BEST PRACTICES IN COLLEGE TEACHING

Creating an Active Learning Environnent Debra Dunlap Runshe August 25, 2010

Active Learning

By the end of this session, participants will: • • • • articulate a rationale for using active learning in the classroom describe instructional methods that encourage active learning identify techniques that can be incorporated into their classes to create an active learning environment improve student retention and success

K – W - L

What do you know about active learning?

What would you like to know about active learning?

What have you learned about active learning?

What is Active Learning?

simple

Short, low-risk

Active Learning

CATs complex

Longer duration, higher-risk

(Bonwell & Sutherland, 1996)

Already doing it?

• • • • • Writing exercises Tests & quizzes Computer exercises Labs Student presentations

Why Active Learning?

Why Active Learning?

Research has shown that knowledge retention can be significantly increased by creating a welcoming environment and incorporating active learning strategies into your teaching.

Bloom’s Taxonomy

Evaluation Synthesis Analysis Application Comprehension Knowledge (Bloom, 1956)

Seven Principles for Good Practice

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Encourages contact between faculty and students.

Develops reciprocity and cooperation among students.

Uses active learning techniques.

Gives prompt feedback.

Emphasizes time on task.

Communicates high expectations.

Respects diverse talents and ways of learning.

(Chickering and Gamson, 1987)

Passive vs. Active Learning

• • • Students learn both passively and actively. Passive learning takes place when students take on the role of “receptacles of knowledge”; that is, they do not directly participate in the learning process.

Active learning is more likely to take place when students are doing something besides listening.

(Ryans and Martin, 1989)

Retention of Information

After 24 hours, what percent of information is retained by students in a lecture environment?

a. 5% b. 10% c. 20% d. 40% e. 50%

Passive vs. Active Learning

90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Teaching Method Lecture Reading Audio-Visual Demonstration Discussion Practice by Doing Teaching Others (

Sousa, 2001)

Why Active Learning?

Kuh et al identified a positive correlation between active learning and gains in general education and intellectual skills Also determined that, among good practice variables, active learning is the best predictor of gains for both men and women at colleges and universities

(Kuh, Pace, & Vesper, 1997)

Why Active Learning?

Students who have little mainstream culture experience and limited English proficiency may feel less isolated through participation.

Instructors can identify terminology preferences made by social groups that may be hindering or strengthening the learning process.

(McKeachie, 2009)

Instructors can engender a sense of success in students through frequent written and oral feedback.

(Wlodkowski & Ginsberg, 1995)

Why Active Learning?

More Evidence on Impact:

Interactive engagement methods leads to improved test performance Collaborative learning methods enhance/improve academic achievement, student attitudes, and retention Problem-based learning develops positive student attitudes, interpersonal skills, problem solving and lifelong learning skills, knowledge retention Cooperative learning methods enhance student achievement, interpersonal skills, self-esteem

(Prince, 2004)

Student Involvement is the Key to Learning

Research supports this: “Analysis of the research literature. . . suggests that students must do more than just listen. They must read, write, discuss, or be engaged in solving problems.” --Bonwell & Eison, 1991

Extensive interaction

“The body of research on the impacts of the college academic experience is extensive. The strongest general conclusion [is that] the greater the student’s involvement or engagement in academic work, the greater his or

Less control

her level of knowledge acquisition.” -- Pasquerilla & Terenzini, 1991

Active Learning

Are there cons?

Start Right Away!

Use an active learning technique on the first day of class – it sets an expectation of participation form the very beginning of the semester.

Start with an activity that is quick and easy. This will help students acclimate to your teaching style as well as help them learn how to participate in collaborative learning

Where do I start?

• • • • Include your students in the learning process.

Punctuate your lectures.

Deliver a series of smaller lectures in place of one long lecture.

Insert active learning techniques.

Easy to Implement Techniques

Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) simple, ungraded activities that can: • • • • provide feedback about how your students are doing help your student monitor their own learning focus your students attention on course content through reflection, writing, and speaking allow you to punctuate your lecture with learning activities

Purpose of CATs

“. . . to improve learning in progress by providing teachers with the kind of feedback they need to inform their day-to-day instructional decisions, and by providing students with information that can help them learn more effectively." Tom Angelo

Characteristics of CATs

• Learner-Centered • Teacher-Directed • Mutually Beneficial • Formative • Context-Specific • Ongoing • Rooted In Good Teaching Practice

Basic Assumptions of CATs

• • • • • Learning is directly related to teaching.

Effective assessment begins with clear, specific goals and objectives. Students need appropriate feedback, early and often.

The best type of assessment to evaluate teaching and learning is that which is created and conducted by the faculty, themselves.

Classroom assessment does not require specialized training.

(Angelo & Cross, 1993)

Examples of Low-Preparation CATs

• • • • • • Background Knowledge Probe Punctuated Lectures Minute Paper The Muddiest Point Think – Pair – Share Complete a Sentence Starter

(Angelo & Cross, 1993)

Purpose of a Background Knowledge Probe

For students, it highlights key information to be studied, offering a preview of material to come and/or a review of prior knowledge.

