By Chris McMorran A challenge faculty members face is knowing when to stop preparing content and start giving students more responsibility over what they learn. In this presentation, I first outline a range of technologies I have used at NUS to increase student involvement in classes with enrollments that range from five to 450. Then I focus on two technologies I have incorporated to not only allow students to demonstrate their understanding of course content, but also put students in charge of deciding what and how they will learn. Specifically, I highlight Google Maps and the NUS Wiki as learner-centered tools. I show how the technologies work, share student work and student feedback about the tools, and discuss several challenges to their use. This presentation aims to inspire others to release some control over course content in order to help students develop skills, gain knowledge, and demonstrate abilities through readily accessible tools.

1. Releasing
the
Reins:
technologies
that
put
students
in
charge
Chris
McMorran
Dept
of
Japanese
Studies
10
January,
2013
BuzzEd
2013
@
NUS
(La
Classe
de
Danse,
by
Edgar
Degas
–
from
WikiPainIngs)

2. Technologies
used
since
2012
Module
(level)
Enrolment
Technologies
IntroducIon
to
Japanese
250
Clickers
(SRS)
Studies
(1000)
450
TurniIn
Google
Maps
IVLE
Discussion
Forum
Japan:
the
Green
NaIon?
15
TurniIn
(3000)
Google
Maps
Google
Docs
Field
Studies
in
Japan
(3000)
13
TurniIn
Google
Maps*
Google
Docs
NUS
Blog
Japanese
PoliIcal
Economy
5
TurniIn
(4000)
NUS
Wiki*
GarageBand

3. Case
#1:
Japanese
PoliIcal
Economy
• Exercise
aim:
Students
will
author
and
edit
content
related
to
Japanese
poliIcal
economy,
as
well
as
previews
and
summaries
of
their
self-­‐
directed
weekly
seminars.
• Technology:
NUS
Wiki

4. Learning
Outcomes
(from
syllabus)
By
the
end
of
the
semester
you
should
be
able
to:
• Explain
the
main
contours
of
Japan’s
postwar
poliIcal
economy
(remember
and
recall
details)
• UIlize
(both
verbally
and
in
wriIng)
concepts
specific
to
Japan’s
poliIcal
economy
(apply
context-­‐specific
knowledge)
• Contribute
to
the
module
Wiki
project
(synthesize
knowledge,
create
new
scholarship)
• Plan
a
seminar
meeIng
(organizaIon
skills)
• Teach
difficult
concepts
to
others
(teaching
and
planning
skills)
• Organize
a
fruiaul
group
discussion
in
which
everyone
parIcipates
(group
dynamics)
• Voice
your
ideas
clearly
and
with
supporIng
evidence,
both
verbally
and
in
wriIng
(develop
communicaIon
skills,
including
persuasion)
• Analyze
a
novel
using
ideas
from
class
(incorporate
academic
knowledge
in
everyday
life)

5. The
Exercise
• Using
Wiki
to
help
build
mastery
(except
#3)
1. Submit
a
preview
of
the
scholarship
2. Submit
a
lesson
plan
3. Run
the
class
meeIng
(2
hours)
4. Write
a
meeIng
summary
5. Create
3
Wiki
pages
on
key
debates
or
terms

6. Case
#2:
Field
Studies
in
Japan
• Module
aim:
to
explore
sustainability
in
contemporary
Japan,
parIcularly
through
the
convergence
of
tourism
and
the
construcIon
state
• Exercise
aim:
to
map
of
HTB’s
ecological
efforts,
which
are
missing
from
the
“normal”
tourist
map
• Technology:
Google
Maps

7. The
Place
–
Huis
ten
Bosch

8. Step
1:
Official
Tour
of
Env
FaciliIes

9. Step
2.1:
Mapping
the
“Unofficial”

10. Step
2.2:
Mapping
the
“Unofficial”

11. The
Result:
hep://goo.gl/maps/Yy3on

12. “Leing
Go”
with
Technologies:
Obstacles
and
Quandaries?

