Active Learning during Lectures

Active Learning during Lectures

Presented by Jennifer UhlerUniversity of Tartu • Tartu, Estonia

Seminars on Language Development and Intercultural Teaching

April 13, 2007

Overview

Actively learning about active learning Defining active learning A model for active learning Potential advantages and challenges

Icebreaker “Quickie 7”

favorite type of reading material hot beverage entertainment preference vacation destinations preferred retirement age

Debrief What did you think when you

saw different people in different sub-groups?

Who surprised you in their choices?

Who was predictable and unpredictable?

How did people's behavior change in according to the different group categories?

Who has knowledge or expertise or passion about something that we didn't realize before?

Inside-Outside Circle

Read the quotations

Which one do you relate to most? Why?

Think-Pair-Share

Why are you attending this seminar?

What is your teaching background?

Defining Active Learning

Listen to the experts...

What do they have to say about active learning?

Take notes

Snowball definitions

Define active learning

Alone Pairs Fours Whole class

“University lecturers are expected to ‘combine the talents of a scholar, writer, producer, comedian, showman and teacher in ways that contribute to student learning’”

(McKeachie, 1994 as cited in Fry, et. Al., 2005).

Cooperative learning

Find at least 5 things your entire group has in common!

Buzz groups

Quickly discuss in you groups some reasons why lectures are important in your discipline.

Lectures can…

Provide new information, based on original research and generally not found in textbooks or other printed sources

Highlight similarities and differences between key concepts

Communicate the enthusiasm of teachers for their subjects

Model how a particular discipline deals with questions of evidence, critical analysis, problem solving and the like

Organize subject matter in a way that is best suited to a particular class and course objectives

Dramatize important concepts and share personal insights

Cashin (1985) as cited in Fry, H., Ketteridge, S., & Marshall, S. (2005). A Handbook for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. London: Routledge.

A Model of Active Learningby L. Dee Fink (1999)

Experience of Dialogue with

DOING

OTHERSOBSERVING

SELF

Dialogue with Self

Reflection

“What do I think about a topic?”

“How do I feel about this topic?”

“What am I learning?”

“How am I learning?”

“What role does it play in my life?”

Dialogue with Others

Partial Lectures Textbooks

Dynamic/Active Other students Practitioners or experts Inside or outside of

class Live, writing, email

Observing

Watching or listening someone “doing” The instructor Professionals Observing phenomena

DirectFirst hand

VicariousBooks, movies, stories

Doing

Direct practicum

Vicarious Case studies Mock trials labs

Implementing the model

Expand the kinds of learning

experiences you create

Create small groups of students and have them make a decision or answer a focused question periodically,

Find ways for students to engage in authentic dialogue with people other than fellow classmates who know something about the subject (on the web, by email, or live),

Have students keep a journal or build a "learning portfolio" about their own thoughts, learning, feelings, etc.,

Find ways of helping students observe (directly or vicariously) the subject or action they are trying to learn, and/or

Find ways to allow students to actually do (directly, or vicariously with case studies, simulation or role play) that which they need to learn to do.

Take advantage of the power of interaction

Create a dialectic between

experience and dialogue

Summary & Reflection

List the exercises in our class so far

Label them according to experience (doing/observing) and dialogue (self/other)

How do they foster good learning in the university classroom?

Jigsaw

Active learning activities

Whole group discussion

What approaches have you used or experienced in lectures that you believe to encourage student learning?

How can we help students make new meaning of the material presented to them?

Round-robin

Potential educational advantages of interactive learning/collaborative learning/cooperation

Be creative!

Potential challenges

Read your problem

Circulate to find your solution

Share

Other challenges and concerns?

References and materials at seminars.jennu.net