Customizing Large Science Courses with the Michigan Tailoring System

Tim McKay, University of Michigan

 

Friday, June 17, 11 am

Room 1400 BPS

 

Students entering large introductory science courses are diverse by many measures, yet we ask them to learn using a single generic approach. In this project, the University of Michigan will adapt a highly developed computerized tailoring architecture to create ECoach – a system which will provide customized expert coaching to thousands of students. Tailored communications have been shown to be highly effective in public health interventions, where they help millions of people to quit smoking, lose weight, control chronic conditions and more. Computerized tailoring provides the opportunity to give students the personalized advice, training, and encouragement that they need. The rich array of data collected to implement the system, and the large number of students involved, will allow us to conduct sensitive tests of the efficacy of tailoring, evidence which should help speed adoption of these approaches across the education spectrum.

 

ECoach Podcast: http://ns.umich.edu/podcast/audio.php?id=1324

Michigan Tailoring System background: http://chcr.umich.edu/mts/