Active learning 2011
- 1. Active Learning StrategiesJenny Douglas
- 2. Challenge #1:You’ve got about 30 seconds to learn the following 17-digit sequence. One error and the bomb explodes. Ready? GO!73200239410124566
- 3. Can you remember?:Now, try to write down all 17 digits, in order, with no errors. Go!__________________
- 4. Let’s try again:73200239410124566The 7 dwarves met the 3 little pigs in 2002, 39 steps from a 4-way intersection. Suddenly, 101 dalmations attacked. The dwarves and pigs ran as fast as their 2 legs and 4 feet could carry them. They escaped, gave each other a high 5, and continued along Route 66.
- 5. Now can you remember?Try again to write down all 17 digits, in order, with no errors. Go!__________________
- 6. Five-Step Teaching ModelSource: Telling Ain’t Training by Harold D. Stolovitch and Erica J. Keeps
- 7. Different Learning StylesVisual Auditory Kinesthetic
- 8. Promoting Active LearningAt the beginning of class:Identify active learning strategiesKnowledge Rating0– no idea1- vaguely familiar2- feel comfortable3- almost an expert
- 9. Directed Group WorkJigsaw:Each group member has a taskMake groups accountablePosition: We should abolish the GRE.Person in favor of abolishingPerson against abolishingMediator to look for compromiseRecorder to write down points
- 10. Creating ConnectionsConcept Map:Visual representation of a group of concepts that indicates relationships or hierarchyE.g., tree diagram, bubbles, arrows, outlines, flow chartsDraw a concept map about “critical thinking” by identifying its characteristics and ways to encourage students to think critically
- 12. Assessing LearningMinute Paper:Most important pointMost confusing pointExit ticketWhat was the most important piece of information you learned today?
- 13. At the End of Class:Knowledge Rating #2:Identify active learning strategiesHave you moved up?0- no idea1- vaguely familiar2- feel comfortable3- almost an expert4- can apply and teach others
- 14. Graduate AcademyThink about attending our workshops or completing the Certificate in University Teachinghttp://grad.wvu.edu
Editor's Notes
- #8: Discuss differences in learning styles. The best approach is to incorporate aspects of each style to help learners grasp the concept using different techniques. Visual: demonstrations, diagrams, written notes, images, video clips, written instructions. Auditory: discussion, lecture, sound clips, dialogue, oral instructions. Kinesthetic: making models, doing experiments, body language, gesture, highlighting, underlining, circling, incorporating movements, moving around the classroom or lab to different stations that signify different concepts. Mention learning style inventory online. Make the link between learning styles and active learning (students “doing things and thinking about what they are doing” (Bonwell, “Active Learning: Creating Excitement in the Classroom”).
- #9: *Do a knowledge rating of the term “metacognition” and then use that as a jumping off point for discussing beginning learners vs. advanced learners*Knowledge Rating: strategy to help students think about their own thinking process; expert learners are able to evaluate their strengths and weaknesses, while novice learners often don’t consider their own cognitive processes with the same rigor; students need to be trained to evaluate their thinking and see what they understand best and least; this strategy brings awareness to their thought process*
- #10: Jigsaw: a group dynamic in which each group member has a specific task, e.g. each person has to describe or work on one step of a problem, one person is recorder, one is speaker (reporter), one directs group discussion, one is a fact-checker; one person plays devil’s advocate, one person tries to summarize the discussion, -or, they can be assigned different facets of an assignment, different steps of a problem; each group member is accountable to each other and to the full classIf you’re doing an extended group assignment, you can give individual grades for some components and group grades for other components; you can ask group members to rate each other on work performed as part of the team,Since teamwork is such an important work skill, group work can be an important way to build proficiencies for careers
- #11: Concept map is a great way to use verbal and kinesthetic modes of learning; it helps students group ideas and understand order/hierarchy of ideas that they’re learning; it helps them connect the dots and make cognitive connections in materialThis can be a time-consuming process and may be assigned as homework or take an extended time in classUses creativity to create a format that adequately represents the relationship between ideas; group members can improve and correct each other’s thoughtsThose with creative visual skills can draw map while those with good synthesizing, hierarchical thinking skills can help direct the drawing
- #12: Central concept in middle, satellite concepts in four quadrants, then specific categories are color-coded, e.g. disease transmission is green, symptoms are pink, treatment is red
- #13: This is a classic CAT that combines low-stakes writing with metacognitive strategies and helps you understand where students are succeeding or strugglingYou can use this as an “exit ticket” out of class; they have to give it to you on the way out the doorYou can use the points the students bring up to launch the next class, to clarify confusing points or reinforce important points that were missed
- #14: Begin and end the class with a knowledge rating; it helps students to see where they’ve grown and what questions they still have about the material; you could use this in conjunction with a minute paper or instead of a minute paper; have the students write down their questions before leaving so that they can ask these questions in the next class-note that level 4 is added; if you started at a level 3, you still have some room to grow and develop those skills to teach to others