How We Learn

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How We Learn
5
Lecture
10 Reading
20
Audio-Visual
30
Demonstration
50
Discussion Group
75
Practice by Doing
90 Teach Others
2
Student Centered Learning Strategies

• Case studies
• Problem-based assignments
• Concept mapping
• Writing
• Brainstorming
• Peer teaching

• Debates
• Simulations
• Games
• Role playing
• Story telling

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Get their attention!

• Learn students names, even if you have to use
  tent cards.
• Ask students to refer to each other by name.
• Use icebreakers or team building activities.
• Begin the class with an activity a writing ,
  quote, poem, puzzle, silly or serious quiz or
  song.
• Call on students. Dont wait for volunteers.
• Use examples, language, metaphors that they can
  relate to.
• Show enthusiasm for the subject.
• Teach in chunks. Intersperse the
  lecture/presentation with questions, activity,
  games.
• When showing a graph, chart, maps, etc., ask
  students what they see before telling them what
  is there.
• Recognize effort. Everyone likes positive
  feedback. Great question, Erin. Terry,
  thanks for that comment.

4
Silent StartObjective Apply critical thinking
skills and prepare for discussion.Materials
Paper, pen

• Start the class with a brief writing assignment
  by putting 2-3 questions on the board.
• Give students 5 minutes to write responses.
• Group students in pairs or triads for discussion.
  Allow 6-8 minutes.
• Facilitate discussion. Compare and contrast
  responses. Summarize and bring to closure.
• Examples
• - In what ways have RIT faculty and students
  influenced the growth and
• development of Upstate New York?
• - What is feminism? Are you a feminist?
  Why/why not?
• - Why is understanding our mental models
  important?

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Silent DialogueObjective Apply critical
thinking skills, practice writing,
dialogue.Materials A dialogue notebook
(spiral bound or journal)

• This exercise is initiated by a question(s) you
  pose to students at the conclusion of a class.
  The question should be tied in with the class
  content you have recently covered and/or assigned
  readings. Advise students that what they write
  will be read by another student.
• At the beginning of the next class, pair them up
  and tell them this is a silent exercise. They
  cannot talk with their partner.
• Partners are to exchange papers, read the answer.
  Then they are to write one question on the
  partners paper to clarify understanding or
  provoke deeper understanding of the topic.
• Exchange papers, read the question and write an
  answer. Exchange.
• Depending on the time you intend to allocate for
  this activity, students could l exchange several
  questions and answers.
• .

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Traffic Lightfor a lecture-type class

• At the beginning of the semester, or class,
  distribute three
• cardsone green, one yellow, one red. Instructs
  students to
• Keep the green card visible if you are following
  what is being communicated by the professor or a
  fellow student.
• Display the yellow card if you are confused,
  getting lost.
• Flash the red card if you are disagreeing with or
  objecting to what is being said.

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Traffic LightObjective Assess
progress/understandingRegularly or periodically,
assess what is working for students in terms of
active learning. Use an assessment sheet, like
the one below, or post one on a flip chart size
for students to write on.
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In and OutObjective Stay
focusedResearch indicates that most they people
are only fully engaged for the first 18-30
seconds someone is speaking to them before they
begin to have distracting thoughts. It is
suggested that if people process the
distracting, or "out" thought, they can quickly
come back in. Suggest to students that they
keep two columns going in their note taking. The
in thoughts are concepts, ideas, information
that is important. Any "out" thoughts can be
written down in the "out" column. Once a student
acknowledges "out" thoughts she can leave them
because she knows they are written down and can
go back to them later. This technique can be
helpful when trying to get students to focus
attention on their "in" thoughts and dispense
"out" thoughts.

• In
• Beginnings of RIT 1829 Nathaniel Rochester
• Athenaeum. Started as a reading society 5. To
  attend
• lecture. Brought in Emerson, Holmes,.
• Mechanics Institute 1885 - businessmen developed
  as free
• evening school for industrial trades, i.e.,
  drawing.
• Mechanics Institute merged in 1891 with Rochester
  
• Athenaeum to form the Rochester Athenaeum and
  Mechanics
• Institute (RAMI).

