Strategies for Fostering Engagement in Large Classes

Strategies for Fostering Engagement in Large Classes
(...well, we try.)
John Boyer (joboyer@vt.edu)
Dept. of Geography
Virginia Tech
Twitter: @plaidavenger
Katie Pritchard (kpritcha@vt.edu)
Dept. of Geography
Virginia Tech
Twitter: @katiepritchard
Friday, February 6, 15

The technology tools now
available to communicate
and to deliver content are
AWESOME!!!
...but don’t be forced into
compliance, nor lulled
into complacency....

A few general
strategies we use
in super-large
classes...

Strategy #1: Increase the bandwidth
A few general
strategies we use
in super-large
classes...

Strategy #2: Expand options
A few general
strategies we use
in super-large
classes...

Strategy #2: Expand options
Strategy #3: Make a class into a
community
A few general
strategies we use
in super-large
classes...

-Communicate in their languages

Increases teacher/student interactions

Increases student/student interactions

Provides instant and continuous feedback

These amazing (and free!) new communication tools to
that bring people together...most of which your students
are already using!
Tools that help students
interact with other
students

Professor Facebook/Twitter - class notices, quick
polling, instant feedback & casual interaction
Tools that help connect the
professor to the students

Tools that help connect
the professor to the
students Ustream - Online ofﬁce hours

Tools that help connect
the professor to the
students
Creating a powerful PERCEPTION of availability
Ustream - Online ofﬁce hours

Tools that help give
students a voice during
class, building a sense of
active involvement
Twitter - Class hashtag
streamed live on-screen

Provides instant and continuous feedback
Your students are already interacting in this space
(and often interacting aboutYOU)

Your students are already on Twitter...

Strategy #2: Use technology to expand options

-Flexibility in lecture content availability
accommodates different schedules

YOURS
TOO!

-Flexibility in assignments/assessments accommodates
different learning styles and testing strengths

A diversity of student assessment options
1080 points = A,
940 points = B, etc.
1)13 weekly quizzes x 30pts =400 (+10 for doing all 13)
2)Midterm Exam =125
3)Final Exam =125
4)World Leaders Exam 50x2 =100
5)Films 5x20pts =100 (20/each up to 100 points max)
6)Geographic Film Scripting =150 (50/each up to 150 points max)
7)Non-class events paper =150 (25/each up to 150 point max)
8)Atlas quizzes (11) =110
9)Twitter Assignment =200
10)World Leaders Bio =50
11)Forum Commenting (13wks) =200 (15/each week)
12) Storify New Curation =180 (15/each up to180 points max)
13)International Interview =50
14)Flash Quizzes =???
15)Plaid Correspondents/Artists =???
Total 2000+ ???
Our Flipped Syllabus Example:
-Allow max ﬂex in assignments, so peeps can do things they are best at to
‘prove’ their knowledge (or at least demonstrate effort/work)

-Create assignments that utilize the on-line
environments they already use...

.....and harnesses their knowledge, creativity, and energies

Strategy #3: Make a class into a community

Say what? What the heck is that?

Say what? What the heck is that?
Any environment where peeps--openly
and willingly--work with other peeps

Sounds kind of sappy to me....

...I mean, they are coming to class to see me,
the expert, not other students.

...I mean, they are coming to class to see me,
the expert, not other students.
So why bother building a community?

THE TMI slide

-Keeps students engaged, interested, and active before/during/after class
THE TMI slide

A college course is a holistic learning experience for an entire semester, not just during the
live class session...and you cannot be there personally all the other hours of the week
THE TMI slide

-Students who feel they are a part of a community help each other
and inform each other much more
THE TMI slide

-Perhaps cliche, but collaborative learning and working prepares
students much more for ‘the real world’
THE TMI slide

Basically, because a community can increase student
learning, learning opportunities, and may even make
your job way easier than dealing with 3000 individual
students
-Perhaps cliche, but collaborative learning and working prepares
students much more for ‘the real world’
THE TMI slide

Not sold yet? Then let’s make it more real:

A COMMUNITY can answer each other’s questions
...3000 individuals will ask you the same question
3000 times

A COMMUNITY can answer each other’s questions
...3000 individuals will ask you the same question
3000 times
And a community can take
care of problems as well...
like our
FACEBOOK SCANDAL

Community building is not all
academically-oriented either...

