Showing papers in "Journal on excellence in college teaching in 2014"

Cooperative Learning: Improving University Instruction by Basing Practice on Validated Theory.

Abstract: Cooperative learning is an example of how theory validated by research may be applied to instructional practice. The major theoretical base for cooperative learning is social interdependence theory. It provides clear definitions of cooperative, competitive, and individualistic learning. Hundreds of research studies have validated its basic propositions and demonstrated that cooperative learning (compared with competitive and individualistic learning) increases students’ efforts to achieve, encourages positive relationships with classmates and faculty, and improves psychological health and well being. Operational procedures have been derived from the validated theory to implement cooperative learning in university classes, including those needed to implement formal cooperative learning, informal cooperative learning, and cooperative base groups.

Boundary Crossings: Cooperative Learning, Collaborative Learning, and Problem-Based Learning

Abstract: Since the 1960s, there has been growing and sustained interest in small-group learning approaches at the school level and in higher education A voluminous body of literature in this area addresses theory, research, classroom practice, and faculty development The approaches most highly represented in the literature are cooperative learning, collaborative learning, and problem-based learning (PBL) In this article, the authors compare and contrast these approaches through answering questions such as the following: What are the unique features of each approach? What do the three approaches have in common? How are they similar, and how are they different?

Analysis of the Team-Based Learning Literature: TBL Comes of Age.

Abstract: Team-based learning, or TBL, is an application-oriented teaching method that combines small- and large-group learning by incorporating multiple small groups into a large group setting. It has been increasingly used in postsecondary and professional education over the past two decades. Given this increasing usage, many faculty wonder about the effects TBL has on learning outcomes. The authors performed a review and synthesis on the educational literature with respect to TBL to examine the quality of their descriptions of core TBL elements, then constructed narrative summaries of these selected articles. Their analysis demonstrated early evidence of positive educational outcomes in terms of knowledge acquisition, participation and engagement, and team performance. The authors conclude that the TBL literature is at an important maturation point, where more rigorous testing and study of additional questions relating to the method are needed, as well as more accurate reporting of TBL implementation.

Why Problem-Based Learning Works: Theoretical Foundations

Abstract: Problem-based learning (PBL) is an instructional method where student learning occurs in the context of solving an authentic problem. PBL was initially developed out of an instructional need to help medical school students learn their basic sciences knowledge in a way that would be more lasting while helping to develop clinical skills simultaneously. Although PBL addresses this specific need, it is also based in sound educational theories and paradigms. The author addresses those theoretical foundations of PBL, which, in turn, help readers to understand why PBL can be effective as well as enable them to diagnose and improve PBL applications when things are not going quite as planned.

Team-Based Learning Practices and Principles in Comparison with Cooperative Learning and Problem-Based Learning.

Abstract: The authors address three questions: (1) What are the foundational practices of team-based learning (TBL)? (2) What are the fundamental principles underlying TBL’s foundational practices? and (3) In what ways are TBL’s foundational practices similar to and/or different from the practices employed by problem-based learning (PBL) and cooperative learning (CL)? Most of the TBL vs. CL and PBL comparisons are organized in relation to the size of and strategies for forming groups/teams, the strategies for ensuring that students are familiar with the course content, the nature of the group/team assignments, the role of peer assessment, and the role of the instructor.

"Now, What Happens during Class?" Using Team-Based Learning to Optimize the Role of Expertise within the Flipped Classroom.

Abstract: If instructors desire students to gain a deeper understanding of the content and begin thinking like experts, then they need class time for active, collaborative learning. In the flipped classroom, primary knowledge acquisition occurs before class, which creates space for students to practice applying the information of the discipline with their peers. Team-based learning is an effective in-class, instructional-strategy that (1) assesses and enhances student content acquisition from pre-class study, and (2) uses the majority of class time for activities that enable them to discuss, take-risks, and make mistakes while developing their expertise.

Using Problem-based Learning: New Constellations for the 21st Century.

