Biostatistics for the Health Sciences: Online Delivery - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Biostatistics for the Health Sciences: Online Delivery

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Background Information (continued) Experience with distance learning ... None; in words of one student, 'all good' (6 students) ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Biostatistics for the Health Sciences: Online Delivery


1
Biostatistics for the Health Sciences Online
Delivery
  • Jessica L. Thomson, PhD
  • USDA Agricultural Research Service
  • (formerly with the LSUHSC SPH)
  • April 24, 2006

2
Project Goal
  • To convert graduate level introductory
    Biostatistics course from traditional classroom
    setting to online delivery

3
Asynchronous Delivery
  • Moodle course management system (open source
    software)
  • Course components
  • Narrated lectures (PowerPoint and Camtasia)
  • Narrated calculator examples (TI-emulator and
    Camtasia)
  • Animated worked exercises (Flash)
  • Quizzes (Half-Baked Hot Potatoes)

4
Additional Component
  • Purchased by School of Public Health (SPH)
  • Necessary to continue with SPH courses in
    distance learning format (aftermath of Hurricane
    Katrina)
  • Elluminate software
  • Synchronous
  • Weekly question-and-answer sessions
  • Weekly tutoring sessions

5
Login Screen
6
Front Page
7
Components
8
Website Features
  • Participants list of enrolled students
  • Edit profile edit user profile
  • Forums list of available forums
  • Quizzes created using Moodle
  • Resources imported files (e.g. created outside
    of Moodle)
  • Courses available via Moodle
  • Search forums

9
Website Features (continued)
  • Upcoming events reminder of course events
    posted to calendar
  • Calendar color-coded depending on applicability
  • Latest news chronological order of recently
    posted forums and course events
  • Recent activity items recently added to course
    website
  • Online users currently logged in

10
Outline (Specific to Course)
  • Lectures
  • Created in PowerPoint
  • Narrated and produced using Camtasia
  • Calculator examples
  • Created using TI-emulator (Flash program
    simulates use of calculator free download)
  • Narrated and produced using Camtasia

11
Outline (continued)
  • Worked exercises
  • Designed to replace in class blackboard worked
    exercises
  • Created using Flash
  • Animated and interactive
  • Quizzes
  • Taken multiple times not graded
  • Practice for exams
  • Created using Half-Baked Hot Potatoes software
    (freeware)

12
Course-specific Survey
  • Designed specifically for Bios 6221 online
    section of course
  • Questions concerning components of Moodle and
    course
  • No questions concerning instructor and course
    material (SPH course evaluation)
  • Voluntary but not anonymous (bonus points awarded)

13
Background Information (26 students)
  • Affiliated school
  • Public Health 54 (14)
  • Graduate 31 (8)
  • Nursing 15 (4)
  • Computer used
  • Home 77 (20)
  • Work, shared work, both home and work 4 (1)
    each
  • Other (Learning Resource Center, laptop with
    public wireless internet access) 12 (3)

14
Background Information (continued)
  • Computer platform
  • Windows 92 (24)
  • Macintosh 8 (2)
  • Internet connectivity
  • Cable alone or in conjunction with dial-up, DSL,
    wireless card, work, and/or wi-fi 42 (11)
  • Dial-up alone or in conjunction with DSL and/or
    wireless card 19 (5)
  • Wireless card alone or in conjunction with wi-fi
    23 (6)
  • Wi-fi alone 12 (3)
  • DSL alone 4 (1)

15
Background Information (continued)
  • Experience with distance learning
  • Little to none (0 or 1 course) 77 (20)
  • Moderate (2 to 4 courses) 19 (5)
  • A lot (more than 4 courses) 4 (1)
  • Website/course management proficiency
  • Very poor 8 (2)
  • Adequate/use improvement 42 (11)
  • Proficient 50 (13)

