One of the most frequent concerns I hear is, “My students just aren’t coming to class.” With so much content available online, recorded lectures at their fingertips, and the sense of distance that can come with large classes, this challenge is becoming more common and more complex. In this post, I will look at some… Read more »
active learning
UPDATED: Navigating Attendance Challenges in the Modern Classroom: Practical Tips for Faculty
The Guide on the Side: Coaching STEM Students in Problem-Solving
From Manager to Mentor: A Practical Strategy for AI Development As faculty, we know that working effectively with our Assistant Instructors (AIs) is key to a successful course. In last week’s post on “Best Practices for Working with Assistant Instructors,” I highlight the importance of mentorship and creating professional development opportunities. But what does that… Read more »
Integrating Retrieval Practice into classroom instruction
Retrieval practice is one of the most effective methods of learning and remembering information for long-term use. During retrieval practice, students “retrieve” what they know about a topic or lesson out of their memory. Retrieval practice requires effort on the part of the student to recall specific information, which is beneficial to improving learning and… Read more »
Active Learning in CS
Active Learning is a term that is almost used generically when we discuss educational interventions. McConnell (1996) defined active learning in the computer science classroom as approaches that “…get students involved in activity in the classroom rather than passively listening to a lecture. Kramer and Nicoletti (2023) note in an article discussing the positive impacts… Read more »
Teaching Resources
The Teaching.Tools Website has a few resources that may be helpful to you. The Active Learning Library https://teaching.tools/activities allows you to explore teaching strategies aimed to increase engagement in the classroom. This site allows you to search for activities by filtering based on: Difficulty (for the instructor) Prep Time Required Bloom’s Taxonomy (e.g., remember, apply) Active Learning (e.g., individual… Read more »
Helping students engage in active learning during class
Active learning is commonly defined as activities that students do to construct knowledge and understanding. The activities vary but require students to engage in higher order thinking skills such as critical thinking. Although not always explicitly noted, metacognition—students’ thinking about their own learning—is an important element, providing the link between activity and learning. In one of… Read more »