• Out
• call Dana
• Meet Erin
• Store
• Chicken
• soda

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Post NoteObjective Provide opportunity for
students to post questions to instructor or the
class or communicate an idea or
concernMaterials Sticky notes

• Communicate to students that their comments,
  questions, concerns are important to you. They
  may think of questions or concerns before or
  after class. Suggest they capture those
  questions/ideas on a sticky note and post it in a
  designated area.
• Supply sticky notes or have students bring their
  own.
• Designate a place in the room for students to
  post notes. This may be a section of the
  blackboard, part of a wall, inside the door.
• Advise students to post notes before class or
  during break (if a lengthy class).
• Address content of sticky notes at the same
  time, i.e., end of class, one day a week.

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Concept MapsObjective To create a visual
representation of structures and
relationshipsMaterials Paper, pen, pencils.
Can be created with concept mapping
software.Begin your class inviting students to
take notes using the concept mapping technique.
Stop the presentation from time to time and ask
students tospend 5 minutes collaboratively
drawing a concept map of the topics covered so
far. Continue with your presentation and repeat
the concept-mapping interludes. Use maps for

• Presentation
• Note taking
• Creating an outline
• Essay/paper writing

• Creative writing
• Summarize reading
• Planning
• Organizing

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1829
ROCHESTER ATHENAEUM READING SOCIETY 5.
ROCHESTER MECHANICS INSTITUTE
1885
RIT HISTORY
DRAWING
EMERSON
FOUNDER Nathaniel Rochester
INDUSTRIAL SKILLS
MERGED 1891
HOLMES
R A M I
Named RIT 1944
Concept map Use for
lecture presentation / note taking
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Concept map of
students knowledge Use for
review and study relationships
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Concept map two approaches
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How to do a Map

• Concept-Mapping" is a typically a non-linear
  tool used for thinking and learning. However, it
  can be created in a linear fashion. The
  following guidelines are offered for ease of
  creating a map. However, dont get locked into
  rules that hinder learning.
• Use unlined paper, if possible, to support the
  non-linear process of mapping. If you must use
  lined paper, turn it so the lines are vertical.
• Color coding may be helpful. Use colored
  pencils, ink or highlighters.
• Begin with the main idea in the middle of the
  page. This may be a word, a phrase, a symbol, or
  a drawing.
• Each new concept, theory, or idea is placed on a
  spoke or branch that stems from the main
  idea.
• A concept may branch several times to include
  closely related information.
• If several branches are closely related, group
  them together by drawing a circle around them.
• Connect all words, phrases, pictures or lists
  with lines, to the center (main idea) or to other
  "branches."
• Create the map without concern over where things
  should go. Analyzing and ordering are linear
  activities that may hinder the Mapping process.
• Write down everything you can think of without
  editing.

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Partner ProgressObjective Compare information
and share ideas.

• Depending on the nature and time frame of the
  class, ask students to turn to one another and
  compare notes or exchange any questions or
  concerns about the class content.
• Give them 3-5 minutes.
• After this activity ask what they learned about
  the content or another persons perspective.
• Ask what questions they have as a result of the
  partner exchange.

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Types of QuestioningUse a variety of
question types. Teach toward the type of
questions you want students to ask.

• Convergent thinking represents analysis and
  integration of remembered or given
• information.
• How, Why, In what ways. What countries were
  involved in the Cuban Missile
  Crisis?
• Divergent thinking brings out interpretation or
  explanation.
• If, thenSuppose, What are some local
  effects of the Enron scandal?
• Evaluative questions deal with values, judgment,
  and choice.
• Justify, Defend, What do you think Should
  capital punishment be abolished?
• Open-ended questions encourage involvement.
• How would you research this problem?
• Closed-ended questions usually ask for answers
  requiring simple recall or memorization.
• What are the three principles of.?

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Blooms Taxonomy Levels of
QuestioningBenjamin Bloom created a taxonomy
for categorizing level of abstraction of
questions that commonly occur in educational
settings. The taxonomy provides a useful
structure in which to categorize teaching and
test questions. Lower level questions are those
at the knowledge, comprehension, and simple
application levels of the taxonomy. Higher-level
questions are those requiring complex
application analysis, synthesis, and evaluation
skills. If you want to develop higher order
thinking, ask higher order questions.

