Note: please provide appropriate technological solutions if you can.
Project Title: Investigating the Impact of Engagement and Motivation Strategies on Student Learning Outcomes in Fully Asynchronous Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming with Python Course
Background: Asynchronous online learning has become increasingly popular in recent years, with many universities and colleges offering fully asynchronous courses as a way to provide flexibility and accessibility to students. However, one concern with asynchronous learning is that students may struggle with engagement and motivation, leading to lower learning outcomes. Therefore, it is important to determine which strategies can enhance student engagement and motivation in a fully asynchronous course. This essay aims to investigate how student engagement and motivation is enhanced in a fully asynchronous course, specifically an introductory object-oriented programming course with Python, and whether student learning is better in this asynchronous format, using secondary research as the research method.
Research Questions:
What are the most effective engagement and motivation strategies in increasing student engagement and motivation in a fully asynchronous introduction to object-oriented programming with Python course?
Is student learning better in a fully asynchronous introduction to object-oriented programming with Python course compared to traditional, in-person courses?
Methods:
The study will be conducted using a secondary research method, where existing literature and data will be analyzed.
A thorough literature review will be conducted to identify the most effective engagement and motivation strategies in increasing student engagement and motivation in a fully asynchronous introduction to object-oriented programming with Python course.
Data from various studies and research will be analyzed to determine if student learning is better in this asynchronous format compared to traditional, in-person courses.
Expected Outcomes:
The study is expected to identify the most effective engagement and motivation strategies in increasing student engagement and motivation in a fully asynchronous introduction to object-oriented programming with Python course.
Additionally, the study will determine if student learning is better in this asynchronous format by analyzing existing data and literature.
Significance:
The findings of this study will provide valuable insights into how student engagement and motivation can be enhanced in a fully asynchronous course, specifically an introductory object-oriented programming course with Python.
Additionally, this research will help to determine whether student learning is better in this asynchronous format, which can inform the design and delivery of asynchronous courses in the future.
This study will fill the knowledge gap in the area of engagement and motivation strategies in fully asynchronous courses.
The Memo Rough Idea:
The audience members to whom this problem/issue/topic pertains are students enrolled in a fully asynchronous introduction to object-oriented programming with Python course. The problem/opportunity I am interested in discussing is how to enhance student engagement and motivation in a fully asynchronous course, and whether student learning is better in this asynchronous format compared to traditional, in-person courses.
My experience with the problem/opportunity and the audience is that I have volunteered as a Teaching Assistant for this course, and I have also volunteered as a tutor to students at UMD to help them understand the basics of OOP with python. This has given me a good understanding of the challenges that students face in a fully asynchronous course, and how to best engage and motivate them.
A Proposal document is an appropriate way to address this problem/opportunity because it will allow me to thoroughly research the topic and provide a comprehensive overview of the issue. It will also allow me to identify the most effective engagement and motivation strategies in increasing student engagement and motivation in a fully asynchronous introduction to object-oriented programming with Python course, and determine if student learning is better in this asynchronous format compared to traditional, in-person courses. Additionally, the Proposal document will provide valuable insights into how student engagement and motivation can be enhanced in a fully asynchronous course, which can inform the design and delivery of asynchronous courses in the future.
The audience members to whom this problem/issue/topic pertains are students enrolled in a fully asynchronous introduction to object-oriented programming with Python course. The problem/opportunity that I am interested in discussing is how to increase student engagement and motivation in a fully asynchronous course, and how to ensure that student learning outcomes are not compromised in this format.
I have experience with this problem/opportunity as I have taken a fully asynchronous course in the past and have seen firsthand the challenges that students face in this format. Additionally, I have experience with the audience as I have worked as a teaching assistant for a fully asynchronous course and have seen the struggles that students face in this format.
A Proposal document is an appropriate way to address this problem/opportunity as it will provide a comprehensive overview of the issue, including the research questions, methods, expected outcomes, and significance of the study. Additionally, the Proposal document will provide a detailed plan for how to address the issue, including technological solutions and motivational strategies that can be used to help students succeed in a fully asynchronous course.
Technological solutions that can be used to help students succeed in a fully asynchronous course include the use of online discussion boards, video lectures, and virtual office hours. Additionally, the use of online quizzes and assessments can help to ensure that students are staying on track with the course material.
Motivational strategies that can be used to help students succeed in a fully asynchronous course include providing timely feedback on assignments, offering incentives for completing coursework, and providing support and guidance to students who are struggling. Additionally, providing students with a sense of community and connection can help to increase engagement and motivation.
