Post on 21-Jan-2016
Using WebCT and Laptops For Active Learning in the
ClassroomCan Akkan
Graduate School of Management
Sabancı University
Agenda
• My ultimate goal in using technology in the classroom
• Methods by which I try to accomplish this
• How these methods are implemented using available technology
• Q & A
Primary Objective
• Make a large class feel like a small one
Large vs Small Class
• Small Class:– Interactive– Students think along– Students know each other– Students can get help easily outside class
• Large Class:– Monologue– Students fall asleep in class– Students do not know their neighbors– Help? What help?
Making MGMT 201 a Small Class
• Interactive• Students think along
• Students know each other
• Students can get help easily outside class
• Students have many ways to give feedback
In-class exercises
Initial Survey
Online discussions
Two-Minute-Papers
• Exercises could be both quantitative and qualitative
• Possible tasks:– Recall prior material– Answer a question– Start a problem solution– Work out next step in a calculation– Think of an application or an example– … etc.
In-Class Exercises
Using Technology …
• To easily collect in-class exercises and evaluate them– Exercises done in Excel workbooks
• Students download a file from WebCT• Complete the exercise• Upload the file
– Grading• Download all files from WebCT• An Excel macro is used to create a table of all
students’ work
Get-to-Know-You Survey
• Gender
• Year
• Faculty
• Program choice
• Town family lives
• Student club membership
• Internship experience
2 minutes before the end of each session students fill out a survey asking:
1. The main point(s)
2. The muddiest (least clear) point(s)
Two-Minute Paper
Exams
• Using laptops as well
• Can’t use WebCT– Can’t stop students from communicating with
each other
• Using a special purpose server to distribute and collect files
Next, some screen shots …
An In-class Exercise
After Downloading Student Files
The Grading Macro
Output of Grading Macro
• Grade entry to WebCT is done manually
Results of the Minute-Paper Surveys
Thanks!
Any questions ?