BEST PRACTICES IN COLLEGE TEACHING
Creating an Active Learning Environnent
Debra Dunlap Runshe
August 25, 2010
Active Learning
By the end of this session, participants will:
• articulate a rationale for using active learning in
the classroom
• describe instructional methods that encourage
active learning
• identify techniques that can be incorporated into
their classes to create an active learning
environment
• improve student retention and success
K–W-L
What do you
know about
active
learning?
What would
you like to
know about
active
learning?
What have
you learned
about active
learning?
What is Active Learning?
Active Learning
CATs
simple
Short, low-risk
complex
Longer duration, higher-risk
(Bonwell & Sutherland, 1996)
Already doing it?
•
•
•
•
•
Writing exercises
Tests & quizzes
Computer exercises
Labs
Student presentations
Why Active Learning?
Why Active Learning?
Research has shown that knowledge
retention can be significantly increased by
creating a welcoming environment and
incorporating active learning strategies into
your teaching.
Bloom’s Taxonomy
Evaluation
Synthesis
Analysis
Application
Comprehension
Knowledge
(Bloom, 1956)
Seven Principles
for Good Practice
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Encourages contact between faculty and
students.
Develops reciprocity and cooperation among
students.
Uses active learning techniques.
Gives prompt feedback.
Emphasizes time on task.
Communicates high expectations.
Respects diverse talents and ways of learning.
(Chickering and Gamson, 1987)
Passive vs. Active
Learning
• Students learn both passively and actively.
• Passive learning takes place when
students take on the role of “receptacles of
knowledge”; that is, they do not directly
participate in the learning process.
• Active learning is more likely to take place
when students are doing something
besides listening.
(Ryans and Martin, 1989)
Retention of
Information
After 24 hours, what percent of
information is retained by students in a
lecture environment?
a. 5%
b. 10%
c. 20%
d. 40%
e. 50%
Passive vs. Active
Learning
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Lecture
Reading
Audio-Visual
Demonstration
Discussion
Practice by Doing
Teaching Others
Teaching Method
(Sousa, 2001)
Why Active Learning?
Kuh et al identified a positive correlation
between active learning and gains in general
education and intellectual skills
Also determined that, among good practice
variables, active learning is the best predictor
of gains for both men and women at colleges and
universities
(Kuh, Pace, & Vesper, 1997)
Why Active Learning?
Students who have little mainstream culture
experience and limited English proficiency may
feel less isolated through participation.
Instructors can identify terminology
preferences made by social groups that may
be hindering or strengthening the learning
process.
(McKeachie, 2009)
Instructors can engender a sense of success in
students through frequent written and oral
feedback.
(Wlodkowski & Ginsberg, 1995)
Why Active Learning?
More Evidence on Impact:
Interactive engagement methods leads to improved test
performance
Collaborative learning methods enhance/improve
academic achievement, student attitudes, and retention
Problem-based learning develops positive student
attitudes, interpersonal skills, problem solving and lifelong
learning skills, knowledge retention
Cooperative learning methods enhance student
achievement, interpersonal skills, self-esteem
(Prince, 2004)
Student Involvement is
the Key to Learning
Research supports this:
“Analysis of the research literature. . . suggests that
students must do more than just listen. They must
read, write, discuss, or be engaged in solving
problems.”
--Bonwell & Eison, 1991 Extensive interaction
Limited interaction
“The body of research on the impacts of the college
academic
experience is extensive. The strongest
Less control
More control
general conclusion [is that] the greater the student’s
involvement or engagement in academic work, the
greater his or her level of knowledge acquisition.”
-- Pasquerilla & Terenzini, 1991
Active Learning
Are there cons?
Start Right Away!
Use an active learning technique on the first
day of class – it sets an expectation of
participation form the very beginning of the
semester.
Start with an activity that is quick and easy.
This will help students acclimate to your
teaching style as well as help them learn
how to participate in collaborative learning
Where do I start?
•
Include your students in the learning
process.
•
Punctuate your lectures.
