ScienceMedicineMathematics Dr Scott Revers PGA IAPP 2012 University of Warwick Learning Outcomes By the end of this session you should be able to 1 Identify and evaluate methods for motivating students beyond the classroom ID: 346955
Download Presentation The PPT/PDF document "Motivating Students Beyond the Classroom..." is the property of its rightful owner. Permission is granted to download and print the materials on this web site for personal, non-commercial use only, and to display it on your personal computer provided you do not modify the materials and that you retain all copyright notices contained in the materials. By downloading content from our website, you accept the terms of this agreement.
Slide1
Motivating Students Beyond the Classroom:Science/Medicine/Mathematics
Dr. Scott Revers
PGA IAPP 2012
University of WarwickSlide2
Learning Outcomes:By the end of this session you should be able to:1) Identify
and
evaluate
methods for motivating students beyond the classroom
2) Consider appropriate
strategies to encourage this within your own specific teaching situationsSlide3
Brain storming Activity:Key questions:Why is learning outside the classroom important?
How might this be achieved?
Consider in this regard:
What helped you learn?Slide4
Motivating StudentsStudents who actively prepare outside of the classroom before coming to class are generally more motivated, better informed, and more confident in producing good work…
They are also more likely to be more directed in relation to their concerns (whether towards the production of research, employment, etc.)
Nevertheless
, many students arrive in class under-prepared
.Slide5
Why is learning outside the classroom important?Understanding the broader context
in which problems are to be assessed and understood.
Development of
critical
and
creative
faculties
(These
are crucial in developing research
skills)
Development of abilities to express knowledge at different levels of engagement.
The latter ability is crucial in future
social
and
employment
related
situations.Slide6
Assessing Motivation in the lab. Slide7
Qu.What are the problems for students in laboratory exercises?Slide8
Problems include:1) The ‘cookbook approach’
by some students
What are the problems with this?
…the difference between following directions and understanding why a particular sequence of steps produces the
desired result?
They operate as
technicians
driven by directions rather than by
concept-driven enquiry
or understanding.Slide9
Why does this happen?Students are given too much information in a short time just before the exercise.Students are not required to do anything in preparation for lab. work. Slide10
What to aim for:(i) to motivate students to acquire the necessary basic knowledge before the laboratory exercises;
(ii) to shift the time burden from post-laboratory to
pre-laboratory
work;
(iii) to improve student performance at the final exam;
All of these should be achieved with no extra time burden for students and teaching assistants.Slide11
How to Improve Motivation:Getting the students to think about the experiment prior to entering into class.How might this be done?Slide12
Motivation: Carrot or stick?Slide13
Improving Motivation: SuggestionsSetting questions in advanceGetting students to work in small groups together on problems outside of class
…then selecting at random student groups to write the answers to these problems on the board in front of the class.
This kind of approach has been applied to chemistry classes and mathematics classes. Slide14
Motivation: Reward StrategiesAlso where possible:creating reward strategies
By awarding points to students for successful completion of tasks that go towards their overall mark or
for asking relevant and valuable questions in class
.Slide15
Things to also attend to…Helping students to think about why they are doing what they are doing – its relevance
.
Understanding the bigger picture!
In other words consider the importance of
context dependent memory
for students
Use of Questions
:
Why an experiment works? What if it were applied in the same way to different criteria? How might a concept or problem be otherwise understood or applied?Slide16
Things to also attend to…The relationship of the lectures to the demonstrations or support classes Be clear on thematic
coherence
and
consistency
!
Thematic coherence is key to helping students grasp the conceptual background and relevance of the
practicals
.
Contact with the course leader/lecturer is important here…Slide17
‘Where there is a will…’These strategies often may require discussion with course leader but remember:
Courses are
not
simply fixed and often encourage teaching innovation;
Enthusiasm and success in pursuing new approaches can provide a positive reference with regard to your own CV! Slide18
Tips: What’s happening elsewhere?Also look at courses run in the same area as your own at
other
institutions.
