Future is Bright for Teaching Large Online Courses

David Gilstrap, PhDSenior Specialist

Department of Plant, Soil, and Microbial Sciences

Michigan State University

Graded Components

• Discussions• Quizzes• ExamsDropboxesExtra Credit

Slide 2

Graded Assignments

• 6 Discussion Forums• 23 Quizzes• 3 Exams

Lectures● Under the Content tab in D2L● Grouped in modules by week● Videos (5 to 8 Clips per Lecture)● Streaming format from Kaltura

Mediaspace● 6 to 14 minutes long● Call Help Line for technical issues

● Slideshows (text only)

Discussion Forums(Under Communications Tab)

• Within each of six forums (Forums 1-6), there are 4 or 4 topics.

• A new forum opens every two weeks. • Points can be earned in the following ways:‒ Posting (creating a new thread) in any

topic within a forum earns two points. ‒ Replying (adding to an existing thread) to

any thread within any topic within a forum also earns two points.

Discussion Forums(continued)

Forum grades do not show up instantaneously. Periodically, A program is manually run (MSU Quick Discussion Grader)It can take up to a week for points to show up in a student’s grades.A grade of zero simply means assignment is not yet completed.Forums remain open for the entire course.

Discussion Forums(continued)

A maximum of 24 points can be earned for the course.● Posting (starting a new thread) in any topic

within each separate forum earns 2 points● Replying (adding to an existing thread) in any

topic within each separate forum earns 2 points● Times six forums equals 24 points (maximum)

Posting or replying more than once with any particular forum does not earn additional points.Students are encouraged to participate more than the minimum amount required.

Discussion Forums and Topics Grading(example)

● Week 1 Forum● Soils Primer post (2 pt)● Species Primer reply (2 pt)

● Week 2 Forum● Cool-Season ID reply (2 pt)● Microenvironments post (2 pt)

● Week 3 Forum● Establishment I post (2 pt)● Mowing reply (2 pt)

● Week 4 Forum● Nutrients and Fertilizers reply

(2 pt)● Weed Control post (2 pt)

● Week 5 Forum● Disease Management post

(2 pt)● Irrigation reply (2 pt)● Cultivation reply

● Week 6 Forum● Benefits post (2 pt)

In this case, the student would receive 22 points for the course. A reply within Week 6 would have earned the 24 points maximum.

Points are not automatically recorded and can take up to a week to be credited.

Discussion Forum Protocol(continued)

Use descriptive titles in the subject fields (don’t use general or obvious terms).For example, in the Nutrients and Fertilizers topic, what’s shown below would NOT be specific enough to induce students to see what is being said.

Not Good

Discussion Forum Protocol(continued)

On the other hand, these subject titles are descriptive in the Fertilizers topic, and would hopefully invite inquiry and further discussion.

Good!

Discussion Forum Protocol(continued)

Don’t mix in subjects that don’t fit. Below is an example of that in Fertilizers and Nutrients topic. Stay within topic.

Don’t Fit

Discussion Forum Protocol(continued)

● Do not ask questions that require overly long responses, i.e, that are answered in the lectures.

● Do not ask compound questions.

● If you want to ask two questions, then make two separate posts.

What do they do at Spartan Stadium that keeps the field looking so perfect?

Informational ForumsThe instructor subscribes to questions and comments about the following. Accordingly, responses are timely and to the point.

● Course Structure, Navigation, and Grading● First Exam● Second Exam● Final Exam

No points are associated with these forums.

Quizzes

Associated with each lecture (5 and 6 are combined)Ten questions randomly selected from a 15-25 question pool per quizWorth 10 pointsUnlimited attempts.Maximum score recordedQuizzes remain open for the entire course.

Viewing and Taking Quizzes• Lecture must be studied first

(including text-only slideshow). • Respective quiz will then be released.• If you can’t see the icon for a

particular quiz, then you didn’t go through the slides for that quiz.

• When they become available, quizzes can also be accessed via the Assessments tab.

• The only deadline for completing quizzes is the end of the semester.

Practice Tests

● As preparation for each exam, practice test(s) will be available

● Identical formats and time limits as exams

● Questions come from quiz pools (Question Library)

● Unlimited attempts allowed● No scores are recorded for practice

exams

Exams● Question set randomly selected ● Lecture-question library (quiz

and practice-test questions)● Additional questions (similar

but slightly different from above)

● Exam Previews document● Shows number of questions

from each lecture● Found in Syllabus/Schedules

and Exams Modules

Exams(continued)

● First Exam (272 possible questions)● Lectures 1-10 (1 part)

● Second Exam (468 possible questions)● Part 1 Lectures 1-8 ● Part 2 Lectures 9-16

● Final Exam (644 possible questions)● Part 1 Lectures 1-8 ● Part 2 Lectures 9-16● Part 3 Lectures 17-24

Exams(continued)

● One attempt allowed ● 20-40 questions per part● 20-40 minute time limit per part● Each exam due at midnight

(Michigan time) at end of date range shown on course homepage*

*plus 5-hour grace period (end date)● If you lose internet connection

during an exam, then call 517-355-2345, and explain your situation.

Future Improvement?

• Within each lecture’s set of questions• Create a sub library for each of the

BS 1 to 5 difficulty scale.• Strive for equal number of question

in each difficulty sub library.• Restructure exams so that each

student draws an equal number of questions with regards to difficulty ratings.

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