For teachers, it helps determine the best starting point and the most appropriate level for a lesson For both, it can be used for either pre- or post-lesson assessment of learning

Examples of Background Knowledge Probe

• • • • Pro-Con Grid Survey/inventory Place yourself along the continuum.

“Signs up”

Background Knowledge Probe

How familiar are you with Angelo and Cross’s

Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers?

What assessment techniques, if applicable do you routinely use in your classes?

Pro-Con Grid

Develop a list of what you think would be pros and cons of using active learning techniques and of lecturing.

We will then come back together and share what some of those pros and cons are.

Active Learning Strategies Lecturing Pros

Pro-Con Grid

Cons

Large Lecture Techniques

• Pause 3 times for two minutes each during a lecture to allow students to consolidate, share, and compare notes. • Assign short, ungraded written exercises followed by class discussion.

• Give two mini-lectures separated by a small group study session built around a study guide.

Focus Question

Think

While active learning has the potential to revolutionize instruction, there are many reasons why it doesn’t take place. What are barriers to active learning in the classroom?

Focus Question

Think into the future

As students leave the university, what are the skills, strategies, concepts, aptitudes, and personal qualities that they will need to be a productive and successful citizen in the coming years?

Focused Listing

Purpose: To help determine what learners recall about a specific topic, including concepts they associate with a central point.

When to use this?

Before, during or after a lesson.

Steps:

1. Students write key word at the top of a page. For 2 – 3 minutes, just down related terms important to the understanding of that topic.

2. Pair up with peer, sharing lists and explanations of why concepts were included. This will build their knowledge base and clarify their understanding of the topic.

Complete a Sentence Starter

Angelo and Cross’s “Minute Paper”, where students typically respond to two questions is the best-known and most widely-used CAT because. . .

One Minute Paper

What technique do you think you will implement in your next course?

Specifically, where do you see its use?

P – M - I

Pluses Minuses Interesting Points

Muddiest Point

What about incorporating active learning and classroom assessment techniques into your classroom is still confusing to you?

Memory Matrix

Course Objective

To develop flexible strategies for generating, revising, editing and proofreading To write and to read with an awareness of purpose appropriate to the needs of the audience To narrow the focus of an essay, using a thesis statement appropriately

Beginning of semester routine End of semester routine Specific evidence of growth

Defining Features Matrix

What are the differences between formative evaluation and summative evaluation?

Formative Summative

Defining Features Matrix

What are the differences between formative evaluation and summative evaluation?

Formative

• Developmental • Non-graded • Anonymous • Occurs more frequently

Summative

•Formal •Graded evaluations (quizzes, exams, papers) •Occurs at course transitions •Often too late for students

Concept Maps

• • • • Brainstorm terms and short phrases related to the topic.

Create a shape for your central topic.

Create levels of association with shapes and lines.

Insert logical connectives on the lines connecting the concepts (such as includes, excludes, causes, results in, predicts, contradicts, supports).

Detail Subtopic

Concept Maps

Central Theme Subtopic Subtopic

Concept Maps

Senate Legislative Congress House of Representatives Supreme Court Judicial Branches of the Government President Executive Vice President

Active Learning Beyond the Classroom

• • Two ways to actively engage your students through the use of technology: Chat Sessions Discussion Forums • • • At the beginning of the semester: Assess student technology experience and access to the environment.

Include a demonstration of the online environment.

Establish ground rules for on-line interactions.

Benefits of eLearning

• • • • Low participants and shy students sometimes open up.

There are minimal off-task behaviors.

Delayed collaboration is more extensive and rich than real time; real time is more immediate and personal.

Students can generate tons of information or case situations on the Web.

(Bonk & King, 1998)

Benefits of eLearning

• • • Minimal student disruptions and dominance.

Students are excited to publish work.

Many forms of online advice are available. Practitioner, expert, instructor, and student online feedback are all valuable and important.

(Bonk & King, 1998)

Benefits of eLearning

• • • With the permanence of the postings, one can print out discussions and perform retrospective analysis and other reflection activities.

Discussion extends across the semester and creates opportunities to share perspectives beyond your classroom.

E-learning encourages instructors to coach and guide learning.

(Bonk & King, 1998)

• • • Debate Guest Speaker Office Hours

Chat Room Activities

Discussion Forum Activities

• • • • Peer Review of Projects Scavenger Hunt Electronic Séance Jigsaw

How do I choose?

How do I Choose?

Objectives

What do I want my students to know?

What do I want my students to be able to do?

How will I assess my students?

Activities Assessment

How do I choose?

Course Objectives

Acquisition of knowledge Acquisition of skills/attitudes

Personal Style

Limited interaction Extensive interaction More control

Student Experience

Inexperienced Less control Experienced

(Bonwell & Sutherland, 1996)

How do I choose

?

