FCS Implements Online Technology Tools with D2L for Graduate Course

Since the campus’s adoption of Desire2Learn in 2012, departments like Family and Consumer Sciences have taken full advantage of its features.  Dr. Lisa Brooks, an FCS assistant professor, has been working with Ms. Lisa Dallas, assistant to the dean for academic technology for the Lumpkin College of Business and Applied Sciences, to convert one of their courses into an online format this past summer.

D2L Course Module

Dr. Brooks noticed graduate students are continuing to ask for more online course options to help offset juggling work, family, and school; consequently,  FCS Administration and Supervision (FCS 5450) was converted to an online format. Brooks and Dallas attended the Spring 2014 Faculty Summer Institute (FSI) to learn how to incorporate the best pedagogical practices for online teaching, which assisted with the development of this course.

Dr. Brooks and Ms. Dallas learned about “low-stake” and “high-stake” assignments as they pertain to using new technology tools at FSI. Incorporated into the course are assignments that are worth a smaller point value – low-stake – in which students can experiment with the technology before they are required to complete an assignment worth more points: a high-stake assignment.

Formative evaluations are a necessity in an online course, an idea that was emphasized at FSI. Students enrolled in FCS 5450 were asked to complete a formative survey at midterm using Qualtrics. The survey was developed by the instructor with questions pertaining to the difficulty of the course and provided an opportunity for suggestions on improving the course. Brooks noted: “The main point is that if an instructor asks for feedback and takes action when/if appropriate, it will improve the quality of the course.”

Dr. Brooks adds interaction with her students as much as she can with the online format by incorporating audio with her news items in the modules. She enhances her PowerPoint presentations with narrations that allow students to follow along and listen to her just as they would in a classroom setting. To keep the students engaged in the course, they are also required to read two articles provided by the instructor, add their own research of additional scholarly articles, and participate in the weekly discussion posts. At the end of the course, the discussion topic was switched to incorporate a student-centered approach in which the students provided the instructor with ideas and articles. Brooks added: “The student-choice topic was perhaps the best in the class and definitely kept students engaged to the end.”

Blackboard Collaborate Session

Aside from the features used within D2L like the discussion board and Turnitin, numerous online technology tools are being used to facilitate student learning. Those tools include an online web conferencing tool (Blackboard Collaborate), online survey software (Qualtrics), and Lockdown Browser. Brooks added: “The implementation of D2L at EIU allowed Online Rooms, Turnitin, and Lockdown Browser tools to be easily incorporated with the content and objectives of the course.”

The online course and variety of technology tools available through D2L and EIU make this technology unique which is one reason Dr. Brooks and Dallas wanted to incorporate it into the course.

“Mobility of D2L allows faculty the flexibility to manage their course using multiple devices,” Dallas added. “Mobility of D2L also allows students to study and work anywhere on anything.”

For more information on the FCS graduate course, contact Dr. Lisa Brooks or Lisa Dallas via email: tlbrooks@eiu.edu or lmdallas@eiu.edu.