9.3 KiB
9.3 KiB
CSIS 1 Summer 2026 — Research-Backed Implementation Plan
Source: projects/gav-outreach/research/student-success-proposal.md (Ranks 1–9)
This plan applies the top 9 evidence-based practices to CSIS 1, a 6-week compressed summer course. The course is fully online, asynchronous, with Monday evening Zoom demos.
Practice → CSIS 1 Application Map
Rank 1: Structured Weekly Modules with Consistent Layout
Evidence: DFW dropped 48% → 24% with consistent module structure.
CSIS 1 Implementation: Every week follows the exact same sequence:
- Welcome Announcement (Monday morning) — what's this week about, what to do first
- Learning Objectives — 3–5 measurable outcomes per week
- Readings — OpenStax chapters + supplementary links (already in syllabus)
- Monday Demo Recording — posted Tuesday if students miss live session
- Practice Quiz (low-stakes, 10 questions, unlimited attempts)
- Discussion — one prompt per week, metacognitive where possible
- Real-World Task — hands-on assignment due Sunday 11:59 PM
- Weekly Check-In Quiz (graded, 10 questions, 2 attempts)
- Friday Wrap-Up Announcement — what went well, common mistakes, preview of next week
Module prerequisites: must complete Week N quiz before Week N+1 unlocks.
Rank 2: Frequent Low-Stakes Quizzing (Retrieval Practice)
Evidence: Meta-analysis d=0.42–0.51 effect size. Quiz submission rate predicts lower DFW.
CSIS 1 Implementation:
- Practice Quiz (per week): 10 questions, unlimited attempts, not graded (or 5% total). Purpose: retrieval practice before graded quiz.
- Weekly Check-In Quiz (per week): 10 questions, 2 attempts, graded. Mix of factual recall and applied scenarios.
- Final Exam: 30 questions drawn from a bank of 60+ (all weekly questions reshuffled + new synthesis questions).
- Questions drawn from OpenStax chapter content, GCFGlobal modules, and the imported Summer 2025 course quiz bank.
- Target: students encounter 20+ quiz questions per week across practice + graded.
Quiz Design Principles:
- Mix question types: factual recall (30%), applied scenarios (40%), "which of these is the best practice" (30%)
- Include "all of the above" and "none of the above" sparingly
- Write wrong answers that are plausible (common misconceptions), not absurd
- For security/scam questions: use real-world scenarios
Rank 3: Regular Announcements (2–3 per Week)
Evidence: Optimal frequency 2–3/week. Beyond 3/week shows diminishing returns.
CSIS 1 Implementation: 3 announcements per week, consistent schedule:
- Monday AM: "This Week in CSIS 1" — overview, objectives, what to do first, Zoom demo reminder
- Wednesday: Mid-Week Check-In — tips, common questions from Canvas inbox, encouragement, "here's what I'm seeing so far"
- Friday: Week Wrap-Up — what to finish by Sunday, common mistakes on the quiz, preview of next week
Plus situational announcements: assignment clarifications, demo recording posted, grade updates.
Tone: Conversational, not corporate. Short paragraphs. Direct. Peter's voice.
Rank 4: Transparent Gradebook with Visible Rubrics
Evidence: Gradebook use correlated with lower DFW (F=7.7, p=0.005).
CSIS 1 Implementation:
- Rubrics attached and visible on every Real-World Task assignment
- Simple 4-level rubrics: Excellent / Good / Needs Work / Missing
- Criteria categories: Completeness, Accuracy, Formatting/Presentation, Critical Thinking
- Gradebook updated within 48 hours of due date (see Rank 5)
- Grade breakdown visible in syllabus: Quizzes 30%, Discussions 15%, Real-World Tasks 30%, Final 20%, Participation/Practice 5%
Rank 5: Prompt Feedback Turnaround (≤48h Communication, ≤7 Days Grading)
Evidence: Slow grading is consistently cited as a withdrawal driver.
CSIS 1 Implementation:
- Canvas messages answered within 24 hours (weekdays), 48 hours (weekends)
- Weekly quizzes auto-graded immediately
- Discussion posts graded within 3 days
- Real-World Tasks graded within 5 days (before next week's task is due)
- Stated in syllabus as a commitment, not just a goal
Rank 6: Embedded Metacognitive Prompts
Evidence: +6.1 and +4.2 points on successive exams. Explains 25.3% of variance in final exam scores.
