Developing Strategies for Facilitating Interactive Classroom

Discussion in Team-Based Learning

Derek R. Lane, Ph.D.Associate Dean

College of Communications & Information Studies

Do You . . .

• Encourage students to question content?

• Ask students to give reasons for their answers?

• Stress how to think rather than what to think?

• Ask students to relate subject matter to personal

experiences?

• Use higher-order questions rather than only

knowledge or comprehension level questions?

• Ask students to work together collaboratively?

Workshop ObjectiveWorkshop Objective

Participants will be able to identify, develop, and model skills for enhancing learner engagement by discovering different TBL strategies for facilitating interactive discussion and establishing a climate of open dialogue.

Participants will also be able to evaluate the effectiveness of facilitation strategies for managing challenge behavior, encouraging medical student commitment and simultaneously establishing instructor credibility.

Workshop Overview

• Clarify TBL IAS• When NOT to use TBL• Workshop Team Formation• Strategies for Enhancing Student

Engagement and Facilitating Interactive Discussion with Medical Students

• Interactive Discussions• Facilitation Modeling

Team-Based Learning

• Instructional strategy that primarily emphasizes learning to use

concepts rather than merely learning about them

• Substantial part of the grade is based on group performance

• Redefinition of primary roles and responsibilities in the learning

process

– Teacher as dispenser of knowledge to course designer and manager of

overall instructional process

– Student as passive receivers of information to active participants who are

accountable and responsible fro their learning

• Formation of operational learning environment

Necessary Components of Necessary Components of Team-Based LearningTeam-Based Learning

• Heterogeneous composition of diverse interdependent work teams

• Clear, specific, and widely shared team goals which encourage

group cohesion

• Sufficiently difficult and meaningful team activities that do not allow

one person to accomplish the task alone.

• Regular, descriptive, specific, relevant, timely and usable internal

peer feedback

• External comparisons which are emphasized through immediate

and ongoing feedback about organizational performances relative

to other teams.

Learning Team PedagogyLearning Team PedagogyOperational ToolsOperational Tools

• Course Design– Desired educational outcomes (what students do)

– Course content (what students must know to do)

– Determine what students have already learned

– Application of course concepts (can students use their knowledge)

• Classroom Management (I.A.S.)

• Student Group Composition– Evenly distribute assets within permanent teams

– Avoid unnecessary barriers to cohesion

– Keep team formation process visible

• Performance Evaluation

Primary Features of Team-Based Learning

• Permanent and purposefully heterogenous work groups

• Grading based on a combination of individual performance,

group performance, and peer evaluation

• Majority of class time devoted to small group activities

• A repetitive six-step Instructional Activity Sequence (I.A.S.)

Instructional Activity Sequence

Preparation(Pre-class)

Readiness Assurance

Diagnosis-Feedback45-75 minutes of class time

Application of Course Concepts

1-4 hours of class time

1. Individual Study

2. Individua

l Test

3. Team Test

4. Written Appeals (from

teams)

5. Instructor Input

6. Application Orientated Activities

Task Characteristics

••

••

High individual accountability Tasks require interaction External comparison/feedback Rewards for group work

Figure 2

Helps Team Development/

Decreases Social Loafing

Hinders Team Development/

Promotes Social Loafing

Impact of Task Characteristics on Team Development and Social Loafing

Low individual accountability Tasks readily divided-up Little/no comparison/feedback Rewards for individual effort

••

••

Figure 4 Wording Assignments to Promote

Higher-level Cognitive Skills“List the ‘mistakes’ that writers frequently make that detract from their efforts to write in active ‘voice’.” "Make-a-choice"

"Make-a-list"

“Read the following passage and identify a sentence that is a clear example of: a) active, and b) passive ‘voice.'” "Make-a-specific-choice":“Read the following passage and identify the sentence in which passive ‘voice’ is used most appropriately.” 1.

2.

3.

Same Problem

Specific Choice

Simultaneous Report

Require Interaction

Promote Accountability

Use Linked and Mutually Reinforcing Assignments

Use Course Concepts to Make Difficult Decisions

When NOT to Use TBL

• Lack necessary content mastery• Not sure HOW students will use the content• Unwilling to relinquish classroom spotlight

(move from sage on stage to guide on side)• Insufficient resources (e.g., time, IF-AT,

scantron, facilitation skills)

Workshop Team Formation

• Consider your personal experience with TBL in Medical Education

• Rank yourself from 1 (relative newbie) to 10 (TBL expert)

• Arrange yourself in a circle around the room based on your experiences

• No one should be standing in front of you or behind you!

