Let’s talk about how to interpret findings from several DETA-supported research studies, determine what they mean for us and our institutions, turn these results into new or altered practices in our organizations, and diffuse these innovative practices across our institutions for students, instructors and faculty, support staff, and administrators.
The session is formatted as a brainstorming discussion that takes findings from a cross-institutional study (10+ institutions) on distance education (blended, online, and CBE) and challenges the participants on determining how to interpret these findings, including how the findings affect practices, including changing current and/or developing new instructional practices, and how to diffuse these processes across the institution. We often hear people discuss data-driven decisions or evidence-based practices, yet many times the data and evidence that is driving our decisions and our practices within our educational institutions lacks the rigor of empirical research. The DETA Research Center (http://www.uwm.edu/deta) spent two years designing research models and conducting rigorous research in higher ed across a numerous institutions (2-year and 4-year) to help us identify effective instructional and institutional practices in blended and online courses and programs. In producing the DETA Research Toolkit (http://www.uwm.edu/deta/toolkits), including guides to research, survey instrumentation packet, data codebooks, shared definitions, and operationalizations of variables, institutions were able to conduct studies and collect data across institutions. Data from student surveys, student assessments, and institutionally warehoused data allowed us to gather empirical findings as to what actually works for the students, in particularly underrepresented students, rather than administrators, instructors, or instructional support staff deciding on anecdotal, experience, or assumptions based on partial or inaccurate data. This sessions brings those cross-institutional findings in blended and online learning and ask the participants — what do we do next? Importantly, this session examines these finding from this large study on distance education (blended, online, and competency-based education) and challenges the participants on determining how to interpret these findings, turn them into practice, and develop diffusion processes across the institution. Results alone are useless. Also, learn about the DETA Research Toolkit, ongoing research studies, opportunities for partnership, and more!