A Framework of Leading towards Learning through Active Engagement of Students
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Transcript of A Framework of Leading towards Learning through Active Engagement of Students
A FRAMEWORK OF LEADING TOWARDS LEARNING THROUGH ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT OF STUDENTS
Mohammad A. RobManagement Information SystemsUniversity of Houston-Clear Lake
Houston, Texas [email protected]
PRESENTATION OUTLINE
Introduction
Theoretical Background Motivation Engagement and Learning What the Accreditation Agencies Say? Taxonomy of Significant Learning Designing the Learning
Environment The Role of Technology The Central Question
A FRAMEWORK OF LEADING TOWARDS LEARNING
The Leading-Learning Framework
The Basic Concepts or Guidelines Distribution of Learning Activities Designing the Learning Activities
Application in an MIS Course
Student Reflection
Results
Conclusion
INTRODUCTION
Teaching undergraduates can be more challenging than graduates
Teachers complain: Undergraduates are not motivated towards learning However they are critical in evaluating instructors
Research show that engagement of students can lead towards motivation Also the art and practice of engagement is
primarily the responsibility of the teacher
A FRAMEWORK OF LEADING TOWARDS LEARNING
MOTIVATION
Motivation means to be moved to do something
People are intrinsically motivated to do something for reward or satisfaction
Most students are extrinsically motivated to complete tasks with resentment & disinterest
Researchers have been investigating what task characteristics make an activity interesting
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ENGAGEMENT AND LEARNING
Engagement is an extrinsic motivational task that fosters learning in the educational environment
Engagement theories suggest that students must be meaningfully engaged in learning activities through interaction with others and in worthwhile tasks
Engagement is not just a student-oriented activity
A FRAMEWORK OF LEADING TOWARDS LEARNING
WHAT ACCREDITATION AGENCIES SAY? The National Survey of Student Engagement, AACSB
Standard of Teaching and Learning, and ABET Standards for Engineering and Technology suggest:
Student engagement to enrich learning experience
Active involvement of students and collaboration and cooperation among faculty-student and student-student
Collaboration along with oral and written communication skills development and application in the IS programs
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THE ROLE OF TODAY’S TEACHER Leading Pedagogical Researchers say:
The art and practice of engaging students towards learning is principally the responsibility of the teacher
The teacher becomes less imparter of knowledge and more a designer and facilitator of learning experiences for students
The real challenge in teaching is not covering the material for the students; it’s uncovering the materials with the students
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FINKS’S SIX TAXONOMY OF SIGNIFICANT LEARNING
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Foundational Knowledge
Concepts and principles of a subject matter: facts, terms, formulae, concepts, principles, etc.
Application Involved in various kinds of critical thinking and problem-solving skills
Integration Connection between ideas, subjects, people, etc. that improve intellectual power
Human Dimension
Learning about self and enabling interaction with others in the society
Caring Identify and changing one’s feelings: energize
Learning how to Learn
Self-directed learners: furthering one’s knowledge towards the next level
FOUR LEARNING CENTERS OF BRANSFORD ET AL.
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Knowledge Centered
What we want students to know and be able to do when they finish a course: the foundational knowledge, skills, and attitudes
Learner Centered
Connecting to the strengths and interests of learners and helping them learn about themselves
Community Centered
Providing an environment where students feel safe to ask questions, learn to use technology, work collaboratively to develop lifelong learning skills
Assessment Centered
Providing multiple opportunities to make students’ thinking visible, provide feedback and give chances to revise
THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY In the era of high-technology, engagement is
also seen as a framework for technology-based teaching and learning.
When students use technology as a tool to communicate with others, they take on an active role versus a passive role of transmitting the information by a teacher, a book, or broadcast.
Instructors and students are constantly making choices on how to obtain, display, or manipulate information appropriate and useful for others.
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THE CENTRAL QUESTION What role an instructor can play in setting up a classroom
and course-related activities that motivate students to value their learning and self-regulate their activities, to carry them out on their own?
The 21st century teachers acts as leaders : to engage students in important activities and challenges
them with fun, in an environment conducive to learning, with technology, and guides them towards the goal of mastering the subject
matter, and with an end product – the knowledge of which will endure a human life beyond
the academic environment.
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THE LEADING-LEARNING FRAMEWORK
It is based on the concepts of: motivation and engagement, active and collaborative learning, taxonomy of significant learning, designing the learning environment, and the role of technology, as discussed before
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THE BASIC CONCEPTS OF THE FRAMEWORK
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Reduce Burden of Teaching
The concept of “teaching by instructors” is changed to “learning by students:” teacher leads
Increase Efforts by Students
The burden of learning goes to students: students learn through “active engagement”
Define a Clear Outcome or Product
for a Course
The outcome is a significant document binder or a business information system
Formulate a Group Project around the
Outcome
Incorporate a “semester-long” group project that applies most important concepts of the subject
Make All Course-Related Materials
Freely Available
Empower students by providing lecture notes, past presentations & systems through a website
Maintain Dedicated Computer
Classrooms
Easy access to database servers & web servers to develop applications & use multiple tools/course
SHIFTING BURDENS OF TEACHERS AND STUDENTS
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EngagementAssessme
nt
Lecturing Leading
Teacher
Teacher
Student
Student
Assessment -Centered Teaching
Engagement –Centered Learning
DISTRIBUTION OF KNOWLEDGE AREAS Concept-Based: Developing
individual student’s knowledge on the subject matter
Project-Based: Understanding the relationship between various concepts of a subject matter
Multi-Dimensional: Going beyond the subject matter and improving on human dimension – collaboration, cooperation, cross-curriculum, communication, research, multi-culture, career, etc.