• Await further instructions

Strategies for Enhancing Student Engagement

• Buzz Groups• Think, Pair, Share• SWOT• ORID• Problem Solving / Decision Making• Debriefing

BUZZ GROUPS• BUZZ 66 or BUZZ 54• # of people - amount of time• Less Intimidating - Achieves

Participation• Always Provide a Clear Discussion

Objective Identify the single most driving

question (or concern) your group has about facilitating interactive discussion with medical students.

THINK (write), PAIR, SHARE

• Create a Supportive Context– Assemble teams– Build rapport– Encourage equal participation– Assign specific roles (facilitator, recorder, etc.)– Explain ground rules for participation

• Provide a Clear Discussion Objective What are some of the barriers to

discussion? Why don’t some students participate?

Barriers to Discussion

• Student habits of passivity• Failure to see the value of discussion• Fear of criticism or looking stupid• Push toward agreement for solution before

alternative points of view have been considered

• Feeling that the task is to find the answer the instructor wants rather than to explore and evaluate possibilities

Two-Column Method

• GOAL: Identify specific characteristics of effective and defective discussions

• Recall discussions and seminars in which you have participated . . .

• List the characteristics of those that were worthwhile

• List the characteristics of poor discussions

Characteristics of Effective Discussions

• Experiential Learning– We learn best when we are actively involved

• Student-Centered– Student experiences are basis for discussion

• Focus on Critical Thinking– Not “right answers” but inquiring minds

• Use of Questions– Be flexible and adapt to student questions– Questioning strategies are critical– Integrate student responses into discussion

• Responses to Questions

Hyman’s (1987) Discussion Types

• Explaining• Problem solving• Debriefing• Predicting• Policy deciding

Leading a Discussion

• General Strategies– Keep in mind the purpose of the

discussion– Plan how you will conduct each

discussion session (spontaneous, unpredictable, requires careful planning)

– Discuss your expectations at the beginning and reinforce throughout

– Avoid questions with short (yes/no) answers

Leading a Discussion

• Setting the Context for Discussion– Explain the ground rules for participation– Give pointers about how to participate in

a discussion– Help students prepare for discussion– Provide a common context for students

• Show a videotape of a good discussion session

• Refer to a specific quotation• Discuss a research study• Consider curriculum and course readings

Leading a Discussion

• Starting a Discussion– Refer to any study questions you may have

distributed– Ask for student questions– Phrase questions so students feel comfortable

responding• Probe students’ understanding• No single correct answer

– NOT “What is entropy?”– “What about entropy stands out in your mind?”– “Give an example of entropy.”

Planning Discussions• The Introduction

– Create attention– Motivate students to discuss topic/idea– Clarify the purpose of the discussion– Explain importance and relevance of topic

• The Body– What questions will be asked to enable students to meet

objectives (SWOT or ORID)– Development shared equally

• The Conclusion– Summarize major ideas developed in the discussion; tie

entire discussion together– What are students supposed to take away– Preview how knowledge learned will relate to topics to be

discussed in future classes.

SWOT Analysis• Strengths • Weaknesses• Opportunities• Threats

– Assemble teams– Build rapport– Encourage equal participation– Assign specific roles (facilitator, recorder, etc.)– Explain ground rules for participation

• Provide a Clear Discussion Objective• Starting discussion with a CONTROVERSY

Terri Schindler-Schiavo

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Terri Schindler-Schiavo

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Consider the ethical implications of wihdrawing the feeding tube that provided the only source of nutrition and hydration.Strengths of Decision?

Weaknesses?

Opportunities?

Threats?

Designing Team-Based Designing Team-Based Learning Application Learning Application

ExercisesExercisesLearning team assignments should simultaneously accomplish four major objectives: promote learning of essential concepts or skills, build group cohesiveness, ensure individual accountability, and teach students the positive value of groups.

1. Production of a tangible output2. Impossible to complete without comprehension of course

concepts3. Sufficiently difficult to eliminate completion by an individual

member4. Majority of time should be spent engaged in activities5. Applicable to real world issues or problems (pragmatic/applied)6. Interesting and/or fun (ENERGY is the acid test for good

exercises)

Assignment Phrasing

"Make-a- specific choice" focuses on "Why?" requires high level cognitive skills* produces high com- mitment to output produces high group cohesiveness

"Make-a-list" focuses on "What?" requires only low level cognitive skill produces low com- mitment to output produces low group cohesiveness

"Make-a- specific choice" focuses on "Why?" requires high level cognitive skills* produces high com- mitment to output portends high group accountability

Figure 5 Impact of Assignment Phrasing

Individual "Thinking"

Inter-Team Discussion

Intra-Team Discussion

"Make-a-list" requires only low level cognitive skills (e.g. discrimination) produces low com- mitment to output portends low indiv- idual accountability

"Make-a-list" focuses on "What?" requires only low level cognitive skill produces low com- mitment to output portends low group accountability

*At a minimum, making specific choices requires: Multiple comparisons and discriminations, exchange and analysis of content information and, verification of rule application.