On-line ﬁlm night....

More important than the mundane:
a COMMUNITY of learners can often form a more
logical climbing team to knowledge than you can...

What the hell:
Encourage them to cheat.
Work together.
Share.

A COMMUNITY feels comfortable and even compelled
to add to the class in a great diversity of ways
...a class of INDIVIDUALS does not

….and on a personal note: I want to create on-line courses that
completely eliminate geographic barriers, but also destroy social
barriers in their entirety: students interacting with each other, and
me, on equal footing, but also with politicians and scientists and
everyone else….by building community.

A COMMUNITY working together can achieve more
than an INDIVIDUAL can on their own...and can make
the impossible possible with a collective voice.

A COMMUNITY working together can achieve more
than an INDIVIDUAL can on their own...and can make
the impossible possible with a collective voice.
...GROUP SYNERGY evolves organically

Aung San Suu Kyi
Noble Peace Prize Winner
and chairperson of the
National League for
Democracy in Burma
Led to live Skype session with her
Initial interest from
Burmese student
Skype shout out & social networking by students

But there is just one catch....

But there is just one catch....
You can’t actually “make” a community.

AND speaking of ‘catches’....
there are some things that need to be
recognized about this ed tech ‘revolution’...
...and teaching ‘good’ to ‘great’ large classes...

-It is a ton of work. Especially up front.

-The more successful you are, the more time consuming it
can become.

can become.
-Administration and support have to pony up

can become.
-Administration and support have to encourage
experimentation, and not condemn failure

can become.
-Harness the tools to serve you....don’t serve them.

can become.
-It will all change tomorrow.
-Harness the tools to serve you....don’t serve them.

But this stuff is awesome!
Communicating knowledge,
communicating ideas,
communicating curiosity,
communicating passion....

Isn’t that what teaching is
really all about?

Isn’t that what teaching is
really all about?
And everything I’ve
talked about is simply
a megaphone for
amplifying your voice

Technologies in education are not just gimmicks:
HARNESS THE TOOLS!

Students don’t have to be passive:
HARNESS THEIR ENERGY!
HARNESS THE TOOLS!

HARNESS THE TOOLS!
You don’t have to do it alone:
HARNESS USER
KNOWLEDGE and
SKILLS!

A strong community is a potent force:
HARNESS THE POTENTIAL!
HARNESS THE TOOLS!
HARNESS USER
KNOWLEDGE and
SKILLS!

A strong community is a potent force:
HARNESS THE POTENTIAL!
HARNESS THE TOOLS!
HARNESS USER
KNOWLEDGE and
SKILLS!
SO FORWARD....
....TO THE BIG CLASS FUTURE!

A COMMUNITY keeps up with each other after the
class is over
...INDIVIDUALS in a class typically do not
Thus we are seeing creating a life-long
community of learners that grows every
semester, and now includes alumni, family
members and friends...

A COMMUNITY keeps up with each other after the
class is over
...INDIVIDUALS in a class typically do not
Thus we are seeing creating a life-long
community of learners that grows every
semester, and now includes alumni, family
members and friends...
Creating life-long
learners...isn’t that
what we teachers are
all about?

Strategies for Fostering Engagement in Large Classes

Recomendados

Recomendados

Más contenido relacionado

Similar a Strategies for Fostering Engagement in Large Classes

Similar a Strategies for Fostering Engagement in Large Classes (20)

Último

Último (20)

Strategies for Fostering Engagement in Large Classes