Active & Collaborative Learning

Faculty Notes (of student responses) from the “NSSE Summit”

--Work with other students in class surprisingly low . . . Philosphy, English classes do a lot of in-class small exercises.
--Interpretation of “in-class” an issue . . .
--American Literature—students teach the class . . .
--Small class sizes facilitate interaction
--Exercises in Labor Relations class . . .
--Professors give extra credit for community-based projects.
--Many professors encourage community projects . . .
--Group projects difficult in freshmen classes . . .
--Different majors require different levels of group activities . . .
--Works with other students –think would be higher:
--Seniors—not as convenient due to where we live vs. Freshmen
--Freshmen less focused
--Freshmen more involved in tutoring –seems it should be seniors!
--Get to know student in class—someone always willing to help
--Psychology and Education classes use groups
--Teacher sees how student is thinking and can help
--Peer interaction—peers can sometimes explain better
--Seniors higher in projects—do more! (To be expected)

In the classes in which you feel “engaged,” what’s happening?  What are you doing?  What is the faculty member doing?

--Teacher not lecturing;
--Engaged in collaborative experience.
--Teacher relates to events outside of class.
--If teachers are enthusiastic . . .the students get engaged
--Theatre classes—classes with Harmless—small class size really helps.
--Students are asked to formulate opinions in your own words . . .
--Smaller classes leads to engagement . . .
--Divided into groups, groups answered question, presented to class . . .
--When engaged, learning is easy, comes from each other, don’t realize we’re learning—but we are!
--Irish Drama Class—Fr. Williams makes us be prepared. Keeps us on our toes . . . brought in videos, music, pictures from Ireland . . .
--Teacher’s enthusiasm is infectious.
--Ethics and Environmental Ethics:  formulation of personal philosophy given class material . . .
--Professors who don’t criticize responses elicit more engagement.
--Hall/Sociology—allowed students to work out issue; he was facilitator
--Hager/Developmental and  Experimental Psychology—do small groups—walks around and will ask questions as facilitator
--Kobelja./Logic—small groups;  Students not afraid to put wrong answer
--Need respect from teacher
--Creative—in-class discussions
--Real life examples
--When professors aren’t intimidating
--Instructor gives points, then opens the class for discussion

How can faculty help you to become more engaged in your learning?

--Force students to speak out!
--Ask questions . . .
--Participation points . . .
--Let students rank each other on participation.
--Balance between lecture, discussion . . .
--Use case studies instead of asking questions.
--Relate to real world . . .
--Let discussion emerge among & between students . . .
--Relate subject to student/student level
--Need flowing lectures (don’t jump from one thing to another)
--Use ERes more/outlines (use to help study)
--Use e/mail more (teacher does not always put on syllabus)
--Give in/class assignments—see how student is following along
--Extra credit as method of improvement, although don’t give too much—balance

Can your group agree on one item that faculty and students should focus on for further discussion and improvement?

--Balance between lecture, discussion . . .
--Use case studies instead of asking questions.
--Relate to real world . . .
--Let discussion emerge among & between students
--Faculty more approachable, more flexible to meet student needs (i.e. ERes): therefore: student learns/faculty learns.