16
Course Environment Component
  • Easy maneuverability of course website
  • Yes 96 (25)
  • No 4 (1)
  • Liked layout of course website
  • Yes 92 (24)
  • No 8 (2)
  • Found course calendar useful
  • Yes 89 (23)
  • No 12 (3)
  • Found course forums useful
  • Yes 89 (23)
  • No 12 (3)

17
Lecture Component
  • Found narrated lectures helpful
  • Yes 89 (23)
  • No 12 (3)
  • Found narrated lectures easy to access
  • Yes 100 (26)
  • No 0 (0)
  • Experienced difficulty accessing/listening
  • No 69 (18)
  • Yes 31 (8)
  • Have suggestions for improvement
  • No 69 (18)
  • Yes 31 (8)

18
Calculator Examples Component
  • Found narrated calculator examples helpful
  • Yes 89 (23)
  • No 12 (3)
  • Found narrated calculator examples easy to access
  • Yes 96 (25)
  • No 4 (1)
  • Experienced difficulty accessing/listening
  • No 85 (22)
  • Yes 15 (4)
  • Have suggestions for improvement
  • No 50 (13)
  • Yes 50 (13)

19
Worked Exercises Component
  • Found animated worked exercises helpful
  • Yes 100 (26)
  • No 0 (0)
  • Found animated worked exercises easy to access
  • Yes 100 (26)
  • No 0 (0)
  • Experienced difficulty accessing/listening
  • No 96 (25)
  • Yes 4 (1)
  • Have suggestions for improvement
  • No 85 (22)
  • Yes 15 (4)

20
Exams Component
  • Format preference
  • In person 15 (4)
  • Online 85 (22)
  • Experienced difficulties with online format
  • No 62 (16)
  • Yes 39 (10)
  • Have suggestions for improving submittal process
  • No 65 (17)
  • Yes 35 (9)

21
Difficulties Encountered/Suggestions for
Improvement
  • Internet connectivity
  • Majority occurred early in semester and directly
    related to after effects of Hurricane Katrina
  • Future course offerings will REQUIRE high speed
    internet connectivity
  • Course environment
  • Students indicated simply not using all available
    components
  • Lectures
  • Downloadable for listening offline (maybe)
  • List duration of each lecture (excellent)

22
Difficulties Encountered/Suggestions for
Improvement (continued)
  • Calculator examples
  • Relate to problems in book (excellent)
  • Add play/pause/stop buttons (excellent)
  • Worked exercises
  • Include audio (possibly as introduction)
  • Exams
  • Internet connectivity and reliability (previously
    addressed)
  • Streamline submittal process (already in progress)

23
Component Enjoyed Most
  • Independent study (self-paced, work from home 16
    students)
  • Repeatability of lectures, calculator examples
    and worked exercises (7students)
  • Accessibility (anytime, anyplace 4 students)
  • Excellent website (2 students)
  • Audio calculator examples (1 student)
  • Awesome worked exercises (1 student)

24
Component Liked Least
  • Lack of physical contact with instructor and
    other students (9 students)
  • None in words of one student, all good (6
    students)
  • Online exam testing/submission process (3
    students)
  • Need for self-motivation (3 students)

25
Recommendations
  • Continued use of Moodle course management system
    (well received by both instructor and students)
  • Continued use of Elluminate (or some other
    synchronous online delivery software) for
    synchronous question-and-answer sessions
  • High speed internet connectivity for both
    students and instructor
  • Students should be moderately proficient in
    website and course management software use

26
Summary
  • Project was successful, despite problems caused
    by Hurricane Katrina (e.g. internet connectivity)
  • Problems were resolved quickly and with minimal
    disruption to students
  • Course will be offered again in online format

27
Acknowledgements
  • Louisiana Board of Regents SELECT grants program
    (LA-DL-SELECT-18-04/05
  • Jennifer Hayden (LSUHSC SPH), Ray Whiting (LSUHSC
    SPH) and Demetrius Porche (LSUHSC SoN)
  • Bios 6221 students of Fall 2005 semester
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