See what other people are doing and critically assess how this might work in your own situation…Slide19
Tips: What’s happening elsewhere?For example:
“Laboratory throws away cookbooks in pursuit of discovery”
“At Vanderbilt’s alternative introductory biology laboratory students are asked to design experiments as well as to conduct them.”
This
is indicative of an
increasing feature of research-led teaching…
http://blogs.vanderbilt.edu/research/2011/05/laboratory-throws-away-cookbooks-in-pursuit-of-discovery/Slide20
A Study: What happens when some of these ideas are implemented?Slide21
Let’s Consider a Study on Implementation of Strategies for Increasing Learning Outside Classroom…(see Appendix)
The
Study
*:
Pre-laboratory exercises were prepared and handed to students a week prior to the relevant exercise.
The students were asked to return answers 3 days later.
Students were free to seek assistance where required of tutors, fellow students in answering questions.
The answers were graded and returned to students at the beginning of the relevant laboratory class
.
*
Barnes, R. and Thornton, B. (1998)
Preparing for Laboratory Work
. In Black, B. and Stanley, N. (
Eds
),
Teaching and Learning in Changing Times,
28-3.Slide22
Study Example:Model answers were made available to students after they had handed in their answers.The answers were discussed in the pre-laboratory lecture.
Any prevailing misconceptions from students answers would also be addressed.Slide23
Survey Results of the study showed:1) It helped them understand relevance of what they were working on in lab.
2) Have
better understanding pre-lab. demonstration
3) They felt
more confident in the lab.
4) Made
writing the lab report easier.
5) It
also highlighted that it resulted for students in a more positive attitude towards lab. work.Slide24
What does this highlight?That preparation outside of the classroom is key to:1) Enhancing student understanding
2) It
provides a
contextual horizon
that serves as platform for potentiating their critical awareness
3) It
also increases their enthusiasm towards their work Slide25
Remember:The balance between increased workloads and supplying tools to help students is a fine one.However, studies have shown that where students understand the
benefits
of introducing tasks for them to work on outside the classroom they respond well!Slide26
Final Thoughts1) Make sure of coherence of your classes with the lecturer – be in touch with the course leader
.
2) Ask students questions that stimulate them to understand the bigger picture, the
contextual horizon
of a problem.
3) Provide questions to
prep them
for the next class.
4) Stimulate them into
working in groups
outside of class where possible.
5) Where possible provide
rewards
for their preparation outside of class
6) Also in this regard be aware of the value of
peer pressure
as a motivation.Slide27
ConclusionCreating an active and engaged learner outside of the classroom produces a more reflective, more engaged and enthusiastic learner inside the classroom!For consideration:
What
other practical examples can we think of to promote student engagement?Slide28
Appendix: Useful Web ReferencesBarnes, R. and Thornton, B. (1998
)
Preparing for Laboratory
Work
. In
Black, B. and Stanley, N. (
Eds
),
Teaching and Learning in Changing Times,
28-
3.
Pogacnik
, L. and
Cigic
, B. (2006
)
How To Motivate Students To Study before
They
Enter the Lab
.
,
Journal
of Chemical
Education
,
83, 1094–1098
.
O’Brien, G., and Melanie Cameron, M.
, (2008)
Pre
-laboratory
Activities
to
Enhance
the
Laboratory
L
earning
E
xperience
,
Uniserve
Science
.
McKelvy
,
G.
M
., (2000)
Preparing
for the Chemistry Laboratory:
An Internet Presentation and Assessment
Tool
,
University Chemistry Education,
4, (2).Slide29
Appendix: Research-led teachingChang, H., (2005) Turning
an
Undergraduate
C
lass
into a
Professional
R
esearch
C
ommunity
, Teaching in Higher
Education, Vol
. 10, No. 3,
387
/
394.
E
xamples
of research-led teaching depts. see:
King’s College, London,
Biohealth research
teaching
.
Russell International Excellence
Group,
Summary
of Research-led Learning