In this presentation we - review literature and lessons learned in our own teaching and support experiences - discuss factors contributing to academic tenacity and student success in online learning - provide insights for teachers.

1. Online Learning Strategies
Tingting Lu, PhD
Kimberly Smith, PhD, MT(ASCP)
Emin Saglamer
A Guide for Students (with Insights for Teachers)
We will use Polleverywhere. Please have your cellphone/laptop ready!

2. Who are our students
Academic programs:
• Certificate, master’s, doctoral
SBMI Students
• “Non-traditional”, adult learners
• Average age 35, haven’t been in school for decades, most
have never taken an online class, different training and
professional backgrounds, full time job, family and kids
• Local and at a distance
• International students
1

3. Poll
• Is your new student orientation online, in-person,
or both?
2

4. Results

5. What are we trying to achieve with
online orientation?
Challenges
• Sheer volume, enrollment tripled in 5 years
• Diversity in student demographics, backgrounds
• Educational technologies (3 types of courses)
Preparing new students for online learning
*AND* graduate school
• Orientation timeline – “immediately relevant”
• Support (technical, sometimes emotional)
4

6. How do we improve our new
students’ orientation experience?
• Optional survey at the end of online orientation
• Student questions received by the Office of
Academic Affairs
• Tickets and support requests to our DE team
• Other forms of student feedback
• Observations from the Intro courses
• Insights and practical advice drawn from published
literature
5

7. Relevant Literature
• Brown, P. C., Roediger, H. L., & McDaniel, M. A. (2014). Make it
stick: The science of successful learning. Cambridge,
Massachusetts : The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press
• Carey, B. (2014). How we learn: The surprising truth about when,
where, and why it happens. New York: Random House.
• Dweck, C. S., Walton, G. M., Cohen, G. L., & Bill and Melinda
Gates Foundation. (2014). Academic Tenacity: Mindsets and Skills
that Promote Long-Term Learning.
• Kim, Jackie Hee-Young. “Coping Together: Collective Self
Regulation in a Web-Based Course.” Teaching and Learning
Online, Volume 2: New Models of Learning for a Connected World,
edited by Brian Sutton and Anthony Basiel, vol. 2, Taylor and
Francis, 2014, pp. 53–72. Teaching and Learning Online.
• Siebert, A., & Karr, M. (2016). The adult student's guide to survival
& success. Portland, Oregon: Practical Psychology Press.
• Stavredes, T., & Herder, T. (2014). A Guide to Online Course
Design: Strategies for Student Success. Somerset: Wiley.
6

8. Presentation Focus
New Student Orientation
University policies and procedures Student resources, msc. Technical Motivational
University policies
and procedures
40%
10% Student
resources,
msc.
Technical, hands–on
40%
Motivational
10%
7

9. Our message to students:
Know thyself!
And know what you are getting into.
8

10. Online Learning Readiness
• SBMI Online Learning self assessment and Other
examples
• Communication preferences, learning style and habits
• Time management
• Technical/troubleshooting skills, self-efficacy
• Why self assessment alone is not enough
9

11. • What we learned from the intro course: Instructor’s
perspective
• How long does it take for new students to adjust?
• The first 6 weeks is the most challenging and chaotic
• Online Learning Challenges: factors contributing to low-
quality assignments and dropouts
• Students’ failure to understand course requirements,
procrastination (Kim, 2014), poor time management
and/or study habits (Solomon & Rothblum, 1994)
Online Learning Readiness
References:
• Kim, J. H. (2014). Coping together: Collective self-regulation in a Web-based course. In Sutton, B., & In Basiel, A. S. Teaching and learning
online: Volume 2. New York : Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.
• Solomon, L. J., & Rothblum, E. D. (1994). Procrastination Assessment Scale- Students (PASS). In J. Fischer and K. Corcoran (Eds.), Measures
for clinical practice (pp. 446-452). New York, NY The Free Press. 10

12. Factors Contributing to Poor Student Performance
Procrastination /
poor time management
Lack of study
skills
Social isolation
Reluctance to
listen to advice
11

13. Online Learning Readiness
Activities in New Student Orientation:
• Self assessment items + just in time feedback
• School and campus resources for students
• Course and edu tech information
• Tech support, guides
•A set of new activities addressing the non-
cognitive, motivational aspect
12

14. Agenda/Overview of Presentation
• Structure of our Orientation course
• Goals, mindsets, resilience  we are here
• Planning, time management, self regulation
• Sense of belonging and Social support
• Study skills
• Insights for teachers, what to do in actual courses
• Goals, mindsets, scaffolding
• Sense of belonging and Social support
• Active learning
13

