MyLab IT implementation best practices and transition to Learning Management System integration
Pearson | September 17, 2021 in Meaningful Outcomes
by Pearson
MyLab IT user best practices and transition to a Learning Management System
In Fall 2018, Professor Barbara Fogle from Trident Technical College in Charleston, SC utilized MyLab™ IT with Exploring Microsoft Excel 2016 Comprehensive by Patsy, Mulbery, Davidson and, Grauer, and decided to pilot Learning Management System integration to facilitate a seamless experience for students accessing course technology in her Microcomputer Spreadsheets course.
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Why did Professor Barbara Fogle want to transition to a Learning Management System?
MyLab IT has been in use at Trident Tech since 2010 in a handful of Information Systems courses, but due to the recent creation of a high-enrollment, required First Year Experience Seminar (IDS 109) covering topics of technology literacy through MyLab IT, Fogle realized there was a need for Learning Management System (LMS) integration.
Since Fall 2018, Fogle continued LMS integration in all sections where she saw a noticeable difference saying, “Using LMS integration, students are ready to go from day one with fewer problems. With a seven-week term, students can’t afford to have issues that put them behind a week, or even a few days.”
How was MyLab IT implemented?
The hybrid Microcomputer Spreadsheets course meets once a week for three hours in a computer lab with the remainder of the course activities completed online. Class time consists of lecture covering course concepts followed by hands-on completion of MyLab IT homework.
Students are given approximately one assignment per week in MyLab IT. Assessments include Simulation trainings, Grader Projects and the practical final exam is a modified Capstone Grade Project.
MyLab IT best practices
Use of MyLab IT Project Creation Tool
- Fogle modified the existing MyLab IT Grader Project instructions to include information as to why students are doing a particular task in order to make it more relevant.
Use of MyLab coordinator course
- Fogle brings consistency to course sections and simplifies course start-up for adjuncts by creating a master course in MyLab IT and copying the coordinator course to create member sections.
In addition, Fogle utilizes other tools in her course including Snagit, an Avatar and D2L Intelligent Agents.
Were students successful in the course?
The final exam for the course is a modified Capstone Grader Project for Excel Chapters 1–4. Students are able to bypass the final exam if they received an A average on their seven Grader Projects.
- 50% of students received an A letter grade on their Grader Projects and bypassed the final exam. All of these students received an A final course letter grade.
- Of the 14 students who took the final exam, 13 passed (93% pass rate).
- In total, the course pass rate was 96%.
Did students like using MyLab IT?
An optional end-of-semester survey was administered in Fall 2018. Some of the open-ended comments about the benefits of MyLab IT included the following:
“[Simulation Trainings] taught me how to perform the task I needed to. I learn more by seeing and [completing activities] hands on.”
“It was extremely helpful to see my mistakes and fix them myself."
