Feedback: Keeping Learners Engaged Adult Student Recruitment & Retention Conference Sponsored by UW-Oshkosh; March 21-22; Madison, WI Bridget Powell, MDE, Program Manager and Online Instructor Janet Staker Woerner, PhD, Faculty Associate UW-Madison Division of Continuing Studies

What we will cover in this session University of Wisconsin-Madison Distance Education Professional Development (DEPD) Programs Role of Feedback Tools to Support Feedback Connecting the Dots Q&A

Importance of Online Learning According to Bichsel (2013), more than 80% of institutions offering at least several courses online.

Professional Distance Education Programs at UW-Madison

The Importance of Feedback

What we use FoOT: Google Docs Continuous feedback along the way Final reflection—in their own words

What we use PCOE: E-portfolio Professional portfolio to use outside of class

Insert PCOE rubric Criterion Accomplished (7-9 points) Developing (4-6 points) Beginning (1-3 points) Total Points 1. Learning objectives All or most objectives are measurable, clear, significant/relevant, and student-centered. Objectives target higher-order and lower-order thinking skills (HOTS, LOTS). Where applicable, they target necessary skills/knowledge for the online environment. Some of the objectives meet the criteria for quality. Overall, learners will understand the purpose of learning and what the measurable outcomes will be, but there may be some gaps. Objectives do not consistently reflect criteria for quality. Learners may be confused by the objectives Learner- centered design Plans account for how the online environment affects learners at a distance. Where possible, plans reflect understanding of learners' characteristics or circumstances. Plans and strategies will motivate learners and provide relevant, meaningful experiences, including opportunities to build appropriate cognitive and metacognitive skills. Plans adequately account for the effects of the online environment on learners and adequately reflect learners’ characteristics, but they may overlook important factors. Plans and strategies may connect more to some types of learners over others. Little evidence of attention to learners' characteristics or effects of distance on the learners. Rigid design that will leave many learners unmotivated and disconnected from the learning experience Active learning Plans include opportunities for interaction (with fellow learners, instructors, and/or rich content sources) and/or collaboration that support active learning. Plans include a mix of active and passive learning; some opportunities for interaction and collaboration; opportunities may lack variety. Learners will often be in a passive role with few opportunities for interaction or collaboration Interaction & Collaboration Interaction and/or collaborations are meaningful and enhance knowledge construction or skills development. Where applicable, requirements and procedures for collaboration and interaction are clearly articulated. Where applicable, collaborative activities offer opportunities for development of process skills related to the activity (communication, collaboration, etc.). Interaction and/or collaborations support knowledge construction and skills development overall, but there may be gaps in relevance or clarity re: their role in pursuing the objectives. Requirements or procedures for collaboration, or opportunities for development of process skills, could use polish or further development. Any planned interactions and/or collaborations provide little or no added value to achieving the learning objectives. May lack clarity or attention to necessary process skills required for successful participation Facilitation Facilitation plans reflect thorough understanding of the different roles involved in online instruction and are appropriate for the activities’ goals. Learners will be supported socially, cognitively and technologically by the planned facilitation. Facilitation plans reflect understanding of the roles in online instruction. Some elements may be overlooked or require different strategies. There may be gaps in the way learners feel supported. Facilitation plans reflect limited understanding of the various roles involved in online instruction, leaving learners in need of more support. 7

What we use PCOE: Spotlight Tracker Early intervention to support struggling students and provide encouragement

What learners are sharing with us “The most valuable takeaway of PCOE for me is the way the courses are designed and facilitated. The courses are thorough and well thought out. Feedback, both from peers and instructors, is meaningful and valuable. Methods used in these courses...will be applied in the future revision of my training course.” “This course has helped me develop not only as an online instructor, it has made me a more thoughtful teacher in general. I'm in my first week of this online course I've been developing, and I already see the dividends paying off for me and my students.” “Courses are highly collaborative through interactions with peers, instructional staff, and the professional and general community. Group activities and peer reviews provide learner-to-learner support for every participant. Instructional staff who are experts in online education are available to offer feedback during the program coursework and also on all stages of the ePortfolio.”

Connecting the dots Feedback: frequent, timely, and detailed Early warning for intervention Connection to instructor Enriches learning experience Promotes open communication

Q&A

Contact information Bridget Powell, MDE Program Manager and Online Instructor Janet Staker Woerner, PhD Faculty Associate

References Bichsel, Jacqueline, The State of E-Learning in Higher Education: An Eye Toward Growth and Increased Access (Research Report), Louisville, CO: EDUCAUSE Center for Analysis and Research, June 2013, available from Joyner, S. A., Fuller, M. B., Holzweiss, P. C., Henderson, S., & Young, R. (2014). The importance of student-instructor connections in graduate level online courses. Journal of Online Learning and teaching, 10(3), Ladyshewsky, R. K. (2013). Instructor presence in online courses and student satisfaction. International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 7(1), 13.