•
Deliver a series of smaller lectures in place
of one long lecture.
•
Insert active learning techniques.
Easy to Implement
Techniques
Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs)
simple, ungraded activities that can:
• provide feedback about how your students are
doing
• help your student monitor their own learning
• focus your students attention on course
content through reflection, writing, and
speaking
• allow you to punctuate your lecture with
learning activities
Purpose of CATs
“. . . to improve learning in progress by
providing teachers with the kind of feedback
they need to inform their day-to-day
instructional decisions, and by providing
students with information that can help them
learn more effectively."
-Tom Angelo
Characteristics of CATs
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Learner-Centered
Teacher-Directed
Mutually Beneficial
Formative
Context-Specific
Ongoing
Rooted In Good Teaching Practice
Basic Assumptions of CATs
• Learning is directly related to teaching.
• Effective assessment begins with clear,
specific goals and objectives.
• Students need appropriate feedback, early
and often.
• The best type of assessment to evaluate
teaching and learning is that which is created
and conducted by the faculty, themselves.
• Classroom assessment does not require
specialized training.
(Angelo & Cross, 1993)
Examples of Low-Preparation CATs
•
•
•
•
•
•
Background Knowledge Probe
Punctuated Lectures
Minute Paper
The Muddiest Point
Think – Pair – Share
Complete a Sentence Starter
(Angelo & Cross, 1993)
Purpose of a Background
Knowledge Probe
For students, it highlights key
information to be studied, offering a
preview of material to come and/or a
review of prior knowledge.
For teachers, it helps determine the best
starting point and the most appropriate
level for a lesson
For both, it can be used for either pre- or
post-lesson assessment of learning
Examples of Background
Knowledge Probe
•
•
•
•
Pro-Con Grid
Survey/inventory
Place yourself along the continuum.
“Signs up”
Background
Knowledge Probe
How familiar are you with Angelo and Cross’s
Classroom Assessment Techniques: A
Handbook for College Teachers?
What assessment techniques, if applicable do
you routinely use in your classes?
Pro-Con Grid
Develop a list of what you think would be
pros and cons of using active learning
techniques and of lecturing.
We will then come back together and share
what some of those pros and cons are.
Pro-Con Grid
Pros
Active
Learning
Strategies
Lecturing
Cons
Large Lecture
Techniques
• Pause 3 times for two minutes each during a
lecture to allow students to consolidate, share,
and compare notes.
• Assign short, ungraded written exercises followed
by class discussion.
• Give two mini-lectures separated by a small
group study session built around a study guide.
Focus Question
Think
While active learning has the potential
to revolutionize instruction, there are
many reasons why it doesn’t take
place. What are barriers to active
learning in the classroom?
Focus Question
Think into the future
As students leave the university, what
are the skills, strategies, concepts,
aptitudes, and personal qualities that
they will need to be a productive and
successful citizen in the coming
years?
Focused Listing
Purpose: To help determine what learners recall
about a specific topic, including concepts they
associate with a central point.
When to use this?
Before, during or after a lesson.
Steps:
1. Students write key word at the top of a page.
For 2 – 3 minutes, just down related terms
important to the understanding of that topic.
2. Pair up with peer, sharing lists and explanations
of why concepts were included. This will build
their knowledge base and clarify their
understanding of the topic.
Complete a
Sentence Starter
Angelo and Cross’s “Minute Paper”,
where students typically respond to
two questions is the best-known and
most widely-used CAT because. . .
One Minute Paper
What technique do you think you will
implement in your next course?
Specifically, where do you see its use?
P–M-I
Pluses
Minuses
Interesting
Points
Muddiest Point
What about incorporating active
learning and classroom assessment
techniques into your classroom is still
confusing to you?
Memory Matrix
Course Objective
To develop flexible strategies
for generating, revising,
editing and proofreading
To write and to read with an
awareness of purpose
appropriate to the needs of
the audience
To narrow the focus of an
essay, using a thesis
statement appropriately
Beginning
of
semester
routine
End of
semester
routine
Specific
evidence
of growth
Defining Features
Matrix
What are the differences between formative
evaluation and summative evaluation?
