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Strategies for Promoting Interactive and Collaborative Learning in Large Undergraduate Lectures. Donna B. Pincus, Ph.D. & Katie Kao, M.A. 6 th Annual CEIT Instructional Innovation Conference March 7, 2014. Connection between Roles at BU.
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Strategies for Promoting Interactive and Collaborative Learning in Large Undergraduate Lectures Donna B. Pincus, Ph.D. & Katie Kao, M.A.6th Annual CEIT Instructional Innovation ConferenceMarch 7, 2014
Relevance of clinical theories of motivation to teaching • According to clinical theories of motivation, the therapist helps increase the patient’s “motivation to change” (Miller & Rollnick, 2002) • Thus, motivation is an interaction between patient and therapist, not simply a trait that is present or lacking in a patient. • This theory can easily be adapted to the professor-student relationship, as we interact with students to motivate, educate and inspire them to challenge and expand their ways of thinking. • Enhancing the “will” as well as the “skill”
Teaching Undergraduates: Common Goals Across Disciplines • Enhance students’ motivation to learn • Actively engage students in learning course material • Facilitate critical thinking • Highlight relevance and importance of subject • Want students to enjoy course
Challenges of Large Lectures • Physical room challenges (stationary seats don’t promote student interaction) • Students may expect more passive learning • Academically diverse students • Differences in motivation for taking the course • Hard to be creative with assignments with hundred(s) of students
Today’s Presentation: Agenda and Goals • To present several concrete strategies for promoting interactive and collaborative learning in large undergraduate lectures • To describe how to develop and utilize a course “YouTube” channel so that selected digital media clips can enhance students’ learning • To introduce specific examples of how course content can be transformed into engaging experiential class exercises
Ways to Engage Students in Learning Process • How can we enhance students’ engagement? • Using multimedia tools • Making teaching “relevant” to students’ lives • Using creative, active learning approaches • Having an approachable and relaxed teaching style (Price, 2009; Howe & Strauss, 2007)
Strategies for Promoting Interaction in Large Lectures • Start interaction on Day 1 • Why are you taking this course? Favorite course at BU thus far • Plan small group discussion activity to launch into course concepts • Groups of 2-4, assign “spokesperson” in fun way • Interactive exercises before going over syllabus • Strategies for dividing up class into discussion groups • By “rows”: every 4 rows gets same task • Students orient toward one another to discuss • By “sections” of the auditorium/lecture hall • By “twos” (talk to neighbor to briefly discuss)
Example: Abnormal Psychology Opening Day • Instructional Aims: • To begin to build definition of “psychological dysfunction/abnormality” • To engage students in applying the definition of abnormality to real case examples across lifespan • (enhancing relevance of material) • To teach students how age, development and culture can impact how we classify behaviors as normal or abnormal • To teach students to begin to generate and test clinical hypotheses
Example of how to facilitate interaction in large lecture • Tools/Procedure: • 1) 6 case vignettes put on PowerPoint • 2) Divide class by rows or sections and provide them with cases • 3) Provide SPECIFICinstructions; engage students right away in solving a problem collaboratively
Interactive Small Group Task • “A patient comes to you for help. What additional information would you need to know to determine whether your patient is displaying normal or abnormal behavior?” • CASE EXAMPLES: • “Mr. Davis”, age 42, scrubs his driveway daily • “Jan” is afraid of pigeons, this fear prevents her from walking to parks or traveling • “Cameron” has vague physical complaints and sees 2-3 doctors per week
Example of how to facilitate interaction in large lecture • 5 minutes to discuss in breakout group • Return to plenary group, several students from each small group have chance to share their perspectives • Can build in positive reinforcement for being first to speak • Facilitate interaction between groups; Moderate discussion • Who agrees? Did any group have a differing opinion or complementary idea? • “Bring it home”; tie together main points • (Distress, level of impairment, frequency, dysfunction, cultural lens)
Making Learning Active “Doing” rather than “telling” Example: Experience clinical technique rather than hearing about it. • Cognitive Restructuring • Interoceptive exposure Process students’ experience
Course “YouTube” channel • BU Abnormal Psychology YouTube Channel • Different psychological disorder “Playlists” • Created by team of 4 undergraduates • Incorporating in class to engage students • Upload new videos as discussion assignment • Movie clips, clinical demonstrations • Vote on most accurate depictions of disorder • Discussion of videos that are inaccurate portrayals or ways media promotes stigma of mental illness
BU Abnormal Psychology YouTube Channel Special thanks to my undergraduate team for creating YouTube Channel: Weilynn Chang Lauren Eng Brandon Matsumiya Harrison Strom
Implementing YouTube Activity in Discussion Groups • Discussion groups • Which video did you choose to discuss? • How does this video portrayal compare or contrast with what you’ve learned in class so far? • How would this video clip influence the way people view this disorder? • What are some pros or cons of this type of media representation? • Feedback on activity
Student Feedback about Video Assignment • “We liked this assignment because it was a good way to learn through something other than a lecture, and also to compare what we’ve learned to what the media portrays” • “More memorable using popular TV shows/movies, group discussions made us think more critically about the disorder, the guiding questions were helpful”
Student Feedback • “We really liked this assignment. Interactive way to solidify what we’re learning in class, this activity is a good way to analyze our culture’s views of biases/preconceptions about the disorders”
Breakout Group • How might you adapt one of these strategies for use in your course? • A small breakout group activity? • “Doing” rather than “telling”: Is there an experiential activity you could develop? • How could a course “YouTube” channel be useful in your class?
Engagement/Motivation “DASHBOARD” • How engaged is the class? • Read the class: how much “fuel” is left? • Class pacing • No pre-set “controls” • Responsive, interactive process
Thank You!Questions or Comments Donna Pincus, Ph.D. (617) 353-9610 dpincus@bu.edu