Using technology to improve assessment and engagement in

Using technology to improve assessment and engagement in Maths & other subjects 9 th February 2018 David Doyle IT Sligo

Overview Engagement Using technology to increase engagement with Maths in IT Sligo Assessment TEAM project – Using technology to improve the assessment of students in laboratory & practical settings.

Using technology to increase engagement with Maths in IT Sligo

IT Sligo 300+ First year Science students (fulltime) 120 Second years (full time) 80+ Students in Industry (part time – online completely) Approximately, 500 unique students each year. (400 per semester) About 10 - 20% are mature students – often not having engaged with maths for 20+ years. These are the students the modules are designed for.

Videos Slides prepared using Powerpoint, Equations by Math. Type software Writing over slides using a graphic tablet & stylus Voice recorded using external or internal laptop mic All this screen and audio activity is recorded using “screencast” software. Camtasia/Panopto/several others…. This software creates video files in several formats suitable for download/ Youtube etc.

Video - students Students record their own video using their phone/tablet either as a group or individual project and submit as part of their coursework. This has a wide scope of application and our project encountered several inventive uses of this - As a preparatory lesson recorded for other students - To discuss their results of a project - Instead of a class presentation…. .

Moodle – Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) Moodle is like a “virtual schoolbag” for the student. Each module (maths 1, biology 1, physics 1 etc. ) has a page and teaching staff can store everything the student needs for the module on this page. Moodle is open source software…. Continually improving and essentially free to use

Moodle quizzes Each topic in a module has 1 – 3 quizzes. Each quiz has a question bank comprising of 40 – 500+ questions. The quiz engine randomly selects 10 questions for each quiz attempt.

Moodle quizzes

Moodle quiz options There a huge variety of question types possible in Moodle Calculated Code. Runner Drag and drop into text Drag and drop onto image Embedded answers (Cloze) Multiple choice Numerical Pood. LL Recording Select missing words Short answer Essay True/False Matching Wiris for Maths & Science

Wiris – Maths & Science One base question can have the numbers change continually – so the questions are always “the same but different”

Wiris – Maths & Science For algebraic answers (those with x, x 2 etc. ) students must “build” their answer e. g. Rather than choosing from multiple choice answers

Lessons learned Some marks have to be awarded to get traction. Deadlines work well in getting early and consistent effort. Keep workload manageable and consistent From a Maths perspective – quizzes test technique and knowledge – other methods are required to test the students understanding and application of these.

Other learning activities Our fulltime students also have • Lectures (development of theory) • Quizzes (practice the techniques) • Maths practical sessions (application of theory – weekly worksheets recorded in a journal with guidance from tutors) • Maths drop in Clinic (12 hours/wk)

Online classroom – “Adobe Connect” allows you to create a “virtual classroom” where you can interact with your students from afar. Features: Essentially the same as a live classroom (depending on budget) Very effective with small tutorial type situations. All sessions can be recorded and posted online for students who’ve missed the class and for revision purposes.

Online classroom

Online students - flipped classroom Applied Maths 100% online delivery “Flipped classroom” – content first, then tutorials Very successful module 2 programmes: Good Manufacturing Practice (Irish pharma companies) Applied Medical Science (UK & NI students with University of Ulster)

Rubrics

Rubrics

Edel Healy Moira Maguire Ronan Bree Don Faller Nuala Harding Anne Mulvihill David School. Dowling of Health Gina Noonan & Science Dina Brazil Yvonne Kavanagh Jeremy Bird Akinlolu Akande David Doyle

TEAM project Collaboration : Dundalk IT, IT Sligo, IT Carlow and Athlone IT Funding: National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in higher education. Brief: How can we use digital technologies to promote assessment for learning in practical settings? To date: 59 Pilot projects completed 50 academic staff involved across 45 Programmes 1, 481 unique students engaged in these

www. teamshp. ie

Thank you Questions?