Unlocking the Secrets of College Rankings
Files
Date
2024-05-02
Authors
Contributor
Advisor
Department
Instructor
Depositor
Speaker
Researcher
Consultant
Interviewer
Narrator
Transcriber
Annotator
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Volume
Number/Issue
Starting Page
Ending Page
Alternative Title
Abstract
The "Unlocking the Secrets of College Rankings'' course was designed to address the misunderstandings and over-emphasis on college rankings among high school students and their families. A lack of awareness of the limitations of these rankings could lead to poor decision-making regarding college choices. Designed as an engaging, one-hour interactive lesson, the course utilized multimedia presentations, case studies, 'check your understanding' quizzes, and a game. The goal was to first build a basic understanding of college rankings. From there, the course proceeded to compare and contrast different college ranking systems, inform about the benefits and drawbacks of rankings, and provide some strategies for making a more informed college decision. Principles of adult learning theory guided the instructional design to ensure the content was relevant, engaging, and tailored to the needs of adult learners. To measure the course’s usability and learning effectiveness, as well as participants’ attitudes toward the course, evaluations were conducted through a usability test with English-speaking participants (n=5), a learning effectiveness assessment (n=18), and an attitudinal assessment (n=18); the latter group included 10 English-speaking and 8 Chinese-speaking individuals. The evaluation incorporated pre- and post-course surveys and usability testing to gather both quantitative and qualitative data. The results showed an improvement in participants' understanding of college rankings upon completing the course. Participant feedback noted that the course's interactive elements significantly contributed to greater engagement, though there was a desire for more content tailored to specific fields of study. The results suggest that future variations of the course could have an even greater impact with the integration of adaptive learning paths, increased incorporation of adult learning strategies, and further personalization options to meet individual needs and backgrounds.
Description
Keywords
college rankings, instructional design, adult learning theory, asynchronous course, interactive learning activities, learning management system, usability testing, learning effectiveness, attitudinal evaluation
Citation
Extent
Format
Geographic Location
Time Period
Related To
Related To (URI)
Table of Contents
Rights
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-NC/1.0/
Rights Holder
Local Contexts
Collections
Email libraryada-l@lists.hawaii.edu if you need this content in ADA-compliant format.