Abstract: The author argues that there is still too much teaching to the test, and the consequence is growing constellations of problem-based learning (PBL). Today, what passes for PBL practice often seems more like guidelines than any kind of reasoned pedagogy. While at one level the range of variations shows the value and flexibility of PBL as an accommodating, adaptable, and culturally relevant approach to learning, there is relatively little understanding of the impact of these different constellations on student engagement and learning. Nevertheless, these diverse constellations of PBL need to be delineated and understood. The author outlines the constellations, but also suggests that there are a number of issues that have not been considered in relation to the use of PBL.

Effective Task Design for the TBL Classroom

Abstract: Group and team tasks are the culminating outputs of student learning in team and collaborative learning environments. How they are conceived and designed, therefore, can directly determine the success of the pedagogical strategy. A key design issue for creating effective tasks is how best to focus student knowledge, observation, and analysis toward a concrete action that makes thinking visible. Actions in the shape of clear decisions applied to complex scenarios, within a restricted framework of options, are most likely to channel student thinking toward higher-level goals. The authors provide principles and examples for designing group tasks in any discipline.

The Impact of a Service-Learning Experience in Mentoring At-Risk Youth

Abstract: Service-learning experiences for college students are increasing in popularity. Although youth mentoring is thought to be a significant service-learning experience for students, data in this area are lacking. This study evaluates a unique school-based service-learning mentoring experience at a midsized Midwestern university. Data were collected throughout the course of one school year in order to assess students’ motivation and learning. Data sources include surveys, focus groups, and structured writings. Triangulation of data sources revealed that the experience appeared to improve students’ communication skills. They emphasized the importance of the mentoring relationship and a nuanced understanding of the complexity and diversity of their mentees’ lives. Future directions include further examination of the impact of youth mentoring on all college majors, as well as measuring the long-term impact of the experience on participating college students.

Problem-Based Learning: Outcomes Evidence from the Health Professions.

Abstract: Over the past 30 years, problem-based learning (PBL) has become a major force in health professions education and even in the broader educational world. This article focuses on the outcomes that have been found from using PBL in the health professions based on at least 20 reviews done since 1990. The outcomes identified in these reviews are described as well as the strength of the evidence used in their support. These review results are augmented with results from selected articles that elaborate on how PBL can produce the identified outcomes.

Using Cooperative Structures to Promote Deep Learning.

Abstract: The author explores concrete ways to help students learn more and have fun doing it while they support each other’s learning. The article specifically shows the relationships between cooper ative learning and deep learning. Readers will become familiar with the tenets of cooperative learning and its power to enhance learning—even more so when it is carefully structured and sequenced to promote deep learning. Concrete examples also offer some practical applications. Faculty developers and others who specialize in research on teaching and learning recognize that much of the research is convergent. Positive teaching and learning practices do not operate in stand-alone vacuums. A savvy university teacher draws eclectically from a number of sources and resources to design coherent teaching and learning plans. This article will examine symbiotically how cooperative learning and deep learning together can promote greater success both in and out of the classroom.

Preparing Culturally Responsive Pre-service Teachers for Culturally Diverse Classrooms

Abstract: Higher education is currently faced with three realities: (1) students of color comprise almost half of the public school population; (2) the number of teachers of color has not risen in proportion with students of color; (3) the demographic makeup of the teaching force is predominantly White. In response, the author used a phenomenology, qualitative research design to answer the following questions: What personal factors influence pre-service teachers’ cultural diversity knowledge base? What cultural diversity learning experiences are in place to prepare pre-service teachers to effectively teach culturally and linguistically diverse students? How do pre-service teachers perceive their professional preparedness to implement culturally responsive teaching practices in a diverse classroom? The first phase of the study involved the collection of demographic background characteristics to examine personal factors that may influence pre-service (N=82) teachers’ cultural diversity knowledge base. In Phase 2, the author conducted a follow-up focus group interview with a sub-sample selected from Phase 1. Analyzing the interview revealed disparities among preservice teachers regarding the aspects of culturally responsive teaching knowledge and implementation. The article concludes with a discussion of the theoretical and practical implications of the results.

