Re-Centering Teaching:
20+ Techniques for Promoting
Active Learning
Dr. Bonnie B. Mullinix
Co-President & Senior Consultant
Jacaranda Educational
Development
Senior Consultant,
Faculty and Educational Development
TLT Group
www.jacarandaeducation.net
www.tltgroup.org
bbmullinix@gmail.com
mullinix@tltgroup.org
Curriculum Coordinator, UYF-Title III
Bonnie.Mullinix@gvltec.edu
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Re-Centering Teaching:
20+ Techniques for Promoting Active Learning
Entry Activities
Please do the following:
1.
Introduce yourself (name, institution) in chat
2.
Complete the posted polls:
• Q1: What is your role in facilitating learning?
• Q2: What is your disciplinary focus?
3.
Next: Think and write (in chat):
“A challenging concept or topic you teach that you would
like to explore how to ‘recenter’ towards active learning.”
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‘Webshop’ Goal
To explore over 20 active
learning/instructional
techniques; considering
advantages of each and how
they can be used to effectively
support active engagement in
learning.
Bonnie Mullinix
bbmullinix@gmail.com
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‘Webshop’ Objectives:
By the end of the webshop session participants will have:
1.
Identified at least one challenging concept
or topic they teach they might ‘recenter’;
2.
Reflected on multiple learning theories and
frameworks;
3.
Considered at least 4-5 different
instructional techniques in depth;
Bonnie Mullinix,
bbmullinix@gmail.com
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‘Webshop’ Objectives
(continued) :
4.
Discussed how and when to most
effectively utilize each technique to
promote active engagement in learning;
5.
Identified selected techniques to address
their articulated challenge and facilitate
active learning.
Bonnie Mullinix,
bbmullinix@gmail.com
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Overview of the next 1 ½ hours

Entry & Introductions
[10-15 min]

Challenges, Theories & Frameworks
[15-20 min]

Example: The Case of Jigsaw
[5-10 min]

Review Groups
[15-20 min]

Sharing/Discussion
[25-30 min]

Closure
[5-10 min]
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Selecting Techniques



Start from what you need
•
•
Target a challenging concept
Consider and align your learning outcomes
Build on/add to what you know
•
•
Add to your repertoire of techniques
Take risks by trying out increasingly active methods
Pay attention to what works
•
Collect/monitor assessment data
(formative/summative/SoTL)
Bonnie Mullinix
bbmullinix@gmail.com
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How People Learn
(Bransford et al, 1999)
1. Pre-Existing Knowledge: preconceptions
& misconceptions about how the world works.
2. Foundational Knowledge and Organizational
Frameworks: developing competence in an area of
inquiry involves: a deep foundation of factual knowledge,
situated in contextual understanding using conceptual
framework(s) and organized to facilitate retrieval and
application.
3. Metacognition: Increase student awareness and
monitoring of and responsibility for learning.
Bransford et al. (1999). How People Learn
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How to Help People Learn
1. Engage, challenge and work with the
preexisting understandings that students bring with
them.
2. Teach some subject matter in depth, offering
many examples involving the same concept and
provide an organizing framework to aid retrieval &
application.
3. Teach metacognitive skills and awareness across
the curriculum.
Bransford et al. (1999). How People Learn
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Designing Learning
Environments
Learning environments have the following foci to balance in their design:
1. Learner-centered: Learners need connection with the content,
and approaches that match their interest/needs.
2. Knowledge-centered: Attention should be given to what is
taught (information, subject matter), why it is taught (understanding),
and what competence or mastery looks like.
3. Assessment-centered: Formative assessments offer powerful
insights into learning and help both teachers and students monitor
progress; they let teachers view learner preconceptions and
developmental stage and design/redesign instruction accordingly.
4. Community-centered: This requires the development of norms
for the classroom and school, as well as connections to the outside
world, that support core learning values.
Bransford et al. (1999). How People Learn
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Kolb’s Experiential Learning
Cycle to Spiral
Image from:
http://www.citejournal.org/vol10/iss3/ge
neral/article1.cfm
Bonnie Mullinix,
bbmullinix@gmail.com
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Bloom’s Taxonomy
– Guide to Building Learning Outcomes
Original
Revised
(Benjamin Bloom, 1984)
(Anderson & Krathwohl 2001)
Knowledge
Remember
Comprehension
Understand
Application
Apply
Analysis
Analyze
Synthesis
Evaluate
Evaluation
Create
Bonnie Mullinix
bbmullinix@gmail.com
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SMART Learning
Objectives/Outcomes
S
M
A
R
T
Bonnie Mullinix
bbmullinix@gmail.com
Specific – objective clearly identifies what should be
covered and accomplished by participants.
Measurable - objective can be assessed.
Achievable (or Realistic) – objective can be
accomplished within the session/training contact period.
Relevant (or Appropriate) - objective is closely related to
the session and addresses a learning need of the
participants.
Time Bound -
objective clearly indicates the time
period by which the objective should be achieved.
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Verb Wheel
Based on
Bloom's
Taxonomy
Domain
Appropriate
verbs
Student
products
http://cstep.csumb.edu/Obj_tutorial/bloomwheel.html
Bonnie Mullinix
bbmullinix@gmail.com
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Fleming’s VARK
Learning Preferences
Note: Learning Preferences
differ from Learning Styles
While Styles may indicate
static categorization,
Preferences indicate
awareness of strengths and
an ability to build towards a
multimodal approach to
learning
http://www.varklearn.com/english/index.asp
Bonnie Mullinix
bbmullinix@gmail.com
VARK Image from: http://blog.trainerswarehouse.com/
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Learning Theories & Frameworks
More Similarities than Differences

