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Introduction

You walk into a room and see students huddled together in small group discussions. The lecturer stops them after about a minute, calling randomly on several individuals for responses; getting more responses from volunteers; and then proceeding with their lecture.

Or you login to the LMS and notice discussion board notifications. There you discover that students have posted their opinions and thoughts to your discussion question. Your also recognize that these ideas would probably not have been shared in a face to face setting. You enquire further in an online dialogue. The whole posting process takes each individual a few minutes. But so many more students have participated and are actively engaged in discussions about the topic.

Active learning, either in the form of in-class interactions or online activities or tasks, are useful to activate students’ prior knowledge, motivate them to take action and help bridge ideas from familiar concrete contexts to an abstract concept. When technologies are used to support smaller groups, discussion, interaction, then these tools offer new levers to enable greater participation by a wider selection of students.

Learning activity guidelines

If you are experienced with active learning, then you might "wing it" in front of a class in a lecture hall. But when online, the mechanics for fostering interaction and dialogue between remote students needs to be considered beforehand.

• Fit for purpose: the activity that has been selected matches the learning outcomes while also being aware of the technical challenges a user might face.
• Visual aids: the images that are used with the learning activity are clear and engaging. They prompt participation and communicate the need for engagement with others
• Instructions: a clear and concise sequence of steps or directions are written up to introduce the learning activity to participants. The instructions also include steps that offer support to common issues and anticipates some of the potential roadblocks that might affect the user.

I have high expectations about participation. My students are more than spectators. Listening to me and taking notes is only a beginning point. I’m looking for new opportunities for students to respond to each other and with me. I set “doing” tasks that make participation possible, even in a big class. You don’t actually learn until you engage.

We see the student who has a tendency towards passive learning. We know that conceptual development occurs when students choose to participate and interact. We want to widen the scope for engaging learning activities within a formal classroom or lecture theatre and beyond.

Student-centered activities can be deployed anywhere, in a lecture hall, online or in a lab. Technology that supports an active approach to learning will allow students to make meaning with others.

My learning style is receptive. I like to watch, listen, observe and get value for tuition.

Doug

I'm relaxed. Chill!

To Begin: Modular Structures

A hybrid course is usually divided into multiple units. Each unit contains course materials, learning activities, assignments, and assessments for that unit.

• Modular structures: A modular architecture offers the course designer with more options. Smaller components of a course allows the off campus student to see how the elements fit together and offers them a structure for navigating their way around a course.

To Try: Interaction Mechanisms

In class or online, participation can take many forms. They range from open ended questions intended to focus the whole class’ attention on a big idea, to group projects where teams are led through an investigation that demands complex reasoning or problem solving, to one on one question and answer conversations before and after the lecture.

• Participation Rubric: Students should be expected to be involved in their learning, whether face to face (f2f) or online. This participation rubric can help to clarify interaction expectations.
• Synchronous conferencing: At first glance, a synchronous tool offers a possible alternative to face to face conversations or lecture. With these tools, a lecturer can reach out beyond campus and connect to students and deliver a course without physically comming together.

To Consider: Learning Activities that Promote "Participation"

Active learning is an accepted method for engaging students in what they are learning. As a pedagogical strategy, active learning will differ in class (synchronous and f2f) and digital (asynchronous online learning environments) settings.

• Muddiest Point: This activity asks students to jot down a quick response to the question What was the muddiest point in _______? The purpose is to provide information about what students find most confusing in a unit or topic.
• Minute Paper: This writing activity is not an assessment or for recall. It’s for students to “identify the most important point they leaned today” and “what key questions remain unanswered” and then to share their responses.
• Think-Pair-Share: This short learning activity offers students time and structure for thinking on a given topic, enabling them to formulate individual ideas and share these ideas with a peer.

To Do: Using Learning Activities

• Decision Making Checklist: a lecturer will need to consider how learning activities can be structured and arranged within a hybrid course. This checklist offers points for them to consider.