15. Goal Setting, Growth Mindset, Resilience
• Resilience and the growth mindset
• Learning mastery goals vs. performance goals
• Learning mastery goals promote academic tenacity
• Self efficacy
• Performance goals may lead to fear and avoidance of failure:
students worry more about managing appearances than their
learning
• Goal setting intervention
• Realistic long term goals relevant to schoolwork
References:
• Academic Tenacity: Mindsets and Skills That Promote Long-Term Learning
http://k12education.gatesfoundation.org/resource/academic-tenacity-mindsets-and-skills-that-promote-long-term-learning/
• Schippers, M. C., Scheepers, A. W. A., & Peterson, J. B. (June 09, 2015). A scalable goal-setting intervention closes both the gender and
ethnic minority achievement gap. Palgrave Communications, 1, 15014. 14

16. Recommendations to Students
• What motivates you the most: what brings you to the grad
school, what do you want to achieve – your vision and long
term goals
• Learning goals and mindsets
• In order to get to your end goal, as a graduate student you
must:
• Understand learning is your responsibility
• Plan for your whole academic career, for each semester, in
every course and for every assignment
• Know how you study best
• Know who to ask and where to go for help
15

17. Orientation Activities/Resources:
• Example: Mindset exercise
16

18. Agenda/Overview of Presentation
• Structure of our Orientation course
• Goals, mindsets, resilience
• Planning, time management, self regulation  we are
here
• Sense of belonging and Social support
• Study skills
• Insights for teachers, what to do in actual courses
• Goals, mindsets, scaffolding
• Sense of belonging and Social support
• Active learning
17

19. Planning, Time Management, and Self Regulation
• Recurring themes in learning strategies reported by
successful students
• For example (Roper, 2007)
1. Develop a time-management strategy.
2. Make the most of online discussions.
3. Use it or lose it.
4. Make questions useful to your learning.
5. Stay motivated.
6. Communicate the instruction techniques that work.
7. Make connections with fellow students.
Reference:
Roper, A. (2007). How Students Develop Online Learning Skills. EDUCAUSE Quarterly, 4, 62-65. 18

20. Recommendation to Students
Careful planning starts before the first semester
• Academic planning tools/resources
• Course selection and workload
• Set up a study schedule and stick to it
• Look for “smart time”
• Even “short 10-15min gaps can be used for
learning”
19

21. Orientation Activities/Resources - Example
Activities
• Introduce the semester “cycle” and academic
calendar: course registration, fee payment,
textbook purchase, course offerings/rotation
schedule, poster session, course evaluations
• Study schedule template
Apps and web tools:
• Mobile apps and web 2.0 tools: planning, Time
management/distraction control apps, list making
• Canvas calendar, mobile app for students
20

22. Agenda/Overview of Presentation
• Structure of our Orientation course
• Goals, mindsets, resilience
• Planning, time management, self regulation
• Sense of belonging and Social support
• Study skills
• Insights for teachers, what to do in actual courses
• Goals, mindsets, scaffolding  we are here
• Sense of belonging and Social support
• Active learning
21

23. Insights for Teachers
• Set expectations, consider a syllabus quiz
• Encourage a growth mindset, provide ample
opportunities that allow students to learn from
mistakes and receive feedback
• Cultivate the sense of responsibility, good learning
habit, and perseverance/grit
22

24. Insights for Teachers
• Provide adequate scaffolding: Modeling task
analysis
• Additional scaffolding early in the course: break down a
big assignment into smaller components
• Use rubrics, model task analysis
• More frequent / intermediate due dates, timely
feedback especially before big assignments are due
• Allow repeated submissions (revise and resubmit),
provide just in time feedback
23

25. Insights for Teachers
Task Analysis Example (Kim, 2014, p.57)
References:
• Kim, J. H. (2014). Coping together: Collective self-regulation in a Web-based course. In Sutton, B., & In
Basiel, A. S. Teaching and learning online: Volume 2. New York : Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group..
24

26. Examples
2 Assignments 10%
Final exam 90%
2 Assignments 10%
10 Weekly
quizzes
(multiple
choice)
90%
5 Quizzes 20%
10 Weekly
assignments
30%
Midterm exam 20%
Final group
project
30%
25

27. Agenda/Overview of Presentation
• Structure of our Orientation course
• Goals, mindsets, resilience
• Planning, time management, self regulation
• Sense of belonging and Social support  we are here
• Study skills
• Insights for teachers, what to do in actual courses
• Goals, mindsets, scaffolding
• Sense of belonging and Social support
• Active learning
26

28. Procrastination /
poor time management
Lack of study
skills
Reluctance to
listen to advice
Factors Contributing to Poor Student Performance
Social isolation
27