Formative
Summative
Defining Features
Matrix
What are the differences between formative
evaluation and summative evaluation?
Formative
• Developmental
• Non-graded
• Anonymous
• Occurs more
frequently
Summative
•Formal
•Graded evaluations
(quizzes, exams,
papers)
•Occurs at course
transitions
•Often too late for
students
Concept Maps
• Brainstorm terms and short phrases related
to the topic.
• Create a shape for your central topic.
• Create levels of association with shapes and
lines.
• Insert logical connectives on the lines
connecting the concepts (such as includes,
excludes, causes, results in, predicts,
contradicts, supports).
Concept Maps
Central
Theme
Subtopic
Detail
Subtopic
Subtopic
Concept Maps
Branches of
the
Government
Legislative
Senate
Congress
Executive
Judicial
House of
Representatives
Supreme
Court
President
Vice
President
Active Learning
Beyond the Classroom
Two ways to actively engage your students
through the use of technology:
• Chat Sessions
• Discussion Forums
At the beginning of the semester:
• Assess student technology experience and
access to the environment.
• Include a demonstration of the online
environment.
• Establish ground rules for on-line
interactions.
Benefits of eLearning
• Low participants and shy students
sometimes open up.
• There are minimal off-task behaviors.
• Delayed collaboration is more extensive
and rich than real time; real time is more
immediate and personal.
• Students can generate tons of information
or case situations on the Web.
(Bonk & King, 1998)
Benefits of eLearning
• Minimal student disruptions and
dominance.
• Students are excited to publish work.
• Many forms of online advice are available.
Practitioner, expert, instructor, and student
online feedback are all valuable and
important.
(Bonk & King, 1998)
Benefits of eLearning
• With the permanence of the postings, one
can print out discussions and perform
retrospective analysis and other reflection
activities.
• Discussion extends across the semester
and creates opportunities to share
perspectives beyond your classroom.
• E-learning encourages instructors to coach
and guide learning.
(Bonk & King, 1998)
Chat Room
Activities
• Debate
• Guest Speaker
• Office Hours
Discussion Forum
Activities
•
•
•
•
Peer Review of Projects
Scavenger Hunt
Electronic Séance
Jigsaw
How do I choose?
How do I Choose?
Objectives
What do I want my
students to know?
What do I want my
students to be able
to do?
How will I assess
my students?
Activities
Assessment
How do I choose?
Course Objectives
Acquisition of knowledge
Acquisition of skills/attitudes
Personal Style
Limited interaction
Extensive interaction
Less control
More control
Student Experience
Inexperienced
Experienced
(Bonwell & Sutherland, 1996)
How do I choose?
Students are Active/Lower
Level of Risk
Demonstrations
Self-assessments
Brainstorming activities
Quizzes or tests
Lecture with pauses or discussion
Surveys/questionnaires
Students are Inactive/Lower Level of
Risk
Show a film for the entire class period.
Lecture for the entire class period.
Students are Active/Higher
Level of Risk
Role playing
Small group presentations
Individual presentations
Guided imagery exercise
Unstructured small group discussion
Responsive lecture
Students are Inactive/Higher
Level of Risk
Invite a guest speaker.
What do you think?
• What techniques are suitable for your
class? What techniques are you already
using?
• Write down an area of your course you
believe is appropriate for active learning
and the technique you would use.
Plan, Plan, Plan
• Create your learning goals and objectives for
the session activity is to take place as well
as the course.
• Plan the activity.
• Articulate your goals and objectives to your
students in verbal and written instructions.
• Debrief after the activity. What did they
learn? What about the process?
• Assess the activity.
• Refine the objectives, activity, and
assessment for next time.
Words of Wisdom
• When I hear, I forget.
• When I hear and see, I remember a little.
• When I hear, see, and ask questions about it or
discuss it, I begin to understand.
• When I hear, see, discuss, and do, I acquire
knowledge and skill.
