Live Learning was a Success, what do we do next? Defining a Live Learning Strategy to Scale for a Fully Online Asynchronous University

Concurrent Session 2

Brief Abstract

How do you go from 5 to 15 to 50 courses?  We have piloted synchronous sessions within a fully asynchronous learning environment.  Join us to hear how this was accomplished on a small scale and how we are bringing this successful practice to our larger general education population- and beyond! 

Presenters

Lead Presenter: Bryan Aylward, University of Arizona Global Campus

Dr. Bryan Aylward is the Senior Director of Academic Operations for the University of Arizona Global Campus. Bryan’s division encompasses the Faculty Scheduling department for the university across 50+ start dates annually, the Contracts & Payroll Compliance department, as well as the Data and Academic Systems department for the university. Bryan has almost 14 years of experience in higher education operations across numerous departments including student services, registrar, curriculum operations, as well as academic operations. In addition to this experience, Bryan has been an associate faculty member for the Forbes School of Business and Technology since 2012 with focused instruction on leadership and management courses. Bryan is an advocate of high-quality education, with experience in the online, traditional classroom, as well as hybrid classroom formats (Online and Classroom), and is well versed in the challenges that exist for both students and faculty. Bryan received his Doctorate in Psychology with a focus on Business & Organizational Leadership from the University of the Rockies in 2017.

Co-presenter: Allison Rief, University of Arizona Global Campus

Dr. Allison Rief is an Associate Professor and Department Chair in the School of General Studies at the University of Arizona Global Campus. Allison earned a Doctorate of Education with a specialization in Teacher Education in Multicultural Societies from the University of Southern California, a Master of Education from the University of California Los Angeles, and a Bachelor of Arts in Literatures in English at the University of California San Diego. Dr. Rief began her career as an elementary and preschool teacher. She maintains a National Board Certification and was awarded the Teacher of the Year for both the Los Angeles Unified School District and Los Angeles County. Within higher education, she has had experience launching new programs and revising existing programs, developing courses, providing professional development, and working with collaborative teams across the university. Currently, Dr. Rief is a member of the Change Advisory Group, Student Conduct and Community Standards Committee, Forbes Center for Women’s Leadership, and oversees the partnership with No Excuses University schools. Beyond the programs she leads, she also serves on Doctoral committees and teaches the Doctoral In-Residence.

Co-presenter: Morgan Johnson, University of Arizona Global Campus

Morgan Johnson is the Vice President of Academic Experience and Interim Chief Academic Officer at the University of Arizona Global Campus. In her role, Morgan supports all aspects of the UAGC student lifecycle, champions the teaching and learning mission at the University, and strives to continuously improve the faculty and student classroom experience. She leads academic operations, innovation and academic technology, learning resources and editorial services, and academic support teams, including the UAGC Library, Writing Center, and tutoring services. Morgan brings over 15 years of experience in higher education leadership to UAGC. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Organizational Development and Leadership. Her research has focused on systematic approaches to learning environments with a focus on planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of learning systems. As a passionate educator, Morgan has over a decade of teaching experience and has contributed as a faculty member to curriculum design and program development. She currently serves on the Association of Distance Education and Independent Learning (ADEIL) Board of Directors and is active in leadership volunteer roles for the Online Learning Consortium (OLC).

Co-presenter: Stephanie Tweedie, University of Arizona Global Campus (Virtual Presenter)

Extended Abstract

Our university has historically been a fully online learning environment. We serve a non-traditional student population and are an open enrollment institution. We serve a large military population, so our students may be located across the globe and have severe time constraints.  We also serve a majority adult population, with the averages age of 35. Our students are working and taking care of their families as well as going to school. In this context, the university relied on asynchronous learning, which allowed students to access course materials and the opportunity to complete assignments within a given instructional/learning week at the times that best fit into their robust schedules. While this approach proved successful, there was a need to incorporate more synchronous learning opportunities to enhance engagement and interaction among students, as well as between students and instructors. We are also continuously looking towards student success metrics, which include course completion and retention. This presentation provides a quick overview of the introduction of synchronous live learning sessions and the initial data collected post launch into a traditionally fully asynchronous online learning model. Specifically, it reviews the data presented from our pilot stage and the current data collection utilized to evaluate the success of this pilot. This will transition into the updated data collection with a focus on the successes and challenges associated with the live learning strategy.

Previous Data and Current Data Collection

In a previous study conducted by the university, it was found that the use of synchronous live learning sessions improved student engagement and interaction. The study revealed that students who attended live sessions had higher course completion rates, grades, and retention rates when compared to those who did not attend these live sessions. Additionally, the study showed that students who attended more live sessions were more likely to persist in their studies and have a higher degree of satisfaction with their learning experience.

After the expansion of live learning into additional courses within our general education coursework, and with an institutional focus on continuous improvement, our research team again leveraged a data collection process to effectively evaluate the success of synchronous live learning sessions. This data collection involved tracking student participation, satisfaction, final grades, retention rates, and several additional student success metrics. Beyond the quantitative date, the data collection also involved conducting surveys to measure student and faculty satisfaction within the live learning sessions.

Successes and Challenges Associated with Live Learning Strategy

The introduction of synchronous live learning sessions into the traditionally fully asynchronous online learning model has been successful in many ways. One of the main successes of the live learning strategy has been the increased engagement and interaction among students. This is particularly important in an online learning environment, where students can feel isolated and disconnected from their peers and instructors. By providing live sessions, students can interact with each other and their instructors in real-time, which can lead to a more dynamic and engaging learning experience.

Another success of the live learning strategy has been the positive impact on student success rates. The use of live sessions has resulted in higher course completion rates, grades, and retention rates. This is consistent with previous research that has shown that synchronous learning can improve student outcomes.  Briefly, our pilot data supports these success metrics.  Overall, students who participated in Live Learning had a higher course pass rate compared to matched non-users (+3.3 points) and the average course pass rate (+5.8 points). This difference was more notable in STEM courses, with Live Learning users passing the courses at a rate +5.7 points higher than matched non-users (compared to a 2.6 point gain in non-STEM courses).  As we have expanded our breadth and depth of Live Learning outside of the pilot stage, we continue to see success within quantitative and qualitative data, which will be shared within the presentation.

However, there have also been some challenges associated with the live learning strategy. One of the main challenges has been the technological requirements and limitations associated with scheduling and planning these sessions. Specifically, there have been issues related to finding a suitable time that maximizes the opportunity for students to attend the live sessions, as well as ensuring that all students have access to the necessary technology to participate. Additionally, there have been concerns about the potential for technical issues and connectivity problems during the live sessions.

Overall, while there have been some challenges associated with the live learning strategy, the benefits have outweighed the drawbacks. The use of live sessions has resulted in higher student success rates, increased engagement and interaction among students, and higher levels of student satisfaction with the learning experience.

Conclusion

Based on the positive outcomes of the pilot, presenters believe that other higher education stakeholders will garner useful knowledge not just about the success of Live Learning, but also logistics for utilizing it at their institutions.  Presenters include faculty, staff, and university leadership so that they can share their unique lens on Live Learning.  Faculty will share the logistics of running sessions, such as content that is utilized and how it is shared, major roadblocks that were identified and overcome throughout the process, accessibility, and student success metrics.  Staff members will cover basics about adjunct faculty contracts, cloud-based conferencing platforms, and legal issues.  Leadership will share about the vision behind live learning and how it matches the mission of the university.  We will include audience participation and encourage a constructivist approach where the knowledge and experiences of the group is valued.