Spreading Calculus To The World: May 2014

Assessment: http://ed.ted.com/on/q5eU4KuY
I created an assessment using TedEd (http://ed.ted.com/) which allows you to build a video assessment around any TedEd original, Ted Talk, or YouTube video. The purpose of this particular assessment would be used as an introduction to matrices and matrix operations in an online finite math class. A link to the assessment would be posted on the discussion board. Students would follow the link to watch a TedEd original video (just under five minutes long) and then answer five multiple choice and two short answer questions. Students log-in to the TedEd site so that the instructor can track student activity, scores, and offer feedback.
The TedEd original videos come with some pre-written questions, but instructors can modify these questions or write their own in either a free response or multiple choice format (15 question limit). There are also links to additional resources for students to dig deeper into the topics mentioned. While there are some great Ted videos available, another way to use this would be to create your own video using a free program like Screencast-o-matic, upload to YouTube, and then create a TedEd lesson using your own video and creating assessment questions. I first heard about TedEd in another ION course, but this is my first time actually trying it out.

Develop one short online assessment on one aspect of a) this course OR b) from your own online, web-enhanced, or blended course, using one CAT technique. Briefly justify why you think the techniques you used are appropriate means of assessment. What purpose(s) for assessment does your CATs serve in an online or blended course? When would it be appropriate to introduce (before, during, or after instruction)? How (if any) are the purpose(s) different than in face-to-face classrooms? How will you use the results? What kind of feedback, if any, will you provide the students? How difficult will the CATs be to administer?

(I found this site helpful "50 CATs by Angelo and Cross": http://pages.uoregon.edu/tep/resources/newteach/fifty_cats.pdf )
I chose a CAT from the category of Assessing Skill in Problem Solving called What's the Principle where student's identify the principle to solve problems of various types. I am continuing with the course that I used for the assignment in the first module, a new online course that I am teaching for the first time this fall.
Course: Finite Mathematics (fully online)
CAT: "What's the Principle?" Students will be given four different problems from the chapter on the mathematics of finance. For each problem the student will first identify if the problem is involving a single payment or a sequence of payments. If they chose single payment, they will identify if it is simple interest or compound interest. If they choose a sequence of payments, they will identify if the problem is looking for future value of an ordinary annuity or present value of an ordinary annuity. Last, they will select the formula that corresponds to that type of problem. (For example if they selected single payment and simple interest, then they will select A=P(1+rt) as the appropriate formula). The student will not be asked to solve any of the problems, just identify the problem type and correct formula. The four problems will include one of each of the four problem types.
When: I would use this CAT after each of the four problem types had been introduced, before we got to a chapter test.
Results: I would like to set this up as a multiple choice assignment in the LMS so that students get instant feedback when they submit their results. Then, after all have submitted I would post a link on the discussion board for a video explanation (created using Screencast-o-matic) detailing what about each problem helps us to determine the problem type, and then solve the problem using the appropriate formula. Using the discussion board allows students to ask further questions if anything is still unclear. If there is one problem type that students are missing with more frequency, I would adjust instruction for the next semester to emphasize what in the problem statement helps us to identify that problem type.
F2F vs online: I think that this assessment would work well for either an online or f2f course. In a f2f, I would probably do it on paper in class rather than in the LMS.

