The Learning Environment

1. Going Long: engaging Students in long classesBrian SmentkowskiDirector of the Center for the Advancement of Faculty Excellence and Department of Political Science Queens University of Charlotte Scott WeirDepartment of Biology Queens University of Charlotte

2. The Learning Environment • What do you teach? • How many students? • What level? • What kind of class –f2f, online, hybrid? • What about the learners –why are they there? • What is your preferred teaching style/comfort zone? • Have you ever taught a “long” class? • How long? • How’d it go?

3. Jose Bowen’s Value Proposition “As faculty, if we are primarily concerned with transmitting content, then our value will only decrease. The Internet contains a much broader selection of lectures, demonstrations, animations, and examples on more subjects, in more languages, and with a greater variety of approaches, methods, and pedagogies than any professor, department, or even entire university can provide. If, however, we are more concerned with faculty-student interaction; the design and sequence of learning experiences; the application, analysis, and synthesis of information; the motivation of students; and, especially, the increasing complexity of students’ mental models, then the value of what we do will increase.” “The good news is that the greatest value of a physical university will continue to be its provision of face-to-face (naked) interactionbetween faculty and students. The first role of technology, therefore, is to create more time for such interaction. At a very basic level, new technologies can increase student preparation and engagement between classes and create more time for the (naked) in-class dialogue that makes the campus experience worth the extra money it will always cost to deliver. The most important benefits of using technology occur outside of the classroom.” https://www.aacu.org/liberaleducation/2014/spring/bowen

4. The Learning-Centered Challenge • If the central idea of flipping a class is to create truly transformational learning experiences –to make the most of every class session; to create an environment in which the students agree “this is why we actually need to meet as a class X number of times per week”—how do we do that?? • Identify, now, a list of things you do in class that: • (1) requires everyone to be genuinely present, and • (2) what your role is.

5. The Long Class Challenge • The average class is 50 – 75 minutes • Four credit hour conversions add a little more time • Long classes add a lot more time, running, on average, 2.5 - 3.5 hours and often at night (implications of this?) • The average attention span of a student? • 8-15 minutes? • That’s a fair, research-based range, but do note that credible scholars of teaching and learning question some of the methods and therefore the results, and there is no uniformity of effect within and across learning environments and experiences. But we can agree, it’s pretty short. How short? • 3-4 minutes? 30 seconds?? • We have found that “attention lapses” occur much more frequently –like, in the 3-4 minute range, and even after about 30 seconds! • It gets worse the longer a class goes on • Other distractions? • So, what do we do? • How do we engage in deep learning across the span of 3+ hours knowing that attention wanes so rapidly?

6. Solutions? Call Response • How can we make a long class feel less “long and arduous? • How can we engage our students through that time span? • What can we do with our time, content, documents, and ideas?

7. A Tale of Two Classes A 2.5 hour introductory Biology Class (Dr. Weir) A 3.5 hour upper-division International Law Class (Dr. Smentkowski)

8. Traditional Science Courses • Lecture 2 or 3 days a week for about an hour

9. Traditional Science Courses • Lab once a week for 2.5 hours

10. How to better use that 2.5 hrs? • Course-embedded research! • Now you have the time for: • Hypothesis development/group discussion • Demonstration of techniques (if needed) • Data collection (across multiple weeks!) • Discussion of primary literature • Data analysis • Data presentation • Etc….

11. Example: BIO 202 Spring 2016 • Course-embedded research project • Use of closed ecological systems to investigate ecological topics • Glass jar with algae and invertebrate that eats algae

12. What worked? • Splitting the class up into manageable units: • Discuss goals/purpose of the work being done in lab that day • Time for group planning/organizing/discussing (if needed) • Collect data • Discuss paper related to research project • If data collection finished: data analysis/presentation

13. SLOs Assessed • To communicate scientifically to multiple audiences • To apply basic content knowledge to more specific complex or advanced situations • To synthesize relevant primary literature in order to answer questions

14. SLOs Assessed • To communicate scientifically to multiple audiences • Oral presentation at end of class • To apply basic content knowledge to more specific complex or advanced situations • To synthesize relevant primary literature in order to answer questions • Use of primary lit within oral presentation

15. What Worked? • Students really appreciated the “real” science they were doing • “Ownership” – they came up with their own questions • I did not know what the answer would be when we started • This lab does not look like a “traditional” lab:

16. What Was Problematic? • Some groups had projects that failed • Restart? Assist other groups? What is the backup plan? • Being ok with failure (of research, not grades) • Students don’t always recognize the importance of failure • Some students didn’t like failing and repeating (really means they don’t like science!) • Poorly planned weeks may end up finishing very early • Plan some backup discussion/activities • Or simply jump ahead in lab material planned for the future

17. Where do YOU go from here? • What parallel activity/research could you take this formula and fit into your field? • Authentic research/scholarly activity is key • Allow them to experience the ups AND downs of your disciplinary activities

18. Looking Ahead • BIO 201 Fall 2016 • 2 – 2.5 hr sessions • Integrated lab/lecture

19. International Law • The Challenge • Cover the traditional canon of international law with an emphasis on human rights • Meet one night a week, from 6-9:30pm • Focus separately on, yet integrate, knowledge in two related areas • Address/disentangle passion and knowledge • Make it their class • Don’t compromise on standards • Some Solutions • The “rule of thirds” (TM?) • Clearly articulated expectations (their role & mine) • Predictable yet flexible patterns • One HR issue/week • Teamwork and carryover from one class to the next • C/PBL/Teamwork/Jigsaw • “It feels like we’re doing all the work” • Weekly tutorials and papers • Music and breaks

20. Back to Solutions High Impact Practices and Pedagogical Alternatives

21. Solutions: Top 10 Tips for HIPs • Engage students in their learning • Use a variety of active and collaborative learning approaches to engage students • Set and maintain high expectations of student performance • Clarify what students need to do to succeed • Use engaging pedagogical approaches appropriate for course objectives and students’ abilities • Build on students’ knowledge, abilities and talents • Provide meaningful feedback to student • Weave diversity into the curriculum including out-of-class assignments • Make time for students • Hold students accountable for taking their share of the responsibility for their learning • To learn more, check out: • Kuh, G. D., Kinzie, J., Schuh, J. H., & Whitt, E. J Assessing conditions to enhance educational effectiveness: The Inventory for Student Engagement and Success. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. • Kuh, G. D., Kinzie, J., Schuh, J. H., Whitt, E. J. & Associates (2005). Student success in college: Creating conditions that matter. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

22. Specific Pedagogical Options

23. Practical Advice • Don’t treat your class as a long excursion • Gilligan’s Island started out as a three hour tour –look how that turned out • The rule of thirds • Mix it up • Don’t rely on one go-to activity per class • Link what you’re doing in each class to a specific learning outcome • Prepare them for an engaged learning experience • Use the time between class sessions wisely, to ramp up, wrap up, and follow up. • Think about online and F2F solutions • Think about individual participation and group/team participation • CBL and/or PBL • High intentionality and buy in: include them in the discussion of why we are doing something and make sure their results matter • Give ‘em a break, get them moving

24. A Final Challenge • Engaging our students in active learning is the key • This is easier said than done • Maryellen Weimer calls on us to not simply fill the time, but to “facilitate student focus” • Think about what that entails • It’s more than cognitive • Embrace the New Science of Learning