13. “Leing
Go”
with
Technologies:
Obstacles
and
Quandaries?
Japanese
PoliJcal
Economy
1.
Technical
• Passwords
and
enrolment
• Not
“digital
naIves”
–
steep
learning
curve
• ImperfecIons
of
Wiki
• No
Japanese
language
support
• Problems
with
user
friendliness

14. Feedback
on
Wiki
• “Wiki
is
a
very
good
idea.
But
maybe
we
could
find
some
ways
to
use
it
more
efficiently.
Like
giving
comments
to
each
other?”
• “It
would
be
good
to
warn
the
students
beforehand
to
work
on
the
wiki
page
itself
instead
of
copying
and
pasIng
from
microsol
word
(especially
when
it
comes
to
tables,
diagrams,
etc)
as
it
will
affect
the
formaing.”

15. Feedback
on
Wiki
• “the
wiki
markup
column
is
not
user
friendly
as
it
necessitates
familiarity
with
HTML
or
some
minor
programming
background.
it
would
be
far
more
convenient
and
user
friendly
if
it
has
a
GUI.
for
instance,
online
forums
make
it
really
easy
to
post
hyperlink,
pictures
and
other
medium
into
one
page.
the
NUS
wiki
tries
to
adopt
this
but
ends
up
looking
like
a
frankenstein
between
a
word
processor
and
a
user
inituiIve
GUI.
more
GUI
interfaces
and
deeper
integraIon
with
other
medium
e.g
youtube,
creaIng
boxes,
organizing
tools,
would
make
it
far
more
easier
to
use.”

16. “Leing
Go”
with
Technologies:
Obstacles
and
Quandaries?
Japanese
PoliJcal
Economy
1.
Technical
2.
EducaIonal
• Passwords
and
enrolment
• Preferred
in-­‐class
Ime
as
a
• No
Japanese
language
support
learning
experience
• Not
“digital
naIves”
–
steep
• CauIous
to
take
ownership
learning
curve
• Currently
no
mechanism
to
• ImperfecIons
of
Wiki
encourage
Wiki
behavior
–
the
flipside
of
“mastery”
• Overemphasis
on
“mastery”?

17. Please
rate
the
following
components
of
your
class
facilitaIon
as
a
learning
exercise.Good - I learned Not good - I did
Incredible - I
learned a great something from not learn
deal from doing this anything from
doing this doing this
1. Preview - summarizing readings
and determining themes for later 50.0% (2) 50.0% (2) 0.0% (0)
discussion
2. Lesson Plan - deciding what to
50.0% (2) 50.0% (2) 0.0% (0)
discuss, what activities to do, etc.
3. Class Meeting - running the weekly
75.0% (3) 25.0% (1) 0.0% (0)
session
4. Summary - writing a summary of
what we covered and what was 50.0% (2) 50.0% (2) 0.0% (0)
missing
5. Key Terms - writing Wiki articles for
25.0% (1) 75.0% (3) 0.0% (0)
at least 3 key ideas from the session

18. “Leing
Go”
with
Technologies:
Obstacles
and
Quandaries?
Japanese
PoliJcal
Economy
1.
Technical
2.
EducaIonal
• Passwords
and
enrolment
• Preferred
in-­‐class
Ime
as
a
• No
Japanese
language
support
learning
experience
• Not
“digital
naIves”
–
steep
• CauIous
to
take
ownership
learning
curve
• Currently
no
mechanism
to
• ImperfecIons
of
Wiki
encourage
Wiki
behavior
–
the
flipside
of
“mastery”
• Overemphasis
on
“mastery”?
• BeLer
than
lecture?

19. Rate
the
following
statements
about
your
experience
of
class
facilitaIon
Highly Agree Disagree Highly
agree disagree
1. Class facilitation made me more
50.0% (2) 50.0% (2) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0)
interested in the course material.
2. Class facilitation helped me better
100.0% (4) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0)
understand the course material.
3. Class facilitation is a more valuable
experience than attending a lecture on the 0.0% (0) 50.0% (2) 50.0% (2) 0.0% (0)
same topic conducted by a lecturer.
4. Class facilitation gave me a sense of
ownership of the teaching and learning 50.0% (2) 50.0% (2) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0)
process and the knowledge I found.
5. Class facilitation made me reflect on my
25.0% (1) 75.0% (3) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0)
own learning and the teaching I did.
6. Class facilitation helped me better
understand and utilize concepts related to 25.0% (1) 75.0% (3) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0)
Japan's political economy.

