Using zyBooks Instructor Created Content to create (education) theory-informed online asynchronous learning environments

Problem

Creating scalable online asynchronous learning environments grounded in educational theory can be challenging. Many online learning products and tools are in conflict with, or create barriers to, implementing learning strategies consistent with educational theory (Osler & Wright, 2015). As a result, the theory to practice gap in online education remains considerable. The impacts of this gap are highlighted by the often-reported misalignment between industry employers’ needs and the outcomes at institutions of higher education (Arun Kumas, 2022; MIT Open Learning, 2021).

This action research project sought to explore whether creating and adhering to an education-research based framework for learning is supportive of student success in higher education.

The goal of this action research was to answer the following research questions:

1. Can an online learning product be used to enhance, and not conflict with, our (educational research-based) philosophical framework?
2. If we can create online asynchronous classroom environments aligned to our philosophical framework, can student attrition be reduced?

Our Philosophical Framework

Original implementation in 2 undergraduate general education quantitative reasoning courses leveraged the course learning tool, zyBooks. Implementation proved favorable, and in both courses, student attrition reduced, student performance on summative assessments improved, and positive student sentiment increased (Kelly, Bruno, Edgecomb, Vahid, & Gordon, 2022). This implementation demonstrated the zyBooks platform was consistent with our philosophical framework (Kelly, Bruno, Edgecomb, Vahid, & Gordon, 2022). Following this successful initial implementation, our philosophical framework was revisited for iteration.

During the presentation, the revised framework will be shared. This revised framework is used to help consistently define what we view as knowledge, teaching, learning, and assessment. The framework helps inform our instructional choices across course features. By implementing this framework, we can attempt to maximize education theory and research-informed experiences, which support students from college through career.

We approached zyBooks and requested the ability to custom-author content within the zyBooks platform. They suggested we explore the Instructor Created Content (ICC) feature of zyBooks. In this product, institutions can author custom content within the zyBooks platform and leverage learning features like participation activities, automatic grade pass back, and data reporting as they exist in the standard zyBooks learning platform. By using ICC, the institution maintains intellectual ownership of the authored content and can quickly update content as needed. We determined the flexibility of ICC was aligned to our philosophical framework, and course design could commence.

Method and Process

Seven undergraduate general education courses were identified for course design and revision with the use of ICC: GEN/201, SCI/163T, SCI/220T, ENV/100T, PSY/110, MTH/213, and MTH/214. In each case, course design was unique and based on the needs of students in the courses. In all cases, our philosophical framework was used to guide course design. Since use of ICC requires substantial content authoring, and due to the diverse nature of the courses, implementation of our philosophical framework was different in each course. While all cases were consistent with our framework, ICC allowed us to implement the framework in ways that were varied. Following implementation, we needed a way to assess the extent of implementation of the framework in each course. After courses were designed, they were scored for their level of implementation of our philosophical framework by using our Philosophical Framework Inventory.

Philosophical Framework Inventory

For each course feature, we created criteria to assess the level of philosophical framework implementation that existed, this Philosophical Framework Inventory will be shared in the presentation. Each course feature was assessed for each construct in our philosophical framework and received a rating from 0-2 (0=Evidence from Framework Not Present, 1=Some Evidence from Framework Present, 2=Strong Evidence from Framework Present). A possible score range of 0-60 was possible for each assessed course, with a score of 0 indicating no evidence of philosophical framework implementation within the course and a score of 60 indicating strong evidence of philosophical framework implementation.

A team of college leadership familiar with our philosophical framework and course design scored each course according to the inventory. Each criterion was discussed, evidence from the course was presented, and discussion continued until consensus was achieved.

Student Attrition Rate

Student attrition rate was defined as the percentage of students earning an F grade in or withdrawing from the course. Attrition rates were collected for the first 2 months after launching the revised course with the implemented philosophical framework. These attrition rates were named Post-Implementation. Student Post-Implementation sample sizes for GEN/201, SCI/163T, SCI/220T, ENV/100T, PSY/110, MTH/213, and MTH/214 were 5,257, 336, 1,785, 512, 3,853, 236, and 261, respectively. For historical comparison, we collected the same 2 months attrition rate the previous year for each course and called this Pre-Implementation. Student Pre-Implementation sample sizes for GEN/201, SCI/163T, SCI/220T, ENV/100T, PSY/110, MTH/213, and MTH/214 were 5,718, 375, 2,561, 508, 3,335, 223, and 224, respectively. Pre- and Post-Implementation rates were compared to provide insights to the potential effect of implementation of our philosophical framework on student attrition. To better understand and make comparisons, a normalized gain was calculated for each set of attrition rates (Hake, 1998).

Philosophical Framework Inventory scores and student attrition rates were examined to understand the changes that occurred as a result of course design that implemented our philosophical framework.

Results and Discussion

For each of the 7 courses, there was at least some evidence of each theoretical construct from the framework present. Scores ranged from 31-51. Prior to answering the first research question, a historical review of Pre-Implementation courses was conducted. Results showing the online learning product used in the Pre-Implementation version of the course, Pre- and Post-Implementation scores from our Philosophical Framework Inventory, and the normalized gains from revision will be shared during the presentation. These normalized gains (Hake, 1998) represent the difference between evidence of our philosophical framework in the old and revised versions of each course. Names of online learning products were replaced with placeholder names for the purpose of disseminating the results of this work.

Levels of implementation of our philosophical framework increased in every course using ICC and custom authored content. Increases in implementation ranged from 14.8%-42.4%. Our Philosophical Framework Inventory scores serve as data that the ICC tool allowed greater levels of our philosophical framework implementation than any of the 3 pre-implementation online learning products.

The first research question was 1) Can an online learning product be used to enhance, and not conflict with, our (educational research-based) philosophical framework? Descriptive data allows us to conclude that the answer to the first research question is “yes.” The online learning product, ICC, can be used to enhance, and not conflict with, our philosophical framework.

To answer the second research question, we examined student attrition related to philosophical framework implementation. Attrition rates Pre- and Post-Implementation will be shared in the presentation. In every course, attrition rates reduced Post-Implementation.

The second research question was 2) If we can create online asynchronous classroom environments aligned to our philosophical framework, can student attrition be reduced? Descriptive data allows us to conclude that the answer to the second research question is “yes.” As a result of increased implementation of our philosophical framework in 7 undergraduate general education courses, student attrition was reduced. The ability to achieve these results was dependent on finding an online vendor product, in this case ICC, that allowed increased implementation of a philosophical framework aligned to education research.

Conclusions

With an adopted framework, decisions (including selecting an online learning tool) can become more strategic, and progress towards positive student outcomes will seem more intentional. As theory and research continue to evolve in the education space, philosophical frameworks can be updated. Adopting a philosophical framework grounded in educational theory serves as the first step in closing the theory-to-practice gap and creating sustainable, scalable learning environments consistent with the best practices of education research.

References will be shared in the presentation.