I already use rubrics but will need to learn to develop rubrics that work for active learning assignments. Feedback is very important and must be continual throughout the course.
Rubrics are essential for online testing, however, keep them easy to understand and very descriptive.
Great insight and recommendations for active learning. The example of rubrics were helpful and I liked the movie/producer analaogy of how we guide the student to develop better outcomes. I learned how important it is to provide frequent feedback to the students throughout the term, including more positive feedback and encourageement.
I thought it was interesting how the author compared the active learning lesson planning to being like a director of a movie set and directing the outcome while keeping in mind that students to develop their own creativity.
I have learned that rubrics are a vital tool that can be used to allivieate the stress of grading.
The shift in education with an incline towards a “student centered” approach requires the student to do more than just listen. This requires the instructor to provide more guidance and direction for the e- learner. Strategies that are “low risk” should be integrated slowly into the course. In addition, the instructor should communicate frequently and consistently with the leaner by providing positive statements. In the future, using reverse instruction in the class may serve as beneficial as it affords the e-learner the opportunity to be responsible and reliable for the course content.
When a potential student signs up for a class, they may not be aware of how much work is involved in an online, active learning, class. It is the responsibility of the instructor to outline this and time management skills, in the course syllabus. There should also be a question and answer area for the students to see the most FAQ's and to be able to ask additional questions about the course and clear up any misunderstanding about the course and the course requirements on the first day of their online class. Students that are use to the "Traditional Teaching Classes" may have a hard time adjusting to an online, active learning courses. It's the instructors responsibility to help students adjust and understand what is expected of them. An online course is more work than the traditional class course. I personally, know this first hand. My undergraduate courses were done in a Traditional Class format, but my Graduate degree was done online. The online courses took much more time to complete than a traditional course, but both ways suited my needs for the period of time in my life.
Instructors that have never used active learning must keep an open mind when they decide to use active learning in thier classrooms. Instructors should be using three to five strategies should be used in the active learning classroom. The strategiers must be choosen carefully to get the best student performance and learning possible.
Reply to Cynthia Strycharz's post:
Hello Cynthia, Group activities are a great way for students to learn from each other, comminicate, and hold each other accountable. I teach nursing and I do assign a handful of group assignments throughout the nursing course. Students present and teach the class their topic. They may do a Kahoot and/or give a quiz to evaluate students learning! Its great to see student's creativity.
Modifying the course material to enhance active learning will be a challenge for most teachers due to the risk of stepping outside the box to find relevant resources to offer students to challenge their critical thinking skills, making the course more student-centered.
I really like the idea of the rubric!
Rubrics very helpful I clarifying expectations, makes it easier for instructor and reduces disillusionment with the student.Also important to set the "tone" for the class from the onset.
Encouraging students to think and giving them "permission" to think is key. If they are coming from a lecture-style background, this concept may feel new and unfamiliar.
I definitely took away a few different ideas on how to engage active learning in the virtual classroom environment that I plan to implement in my courses.
In the active learning environment, I can still use my powerpoints but incorporate videos, polls, and role-playing to emphasize subject matter.
All my life all my teaching has been in the field not that learning online is bad I can point the students in the right direction let them hunt for the answers join forces with each other and be available for questions they may have on whatever stumbling point they may run across but in my case hands on and F2F are needed to make sure they are ready to face the real world in my subject and I can see where rubrics are going to be an immense help during the grading process and making sure I am presenting them the knowledge they need to learn the skills needed to complete the course and have the proper skillset
This section has been encouraging for my attempts to bring some of the collaborative laboratory space to the virtual classroom. I hope to foster a sense of comradeship and cocreation through useof message boards and live video sessions where students can help problem solve thier efforts together.
It has been a real shift for me already for giving feedback as written comments online. I am used to working with students as they practice their skills and giving real-time feedback in the lab, but am adjusting to leaving constructive criticism on our LMS.
This module discusses the topic of teachers as directors. In an active learning environment, we should be in the background monitoring allowing students to find their own creative ways to achieve learning goals. Two actions are expected for students in an active learning setting: involvement and engagement. Students will see an instructor that is directing as "not teaching" just because they are used to passive learning than active learning.
Students come to us with a variety of skills or lack of skills and it is our duty to guide this student towards mastery of those skills. In particular time management. In my experience, this is the most challenging F2F or distance learning. A way to ensure students stay on task is to keep an open line of communication. As a distance learning instructor, I have researched active learning techniques and how to use the technology available to practice these techniques.
The end of each lesson should include an assessment that can be done in many ways. It is important to offer students rubrics so that they know what the expectations are for their assignments and also for the teacher to grade assignments efficiently.
Students should be engaged in the course materials, the instructor canhelp with the process of student centered learning
Critical thinking comes from being an active learning. Just learning facts does not help students expand and learn the material. Relating what you learned to the real world is how connections are made. Even though teachers should act as the director of the course, students should actively engange in the material and learn it. Help develop new ways with activities to help students interact with one another but don't make it too time consuming either. It's a fine balance.
