Abstract:

This session is about an innovative teaching strategy that enhances a student’s personal learning environment. The problem is that instructors often unnecessarily consume valuable time by explaining rules, expectations, and course structure. This is a report of a study that extends Branch (2020) [1], that focused on a self-regulated pre-engagement strategy implemented to mitigate the need for students to ask questions about information already provided by the instructor. This pre-engagement study strategy is consistent with successful research regarding the scholarship of teaching and learning (Boyer, 1990) [4], Felton (2013) [5], Hutchings and Shulman (1999) [6]. The purpose is to show the ways in which reactions to the published results of Branch and Lee (2021) [2], and the recommendations from the participants at the Branch, Lee and Morris (2023) [3] presentation at the 17th annual INTED conference were addressed.

Context:
While the previously mentioned studies claimed to measure a learner’s preparedness to start an academic unit of study, there was a lack of correlation reported between a student’s readiness score and the final grade for that student. The Readiness Activity helped students in determining the amount of time they may need to devote to various components of the course, thus, enhancing their personal learning environment. Preliminary findings indicate that this self-regulated study activity had a positive influence on learner achievement. Thus, this follow-up study was guided by the question “What is the relationship between a student’s pre-engagement study score and that same student’s final grade?”

Research Design:
Participants were students in a tertiary education course at a university in the Southeastern United States of America. A pre-engagement assignment was administered asynchronously as an online quiz via a learning management system. The highest score was used in the calculation of the student’s final course grade. The data collection period is five years ending in December 2023.

A summary of results is presented. The session also features audience participation.

References:
[1] Branch, R. (2020, February). The effect of a robust readiness activity on student learning. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, Savannah, Georgia.
[2] Branch, R., & Lee, H. (2021). Preparing learners to learn: A readiness paradigm. In L. G. Chova, A. L. Martinez & I. C. Torres (Eds.), Conference Proceedings, 15th International Technology, Education and Development (Online Conference). Spain: IATED Academy. Doi 10.21125/inted.2021.1595
[3] Branch, R., Lee, H., & Morris, A. (March, 2023). The Influence of a Credit Bearing Readiness Activity on Student Preparedness for Learning Through a Self-regulated Study Process. Paper presented at the 17th annual International Technology, Education and Development Conference. Valencia, Spain.
[4] E.L. Boyer, “Scholarship reconsidered: Priorities of the professoriate,” San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 1990.
[5] P. Felton, “Principles of good practice in SoTL’” Teaching and Learning Inquiry: The ISSOTL Journal, 1(1), 121-125, 2013.
[6] P. Hutchings, & L.S. Shulman, “The scholarship of teaching: New elaborations, new developments,” Change, 31(5), 10-15, 1999, September/October.

Keywords:

Readiness, Self-regulated Learning, Instructional Design, Learning Environments, Teaching Strategies.