20. Student
Feedback
• “I
would
think
that
the
Lecturer
is
far
more
able
to
idenIfy,
correct
and
make
up
for
blind
spots
or
holes
in
the
field
of
knowledge
we
come
across.
simply
put,
the
lecturer
would
be
in
a
posiIon
to
beeer
explain
and
correct
deficiencies
in
knowledge
that
we
come
across.”

21. “Leing
Go”
with
Technologies:
Obstacles
and
Quandaries?
Field
Studies
1.
Technical
• Hardware
and
solware
(cameras,
phones,
or
tablets,
cable
or
SD
card
reader,
mulIple
terminals;
Google-­‐
enabled
accounts,
photo-­‐sharing
site
(need
URL
for
photo),
internet)
2.
Ethical
• Photos
and
map
as
public
or
private?
3.
EducaIonal
• Unpredictable
results
(see
right)
• Need
more
reflecIon,
discussion

22. Student
Feedback
• “The
mapping
exercise
is
also
about
creaIng/
discovering
our
own
knowledge
and
I
guess
that's
the
most
interesIng
part
about
field
research;
discovering
things
you
probably
wouldn't
have
noIced
by
being
a
passive
observer.”
(J,
year
3)
• “[The
mapping
exercise]
allowed
us
to
become
parIcipants
rather
than
mere
observers
of
our
environment.
It
forced
us
to
look
beyond
what
we
saw
on
the
surface
and
quesIon
them.”
(P,
year
4)

23. Student
Feedback
Really interesting - I It was OK - I learned I only remember I don't even know
learned a lot something being there - I what you are talking
learned no content about (was I there?)
Pre-departure
lectures from Dr. 90.9% (10) 9.1% (1) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0)
McMorran
Pre-departure lessons
81.8% (9) 18.2% (2) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0)
from student peers
Pre-departure
preparation of your 72.7% (8) 27.3% (3) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0)
group lesson
Huistenbosch
underground facilities 18.2% (2) 81.8% (9) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0)
tour
**Huistenbosch
alternative mapping
45.5% (5) 54.5% (6) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0)
exercise (w/your
photos)
Isahaya reclaimed
18.2% (2) 81.8% (9) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0)
land lecture and tour
Minamata Disease
Museum survivor 45.5% (5) 54.5% (6) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0)
lecture

24. “Leing
Go”
with
Technologies:
Obstacles
and
Quandaries?
Field
Studies
1.
Technical
• Hardware
and
solware
(cameras,
phones,
or
tablets,
cable
or
SD
card
reader,
mulIple
terminals;
Google-­‐
enabled
accounts,
photo-­‐sharing
site,
internet)
2.
Ethical
• Photos
and
map
as
public
or
private?
3.
EducaIonal
• Unpredictable
results
(see
right)
• Need
more
reflecIon,
discussion
• BeLer
than
lecture?

25. Student
Feedback
Really interesting - I It was OK - I learned I only remember I don't even know
learned a lot something being there - I what you are talking
learned no content about (was I there?)
Pre-departure
lectures from Dr. 90.9% (10) 9.1% (1) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0)
McMorran
Pre-departure lessons
81.8% (9) 18.2% (2) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0)
from student peers
Pre-departure
preparation of your 72.7% (8) 27.3% (3) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0)
group lesson
Huistenbosch
underground facilities 18.2% (2) 81.8% (9) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0)
tour
**Huistenbosch
alternative mapping
45.5% (5) 54.5% (6) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0)
exercise (w/your
photos)
Isahaya reclaimed
18.2% (2) 81.8% (9) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0)
land lecture and tour
Minamata Disease
Museum survivor 45.5% (5) 54.5% (6) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0)
lecture

26. ParIng
thoughts
• Remember
module
aims
• Be
brave
enough
to
“let
go”
• Try
something
new
• Follow-­‐up
on
efforts
– Discussion
during
class
– Anonymous
feedback
in
IVLE
– Free
online
survey
tools
(SurveyMonkey,
etc)
• Realize
when
a
technology
fails
to
meet
aims