How may we engage students in inquiry-led and problem-based learning through the use of technology? In this presentation we will consider how active learning principles can be applied to the design of blended learning courses, with digital tools employed to support active learning opportunities for our students. Through a presentation of case examples from the University of York (United Kingdom), we will consider how blended activities can encourage participants to engage in creative learning and problem-solving. An engagement model for active learning, derived from the case examples, is presented as a stimulus for a broader discussion on effective design approaches to support student-led inquiry and problem-solving activities.
Transforming learning environments: Co-constructionism in HE classroomsSusan Bontly
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Nurturing curiosity and inquiry within the curriculum through the use of technology: How can digital tools support active student learning?
1. 2020 Teaching and Learning Forum
11th October 2020
Nurturing curiosity and inquiry within the
curriculum through technology:
How can digital tools support active student
learning?
Dr. Richard Walker
2. Session Outline
Defining engaging learning
How do we design for active student engagement?
Identifying opportunities to design in student-led activities using
technology
Discussion
Review of blended course design approaches and activity modes
Facilitating student-led teaching and content creation activities
Instructional responsibilities and things to think about
3. How do we nurture curiosity and inquiry within the curriculum?
What does engaging learning look like?
What are the implications for the planning of contact time
between staff and students?
How should we approach the design of student work?
Some questions to begin with….
4. Staff – student contact:
Meaningful interactions to encourage, inform, accelerate student
learning
Feedback loops: frequent, underpinning these interactions
(Chickering & Gamson, 1987)
Student work:
Spaced and interleaved practice
Retrieval of previously-learned material
Structure building of key ideas / mental frameworks
Collaboration
Development of transferable skills
(Brown, Rodiger & McDaniel, 2014)
Characteristics of engaging learning
5. Focus on active learning design -
developing students as autonomous
learners
enabled through technology: designed
in and aligned with learning objectives
supporting different modes of learner
engagement, activity and control
Curriculum design and technology
What role can digital tools play in
supporting engaging learning?
6. Modes of learner engagement supported through the
use of technology
Enabling learning: interleaved
practice
retrieval of previously
learned material;
application to new contexts
formative quizzing;
targeted online feedback
and support
Enhancing learning: insight
through structured interaction
dialogical learning and
collaborative research and
report writing tasks
wiki /blog spaces
online peer, assessment
and review
Transforming learning:
student-led teaching and
discovery
Student-led content
creation;
problem-based learning
resource hub
wiki / blog problem
solving space
Engagement Mode Illustrative Activities TEL support
7. Towards user-led education
Enabling learning Enhancing learning
Transformative
learning
Active Learning and Engagement
Increasing flexibility
and access to learning
Nomadic & situated
(context aware) learning
Facilitating discussion
and peer support
Student-authored
teaching resources
Student-led learning
through collaboration &
communities of inquiry
Extending range of
learning opportunities
8. Re-envisioning role of students: producers rather than consumers of
learning
Acknowledgement that students have skills to:
Engage in collaborative knowledge creation activities
Develop learning as active producers of ‘content’ (Generation ‘C’)
Leading to hybrid ‘user-and -producer’ role
including collaboration in content creation through teams and
wider learning community
Students as producers of content
(Bruns et al., 2007; Dziuban, Hartman & Moskal, 2004)
(Bruns, 2006)
9. Designing for active learning:
Focus on authentic learning activities
Developing students’ creative capacities and literacies
Addressing collaborative engagement in learning tasks
communication skills and criticality in collaboration: through
feedback and review
Implications for learning and teaching
10. What do you see as the opportunities for the design of
student-led learning and teaching activities within your
institution?
Specifically activities that engage students as co-creators of
learning resources / course artefacts?
http://bit.ly/actlearn
http://goo.gl/C4ygga
DISCUSSION
11. Student-led learning & teaching activities
Use cases
TaskFocus
Participation
Group Work Individual Work
Procedural Collaborative research
summaries
Question authoring (MCQ) &
creation of solutions
Peer review (critiquing of
academic writing)
Dissemination of research
findings (video production /
social media)
Literature reviews (opinion
pieces)
Assessed Unguided group research
tasks (problem solving)
12. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience
(Psychology)
3rd year module (circa 50 students)
Collaborative summaries and
reflection on seminar discussion,
lectures and weekly reading
Student development of MCQs and
open questions on topics
Preparation for student led
seminars
Transforming learning through student-led summary
and presentation
Supporting time on task and deeper learning case study
13. The History and Theory of Criticism
(English & Related Literature)
3rd year module (circa 10 students)
Blog posted weekly written analyses
on key texts in preparation for
seminars and class based discussion
Encourage engagement with the
literature
Opportunity to practise academic
writing
Encourage participation and sharing
of ideas between peers extended
beyond the classroom
Transforming learning through academic writing and
critique
The History and Theory of Criticism case study
14. “by having to create a blog each week it meant that I had to think about
the reading, not just absorb it - so in our seminars the discussion already
had a depth of understanding which had not been there in many of my
other module seminars. It also helped me to keep up the practice of
arguing in a written way whilst simultaneously functioning as a starting
point for verbal discussion in seminars. I felt that it has contributed
substantially to the progress I feel I have made this term in
understanding and getting to grips with quite a challenging module.”