Students are Active/Lower Level of Risk

Demonstrations Self-assessments Brainstorming activities Quizzes or tests Lecture with pauses or discussion Surveys/questionnaires

Students are Active/Higher Level of Risk

Role playing Small group presentations Individual presentations Guided imagery exercise Unstructured small group discussion Responsive lecture

Students are Inactive/Lower Level of Risk

Show a film for the entire class period.

Lecture for the entire class period.

Students are Inactive/Higher Level of Risk

Invite a guest speaker.

What do you think

?

• What techniques are suitable for your class? What techniques are you already using? • Write down an area of your course you believe is appropriate for active learning and the technique you would use.

Plan, Plan, Plan

• • • • • • Create your learning goals and objectives for the session activity is to take place as well as the course.

Plan the activity.

Articulate your goals and objectives to your students in verbal and written instructions.

Debrief after the activity. What did they learn? What about the process?

Assess the activity.

Refine the objectives, activity, and assessment for next time.

Words of Wisdom

• • • • When I hear, I forget. When I hear and see, I remember a little.

When I hear, see, and ask questions about it or discuss it, I begin to understand. When I hear, see, discuss, and do, I acquire knowledge and skill.

(Silberman, 1996)

Final thoughts...

Resources

PUBLICATIONS

Angelo, T. A., & Cross, K. P. (1993). Classroom assessment techniques: A handbook for college teachers. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Bean, J. C. (1996). Engaging ideas: The professor's guide to integrating writing, critical thinking, and active learning in the classroom. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Bligh, D. A. (2000). What's the use of lectures? San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Bonwell, C. C., & Eison, J. A. (1991). Active learning: Creating excitement in the classroom. ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report, no. 1. Washington, D.C.: The George Washington University, School of Education and Human Development.

Bransford, J. D., Brown, A. L., Cocking., R. R. (Eds.). (2000). How people learn: Brian, mind, experience, and school. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

Chickering, A. W., and Gamson, Z. F. (1987). Seven principles for good practice in undergraduate education. AAHE Bulletin 39(7): 3-7. Chickering, A., & Erhmann, S. (1996, October). Implementing the seven principles: Technology as lever. AAHE Bulletin, October. Retrieved from http://www.tltgroup.org/programs/seven.html

Resources

PUBLICATIONS

Davis, B. G. (2009). Tools for teaching (2 Diamond, R. M. (2008). Designing & assessing sources & curricula: A practical guide (3 rd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Finkel, D. L. (2000). Teaching with your mouth shut. Portsmouth, NH: Boynton/Cook Publishers.

(July/August). 37-41.

nd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Halpern, D. F. & Hakel, M. D. (2003). Applying the science of learning. Change. Hatfield, S. R. editor; with David G. Brown ... [et al.]; and special sections by Martin Nemko, contributing editor. (1995). The seven principles in action: improving undergraduate education. Bolton, MA: Anker Publishing.

Johnson, D. W. & Johnson, R. T. (1994). Learning together and alone: Cooperative, competitive, and individualistic learning (4 th ed.). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon.

Kuh, G. D., Pace, C. R. & Vesper, N. (1997). The development of process indicators to estimate student gains associated with good practices in undergraduate education. Research in Higher Education 38(4):435-454.

Resources

PUBLICATIONS

MacGregor, J. (2000). Strategies for energizing large classes: From small groups to learning communities. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Meyers, C. & Jones, T. B. (1993). Promoting active learning: Strategies for the college classroom. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Millis, B. J., & Cottrell, P. G. (1998). Cooperative learning for higher education faculty. Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press. Pascarella, E. T., & Terenzini, P. T. (1998). Studying college students in the 21st century: Meeting new challenges .The Review of Higher Education, 21(2),151 165. Silberman, M. L. (1996). Active learning: 101 strategies to teach any subject. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Sousa, D. A. (2001). How the brain learns: A classroom teacher's guide (2 nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Svinicki, M. D. (2004). Learning and motivation in the postsecondary classroom. Bolton, MA: Anker Pub. Co.

Resources

CASE STUDY TEACHING WEB SITES

National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/projects/cases/case.html

Virginia Tech Case Study Site http://www.edtech.vt.edu/edtech/id/models/casebased.html

Harvard University Case Site for Business http://www.hbs.edu/case/index.html

Penn State University Case Site http://tlt.its.psu.edu/suggestions/cases/ Institute for Case Development http://www.wested.org/icd/welcome.html

Resources

PROBLEM BASED LEARNING WEB SITES

Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy Center for Problem Based Learning http://www2.imsa.edu/programs/pbl/cpbl.html

Maricopa Center for Teaching and Learning http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/pbl/ Samford University http://www.samford.edu/ctls/archives.aspx?id=2147484112 Problem Based Learning at McMaster University http://chemeng.mcmaster.ca/pbl/pbl.htm Problem Based Learning Initiative http://www.pbli.org/ Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) http://www.pogil.org/ University of Delaware http://www.udel.edu/pbl/