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Growth of Knowledge in Dimensions
THE ENGAGEMENT IS SEEN AS A SYSTEM
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Instructor Input
StudentProcess
StudentOutput
•Demonstration•Work assignment•Work assignment•Lecture•Work assignment
•Document•Presentation•Research Paper•Program Code•Design/Model•Web site
•Monitor & Control
RELATIONSHIP WITH FINK’S TAXONOMYOF SIGNIFICANT LEARNING
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Concept-Based
Project-Based Multi-Dimensional
Purpose Learn the primary concepts of a subject matter
Get a clear picture of the subject matter
Get a practical experience through integrated application of the concepts
Provide a significant learning experience
Learning the people, the society, and other cultures
Know the purpose, value, and prospect of education
Learn about the job market in the subject area
Gain knowledge towards higher education
Apply technology
Fink’s Taxonomy
Foundational Knowledge
Application Integration
Learning how to Learn Human Dimension Caring
METHODS OF STUDENT ENGAGEMENT
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Knowledge Area EngagementConcept-Based • In-class writing, In-class case study
• In-class design, In-class programming• Homework
Project-Based • Semester-Long Group Project:• Apply SDLC Methodology• Student-student meetings• Group deliverables – documents &
systems• Group presentations, Web Site• Redo presentations until clear concept• Student –teacher meetings• Outcome: Project Binder or System
Multi-Dimensional
• Research papers (Job, MIS topics, cross-curricular)
• Use of multiple software tools per subject• Use network servers & electronic submission
cyclecr
os
s
THE GROUP PROJECT & CROSS-CURRICULAR KNOWLEDGE
SDLC Methodology should be used on the group project throughout the semester and apply overall knowledge learned from various course concepts to produce a significant outcome from the course
Development of a major website by each student or group to house all course-related documents and programs is important in this technological era.
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THE TEACHER AS A LEADER The teacher acts as a leader in engaging
students in multiple activities and directs them towards the goal
He/She is mainly focused on course “planning” as well as “monitoring & controlling” the student activities in a “Project Management” style
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Initiating
Planning Execution Monitoring & Control Closing
•Course concept
•Syllabus with deadlines•Web site update•Network access update•Group project definition•Presentation schedule• Research paper definition/schedule
•Short Lectures•Demonstration•In-class assignments
•Listen to presentations•Discussion on presentations•Meeting with groups•Monitor Revised presentation•Mid-Term Test
•Final Test•End Product•Survey
APPLICATION IN THE UNDERGRADUATE VB-PROGRAMMING COURSE
We apply the concepts of Leading-Leading Framework by engaging students in five main activities: In-class programming Homework assignments Group-project: Apply
overall knowledge to develop a business information system
Three group presentations Two in-class hands-on tests
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Instru
ctor
Stude
nt
STUDENT REFLECTION An assessment of the course activities as seen by
students was performed through a survey questionnaire under the following conditions: The same question was asked three times in various
word formats to get a better reflection from students The first assessment was done after the first group
presentation and after the mid-term The second assessment was done after the second
group presentation and before the final test Answer to questions are organized in five broad areas:
Instructor activities, Group Project, Programming, and Motivation
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RESULTS: 1=STRONGLY DISAGREE, 5=STRONGLY AGREE
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Activity GroupsInstructor
Group Project
Programming
Motivation
Syllabus, web site, class demonstration
3.4
In-class assignments, homework, in-class test
3.8
Group project, group presentation
2.5
Downloading sample code, class attendance, course challenge, grade expectation
3.7
SIGNIFICANT LEARNING The result is different is the Systems Analysis &
Design, Project Management, Data Warehouse and other graduate courses.
Given the course activities, students are to define and justify which three activities provided significant knowledge in their learning:
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Group Project Top TierResearch Papers Top TierLectures Top TierProject Documentation Middle TierPresentation Middle TierWeb site Next TierUse of software Next Tier
CONCLUSION We have discussed various methods of student engagement
to motivate them towards learning We put forward a Leading-Learning Framework that is built
upon the concept that the teacher becomes the leader to engage students in various course activities.
The Framework divides the student-knowledge development into three different groups: each one is built upon the other
The types of engagement may not be same for all courses. In the programming course, it is best to engage students
mainly in programming activities However, group project is very effective for non-
programming courses that have consistent relationship between various concepts of a course
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