scholarly journals Between Knowing and Learning: New Instructors' Experiences in Active Learning Classrooms

Author(s):  
Andrea Phillipson ◽  
Annie Riel ◽  
Andy B Leger

Over the past 20 years, interest in the impact of space on teaching and learning has grown, and higher education institutions have responded by creating Active Learning Classrooms (ALCs)—spaces designed to promote active, student-centred learning. While ALC research has explored teaching methods, student experience, and student learning, less is known about how teaching in these spaces affects instructors. We contribute to this discussion by investigating teachers’ educational development in these spaces. We asked new instructors to reflect on their ALC experiences, exploring their pre-course preparation and their perceptions about themselves, their students, and teaching and learning. Their reflections revealed key differences between knowing and learning: Although all participants knew about and were dedicated to student-centred pedagogy before teaching in the ALCs, teaching in these spaces prompted transformative learning through which they shifted both their behaviours and perceptions about student learning and about their own roles in the classroom. Au cours des 20 dernières années, l’intérêt consacré à l’impact de l’espace sur l’enseignement et l’apprentissage a augmenté et les établissements d’enseignement supérieur ont répondu en créant des classes d’apprentissage actif (CAA) – des espaces consacrés à la promotion de l’apprentissage actif centré sur l’étudiant. Alors que la recherche portant sur les CAA a exploré les méthodes d’enseignement, l’expérience des étudiants et l’apprentissage des étudiants, on s’est moins intéressé à la question de savoir comment le fait d’enseigner dans ces espaces affectait les instructeurs. Nous contribuons à cette discussion en examinant le développement éducationnel des enseignants dans ces espaces. Nous avons demandé à de nouveaux instructeurs de réfléchir à leurs expériences en CAA, d’explorer leurs préparations avant les cours et leurs perceptions sur eux-mêmes, sur leurs étudiants et sur l’enseignement et l’apprentissage. Leurs réflexions ont révélé des différences majeures entre savoir et apprendre : bien que tous les participants aient été au courant, avant d’enseigner dans une classe d’apprentissage actif, de la pédagogie centrée sur l’apprenant et y aient été dévoués, l’enseignement dans ces espaces a engendré un apprentissage transformateur qui a abouti à un changement à la fois dans leurs comportements et dans leurs perceptions sur l’apprentissage des étudiants ainsi que sur leurs propres rôles dans la salle de classe.

2020 ◽  
Vol 65 (7) ◽  
pp. 27-36
Author(s):  
Linh Bui Thi Ngoc ◽  
Tuan Tran Duc

The “Globalization 4.0” has challenged Vietnamese Higher education to meet the new requirements of generating qualified labor force: self-direct their learning and make their own decision, to adjust and develop their perspectives and their actions consequently. The current teaching and learning approaches mostly based on behaviorism are not enough to allow Higher education to achieve the new objective. Meanwhile, though constructivist learning has been implemented for years, its use was limited to activate student learning and equipped them with professional skills and competencies instead of focusing on developing their perspectives and worldview. To enhance the success of higher education in terms of achieving new educational objective, this paper will introduce transformative learning as a perspective that would be contribute to radical and comprehensive change in this educational level.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 37-49
Author(s):  
Rodney Arambewela ◽  
Dilanthi Koralagama ◽  
Shyamali Kaluarachchi

The use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in Higher Education (HE) and the capabilities of the internet have added value to university teaching and learning. It has also tested the resolve of universities to maximise the benefits of technology integration amidst increasing class sizes, student expectations, cultural diversity and mobility of students. Understanding how students learn and devising appropriate student centred instruction and learning are considered essential to the successful implementation of ICT and allied technologies in teaching and learning. Supported by the findings of an empirical study conducted in an Australian university on student learning orientations and perceptions of course delivery, this article discusses the challenges faced by universities in the integration of technology in teaching for better learning outcomes. The study indicates that technology and learning contexts have a profound influence on student learning orientations of deep or surface learning and students seem to have mixed feelings about the impact of technology in teaching and learning.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1321103X2110280
Author(s):  
Rebecca Kan ◽  
Rose Martin

The purpose of this study is to explore interstitial spaces in higher music education. Interstitial spaces are small-scale settings where individuals interact around common activities. Drawing from the learning experiences of three students, the disparate feelings that students have within the interstices are unpacked. Specifically, we lean on Michel Foucault’s notions of power and hierarchy as a way to explore the dynamics in the teaching and learning relationships between students, and how the power that institutional structures might wield could shape the pocket conversations taking place. In the context of higher music education, we explore the ways that such spaces offer special moments where students see themselves in new ways. We explore how Mezirow’s theory of transformative learning might latch on to the potential that these interstitial spaces offer. We argue that potentials for transformative learning encounters described by the three students seem to be situated within interstitial spaces. The article considers what it means to be in the peripheral locations of student learning and contributes to the need to revisit interstices as an important location to understand how knowledge and creative interactions can be made in higher music education.


Author(s):  
Shahrokh Nikou ◽  
Milla Aavakare

AbstractDigital technologies fundamentally transform teaching and learning in higher education environments, with the pace of technological change exacerbating the challenge. Due to the current pandemic situation, higher education environments are all now forced to move away from traditional teaching and learning structures that are simply no longer adaptable to the challenges of rapidly changing educational environments. This research develops a conceptual model and employs Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) using Partial least Squares (PLS) to examine the impact of information and digital literacy on 249 Finnish university staff and students’ intention to use digital technologies. The findings show the complex interrelationship between literacy skills and digital technologies among university staff and students. The results illustrate that information literacy has a direct and significant impact on intention to use; while, unlike our expectation, digital literacy does not have a direct impact on the intention to use. However, its effect is mediated through performance expectancy and effort expectancy. The authors suggest that to understand the changes that are taking place in higher education environment, more attention needs to be paid to redefining policies and strategies in order to enhance individuals’ willingness to use digital technologies within higher education environments.