Provide real-life examples of instructor feedback on formative versus summative assessment activities. How do they differ? Please use online examples. Look the Feedback: The Flip Side of Assessment presentation and the Seven Principles for Good Feedback for ideas.
University of London’s Good Practice Guide on Assessment and Feedback to Students states: “Feedback should encourage students to think about their work and how it might be improved. For feedback to be most effective, students need to be encouraged to act upon it.” This applies to both formative and summative feedback.
In “Focus on Formative Feedback”, Shute defines formative feedback as “information communicated to the learner that is intended to modify the learners thinking or behavior for the purpose of improving learning”. This is feedback that is happening throughout the learning process. Examples of this could include informing the learner about the correctness of his or her response, guiding the learner with hints, giving the learner the correct response, or flagging where in a problem an error was made. (See p. 30-32 for a list of 31 guidelines for formative feedback.) “Feedback: The Flip Side of Assessment” describes using formative feedback as “glow and grow comments”. Examples could include praising their contributions to the discussion forum that week and making suggestions for how they could improve as the module moves forward by working ahead of deadlines and allowing for more time for others to comment. Summative feedback then occurs at the end of the module or unit and is more driven by the grade or score for the unit and the final appraisal of performance. This could include letting students know their grade for a final project or test over the module and explaining why they received this score. Even at this point in the learning process, learners should be encouraged to act on the feedback they receive whether it is in the form of a reflection or through test corrections to rework missed problems.
In my own online classroom, some formative feedback takes place through the interactive homework system. When students enter an answer to a worked problem they are immediately given feedback. If the answer is correct they are given praise such as "good job" or "fantastic". If the answer is incorrect, they are first given a hint as to why the problem is incorrect and allowed to attempt the problem again. If they answer incorrectly three times they are then shown their answer and the correct answer. Formative feedback also takes place on the discussion board through my response to their posts, either offering correction, providing links to additional online resources, or praise for sharing a great thought/solution/resource. Summative feedback is given after each major test in the form of an email. Students are told their grade on the test, their current grade in the course, and suggestions of improvements for the next phase of the course either in terms of content that is not yet mastered or study skills.

Question C - Cheating: Many educators are concerned about students cheating on online quizzes and tests. How can instructors minimize or eliminate cheating through test preparation and administration and selection of assessment methods? Address issues of how students can cheat and what instructors can do when cheating occurs. Examples of issues to consider include the following. When are secure and/or proctoring systems appropriate to use? How are these issues addressed at your respective institutions? What about the use of mobile devices to cheat on web-enhanced tests? How can an online instructor address plagiarism issues before they happen? Is cheating an issue in your online courses? Why or why not? The Cheating in the Digital Age paper is a good place to start researching this topic. The Promoting Online Academic Integrity in Online Education report, ION's Strategies to Minimize Cheating Online webpage, and Foothill's Prevent Cheating webpage are also good resources to review.
An article in The Chronicle titled "The Shadow Scholar" started an interesting discussion on cheating in online courses at my school a few years ago. This story was written by someone who makes $60,000 a year writing custom papers for students in online classes. A more recent article "Cheating Goes High-Tech" discusses how students use technology to cheat as well as how technology is being used to work to stop cheating, including those like The Shadow Scholar. One consultant in the article was quoted as saying "There is no shortage of weak assessments". And I think that this is our best defense to cheating, for classes in all formats - a good offense. Creating assessments that do not lend themselves well to cheating and creating an environment where there is a high quantity and variety of quality assessments. Course where the grades are based on just a a few test grades or a small number of papers, leave more opportunity for students to hire a "Shadow Scholar" or get someone to take an exam for them or help them take an exam.
These are some of the strategies that I use in my online college algebra class. Their final grade is based on 14 discussion forums, 29 online homework assignments, 10 online quizzes, 4 online tests, and 2 proctored exams. These assignments are released at set times throughout four different modules so that it is not possible to work way ahead or complete large numbers of the assignments in one sitting. The quizzes and tests are timed, created from large pools of algorithmically changed problems that are given to the students in a random order, and must be completed in one sitting. Students cannot see the questions missed or review the quiz/test until after the due date. Proctored exams are given on campus or at a college/university testing center where photo ids can be checked and compared to course roster photos. These proctored exams also count for 50% of the overall course grade and are written, show-your-work exams. All of these strategies help to minimize, though probably not eliminate, cheating. For me, the biggest deterrent to cheating is the use of a proctored exam, especially in my subject area of mathematics. While you may be able to find someone to do your online work or use an app or website such as WolframAlpha, those tools will not help you when you sit down to take the high stakes midterm and final exam. At my school, the math department is unique in its use of proctored exams for online courses, but it is one thing that gives me peace of mind that the student getting credit can truly meet the course outcomes.

Spreading Calculus To The World

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

SA1421: TedEd Assessment Example

SA1421: Discussion Posts

SA1421: Module 4 - Designing an Assessment Report

SA1421: Module 3 - Evaluating Assessment Activities