Research-Based Teaching Strategies - Using Tests to Improve Information Retrieval
"Having students retrieve information from long-term memory on a regular basis, is known to have a positive impact on learning. This is especially true when learners need to put a bit of effort into that retrieval process. Hence providing opportunities for learners to take tests (e.g. computer based multiple choice tests) can be a very effective strategy.
This session will examine some of the evidence in favour of testing and discuss options for using this strategy."
Research-Based Teaching Strategies - Using Tests to Improve Information Retrieval
"Having students retrieve information from long-term memory on a regular basis, is known to have a positive impact on learning. This is especially true when learners need to put a bit of effort into that retrieval process. Hence providing opportunities for learners to take tests (e.g. computer based multiple choice tests) can be a very effective strategy.
This session will examine some of the evidence in favour of testing and discuss options for using this strategy."
Research-Based Teaching Strategies - The Generation Effect
"The generation effect refers to a broad range of techniques that require learners to generate information on a topic e.g. create a presentation or predict an outcome. There is a growing body of evidence which shows that having learners generate information is more effective than if they simply read the information.
This session will review this body of evidence and discuss ways in which we could incorporate this strategy into our day-to-day teaching."
Research-Based Teaching Strategies - The Generation Effect
"The generation effect refers to a broad range of techniques that require learners to generate information on a topic e.g. create a presentation or predict an outcome. There is a growing body of evidence which shows that having learners generate information is more effective than if they simply read the information.
This session will review this body of evidence and discuss ways in which we could incorporate this strategy into our day-to-day teaching."
"The teaching strategy peer instruction was popularised by Eric Mazur to support the teaching of physics to undergraduate students at Harvard and is now one of the most widely used instructional strategies in undergraduate physics education. It has wide applicability outside of the physics discipline.
This session will demonstrate peer instruction in action and discuss some of the evidence in favour of its effectiveness."
"The teaching strategy peer instruction was popularised by Eric Mazur to support the teaching of physics to undergraduate students at Harvard and is now one of the most widely used instructional strategies in undergraduate physics education. It has wide applicability outside of the physics discipline.
This session will demonstrate peer instruction in action and discuss some of the evidence in favour of its effectiveness."
A lecture is only effective if the majority of the class understand the material. Yet, asking a class “Do you understand?” is often ineffective, for a variety of reasons, including social anxieties and the fact that learners may not realise what they don’t understand. This session will explore the types of questions we should be asking our learners and the types of questions to avoid. Certain ways of asking questions are also much more effective and less threatening than others. The session will provide examples of these techniques in action.
One of the factors that has a big impact on positive student evaluations of teaching is course organisation. In this session we will explore some ideas related to course organisation including the need to reimagine our topics from the perspective of someone who has never encountered them before, focus on core ideas and principles and relationships between those principles and the need to revisit difficult concepts over time. Defining intended learning outcomes for lectures and linking these to module learning outcomes and past lectures helps students to see the course structure and organisation.
One of the factors that has a big impact on positive student evaluations of teaching is course organisation. In this session we will explore some ideas related to course organisation including the need to reimagine our topics from the perspective of someone who has never encountered them before, focus on core ideas and principles and relationships between those principles and the need to revisit difficult concepts over time. Defining intended learning outcomes for lectures and linking these to module learning outcomes and past lectures helps students to see the course structure and organisation.
How we structure a lecture can have a significant impact on student’s ability to engage with it and learn from it. A lecture needs to have an introduction that motivates and engages students and outlines learning objectives. The body of the lecture needs to focus on three of four key points that are carefully elaborated. The conclusion should summarise and integrate the learning. In a basic way, learning is a function of content & retention. Placing more emphasis on retaining information, will lead to more learning.
How we structure a lecture can have a significant impact on student’s ability to engage with it and learn from it. A lecture needs to have an introduction that motivates and engages students and outlines learning objectives. The body of the lecture needs to focus on three of four key points that are carefully elaborated. The conclusion should summarise and integrate the learning. In a basic way, learning is a function of content & retention. Placing more emphasis on retaining information, will lead to more learning.
