Simplify! 1 Frank Vahid Prof. of CS&E, Univ. of California, Riverside Alex Edgcomb Research Specialist, Univ. of California, Riverside Both also with zyBooks.com Simplifying college course organization so students can get back to learning Nov. 12, 2015 © 2015 Frank Vahid / Alex Edgcomb -- UCR / zyBooks

Students X X X X X X X Nov. 12, 2015 © 2015 Frank Vahid / Alex Edgcomb -- UCR / zyBooks 2

Take students like Vanessa, who do moderately well on standardized tests — scoring between 1,000 and 1,200 out of 1,600 on the SAT. If those students come from families in the top-income quartile, they have a 2 in 3 chance of graduating with a four-year degree. If they come from families in the bottom quartile, they have just a 1 in 6 chance of making it to graduation. © 2015 Frank Vahid / Alex Edgcomb -- UCR / zyBooks Nov. 12, 20153

“It used to be...” Nov. 12, 2015 © 2015 Frank Vahid / Alex Edgcomb -- UCR / zyBooks Homework Questions  (Bookstore) 4

Today Nov. 12, 2015 © 2015 Frank Vahid / Alex Edgcomb -- UCR / zyBooks Buy or rent? New or used? Company or private? Delivery option? What if not received? Electronic version? Access key issues Platform issues Old edition free pdf? Skip entirely? 5 Our data: 30% don’t acquire

Other costs increased too Nov. 12, 2015 © 2015 Frank Vahid / Alex Edgcomb -- UCR / zyBooks Source: Collegeboard.org 6

Today Nov. 12, 2015 © 2015 Frank Vahid / Alex Edgcomb -- UCR / zyBooks Buy or rent? New or used? Company or private? Delivery option? What if not received? Electronic version? Access key issues Platform issues Old edition free pdf? Skip entirely? Login Announcements Access / digest Univ / private account Excessive s Spam Discussion board All above plus… Required / optional posts Participation reqs Public / private posts Another login (Piazza) Assignments / quizzes Class calendar PowerPoint slides Wikis Peer grading Videos (lectures, supplements) Gradebook monitoring Other posted items LMS / Web Homework systems WebAssign, MyXYZLab, etc. Login Grade transfer Platform issues Clickers Longer docs No cost Ex: 14-page syllabus More? 7

Modern design: Simplify It’s not done when nothing more can be added. It’s done when nothing more can be removed. © 2015 Frank Vahid / Alex Edgcomb -- UCR / zyBooks 8Nov. 12, 2015

Example © 2015 Frank Vahid / Alex Edgcomb -- UCR / zyBooks 9Nov. 12, 2015

Course design – Simplify! 1.Recognize the problem Put self in student’s shoes 2.Build with less “stuff” Book(s): Require? Free? Integ. hk/lab? Minimize logins / postings / req. items (keep quality – bang for the buck) 3.Reduce: Spend effort! Remove stuff / text / announcements. Less is more. Nov. 12, 2015 © 2015 Frank Vahid / Alex Edgcomb -- UCR / zyBooks Important: For Monday, everyone should do Sections 1.1 – 1.9 in the textbook before lecture starts at 8:30 a.m. Also, I would like everyone to bring the textbook to lecture because we plan to use it during class. Do Sec 1.1 – 1.9 by 8:30a Mon. Bring textbook to lecture. 10

Start with syllabus Strive for 1 page Nov. 12, 2015 © 2015 Frank Vahid / Alex Edgcomb -- UCR / zyBooks 11

Assignments Nov. 12, 2015 © 2015 Frank Vahid / Alex Edgcomb -- UCR / zyBooks Remove extraneous requirements Simplify submission process Focus learning objectives 12

Example UCR Intro to Computer Science (C++) –1-page syllabus Was 4 Concise wording, less unnecessary text –Single gdoc folder with all materials Was on blackboard, piazza, adobe connect Syllabus, lecture recordings, past exams, etc. –Integrated textbook/homework/labs in single “zyBook” Was book, plus hk system, plus lab system Students just “Do Chpt 1” All due dates also integrated (was in gcalendar) –Delayed / removed items Intro to C++ environment (3 rd week) Discussion of academic dishonesty (4 th week) Removed weekly course surveys (low value) –Minimize # and length of announcements Previously 2-page “welcome letter”, 1-2 announcements/week –Required attendance Removes a tough decision for young students Nov. 12, 2015 © 2015 Frank Vahid / Alex Edgcomb -- UCR / zyBooks 13

Reduced student stress (1 of 2) Not simplifiedSimplifiedp-value I enjoy the class < I am often anxious about the class I spend a lot of time in the class figuring out system issues rather than learning programming I have looked for class info but couldn’t find it Nov. 12, 2015 © 2015 Frank Vahid / Alex Edgcomb -- UCR / zyBooks 14 Participants in all online course (UCR CS Intro to Computer Science) Anonymous responses; different instructor Not simplified: 87 (Spring’15) Simplified: 71 (Fall’15) 6-point scale (6 = Strongly agree; 0 = Strongly disagree) Higher is better Lower is better

Reduced student stress (2 of 2) Nov. 12, 2015 © 2015 Frank Vahid / Alex Edgcomb -- UCR / zyBooks 15 Not simplifiedSimplifiedp-value I enjoy the class < This class is an appropriate amount of work per week for the number of units < The number of tools and websites for this class are somewhat overwhelming < I have looked for class info but couldn’t find it I have missed a deadline because I thought it was another time < Participants in traditional course (UCR CS Intro to Computer Science) Same instructor Not simplified: 109 (Spring’15) Simplified: 261 (Fall’15) Higher is better Lower is better

Examples StraighterLine Intro to Programming in C++ –Asynchronous, self-paced course Topic 1: Do chp 1, do assignment 1, then do quiz 1 Topic 2: …... Final exam UCR Engineering 1 –Single gdoc for entire course Nov. 12, 2015 © 2015 Frank Vahid / Alex Edgcomb -- UCR / zyBooks 16

Simplifying More ideas? Summary –Course organization has become complex Detracts from academic content –Put self in student’s shoes / Build minimized courses (bang for the buck) / Spend time reducing Nov. 12, 2015 © 2015 Frank Vahid / Alex Edgcomb -- UCR / zyBooks Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication Leonardo da Vinci 17