Project Objectives:
-Increase student participation in team meetings, with a particular focus on students who may not participate as much in face-to-face settings (non-native English speakers, minority students, women)-Increase student application of technical content from lecture-Allow instructors insight into team dynamics and technical understanding ("records" of team conversation are easier to monitor than multiple team meetings happening simultaneously)
Project Achievements:
It is my perspective that students I worried would be marginalized (non-native English speakers, minority students, women) were able to participate more fully in the text-based, synchronous environment. I have some evidence of this, too, from surveys students filled out later in the semester.There is evidence of students applying content knowledge to the design problem, though I don't have a good sense of whether this happened more in the online environment. Importantly, though, instructors could observe and, if necessary, intervene in this application. On two occasions, I observed clear misunderstandings of course content knowledge, and I was able to address this in class. If the conversations had happened face-to-face, I wouldn't have known about the misunderstandings and therefore would not have addressed the issues.Finally, when the meetings happened simultaneously and face-to-face, I was only able to be with a single team at a particular time point. The migration to the online tool allowed me to observe all of the team's meetings, helping me to better understand team dynamics, topics I need to address in class, etc.
Continuation:
Yes-- I will continue to use the online platform for team communication in my own courses (up to 240 students/year). This summer, I plan to make an online resource (basically, a reading with embedded short videos displaying particular technologies) exploring online options for collaboration. This resource will help the group decision-making go more smoothly, and it will also encourage technology applications for collaboration throughout the project (e.g., collaborative writing). I have applied for an ISL grant: I really hope to collect better data (actual information on student learning and student motivation) to show that this online collaboration platform resulted in improved course outcomes.
Dissemination:
I have informally explained the online platform to colleagues, though I haven't felt like people were particularly excited about the strategy. I hope to present more "formally" (though again, this is informal) at a brownbag for a group of E100 instructors (there is a plan for monthly brownbags beginning in Fall 2012). Because my classes are team-taught, I've been able to excite two technical colleagues about the system. One has implemented something similar in a graduate level course.