Proposal – First Draft
I. GOALS
The document format for the final project is a proposal. There are many types of proposals, the requirements of which change across audiences and industries.
The main objective is to identify a knowledge, training, or some other “gap” within an accessible context (that is, an office/department/organization/company that you can feasibly gain direct information from). In this proposal, you are identifying what that opportunity/problem is, why it exists, what the best way to address it is, and how you plan on addressing it. There are lots of possibilities here, so be creative.
II. REQUIREMENTS
The Proposal should contain the following sections:
Front Matter (in this order)*:
I. Reflection Memo
II: Audience Selection (1 pages minimum)
In this section, you will identify this project’s Gatekeeper, Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary audience members.
For each audience, describe who they are in detail, their backgrounds, their current position(s), their relationship to the problem and how the Proposal document will affect them.
III. Cover Letter:
Your cover letter will be addressed to your gatekeeper (not your ENGL393 professor). It will introduce your credentials, and serve as a pitch – a brief, attention-grabbing description – of your proposal document. Use a three-paragraph structure.
One page, single-spaced max.
IV. Cover Page:
A single page with your project title (a title that clearly and succinctly identifies the topic of the document, the audience/context, as well as the document type) and your name. You may add other essential information you find necessary.
V. Table of Contents:
This should include all the following sections appearing after the table of contents.
The main body of the report should be double-spaced in MLA format
, organized in the following sections:
Part I: Introduction and Context (2 pages minimum)
Provide a meaningful introduction, providing as many specific details as possible about the organization/company/etc you are addressing. Start broad and move to the more specific context of your project.
For example (not to be replicated), if you were discussing something related to ADHD on campus, addressed to the Health Center, in this section you might start off identifying what ADHD was, providing stats and figures. Then you could talk about college age populations specifically. Finally, you would introduce the specific context of the University of Maryland.
Establish the problem or opportunity, providing as much evidence as possible. Be compelling.
Part II: Literature Review and Available Models (2 pages minimum)
Here you will identify and discuss resources currently available on this subject, both within the immediate context of the problem/opportunity you are addressing, as well as at large. For example, if there is already a great deal of internal documentation at the office/department/organization/company you are addressing, you can mention what these resources are, in addition to any available scholarly or other popular research. The items discussed here should be listed in your bibliography.
Most importantly, you will want to identify examples of other offices/departments/organizations/companies that have encountered the same issue and who may have already developed solutions. Likely, your audience is not the first to encounter the problem you’ve identified. Who else has attempted to address the same or similar problem, and how have they gone about it?
Part III. Analysis and Synthesis (2 pages minimum)
Having identified your problem, discussed available research on the project, now you will provide analysis/synthesis that explains to the reader how all of this information works together.
Clearly identify what issues are most important, the pros and cons of different possibilities.
Most importantly, walk the reader through the decision-making process of determining how best to address the problem identified at the beginning of the document.
Part IV: Proposed Solution (2 pages minimum)
Based on your assessment of the problem/opportunity, and the available research and models you identified, outline your solution in detail.
Carefully provide the analysis that led you to this proposed solution, providing any additional evidence.
Be as detailed as possible about the nature of the solution, costs/time/etc.
Part V: Conclusion (.5 page)
Your conclusion should provide a succinct, effective summary of your proposal, while also mentioning what the next steps are for moving forward.
Part VI: Bibliography (12+ sources, starting on separate page)
The bibliography should contain at least twelve (12) sources and, along with your in-text citations, be provided in MLA format
For the Proposal topic you are now considering, please submit an annotated bibliography (general description here: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/common_writing_assignments/annotated_bibliographies/index.html) for the minimum 12 sources that the Proposal assignment requires.
A minimum of four (4) sources related to establishing the problem/context.
For example, if you were writing about an internship program at a particular company, you would want sources about the company as well as general sources about the industry, about internships in general, etc.
A minimum of eight (8) sources related to examples/models for actually solving the problem.
Continuing with the internship example, if you were interested in changing the structure of the program, then you would want sources/examples from other companies, other internship programs, other internship program formats, to compare and contrast.
Remember, the topics you are pursuing likely demand a different approach to secondary research. While it might be possible to find some relevant resources from a traditional library database or Google Scholar search, you will likely find more directly useful sources by investigating other entities/organizations encountering similar issues as the ones you have identified for your chosen context.
As stated in Proposal – First Draft, you will be using MLA format for citing/referencing your outside sources.
