Using WebCT and Laptops For Active Learning in the

ClassroomCan Akkan

Graduate School of Management

Sabancı University

Agenda

• My ultimate goal in using technology in the classroom

• Methods by which I try to accomplish this

• How these methods are implemented using available technology

• Q & A

Primary Objective

• Make a large class feel like a small one

Large vs Small Class

• Small Class:– Interactive– Students think along– Students know each other– Students can get help easily outside class

• Large Class:– Monologue– Students fall asleep in class– Students do not know their neighbors– Help? What help?

Making MGMT 201 a Small Class

• Interactive• Students think along

• Students know each other

• Students can get help easily outside class

• Students have many ways to give feedback

In-class exercises

Initial Survey

Online discussions

Two-Minute-Papers

• Exercises could be both quantitative and qualitative

• Possible tasks:– Recall prior material– Answer a question– Start a problem solution– Work out next step in a calculation– Think of an application or an example– … etc.

In-Class Exercises

Using Technology …

• To easily collect in-class exercises and evaluate them– Exercises done in Excel workbooks

• Students download a file from WebCT• Complete the exercise• Upload the file

– Grading• Download all files from WebCT• An Excel macro is used to create a table of all

students’ work

Get-to-Know-You Survey

• Gender

• Year

• Faculty

• Program choice

• Town family lives

• Student club membership

• Internship experience

2 minutes before the end of each session students fill out a survey asking:

1. The main point(s)

2. The muddiest (least clear) point(s)

Two-Minute Paper

Exams

• Using laptops as well

• Can’t use WebCT– Can’t stop students from communicating with

each other

• Using a special purpose server to distribute and collect files

Next, some screen shots …

An In-class Exercise

After Downloading Student Files

The Grading Macro

Output of Grading Macro

• Grade entry to WebCT is done manually

Results of the Minute-Paper Surveys

Thanks!

Any questions ?