Open SUNY COTE Summit 2016

THE BACKWARDS CLASSROOM: USING PEER INSTRUCTION TO INCREASE ACTIVE LEARNING

“The lecture is a process whereby the lecture notes of the instructor get transferred to the notebooks of the students without passing through the brains of either.”

-Eric Mazur

Dr. Cristi D. Ford University of Maryland University College Cristi.ford@umuc.edu

At the end of this presentation:

1.  The concept of Peer Instruction and how it can be used to effectively in online classroom.

2.  Low tech to high tech version of the methodology 3.  Discuss the impact on building assessment and

applications.

Cristi D. Ford

§  Assistant Vice Provost, Center for Innovation in Learning and Student Success @ UMUC

Previous

§  Director, Research Academy for Integrated Learning (RAIL)

§  Previous Assistant Professor, Center for Academic Technology

§  Facilitate online workshops for Sloan (Online Learning Consortium) §  Teach and develop on line courses in the area of Psychology

§  Previous Director of Distance Education overseeing leadership for 23 online programs (certificates to PhD programs)

§  Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy from University of Missouri

Learn Peer Instruction Using Peer Instruction

Increase Active Learning

to

Your Assignment

¨ bit.ly/SUNY16

¨ Read starting from heading Why Lecture?

Let’s see what you grasp about the concept of Peer Instruction

Peer Instruction Requires

¨  A. The instructor to offer content or reading assignments around the concepts

¨  B. Lectures/Resources that elaborate on the readings

¨  C. Resources that add insights around potential difficulties

¨  D. All of the above

What is the purpose of a Concept Test?

A.  Questions that trick students into a position to think more deeply about the topic.

B.  Test that asks about all parts of the lessons. C.  Short questions on the subject or concept being

discussed. D.  Questions that force the students to memorize the

material.

Goals of Peer Instruction

¨  Engage students actively in the course material: ¤  readings/coursework

¨  Exploit the student engagement in the course ¨  Get a pulse on your students abilities:

¤ Administer concept tests that have them apply the basic information.

¤ Based on the results, review topics where students demonstrate a weakness.

Concept Test Paradigm

¨  Low-stakes environment, build  expert-level cognitive skills that are conduits to the Holy Grail of learning – knowledge transfer (the ability to apply prior knowledge to solve problems in or navigate new, unfamiliar contexts).

Concept Test Design

¨  Some of these expert-level cognitive tasks include the metacognitive activity of self-monitoring.  When we ask students to respond to Concept Tests, we are asking them to think about what they know and what they don’t know.

¨  Gives students multiple opportunities with low stakes assessment before taking high stakes ¤ Students do well in areas they are paying attention

to… ¤ Powerful way to direct students attention is assessment

n Test based learning or retrieval practice n The trick to helping students’ learn, retain what they learn

for the long-term, and even apply what they learn in novel contexts is to ask them questions that require retrieval of the key concepts that constitute your learning outcomes. 

Experiential Learning Work with your peers

Experience #1 – Case Studies

Dr. Simmons has been implementing the process of peer instruction successfully in her classes for 3 years and feels very good about the success of her students at mastering the coursework at levels beyond what she had experienced prior to the implementation of peer instruction. When she enters the classroom for the fall term, she notices that one of her students is disabled and must use a keyboard to communicate all his thoughts and ideas.

What issues does Dr. Simmons face with respect to her ability to continue using Peer Instruction in her classroom?

Change in Construction of Assessments

¨  Opportunity to offer rich assessments ¨  To engage students more actively in the learning

process

Change the Assessment

¨  Identify the steps of photosynthesis?

¨  What role does chlorophyll play in photosynthesis?

OLD NEW

MY CONCEPT TEST EXAMPLE

Implementing in Hybrid Courses Peer Instruction and Hybrid Courses: The Perfect Combination!

• Readings • Lecture Videos • Other

• Concept Tests • Review of specific lecture material • Experiential learning activities

Implementing in Online Courses

¨  Online Lectures/Readings ¨  Concept tests -> mini assessments ¨  Discussion Boards

¤ Pose questions or exercises specific to areas students have demonstrated weakness

¤ A perfect forum for peer instruction – allows students to further their understanding of knowledge by teaching each other.

Peer Instruction

¨  So you have experienced and learned about peer instruction by doing peer instruction.

¨  Now we want to give you an opportunity to think about your own teaching.

Your Concept Test

¨  Now that you have had an opportunity to create a group, we want you think about the important elements of a Concept Test.

¨  We know it needs to be an opportunity for students (or the others in this workshop) to show you what we know based on what you have given us.

¨  Think about making sure the Concept Test has the essential elements as documented on your guide.

¨  bit.ly/COTE16

Show Us What You’ve Created

So Now What…How can you get started?

¨  Read Eric Mazur’s Book Peer Instruction ¤ Focus on Chapters 2, 3, 5 & 6

¨  Talk to Your Neighbor Blog: Great Peer Instruction networking opportunity

¨  Peer Instruction.net ¤ Connect with other faculty using peer instruction and get

some tips

Questions? Comments?