Purposeful Learning Check - O'Donnell Learn

Welcome, to the Purposeful Learning Check!

Over the course of the next several questions we'll capture key information that will allow you to reflect on the current state of your course experience and ultimately walk away with a couple of things you can do immediately to elevate the learning experience for your students. Depending on how many elements of the course you'd like to evaluate this can take anywhere from 15-30 minutes.

Are you ready to start?

Which course are you considering today? Please provide title and course #.

Of the list below, which three elements of your course are most important to you?

Select 3:

Welcoming your students to the course and clearly setting expectations.

Connecting with your students on a human level that thoughtfully personalizes the experience.

Ensuring assessments are aligned with measurable learning outcomes.

Building a learning community by creating a humanized and social learning experience.

Engaging your students with activities that are active and authentic learning experiences.

Embracing best practices in accessibility while using new technology to enhance the experience.

Developing an instructional approach that is sequential, digestible, and clear.

Fostering a universal sense of belonging and connection in your course through inclusive and equitable teaching.

Great, before we begin: we'll start by focusing on developing a roadmap for the elements of the course you just identified. If at any point you want to move on you may skip a question or save your progress, generate a roadmap, and continue later.

My students can find essential course information but there isn't a clear guide to success for students and/or a readily apparent starting place for course navigation.

The first thing they notice is how welcoming and attractive the LMS page is. Essential information and access to all course components are clearly presented. Students know what to expect from the course and can easily navigate the entire course experience from this screen.

When looking at your course "homepage" which of the following best describes what your students see?

Move your slider in the direction that best represents your current approach. Remember, your approach can fall somewhere in between--this isn't binary.

I've shared a written bio with a strong emphasis on my academic experience and qualifications. I outline office hours and share my email for students to reach out to me.

I posted a short video sharing what excites me about this course and what they can expect. Supporting this video are some more details about who I am, this might include what I am currently reading or a hobby I'm pursuing, and what inspired me to pursue my academic career along with some highlights. I've made it clear when and how students can reach me via email, chat, phone, or text.

Your students are here to learn with you. When thinking about how you connect with your students, which best represents what you share with them?

Move your slider in the direction that best represents your current approach. Remember, your approach can fall somewhere in between--this isn't binary.

My description really aims to provide general context and any pre-requisites clearly stated

My description is a thoughtful narrative that connects the course with my student audience. Additionally, I want my students to understand not only what the pre-requisites are but how they're going to be applied at this level.

Which more closely describes the course description you provide your students?

Move your slider in the direction that best represents your current approach. Remember, your approach can fall somewhere in between--this isn't binary.

My institutions policy really covers the bases, so I share a link to that and they generally know it already.

Going online/hybrid has presented new academic integrity scenarios and challenges. In addition to the institutional policy I share some context for the importance of integrity to this course, my discipline, and their work in the future. I clearly outline my course's policies and any technologies used to enable students to ensure they are on the right path (e.g., Turnitin).

Which more closely describes how you introduce the academic integrity policy?

Move your slider in the direction that best represents your current approach. Remember, your approach can fall somewhere in between--this isn't binary.

Thinking about the last few questions, what are a few ways you might change the way you welcome your students to the course?

I like to remain flexible so I've outlined 5-10 learning outcomes that give my students a general sense of what they are expected to know and/or I align learning outcomes with each course module. I don't always link them to specific assessments.

Learning outcomes are my instructional roadmap, every element of the course experience is alligned with a specific outcome and I've outlined them throughout my students' experience (from syllabus to LMS) so at every activity and assessment they know what they're mastering and why.

Which more closely describes your approach to learning outcomes in this course?

Move your slider in the direction that best represents your current approach. Remember, your approach can fall somewhere in between--this isn't binary.

I prefer to keep it simple and offer percentages of points earned for each major course activity (participation, final exam, etc) and their resulting course grades in the syllabus.

