Below is another YouTube video from Kansas State University on learning in higher education — today and tomorrow. It is a condensed version of a full documentary, edited to just under 10 minutes to meet YouTube’s time limit.
January 24th, 2008
The following is an article from our Fall #2 “Communicating for Learners” newsletter. We encourage your comments, thoughts, experiences, and questions as they relate to this concept of a “new world” learning paradigm. Click on the COMMENTS link below to get started!
The research-based concept of a “new” paradigm for learning in higher education was originally proposed over a decade ago. In 1995, when the term “paradigm shift” was all the rage, Barr and Tagg described a shift from an instructional paradigm to a learning paradigm. Then in 1997, Smith and Waller set forth over a dozen examples of changing paradigms for learning. More recently, Fink (2003) echoed the need for moving from a content-centered to a learner-centered paradigm, while Bain (2004) uncovered the effectiveness of challenging students’ existing models or paradigms, helping them transform existing understandings into better, more accurate models of truth.
Semantics aside, the change involves a clear shift from one-dimensional, unidirectional teaching to multi-dimensional, multidirectional learning. So why now? Primarily because we live in a changing, connected world, with increasingly complex problems to solve.
What is the Learning Paradigm?
The student-centered learning paradigm is not a new concept, but the implementation of these revised pedagogical strategies has yet to become mainstream in higher education. At the core of the learning paradigm is a foundation of reciprocity between students and faculty. Essentially, it requires active, problem-based, collaborative strategies for both student and faculty learners. The learning paradigm is based on a community of continuous learners—both students and faculty. This change from higher education to continual learning has “learning how to learn” as its valuable product.
Just as early explorers set out to discover new places of potential riches, educators too can set out on their own journey of discovery in learning. Christopher Columbus, who was looking for a new world, certainly found something that resembled a “new” place—unfamiliar people, plants, foods, and treasures. But what he really did was bridge two unconnected land masses already sharing the same water and sky. Similarly, faculty “explorers” of the new learning paradigm can help students connect seemingly distant concepts, creating bridges to deeper, synthesized, and meaningful learning.
Beginning and Continuing the Journey
When working toward changing a paradigm, especially one that may have worked well for us as students, it is important to consider the future—what will our students’ emerging careers be, what skills and knowledge are essential for them to be engaged in their professional worlds, and what paradigms might they face? Our teaching behaviors, our expectations we set for our students, and our students’ learning behaviors must evolve to fit our students’ futures.
Tagg (2003) reminds us that to change our paradigm from teaching to learning is to view education through a new lens—“seeing” our work in a different light and having diverse experiences as we and our students interact to learn. As we peer through the telescope to chart our course toward a new horizon of a learning paradigm, what do we see? Where will BGSU students and faculty travel in their journey toward a learning paradigm? Click on the COMMENTS link below to get started!
November 13th, 2007
The process of teaching and learning requires detailed preparation. One of these important steps in preparation is developing a course syllabus. There are many methods for syllabus creation and a great resource for such a task is the book The Course Syllabus: A Learning-Centered Approach by Judith Grunert. This manual is intended to assist instructors in planning and constructing a learning-centered course syllabus that incorporates tools and information to aid students’ learning.
In the book, Judith notes that “…[A] syllabus can serve a wide variety of functions that support and challenge students as they engage in their educational activities” (p.14). Some of these functions are: Establishing an Early Point of Contact and Connection Between Student and Instructor, Helps Set the Tone for Your Course, Describes Your Beliefs About Educational Purposes, Acquaints Students with the Logistics of the Course, and Provides a Conceptual Framework.
Below is a checklist designed to help an instructor develop a learning-centered course syllabus. This checklist was taken from page 81 in Judith’s book.
Grunert, Judith. The Course Syllabus: A Learning-Centered Approach. For a more detailed description of the Judith Grunert’s book visit:
http://www.josseybass.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-1882982185.html
See these web sites for more syllabus examples:
http://cte.udel.edu/syllabus.htm
http://www.udel.edu/pbl/courses.html
August 17th, 2007
The beginning of the semester is an exciting and busy time for both faculty and students. The semester start is also the best time for you to take the opportunity to make students aware of your expectations for the entire semester.
Expectations help define a boundary for students in which they can focus on the required tasks, leading them to the desired learning outcomes, rather than being distracted by unclear or obscure objectives. Some areas you can define or clarify include:
In concert with expections, here are some assignment ideas or discussion topics that allow students to claim ownership of their role in the learning process, :
July 31st, 2007
Classes should be designed so it is impossible for the students to take a passive role in the course. This Chinese Proverb is a good reminder: “Tell me, and I forget. Show me, and I remember. Involve me, and I understand.” Unfortunately, it is often difficult to gain the involvement of students in large lectures. In an ideal world, students would ask questions when needed, however, most students are apprehensive to speak up in large lectures.
Below are some tips to keep students actively engaged in large lectures:
1) Use a deck of index cards of student names to randomly call on students to share in their own words their understanding of key concepts of the reading and/or lecture. This strategy will keep students actively listening in lecture since all students have the possibility of being selected to participate.
2) Develop a routine time, either before or after lecture, for students to drop off written questions they have about the material/concepts discussed.
3) Give students the option to turn in a piece of paper with their name and the discussion topic they shared in class for participation points. This can also help you with learning your students’ names.
4) Invite the class to bring in materials, such as current news articles, which are pertinent to the class topic.
Read More Ideas:
• The Chronicle’s Big, But Not Bad article with additional resources at the end, such as tips and books
• Survival Handbook for Teaching Large Classes (from UNC Charlotte)
• Interactive Lectures: Summaries of 36 Formats
• Engaging a Large Lecture Course
3 comments March 21st, 2007
Have you read the 2006 National Survey of Student Engagement? Bowling Green State University is listed as one of the 557 participating four-year institutions. The report surveyed first year and senior students and found student engagement to be positively related to grades. The survey also found that students only spend around 13-14 hours a week preparing for their classes.
We’d like to hear from the BGSU community what kinds of engagement strategies are being used during classroom discussions and for class assignments. To add your ideas to the discussion, click on the “Comments” link below.
More Resources:
Developing Course Discussions through Re-Engagement Techniques
Click here for article.
Creating Authentic and Engaging Assignments in your Online Course
Click here for article.
January 23rd, 2007
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