MASTER COURSE TEMPLATE IMPLEMENTATION EFFECT OF DFW RATES AND STUDENT SUCCESS IN ONLINE INTRODUCTORY ASTRONOMY **

Abstract

A study of the effect of the implementation of a collaboratively developed Master Online Course (MOC) in an online introductory astronomy course on overall student course grades shows improvements for the principal investigator’s sections but not for others at the same campus with low enrollment sections. However, concurrent MOC implementation with the inception of an online introductory astronomy course at a sister campus with large enrollment sections yields higher overall student course grades than face-to-face sections on the same campus. An analysis of subsequent targeted data pulls will reveal indications of potential explanations and how to improve student success