• KNOWLEDGE - Recall verbatim information
  memorization with no evidence of understanding.
• remembering
• memorizing
• recognizing
• recalling identification and
• recall of information
• Who, what, when, where, how ...?
• Describe
• COMPREHENSION Restatement in your own words
  summarize.
• translating from one medium to another
• describing in one's own words
• organization and selection of facts and ideas
• Retell...

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• APPLICATION - Use of information to solve
  problems transfer of abstract or theoretical
  ideas to practical situations.
• problem solving
• applying information to produce some result
• use of facts, rules and principles
• How is...an example of...?
• How is...related to...?
• Why is...significant?
• ANALYSIS Identification of component parts
  determination of arrangement, logic, semantics.
• subdividing something to show how it is put
  together
• finding the underlying structure of a
  communication
• identifying motives
• separation of a whole into component parts
• What are the parts or features of...?
• Classify...according to...
• Outline/diagram...
• How does...compare/contrast with...?
• What evidence can you list for...?

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• SYNTHESIS Combining information to form a
  unique product requires creativity and
  originality.
• creating a unique, original product that may be
  in verbal form or may be a physical
• object
• combination of ideas to form a new whole
• What would you predict/infer from...?
• What ideas can you add to...?
• How would you create/design a new...?
• What might happen if you combined...?
• What solutions would you suggest for...?
• EVALUATION Judgment the ability to make
  decisions and support views requires
  understanding of values.
• making value decisions about issues
• resolving controversies or differences of
  opinion
• development of opinions, judgments or decisions
• Do you agree...?
• What do you think about...?
• What is the most important...?
• Place the following in order of priority...
• How would you decide about...?

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JeopardyObjective Review, work in teams, and
have fun.At the beginning of the semester
advise students that you will be playing Jeopardy
as review for mid-term or final exams. Each
student is to submit 1 question in each
pre-determined category. Award students points
for each submitted. , i.e., 5 or 1 pt. These
points will accumulate toward the final grade.
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Jeopardy Directions

• Assign students into two teams. 
• Teams select a name and someone whose
  responsibility it is to reveal the answers that
  the team agrees upon.
• Advise students that if any team member calls out
  an answer without the team consensus, this will
  be considered the teams answer, whether it is
  correct or incorrect.
• You, the instructor, will keep score. Record
  scores on a flipchart or chalk board.
• Roll dice or flip a coin to determine which team
  goes first.
• The first team chooses a category and a point
  value. (For example, in the sample above the
  choice might be RIT Art 40 Points.)
• After the team decides on the category and point
  value, read a question from the category.
  Students discuss and decide on an answer.
• The team captain calls out the answer for the
  team. 
• If correct, the team wins the appropriate points.
  (In this case, they will get 40 points.)
• If this team did not correctly answer the
  question, the other team has the opportunity to
  answer the same question. Or the other team may
  choose a different category and point value.

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Pair ShareObjective To stimulate short
discussion between pairs of students.Materials
Class notes, paper, pen

• Stop the presentation and give the students a
  question.
• Students each formulate an answer. Give them 3-5
  minutes.
• Students share answers with partner.
• Partner listens to answer.
• Switch.
• Create a new answer synthesizing both
  perspectives.
• Call on students to read the new question.

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Role Play the ConceptsObjective To strengthen
learning by acting out the concept

• Physically acting out a concept may be a
  more effective and engaging for students than
  simply
• reading or hearing about the concept. The
  example below was used in a research methods
• class. It can be adapted to many different
  concepts and learning environments.
• Learning objective Distinguish between
  independent and dependent variables. Identify
• possible antecedent and intervening
  variables.
• Have the entire class stand in a group.
• 2) Pose the following research question What
  is the correlation between sex of the driver and
  being stopped for speeding?
• 3) Advise the students to first identify the
  independent variable (sex of the driver), the
  attributes of that variable (male/female), and
  the dependent variable (stopped for speeding).
• 4) Next, tell the students that they need to
  actually show how we would research this by
  moving around
• the room. Ask, What would you do first?
  Here the students need to divide into the two
  attributes,
• male and female.
• 5) State, Now that you are in two groups, what
  is the question? ( Who has been stopped for
  speeding?)

