Lisa Martin

Laying out ground rules for students to follow is key to successful collaborative learning. Honestly, I think clear instruction is important for all activities, and what we are doing in class/why we are doing it should not be a mystery.

I have been embedding questions in my videos, but I was not familiar with this term until I took this training: the "periodic pause." I love the idea of keeping students engaged while also offering them time to reflect. I would like to do this with my online lectures as well as in my face-to-face teaching.

I enjoyed reading the section about "Self-actualization, based on Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs,." This is defined as "'fulfilling one’s individual potential' or giving the “'individual a desire or motivation to achieve budding ambitions.'" In my classes, I want to help students reach their potential. When we explain why we use active-learning strategies and what is in it for the students, we will likely get buy-in and see successful outcomes. 

Though every learning environment has three elements (instructor/facilitator, student, and content), active learning brings students and their learning "center stage." In an active learning environment, there is no "sage on the stage." Instead, the students and their learning are most important, and the students are "actively involved in knowledge acquisition." As online instructors, we have the opportunity to challenge, assist, and guide our students on their educational journeys. It can be "fun" and rewarding for all involved.