Innovative digital learning technologies, courseware and pedagogy were used to design a ‘blended learning environment’. A learner-centered pedagogy helps keep post-millennial students engaged and committed to their learning. Results show improved student success, including the % of high performers and positive student survey comments.
The project involves incorporation of digital technology to create a 'blended curriculum' to improve learning outcomes and retention in an introductory anatomy and physiology (A&P) 'gateway' course for allied health science majors.
Transitioning to a larger class size with students from multiple majors resulted in higher attrition rate (~25% in 2011), highlighting a critical need to improve student preparedness, learning outcomes and retention. A new paradigm in digital pedagogy and structural change was required to address the barrier of inadequate student success rate.
'Connect' courseware (McGraw Hill) has been adopted as a cost-effective, flexible way to improve student preparedness through out-of-classroom online activities and use in-class time to expand on difficult concepts. Pre-lecture SmartBook reading coupled with adaptive assessment/learning and post-lecture online interactive homework and quizzes engage students in self-assessment. This model allows each individual student to progress at his or her own speed through the course materials, which are tagged with Bloom’s taxonomy levels. Furthermore, students can engage with remediation resources until they have achieved their desired level of success. The analytics from the adaptive learning platform help tailor in-class teaching and discussions to meet areas of student need. In the A&P laboratory, students use a courseware-specific digital cadaver program with layering technology (to explore the anatomy of deep structures) and a proprietary digital data acquisition system to engage in hands-on physiological experiments. Collectively, these technological implementations within the context of a blended curriculum model have incrementally improved student success and retention in A&P over the years (as evidenced by lower attrition, increased % of high performers, and performance on national board exams). Future directions of this implementation may include the development of a lecture and laboratory ‘bridge’ curriculum including the use of digital anatomical models and simulations and fostering collaborative learning through peer-to-peer interactions using student Q&A/communication platform.
In this interactive presentation audience participation is highly encouraged in the form of discussions, Q&A, pedagogical design and some hands-on activity.