EXPLORING TEACHING AND LEARNING IN

ACTIVE LEARNING ROOM WITH SPECIAL PROGRAMME IN SCIENCE

Andreas Dewanto Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore

Block S16 Level 3, 6 Science Drive 2, Singapore 117546

Acknowledgement: Special Programme in Science Staff

Dr. Chammika Udalagama

Dr. Leslie Gapter Dr. Linda Sellou

Mr. Andreas Dewanto (Assistant Director)

Dr. Adrian M. Lee (Director)

Dr. Lim Zhi Han

Outline • SPS in a Nutshell • Active Learning Room Setup • Teaching and Learning in ALR • Student Feedback • ALR in the Future

Photos courtesy of Sum Yuheng

SPS in a Nutshell • Established in 1996 to

expose talented science students to multidisciplinary science and train them toward research excellence

• Practice Integrated Science Curriculum, which cultivates: – Scientific methodology – Computation skill – Communication skill – Collaboration through peer-

learning and mentorship in problem-solving.

Photos courtesy of Andreas Dewanto

Integrated Science Curriculum Year of Study Semester 1 Semester 2

1 (Freshmen) SP2173 Atoms to Molecules SP2174 The Cell

SP2171 Discovering Science

2 (Sophomore) SP3175 The Earth SP3176 The Universe

SP3172 Integrated Science Project

3 Junior mentorship

4 (Honors) Senior mentorship

• Run in addition to student’ respective core programme • 2-year programme, consists of 4 thematic-based modules

(73, 74, 75 & 76) and 2 research-based modules (71 & 72) • Dynamic and intensive teaching and learning environment,

involving staff, students, and mentors (3rd, 4th, and postgrad)

Active Learning Room

• Located in S16 Level 3 • Commissioned in 2011, under the purview of Science Dean’s Office • Co-funded by FoS and Centre for Instructional Technology • Max capacity: 42 students. Ideal capacity: 20 – 30 students

Instructor’s desk

Students’ desks. Each desk is able to accommodate up to 6 students

Semi-circular layout to maximize instructor-students interaction

A Closer Look at ALR’s Facilities: Students’ Desk

Photo courtesy of Lim Zhi Han

40” screen, to display input from instructor’s desk or other students’ desks

Visualizer, to present students’ work to the main projector or other desks

Each desk is also equip-ped with the standard Audio-Video I/O for students to connect their laptops to.

Apart from the instructor’s desk, the whiteboards and projector, other furniture in ALR is movable. This allows fluidity and mobility in the class, which in turn encourage interaction.

A Closer Look at ALR’s Facilities: Instructor’s Desk

Photo courtesy of Lim Zhi Han

AV panel enables instructor to control what is being cast into projector screen and/or individual monitors on students’ desk, which input that comes from either the instructor desk or individual students’ desk.

Instructor is also equipped with visualizer and standard Audio-Video I/O.

A closer look at ALR’s Facilities: Layout

Photos courtesy of Lim Zhi Han

Secondary screen mirrors the main projector for instructor’s reference

Whiteboards along the wall for students’ use

Utilizing ALR’s Facilities: A typical Day in SP3176 Lecture

• Significant portion of the lecture is dedicated for problem solving.

• Problems are usually given in the midst of introducing a new concept.

• Students are given 5-10 minutes to discuss within the group.

• A group is randomly chosen to present the answer from their desk.

• Alternative answers from other groups (if any) are discussed.

Example of SP3176 Lecture Problem:

Reason that the cosmological prin-ciple1 implies that any observer looking at the motion of galaxies will find the radial velocities proportional to the distance between her and the galaxy.

[10 + 5 min]

1The cosmological principle: The Universe is homogeneous and isotropic.

Dr. Lim Zhi Han in Action during SP3176 Lecture

Photos courtesy of Lim Zhi Han

Getting close and personal with the students

A student presenting his solution, a typical scene in SP3176 lecture

Students in Action during SP3176 Lecture

Photos courtesy of Lim Zhi Han

SP3176 Internal Student Feedback on ALR (1)

SD: Strongly disagree SA: Strongly Agree D: Disagree A: Agree

Reference: Z.H. Lim, C. Udalagama, L. Gapter, A. Dewanto, L. Sellou, A.M. Lee (2013) Active and Collaborative Learning in an IT-enhanced Interactive, EDULEARN13 Proceedings, pp. 3997-4004.

SD: Strongly disagree SA: Strongly Agree D: Disagree A: Agree

Reference: Z.H. Lim, C. Udalagama, L. Gapter, A. Dewanto, L. Sellou, A.M. Lee (2013) Active and Collaborative Learning in an IT-enhanced Interactive, EDULEARN13 Proceedings, pp. 3997-4004.

SP3176 Internal Student Feedback on ALR (2)

Dr. Adrian Lee in Action during Interactive Tutorial Group Discussion

The mobile desks are convenient to be moved around to set simple table-top experiments up anywhere in the room

Making use of the white-board for discussion

Photos courtesy of Andreas Dewanto

The Role of ALR in the Future • Con: not suitable for conventional teaching

en-masse, resource intensive. • Pro: ideal for seminar-style, problem-based

and collaborative teaching and learning • ALR is ideal for flip teaching. • ALR facilitates university’s iBLOC (Internal

Blended Learning Online Course) initiative • Is ALR going to be a norm in future?

I believe it is just a matter of time

Thank you Photo courtesy of John Ouyang

Contact: Dr. Adrian Lee (chmaml@nus.edu.sg) Mr. Andreas Dewanto (andreas.dewanto@sps.nus.edu.sg)