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NERCOMP ANNUAL CONFERENCE Providence, RI - March 12, 2013 What Makes the Biggest Impact on Student Learning? David Mamorella Instructional Developer / Adjunct Public Speaking Professor Victoria Gurrieri, Jacqueline Warren, Dylan Buckley Students

Student Demographics  114 students surveyed  29% Sr, 40% Jr, 18% So, 12% Fr  39% Psychology Majors  23% Communication Majors  38% Other Majors

Agenda  Learning Styles  What impacts and motivates students to learn?  Classroom Environment  How can professors measure student learning?  Impact of Blackboard/Technology  Findings/Lessons Learned  Conclusion  Q&A

Learning Styles

What is the most important factor that impacts student learning?  The Professor  Textbook / Assigned readings  Class activities and assignments  Your interest level in the class  Ability to apply knowledge/skills to real world   twtpoll.com/lqnq60 twtpoll.com/lqnq60

What is the most important factor that impacts student learning?  #1 – The Professor – 52%

Teaching  “The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” -William Arthur Ward

Audience Results  twtpoll.com/lqnq60 twtpoll.com/lqnq60

What is the biggest factor that motivates you to learn/do well in a class?  The Professor  Receiving a good grade  Acquiring knowledge/skills for use in real world  Your interest level in the class  Self-fulfillment, sense of accomplishment   twtpoll.com/o2bv32 twtpoll.com/o2bv32

What is the biggest factor that motivates you to learn/do well in a class?  #1 – Receiving a Good Grade

Audience Results  twtpoll.com/o2bv32 twtpoll.com/o2bv32

Which classroom environment do you learn best in?  student-centered classroom  traditional one-way lecture  the classroom environment has little to no impact on how I learn  

Which classroom environment do you learn best in?

Interesting Finding  Communication Majors  89% student-centered classroom  11% one-way lecture  Psychology Majors  60% student-centered classroom  30% one-way lecture  10% classroom environment has no impact

Audience Results 

Follow up Question  How, or in what ways, does an interactive, engaging classroom impact your learning? OR  Does it just make the class more interesting/fun to attend?

Student Comments  Captures my attention  Helps me understand and retain information longer  Getting me involved makes me want to come to class, makes me want to participate.  Encourages me to voice my opinion  We, as in students, have a short attention span, so it helps keep us awake.

Student Comments  Encourages me to not only learn but also do well in classes.  I am able to hear what others have to say as well as how my opinions relate/differ from my peers.  Makes a more comfortable learning environment  Gives you a sense of responsibility and belonging

My Teaching Strategy  Arrange seats in U-shape  Build community  Get students to know one another  Post picture/brief bio on Blogs  Minimal “lecturing”  Class time – Informal, interactive speaking activities and discussions, short video clips

Community Building Activities  Fun but serve a purpose  Nonverbal  Impromptu  The HOTSEAT

What are the most effective ways professors can measure student learning?  multiple-choice / short answer tests  written assignments / papers  oral presentations  pre/post quizzes  student created projects/products  student evaluations of the professor/course  surveys  student self-assessments  

What are the most effective ways professors can measure student learning?

Surface Learning  If multiple-choice testing = memorization and recall of information which is often forgotten by students shortly after the course has ended, then what’s the point?  Numerous studies at several universities world-wide found that students became stronger surface learners in college and not deep learners.

My Public Speaking class Deep Learning Assignments  Survey Presentation  Debate  Ceremonial Speech  Student Self-Assessments  Students watch themselves on video

Student Self-Assessments  Self-assessments are invaluable  Goal of my class: Confidence  How do I measure confidence?

Surveys  iclickers  surveymonkey.com  twtpoll.com

Audience Results 

Do you expect professors to use Blackboard or technology to some extent in the classroom?

Does the professor’s use of technology improve your learning?

Key Point  Technology does not teach students - effective teachers do.  How will incorporating technology improve/enhance teaching and learning?  Why is this a Bad Podcast?

Advantages of using Blackboard  95% Viewing course content  94% Viewing your grades/feedback  72% Communicating with the professor and students  62% Submitting assignments/tests

Weaknesses/Disadvantages of Blackboard  45% - Technical difficultiesTechnical difficulties  42% - We had a Blackboard site but the professor rarely used it.  30% - Professor’s inexperience with using Blackboard

What Blackboard communication tools do you find useful / not useful?  Useful, if used 99% Announcements 84% /Messages 76% Calendar 73% Discussion Board 60% Groups 56% Journal 54% Wiki 52% Chat 46% Blogs

What Blackboard communication tools have you never used?  Never Used 77% Chat 75% Wikis 63% Blogs 60% Journals 59% Groups 51% Calendar

How does participating in a required online discussion impact your learning?  35% - Never participated in an online discussion

Findings / Lessons Learned  It’s not what you take, it’s who you take  Motivation - Receiving a Good Grade  Student-Centered Classroom preferred  MC/Short answer tests were most beneficial; written assignments a close 2 nd  Surface Learning vs Deep Learning

Findings / Lessons Learned  Students have different learning preferences that vary based on major  Blackboard  Students expect professors to use it  It’s helpful and improves learning  Required Online Discussions - mixed results Further research needed

Findings / Lessons Learned  A much larger sample size from a cross- range of majors is needed.  It would be interesting to compare results of student learning across majors.

Conclusion

 "Ask not what your students can do for you - ask what you can do for your students"

Questions?  David Mamorella  Victoria Gurrieri  Jacqueline Warren  Dylan Buckley