Stephen Brookfield talks about how when teaching something that we love, how difficult it is for us to empathise with students that find the topic boring. The more that we teach the topic, the further removed we become from our first experiences of learning it and the less empathy we are likely to have. Yet empathy and respect strongly correlate with student motivation and motivation is essential to developing understanding. This, final session will explore the importance of empathy and respect.
Engaging Students in Deep Learning by Crowdsourcing Quality MCQ Questions
"Deep Learning refers to the cognitive skills and academic knowledge that students need to succeed in the 21st century. These skills include critical thinking, problem solving, communication, collaboration and learning to learn. The mastery of these skills will enable students to think flexibly and creatively, transferring and applying their learning from one context to new situations.
This seminar will look at how one academic in MTU, Dr Anna Dynan, Accounting & Information Systems has used PeerWise, a free online platform, to provide a space where her students can collaboratively create, answer, discuss, and evaluate practice questions with peers and has thereby helped her students engage with unit concepts more deeply and critically.
In this seminar, participants will gain an understanding of:
How PeerWise can be used to engage students and enhance their learning outcomes.
The impact this approach can have on student engagement and learning
The student view on this collaborative approach to learning
Advice/best practice/tip & tricks when using PeerWise in your module."
Engaging Students in Deep Learning by Crowdsourcing Quality MCQ Questions
Deep Learning refers to the cognitive skills and academic knowledge that students need to succeed in the 21st century. These skills include critical thinking, problem solving, communication, collaboration and learning to learn. The mastery of these skills will enable students to think flexibly and creatively, transferring and applying their learning from one context to new situations.
This seminar will look at how one academic in MTU, Dr Anna Dynan, Accounting & Information Systems has used PeerWise, a free online platform, to provide a space where her students can collaboratively create, answer, discuss, and evaluate practice questions with peers and has thereby helped her students engage with unit concepts more deeply and critically.
In this seminar, participants will gain an understanding of:
How PeerWise can be used to engage students and enhance their learning outcomes.
The impact this approach can have on student engagement and learning
The student view on this collaborative approach to learning
Advice/best practice/tip & tricks when using PeerWise in your module.
The Science of Learning – What Students Need to Know
"The science of learning, also known as learning sciences, is an interdisciplinary field of study that examines how people learn. An understanding of this field can help to improve our teaching practice so that we can have a greater impact on students’ learning.
In this seminar, existing research related to how students learn was presented and the practical implications for teaching and learning were discussed.
It provided participants with:
A summary of existing research from cognitive science relating to how students learn.
A variety of effective easily applicable teaching strategies that have evolved from this research.
An insight into how to match the study method to specific learning outcomes"
The Science of Learning – What Students Need to Know
The science of learning, also known as learning sciences, is an interdisciplinary field of study that examines how people learn. An understanding of this field can help to improve our teaching practice so that we can have a greater impact on students’ learning.
In this seminar, existing research related to how students learn was presented and the practical implications for teaching and learning were discussed.
It provided participants with:
A summary of existing research from cognitive science relating to how students learn.
A variety of effective easily applicable teaching strategies that have evolved from this research.
An insight into how to match the study method to specific learning outcomes
Referencing, Plagiarism and the use of Referencing Software – How CIT Library can assist you and your students?
In recent years, the issues of poor referencing skills and plagiarism have become a significant concern for higher education practitioners. In many instances’ students are often unaware of the problems associated with plagiarism since copying from various sources has unfortunately become the norm. This problem is further compounded by the fact that many students often struggle to understand the importance and basics of essential referencing techniques.
This workshop:
Highlighted how CIT Library staff can assist academic staff convey the importance of referencing to their students, helping them to avoid various forms of plagiarism.
Explained how online referencing software can be easily utilised to ensure effective and consistent referencing when completing notes, essays and assignments.