.
Students will:
o Attend this Unit 1 class. It is mandatory to attend to receive critical information
o Be informed of the skills and competencies required to work independently in an
online learning environment by beginning to work through Unit 2 of this course;
o Or, challenge the course timeline by completing all the assignments and
assessments from Unit 2, 3, & 4 with 80% as quickly as you are able.
14. Unit 2 – Learning Outcomes
Unit 2 allows you to investigate your current level of
competency in online skills.
Students will:
o Get started with (login, password, global settings, configuring your home
computer to work with WebCT)
o Learn to navigate and access course content
o Understand how to use the Course Menu and Table of Contents,
Breadcrumbs, Home Page
o Use the Discussion forums, Mail Messaging, Assignments, Assessment
o Finding and completing the Orientation assignment in your academic
course(s)
o Reach Active Status in Online Learning Strategies course
15. Unit 3 - Learning Outcomes
Unit 3 allows you to review and update your knowledge and skills in using
a computer and conducting basic file management activities.
Students will:
o Identify parts of the computer
o Know the difference between input and output
o use WebCT (online learning management software)
o file saving options
o Identify file types and extensions (.doc, .rtf) to know how to ensure files will
be received in a readable format
o Know about linking, cutting, pasting of URLs for efficiency in completing
and researching assignments
o Recognize different browsers, word processor, operating systems
o Understand the difference between network vs personal computer options
16. Unit 4 – Learning Outcomes
Unit 4 encourages you to determine your strengths and challenges as a
learner and what may be needed for you to succeed in an online
course.
Students will:
o Learn guidelines to being successful as an online learner
o Prepare an outline to independently keep track of assignments
o Prepare a realistic schedule of the anticipated timeline to complete course
requirements
o Learn strategies to effectively manage time
o Learn about and become familiar with personal learning style
o Develop an awareness of strengths and weaknesses as it relates to academic
success
o Identify areas that need additional instruction to achieve 80% mastery and
schedule next session/s
17. Unit 5 – Learning Outcomes
Unit 5 encourages you to extend your methods of note-taking and
understanding course material.
Students will:
o Learn to use the Cornell System of note taking
o Learn to mark up printed material to extend your understanding
o Learn to mark up the margins to help retain information
o Understand the "Curve of Forgetting”
o Learn to use the KWL technique to reinforce long-term memory of
information
18. Completion Rate with Learning Strategies
Blue columns are for 2008/09
Red columns are for 2009/10
Compared:
•
Total of Online Students
•
Total of Blended Students
Note-Number of online students
who completed little more than
doubled. This chart includes
students completing Learning
Strategies.
19. Blue columns are for 2008/09
Red columns are for 2009/10
Compared:
•
Total of Online Students
•
Total of Blended Students
Note-Number of online students
who completed doubled. This chart
does not include students
completing Learning Strategies.
20. Summary
2008/9 stats based on 3500 course registered
2009/10 stats based on 4200 course registered
The significant change is
how much the online
completion changed - it
doubled.
The significant change is
how much the online
completion changed - it
doubled.
21. Summary
o Insisting all new students take the online orientation course
(Learning Strategies) provides:
o All students, teachers, parents and administrators with a
common understanding of what to expect
o A learning standard is set for quality of work, formatting
documents, timelines ....
o Science teachers teach science, math teachers teach math
o It is a funded, 2 credit course
o Reduced the redundant one-on-one, inconsistency in
messages and yo-yos (start, no activity, leave, restart)
22. Thank You for Attending
Dal Little
WestShore Centre
Sooke School District
Victoria, BC
250-391-9002
