Student engagment is important to keep students involved and is facilitated by the instructor.
I have spent my entire academic life online (17 years) and I still find it interesting to hear traditional on-ground instructors who feel that online is inferior to on-ground learning. Clearly they are not willing to abandon the platform they are so accustomed to using and are both indifferent and attitudinally negative with regard to online learning, unwilling to accept it or embrace it. Hopefully Covid has changed a few minds - but I doubt it.
The alignment of active learning actitivies with course objectives is critical. The students need to be able to see how the activity connects to the outomes. otherwise they often see the activities as a waste of their time. The instuctor can explain how the activity will help them aciheve the outcomes and that their use of the activity was well-thought out and meant to faciliatate learning and achievement of objectives.
I have become a supporter and advocate for active learning and now make practically all my activities into exercises of sorts
Studying-centered-learning allows the student to take control of their progress.
I learned the professor needs to change his/her attitudes.
Through consistent and timely feedback active learning will be successful as students receive the input for uccess often.
Rubrics can accomplish three things...1. communicates assignment expectations to students 2. provides a grading structure for instructors 3. after grading, provides feedback to students on what criteria they did not meet. I HIGHLY recommend using rubrics, especially for online.
All good teaching involves assessment. This includes courses using active learning techniques.
Rubrics can assist instructors in adequately grading students’ learning in this academic environment
and assist students in understanding the expectations.
Rubrics are critical to connecting learning outcomes to overall success in online courses.
Modifications of traditional classroom activities shifts from all the attention on teacher towards the students. It is more a student centered approach rather than teacher centered. As mentioned in my previous post, teachers are not accustomed teaching active learning when coming straight from a classroom setting. I myself, as both an in class and online instructor, I love to engage my students by asking them for feedback. For example, "what do you guys think?", "has this ever happened to anyone?", or read case studies and then ask them what they would do in certain situations.
There are approaches to be effective with active learning. For example, creating a comfortable learning environment is vital and building rapport with the students are necessary. As an instructor, learning the students first name and last names and use them regularly will show an interest in content of learning. Active learning is any learning activity in which the student participates or act together with the learning process, as resisted to passively taking in the information. It is important when given the opportunity to actively engage with the information they are learning, students will perform better. Examples of active learning activities include brainstorming, discussing, teaching, group work, focused listening, formulating questions, notetaking, and my favorite roleplaying.
Online learning is not as simple as it sounds. Every thinks it's an easy "A". There's much to consider with the "Active Learning" methodology including learners' situations, educators' attitudes, and modern technology. The idea of a rubric provides clear communication of expections vs performance to the learners. Students should be able to understand what the educator is looking for and perform accordingly, clarifications are needed if there's additional questions.
I very much liked the idea of having a group rubric with a yes or no scale, I think this will be very helpful with making sure students know what they should consider before submitting their work. Along with the assessment rubric the more information that can be provided but allowing space within the rubric for creative, ingenuity and innovation can result in a wonderful learning experience.
This course really gave some great point to active learning via on line. I currently use power points online but just as a references. One thing I am taking away from this course is the use of inspirational quotes that can keep the students engaged.
Modification of traditional classroom activities toward student-centered teaching requires a multifaceted approach. Individuals will be motivated to incorporate active learning when they find making the changes rewarding. Student-centered teaching approach will be focused on transitioning instructor/student behaviour, instructors will engage in guiding, coaching, steering and providing overall perspective, students will engage in reading, reflective writing, displaying, and doing. Instructors can engage students in the active learning by makng the process fun and interesting, providing constructive feedback and guidance. Tools that support collaboration and project learning include wikis, blogs, discussion boards, and audio/video tools. The use of rubrics in directing students learning process sets clear guidlines and expectations for effective learning.
It is application of the active learning environment such as providing rubrics to set standards for grading that assist student and instructor.
The thing I got from this is, as an instructor, I need to be more open, flexible, and ready for active learning. My feedback needs to be more thorough.
I would love to incorporate active learning; however, I do have some hesitation on giving up control of class material. I would like to start incorporating some low risk active learning and quickly work my way up : )
I have learned new terminology including "reverse instruction" and "flipped classroom". I have beem using these
two techniques, but did not have the terminology. in the future on the onset of the class, I will share with the students
the teaching styles I am ultizing.
