Is Active Learning Online Possible?
Christine Andrews, Joyce Cadwallader, Linda Grisham, and Stacey Kiser
Designing for Active Learning Class On-Line
Linda M Grisham
Retooling Teaching/Learning: An Opportunity to Change the Rules!!
Students Don’t Know What to Expect from Online Courses
Step 1: Forget technologies—focus on the backward
design of an effective course with clear course
outcomes & BioQUEST ideals.
Step 2: Select engaging activities/assessments that
align with course outcomes.
Step 3: Work with an instructional designer to find
appropriate technologies to implement Step 2 in
the college’s LMS .
Step 4: Design an attractive, easy to navigate course
layout. Solicit student feedback!
Step 5: Put EVERYTHING a student needs for a unit
of work in one folder (assignments, readings, labs,
quizzes, discussion forums, etc.)
The Goal – An empowering learning experience on
and off line in a community where students take
responsibility for learning/sharing and expect
frequent instructor & peer feedback
Make Just One Change
Christine Andrews and Joyce Cadwallader
Introduction
Asking questions is key not only to the
scientific process but to decision making in
general. While asking questions seems like a
pretty simple task asking questions to help
elicit the information you are actually
seeking is a skill that is learned and takes
practice.
During the BIRDD presentation during the
meeting, Kristin Jenkins introduced the book
Make Just One Change. The book introduces
a method for making asking questions more
intentional. Although the method suggested
is fixed as will be described in the method
section, the authors claim good results. Our
group is exploring implementing it into our
classroom in the coming semester to help
students learn to formulate meaningful
questions.
Although this method seems simple, the
assertion of the authors is that the regular
use of the technique makes the skill more
apparent and intentional and thus builds the
skill.
Method
The Question Formulation
Technique
Q Focus
Rules of Producing Questions
• Ask as many questions as you can.
• Do not stop to discuss, judge, or
answer any question.
• Write down every question exactly as
stated.
• Change any statement into questions.
Open-ended/Closed ended exercise
Prioritize questions
Next steps
Reflection
Curricular Usage
SMWC
Objectives: Students will become
comfortable with asking questions and
critically thinking
Course: Science Communication I
Question Focus:
Scientific Research
Scientific Ethics and Professionalism
Critical Thinking
LCC
Objectives: Students will become
comfortable asking questions, recognize
areas they do not understand well and
explore areas of genetics that most
interest them.
Course: Cellular Genetics
Question Focus: Next Steps in (unit
topic)
Designing an Active Learning Class On-Line
Stacey Kiser and the Three Wise Women
Weekly Module: Population Genetics
Learning Outcomes:
• Describe a gene pool using the terms:
alleles, genes, homozygous,
heterozygous.
• Use Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium to
analyze evolution in a population.
• Apply population genetics concepts to a
real-world situation.
Activities:
• Introduction to gene pools and genetic
drift (beans in a bag).
• Population genetics simulations
(popgen, suggestions?)
Student Products:
•Which of the Hardy-Weinberg
assumptions are cheetahs violating?
Support your arguments.
•Suggest possible solutions.
Compelling Question: Why are
cheetahs unhealthy?
Parallel Discussion
Forum
Moderated by rotating
student teams.
Possibly adopt “Make
Just One Change”
question model.
Case Study
•First Step:
oProvide an article/video outlining cheetah
health problems.
oKnow/Need to Know analysis.
•Second Step: Learn content.
•Third Step: Return to case, pose a solution
backed up with content.
Instructor involvement:
moderator for social
courtesy, incorrect
biological information.
Points for moderating
and participating each
week.
Designing an Question Formulation Activity On-Line
Christine Andrews, Joyce Cadwallader, and Stacey Kiser
Introduction
Curriculum
SMWC
After using the QFT in the in-seats
classroom as designed in groups, it is
hoped the the process can be modified to
use in the on-line format. The
development of the skill of asking
questions is important and desirable for
all students regardless of learning format.
Translating a group process into an online
asynchronous activity maybe difficult and
may require a number of changes to
produce the anticipated behaviors in
students. The QFT online procedure will
be the first attempt to capture the critical
elements of the procedure. If this activity
is not working, we will modify the
procedure until we capture the critical
components of divergent and convergent
thinking needed to help the students
develop the requisite skills.
Can the QFT process be
transformed to use
online?
QFT online
First Step: Students take 5 minute
quiz generating questions.
Second Step: Open- and closed
ended question exercise including
changing questions and
advantages and disadvantages.
Third Step: Prioritize Questions
Fourth Step: Reflection
Objectives: Students will become
comfortable with asking questions and
critically thinking
Course: Principles of Biology I
Question Focus:
Scientific Method
Inside the Cell
Speciation
LCC
Objectives: Students will become
comfortable asking questions, recognize
areas they do not understand well and
explore areas of genetics that most
interest them.
Course: Cellular Genetics
Question Focus: Next Steps in (unit
topic)