Simple Techniques to Achieve Active Learning

1. Simple Techniques to Achieve Active Learning Marc Boots-Ebenfield Center for Teaching Innovation MH115 x6718

2. Active Learning The term "Active Learning" covers a wide range of teaching techniques- punctuated lectures, collaborative learning, problem-based learning, inquiry, etc. We will start by exploring our own values as teachers, discuss a couple of scenarios that could be aided by various active learning techniques, and brainstorm ideas to assist in situations that you prose. References and sources for exploring Active Learning will be provided.

3. What is Active Learning • Engaged interaction- with subject, instructor, peers & learning process • Student cognitively aware of process of learning: • Active listening, active reading, active writing, active studying • Instructor provides guided opportunities for active performing

4. Gaining Attention The following types of activities serve the teacher and the students by… • Engaging students • Making students think about their relationship to a subject • Pointing out information gaps • Priming students for learning • Giving an indication of what unit/course is about • Discovering misconceptions

5. Engaged Learning= ? • Engaged learning = (motivation) x (active learning) • Brophy: Motivation is acquired competence developed through cumulative experience • Why are students demotivated? How can we break it?

6. Risk • Risk- students moving from dualist model of right and wrong to relative model- • Challenges ideas of self and model of how world works • Relativistic model is unsafe. Grey. Uncertainty • You might fail, demonstrate poor understanding

7. Risk • Engaged learning is about taking risks • 4 types of students…(Covington…motivational analysis) • Deep Learners (success oriented) learn for learning’s sake • Over-Strivers- successful, not very confident and always questioning their grades, anxious they will be exposed • Failure Avoiders- avoid tasks that are too challenging in order to avoid failure and questioning self worth • Failure Accepting- resigned to failure, disengaged

8. Motivation enjoy it, value it, and believe you can succeed. When students don’t succeed or feel they cannot, they would prefer to question and have others question their effort rather than their ability.

9. Achieving Flow • Wlodkowski- motivation • Helping students achieve flow- engagement. • goals are clear and compatible • feedback is immediate and continuous and relevant • the challenge balances skills, knowledge with stretching current capabilities – somewhere between “been there, done that and “dazed and confused”

10. Your focus • I would like to better understand… • What is going on in my students’ heads in class • What my students are doing out of class(In terms of studying…) • What skills and knowledge my students bring to the class

11. Student Questions • What am I supposed to be learning? • Do I understand the material? • How can I learn this stuff? • What grade am I getting in this course?

12. Attitude Inventory

13. Concept Test 1. As seen from your current location, when will an upright flagpole cast no shadow because the Sun is directly above the flagpole? A. Every day at noon. B. Only on the first day of summer. C. Only on the first day of winter. D. On both the first days of spring and fall. E. Never from your current location.

14. What makes CATs Different • Anonymous • No judgment • Focused (snapshot of engagement of class) • Process oriented (formative) • Shared among everyone • results • evaluation • Make the teaching process transparent • Make learning process transparent Road signs that help guide you to your destination

15. Knowledge, Recall, Understanding • Muddiest Point“What was the muddiest point in…” • 1 minute paper“What was the most important thing you learned in class, What important question remains unanswered?” • Background knowledge probeList, familiarity, identify, • 1 Sentence summary Who does what to whom when where and why?

16. Reaction to Instruction • Chain notesImmediately before this reached you, what were you thinking about? • Punctuated Lectures • Did you get distracted? Reaction • How were you recording new information? • How were you connecting new & old info? • What will come next in the lecture & why? • Punctuated reading

17. Learner Self-Awareness Opinion Polls • Native Americans who stay on the reservation are better off than those who leave. Strongly disagree, disagree, neutral, agree, strongly agree • January’s unusually warm weather is due to global warming Self-Confidence SurveyI know how to put my course into WebCTvery confident, confident, neutral ,unconfident, very unconfident

18. Process- In class • Group Instructional Feedback- answer 3 questions in small groups. • Specific things your instructor does that really help you, • specific things that make it more difficult, • 1 or 2 practical changes • Someone else administer this

19. Process- Out of Class • Time Logs- What did you do, when, how long, where • Create a log sheet • Try it out yourself as you prepare for class • Decide how many days • CONS- students overestimate • Process analysis- describe the steps you took to [study, write, research] write the questions you have after reading each section of the textbook.

20. Process- Out of Class • Dual entry journals • solve the problem/tell me why you solved it this way • One side notes from text, one side reactions to it • Teacher designed feedback form • combine a variety of techniques, • your own evaluation

21. General • RSQC2 • Recall, summarize, question, connect, comment • Recall and list the most important ideas from.. reading/class • Write a sentence summarizing the ideas • Write one question about the material • Make one connection between the new material and something else done in class • Comment on how confident they had felt [doing homework, understanding..]

22. Implementing CATs • Start Small • Easy CAT • Class that is going well • Pick a CAT that clearly fits your goals • Tell students trying something new • Give clear directions • Allow a little extra time • Close the loop

23. Your activities?

24. Assessments=? On a note card write out: • One CAT that you will use • The class you will use it in • What you hope to get out of using the CAT

25. References • Angelo, T. & Cross, P. (1993) Classroom Assessment Techniques. A handbook for college teachers. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. • Bloomhttp://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/bloom.html • CATS http://www.wcer.wisc.edu/archive/cl1/flag/cat/catframe.asp • CATS Marc's Flash Module (Requires Flash Player)