(3rd Year English Undergraduate)
Transforming learning through academic writing and
critique
15. Evolutionary Ecology:
3rd year module
Collaborative summaries of
research literature forming
‘online textbook’
Transforming learning through student-led teaching
and discussion
http://tinyurl.com/student-led-teaching
17. “In their exam essays, two-thirds of the students included material from
their extra reading, which was much higher than I have ever seen before.
Five students based more than half of their essay on extra reading, which
was exceptional, and the average marks in essays was much higher. In
short, I think that there is some tangible evidence that not only the
students thought they were able to learn better and enjoyed the module,
but that they genuinely did learn better.”
(Evolutionary Ecology instructor)
Transforming through student-led teaching
18. York Law School
shared blog and wiki spaces used by
postgraduate law students to
perform unguided group research
tasks
enabling groups of students who
are geographically dispersed to
collaborate online in self-directed
learning tasks, researching
solutions to the targeted learning
outcomes which have been agreed
with their PBL tutor
Problem-based learning : Student-led teaching and
discovery
York Law School Blended PBL Case Study
19. Facilitates face-to-face discussion
Steers definition of outcomes
Mid-cycle review with feedback on group performance
PBL Roles
• leading discussion
• managing group
interaction
Managing
Partner or Chair
• defining learning
outcomes to shared
problem
• researching problem
& possible solutions
PBL Group
• recording outcomes
of discussion
• drafting solution to
shared problem
Scribe
PBL Tutor
20. Active learning
“if you do something in PBL you will remember that forever,
whereas [on my previous course] I had like hundreds of pages to
learn by heart and then after two weeks I wouldn’t remember
half of it” (International LLM student)
Thinking ‘like a lawyer’
You’re applying what you’ve learned into a practical context and
that really does help … by working through a problem you
actually see how you get to it” (International LLM student)
Problem-based learning
21. Students allocated to project groups facilitated by ‘near
peers’ – experienced in targeted learning methods
Weekly plenary face-to-face meetings (and as needed)
Use of communication tools: Google Drive & Slack
Virtual shared space where students feel comfortable to
ask questions of instructors, ‘near peers’ and each other
Hub to share ideas / findings; engage in collaborative
problem-solving & trouble-shooting
Case study: https://tinyurl.com/peer-led-research
‘Near-peer’ group research : Student-led teaching and
discovery
23. Types of interactions
Interactions between students and staff / ‘near peers’
asking questions
sharing solutions
displaying data
Peer interaction
more and much earlier
general communication
25. Benefits
Developing transferable skills
Less reliance on instructor-led learning
More ownership of the project and independent learning
Peer learning
Critical thinking
Reduces working hours time pressure on instructors and allows
students to make progress out of hours
Disadvantages
Developing the students’ confidence in using the medium takes a
little time
Raised expectations of immediate and frequent contact
‘Near-peer’ group research : Lessons learned
26. Some further questions to ponder:
What role can digital tools play in supporting engaging learning
through assessed activities?
How can we encourage creative and collaborative learning outcomes
through assessment?
Thinking about assessment and technology
27. Assessment of learning – Assessment as learning
Increased focus on metacognitive skills
Increasedcollaborationand
participation
(Walker & Jenkins, 2019)
Assessment of learning Assessment as learning
Group Tasks
Document sharing applications
Wikis
Content authoring tools for
video, podcast artefacts
Collaborative Tasks
Digital storytelling (audio,
video, images)
Social media for peer review
(i.e. blogs, Twitter
Individual Tasks
MCQs
Learning units (e.g. SCORM
packages)
Individual Tasks
Blogs
Portfolios
Simulations
28. Heritage Practice (Archaeology)
Communicating research through
video production and blogging
Transforming learning through student-created
content (Video) http://tinyurl.com/student-videos-blogging
http://tentativestepsheritage.blogspot.co.uk/
http://yorkstudentheritage.blogspot.co.uk/
29. Encouraging students to create videos
to develop transferable media
production, presentation and
evaluation skills
Asked students to explore methods of
communicating an ‘excavation’ in a
public-facing, engaging fashion with
use of a digital medium
Sought to encourage deeper level
understanding of core concepts,
critical reflection of individual input
and evaluation of audience
perceptions
Transforming learning through authentic tasks
Transforming learning: Reporting research through videos
http://bit.ly/2pgfi9p
30. “The video project has greatly improved my
understanding of the subject as it has
expanded my knowledge of how heritage
can be presented in many different ways
and through different mediums. It has
shown me a modern and innovative way of
presenting ideas surrounding heritage
projects and also allowed for a great deal of
creativity and freedom of thought which I
really enjoyed.”
