Active Learning Through Interactive Teaching

Dr Kate Exley (2009)

Overview

Didactic Teaching – Why do we use the ‘lecture-style’?

What are the important features of teaching? Grabbing and holding attention - best & worst Why aim to include variety and interaction? Possibilities? And…..Practicalities? Barriers Final remarks

A potted history?

European monasteries and traveling scholars seeking rare information

In a scriptorium a monk at a lectern would reading the manuscript

Scholars would copy word for word

Derived from the Latin - Lectare - “to read out loud”

Didacticism

“Pure didacticism allows tight instructor

control and passive learning”

Dr Andrew Coleman

Why do we use ‘Lecture-style’ today?

Consistency Efficiency Community ? ? ? Please add 3 other reasons?

Large group teaching(Noel Entwistle) Map v Coverage

Illustration v Detailed information

Attention span

Teaching as a communication

Holding attention

Latest research

"Extensive exposure to television and video games may promote development of brain systems that scan and shift attention at the expense of those that focus attention.”

Peter Jenson

Large group teaching(Noel Entwistle) Map v Coverage

Illustration v Detailed information

Attention span

Teaching as a communication

Teaching as a communication

Teacher

Student

Student

Giving out

Receiving

Acting upon

Think of the ‘Best’ & “Worst”

Think of your experiences as a Learner.

Think of the ‘Best’ & “Worst” Best large class?

What made it so good?

Think of the ‘Best’ & “Worst” Best

What made it so good?

Worst large class? What made it so

bad?

The Students’ View

Comments :-

Enthusiasm and Empathy

Level and Pace

Variety (as a learner What you Hear, See & Do)

Arguments for ‘interaction’

To keep attention To enable all students to engage

(adjusting pitch and level) Appeal to different learning styles To check understanding Try things out / practise skills To compare different views Feedback to lecturer etc

Some suggestions

Buzz groups Mini-quizzes Deciding, e.g. voting Individual tasks Demonstrations Video & other Visuals Interactive handouts Instant summaries etc

Types of Handout

Reduced PowerPoint slides

Skeleton Notes

Gapped Notes

Handouts containing tasks

Handout Tasks - Example 1

Please work with 2 colleagues to

List the three most important points from the lecture.

Why have you selected these points

Please work with three colleagues to

List the 3 most important points in the lecture

Why have you selected these points?

Handout Tasks Example 2

Please work with 2 colleagues to

List the three most important points from the lecture.

Why have you selected these points

Please work with three colleagues to

1. Describe the symptoms of a cat with a kidney infection

2. How might you test for this?

3. What treatment would you prescribe?

Handout Task - Example 3.

Please work on your own for 2 minutes

1. Plot the given survey data on the axes provided

2. Identify the point of intersection

3. What does this tell you about consumer preferences

Handout Task - Example 4.

Read the extract provided (interview with a parent) and discuss with a colleague

1. What are the main fears this mother expresses about her child starting school?

2. As a class teacher, how could you address her worries?

3. What School policies/practices could reduce her concerns?

Ideas - Handout to Worksheet

Applying knowledge or concepts Solving a problem / setting a question Analysing a case study or example Interpreting data / images etc Reviewing an article / abstract / script etc Representing information differently Making judgements on….Estimating…Predicting…

And now on to ..The practicalities

The practicalities

Know why you want students to ‘do’ it.

The practicalities

Know why you want students to ‘do’ it. How will they work?

The practicalities Know why you want students to ‘do’ it. How will they work?

Alone or in pairs? For how long? When in the lecture will the interaction be? Will everybody do the same thing? Etc

What CLEAR instructions will you give to your students

The practicalities

Know why you want students to ‘do’ it. How will they work?

Alone or in pairs? For how long? & when in the lecture?

What will the end point be?

The practicalities

Know why you want students to ‘do’ it. How will they work?

Alone or in pairs? For how long? & when in the lecture?

What will the end point be? An answer? A decision? An example? etc

The practicalities

Know why you want students to ‘do’ it. How will they work?

Alone or in pairs? For how long? & when in the lecture?

What will the end point be? An answer? A decision? An example? etc

Do you need to hear back from the students?

The practicalities Know why you want students to ‘do’ it. How will they work?

Alone or in pairs? For how long? & when in the lecture?

What will the end point be? An answer? A decision? An example? etc

Do you need to hear back from the students? No? (I will show them the answer.)

The practicalities Know why you want students to ‘do’ it. How will they work?

Alone or in pairs? For how long? & when in the lecture?

What will the end point be? An answer? A decision? An example? etc

Do you need to hear back from the students? No? (I will show them the answer.)

But if you do, how will you manage that?

The practicalities

Know why you want students to ‘do’ it. How will they work?

Alone or in pairs? For how long? & when in the lecture?

What will the end point be? An answer? A decision? An example? etc

Do you need to hear back from the students? No? (I will show them the answer.)

But if you do, how will you manage that? Voting? Collected views? An OHT acetate? Handsets

Discipline / Control Worries

Barriers..

What do you fear could happen? How can it be avoided? How can it be dealt with? How likely is it really?

Quick re-cap

To be clear about What you are trying to achieve? Why you are using a particular approach?

Consider how you can get and keep students’ attention?

Plan any interaction carefully Be kind to yourself Have a go!

To find out more

“Giving a Lecture :

from presenting to teaching” (2009), 2nd ed.

Kate Exley & Reg Dennick

Key Guides for Effective Teaching in Higher Education

Routledge : London

Additional reading possibilities

Making Teaching Work : ‘teaching smarter’ in post-compulsory education (2007) Phil Race and Ruth Pickford, Sage

Lecturing a Practical Guide Sally Brown and Phil Race, Kogan Page

Practical Ideas for Enhancing Lectures (2003) P. Davies, SEDA, London