I take a more assignment-based approach and list out the respective point value for each assignment. As a person who appreciates data visualizations I've made a pie chart to show the weight of each assignment on their overall grade and provided a table to show how cumulative points and percentages correlate with grades.

Which more closely descibes how you share your grading policy with students?

Move your slider in the direction that best represents your current approach. Remember, your approach can fall somewhere in between--this isn't binary.

I ensure all activities are logically alligned with my stated learning outcomes.

I've developed a system that visually connects all activities and their assessments to my stated outcomes. In many cases I've also provided a rubric to help measure mastery on key assessments.

Which more closely describes how you connect your course outcomes to learning activities (graded and ungraded)?

Move your slider in the direction that best represents your current approach. Remember, your approach can fall somewhere in between--this isn't binary.

The assessment strategy for this course is clear and assessments are generally aligned with learning outcomes. Between the grade and my feedback the student is able to determine their progress and mastery.

I align all activities (graded and ungraded) with outcomes and often use rubrics to clarify gradations of mastery. In addition to a grade and my evaluation, my students are also able to self-identify specific areas they might need to focus on to improve mastery as they progress through the course. "

Which more closely describes how your students assess mastery of learning outcomes in this course?

Move your slider in the direction that best represents your current approach. Remember, your approach can fall somewhere in between--this isn't binary.

Assignments are graded (either automatically or by me) and the scoring methodology provides some context so that students can see why they received their respective scores. I provide comments or notations as appropriate.

Detailed rubrics are provided for substantial graded assignments; these are broken up into multiple scoring categories and each has a points system that describes why someone would receive higher or lower scores per category. I also provide personalized outreach to students based on engagement in activities.

In this course which more closely represents your methodology for providing feedback on learning?

Move your slider in the direction that best represents your current approach. Remember, your approach can fall somewhere in between--this isn't binary.

How frequently do you assess your students' learning?

Each session

Every few weeks

A few times per term.

Thinking about the last few questions, what are a few ways you might change the way you assess your learners and provide feedback in alignment with your course learning outcomes?

Sometimes my students engage with one another and me; most of the time I'm concerned about covering the material in the session time available.

Our class has a pretty continuous dialog that runs in and out of sessions. I've really limited my lecture in order to integrate ways to keep evolving this dialog.

Which more closely describes the student experience in this course?

Move your slider in the direction that best represents your current approach. Remember, your approach can fall somewhere in between--this isn't binary.

I've curated a lot of great material. The textbook was a great starting point but I can really add context with my expertise and supplemental resources I'm constantly curating.

I've got great subject expertise and solid material at my disposal; however, I really rely on developing activities and experiences that synthesize concepts and apply them to the real world.

Which more closely describes how you cover fundamental concepts with your students and contribute to building their skills?

Move your slider in the direction that best represents your current approach. Remember, your approach can fall somewhere in between--this isn't binary.

As a practitioner I'm able to share my own experience and curate some really great case studies to introduce other perspectives.

I bring in guest speakers and rely heavily on building scenarios where students can simulate real interactions with members of the professional community.

Which more closely describes how you connect this course to the discipline, community, or profession with which it is associated?

Move your slider in the direction that best represents your current approach. Remember, your approach can fall somewhere in between--this isn't binary.

Thinking about the last few questions, what are a few ways you might change the way you engage your students with activities that are active and authentic learning experiences?

I'm pretty much only able to work with what I've got, the LMS organization I'm provided lays the groundwork for them.

I've added a number of links to my homepage and organized the activity, assessment, and resource pages in the LMS into weekly modules.

Which more closely describes the experience for the online component of the learning experience?

Move your slider in the direction that best represents your current approach. Remember, your approach can fall somewhere in between--this isn't binary.

I'm not thrilled with the LMS; so, I really use it to house resources and key course information.

The LMS isn't perfect but I do appreciate the ability to introduce interactivity and multimedia resources to my course. I use the LMS as a continuous space for my students to access different experiences that contribute to the course.

Which more closely describes how you use the LMS to support this course experience?

