Is lecturing an outmoded form of instruction that you should avoid at all costs? Not at all. As “active learning” becomes the norm in college classrooms, many faculty who believe in the importance of using in-class activities to engage students with course content may hesitate to admit that they actually sometimes…lecture. While concerns about lecturing… Read more »
Tag: active learning
Maximizing Your Undergraduate Teaching Assistants’ Potential
Do you have undergraduate teaching assistants and would like to utilize them more effectively? Are you looking for a way to make your large lecture class more active? Consider implementing the Learning Assistants (LA) model. Like other peer instruction models, undergraduates who have successfully completed a course serve as a peer instructor in a subsequent… Read more »
Engaging Students in Learning Using Immersive Technologies
Think back to the time when you were learning to ride a bike. Did you learn from reading a book? Did watching someone ride a bike provide you with enough knowledge allow you to hop on and ride seamlessly into the sunset? Probably not. Chances are you sat on the seat, put your feet on… Read more »
Emphasize Time on Task
Outside of class, students should spend 2 hours preparing for every 1 credit hour (i.e. 6 hours per week outside of class for a 3 credit hour class). However, most students only spend 1 hour preparing per credit hour (i.e. 3 hours per week for a 3 credit hour class). During this hour, students often… Read more »
Successful Collaborative Learning
Collaborative learning is a student-centered approach where students actively engage with both the material and other students in a meaningful way. When engaging in collaborative learning exercises rather than individual learning, students experience increases in achievement, retention of material, problem solving ability, motivation, time on task, positive attitudes toward subject matter, and positive peer relationships…. Read more »
Activities that Engage Students
Active learning balances direct instruction (i.e. a lecture) with a student-centered activity. This approach emphasizes for students their role in their own learning. When students engaging in active learning exercises, they experience increases in: Motivation, Critical thinking, Interpersonal skills, Connections between previously learned and new material, and Persistence. To increase active learning in your courses,… Read more »