This blog focuses on my scholarship in my five research projects: learning assistance and equity programs, student peer study group programs, learning technologies, Universal Design for Learning, and history simulations. And occasional observations about life.
Two Year Colleges Experiment with MOOCs to Replace Developmental-Level Courses.
The lead story in Inside HigherEd focused on several community colleges that were experimenting with MOOCs to replace the need for offering traditional face-to-face developmental-level courses. [Click here for link to article] While experimentation with online delivery of developmntal-level courses dates back several decades, the stories features stories of community colleges developing MOOCs. Most of the attention about MOOCs has focused on large colleges and universities developing alliances with Courseara and others.
The surpirse to me is the modest funds being placed into the development of these MOOCs. There also seems pride in developing courses for the least cost. Several of the features colleges are using open educational resoucres such as Khan Academy to build their courses. Some of the courses have been developed by the instrituion, others received modest $50,000 grants from the Gates Foundation. I am old enough to remember when the Anneberg Foundation funded online courses development for PBS in the 1980s. Development costs for a single course might exceed $10 million or more.
Experimentation is a good thing. While I have great doubts about the efficacy of MOOCs (or any online instruction) to serve the needs of the least prepared students, I am even more worried to see the paucity of funding for their development. I hope the experiment does not turn into a disaster and results in lack of success for the most vulnerable of college students.
Disruptive Innovation: Embedding Learning Technology into the Classroom (Kellogg Institute Workshop)
On July 15 and 16 I presented a workshop at the Kellogg Institute on embeding learning technology within the classroom and campus learning center. Click on this link to connect with a special web page that contains all the handouts, PP slides, and web links to other resources. Most of the technologies shared are those I actually use with my gobal history course at the University of Minnesota. Others are ones that I plan to pilot text over the upcoming years.
One basic principle to remember when contemplating use of a new learning technology is a basic one, why? How will the technology help achieve student outocmes better than what is currently used? How difficult will it be for the instructor and the students to use the technology? Students have told me repeatedly that they like learning technology in the classroom as long as it is meaningful. Never make the assumtion that it is easy for students to use without tutorials and support. It is a learning curve for both the instructor and the students.
I am geeky by nature, but make a point to conduct focus groups with students before I introduce new technologies into the classroom. These focus groups often give me insights into new emerging technologies that they are using that could be adapated for use within the classroom. It has taken me a decade to add the learning technolgoies into my class, generally no more than one new thing during an academi semester. I hope you find one or two ideas to experiment with from all the materials provided through this web site. Best wishes with your work.
Embedding Universal Learning Design in the Classroom Workshop, Maricopa Community College System, June 4, 2013
On June 4th I conducted a workshop with a group of educators from the Maricopa Community College System in Arizona on how to embed Universal Learning Design in the Classroom and within Student Services. Below are links to some of the resources shared during the workshop that help explore this topic.
Click on this web link for a separate web page of all the resources shared during the conference.
Additional resources are available through a blog page maintained on this topic. The web site contains audio interviews with some peer study group leaders, links to online resources, and links to training programs from nationally-known organizations. Click on the following web link, PALgroups.
Intentional Teaching Conference, 05/22/13, Eau Claire, WI
On Wednesday May 22, 2013 th I provided an online presentation for a 2nd annual gathering of Wisconsin college developmental educators and others involved with college student success. The host institution was Chippewa Valley Technical College. The following items were referenced through the keynote and concurrent presentations and may be helpful as the reader explores this topic. Click on the web link to download.
Additional resources are available through a blog page maintained on this topic. The web site contains audio interviews with some peer study group leaders, links to online resources, and links to training programs from nationally-known organizations. Click on the following web link, PALgroups.
Models and Resources for Training Peer Study Group Leaders
On Friday, April 26th I provided an online presentation for a gathering of Wisconsin college learning center directors and others involved with college student success. The following items were referenced through the presentation and may be helpful as the reader explores this topic. Click on the web link to download.
Click on this link for a web page devoted to resources shared during this conferencesession.
Additional resources are available through a blog page maintained on this topic. The web site contains audio interviews with some peer study group leaders, links to online resources, and links to training programs from nationally-known organizations. Click on the following web link, PALgroups.
2013 David Arendale Guide to iPad Apps
Greetings,
I have updated my annotated directory of Apple iPad apps for personal and professional use. It is available by clicking on the following link, Apple iPads Apps.
This directory identifies more than 300 apps I personally use for personal use and in my history classrooms at the University of Minnesota. With more than 750,000+ apps currently available, it is focused on free apps when possible. I most often use the Apple iPad as a media consumption device rather than a generator of media. In my history class we use the iPad apps to search for global news events, display PDF readings, and access social media created by students in the classroom such as History Music Videos through Animoto and Then and Now, the audio podcast for our global history and culture course.
Best wishes with your exploration of the iPad for personal and school use. Please send me comments.
Take care, David Arendale
Annotated Bibliography Science-Related Publicaitons Involving Supplemental Instruction
Greetings,
There was a recent discussion on the LRNASST email listserv about publications that described the results of using Supplemental Instruction in science-related courses. I maintain an annotated bibliography on postsecondary peer cooperative learning programs including SI. A sort of my database revealed about 200 entries. Click on this web link to download a copy of the annotated biblioraphy. It is about 40 pages and is in the Rich Texture Format. RTF can be openned by most word processors including Word. Enjoy.