Spring 2024 Cohort - Tech4 Teaching & Learning Mini-Grant: Culminating Portfolio

Japanese 128: Introduction to Japanese Popular Culture

Course Description

Japanese 128 is an upper-division course in Japanese popular culture that satisfies the GE Area D requirement. The class is taught every year in the spring semester, enrolling 120-130 students annually. The course attracts Japanese minors, Asian Studies majors/minors, and the general student body. It is taught asynchronously online. It has been well received, and is one of five mega classes offered by the Department of World Languages and Literatures. Enrollments in these classes offers crucial support to upper division language courses, which are sometimes under enrolled.

Reflection on Tech4 Teaching & Learning Mini-Grant Deliverables:

Self Review of Course - Using QM Rubric

I completed the QM self review in Spring 2024 and scored 67/100--not great but better than I thought. Reviewing the score, I identified two areas that required the most work--alignment and accessibility. I thus revised to make more specific the module-level learning objectives and aligned them better with the course objectives. While doing that, I revised assessment activities to build on each other to more systematically and gradually meet the course learning objectives. The second area required going through the modules, one by one, to ensure accessibility. I also had to address navigation issues to make sure all technical requirements, etc. were in the Start Up Module.

Specific challenges:

1—Learning how to mitigate accessibility issues of the course, including using accessible pdf files of important readings, etc. I was able to locate digital versions of some, but not all, pdf readings. I worked with the course designer to address such issues as captions, headings, contrast, font, etc. to make my materials more accessible.

2—Learning to create SMART learning objectives and aligning them better within my course. I studied the ACUE materials and did my best to apply the new skills to my course.

3—One issue new in Spring 2024/Fall 2024 was the library's new policy, implemented abruptly, that severely restricted the materials it would stream onto my Canvas site. This resulted in significant changes to course content and required developing 3-4 new modules.

Analyzed the DFW Rates and Developed a Plan

Current DFW rates in your course over the past few semesters:

Spring 2020 10% (41 enrolled)
Spring 2021 11% (99 enrolled)
Spring 2023 8% (124 enrolled)

Noticeable trends or patterns in the DFW rates:

The lower the enrollment, the lower the # of Ws
Improvement in the last two years of teaching mega sections
Hispanic/Black/Asian students comprise the largest # of DFWs, respectively

**How do your DFW rates compare to departmental or institutional averages**
University Spring 2020 7.5% Spring 2021 10.4% Spring 2023 9.8%	WLL Spring 2020 4.8% Spring 2021 6% Spring 2023 6.6%

About the same as institutional DF rates, but higher than departmental DFW rates.
Note that most WLL classes are taught face-to-face
I would like to compare the numbers to other WLL online mega classes

I worked to facilitate smoother navigation through the course, to better mitigate cheating on quizzes, to provide better support for more difficult material, and better connect units to the course learning objectives and to each other. These measures will, I believe, help with DFW rates in the future.

Created a Course Map to Demonstrate Alignment

JAPN 128 Course Map_SPRING 25_VASSIL.pdf

Professional Development Selected to Strengthen Skills and Knowledge -- [QM Course: Applying the QM Rubric]

QM Rubric 7th Edition Badge

In Spring 2024, I completed the QM course, "Applying the QM Rubric," in which I learned the 8 General Standards and the 42 Specific Review Standards used by Quality Matters to evaluate and improve online and blended courses. I appreciated the structured and comprehensive approach to the class. I learned a great deal about how to create an optimal learning environment and experience for students taking online classes. As noted above, my biggest challenges involved course content adjustments required to meet accessibility requirements, improving student support for secondary course material, and aligning all course, module, and assessment activities.

Course Redesign Process and Experience

**Project is still in progress

The project of redesigning JAPN 128 has, like many things, taken far more time than originally planned. It was useful to learn the rigorous QM standards and apply them to all aspects of the course. I find that meeting assessment standards takes the most amount of time. As noted above, I experienced a major stumbling block in Fall 2024, when the University library changed its streaming policies and I had to change about 1/3 of the course content. Films and videos that had been streamed on Canvas in previous years were no longer available. This has set the project back. On the other hand, the changes create an opportunity to choose materials with better accessibility. One of the more enjoyable aspects of the redesign involved working with course designers to overhaul the overall look and feel of the course modules and navigation. Based on student feedback, I also added low stakes formative assessment activities to all modules. At this point, I am working through the modules inputting material into the new templates. I am also creating "knowledge checks" for all secondary readings/videos. Finally, I am undertaking the most tedious work of formatting all readings, Canvas pages, word documents, etc. for accessibility.

Evidence of Online Course Re-Design

Japanese 128: Introduction to Japanese Popular Culture Re-Design

Change 1 - Module Structure

Change 2 - Adding Knowledge Checks

Every module begins with an orientation page to provide students with the modular objective and a roadmap for completing the activities/assessments. The page also offers students a justification for the chosen materials. Working with the course designer, we revised the formatting to make the objectives clearer, to improve navigation and accessibility.

Image of old module overview page vs new module overview page

[old module overview page vs new module overview page]

Working with the course designer, it was suggested that I had knowledge checks to all reading/video assignments. This offers students additional guidance on course material. It also provides low stakes activities that helps prepare students for the the culminating quiz activity at the end of every module.

[Revised format and new knowledge check activity]

Changes in Course Syllabus and Schedules:

FALL 24 128 Syllabus .pdf

**Faculty Biography**
Kristina S. Vassil	About me:
	I am an Associate Professor in the Department of World Languages and Literatures and have been teaching at Sac State since 2016. I specialize in Modern Japanese Literature and teach all levels of Japanese language, Japanese Civilization, and Japanese Popular Culture classes. I teach in-person, hybrid, and online classes. I also have experience teaching Japanese literary surveys and advanced seminars. I also lead study abroad programs in Japan.

**Program Sponsors**
	This work was supported by: US Department of Education Hispanic Serving Institution Project TECH4Equity US Department of Education Hispanic Serving Institution Project STEM4Equity P031C210012 *Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation or the US Department of Education.