Move your slider in the direction that best represents your current approach. Remember, your approach can fall somewhere in between--this isn't binary.

My course material is dense so I rely pretty heavily on my lectures every session, the textbook, and the excellent material produced by peers in my discipline.

I tend to mix and match content based on the outcomes of the module. This means I often need to provide a few pieces of content mixed in with some commentary or explainer videos I've produced in order to adequately cover a concept.

Which more closely describes your typical approach to presenting content?

Move your slider in the direction that best represents your current approach. Remember, your approach can fall somewhere in between--this isn't binary.

Enter the approximate percentage each content represents of the instructional material of this course.

Textbook

AR/VR

ARTICLES & WRITING

SIMULATION

VIDEO

GAME

IMAGES/ANIMATION

INTERACTIVE

Thinking about the last few questions, what are a few ways you might change your instructional approach?

I use the school's mandated syllabus format and provide a description of the course to set clear expectations.

I add some additional content including a welcome paragraph and introduction to the language for students new to the discipline. I typically offer a visually stimulating version of the syllabus that aligns with the discipline so that students are stimulated and have a clear understanding of what's to come (while also providing accessible access to the institution's template).

Which more accurately describes your tone in the syllabus and welcome for this course?

Move your slider in the direction that best represents your current approach. Remember, your approach can fall somewhere in between--this isn't binary.

Typically I jump right into the course material and the students introduce themselves through assignments and engagement in course material.

Before we start I encourage students to introduce themselves to the community with a brief intro activity such as a short video, ice breaker activity, or discussion.

Which more closely describes how you have the students introduce themselves?

Move your slider in the direction that best represents your current approach. Remember, your approach can fall somewhere in between--this isn't binary.

I primarily drive interaction by asking students to respond to concepts I've presented and I typically introduce a group activity as soon as the pace of the course avails.

I begin the course by asking the students what their expectations are and create an opportunity for students to learn about each other's expectations and experience. Often I find it useful to survey the students prior to the first meeting to establish a baseline.

Which more closely describes how you encourage students to engage one another?

Move your slider in the direction that best represents your current approach. Remember, your approach can fall somewhere in between--this isn't binary.

Thinking about the last few questions, what are a few ways you might change the way you might connect with your students on a more human level and personalize the experience?

I find my students are generally cordial but definitely need to engage them first, so I typically leave space for queries and dialog when we meet.

I like to start by emphasizing a social approach to the course which includes a facilitated discussion where we collaboratively establish community guidelines and discuss nuances such as etiquette and microagressions.

Which more closely describes how you enable community in this course?

Move your slider in the direction that best represents your current approach. Remember, your approach can fall somewhere in between--this isn't binary.

I'm always available during sessions and office hours, more often than not I extend them, and I've made it easy for students to get a hold of me via email if they need additional support.

I reach out to individual students periodically, more often if they are struggling, and have created a space to facilitate dialog outside of the course schedule. I've also worked with my students to develop guidelines for communication across multiple channels/formats.

Which more closely describes how you engage with students?

Move your slider in the direction that best represents your current approach. Remember, your approach can fall somewhere in between--this isn't binary.

The assignments are frequent and robust, it's pretty easy for me to keep a pulse on their progress and thoughts that way.

I have a handful of assignments that are collaborative and/or that promote peer instruction. I also dedicate time during sessions for knowledge sharing and introduce a running chat topic each week.

Which more closely describes how you encourage students to share their knowledge and thoughts in this course?

Move your slider in the direction that best represents your current approach. Remember, your approach can fall somewhere in between--this isn't binary.

Thinking about the last few questions, what are a few ways you might change the way you build community in your class?

At my institution we have a clear policy in place. I encourage them to reach out to me but I typically expect my students to have their resources sorted out by the end of the first week.

Once my students are enrolled in the course via the LMS I've posted material and technology requirements along with methods for acquiring those resources. I try to provide alternatives when I can and sometimes this is difficult so I encourage them to reach out to me with any concerns.

