1. 9th February 2018 David Doyle IT Sligo
Using technology to improve assessment and engagement in Maths & other subjects
9th February 2018
David Doyle IT Sligo

2. Overview
Engagement Using technology to increase engagement with Maths in IT Sligo Assessment TEAM project – Using technology to improve the assessment of students in laboratory & practical settings.

3. Using technology to increase engagement with Maths in IT Sligo

4. IT Sligo
300+ First year Science students (fulltime) 120 Second years (full time) 80+ Students in Industry (part time – online completely) Approximately, 500 unique students each year. (400 per semester) About % are mature students – often not having engaged with maths for 20+ years. These are the students the modules are designed for.

5. Videos
Slides prepared using Powerpoint, Equations by MathType software Writing over slides using a graphic tablet & stylus Voice recorded using external or internal laptop mic All this screen and audio activity is recorded using “screencast” software. Camtasia/Panopto/several others…. This software creates video files in several formats suitable for download/ Youtube etc.

7. Video - students
Students record their own video using their phone/tablet either as a group or individual project and submit as part of their coursework.
This has a wide scope of application and our project encountered several inventive uses of this
As a preparatory lesson recorded for other students
To discuss their results of a project
Instead of a class presentation…..

8. Moodle – Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)
Moodle is like a “virtual schoolbag” for the student. Each module (maths 1, biology 1, physics 1 etc.) has a page and teaching staff can store everything the student needs for the module on this page. Moodle is open source software…. Continually improving and essentially free to use

9. Moodle quizzes
Each topic in a module has 1 – 3 quizzes. Each quiz has a question bank comprising of 40 – 500+ questions. The quiz engine randomly selects 10 questions for each quiz attempt.

10. Moodle quizzes

11. There are a huge variety of question types possible in Moodle
Moodle quiz options
There are a huge variety of question types possible in Moodle
Multiple choice
Calculated
Numerical
CodeRunner
PoodLL Recording
Drag and drop into text
Select missing words
Drag and drop onto image
Short answer
Embedded answers (Cloze)
True/False
Essay
Wiris for Maths & Science
Matching

12. Wiris – Maths & Science
One base question can have the numbers change continually – so the questions are always “the same but different”

13. Wiris – Maths & Science
For algebraic answers (those with x, x2 etc.) students must “build” their answer e.g. Rather than choosing from multiple choice answers

14. Lessons learned
Some marks have to be awarded to get traction. Deadlines work well in getting early and consistent effort. Keep workload manageable and consistent From a Maths perspective – quizzes test technique and knowledge – other methods are required to test the students understanding and application of these.

15. Other learning activities
Our fulltime students also have
Lectures (development of the theory)
Quizzes (practice the techniques)
Maths practical sessions (application of the theory – weekly worksheets recorded in a journal with guidance from tutors)
Maths drop in Clinic (12 hours/wk)

16. Online classroom – “Adobe Connect”
“Adobe Connect” allows you to create a “virtual classroom” where you can interact with your students from afar. Features: Essentially the same as a live classroom (depending on budget) Very effective with small tutorial type situations. All sessions can be recorded and posted online for students who’ve missed the class and for revision purposes.

17. Online classroom

18. Online students - flipped classroom
Applied Maths 100% online delivery “Flipped classroom” – content first, then tutorials Very successful module 2 programmes: Good Manufacturing Practice (Irish pharma companies) Applied Medical Science (UK & NI students with University of Ulster)

19. Rubrics

20. Rubrics

22. Edel Healy Moira Maguire Ronan Bree Don Faller Nuala Harding
Anne Mulvihill
David Dowling
Gina Noonan
Dina Brazil
Yvonne Kavanagh
School of Health & Science
Jeremy Bird
Akinlolu Akande
David Doyle

23. TEAM project
Collaboration : Dundalk IT, IT Sligo, IT Carlow and Athlone IT Funding: National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in higher education. Brief: How can we use digital technologies to promote assessment for learning in practical settings? To date: 59 Pilot projects completed 50 academic staff involved across 45 Programmes 1,481 unique students engaged in these

24.
Capacity building among staff and students too (assessment literacy)

25. Thank you
Questions?