Engaging students with Statistics - the VLE way. A CDE seminar conducted by Dr James Abdey from the Dept of Statistics, LSE.

1. CDE Seminar:
Engaging students
CDE Seminar: with Statistics —
the VLE way
May 12th, 2011
Dr James Abdey
Engaging students with Statistics
VLE resources
Introduction
Suite of resources
— the VLE way Audio-visual tutorials
Mini lectures
Self-test quizzes
Moderated Q&A forum
Filmed whiteboard tutorials
Student feedback
Dr James Abdey†
J.S.Abdey@lse.ac.uk
† Department of Statistics
London School of Economics and Political Science

2. CDE Seminar:
Introduction Engaging students
with Statistics —
the VLE way
Statistics is a core first-year course for many UoL May 12th, 2011
International Programmes Dr James Abdey
VLE resources
Introduction
Over 5,000 students per year sit ‘Statistics 1’, making Suite of resources
Audio-visual tutorials
it one of the largest service-level courses Mini lectures
Self-test quizzes
Moderated Q&A forum
Filmed whiteboard tutorials
As such, the ‘client base’ is extremely heterogeneous Student feedback
in terms of
discipline major
statistical/mathematical literacy
study arrangements (local institution v. independent
study)
In 2008, it was decided that virtual learning
resources be developed to support students

3. CDE Seminar:
Introduction Engaging students
with Statistics —
the VLE way
May 12th, 2011
Dr James Abdey
To date, Statistics courses of the International VLE resources
Programmes have pioneered numerous forms of Introduction
Suite of resources
virtual learning resources Audio-visual tutorials
Mini lectures
Self-test quizzes
Moderated Q&A forum
Filmed whiteboard tutorials
Student feedback on these has been extremely Student feedback
positive as evidenced by usage and student
comments
Today, the range of virtual learning resources which
have been developed will be demonstrated

4. CDE Seminar:
Suite of resources Engaging students
with Statistics —
the VLE way
May 12th, 2011
Dr James Abdey
Although continuously evolving, at present the
VLE resources
following resources are live on the VLE: Introduction
Suite of resources
Audio-visual tutorials
Mini lectures
audio-visual tutorials Self-test quizzes
Moderated Q&A forum
Filmed whiteboard tutorials
Student feedback
mini lectures
self-test quizzes
moderated Q&A forum
filmed whiteboard tutorials — new!

5. CDE Seminar:
Audio-visual tutorials Engaging students
with Statistics —
the VLE way
May 12th, 2011
Dr James Abdey
Audio-visual tutorials were the first developed VLE resources
Introduction
resources Suite of resources
Audio-visual tutorials
Mini lectures
Self-test quizzes
These made use of the ‘Echo’ recording software Moderated Q&A forum
Filmed whiteboard tutorials
Student feedback
Educators can record these on a tablet PC, hence
can be completed off-campus
In the event of a mistake, delete and start again!

6. CDE Seminar:
Audio-visual tutorials Engaging students
with Statistics —
the VLE way
May 12th, 2011
Dr James Abdey
On the VLE, videos are available to download in MP4
VLE resources
format Introduction
Suite of resources
Audio-visual tutorials
Mini lectures
Hence these can be played on mobile devices such Self-test quizzes
Moderated Q&A forum
as iPhones and iPads Filmed whiteboard tutorials
Student feedback
Alternatively, they can be streamed online
The tutorials are typically 5–20 minutes in duration
covering a specific syllabus subsection or
worked-through example

7. CDE Seminar:
Audio-visual tutorials Engaging students
with Statistics —
the VLE way
May 12th, 2011
Dr James Abdey
From a pedagogical perspective, these tutorials show
VLE resources
how to work through a problem from start to finish Introduction
Suite of resources
Audio-visual tutorials
Mini lectures
Knowing how to ‘tackle’ a problem is an area Self-test quizzes
Moderated Q&A forum
where students often struggle in quantitative Filmed whiteboard tutorials
Student feedback
courses
An inanimate subject guide fails to communicate this
Seeing a solution evolve on the screen simulates
what students have to do in examinations

8. CDE Seminar:
Audio-visual tutorials Engaging students
with Statistics —
the VLE way
May 12th, 2011
Dr James Abdey
The worked-through examples typically have the
question displayed with a link to the recording at the VLE resources
Introduction
end Suite of resources
Audio-visual tutorials
Mini lectures
Self-test quizzes
The idea is that students attempt to work through the Moderated Q&A forum
Filmed whiteboard tutorials
question themselves beforehand Student feedback
Then they compare their solution against the ‘expert’
performance
This provides a level of feedback previously absent
before the VLE

9. CDE Seminar:
Mini lectures Engaging students
with Statistics —
the VLE way
May 12th, 2011
Dr James Abdey
To provide a more ‘authentic’ university experience VLE resources
(for students studying independently in particular), Introduction
Suite of resources
recordings of mini lectures were produced Audio-visual tutorials
Mini lectures
Self-test quizzes
Moderated Q&A forum
Filmed whiteboard tutorials
These involve prepared slides which appear on Student feedback
screen with an audio commentary
Similar to internal lecture recordings which allow
students to review specific areas of difficulty and to
‘listen again’ when revising ahead of exams