CSIS 1 Implementation: Metacognition woven into discussions and assignments:
- Week 1 Discussion: "What does being 'digitally literate' mean to you? What do you already know vs. what feels unfamiliar?" (self-assessment)
- Week 2 Discussion: "What was hardest about the document/spreadsheet work this week? What strategy did you use to figure it out?" (process reflection)
- Week 3 Discussion: "Look at your quiz scores so far. What topics do you feel confident about? What do you need to review?" (self-monitoring)
- Week 4 Discussion: "How do you decide if a website is trustworthy? Walk us through your actual process." (metacognitive modeling)
- Week 5 Discussion: "After the security audit, what surprised you most about your own digital habits? What will you change?" (transfer)
- Week 6 Discussion: "You just used an AI tool. How did you decide what to trust and what to verify? What would you do differently next time?" (critical evaluation)
Every Real-World Task includes a short reflection paragraph: "What was the hardest part? What would you do differently?"
Rank 7: Proactive Early Alert Outreach
Evidence: RCT: +0.33 GPA, 80% higher persistence.
CSIS 1 Implementation:
- After Week 1: personal Canvas message to anyone who hasn't submitted the quiz or discussion
- After Week 2: message to anyone with <60% quiz average — offer help, Zoom office hours
- After Week 3 (midpoint): mid-course check-in to entire class; personal outreach to anyone missing 2+ assignments
- Template messages drafted in advance, personalized with name and specific missing items
- Tone: "I noticed you haven't turned in X yet — I want to make sure you're okay. Can I help?"
Rank 8: Authentic Engagement Over Performative Discussion Boards
Evidence: "Post once, reply twice" universally despised. Instructor must participate visibly.
CSIS 1 Implementation:
- NO "post once, reply twice" requirement
- Instead: "Post your response (150–250 words). Then read at least 2 classmates' posts and leave a meaningful comment — ask a question, share a related experience, or respectfully disagree."
- Instructor (Peter) replies to 3–5 posts per discussion with substantive comments
- Prompts designed to invite genuine sharing, not regurgitation (see metacognitive prompts above)
- Some discussions are scenario-based: "Your grandmother calls and says Microsoft told her to buy gift cards. What do you say?"
- Grading: Complete/Incomplete based on effort and substance, not word count
Rank 9: Multimedia Integration with Chunked Content
Evidence: Chunked content with interactive elements: DFW 16% → 7% in developmental math.
CSIS 1 Implementation:
- Monday demo recordings chunked into segments (≤15 min each) with chapter markers
- Reading assignments broken into specific sections (not "read chapters 1–2" but specific URLs to sections)
- GCFGlobal tutorials used as interactive supplements (they're already chunked and interactive)
- Code.org video series (Week 4) is 6 short videos — naturally chunked
- Each module page lists content in order with time estimates: "📖 Reading (~30 min) → 🎥 Video (~15 min) → ✅ Practice Quiz (~10 min)"
Deliverables to Build
| Deliverable | Agent | Output Location |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly quiz questions (practice + graded, 6 weeks × 20 Qs) | Agent 1: Quiz Writer | projects/csis1/content/quizzes/ |
| Weekly announcements (3 per week × 6 weeks = 18) | Agent 2: Announcement Writer | projects/csis1/content/announcements/ |
| Discussion prompts with rubrics (6 weeks) | Agent 3: Discussion Writer | projects/csis1/content/discussions/ |
| Early alert message templates | Charlie (inline) | projects/csis1/content/early-alerts.md |
| Assignment rubrics (6 Real-World Tasks) | Agent 3 (or Charlie) | projects/csis1/content/rubrics/ |
Grade Breakdown
| Category | Weight | Items |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly Check-In Quizzes (graded) | 30% | 6 quizzes, drop lowest |
| Discussions | 15% | 6 discussions, complete/incomplete |
| Real-World Tasks | 30% | 6 assignments with rubrics |
| Final Exam | 20% | 30 questions from bank |
| Practice Quizzes + Participation | 5% | Completion credit |
Module Template (Every Week)
Module N: [Topic] (Date Range)
📋 Learning Objectives
- Students will be able to...
- Students will be able to...
- Students will be able to...
📖 Readings & Resources
- [OpenStax chapter link]
- [Supplementary resource]
- Estimated time: X minutes
🎥 Monday Demo
- Recording link (posted Tuesday)
- Segments: [topic 1] (0:00–12:00), [topic 2] (12:00–25:00)
✅ Practice Quiz (unlimited attempts)
- 10 questions, not graded
- Purpose: check your understanding before the real quiz
💬 Discussion
- [Prompt]
- Due: Wednesday 11:59 PM (post) / Friday 11:59 PM (replies)
🛠 Real-World Task
- [Assignment description]
- Rubric attached
- Due: Sunday 11:59 PM
📝 Weekly Check-In Quiz (2 attempts)
- 10 questions, graded
- Covers this week's readings + demo
- Due: Sunday 11:59 PM