Simplify!

Instructors: The complexity of college course organizational "stuff" has dramatically increased in the past 20 years, hindering learning and contributing to attrition. Consider simplifying college course organization so students can get back to learning.

Class "stuff" and issues

Highlighted "stuff" was added by audience.

• Textbook

• Buy or rent?
• New or used?
• Company or private?
• Delivery option?
• What if not received?
• Electronic version?
• Access key issues
• Platform issues
• Old edition free pdf?
• Skip entirely?

• Homework systems

• WebAssign, MyXYZLab, etc.
• Login
• Grade transfer
• Platform issues
• Amount

• Homework turnin

• Online requires word/pdf/scan

• Clickers
• Longer docs

• No cost
• Ex: 14-page syllabus

• LMS / Web

• Login
• Announcements

• Access
• Email / digest
• Univ / private account
• Excessive emails
• Spam

• Discussion board

• All above plus…
• Required / optional posts
• Participation reqs
• Public / private posts
• Another login (ex: Piazza)

• Assignments / quizzes
• Class calendar
• PowerPoint slides
• Wikis
• Peer grading
• Videos (lectures, supplements)
• Gradebook monitoring
• Other posted items

• Compatibility of web browsers
• Compatibility of ebook across browser/system

• Can't copy/paste always or print

• Mac/Windows/Chromebooks
• Word/OpenOffice
• Students need to be trained in their domain/learning materials
• Who should students contact for help? Email? Cell?
• Proctoring issues

• How to find?
• Who works?
• Other issues

• Locked down browsers

• Students can defeat but also get frustrated

• Enrollment stress due to classes, times, on campus, off campus, dependencies, etc
• Hybrid classes: How do they work? Students may be new to these
• Faculty: Equally confused on the options: Blogs, wikis.

• Have to use?
• Accessibility
• How to navigate? How to choose?

• Additional software tools to download

• External programs
• 90-day trials? Buy?

• Team projects

• Coordinate time/effort with other students
• Bad group?
• Students not trained to work in group

• Adult student population

• Work
• Kids
• Social life?
• School time limited
• Complications amplify problem

• Outside social events
• Disconnect btwn professors and students

• Ex: Prof assumed student knew they were supposed to blog. Prof said call IT or google it.

• Even earlier education ages have these complications
• Critical due date but tech support unavailable
• Teach person who you think you were supposed to be teaching?
• Name confusion: Where to find URL? Where to submit?
• Submit files: Word or PDF?
• Terminology: Hybrid, course outcomes, etc.
• Research skills, information literacy

What/how to simplify

• Syllabus

• Strive for 1 page

• Unique sites

• Strive to approach 1

• Delay items

• Introducing to C++ environment
• Discussion of academic dishonesty

• Remove items

• Weekly course surveys

• Announcements: Minimize # and length
• Require attendance
• Use instructional matrix to identify redundancy
• Consistency: Make weeks similar, so it's clear what's expected next week

• To do list for what's due

• One spot for communication

• One spot: General questions/discussion

• Use feedback from previous course to seed next course
• Use feedback to improve course
• Lotsa whitespace
• Get faculty to submit feedback

• Make it easy

• Make it easy to find information

• Don't have multiple levels to find something
• Multiple pathways to important facts

• Single page gdoc for course
• "Don't make me think" how to navigate through course