Service Learning: A Tool to Develop Employment Competencies for College Students

Abstract: College students will face a workplace transformed even from the one that existed five years ago. Public and private organizations presently require employees to possess highly developed core competencies. This shift in expectations, exacerbated by high unemployment among recent college graduates, has made accountability a hot issue for higher education. Colleges have begun to integrate experiential approaches into the curriculum to impart work competencies. Internships, the classic form of experiential education, cannot develop all the required skills and knowledge, especially if students do not take part in a reflection activity. Service-learning, a more recent approach to experiential education, is high impact because it links community service to academic goals and facilitates application and testing of academics in a new professional situation. The author discusses how the intrinsic characteristics of service-learning facilitate the acquisition of workplace competencies by exploring its application in two community college paralegal courses.

Using Classroom Assessment and Cognitive Scaffolding to Enhance the Power of Small-Group Learning.

Abstract: In this article we describe our experiences with using small-group instruction in college settings for a combined total of 60 years. Since others, including Johnson and Johnson (1989), Kagan (1994, 2009), Sharan (1994), and Aronson (2011), have developed specific forms of group work, such as structured controversy, jigsaw, and group investigation, we will focus on how we have used group work as a core technique and have developed additional procedures that seem to potentiate the power of group work, regardless of the specific procedure and discipline.

Enhancement of SciencePerformance through Computer-Assisted Instruction amongSelected Secondary School Learners in Kenya

Abstract: The performance of learners in Science in Kenyan secondary schools has been consistently low over the years. Many factors contribute to this poor performance and among them is the inappropriate teaching approaches that are teachercentered rather than learner-centered. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the influence of instructional methods on efficiency of content delivery to the learner and eventually the learner’s improved performance in science. Quasi-experimental design was used, based on the performance in science when the Conventional Instructional Techniques (CIT) are used and when a combination of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) and conventional instructional methods are used. Biology, Chemistry and Physics teachers and Form Two learners from six provincial secondary schools situated in the greater Embu district were involved the research. Data collected using Standard Students Assessment Tests (SSAT) was analyzed in order to uncover whether there was a significant difference in learners’ science performance before and after the treatment. The study found out that learners taught through CAI performed significantly better than learners taught through CIT in science. Based on this study, it was concluded that use of computer-assisted instruction improves secondary school learners’ performance in science. This paper ends with some recommendations for further research.

Triostatistics: The Application of Innovative In-Depth Advanced Post Hoc Statistical Metrics for the Assessment and Analysis of Statistically Significant Tri-Squared Test Outcomes

Abstract: This monograph provides an epistemological rational for the design of an advanced and novel parametric statistical analysis metrics. Triostatistics (or more simply “Triostat”) is the application of Post Hoc measures to the statistically significant outcomes of the Trichotomous Squared Test. Triostatistics involves a variety of robust and rigorouscalculations and computations to provide further insight on the inner workings of statistically significant Tri-Squared Test results. Each of the Triostatistics Tests are introduced and defined in a summative form. The Tri-Squared Testwas first introduced in the Journal on Mathematics as an innovative and in-depth statistical qualitative and quantitativedata analysis procedure.

Speak Out Loud: Deconstructing Shame and Fear through Theater in a Community-Based Service-Learning Project.

Abstract: The combination of theater and community-based service-learning can be a powerful tool to allow university students to meet their educational goals while connecting them with the world. The performance of children’s theater in elementary schools with English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) programs, for example, has important pedagogical and social effects. For both groups of students, this becomes an opportunity to be better prepared for a level of social engagement involving bilingualism that was not necessarily available to their parents and/or members of their community. The author describes and analyzes the results of the adaptation and performance of Alfonsina Storni’s children’s plays for two different ESOL classes. This experience may serve to enlighten the readers about a less conventional, but very effective, learning method.

Intellectual Curiosity in Action: A Framework to Assess First-Year Seminars in Liberal Arts Settings.

