Instructional Strategies

• Active Learning

  • What is it?

    • Active learning stategies move the student from passively listening, watching, or taking notes to actively engaging with the content.

    • Falcon Products: Active Learning and Student Performance Infographic provides a good overview of active learning and results from a study conducted at North Carolina State University.

  • Why incorporate active learning strategies?

    • Cornell University Center for Teaching Excellance: Active Learning discusses the benefits of active learning strategies and some considerations when planning lessons.

  • What are some best practices for higher ed.?

    • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: Classroom Activities for Active Learning presents everything from individual to whole class strategies.

    • University of Michigan: Arthur F. Thurnau Professors/ Engaging Students in the Classroom and Beyond presents professors discussing their strategies for engaging students.

    • ​Laura Middlesworth: Active and Collaborative Learning in Higher Ed has a series of blog postings about her experiences with implementing active learning strategies 

  • What does the literature say?

    • Journal on Excellence in College Teaching, Volume 25, Numbers 3 and 4 (2014), Special Focus Issue: Small-Group Learning in Higher Education—Cooperative, Collaborative, Problem-Based, and Team-Based Learning. (limited time free access; also available from SFASU Libraries) provides a whole series of articles discussing the various strategies for small-group learning and what the research says about their impact on learning.

    • Prince, M. (2004). Does active learning work? A review of the research. Journal of Engineering Education, 93(3), 223-231.

• Flipped Learning

  • What is it?

    • Flipped instruction moves the traditional lecture online (often outside the classroom) and moves active learning into the classroom. The strategy has been modified many different ways in order to accomodate the unique needs of various disciplines and students.

    • Knewton Infographics: The Flipped Classroom provides an overview of flipped learning and results from one high school that adopted the strategy.

  • Why incorporate flipped learning strategies?

    • The flipped model provides more time for active learning, collaboration, and interacting with students during classtime.

    • Listen to Jon Bergmann (one of the orginators of the strategy): Preparing Your Students for Flipped Learning talk about how this instructional model can be implemented.

  • What are some best practices for higher ed.?

    • C. J. Brame at Vanderbuilt University Center for Teaching: Flipping the Classroom

    • K. Walsh: Flipped Classroom Best Practices for Higher Ed (UB Tech 2014 Presentation)

    • Duke Center for Instructional Technology: Flipping the Classroom

    • R. Talbert: Three evolving thoughts about flipped learning

• Formative Assessment

  • What is it?

    • The difference between formative and summative assessment is in the purpose for the assessment. Formative assessment occurs during instruction to provide feedback to the students and the instructor to direct the learning process. Summative assessment occurs at the end of instruction.

  • Why incorporte formative assessment?

    • Chappuis, S. and Chappuis, J.. (Dec 2007/Jan 2008). The Best Value in Formative Assessment. Educational Leadership, 65(4), 14-19.

  • What are some best practices for higher ed.?

    • J. Orlando in Faculty Focus: To Improve Student Performance, Start Thinking Like a Coach talks about the importance of providing feedback to improve student performance.

    • T. Dyer and J. Steele in Faculty Focus: Assessing What Your Students Know, Want to Know, and Have Learned discuss a strategy for monitoring your students' learning.

    • D. Nichol: Rethinking Formative Assessment in HE discusses principles of providing good feedback.

  • What does the literature say?

    • Cooper, J. L., & Robinson, P. (2014). Using classroom assessment and cognitive scaffolding to enhance the power of small-group learning. Journal on Excellence in College Teaching, 25(3&4), 149-161. (free access for a limited time; also available from SFA Libraries) 

• Mobile Learning

  • What is it?

    • Any learning activity that incorporates a mobile device (like a smartphone, cell phone, or tablet).

  • Why incorporate moble learning?

    • Mobile learning allows you to take advantage of the powerfool tools that are ubiqitous in everday life.

  • What are some best practices for higher ed.?

    • ​DePaul University: Mobile Learning provides 4 examples of how mobile learning is used at DePaul.

    • University of Michigan: Examples of U-M Faculty Using Instructional Technology provides innovative example of technology integration.

    • WGBH Educational Foundation: Stategies for Implementation-Tips for Success provides great tips to consider when implementing instructional technology.

    • Michigan State University: Integrating Instructional Technology into Your Courses has a great section titled "Specific Teaching and Learning Strategies Using Technology" towards the bottom of the page with links to great tips about specific strategies and tools.