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The How – To’s of The How – To’s of Engaging Students in Engaging Students in Active Learning Using Active Learning Using
TechnologyTechnology
The How – To’s of The How – To’s of Engaging Students in Engaging Students in Active Learning Using Active Learning Using
TechnologyTechnology
Economics and the ClassroomFourth Annual Conference
Idaho State UniversitySeptember 13, 2002
OutlineOutline
Description of Project Examples of Course Material Assessment Tools What Worked and What Didn’t Next Steps
Description of our projectDescription of our project
Economics department commitment to technology
Grant opportunity Three-year project
– Planning year– Two year pilot of new model
Our modelOur model
Students get to do economics rather than just learn about it
Providing a lab where there had been no lab before Encourage active learning and engage students in
applications of theory Save instructor time and repetition of lecture
material
Practical detailsPractical details
2 sections of 30 students combined for 2 50-minute lectures each week
For third class meeting, students divide into one of 3 lab sessions
Lectures delivered using presentation technology Labs held in networked computer facility
First Computerized Classroom, 1998First Computerized Classroom, 1998
24 student workstations
Partially recessed 17 inch monitors
Overhead projector in ceiling
All stations wired to the instructor’s workstation
Practical details (cont.)Practical details (cont.)
Course web site facilitates dissemination of information and threaded discussion among students
Excel-based homework assignments reinforce problem-solving skills using technology
Examples of our course Examples of our course materialsmaterials
Lecture content Lab assignment Excel exercise Blackboard site Threaded discussion
Assessment ToolsAssessment Tools
Flashlight model Course survey
Course SurveyCourse Survey Introductory Economics, Course Surveys
Fall 2000 Spring 2002 Fall 2000 Spring 20002
Question1 Nantz Nantz Miners MinersLabs pos. 3.56 3.75 3.44 4.12Lecture pos. 4.41 4.20 3.98 4.23Blackboard pos. 2.37 2.69 3.05 2.35Excel pos. 3.66 3.35 3.22 3.46Too many things 2.41 3.55 3.00 2.92
Q2: Laptop & Proj.Liked it a lot 78.69% 76.47% 80.49% 76.92%Thought it was OK 19.67% 19.61% 14.63% 23.08%Did not like it 1.64% 3.92% 4.88% 0.00%
Student Comments on the LabStudent Comments on the LabFall, 2000Fall, 2000
“The labs let you interact with the course information.”
“It really got me to see how the market worked by doing the problems. It also prepared me for the hand-in problem sets.”
“A lot of the stuff we do in labs is the same as what we do in class …”
“Sometimes things were done too fast and we didn’t complete the lab, leaving me confused.”
Meeting Challenges and Meeting Challenges and Improving the ModelImproving the Model
Reconsidering use of “lecture” and “lab” time Student response to larger lecture sessions Engaging students in using technology to learn Encouraging students to take greater ownership
over learning
Student Comments on the LabStudent Comments on the LabSpring 2002Spring 2002
“In lab we get more time to actually practice and use the skills we are supposed to learn.”
“You taught us things you talked about in lectures. Was able to learn hands-on what you meant.”
“How homeworks, labs, Blackboards, etc. can help your grade.
What Worked…What Worked…
Lecture/Lab format. Adding “reward” in the form of graded lab
assignments. Lecture presentations using technology. (Ungraded) Group work. Release time for course development. Synergy generated through collaboration.
What Didn’t…What Didn’t…
Large lecture section. Minimal cost savings in terms of instructor
time. Students did not universally embrace the
technology to the extent we had expected. Even small problems with technology can
cause big headaches.
Next StepsNext Steps
Further assessment of student outcomes Expand the scope of material for both lecture
and lab. Encourage greater departmental buy-in. Develop lab exercises for other courses. Develop introductory online course.
Broader IssuesBroader Issues
Tradeoff between traditional lecture and experiential learning
When are you convinced that it is worth it?
– What counts as evidence? How much can you add, what can you let
go?
Contact InformationContact Information
Kathy Nantz
Larry Miners
http://faculty.fairfield.edu/miners/present02.ppt