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PropsObjective Learn an abstract with a
tangibleMaterials Miscellaneous props

• Roll dice or flip a coin to teach probability.
  Have students work in pairs or small groups with
  dice to experience this first-hand.
• Use candy to show measures of central tendency.
  Jelly beans or MMs work well with this
  activity. Give pairs or groups of students candy
  and data. They are to use the candy to depict
  a bar chart, histogram, polygon, etc. You may
  make this competitive.
• A human histogram or scatter gram can be created
  by asking students to position themselves in the
  room as if each person was data.

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Problem based learningObjectives To promote
higher-order thinking, problem-solving,
communication and critical analysis- Apply
real world problems to acquire and integrate
knowledge, or use hypothetical problems.

• Precede assignment with discussion on group
  dynamics and group roles facilitator, recorder,
  etc.
• Identify and assign actual or hypothetical
  problems.
• Establish guidelines and a timeframe to solve the
  problem.
• Schedule presentation of team solutions.
• Ask class to discuss and evaluate effectiveness
  of each solution.

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Interval Quiz Objective To assess learning at
intervals in the class period Materials Paper
and pen Interval Quiz involves alternating
lecture/presentation with quizzes. You may create
the quizzes or students may learn more if they
create the quizzes. Set a period of time to
lecture, say 8-12 minutes, (set a timer if you
need to). Then stop the lecture.

• Instruct students to group together into teams of
  3-5 people (depending on size of class). Next,
  ask them to select a representative who will
  later share with the entire class.
• The task is to compare their notes and come up
  with three substantial questions based on what
  they heard in this portion of the lecture.
  Advise them of the amount of time for this
  activity, say 7 minutes. They will need to get
  right to work on to task and not be chatting.
• When the activity time has elapsed, select one
  team at random and invite the representative to
  read a question and to select an individual
  member of any other team to answer it. Continue
  to do this until all teams have posed a question.
• Consider using some of the questions for review
  or on an exam.

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Summary SwapObjective Summarize a segment of
content and identify key learning
points.Materials Index cards or students paper

• After a period of time, roughly 10 minutes, in
  class or lab, ask students to summarize the key
  learnings from that segment of the class.
• On an index card, or sheet of paper, they are to
  put their name at the top. Use only one side to
  record the summary. About 2 minutes for this.
• Ask everyone to stand up and exchange the card
  with someone. The person who received the card
  will read it over and add anything they think is
  important that the card owner may have left
  out.
• Exchange cards 2-3 times with different students.
• Direct everyone to return the card to the
  owner.
• Ask for a volunteer to read their summary and
  what was added to the card.
• The cards make a great tool for review.

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Teach learnObjective To reinforce learning
by teaching to a peer

• Advise students that they are to select one
  concept, formula, etc., from what has been
  covered today, to teach to a classmate.
• Allow about 3-4 minutes for preparation. The
  teaching should only take
• one and a half to two minutes for each
  person.
• Pair students for the teach/learn activity.
  They may select their own partner or you may ask
  them to pair with someone they dont know, or
  havent paired with previously.
• Give then some directions to begin, i.e., the
  person whose first name begins first in the
  alphabet. Tell them they have 5 minutes total
  for both students to teach and ask questions.
  Advise them when half of the time has elapsed.
• Ask how the teaching reinforced the learning.

When we teach, we learn
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References
Danserau, D.F. and Newborn, D. (1997) Using
knowledge maps to enhance teaching. In W.E.
Campbell and K.A. Smith (Eds.), New paradigms for
college teaching (pp. 127-147). Edina, MN
Interaction. Novak, J.D. and Gowin, D.G. (1984)
Learning how to learn. Cambridge, England
Cambridge University Paul, K. (1996) Study
smarter not harder. Vancouver Self-Counsel
Press. PBL Insight (a problem based learning
publication) is published quarterly by Samford
University, and distributed for free.
www.samford.edu. www.inspiration.com - free
trial software with concept mapping
applications http//home.capecod.net - education
resources for all disciplines http//www.vta.spco
mm.uiuc.edu - nine modules for developing team
work among students