1. Copyright  Copyright David Mamorella 2013. This work is the intellectual property of the author. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the author.

2. 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 http://www.albany.edu/faculty/dmamorella https://twitter.com/UAlbanyNercomphttp://www.albany.edu/faculty/dmamorellahttps://twitter.com/UAlbanyNercomp

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

4. 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

5. Learning Styles

6. 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  http://www.albany.edu/faculty/dmamorella http://www.albany.edu/faculty/dmamorella  twtpoll.com/lqnq60 twtpoll.com/lqnq60

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

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

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

10. 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  http://www.albany.edu/faculty/dmamorella http://www.albany.edu/faculty/dmamorella  twtpoll.com/o2bv32 twtpoll.com/o2bv32

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

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

13. 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  http://www.albany.edu/faculty/dmamorella http://www.albany.edu/faculty/dmamorella  http://twtpoll.com/evoiqj http://twtpoll.com/evoiqj

14. Which classroom environment do you learn best in?

15. 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

16. Audience Results  http://twtpoll.com/evoiqj http://twtpoll.com/evoiqj

17. 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?

18. 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.

19. 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

20. 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

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

22. 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  http://www.albany.edu/faculty/dmamorella http://www.albany.edu/faculty/dmamorella  http://twtpoll.com/0b68g3 http://twtpoll.com/0b68g3

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

24. 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.

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

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

27. Surveys  iclickers  surveymonkey.com  twtpoll.com

28. Audience Results  http://twtpoll.com/0b68g3 http://twtpoll.com/0b68g3

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

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

31. 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? http://www.albany.edu/faculty/dmamorella/badpodcast.mp3 http://www.albany.edu/faculty/dmamorella/badpodcast.mp3

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

33. 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

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

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

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

37. 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

38. 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

39. 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.

40. Conclusion

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

42. Questions?  David Mamorella dmamorella@albany.edu  Victoria Gurrieri vgurrieri@albany.edu  Jacqueline Warren jmwarren@albany.edu  Dylan Buckley dbuckley@albany.edu http://www.albany.edu/faculty/dmamorella https://twitter.com/UAlbanyNercomp