(Silberman, 1996)
Final thoughts...
Resources
PUBLICATIONS
Angelo, T. A., & Cross, K. P. (1993). Classroom assessment techniques: A handbook
for college teachers. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Bean, J. C. (1996). Engaging ideas: The professor's guide to integrating writing,
critical thinking, and active learning in the classroom. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Bligh, D. A. (2000). What's the use of lectures? San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Bonwell, C. C., & Eison, J. A. (1991). Active learning: Creating excitement in the
classroom. ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report, no. 1. Washington, D.C.: The
George Washington University, School of Education and Human Development.
Bransford, J. D., Brown, A. L., Cocking., R. R. (Eds.). (2000). How people learn:
Brian, mind, experience, and school. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
Chickering, A. W., and Gamson, Z. F. (1987). Seven principles for good practice in
undergraduate education. AAHE Bulletin 39(7): 3-7.
Chickering, A., & Erhmann, S. (1996, October). Implementing the seven principles:
Technology as lever. AAHE Bulletin, October. Retrieved from
http://www.tltgroup.org/programs/seven.html
Resources
PUBLICATIONS
Davis, B. G. (2009). Tools for teaching (2nd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Diamond, R. M. (2008). Designing & assessing sources & curricula: A practical guide
(3rd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Finkel, D. L. (2000). Teaching with your mouth shut. Portsmouth, NH: Boynton/Cook
Publishers.
Halpern, D. F. & Hakel, M. D. (2003). Applying the science of learning. Change.
(July/August). 37-41.
Hatfield, S. R. editor; with David G. Brown ... [et al.]; and special sections by Martin
Nemko, contributing editor. (1995). The seven principles in action: improving
undergraduate education. Bolton, MA: Anker Publishing.
Johnson, D. W. & Johnson, R. T. (1994). Learning together and alone: Cooperative,
competitive, and individualistic learning (4th ed.). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn
and Bacon.
Kuh, G. D., Pace, C. R. & Vesper, N. (1997). The development of process indicators to
estimate student gains associated with good practices in undergraduate
education. Research in Higher Education 38(4):435-454.
Resources
PUBLICATIONS
MacGregor, J. (2000). Strategies for energizing large classes: From small groups to
learning communities. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Meyers, C. & Jones, T. B. (1993). Promoting active learning: Strategies for the college
classroom. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Millis, B. J., & Cottrell, P. G. (1998). Cooperative learning for higher education faculty.
Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press.
Pascarella, E. T., & Terenzini, P. T. (1998). Studying college students in the 21st
century: Meeting new challenges .The Review of Higher Education, 21(2),151165.
Silberman, M. L. (1996). Active learning: 101 strategies to teach any subject. Boston:
Allyn & Bacon.
Sousa, D. A. (2001). How the brain learns: A classroom teacher's guide (2nd ed.).
Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Svinicki, M. D. (2004). Learning and motivation in the postsecondary classroom.
Bolton, MA: Anker Pub. Co.
Resources
CASE STUDY TEACHING WEB SITES
National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science
http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/projects/cases/case.html
Virginia Tech Case Study Site
http://www.edtech.vt.edu/edtech/id/models/casebased.html
Harvard University Case Site for Business
http://www.hbs.edu/case/index.html
Penn State University Case Site
http://tlt.its.psu.edu/suggestions/cases/
Institute for Case Development
http://www.wested.org/icd/welcome.html
Resources
PROBLEM BASED LEARNING WEB SITES
Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy Center for Problem Based Learning
http://www2.imsa.edu/programs/pbl/cpbl.html
Maricopa Center for Teaching and Learning
http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/pbl/
Samford University
http://www.samford.edu/ctls/archives.aspx?id=2147484112
Problem Based Learning at McMaster University
http://chemeng.mcmaster.ca/pbl/pbl.htm
Problem Based Learning Initiative
http://www.pbli.org/
Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL)
http://www.pogil.org/
University of Delaware
http://www.udel.edu/pbl/