1. Course Transformation at KU
Course Redesign Workshop for faculty
One semester
Support for hybrid and online courses
Disciplinary teaching specialist
Help research and implement active learning and evidence-based learning models
Geology, Psychology, Theater, Engineering, Biology, Math, Chemistry
Three-year postdoctoral positions
Increased human resources in and out of classroom
Undergraduate assistants (LAs)
Graduate assistants
In Geology 101 I took a course redesign workshop that was mainly focused on online transformation of courses. The following semester the University hired two post doctoral teaching specialists one in Biology and one in Geology facilitate active learning in the classroom. We also had increased teaching assistants that quadrupled the instructor to student ratio.

2. Geology 101: The Way the Earth Works 300 students; 30% majors/Engineers; distribution requirement in Natural Science
Transmissionist Approach
Constructivist Approach
(e.g. Flipped)
Four in-class, multiple choice exams; lowest score dropped.
Comprehensive Final Exam
Weekly quizzes assess outside reading comprehension.
Dedicated groups work through problems during class time, many of them based in GoogleEarth.
iClicker Questions during class spark discussion and identify student misconceptions.
Writing intensive out-of-class group projects.
2-Stage Exams
Make comparison. Grading is less focused on exams. Alleviates stress on those with test anxiety.

3. Student Performance
Success in GEOL 101 was related directly to effort.
In-class assignments make attendance necessary.
Numerically impossible to pass the course if students do not attend class.
Animate

4. Learning Outcomes—B.S. in General Geology
Students will be able to identify major rock and mineral types, will be able to describe the conditions under which each of them formed and, using this information, will be able to draw conclusions about the geological history of a region.
Students will be able to apply spatial and temporal reasoning, physics, chemistry and biology to understand Earth systems, cycles and the role of humans in geologic processes.
Animate
90% of Geology majors and Petroleum Engineers and 85% of non-majors met learning outcomes at basic or Intermediate level.

5. Narrowing the Gap: Gender
Females comprise ~30% of the class irrespective of teaching format.
Women decrease their %DFW by 8.5 % when class format was ”flipped”, while female first year students decreased their rate by 10.4% (significant to 95% confidence).

6. Narrowing the Gap: Underrepresented Minorities
%URM in the course increased from 11% to 18% of the class (before/after flipped format was introduced; significant to 95% confidence)
%DFW decreased by 7% when the flipped format was introduced (within 90% confidence).
Consistent with major demographics which increased from 3% to 21% over the same period (all KU undergraduates=14%)

7. Flipped Courses and Degree Assessment
All 100-level courses are flipped or have significant active-learning content.
Slow trickle-up to other major courses—but bad habits persist.