Abstract: Fostering students’ intellectual curiosity is a common goal of first-year seminar programs—especially in liberal arts settings. The authors propose an alternative method to assess this ambiguous, value-laden concept. Relying on data gathered from pre- and posttest in-depth interviews of 34 students enrolled in first-year seminars, they construct an externally valid assess ment framework to measure the behavioral manifestations of intellectual curiosity. More specifically, they measure the extent to which students’ participation in first-year seminars leads to an increase in intrinsically motivated behaviors that enhance and expand upon their educational experience. Colleges and universities nationwide have instituted first-year seminar programs to facilitate students’ entrance into their respective intellectual communities. The success of these programs has been measured in a number of ways. They have been shown to improve graduation rates (Barefoot, 1993), retention (Boudreau & Kromrey, 1994), satisfaction, and student adjustment (for an overview, see Barton and Donahue, 2009; Pascarella and Terenzini, 2005, pp. 400-403). Yet, while these are worthy accomplishments, many institutions have higher aspirations; they want to transform students into new kinds of people. A 2006 survey of first-year seminar programs found that over 35% of them encouraged some type of “self-exploration” and “personal development” (Griffin & Tobolows ky, 2008). In this study, we offer a framework for assessing one of these

Differences in Student Evaluations of Limited-Term Lecturers and Full-Time Faculty

Abstract: This study compared student evaluations of teaching (SET) for limited-term lecturers (LTLs) and full-time faculty (FTF) using a Likert-scaled survey administered to students (N = 1,410) at the end of university courses. Data were analyzed using a general linear regression model to investigate the influence of multi-dimensional evaluation items on the overall rating item (Overall, I would rate the instructor of this course as outstanding) on the SET. Results showed that students provided higher ratings for LTLs than FTF, but they value different items when rating the overall evaluation of LTLs and FTF. Some survey items (for instance, those about instructor planning and enthusiasm) influence more on the rating of the overall item for LTLs than for FTF, whereas other, multi-dimensional items (for instance, those about assessment strategies and instructor’s availability) influence more on the overall rating for FTF than for LTLs. Data and discussions of results identify the differences and suggest strategies for improving teaching effectiveness based on the ratings provided by students.

The Impact of Peer Review on Writing in a Psychology Course: Lessons Learned.

Abstract: The authors assessed the impact of peer review on student writing in four sections of an undergraduate Developmental Psychology course. They hypothesized that peer review would result in better writing in the peer review group compared to the group with no peer review. Writing was rated independently by two instructors who were blind to the conditions. The results showed a pattern opposite to this hypothesis, with the no-peer review group performing significantly better than the peer review group. This enhancement in the performance of the no-peer review group was reminiscent of the Hawthorne effect. Surveys also were obtained from both groups regarding their perceptions about the process and use of different tools (for example, informal peer review and writing centers). Implications for the future use of peer review in writing among undergraduates are discussed.

Monitoring and Assessing Digital Story Projects in Middle Grades English Language Arts

Abstract: The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate teacher practice in the areas of monitoring and assessing digital story projects. The Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts require students to use text-based evidence in their analyses of literary texts. Woven into the standards are expectations for students’ use of technology to research and communicate ideas in a variety of formats. When students construct digital stories based on literary works, they select images that visually represent characters, setting, theme, and conflict. Farmer (2004) observed that the process of selecting images to visually represent literary elements helped students to think critically about the story and what it meant. However, the assessment of student-authored digital products is a challenging proposition for novice technology users. The researcher followed the work of two middle grades English language arts teachers, whose students created digital stories to demonstrate their understanding of literary elements in the novel The Outsiders. Classroom observations, teacher interviews, and artifacts of teacher and student work shared through a project wiki, Google Drive and online conferencing comprised the data set. The study findings describe how the subjects used technology to facilitate project monitoring and how they incorporated formative and summative assessments into the digital storytelling project. Several implications for teacher education are discussed, including parallels to the writing process instructional model, the role of cloud computing in collaboration and assessment, and the importance of connecting teaching methods to technology coursework.