A TRANSFORMING EXPERIENCE: GOING ONLINE IN A LARGE ENROLLMENT OCEANOGRAPHY COURSE

New strategies for transforming learning have been explored over the past 7 years in an oceanography course for non-science majors at SJSU. The experiment is guided by the principle that every student can serve as an important advocate for oceanographic research, regardless of his or her major field of study or future career path. Students are involved in active learning through a focused approach of studying the ocean with an emphasis on scientific discovery rather than a broad survey of information. The methods of learning assessment encourage critical thinking as students present ideas supported by scientific evidence, similar to the activities of marine scientists. The course has been offered in an online format since 1998 in order to provide learning at the convenience of the student through self-paced expeditions on the course website. Students also engage in thought-provoking discussions on contemporary ocean issues via the electronic bulletin board with the instructor providing open-ended questions involving interdisciplinary issues. In addition to the online component, students participate in two half-day field studies of local marine habitats that culminate in a poster symposium on campus, followed by the generation of a research grant proposal. Demand for the online sections is very high with enrollments now exceeding 250 students per year, which is higher than the equivalent classroom sections. Student learning in the online format compares favorably with that measured in classroom sections, although some students struggle with the issue of self-discipline. Survey instruments reveal that students believe communication with the instructor of the online course is far greater, and of higher quality, than in equivalent classroom sections. Online course development and teaching can be benefit faculty as well by providing a rewarding intellectual experience, especially if effective strategies are adopted to fulfill the duties of teaching, scholarship and service.