BC Online piloted alta in low succeeding, high enrollment online STEM courses. Preliminary data shows an increase in ABC-pass rates and a decrease in attrition in alta courses. In this session, the presenters will discuss the pilot, course design with alta, and using alta’s analytics to increase success. This is not a vendor lead session.
Research shows us that students who have access are more likely to succeed (Dimeno, 2017; Geit & Vignare, 2008). When defining access in the online environment, we can look at the design of the content and the technology that is the delivery method for the content (Tomasevski, 2001). At Broward College Online (BC Online) our goal is to design and deliver courses that can be accessed, understood, and used to the greatest extent possible by all students regardless of their age, ability or disability, location, or device. New courses are designed and technology is evaluated keeping universal design standards in mind. Another way to increase student access is through textbook and course material affordability efforts (Geit & Vignare, 2008; Tomasevski, 2001). In the 2017-2018 school year, BC Online saved students over $4.5 million in course material costs through the increased use of free and open textbooks and course material.
When designing courses in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), best practice shows computer-based homework for guided learning, additional practice, and feedback helps to increase student learning and success (Ford & Klicka, 1998; Glass & Sue, 2008; Shotwell & Apigian, 2015 Taylor & Mohr, 2001). Currently, the most common computer-based products come at a high cost to students. To combat this roadblock, BC Online is utilizing Knewton alta, a fully integrated adaptive learning courseware that utilizes open education resources (OER) to minimize the cost of its course materials. Alta uses real time analysis of big data to predict and identify the way the student will learn the specific content and delivers custom recommendations of content at specific learning levels. What this means is the learning content and assessments are customized to the individual learner based on student data analytics, it automatically provides differentiated instruction to each student.
Over the last year, BC Online has strategically piloted alta in specific high enrollment, high attrition, low success courses. The pilot started with 1 course in 1 section and exponentially increased to 8 courses, offering more than 70 sections for the Fall 2018 semester. Preliminary data shows significant increase in the ABC-pass rates over all of our courses and a decrease in the attrition in all courses. The initial Intermediate Algebra pilot shows alta courses have 5% higher success than all online Intermediate Algebra courses and up to 22% higher success than online Intermediate Algebra courses delivered with other publisher courseware. The initial pilot of College Algebra shows the course delivered with alta has success 20% higher than all other online College Algebra 5 offerings.
References
Dimeno, J. (2017, March 29) The OER Moment. Trail and error: Cutting textbook costs. Inside Higher Ed
https://www.insidehighered.com/system/files/media/2017%20OER%20Moment%20...
Ford, B., & Klicka, M. A. (1998). The effectiveness of individualized computer assisted instruction in basic algebra and fundamentals of mathematics courses. Newtown, PA: Bucks County Community College. Retrieved from the ERIC database. (ED428962).
Geit, C and Vignare, K. (2008) Access to education with online learning and open educational resources: Can they close the gap? Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 12(1). Retrieved from the ERIC database. (EJ837472).
Glass, J., & Sue, V. (2008). Student preferences, satisfaction, and perceived learning in an online mathematics class. MERLOT Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 4, 325-338.
Shotwell, M. & Apigian, C.H.(2015) student performance and success factors in learning business statistics in online vs. on-ground classes using a web-based assessment platform Journal of Statistics Education 23 (1), Retrieved from www.amstat.org/publications/jse/v23n1/shotwell.pdf
Taylor, J. A., & Mohr, J. (2001). Mathematics for math anxious students studying at a distance. Journal of Developmental Education, 25(1), 30-38. Retrieved from ProQuest. (228490906)
Tomasevski, K. ( 2001). Human rights obligations: making education available, accessible, acceptable, and adaptable. Lund, Sweden: Raoul Wallenberg Institute. Retrieved from: http://r2e.gn.apc.org/sites/r2e.gn.apc.org/files/B6g%20Primer.pdf
Toth, P. F. (2013). Measuring efficiency of teaching mathematics online: experiences with WeBWorK. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 89, 276-282.