Supported Course ReDesign (SCoRe)

As part of Western’s Blended Learning Strategy, the Centre for Teaching and Learning, Western Libraries and Information Technology Services work in collaboration with Western faculty members to transform fully face-to-face, large-enrollment, foundational courses into blended offerings.

Over the three years of funding (2016-2019), the Supported Course Redesign (SCoRe) Program aims to work with faculty across the institution to transform at least nine courses. It is anticipated that by the end of the program, at least 4,300 students per academic year will be enrolled in a SCoRe redesigned course.

Through participation, selected courses and faculty members receive direct support and funding to engage in the course redesign process. Faculty participants are matched with an expert redesign team drawn from Western Libraries, Information Technology Services, and CTL librarians and staff. Staff bring expertise in blended learning, eLearning technologies, course design, and information literacy to the redesign process. Faculty participants, in collaboration with their redesign team, work to develop course-level learning outcomes, assessments, and learning materials appropriate for a blended course. All courses redesigned through the SCoRe program are evaluated to assess, in part, the effectiveness of the redesign on students’ self-regulation in learning, approaches to learning, and engagement in learning.

Blended learning is defined as the thoughtful fusion of face-to face and online learning activities in a purposeful and pedagogically valuable manner. (Picciano, 2006; Vaughan et al., 2013)

What is Blended Learning?

For the purposes of SCoRe, a blended course design means that at least 30% of meaningful student learning occurs in the online learning environment.

 

The SCoRe program:

  • targets large enrollment, foundational courses
  • includes a competitive selection process
  • matches faculty members with a redesign team drawn from Western Libraries, eLearning Technologists, and Centre for Teaching and Learning experts
  • offers faculty members support throughout the SCoRe project
  • is evidence-based and includes a pre- and post-assessment of the course redesign to demonstrate efficacy
  • participation requires support of department and Dean.

Participation in SCoRe includes:

  • 8-12 weekly learning community meetings with full cohort of faculty participants during the redesign semester
  • bi-weekly meetings with redesign team during the redesign semester
  • support to meet project deadlines.

With the completion of the redesign, participating departments receive:

  • funding to support teaching and learning initiatives.

Intended SCoRe Program Outcomes

Faculty will:

  • reflect on their teaching and learning practice
  • be able to apply principles to future course design process
  • learn from colleagues in the learning community
  • be more satisfied with their teaching.

Students will demonstrate:

  • increased engagement in course
  • deeper approaches to learning
  • increased student capacity for self-directed learning (metacognition)
  • decreased in-class distraction.

Course designs will:

  • be offered in a blended format
  • increase student-centeredness
  • demonstrate the alignment between intended learning outcomes and assessment
  • thoughtfully incorporate technology to achieve learning outcomes.

SCoRe Course Redevelopment Timeline

Initial design semester
(Fall, Year 1)

Course redesign
(Winter, Year 1)

Course development
(Summer, Year 1)

Redesign semester
(Year 2)

Major milestone:
-course selected for participation in SCoRe


Milestones:
-initial design assessed by SCoRe staff

Major milestone:
-active work with SCoRe Learning Community and course redesign team on course redesign

Milestones:
-funding provided for 1 semester .5 credit buy-out, graduate student hire, and technology & training fund
- redesign sessions occur

Major milestone:
-faculty independent development of course materials (as needed)

Milestones:
-funding continues for graduate student

 

Major milestone:
-redesigned blended course launched


Milestones:
-report submitted on actual technology & training spending

-redesign assessed by SCoRe staff

Applying to Participate in SCoRe

If you are interested in participating in the 2018-19 SCoRe program, complete the online SCoRe program application.

The deadline for application submission is Friday, May 25th. We expect to make our selection decision by July 13.

SCoRe Program Course Designs

Our first SCoRe cohort, conducted during the winter 2017 semester, included Dr. Tom Haffie from the Department of Biology and Dr. Jennifer Irwin from the School of Health Studies.

Biology 1001A/1002B (2016-17)

Dr. Haffie, with the help of his SCoRe redesign team (Beth Hundey, Jen Sadler, Winona Gadapati, Joel Slade), redesigned his Biology for Science course to integrate a variety of in-class and online learning activities and assessments that he and his colleagues had adopted over time to create a formal, blended course offering.

Health Sciences 2250A (2016-17)

Dr. Irwin and her SCoRe redesign team (Roxanne Isard, Ramon Sanchez, Vinh Hieu Ly) worked to incorporate online learning activities and technology into her primarily classroom-based Introduction to Health Promotion course.

Questions?

For more information, contact ctl@uwo.ca

References

Picciano, A. G. (2006). Blended learning: Implications for growth and access. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 10(3), 95–102.

Vaughan, N. D., Cleveland-Innes, M., & Garrison, D. R. (2013). Teaching in blended learning environments: Creating and sustaining communities of inquiry. Edmonton: Athabasca University Press.