2021 ◽  

Premised on the disruption and lessons learnt from the Covid-19 pandemic, and in meticulous response to the impact of the pandemic on higher education – especially in South Africa – this collection of chapters spotlights the effects, consequences, and ramifications of an unprecedented pandemic in the areas of knowledge production, knowledge transfer and innovation. With the pandemic, the traditional way of teaching and learning was completely upended. It is within this context that this book presents interdisciplinary perspectives that focus on what the impact of Covid-19 implies for higher education institutions. Contributors have critically reflected from within their specific academic disciplines in their attempt to proffer solutions to the disruptions brought to the South African higher education space. Academics and education leaders have particularly responded to the objective of this book by focusing on how the academia could tackle the Covid-19 motivated disruption and resuscitate teaching, research, and innovation activities in South African higher education, and the whole of Africa by extension.


Author(s):  
Afaf Mubarak Bugawa ◽  
Andri Mirzal

This article describes how the use of Web 2.0 technologies in the field of learning is on the rise. By their nature, Web 2.0 technologies increase the interactivity between users where interactivity is considered to be a key to success in traditional classrooms. This article reviews recent studies in the field of Web 2.0 technologies for learning and their impacts on the learning experiences and investigates relationship between Web 2.0 technologies and pedagogy in higher education on student learning. Key findings about the impacts of using social networks like Facebook, Twitter, blogs and wikis on learning experiences are also discussed. Web 2.0 technologies' characteristics and the rationale of Web 2.0 technologies in learning will also be explored.


Author(s):  
Tom H Brown

<p class="Paragraph1"><span lang="EN-US">The paper of Barber, Donnelly &amp; Rizvi (2013): “An avalanche is coming: Higher education and the revolution ahead”  addresses some significant issues in higher education and poses some challenging questions to ODL (Open and Distance Learning) administrators, policy makers and of course to ODL faculty in general.  Barber et al.’s paper does not specifically address the area of teaching and learning theories, strategies and methodologies per se.  In this paper I would therefore like to reflect on the impact that the contemporary changes and challenges that Barber et al. describes, have on teaching and learning approaches and paradigms.  In doing so I draw on earlier work about future learning paradigms and navigationism (Brown, 2006).  We need a fresh approach and new skills to survive the revolution ahead.  We need to rethink our teaching and learning strategies to be able to provide meaningful learning opportunities in the future that lies ahead.</span></p>


2022 ◽  
Vol 2022 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Aman Gupta ◽  
Ana Janic ◽  
Joshua Thomson

Objectives. The March 2020 lockdown mandated institution closures and forced educators to provide remote instruction. We intended to gain an in-depth and holistic understanding of dental faculty’s experience and perceptions during this mandatory shift. Insights were gathered in 6 key areas: prior remote instruction experience; magnitude of transition and frequency of instruction methods used; training received; preferred teaching methods based on how they promote student learning, interaction, engagement, and performance; social impact; and future of teaching. Methods. An anonymous QualtricsXM survey was distributed to all dental faculties at University of Detroit Mercy in May 2020. Data was collected over a three-week period and analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Statistics 26 (IBM; Armonk, New York, USA). Pearson chi-squared test and Fisher’s exact test were used to evaluate categorical data. Results. Out of the 30 participants who transitioned to online remote instruction, 16 (53.3%) reported an age between 30 and 49 years and 14 (46.7%) reported ≥50 years of age. Our analysis revealed that faculty in 30–49-year age range had no prior online synchronous teaching experience. The transition was described as interesting, useful, time-consuming, and challenging. In-person live teaching received highest number of first place rankings (50%), and online asynchronous method received highest number of last place rankings (42.86%). Faculties in >50 year age range expressed maximum satisfaction with online small-group discussions, and those in 30–49 years age group were more satisfied with one-on-one online discussion. Conclusion. Our study finds that the faculty tends to gravitate to online methods that are similar to or mimic their past in-person teaching environment. Forced remote instruction gave new content delivery experiences to faculties of all ranges of age and experience in teaching. This exposure is likely to result in a more widespread adoption of a variety of instructional methods in future. Our study strongly suggests that traditional in-person instruction is the preferred method for delivery of content and is likely better for student learning. Majority of the faculties believed that the future of dental education would be a mix of both in-class and online instruction. In summer and fall 2021, our institution adopted hybrid, flexible models for didactic instruction to allow students the opportunity to digest content in their preferred method. Careful planning and systematic, continued training will be required to enhance technological skills and to incorporate newer models into didactic and clinical instruction. For the success of blended learning, courses will need redesigning of assessment methods, commitment, and support from administrators.


Author(s):  
Marian Amengual Pizarro

In the past decades, there has been a growing interest in the effects of language tests, especially high-stakes tests, on teaching and learning referred to as ‘washback'. In fact, high-stakes tests have started to be exploited to reform instruction and achieve beneficial washback. This paper focuses on the washback effects of a high-stakes English Test (ET) on the teaching of English. The main goal of this study is to examine the washback effects of the ET on the following aspects of teaching: curriculum, materials, teaching methods, and teaching feelings and attitudes. The study also attempts to discover teachers' perceptions towards the introduction of a speaking and a listening component in the design of the new ET due to be implemented in 2012. The overall findings, collected from a questionnaire carried out among 51 secondary teachers, indicate that the ET is clearly affecting curriculum and materials. Results also reveal that the ET appears to influence teachers' methodology. Furthermore, most of the teachers believe that the introduction of a speaking and a listening component in the new ET design will help solve the mismatch between the communicative approach they seem to value and the skills so far evaluated in the ET.


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