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Teaching for Learning: Using Active Learning Strategies & Cooperative Student

Groups to Promote Learning in Lecture Classes – Session I

Karl SmithCivil Engineering

University of Minnesota

Kathleen O’DonovanConnie Tzenis

Center for Teaching and Learning

University of Minnesota

Agricultural Exports and Rural Income (AERI)Midwest University Consortium for International Activities

Faculty Workshop – July 2004

To teach is to engage students in learning; thus teaching consists of getting students involved in the active construction of knowledge. . .The aim of teaching is not only to transmit information, but also to transform students from passive recipients of other people's knowledge into active constructors of their own and others' knowledge. . .Teaching is fundamentally about creating the pedagogical, social, and ethical conditions under which students agree to take charge of their own learning, individually and collectively

Education for judgment: The artistry of discussion leadership. Edited by C. Roland Christensen, David A. Garvin, and Ann Sweet. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Business School, 1991.

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Think-Pair-Share

• Individually read the quote “To teach is to engage students in learning. . .”

• Underline/Highlight words and/or phrase that stand out for you

• Turn to the person next to you, introduce yourself

• Share words and/or phrases that stood out and discuss

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Knowledge Probe

• Individually complete the knowledge probe

• Example from MOT 8221

• What would you like to know about the students in your courses?

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Participant Information Sheet MOT 8221, Spring 2004 Name __________ Work Experience (describe briefly): (use back if necessary) Previous Coursework/Experience in Project Management, Knowledge Management, Engineering Systems, Industrial Engineering/Operations Research (IE/OR), Management Science, and Quality Management (Six Sigma/TQM):

For the following areas, please rank your level of understanding according to the following scale:

1 = Little or no coursework/experience in this area. 2 = (Between 1 & 3). 3 = Moderate coursework/experience in this area 4 = (Between 3 & 5). 5 = A great deal of coursework/experience in this area.

Project Management 1 2 3 4 5 Knowledge Management 1 2 3 4 5 PMI-PMBOK 1 2 3 4 5 Engineering Systems 1 2 3 4 5 IE/OR 1 2 3 4 5 Modeling/Simulation 1 2 3 4 5 Mgmt Science 1 2 3 4 5 Six Sigma/ TQM 1 2 3 4 5 Computing Experience:

For each of the following, rate your proficiency and list any computer software:

1 = Never have used it. 2 = Know a little about it. 3 = Have used it some. 4 = Am very comfortable using it.

Rating Specific Packages

Spreadsheet 1 2 3 4 Project Management 1 2 3 4 Statistical 1 2 3 4 Modeling/simulation 1 2 3 4 Data base 1 2 3 4 Programming language 1 2 3 4 Expectations from the course (use back if necessary):

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5

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Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 Q6 Q7 Q8

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2

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PM Q1

KM Q2

PMI Q3

EngSys Q4

IE/OR Q5

Mod/Sim Q6

MgmtSci Q7

6 Sigma Q8

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5

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Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 Q6

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Spread Q1

PM Q2

Stat Q3

Mod/Sim Q4

DB Q5

Prog Q6

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Knowledge Probe

• Individually complete the knowledge probe

• Example from MOT 8221

• What would you like to know about the students in your courses?

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Workshop Goals(From the Proposal)

This workshop provides an opportunity for faculty to:• Explore the pedagogical shift from providing instruction to enhancing

student learning.• Identify desired learning outcomes for students in lecture classes.• Find out about and experience teaching methods that create active

learning opportunities for students in a lecture setting. • Discuss ways to help students think critically about the information

presented in lectures and prepare them to apply it in real-world settings.

• Gain a conceptual understanding of cooperative learning and find out how to operationalize and use both informal and formal cooperative learning groups effectively.

• Determine acceptable evidence of students’ learning. • Build cooperative teaching and learning skills while building a

professional network of Egyptian colleagues dedicated to enhancing student learning.

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Your Workshop Goals

Participants’ Goals for the Workshop:

• ?

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Book Ends on a Class Session

Book Ends on a Class Session

1. Advance Organizer2. Formulate-Share-Listen-Create (Turn-

to-your-neighbor) -- repeated every 10-12 minutes

3. Session Summary (Minute Paper)1. What was the most useful or meaningful thing you

learned during this session?2. What question(s) remain uppermost in your mind as we

end this session?3. What was the “muddiest” point in this session?

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Advance Organizer

AThe most important single factor influencing learning is what the learner already knows. Ascertain this and teach him accordingly.@

David Ausubel - Educational psychology: A cognitive approach, 1968.

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Formulate-Share-Listen-Create

Informal Cooperative Learning GroupIntroductory Pair Discussion of a

FOCUS QUESTION

1. Formulate your response to the question individually

2. Share your answer with a partner3. Listen carefully to your partner's answer4. Work together to Create a new answer

through discussion

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Quick Thinks

•Reorder the steps•Paraphrase the idea•Correct the error•Support a statement•Select the response

Johnston, S. & Cooper,J. 1997. Quick thinks: Active- thinking in lecture classes and televised instruction. Cooperative learning and college teaching, 8(1), 2-7.

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Minute Paper• What was the most useful or meaningful thing

you learned during this session?• What question(s) remain uppermost in your

mind as we end this session?• What was the “muddiest” point in this session?• Give an example or application• Explain in your own words . . .

Angelo, T.A. & Cross, K.P. 1993. Classroom assessment techniques: A handbook for college teachers. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.

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Informal CL (Book Ends on a Class Session) with Concept Tests

Physics Peer InstructionEric Mazur - Harvard B http://galileo.harvard.edu

Peer Instruction – www.prenhall.comRichard Hake – http://www.physics.indiana.edu/~hake/

Chemistry Chemistry ConcepTests - UW Madison B

www.chem.wisc.edu/~conceptVideo: Making Lectures Interactive with ConcepTests

ModularChem Consortium B http://mc2.cchem.berkeley.edu/

STEMTECVideo: How Change Happens: Breaking the ATeach as You Were Taught@ Cycle B Films for the Humanities & Sciences B www.films.com

Thinking Together video: Derek Bok Center B www.fas.harvard.edu/~bok_cen/

Richard Hake (Interactive engagement vs traditional methods) http://www.physics.indiana.edu/~hake/

Traditional (lecture)

Interactive (active/cooperative)

<g> = Concept Inventory Gain/Total

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Session Summary (MINUTE PAPER)PART A DIRECTIONS: Read the following questions, and write a brief answer to each one.What is most important point conveyed during this session? What is one new teaching activity you are willing to try? What is 1 question you have about the session?

PART B DIRECTIONS: Read each statement in the scale below. Circle the degree to which you either agree or disagree with it.

SD=Strongly Disagree D=Disagree N= Neutral A=Agree SA=Strongly Agree 1. I was comfortable with the pace of the session. SD D N A SA2. I found the content to be interesting. SD D N A SA3. I understood the facilitators’ speech. SD D N A SA4. I found the activities to be useful. SD D N A SA

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Tool Kit

• Reflect on the active learning strategies

• Summarize their purpose

• List applications in your classes

THE TOOL ITS PURPOSE

ITS APPLICATION IN MY TEACHING

FORMULATE-SHARE-LISTEN-CREATE (THINK/PAIR/SHARE)

KNOWLEDGEPROBE

BOOKENDS

ONE MINUTE PAPER

CASE STUDY