Lecture Me. Really. Photo BEFORE the semester began earlier this fall, I went to check out the classroom where I would be teaching an introductory American history course. Like most classrooms at my university, this one featured lots of helpful gadgets: a computer console linked to an audiovisual system, a projector screen that deploys at the touch of a button and USB ports galore. Perhaps my request was unusual. In many quarters, the active learning craze is only the latest development in a long tradition of complaining about boring professors, flavored with a dash of that other great American pastime, populist resentment of experts. In the humanities, there are sound reasons for sticking with the traditional model of the large lecture course combined with small weekly discussion sections. Today’s vogue for active learning is nothing new. Eliot was a chemist, so perhaps we should take his criticisms with a grain of salt. Those who want to abolish the lecture course do not understand what a lecture is.
LEARNING SCIENCE AND EARNING EXCELLENT GRADES AT THE SAME TIME Often students start science classes full of interest and excitement, but some students finish the class without gaining the understanding or grades expected. It does not have to be that way. Let's explore why some students who take science courses do not learn as much as they expect to, or receive the grades they are used to earning. If you are a first-year student taking beginning science courses, it is well documented that first year college students often earn grades far below what they earned in high school. This is not because you lack the ability, after all you were admitted to college. It is the result of not having realistic expectations of what college classes will be like and how college differs significantly from high school. Having Realistic Expectations About College One of the most misunderstood differences between high school and college is the amount of time students need to study in college as compared to high school. Let's see why. When should I study? Summary: notebook
Active Learning - Center for Instructional Technology Active learning includes any activity in which every student must think, create, or solve a problem. Below, Dr. Richard M. Active learning can range from brief activities punctuating a lecture (as demonstrated by Dr. allow you to assess what the students have learned and where they need helpgive students practice with the course materials and ways of thinking, andallow students to assess their own learning. Active Learning Techniques In active learning, students must engage with the content during class. Think – Pair – Share The instructor states an open-ended question.Individual students spent a minute or two to think about and write a response.Students are directed to pair up with a partner to discuss their responses.The instructor reconvenes the class after a few minutes and calls on individual students to share the pair’s responses. One minute papers/Muddiest point PowerPoint Jeopardy Peer Instruction During class, the instructor pauses and asks students a conceptual question. Group Work
The SQ3R Method of Studying – The Father of All Reading Methods is Alive and Kicking • RememberEverything What is the SQ3R method and why was it developed? SQ3R (also known as the SQRRR method) is an acronym for a 5-step reading and study method originally suggested by Francis Pleasant Robinson in his book Effective Study. Robinson (1906-1983) was a professor of psychology at Ohio State University (OSU). During World War II, droves of army personnel were sent to colleges and universities to attend intensive training in skills relevant to winning the war. Robinson headed the Learning and Study Skills program at OSU, and based on his research devised the SQ3R method and other techniques to help military personnel to learn specialized skills in as little time as possible.1 In his commentary ahead of Veteran’s Day in 2002, Thomas G. Multiple spin-offs of the SQ3R method, including PQRST and SQ4R have subsequently been suggested. How does it work? SQ3R stands for Robinson originally devised SQ3R to read college textbooks in a systematic way, and thus remember the important information. Notes:
Untitled Document Chapter 1 Lecture Idea: Power Process, “Ideas are Tools” If you want to begin your lecture with a bit of flare, try saying this: “Don’t believe anything I tell you.” Explain that this course is not about believing any of the suggestions or techniques that are presented. It is about finding out if they make a difference. Ideas are neither bad nor good- Some ideas support life and satisfaction. You may want to ask students to brainstorm a list of beliefs that are limiting. Following are some examples: I learn best when I cram the night before a test.I study best with soft music in the background.Reading in bed has always worked best for me.I’m no good in math.Professors are unapproachable. Ballpoint pen metaphor- Suppose you meet a Martian and give her a ballpoint pen. If she first tried writing with it on a sidewalk or chalkboard, she might become discouraged and conclude that pens don’t work. He describes how strongly he believes in this ladder and nail. Return to Chapter 1 resource list
Practice Job Readiness Skills With These Fun Activities When it’s time for students to start working and/or head to college, they’ll need “soft skills,” otherwise known as job-readiness skills, in addition to academic knowledge and vocational skills. Soft skills are those characteristics that help you function as an individual (motivation, self-confidence, and flexibility) as well as within a group (teamwork, negotiation, and respect). To succeed in the workplace, these skills are key! Explicitly teaching students these skills is the best way to give them valuable insight into their strengths and weaknesses. For each activity below, give students time to talk (or write) about what they learned—what went right, how they felt while they were participating, and what they would do differently next time. 1. There are so many things competing for kids’ attention in today’s overstimulating world, so learning the simple art of listening can be a difficult task. Divide students into pairs. Skills they’ll practice: 2. Patience, negotiation, teamwork. 3.
How to Get Your Students to Come to Class Prepared Imagine a world where students came to class prepared. Class time would be so much more productive and enjoyable for teachers and students alike. We would have informed class discussions and focus on students applying, analyzing, and evaluating the material under our expert guidance. Prepared students are not a mirage. The CPAs are reading assignments accompanied by informal writing assignments consisting of four to eight questions. The CPAs are graded pass-fail only. In a definitional grading system the pedagogical assumption is that different categories of work are each important, and the teacher does not want one category to compensate for the other in any way. For a student to get a particular course grade, she must meet or exceed the standard for each category of work. If you adopt this course design, students will come to class prepared. Grading the CPAs is easy. The level of difficulty of the CPA questions has to be chosen with care. J. Prepared students are not a mirage. J.
Group work roles - EduTech Wiki This article or chapter is incomplete and its contents need further attention. Some information may be missing or may be wrong, spelling and grammar may have to be improved, use your judgment! 1 Introduction Group work roles define tasks for group members in collaborative pedagogy. Strategic division of roles also exists in other contexts, e.g. management models, and also can inspire education. See also: 2 Defining and assigning roles The procedure for define roles could include three steps Define the roles that are needed with respect to (learning) goals to be achieved and group dynamics that is desiredExplain roles to studentsDesign activities that capitalize on outcomes within groups, between groups and at the class levelDebrief Typically, in an educational context, these roles do not define all the work that will be done. Most common roles for groups of three to four A small group of three should have a leader and a scribe. Most common roles for larger groups 3.2 Discuss 3.4 Student roles
How can I help students become more expert learners, so they engage in active learning? Chapter 2: Metacognition and Mastery. This expert recommendation is part of a series on helping students engage productively in active learning classrooms. Students may approach coursework from a fairly mechanistic stance: If the instructor gives me information, I will memorize it, and get a good grade. This approach to learning doesn’t lend itself well to an active classroom, which requires students to wrestle with difficult ideas in order to lead to deeper conceptual learning. The goals of this project is to identify and disseminate strategies that instructors use to engage students in active learning classrooms. Click here to access the entire set of Expert Recommendations on productive student engagement. How do attitudes towards learning affect student engagement? Student beliefs about learning affect their approach to coursework. Students have ideas and beliefs about what it means to learn a subject (“epistemology”), which can help or hinder their learning. Summary and Action Items