Importance of Theoretical Frameworks

Which do you use?
Which will you use as you review the

• Guiding & challenging our thinking
• Supporting reflective practice
upcoming activities & techniques and consider how to
integrate them into your practice?
Bonnie Mullinix
bbmullinix@gmail.com
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20+ Activities
& Techniques that Promote Learning
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Brainstorming (Progressive Brainstorming – Think-Pair-Share)
Case Study (Critical Incidents)
Concept Maps (/Graphic Organizers)
Creative Art Forms (Pictures, Song and Dance)
Demonstration
Drama
Field Trips
Film/Video Shows
Fish Bowl
Games
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20+ Activities
& Techniques that Promote Learning
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
Icebreakers/Energizers
Jigsaw Technique
Small Groups:
The Kitchen Concept
• Buzz Session
Lecturettes
• Dyads/Triads
Multimedia Presentations
• Team-Based
Role-plays
Learning
Panel Discussions
Peer Teaching
Simulations
Social Barometer/“Taking a Stand”
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Example:
The Case of Jigsaw






Jigsaw Technique for face-to-face workshop
Color-coordinated cards with numbers and letters
First: number-based “Expert” Groups explore
‘pieces’
Then: Letter-based “Sharing” Groups share
& co-construct ‘whole picture’.
Facilitator monitors and support groups
Session concludes with plenary debriefing and
discussion to clarify and consolidate observations
and experience
Bonnie Mullinix
bbmullinix@gmail.com
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‘Webshop’ Activity
Review Groups
(modified)
[10-15 min]
1.
Locate/select Review Group at:
http://tinyurl.com/Active20
2.
Read techniques as assigned to your group [5-10min]
Group 1: 1-4
Group 2: 5-8
In Handout
Group 3: 9-12
Group 4: 13-16
Group 5: 17-20
(Add/Alt: 20+ Small Groups)
3.
Consider how you might use at least one of these
techniques to ‘re-center’ your teaching (discuss
and post in spreadsheet (or chat)) [5 - 10 min].
Bonnie Mullinix
bbmullinix@gmail.com
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‘Webshop’ Activity
Sharing Groups
[25-30 min]
Participants/Groups: share a summary of key
observations, questions and ideas for how and
where they might use the techniques reviewed
Facilitator:
• Answers questions about techniques and their
application.
• Highlights similarities and relationships
between techniques
• Discusses the value of varying techniques to
enhance engagement.
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Processing Discussion
What questions or ideas emerged from your
group regarding:
•
•
The techniques? descriptions, similarities,
differences, relationships between…
Interesting uses / plans to use in your
courses
Remember:
There’s no single/correct response; Rather, it is
important to strategically select and vary techniques to enhance
engagement while addressing varied learning preferences.
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References
Mullinix, B. B. (2002). Nurturing Participation: A Facilitator's
Introduction to NonFormal Education and Participatory Training.
Amherst, MA: Center for International Education, University of
Massachusetts (pp 36-43).
Anderson, L.W., & Krathwohl, D.R. (eds.) (2001). A Taxonomy for Learning, Teaching,
and Assessing: A Revision of Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. New
York: Longman
Bloom, B. (1984). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives Boston: Allyn and Bacon, Boston,
MA
Bransford, J.D, A.L. Brown and R.R. Cocking (eds.). (1999). How people learn: Brain,
mind, experience, and school. National Academy of the Sciences. Accessed 3/20/08
at: http://www.nap.edu/html/howpeople1/
Fleming, N. (2001). VARK: A Guide to Learning Styles. http://www.varklearn.com/english/index.asp. Accessed: 2 March 2008
Kolb, D. (1984). Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and
Development. Englewood Cliffs, N.J., Prentice-Hall
(see handout for additional references)
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Have more to Explore?
Feel free to contact me :
Dr. Bonnie B. Mullinix
bbmullinix@gmail.com
Co-President, Jacaranda Educational Development
www.jacarandaeducation.net
Greenville Technical College,
Unlock Your Future (Title III) Curriculum Coordinator
Bonnie.Mullinix@gvltec.edu
Thank you for your Participation!
Bonnie Mullinix
bbmullinix@gmail.com
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