1
Introduction
The activities described in the following slides
have no specific discipline restriction. They
can be used or applied to most of our courses
in the Department.
 There will be separate powerpoints for
individual categories of activities.
 Further information can be found in Penn State
World Campus site.
 Additional sources will be added wherever
necessary.
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2
Teaching Strategies

Developing critical thinking
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Using examples
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Everyday life
Reflective journal
assessments
Create thinking time and
space
Collaborative learning
Creating dissonance
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Reading skills [can be
adapted to other
applications]
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3
Problem-posing
Framing
Question-generating
Believing and doubting
Evidence-finding
Case
Norming session
“Rough draft workshop”
Metacognitive
Source: Spiller, D. (2009). Teaching strategies to promote the development of student’s learning skills. NZ:
Teaching Development Unit, University of Waikato.
Guidelines and Rationale
A separate file for this topic
 Sources

Chippewa Valley Technical College (CVTC)
 Michigan State University (MSU)
 The University of New South Wales (UNSW)
 Tracy Penny Light from the University of
Waterloo in 2004
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4
Initiation
 Course
Beginning
[Please refer to
Penn State World
Campus]
5
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Students’ selfintroduction (brief
biography
Personal home page
Representation or
collages
Themes of Activities_1
 Problem-based
Learning [Please
refer to Penn State
World Campus]
6
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Case studies
Problem-based activity
Interactive case studies
using “Quandry”
Themes of Activities_2
 Communication
[Please refer to
Penn State World
Campus]
 Examples from
Michigan State
University (MSU)
 A separate file for
an activity from
MSU

7
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Guided discussion
forums
Interview
Guest lecturer
Pen pals
“Ask an expert”
Open forum
Students-as-teachers
Polling, debates, and
fishbowls using “course
talk”
Themes of Activities_3
 Foster
interaction
Examples from
Michigan State
University (MSU)
 Examples from
Chippewa Valley
Technical College
(CVTC)
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8
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Instructor – Students
Students – Content
Student - Student
Themes of Activities_4
 Projects
[Please
refer to Penn State
World Campus]
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9
Design projects and
prototypes
Simulations
Build-as-you-go project
Modifying graphics
Themes of Activities_5
 Foster
participation
10
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Techniques from
Michigan State
University (MSU)
Themes of Activities_6
 Collaboration
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11
[A separate powerpoint
on collaborative
learning]
[More examples offered
in ultimedia
ducational esource
for earning and nline
Teaching (
)
website]
Themes of Activities_7
 Experiential
learning
12

[A separate powerpoint
on experiential learning]
Themes of Activities_8
 Self
13
assessment

[A separate powerpoint
on self assessment as a
learning activity]
Selected Activities_1
 Conceptual
learning
[University of
Maryland
University College
(UMUC)
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14
A separate file for
this activity
 Professional
development
learning activity
[The Institute of
Chartered
Accountants of
Nova Scotia
(ICANS)]

A separate file for
this activity
Selected Activities_2
 Creating
an
individual learning
contract
[California State
University at
Chico, School of
Social Work
(CSUC_SW)]

15
A separate file for
this activity
 Pizza
Explorer
[Purdue University
(PU)]

A separate file for
this activity
Selected Activities_3
 A number
of
activities from
MERLOT

A separate file for
this activity
 Communication
[Examples of
netiquette in MSU
can be modified to
meet course’s
requirement]

16
A separate file for
this activity
Further attachments
 Active
learning
activities from the
Centre for
Teaching
Excellence of the
University of
Waterloo in
Canada
17

Spiller, D. (2009).
Teaching strategies
to promote the
development of
student’s learning
skills. NZ: Teaching
Development Unit,
University of
Waikato.
Additional References
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18
Beard, C. & Wilson, J. P. (2002). The power of experiential
learning: A handbook for trainers and educators. London:
Kogan Page.
Boud, D. (1995). Enhancing learning through self
assessment. London: Kogan Page.
Brooks-Harris, J. E. & Stock-Ward, S. R. (1999).
Workshops: Designing and facilitating experiential
learning. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Sampson J. & Cohen, R. (2001). Strategies for peer
learning: Some examples. In Boud, D., Cohen, R., &
Sampson, J. (Eds.), Peer learning in higher education:
Learning from & with each other (pp. 35-49). London:
Kogan Page.