IMPACTS OF DISPERSED PLACE-BASED ASSIGNMENTS, SEEDED FORUMS, AND MODIFIED PEER INSTRUCTION IN AN OPEN, ONLINE CLIMATE SCIENCE COURSE (Invited Presentation)

How do we best apply learner-centered approaches in open, online courses, to help non-experts both learn climate science and become everyday communicators? In runs of “Climate Change: The Science” on edX.org, we compared impacts of assignment structure, forum seeding, and (modified) peer instruction to identify better practices to help people engage in climate science in this format.

In our assignment comparison, one randomized cohort was given essay assignments about climate change issues “prescribed” by the instructor and another cohort wrote “personalized” essays about their own area. Both cohorts posted essays to global maps (by cohort) where others could read them. At the course’s end, the majority from both cohorts felt “well-informed” about global climate change, but those in the “personalized” cohort felt “well-informed” about local climate change issues at significantly higher rates than those in the “prescribed” cohort. Participants in the “personalized” condition were also more likely to recommend the course (80% vs 68%, p=0.03). Assignment condition had no impact on behavior, such as time spent, and no impact on course grades.

Online discussion forums can serve as places for far-flung participants to connect, exchange ideas, and discuss issues beyond the course’s core content. We compared two different instructional approaches for the forums: (1) monitor the forums and provide information when needed, versus (2) seed the forums with topical threads and deliberately invite elaboration from participants, rather than simply answering questions. The percentage of active learners who wrote topical posts (rather than logistical), and who read topical posts both were higher using the second approach, and the web of connections among forum participants showed more unique links.

Early experiments with an asynchronous peer instruction tool in assessments indicate that >80% of participants support using this format to complement more standard multiple choice questions.

These comparisons imply that dispersed place-based assignments, seeded forums, and asynchronous peer instruction have advantages for participants, their peers, and instructors in an open online course. Deliberate pedagogical choices such as these can help increase participants’ engagement in climate issues locally and beyond.