UX Researcher
OneNote
For years, students had been exposed to a traditional learning style for mathematics in the classroom that consisted of educators directly teaching students information and then having students practice on their own at home. By conducting both qualitative and quantitative research methods including surveys, interviews, card sorting activities, tree testing, and usability studies I was able to create a user experience for students, which essentially flipped that model, that decreased student anxiety and frustration towards math from 53% to 21%,while increasing content understanding and mastery in both formative and summative local, state, and national assessments from 58% to 88%.
Role
Lead UX Researcher
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Background
Students in the classroom are struggling to understand content, spend to much time doing homework, and want more time during class to actually practice. After conducting research to gather user data, I created a flipped classroom experience for students to address these issues that allowed students the opportunity to interact with material on their own before class started and then allowed them to practice with peers.
Tools
Microsoft OneNote, Google forms, Google sheets, Jamboard
Problem
Users did not remember or were not interested in content learned in class as it took too long and was "boring". When they got home to practice on their own they would spend too much time trying to remember, become anxious and express negativity towards math. Users needed a better way to retain and practice the topics covered in class.
Goal
Design a learning experience that decreases user anxiety, stress, and negativity towards math while increasing concept understanding and mastery.
My Research Process
Research goal:
I wanted to gain a better understanding of learning process and gain an understanding on why students struggled to retain what they were taught in class.
What is the process in which students are taught and then practice new content?
What are pain points that students experience in their understanding of content?
What can I do to help alleviate these pain points and ensure students have the best learning experience?
Typical Learning Practice for Students:
After having conversations with students about their previous years in the classroom:
80%
reported that they first heard about new content in the classroom
75%
answered that they struggled when practicing content outside of the classroom
60%
answered that they struggled to remember everything they learned earlier in the day about specific topic
88%
said they want more time in class to practice the content
User Pain Points
1
Not enough practice time with others
2
Not able to remember what they learned
3
Time
Students don't have enough time with their teacher or peers to practice what they learn.
"When I practice at home my parents forget or teach me some different way"
Students report they understand content at times in class but by the time they get home to practice they forget.
"I get it in class but by the time I get home I forget what my teacher told me to do!"
Since students forget the content they spend too much time at home trying to practice what they report they forgot.
"I spend more than an hour on something that I know shouldn't take me so long cause I forgot what I learned"
Card Sorting
Users were given the following prompt:
"Thanks for taking part in this session today. Please take a look at the cards and sort them into groups that make sense to you. There are no right or wrong answers and you can move cards into a different category if you change your mind. The session will last no longer than 15 minutes. Your responses will help us determine the type of instruction that you will receive when it comes to mathematics."
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Conclusion:
It was determined from the card sorting activity that students found traditional math homework to feel alone, feel frustration and anxiety, and took too much time, whereas group projects where deemed as fun and students felt that they learned better.
From analyzing the data I determined a flipped classroom model would address both the pain points experienced by users while capitalizing on insights.
My Flipped Classroom
Insights:
~In speaking to students and watching them work with their peers, 4 out of 5 students stated that they retain their learning better when they get to practice with their peers.
~In speaking to teachers, 13 out of 15 teachers preferred being able to practice the content with their students in class instead of having the students practice on their own at home.
~"More students seem more engaged in class when they get to practice together what they are being taught as opposed to the traditional model of sitting and taking notes."
Summary
-Students showed a measurable growth in positive attitude towards math from 42% to 81%.
-Students expressed a measurable decrease in anxiety, stress, and negativity towards math from 53% to 21% due to having more control over their understanding of math concepts.
-Students expressed an appreciation for only having to watch a video and taking notes outside class spending less time on content away from class while also decreasing the total amount of time on task outside of the classroom.
-Teachers expressed excitement at the ability to assist more students during class time instead of having to direct teach to the entire class for the majority of class time.
Next Steps
1
Conduct research on students in different subject disciplines to determine if a flipped classroom could have the same effect.
2
Conduct research for students at different ages to determine if a flipped classroom could help alleviate the stress felt by students in math at an earlier age.
3
Survey students each grading period to determine if anxiety and stress is still lowered by the changes.