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Using a VLE to manage a large class. Peter Chalk Dept of Comp, Comm Tech & Maths London Met (North Campus) Learning Technologies Workshop 8/11/02 (City Campus). Introduction.
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Using a VLE to manage a large class Peter Chalk Dept of Comp, Comm Tech & Maths London Met (North Campus) Learning Technologies Workshop 8/11/02 (City Campus)
Introduction • “This year a large first year BSc Computing module (over 300 students) has been re-organised for delivery using a VLE. Student record management, course content and all assessment is now on-line. Nearly 30 teaching assistants are involved. Find out how things are progressing!” (my email, Oct 02)
The reality • 443 students ‘doing’ IM110 (Intro to Java) • Peak (physical) = 315 (week 3 lecture) • Peak (virtual) = 323 (weeks 4-6 quiz) • 29 Tutorial Groups (23 tutors, FT, PT & PhD) a week to manage • 4 lectures (3 lecturers) a week • WebCT used to organise, track, assess etc
Last Year (Pass %ages) 39% of the intake in 0102a passed 56% of the students who took the exam etc (‘finished’) passed
So far this year (0203a) • ‘Finishing’ = 323 out of 443 (ie took assignment 1 quiz) • 37 failed quiz (level same as UEL, SBU & Bolton) • Pass rate so far • (323-37) / 323 finishers = 88.5% • (323 - 37) / 443 intake = 64.6%
SIMT Response • One language (Java) over 2 semesters • Small tutor groups (15) • Constructivism (Piaget) • Graphics library (Papert’s Logo) • Web-based Multimedia Learning Objects • VLE - WebCT (well supported at North Campus)
VLE - WebCT • Scaffold students (Woods) by: • variety of on-line support • graphical feedback & visualisation • learning aids (learning objects) • discussion & email • feedback on assignments • Weekly assessed exercises in log & VLE
Assessment using the VLE • Continuous, feedback-driven • Apprenticeship-style (Lave, Wenger) • On-line quiz question bank (2 MCQs & exam) • All marks viewable by ID, profile data • Assignment grades/comments on-line
Research benefits of VLE • Tracking student visits to content pages & content page hits: • Insight into use of learning aids & how students learn • Qualitative data in discussion and chat logs • Also using: • Server log stats, evaluation questionnaires & interviews
Conclusion – the industrialisation of education • Economies of scale, team building • Reusable resources: learning aids, quiz questions and VLE area (cf Bolton) • Requires ultra-reliable, well supported servers & mirrors plus staff training • Verifiable resources (eg on-line marks confirmed by students, randomised MCQ) • As far as possible, paperless • Community of learning in VLE? (Wenger)
Thanks to • Learning object team: Tom Boyle, Claire Bradley and Richard Haynes • Teaching team, too numerous to mention! • Module leaders & lecturers: Ray Jones (& for graphics library), Ken Fisher, Nasrin Karim & Shanyu Tang • Collaboration & Academic Leadership: Poppy Pickard (Bolton) & Nancy Johnson