Developing with the End in Mind
Redesigning Curriculum for High
Enrollment, High Risk Gateway Courses
Dr. Ronald J. Kovach
Vice President, Student Retention
American Public University System
Presented at the Inaugural Conference on Excellence in Gateway
Course Completion
Indianapolis, IN April 14-16
Presentation Agenda
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
WWYD?
American Public University System
On-line Learning
College100
Course Content and Design
Pedagogy and Andragogy
Student Success
Challenges
Scenario:
Your Faculty Senate is not pleased with either the university’s retention rate or completion rate.
As a result, this body has just mandated that ALL students must take a FYE course.
Recently, because of a high attrition rate, a new enrollment management initiative has come into play and
the university will be expanding on-line courses.
You have been charged with developing a College 100 course entirely on-line.
1. What are the challenges you are facing?
2. What considerations must go into developing such a course 100% on-line, asynchronous?
About APUS
APUS (American Military University & American Public University) one of largest online universities in U. S.
Founded in 1991 as American Military University by a retired Marine
Approximately 130,000 active students during the year 2012
Fully online
170+ online bachelors and masters degrees and certificates
Six Schools: Arts & Humanities, Business, Education, Management, Public Service & Health, Science and
Technology, Security & Global Studies
Unique Offerings include: Homeland Security, Strategic Intelligence, National Security, Emergency
Management, Military Studies, etc.
#1 provider to active duty U.S. military; a leading provider to Veterans
Majority of students are working adults
Prior Learning Experience evaluated
Undergraduate Tuition $250/credit hour - Books provided; Graduate Tuition $300/credit hour - Minimized costs
for books
Who is the First-Year Student at APUS?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Over 24
Under 24
Military
Civilian
No college
Some college
Previously online
Never online
Academically prepared
60% male
Just over 50% self-identified ethnicity as White; approx. 30% Black or African-American;
approx. 8% Hispanic or Latino
Approximately 47% self-identified as Civilian; approx. 43% Military
Nationally - The New Student Course Online
• There is little literature/research on First-Year Experience and New
Students Online.
• Over 6.7 million students taking at least one online course in Fall
2011 (Allen & Seaman, 2013)
• 32% of higher education students take at least one course online
(Allen & Seaman, 2013)
• 77% academic leaders rate the learning outcomes in online
education as same or superior to f2f (Allen & Seaman, 2013)
• Only 30% of chief academic offices believe faculty accept value &
legitimacy of online education (Allen & Seaman, 2013)
Rationale for APUS
All new undergraduate students are required to take “College
100” in their first semester
This course is critical preparation for student success
Non-completion rates were higher than desired (failures, drops &
withdrawals)
Drop-out rates are a common problem at open enrollment
schools, but APUS wanted to proactively address it
The New Student Course Online
Fully online students tend to have distinct
characteristics that necessitate varied course design and
instructional delivery
•
•
•
•
Employed full-time
Active military status
Caregiver
Geographical limitations
APUS COLL100 Faculty Demographics
49 full-time faculty
116 adjunct faculty
Some faculty teach full-time or adjunct in other academic
departments at APUS
Rank is provided sparingly
Majority are Instructors
20% hold Doctorates, remainder Masters
College 100 at APUS
College 100: Foundations for Online Learning
•
developed to introduce new students to the community of learners
•
to orientate students to the fully online university
•
to provide a foundation for successful learning as they persist in their
education
•
developed to utilize the three presences of the Community of Inquiry
Framework:
a. teaching
b. cognitive
c. social
•
incorporated effective practices of online instructional design,
pedagogy and andragogy
•
also, learning frameworks, cognitive apprenticeship, content delivery,
and copyright and ADA 508 compliance
•
delivered with techniques to foster community, learning, critical
thinking skills & academic success
College 100: Foundations of Online Learning
•
College 100 required for all students new and transfer
•
A three hour credit bearing course
•
Fully online
•
Eight weeks
•
First course at institution
•
Can waive if meet stringent requirements
•
Approximately 130 course starts each month
•
Approximately 35 students in each section on Day One of course
Course Description
College 100 is designed to provide a solid foundation for undergraduate study
in the online environment.
Students will be introduced to learning theory, the tools available in the online
classroom and campus, and online research.
Identification of personal learning style allows students to improve their
study/learning techniques and prepares them to succeed in college level
courses.
Students will be introduced to formatting and citation styles. APUS policy and
procedure is addressed.
Written communication is emphasized to assist learners in the transition to the
online environment and to support their success in their academic and
personal careers.
Course Scope
This course is designed for students who are new to APUS, may be new to
online learning, and who may or may not be new to post-secondary education
at an accredited institution of higher learning. After successful completion of
College 100 students will have:
• Investigated and developed habits of a successful online student;
• Experienced the culture of American Public University;
• Identified and used resources provided by the university to support student
success;
• Developed scholarly writing skills to include an understanding of academic
honesty and information literacy; and
• Formulated strategies for critical thinking.
Course Objectives
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Analyze, discuss, and apply the habits of a successful online student;
Examine and discuss APUS policies and procedures;
Identify major formatting and citation styles used in various programs;
Produce written assignments in accordance to APA standards;
Develop a time management plan to support academic progress and manage daily
life;
Identify personal learning and motivational styles or attributes, career orientation
traits, and demonstrate how that knowledge can be used to contribute to academic
and career success;
Discuss the concept and relevance of information literacy;
Demonstrate the ability to conduct basic research, using the online research center
and other electronic and/or library resources; and
Explain and demonstrate academic honesty and discuss its implications for
scholarly work.
Andragogy & Course Design
See RIT, Kolb, Knowles (2012 or any), Merriam & Caffarella (1999)
Graphic via http://www.t4ols.com/intuitive_learning/2009/12/learning-cycle-how-adults-learn.html
College 100
The Community of Inquiry Framework
Copied from Garrison, D. R., Anderson, T., & Archer, W. (2000). Critical inquiry in a text-based environment: Computer conference in
higher education. The Internet and Higher Education, 2(2-3), pp. 87-105.
Student Success at APUS
College 100
Fact:
If a student successfully completes College 100 there is a
higher likelihood of completing other courses
Building the Course
•
•
•
•
With the student in mind
With the literature in mind
With the learning objectives in mind
With effective instructional design for online practices
in mind
• With the Community of Inquiry (CoI) in mind
• With the LMS in mind
• With the delivery of instruction in mind
Delivery of Instruction
Design of Instruction
• The process by which instruction is improved through
the analysis of the learning needs and systematic
development of learning materials
Delivery of Instruction
• Utilization of instructional concepts, theories, and
methods to transfer knowledge to the learner
Model for COLL100 Design & Development
College 100 Success
CoI Social Presence
– Average 4.248 (scale 0-5)
CoI Cognitive Presence
– Average 4.255 (scale 0-5)
CoI Teaching Presence
– Average 4.352 (scale 0-5)
Students not required to complete survey
Full Circle: Challenges Revisited
1. What are the challenges in developing a curriculum for a gateway
course with first-time students?
2. Now, what considerations must go into developing 100% on-line,
asynchronous courses?
Thank You!
Contact Information
Dr. Ronald J. Kovach, Vice President, Student Retention,
American Public University System
Email: [email protected]
www.apus.edu