Transcript Using the iPad to engage students in large classes: an experiment

Using the iPad to engage students in
large classes: an experiment for first
Economics' students
M Manuguerra – M Tani
ISP May Meeting – Macquarie University
Hypothesis
• Test if watching a ‘documentary’ on some key
economic concepts facilitates learning;
• Apply to large 1st year course in Economics (M
Tani) insights and success emerged from
distance learning (M Manuguerra)
• Measurement via in-class test in week 4
(40MC worth 10%)
Context and challenges
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650 1st year students
250 English-speakers at home
30+ courses of study
Very good to very weak students
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Ethics approval
Cheating/sharing information
Technological limits (of our labs)
Getting data on our own students
Video
• 2 video in week 3: GDP first 2.5 days; CPI last
2.5 days
• Students invited to participate: recorded
attendance: 91 GDP; 93 CPI
• Narrator and iPad to record essential
• Excellent RA support
Preliminary results
Questions on CPI
Questions on GDP
80.0%
70.0%
70.0%
60.0%
60.0%
50.0%
40.0%
Fail
30.0%
Pass, Credt
20.0%
D, HD
50.0%
0.0%
0.0%
CPI video
D, HD
20.0%
10.0%
GDP video
Pass, Credt
30.0%
10.0%
No video
Fail
40.0%
No video
GDP video
CPI video
Statistical model:
Output = constant + demographics + language + course + videoA/B + tutemark + err
Output: (a) mark in 40MC (b) mark in 10MC on GDP (c) mark on 10MC on CPI