2015 s. stürmer innovations and new modes of
Transcript of 2015 s. stürmer innovations and new modes of
FELD 1
© FernUniversität in Hagen / Horst Pierdolla
Innovations and new modes of
teaching in flexible continuing
education
Prof. Dr. Stefan Stürmer
FELD 1
© FernUniversität in Hagen / Horst Pierdolla
Promises of a
Virtual Study-Buddy-Program
Lehrgebiet Sozialpsychologie
Prof. Dr. Stürmer
10.11.2015 Folie 3
Overview
1. Balancing flexibility and structure
2. A virtual study-buddy program
3. Evaluations
4. Further developments
Lehrgebiet Sozialpsychologie
Prof. Dr. Stürmer
Balancing flexibility and structure
Openness, flexibility and accessibility are the hallmarks of
distance education.
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But like with any freedom, “the more you have the more risk
you have”.
Lehrgebiet Sozialpsychologie
Prof. Dr. Stürmer
Drop-out rates in higher distance education
In fact, being a successful distance student (and effectively
dealing with the liberties provided by many distance education
programs) can be a demanding endeavor, however.
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Accordingly, dropout rates for distance education has been
reported to be higher as for classroom teaching (Carr, 2000).
Lehrgebiet Sozialpsychologie
Prof. Dr. Stürmer
One important explanation for higher drop-out rates is that
students in distance education have often limited opportunities
of social interactions with peers (e.g., Kim et al., 2011; Slagter,
van Tryon & Bishop, 2009).
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As a consequence, they experience a relative deprivation in
peer-to-peer-support (e.g., practical, informational and/or
emotional support), peer-to-peer feedback and peer-to-peer
responsibilities (three important factors contributing to student
success, see Kuh, 2010).
The issue of peer interactions
Lehrgebiet Sozialpsychologie
Prof. Dr. Stürmer
A main objective of our research was to create a structured
virtual peer-to-peer support program in order to address
this issue in the study entry phase (Stürmer et al., 2014)
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Lehrgebiet Sozialpsychologie
Prof. Dr. Stürmer
Online-
Motivation-
Monitor
„Study Guide“
Online-
Motivation-
Monitor
„Study Guide“
Virtual
Peer-Pairing
Programm
„Study-Buddy“
Virtual
Peer-Pairing
Programm
„Study-Buddy“
Stress
Inocculation-
Training
„Study Coach“
Stress
Inocculation-
Training
„Study Coach“
Self-organisation Social integration
Commitment
Institut für Psychologie
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• Peer-to-peer pairing program
• First semester students of the same degree program
• Duration of six weeks
• Phase 1 (3 weeks): Structured relationship building
• Phase 2 (3 weeks): Joint curricular activities
Key Features
Lehrgebiet Sozialpsychologie
Prof. Dr. Stürmer
Relationship Pre-Structured
Support
Building Activities
Feedback
A
B B
A
B
A
Virtual Environment (MOODLE)
B
A
Social Learning
Institutional
integration
B
A
Lehrgebiet Sozialpsychologie
Prof. Dr. Stürmer
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Program Evaluation
Eligible were all Psychology B.Sc. freshmen in summer semester
2013
Students were matched on a one-on-one basis to one other
freshmen
Over six weeks dyads engaged in pre-structured activities in a
protected virtual environment (MOODLE).
Lehrgebiet Sozialpsychologie
Prof. Dr. Stürmer
10.11.2015 Folie 12
Participants
Total N = 1614 participants (SB: 855, CG: 759)
Sociodemographics:
Age: M = 31.27 years (SD = 9.27, range 17 – 69 years)
1014 (72%) females
497 (35%) fulltime students
319 (26%) participants had a migrant background
Dyads: Intervention group 1: 428
Delayed interventon group 2: 427
Lehrgebiet Sozialpsychologie
Prof. Dr. Stürmer
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Fast friendship effects on liking
Repeated measurement main effect
F(2, 628) = 92.95, p < .001, η² = .23
5
5,1
5,2
5,3
5,4
5,5
5,6
5,7
5,8
5,9
6
week 1 week 2 week 3
group 1
group 2
Lehrgebiet Sozialpsychologie
Prof. Dr. Stürmer
10.11.2015
Folie 14
Predicting first semester exam registration (SB vs. CG, N
= 518, 2 months-follow up)
• Significant indirect effect of program participation on exam
registration via institutional integration („peer interactions“).
**p < .01; **p <.001.
program
participation
(yes / no)
institutional
integration
(end of program)
exam
registration
(yes / no)
.41*** .25**
Lehrgebiet Sozialpsychologie
Prof. Dr. Stürmer
10.11.2015 Folie 15
Participants‘ perspectives
„Gelohnt hat sich die Teilnahme am Study-Buddy-
Programm, weil ich mich nicht so einsam fühlte am
Anfang des Studiums. Ich habe jemanden kennengelernt
der die gleichen Interessen hat wie ich. [...] Ich könnte mir
vorstellen, mit meinem Buddy befreundet zu sein!“
Perzat F.
Lehrgebiet Sozialpsychologie
Prof. Dr. Stürmer
10.11.2015 Folie 16
Participants‘ perspectives
„Das Study-Buddy-Programm diente als sehr gute
Einstiegshilfe, es machte Lust und verbreitete Vorfreude
auf das anstehende Studium. [...] Die Tatsache, dass wir
auch als Team Aufgaben zu lösen hatten, stärkte mich,
insbesondere nach jeder gemeinsam bewältigten
Aufgabe. [...] Mein Buddy wurde mir sehr vertraut und das
wiederum half mir, mich hinsichtlich des Studiums nicht
alleine zu fühlen.“Stefanie B.
Lehrgebiet Sozialpsychologie
Prof. Dr. Stürmer
Homescreen
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Lehrgebiet Sozialpsychologie
Prof. Dr. Stürmer
Start
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Lehrgebiet Sozialpsychologie
Prof. Dr. Stürmer
Our duties
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Lehrgebiet Sozialpsychologie
Prof. Dr. Stürmer
Private Chats
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Lehrgebiet Sozialpsychologie
Prof. Dr. Stürmer
Supervision
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Lehrgebiet Sozialpsychologie
Prof. Dr. Stürmer
Generalizability across culturally diverse dyads
No systematic influences of cross-cultural composition of the
study-buddy dyads
One exception: gender composition
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Lehrgebiet Sozialpsychologie
Prof. Dr. Stürmer
Fast-Friendship-Procedure effective in establishing positive
and relatively enduring relationships among distance students
Conclusions
Effectiveness held true independent of intercultural (dis)similarities between students („personalization effect“ – exception: gender)
Positive effects on study-related behaviors („exam registration“)
mediated via an increased sense of institutional integration
Lehrgebiet Sozialpsychologie
Prof. Dr. Stürmer
10.11.2015 Folie 24
Thank you for your attention!