10. CDE Seminar:
Self-test quizzes Engaging students
with Statistics —
the VLE way
May 12th, 2011
Self-test quizzes are another tool
Dr James Abdey
These invite students to ‘test your understanding’ VLE resources
Introduction
after studying a particular chapter Suite of resources
Audio-visual tutorials
Mini lectures
Self-test quizzes
Created using Wimba Create (CourseGenie) Moderated Q&A forum
Filmed whiteboard tutorials
Student feedback
Various question formats can be used, although
multiple choice seems to be the most time-efficient
and useful form
As subject guides are revised, links/references to
these can be integrated into the text (applicable to all
the VLE resources)

11. CDE Seminar:
Moderated Q&A forum Engaging students
with Statistics —
the VLE way
May 12th, 2011
For internal students office hours provide the Dr James Abdey
opportunity for students to ask academics
VLE resources
clarification questions etc. Introduction
Suite of resources
Audio-visual tutorials
Mini lectures
The moderated Q&A forum offers a similar service Self-test quizzes
Moderated Q&A forum
to our distance learners Filmed whiteboard tutorials
Student feedback
Students can post questions (relating to the subject
guide, textbook exercises etc.) which I then answer
Old posts can be archived for the benefit of future
student cohorts

12. CDE Seminar:
Moderated Q&A forum Engaging students
with Statistics —
the VLE way
May 12th, 2011
Dr James Abdey
In addition, I pose unseen (exam-style) questions VLE resources
Introduction
which students are then encouraged to solve Suite of resources
Audio-visual tutorials
collaboratively Mini lectures
Self-test quizzes
Moderated Q&A forum
Filmed whiteboard tutorials
I then monitor student attempts, suggesting hints Student feedback
where appropriate
Once students have attempted these, a fully-worked
through solution is provided

13. CDE Seminar:
Filmed whiteboard tutorials Engaging students
with Statistics —
the VLE way
May 12th, 2011
‘Introduction to economics’ is another Dr James Abdey
service-level course (in fact the largest of those
VLE resources
administered by LSE) Introduction
Suite of resources
Audio-visual tutorials
Mini lectures
It is a demanding course and, like Statistics, students Self-test quizzes
Moderated Q&A forum
have often struggled with the material Filmed whiteboard tutorials
Student feedback
As such, we are currently developing filmed
whiteboard tutorials
These involve a ‘double act’ of the subject guide
author (Amos) and myself, hence ‘Jamos’, the
academic Jedward!

14. CDE Seminar:
Filmed whiteboard tutorials Engaging students
with Statistics —
the VLE way
May 12th, 2011
These tutorials are produced using eBeam Dr James Abdey
technology
VLE resources
Introduction
Suite of resources
This allows students to choose between watching the Audio-visual tutorials
Mini lectures
whiteboard only (with audio commentary), or seeing Self-test quizzes
Moderated Q&A forum
the presenters as well Filmed whiteboard tutorials
Student feedback
After calibration issues are sorted, the whiteboard
capture facility is highly effective
As with all the video recordings, although a
considerable amount of time goes into producing the
resources, once produced their ‘shelf-life’ is long

15. CDE Seminar:
Student feedback Engaging students
with Statistics —
the VLE way
May 12th, 2011
Dr James Abdey
Audio-visual tutorials: VLE resources
Introduction
Suite of resources
Audio-visual tutorials
“James Abdey is without a shade of doubt Mini lectures
Self-test quizzes
the most engaged teacher I have Moderated Q&A forum
Filmed whiteboard tutorials
encountered in a long time. All of the Student feedback
external students taking statistics whom I
have exchanged impressions with seem to
agree his method and dedication make a
total difference in the learning experience.”

16. CDE Seminar:
Student feedback Engaging students
with Statistics —
the VLE way
May 12th, 2011
Dr James Abdey
Audio-visual tutorials: VLE resources
Introduction
Suite of resources
“I am another one who has loved your video Audio-visual tutorials
Mini lectures
tutorials. There are so many topics I would Self-test quizzes
Moderated Q&A forum
not have been able to grasp without them, Filmed whiteboard tutorials
Student feedback
and it made me feel more as though I was
part of a university structure, and less a
student studying alone. In addition it gave
us a lot of help in understanding what you
are looking for in the exam. Thank you!”

17. CDE Seminar:
Student feedback Engaging students
with Statistics —
the VLE way
May 12th, 2011
Dr James Abdey
VLE resources
Audio-visual tutorials: Introduction
Suite of resources
Audio-visual tutorials
Mini lectures
“I also support James Abdey for an award. I Self-test quizzes
Moderated Q&A forum
did both Statistics 1 and Statistics 2 last Filmed whiteboard tutorials
Student feedback
year and really owe my distinction to the
wonderful slides that were posted on the
VLE by James. In fact it made me enjoy
Statistics.”