“I would definitely use the skills I have
learned through the video project in the
future, probably to produce projects that
present aspects of heritage in an exciting
way to an audience.”
Transforming learning by developing transferable skills
Transforming learning: Student Feedback
http://bit.ly/2pgfi9p
31. What do you see as the key challenges to ‘designing in’ and
supporting student-led learning and teaching activities?
Supporting activities that engage students as active learners;
e.g. as co-creators of learning resources/course artefacts
DISCUSSION
32. Student acceptance of active learning design
Student competencies to engage in target activities
academic skills: critical reflection & peer review
technical skills for content creation
group organisational skills: self-regulation & monitoring
Assessment & feedback design: discrimination between individual and
group outputs
‘Join’ between online (student-led) and class-based sessions
Workload: facilitation, monitoring and feedback
Key challenges associated with student-led learning &
teaching activities
33. Facilitating student-led activities
Phase 1:
Preparation
(design phase)
Phase 2:
Socialising
learners
(start of the
module)
Phase 3:
Supporting
student
participation
(early stages)
Phase 4:
Sustaining student
participation
(later stages)
Phase 5:
Summing up the
learning
outcomes for the
module
(end of module)
http://bit.ly/ytelhb-4-2 (Walker & Baets, 2008)
34. Socialising: induction – modelling of course tasks and targeted
learning behaviour; building confidence & addressing technical and
learning competencies
Supporting: just in time instructions; model learning; provide
feedback / technical support (tips)
Sustaining: monitoring of work; on-going evaluation & accountability
– ‘little and often’
Interlinking and Summing Up: acknowledge and summarise on-line
contributions in class; invite class presentations on collaborative work
(peer accountability); make explicit learning outcomes from class-
based and online activities
Instructional responsibilities: delivery tips
35. Wanttoknowmore?
Please refer to sections
4 and 5 of the
York TEL Handbook:
http://bit.ly/ytel-hb
Addressing:
Design of online activities and their
relationship to learning objectives;
instructional guidance and support to
students during the performance of online
activities
36. Casestudyreferences
Problem Based Learning
Case study: http://tinyurl.com/blended-PBL
Peer-led group research
Case study: https://tinyurl.com/peer-led-research
Student-led teaching and discussion (Evolutionary Ecology)
Case study: http://tinyurl.com/student-led-teaching
YouTube summary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiysfbBvWQg
Reporting research through video production (Heritage Practice)
Case study: http://tinyurl.com/student-videos-blogging
YouTube summary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_uAII8n9uI
Academic writing and critique (History and Theory of Criticism)
Case study: http://tinyurl.com/critical-literature-review
Student-led summary and presentation (Cognitive Neuroscience)
Case study: http://tinyurl.com/deeper-engagement
37. Brown, P.C., Rodiger, H.L, McDaniel, M.A. (2014). Make it stick: the science of successful
learning. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press.
https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674729018
Bruns, A. (2006). Towards produsage: Futures for user-led content production. In
Proceedings: Cultural Attitudes towards Communication and Technology 2006, eds. Fay
Sudweeks, Herbert Hrachovec, and Charles Ess. Perth: Murdoch University, pp. 275-84.
Retrieved from: https://eprints.qut.edu.au/4863/
Bruns, A., Cobcroft, R., Smith, J., & Towers, S. (2007). Mobile Learning Technologies and
the Move towards ‘User-Led Education’. In Proceedings Mobile Media, Sydney. Retrieved
from: http://eprints.qut.edu.au/6625/1/6625.pdf
Chickering, A.W., & Gamson, Z.F. (1987). Seven Principles for Good Practice in
Undergraduate Education. AAHE Bulletin, March 1987:3-7. Retrieved from:
https://teaching.uncc.edu/sites/teaching.uncc.edu/files/media/files/file/InstructionalMe
thods/SevenPrinciples.pdf
Referencesand
recommendedreading
38. Dziuban, C., Hartman, J., & Moskal, P. (2004). Blended Learning. EDUCAUSE Center for
Applied Research, Research Bulletin, 7, March 30, 2004. Retrieved March 15, 2007 from:
http://www.educause.edu/LibraryDetailPage/666?ID=ERB0407
Walker, R. & Baets, W. (2008). Instructional design for class-based and computer-
mediated learning: Creating the right blend for student-centred learning. In R.
Donnelly & F. McSweeney (Eds.), Applied E-Learning and E-Teaching in Higher Education
(pp. 241-261). New York: Information Science Reference. https://www.igi-
global.com/gateway/chapter/5164
Walker, R. & Jenkins, M. (2019): Designing engaging assessment through the use of
social media and collaborative technologies. In C. Bryan & K. Clegg (Eds.) Innovative
Assessment in Higher Education: A Handbook for Academic Practitioners. Second
Edition.
https://www.routledge.com/Innovative-Assessment-in-Higher-Education-A-
Handbook-for-Academic-Practitioners/Bryan-Clegg/p/book/9781138581197
Referencesand
recommendedreading