29. Battling Social Isolation in Online Learning
Polleverywhere word cloud exercise:
• What are your strategies?
28

30. Results

31. Our message to students:
You are not alone!
And we are here to help.
30

32. Sense of Belonging and Social Support
• Social support in online learning: best practices
• Sense of belonging, learning community
• Feeling of social-belonging can improve academic
outcomes
• Social presence in online learning
• The importance of communication: respectful,
encouraging, timely and frequent, personalization
• Empathy
• Encourage one on one or group advising time
(office hours)
31

33. Recommendations to Students
• Student community (SGO) and the sense of belonging
• Forming study groups
• Using online communication tools, Netiquette
• School social media, academic update newsletter
Orientation activities:
• Introducing staff, faculty advisors, SGO
• Pictures
• Encourage regular meetings between students and
faculty/program advisors
• Seeking help and feedback: subscribe to and post in
online discussions
• Other means of communication in addition to email:
Google groups/hangout, skype, GoToMeeting 32

34. Need help?
• Orientation activity example: Sources of help and
support
33

35. Agenda/Overview of Presentation
• Structure of our Orientation course
• Goals, mindsets, resilience
• Planning, time management, self regulation
• Sense of belonging and Social support
• Study skills
• Insights for teachers, what to do in actual courses
• Goals, mindsets, scaffolding
• Sense of belonging and Social support  we are here
• Active learning
34

36. Insights for Teachers
• UT-Austin’s Inclusive Teaching and Learning:
https://facultyinnovate.utexas.edu/inclusive
• “helps you connect your content to your
learners, and also fosters a sense of belonging
among students, cultivates empathy, and
promotes resilience.”
35

37. Agenda/Overview of Presentation
• Structure of our Orientation course
• Goals, mindsets, resilience
• Planning, time management, self regulation
• Sense of belonging and Social support
• Study skills  we are here
• Insights for teachers, what to do in actual courses
• Goals, mindsets, scaffolding
• Sense of belonging and Social support
• Active learning
36

38. Poll
• What’s the most common strategy that
students use when studying for an exam?
37

39. Results

40. Active Learning Strategies
What strategies do successful learners use?
• Skimming and scanning
• Note taking: Review, recite, summarize
• Reflection
• Desired difficulty principle, the fluency illusion
• Spaced out study sessions and practices: the “spacing”
effect
• Varied practices: Context research – More sensory systems
and muscles involved in learning  faster learning and
better retention
39

41. Active Learning Strategies – cont’d
• The “quizzing” effect
• Self testing
• Passive recognition vs. active recall
• Flashcards – the “Leitner system”
• “Trying to solve a problem even before being
taught the solution leads to better learning, even
when errors are made in the attempt.” (Brown,
Roediger III & McDaniel, p. 4)
References:
• Brown, P. C., Roediger, H. L., & McDaniel, M. A. (2014). Make it stick: The science of successful learning.
Cambridge, Massachusetts : The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. 40

42. Students as Active Learners
• Students taking ownership of their learning
• Improve learning by understanding how we
learn; adopt and practice effective study
skills
• Importance of asking questions and seeking
feedback
• And give feedback!
41

43. Orientation Resources / Activities
• Scavenger hunt or image hotspots:
• Where to look for feedback and GRADES (key Canvas
functions)
• Introduce flipped classroom and Panopto Recordings,
encourage preview of course material
• Learning by doing:
• Online proctored practice quiz
• Turnitin practice assignments
• Panopto tutorial for students: helpful features for learning
• Library resources, bibliography management software
• Flashcard and note taking apps
• Refer to Intro course for more detailed advice
42

44. Panopto Tutorial Demo
43

45. Agenda/Overview of Presentation
• Structure of our Orientation course
• Goals, mindsets, resilience
• Planning, time management, self regulation
• Sense of belonging and Social support
• Study skills
• Insights for teachers, what to do in actual courses
• Goals, mindsets, scaffolding
• Sense of belonging and Social support
• Active learning  we are here
44

46. Active Learning Strategies
• The big takeaway?
Tests = Learning devices
References:
• Spitzer, H. F. (1939). Studies in retention. Journal of Educational Psychology, 30(9), 641-656.
45

47. Insights for Teachers
• Utilizing different media in teaching
• Provide multimedia, interactive lectures for example a
Panopto video lecture with embedded quiz questions, not
just PowerPoint slides
• Feedback and scaffolding
• The “testing” effect: each test is in and of itself a study
session too that improves learning.
• Encourage multiple quiz attempts, preferably soon after
instructions, and pop quizzes can help
• Provide ample opportunities (often means repeated, low
stake assessment) for students to practice and check their
understanding 46

48. Next Steps
• Generalization of research findings to adult learner
population
• Evaluation of effectiveness and student feedback
collection
47