Active’Classrooms:’ Shifting’the’Focus’from’Teaching’to ... · Shifting’the’Focus’from’Teaching’to’Learning’ SueMerkel,Microbiology,CornellUniversity [email protected]

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Active Classrooms: Shifting the Focus from Teaching to Learning

Sue Merkel, Microbiology, Cornell University [email protected]

After the workshop, participants should be able to:

1.  Describe the process of learning

2.  List some implications for teaching

3.  Discuss strategies for implementing active learning

4.  Assess classroom needs to develop active strategies

Workshop Goals

“Backward” Design

Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe

Learning objective/goals

Assessment

How we “Teach” How we “LEARN”

How We Learn: Part 1

Scientific American 1994

1)  Stimulus sent to the brain and processed.

Sensory cortex receives input from the outside world




Temporal cortex integrates sensory information to create meaning




Frontal cortex evaluates, makes decisions, plans

2




Motor cortex coordinates voluntary muscle contractions





The Art of Changing the Brain, by James Zull

Ac#ve Tes#ng

Reflec#ve observa#on

Synthesize, Concrete evaluate experience

Think about this!

How can you use this knowledge of the sensory brain & learning cycle to help students learn?

(What could we do in our classrooms?)

Active Testing

Reflective observation


•  Concrete experience

•  Reflec#ve observa#on

•  Synthesize & evaluate

•  Ac#ve tes#ng

Pair up with another person and discuss the following:


1)  S#mulus sent to the brain and processed.

2) Processing creates synap#c connec#ons.

http://www.neurevolution.net/

dendrites

axon





3) More connec#ons make pathways MORE efficient.

3




3) Connec#ons make pathways efficient.

4) Memory poten#al is formed.


“The key to learning is having more synapic connec#ons between brain cells in certain neural pathways.” -‐-‐ Jensen 2008


“The key to learning is having more synapic connec#ons between brain cells in certain neural pathways.” -‐-‐ Jensen 1998

(Eric H. Chudler Neuroscience for kids)

Think about this!

How can you use this knowledge of synap#c development to help students learn?

(What could we do in our classrooms?)

Pair up with a different person and discuss the following:

So how do we teach?

Knowing how we learn, list 3 challenges in teaching in a 50-‐minute lecture?

Pair up again with someone and discuss the following:

Alternatives to lecture

• Informal cooperative learning • Formal cooperative learning groups • Cooperative base groups

• --Smith, Douglas and Fox, 2009

Informal cooperative learning Active learning

Agree upon & write a defini#on for ac#ve learning


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Active Learning: How?

Active Testing

Reflective observation


Active Learning: How?

•  Concrete experience

•  Reflective observation

•  Synthesize & evaluate

•  Active testing

Active Learning: Why not?

What are some barriers to ac#ve learning?


Active Learning Continuum Passive

Active

Low risk

• Show video/anima#on

• Lecture • Demonstra#ons

• Lecture with pauses • Lecture with discussion • Lecture with wri]en

ques#ons

• Structured small group discussion

• Brainstorming

High risk

• Guest speaker of unknown quality

• Lecture with open discussion

• Unstructured small group discussion

• Role playing

• Peer teaching

• Presenta#ons by students

Bonwell & Eison 1991

Think about this!

Pick one of the courses you teach. Fill out the Ac#ve Learning Con#nuum, with respect to:

• Your course objec#ves • Level of student experience

• Interac#ve environment in your classroom • Comfort level with respect to control

• Willingness to take a risk

What kind of active learning is right for you?

More passive -------------------More active Low risk------------------High risk

Bonwell & Eison 1991

Documents

Active’Classrooms:’ Shifting’the’Focus’from’Teaching’to ... · Shifting’the’Focus’from’Teaching’to’Learning’ SueMerkel,Microbiology,CornellUniversity [email protected]