Enhancing Student-Centered, ProjectBased Learning through a Blended
Learning Model
Jamie Rogers
Associate Professor - Institute of
Engineering
Co-Coordinator of Experiential
Learning
Value of Blended Learning
I define blended learning as a learning strategy combining online
learning outside of class with face-to-face interaction during class.
• Allows face-to-face interaction to be more studentcentered
• Online content is available 24/7 so students can learn at
their own pace in an environment of their choice
• Provides instructor the freedom to work one-on-one with
students
• Enables students and instructor to focus on
gaps/weaknesses in their understanding
• Frees up classroom time for project-based, hands-on
experiences
Introduction to Engineering Course
• Required course taken primarily by freshman Engineering
Physics majors
• Breadth of content is substantial
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Engineering Analysis tools (Microsoft Excel, Matlab, Mathcad)
Engineering Design Process
Engineering Ethics
Engineering Economics
Safety
Engineering disciplines and career opportunities
• Course includes 2 team projects, a group presentation
and group activities/projects using microcontrollers
Blended Learning Model in EGR 101
• Goal of model is to maximize number of face-toface interactions that avoid standard lecture and
instead involve experiential learning
opportunities such as:
– Hands-on projects
– Individual or group problem solving with faculty
assistance
– Student presentation and/or discussion
• Still need to provide necessary fundamental
content to facilitate successful face-to-face
interactions.
Model Strategies
• Video with necessary background content for
experiential activity is recorded using Tegrity
or Camtasia
• Video is uploaded to YouTube and linked within
Canvas LMS
• Quizzes are given within Canvas to assure
students watch video before class
• Instructions/Guidelines for the experiential activity
are provided in PDF format within Canvas
• Class time is dedicated to completing assigned
experiential activity
• Student TAs are employed to increase opportunity
for interaction
Before/After Blended Learning
Before Blended Learning
After Blended Learning
89% (39 of 44) of class sessions
employed a lecture format
18% (8 of 44) of class sessions
employed a lecture format
Students first practice using software
tools was on homework
Students complete examples in class
with instructor or TA immediately
available
Students had to attend office hours to Students can still attend office hours
receive help on homework (could
but can also connect with instructor
also email)
online using Blackboard Collaborate
Hands-on activities were limited to 2
projects
Addition of microcontroller activities
which were made feasible because of
blended learning
End of course surveys requested
more hands-on projects and time to
work on them
End of course surveys praise handson activities and projects
Canvas LMS
• Canvas Learning Management System is the foundational tool in
providing model
• Course is setup just like an online course
(https://murraystate.instructure.com/courses/1181726)
• Each Week is separated with each day having a content page. All
videos and instructions are given within the content page.
• Quizzes and/or assignments related to that day are listed directly
below.
• Course controls can be used to force students through content in
order (I use these for online only but not for blended courses).
• Quizzes are automatically graded within Canvas and scores posted
in the Gradebook.
• Homework is assigned within Canvas. All software based
homework is uploaded to Canvas for grading.
• A video introducing the instructor and describing how Canvas will be
used throughout the semester is the first item students see.
Asynchronous Online Content
• Videos are recorded using Tegrity
• Tegrity recordings are uploaded to
YouTube with the click of a button
• YouTube videos are provided as links
within the course content page on Canvas
Synchronous Online Interaction
Blackboard Collaborate Module within Canvas
can be used for Online “Office Hours”
Voice or Video chat
Application Sharing
Great for helping with
software like Excel
Text chat
To Quiz or Not To Quiz
• Model is most effective if students complete
content before class
• How do I know if my students are actually
coming to class prepared?
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Course Analytics
Quizzes
Pre-class assignment
Discussion board
Other motivation
• I have found quizzes to be the most effective
method (supported by survey results)
Student Attitudinal Survey
• Survey focused on 2 main areas where model is
used: Microcontroller Activities & Software Tools
• Surveys asked if video content was helpful and
considered if/how students were motivated to
watch it before class
– Quizzes were given for the Microcontroller Activities
– For the software tools, students completed examples in
class and were allowed to leave when done so leaving
early was motivation to be prepared.
• A scale of (4) Strongly Agree, (3) Agree, (2)
Disagree, (1) Strongly Disagree was used. 20 of
51 students completed survey.
Student Attitudinal Survey
Question
The videos on Canvas were helpful in preparing for the
microcontroller activities.
Average Response
3.20
I consistently (75% or more of the time) watched the video
before coming to class to work on the microcontroller
activities.
18 Yes, 2 No
The quizzes for the Arduino Activities were directly related
to the videos
3.70
In order to ensure a 100% on the microcontroller quiz, I
needed to watch the video
14 Yes, 6 No
The videos on Canvas were helpful in learning software
tools like Excel, Matlab and Mathcad.
3.35
I consistently (75% or more of the time) watched the video
before coming to class to work on software tools.
15 Yes, 5 No
Being able to complete the examples quickly in class and
leaving early motivated me to watch the software videos.
4 Yes, 16 No
Conclusions
• Model works well in project-based course
like Introduction to Engineering
• Both instructor and students enjoy class
interactions facilitated by blended model
• Questions
– Can this be done in courses where scientific
concepts and problem solving is the focus
(vast majority of STEM courses)?
– To what extant?
– What other strategies are necessary?
An Interesting Graph!!
• Brain activity of an MIT
student during a typical
week
• Notice similarity
between Class and TV
• Video may not be most
effective tool for
blended learning
Graph from Swenson, N.C., and R.W. Picard, with Ming-Zher
Poh. “A Wearable Sensor for Unobtrusive, Long-Term
Assessment of Electrodermal Activity.” Biomedical
Engineering, IEEE Transactions On 57.5 (2010) : 1243-1252.
Copyright © 2010, IEEE
Future Work
• Blended Learning / Flipped Classroom in an
engineering problem solving course
• Use best practices used and presented by Dr. Eric
Mazur at Harvard and Dr. Steve Yalisove at the
University of Michigan
– Use of textbook reading and collaborative notation
instead of video (nb.mit.edu)
– Facilitated problem solving and projects during class
time
– Lecture only when students are motivated to learn a
concept
Discussion
• What experiential learning activity would you like to
spend class time on?
• Is blended learning a model that would work to provide
more class time for it?
– What content can be learned outside of class?
– How is this content best learned?
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Video
Textbook Reading
Online discussion
Interactive textbook reading (nb.mit.edu)
– What technology is available currently on your campus to
support blended learning?
– What extra technology might you need? Where can you find
funding for it?