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11th Annual Information Technologies
Workshop
Bridging the Gap between Innovation and Tradition:
Using an Online Course Management System in Liberal Arts Classes
Abstract
What role can an online course management system play at a small, liberal
arts college where classes are small, faculty are accessible, and people
at the institution (students, faculty, administrators, and staff) already
form a community? This year Chatham College is using a web-based course
management system (CourseInfo) in its traditional, on-campus courses.
This session identifies five improved teaching practices, the student
outcomes achieved through these practices, and the implementation of the
practices using the tools in an online course management system. Primary
emphasis of the session is on the demonstration of CourseInfo tools used
in the Fall Semester courses.
Presenters
Charlotte E. Lott, Associate Professor of Business and
Economics, Chatham College
John R. Groch, Assistant Professor of Communication, Chatham
College
Karen Goldman, Associate Professor of Spanish, Chatham College
Contact Person
Charlotte E. Lott
Department of Business and Economics
Chatham College
Woodland Road
Pittsburgh, PA 15232
Phone: (412) 365-1181
Fax: (412) 365-1505
Email: lott@chatham.edu
Presented at CIC Information Technologies Workshop,Distributed Learning
and Independent Colleges: The Challenges and the Opportunities, Pittsburgh,
March 30-April 1, 2000
Chatham College, a small liberal arts college for women, launched a pilot
program using an online course management system to support instruction
in traditional, on-campus classes. Anticipated daily use of computers
required adequate access to computer technology. The College made a substantial
investment in upgrading the physical technological infrastructure that
supports teaching and learning. Chatham College chose the on-campus computer
lab model to improve student access and in one year went from a 30:1 to
a 3:1 student to computer ratio. Paralleling the dramatic improvement
in computer availability, the campus also moved to integrate the use of
computers in the classroom. In this pilot year approximately one third
of undergraduate students and faculty at the College are involved in using
CourseInfo.
Through viewing the online courses, talking with the faculty, and distributing
a student and faculty evaluation questionnaire, the authors have identified
five improved teaching practices, the tools which implement the practices,
and the expected student outcomes.
Teaching Practice CourseInfo Tool Student Outcomes
Access to course materialand information
Post documentsAnnouncements
Drop box
Learn at own pace
Time on task
Use of internet resources
Links
Research skills
Information literacy skills
Communication
(student to student, student to instructor)
E-mail
Threaded discussion
E-mail
Threaded discussion
Participation Threaded discussionWeb pagesAnnouncements
Active learning
Student empowerment
Collaboration
among students
Group e-mail
Group drop box
Team building skills
Group presentation skills
In addition to these specific areas, expected student outcomes from improved
teaching practices include the ability to retain subject matter, understand
concepts, and develop skills.
Preliminary evaluation of the CourseInfo pilot program indicates strong
faculty enthusiasm and a commitment to continued participation. The introduction
of the online course management system has initiated a discussion of pedagogy
which extends beyond the implementation of the specific teaching practices
identified above. Faculty are rethinking the use of traditional teaching
tools, such as lectures, writing assignments, and discussions, in conjunction
with the new tools available online.
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