"Make-a- specific choice" focuses on "Why?" requires high level cognitive skills* produces high com- mitment to output portends high indiv- idual accountability

Debriefing/Processing

• The Three-Question Model– What?, So what?, Now what?– Descriptive, Interpretive, Application

• Five-Stage Model– How do you feel?– What happened?– Do you agree?– Has this ever happened to you?– What if . . .?

• The ICA Focused Conversation Method

Focused Conversation• “Rational discussion is an open, focused, serious,

collaborative dialogue of discovery where you speak so that you you can hear. In stating your opinion, you invite others to differ. You listen to their differing views and offer differing views of your own; moreover, you don’t merely exchange views with others, rather, you change your own views. You state your opinions experimentally, for the purpose of testing your thinking and developing your understanding.”

Harvard’s Philosophy of Education Research Centre (Howard & Barton; Thinking Together, p.20, italics theirs).

Focused Conversation• Objective - facts and external reality • Reflective - immediate personal reaction (+-)• Interpretive - meaning, values, implications• Decisional - resolution, application

• Generate a Rational Objective (practical goal of the conversation)• Clarify a misunderstanding• Solve a specific problem

• Generate an Experiential Aim (inner impact)• Establish team commitment and cohesion• Create a positive open climate

ORID• Focus the conversation• Determine intent

• Rational objective• Experiential aim

• Ensure a concrete beginning

• Brainstorm questions to realize RO and EA

• Select the questions you need

• Jiggle the question order• Rehearse the

conversation

• Prepare opening comments carefully

• Prepare the closing carefully

• Reflect on the conversation, the group, yourself

ORID• Objective• Reflective• Interpretive• Decisional

• Generate three-four specific questions for each ORID category (ORID MATRIX)

• Provide a Clear Discussion Objective How does what we’ve been learning about

discussion in today’s workshop apply to how you teach medical students WITH TBL?

MEDICAL ETHICS

After receiving an abnormal ultrasound, a 38 year old female (in the middle of her second trimester) learns after amniocentesis that her child is likely to be born with downs syndrome. What does your team recommend?

Ethical DilemmaTerry is 16 years old. You are close friends with her family and regularly play golf with her mother and father.

During a recent appointment she discovers she is pregnant.

Do you tell her parents?How important is physician-patient confidentiality?

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APPLICATION Questions

How can interactive discussion help you to . . .

• Manage challenge behavior?

• Encourage medical student commitment?

• Establish instructor credibility?

Problem-Solving

• Make Specific Decisions– Same Problem– Specific Choice– Simultaneous Report

• Functional Perspective on Group Decision Making

• Kidney Machine (if time)

Four Requisite Functions Problem Analysis

Ability to Analyze the Problem

Goal SettingAbility to Identify Appropriate Criteria for Making a Decision

Identification of AlternativesAbility to Develop Alternative Choices from Which to Choose

Evaluation of Positive and Negative ConsequencesAbility to Evaluate the Positive and Negative Aspects of

Alternative Choices Prior to Making a Decision**

Order is not important but all functions must be performed well!

The Kidney Machine

• Your group must make a specific decision about who will receive dialysis.

Workshop Summary• Clarify TBL IAS• When NOT to use TBL• Workshop Team Formation• Strategies for Enhancing Student Engagement and

Facilitating Interactive Discussion with Medical Students– Buzz Groups– Think Pair Share– Two-Column Method– SWOT– ORID

• Interactive Discussions / Modeling

Resources• McKeachie, W. J. (2002). Teaching tips: Strategies,

research, and theory for college and university teachers. (pp. 30-51). Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.

• Davis, B. G. (1993). Tools for teaching. (pp.63-91). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

• Eble, K. E. (1988). The craft of teaching: A guide to mastering the professor’s art (2nd ed.). (pp. 83-97). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

• Stanfield, B. (2000). The art of focused conversation: 100 ways to access group wisdom in the workplace. Gabriola Island, Canada: New Society Publishers.

WORKSHOP CHALLENGE

Move From Periods to Question Marks

Encourage Classroom Questions, and

Increase Student Engagement

Workshop Evaluation

• Evaluation Forms in Binders

• Please provide descriptive feedback

• Drop evaluation forms into box at

“registration” table.

WORKSHOP MATERIALSAVAILABLE

http://www.uky.edu/~drlane/TBL2005