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INTERACTIVE LEARNING WITH LARGE GROUPSMaster Teacher Guild

Presenting: Daniel Bareither, PhD (SCPM)James Carlson, PhD (CHP)

Other Members: Marc Abel, PhD (COP)Lecia Apantaku, MD (CMS)John Becker, PhD (SCPM)Neil Bradbury, PhD (CMS)Mike Fennewald, PhD (CMS)Roberta Henderson, PT, PhD

(CHP)Hector Rasgado-Flores, PhD

(CMS)Fred Sierles, MD (CMS)

January 7, 2014

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Session Objectives

• Describe the theoretical foundation and evidence for interactive learning in adult learners.

• Identify techniques to promote interactive learning in large group settings.

• Identify technology and resources to facilitate interactive learning in large group settings.

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Table DiscussionThink – Pair – Share

Think about “traditional” and “active” learning models.

1. What are the characteristics of each?

2. What is the role of the instructor in each?

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Traditional Learning ModelsThe instructor is the primary dispenser of

information and solely responsible to ensure that learning occurs.

– The student is defined as a passive receiver of information.

– The only way to ensure that students are exposed to course concepts is by personally going over them in class.

– Note: Learning objectives are not for the instructor but rather the student!

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Active Learning TheoriesThe responsibility for learning is on the learner

– Experiential Learning (Kolb): Learn by “doing” and reflecting on “doing”. (learning requires that the learning participates)

– Constructivism (Piaget, Vigotsky, Dewey, Kolb, etc.): Learning is constructed and shaped by prior knowledge and application to new experiences (learning is experimental).

– Cooperative learning (Lyman): Learning is shaped by deliberately structured interdependence within groups of learners (learning is social)

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Instructor Responsibilitiesfacilitator of Active Learning

– Course Design – Content, what students should be able to do, and establish performance standards (learning objectives related to “doing” and application).

– Classroom Management – Assignments and activities that engage prior knowledge, evolve, understanding and build/ encourage problem solving skills through application.

– Group Composition –Distribution of student abilities, cultural backgrounds, and professions to deliberately promote interdependence.

– Performance Evaluation – Assessment at the individual and group level.

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Table DiscussionThink – Pair – Share

1. For active learning to work, what responsibilities do students have in order to learn?

2. Does engaging students in these responsibilities help their future clinical practice?

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Table DiscussionConstructivist Question

Do you have any questions about how to engage larger groups in active learning?

Think- Pair-Share

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Techniques To Promote Interaction– Problem Solving/ Problem-Based Learning:

• Provide background information (short lecture, case information) and then have the students solve a problem using that information. – Hint: Consider using a “hidden profile” to promote group

collaboration.

– Flipped Classroom: • Give students an assignment to complete outside of

class and in class complete a activity regarding the assignment.

– Turn to Your Neighbor: • Pose a question to the students and have them each

write down their answer and then pass it to the student to their right or left, and then give them another few minutes to write down their answer again.

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Techniques To Promote Interaction- Jigsaw:

• Each student is responsible for learning a piece of the assigned material and either teaches it to the rest of the group or the group puts together all of the pieces for completion of the material.

– Muddy Points (another flipped classroom element) • Give students an assignment to complete out of

class and have them write down on a notecard the areas that are unclear (muddy points) and bring them to class. In class the group goes over the muddy points and when needed they can seek assistance from the instructor.

With the right space and facilities:– Is there any reason why interactive learning

(traditionally small group learning) can not be done with large groups?

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Sample Activity - Jigsaw

• 1. Each of you has a numbered envelope which contains some information concerning the femoral artery.

• 2. Take a few minutes to place the information from the envelopes in the proper location in the template provided at each table.

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Sample Activity - Jigsaw

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Sample Activity - Jigsaw• Upon completing this exercise you

have learned:– General description of the femoral

artery,– the basic components of describing any

artery in the body,– identified additional terms you need to

know.

• Can you think of any clinical applications of the information you have learned?

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Technology To Facilitate Active Learning In Large

Groups• Case study platforms• Interactive tutorials• Interactive response systems• What technologies do you use in

your classroom to promote active learning/ interaction?

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INTERACTIVE LEARNING WITH LARGE GROUPS

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• Aronson, E. The Jigsaw classroom. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage, 1978.• Christensen, C.R. Teaching by the Case Method. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard Business

School, 1981.• Ebert-May, D., Brewer, C., and Allred, S. Innovation in Large Lectures: Teaching for Active

Learning. BioScience, 1997, 47(9), 601-652. • Fosnot, C. T. Constructivism: Theory, Perspectives, and Practice. New York: Teachers

College Press, 1996.• Heller, P, Keith, R. and Anderson, S. Teaching Problem Solving Through Cooperative

Grouping, Part I: Group Versus Individual Problem Solving. American Journal of Physics, 1992, 60(7), 627-636.

• Johnson, D.W., Johnson, R. T., and Smith, K. A. Academic Conflict Among Students: Controversy and Learning. In R. Feldman, Social Psychological Applications to Education. Cambridge : Cambridge Univversity Press, 1986.

• Lord, T.R., A comparison Between Traditional and Constructivist Teaching in College Biology. Innovative Higher Education, 1999a, 2(3), 197-216.

• Michaelson, L.K. Building Learning Teams: The Key to Harnessing the Power of Small Groups in Higher Education. A Sourcebook for Education, Vol. 2. State College, PA: National Center for Teaching and Learning, 1984.

• Michaelson, L.K., Wason, W.E., Black, R.H. Team Learning: A Potential Solution to the Problems of Large Classes. Exchange: The Organizational Behavior Teaching Journal. 1982, 7 (1), 13-22.

• Smith, K.A. Going Deeper: Formal Small-Group Learning in Large Classes. New Direction for Teaching and Learning, Jossey-Bass Publishers, 2000.