We had Dr. John Campbell as a guest speaker today. He is Vice President of Informational Technology. He talked about Course Management Systems (Web-CT, Blackboard, etc.).
His study (with Gateway Biology Course) was to find out how helpful the course management systems are for Purdue students. I thought this type of study is really needed now to grasp the behavioral facts about students using the systems. In order to revise the study for Spring, three questions have been raised: 1. How to get students' attention? How to word the message? and How to refine predictions? I thought Dr. Schaffer's question was important. The messages to students were in the "punishment" mode. It might be helpful to switch to the "recommending self-direction" mode. I also thought Academic advisors' roles are crutial for those students who drop out classes (if we really have to help those students who have hard time).
I was wondering the focus of the study was not very clear. It seems to aim to help students (pedagogical study) and at the same time it is also trying to find attitudinal facts about the students (research study). These two things are different. By focusing on just one, there may be more informative and specific findings to learn from the next study.
www.educause.edu/eli
www.educause.edu/ecar
Shigetake
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