Which more closely describes how you set expectations for technology and course materials with your students?

Move your slider in the direction that best represents your current approach. Remember, your approach can fall somewhere in between--this isn't binary.

The LMS has easy access to the campus IT Helpdesk; however, I've found it's more effective to make sure I provide the link and phone number on the course homepage.

Most of the technology I use is supported by the campus; however, I've found that the support provided by the companies who offer specific resources is often helpful so I provide some specific links to their support lines and FAQs. Additionally, I've struggled to use some of the tools the way I want and found some great resources on YouTube so I also share those "Tech Trouble" discussion forum I've created for the course this term.

Which more closely describes how your students are supported for their course resource needs?

Move your slider in the direction that best represents your current approach. Remember, your approach can fall somewhere in between--this isn't binary.

My institution has a solid accommodations policy which I share upfront in the syllabus.

I share how I will be using the resources and making an effort to use them in an equitable and inclusive way. I ask students to reach out to me in the event they are facing any challenges accessing or using the required resources.

Which more closely describes how you support students with different learning needs using the required resources for this course?

Move your slider in the direction that best represents your current approach. Remember, your approach can fall somewhere in between--this isn't binary.

I'm conscious of selecting materials that are in an accessible format. However, I can't guarantee everything is accessible in it's native format but should be supported by the institution's accessibility tools.

I rely on resources that are known to be accessible and I use my campus's checklists and/or a tool such as Ally (available with many LMSs) to vet my content for accessibility. And, when I create new resources I limit myself to a format that I know is accessible--as challenging as it can be at times. Required, recommended, and instructor-created materials are fully accessible.

Which more closely describes how you ensure resources meet learning outcomes are accessible to all students in this course?

Move your slider in the direction that best represents your current approach. Remember, your approach can fall somewhere in between--this isn't binary.

Thinking about the last few questions, what are a few ways you might change the way you approach accessibility and technology in this course?

My institution has created a diversity statement, which I link to on the course homepage or syllabus. If my campus doesn't have such a statement, I have researched and adapted one for use in my course.

While I like the campus statement, I always add some context for why inclusivity is important to me and this course. I typically speak to this during the first session, include my thoughts on the course homepage, and emphasize at various points in the course.

Which more closely describes how you ensure all your students have a sense of welcome and belonging in the course?

Move your slider in the direction that best represents your current approach. Remember, your approach can fall somewhere in between--this isn't binary.

I rely on the publishers to ensure that their materials support diverse representation. When I seek out support visuals, I'm often cognizant of diversity, but need to be focused on curating high quality material first.

Over time I've curated visuals that represent diversity to support my instruction and I'm often adding to my resources. It's difficult to be equitable in representation so I ask the students to use their critical eye, suggest improvements and/or bring in alternative materials they have seen elsewhere. This spurs dialog about diversity and representation in the context of the course.

Which more closely describes how you address diverse representation in the course materials selected?

Move your slider in the direction that best represents your current approach. Remember, your approach can fall somewhere in between--this isn't binary.

While very important, it's often difficult to balance discussions with diverse perspectives with the demands of the material I need to cover to meet the learning outcomes.

I rely pretty heavily on the students to share their input on diversity, equity, and inclusion and intentionally facilitate this discussion during the term. I try to bring to their attention where I recognize their might be exclusion but I find that planning for these discussions periodically is necessary.

Throughout the course and learning activities which more closely describes how you encourage students to see the value of diverse perspectives to fostering learning?

Move your slider in the direction that best represents your current approach. Remember, your approach can fall somewhere in between--this isn't binary.

Thinking about the last few questions, what are a few ways you might make this course equitable and inclusive?

Confirmation: Of the list below, which three elements of your course experience are most concerning to you?

Select 3:

Thank you for completing this exercise! We hope it's been both a useful reflection and inspiration of ideas for your course. That said, we promised a roadmap. Please complete this information so we can finish generating a handful of quick recommendations for your course.

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