Open Learning Initiative

Lovett, M., Meyer, O., & Thille, C. (2008).  The Open Learning Initiative: Measuring the effectiveness of the OLI statistics course in accelerating student learning. Journal of Interactive Media in Education. http://jime.open.ac.uk/2008/14

Abstract

The Open Learning Initiative (OLI) is an open educational resources project at Carnegie Mellon University that began in 2002 with a grant from The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. OLI creates web-based courses that are designed so that students can learn effectively without an instructor. In addition, the courses are often used by instructors to support and complement face-to-face classroom instruction. Our evaluation efforts have investigated OLI courses’ effectiveness in both of these instructional modes – stand-alone and hybrid.

Bajzek, D., Brooks, J., Jerome, W., Lovett, M., Rinderle, J., Rule, G. & Thille, C. (2008). Assessment and Instruction: Two Sides of the Same Coin. In G. Richards (Ed.), Proceedings of World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education 2008 (pp. 560-565). Chesapeake, VA: AACE.

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Abstract

In this paper we describe our research and development efforts to integrate assessment and instruction in ways that provide immediate feedback to students and meaningful data for our Digital Dashboard for Learning (DDL). The DDL is an instructional tool that collects learning data as students work through online instructional activities, summarizes the data, and displays meaningful indicators of students’ progress so that (1) faculty can monitor students’ progress and intervene where necessary and (2) students can monitor and adapt their own progress through their learning.

We will review the importance of embedding ongoing formative assessment and feedback into online instructional activities and aligning the student data collected from these activities so that it can be used to inform and modify the learning activities of the students as well as the teaching activities of the instructor. We will also describe our new assessment platform that enables course designers to construct feedback customized to the students’ needs.

Davenport, J., Yaron, D., Klahr, D., Koedinger, K. (2008).  When do diagrams enhance science learning?  First Annual Inter-Science of Learning Center Conference.

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Abstract

Many studies suggest that learning is enhanced when instruction includes relevant diagrams. However, diagrams do not always lead to improved outcomes, and relevance may be difficult to determine prior to assessment. We propose a framework consisting of three factors that influence the relevance of a diagram: the learning objective, the information included in the visual representation and the cognitive processing of the learner.

Evans, K. L., Leinhardt, G.,  & Yaron, D. (2008). Learning stoichiometry: A comparison of text and multimedia formats. Chemistry Education: Research and Practice, 9, 208-218.

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Abstract

Even after repeated instruction, first year college chemistry students are often unable to apply stoichiometry knowledge to equilibrium and acid-base chemistry problems. The dynamic and interactive capabilities of online technology may facilitate stoichiometry instruction that promotes more meaningful learning.

Dollár, A.,  Steif, P. S. (2008). An interactive, cognitively informed, web-based statics course. International Journal of Engineering Education.

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Abstract

In this paper we present computer-based instructional materials developed as part of the Open Learning Initiative (OLI) at Carnegie Mellon University that, upon completion, would constitute an entire online course in Statics. These materials reflect recent progress in re-thinking Statics instruction, including a recently proposed object-centered approach to teaching Statics that deliberately separates out individual concepts and treats them sequentially.