Proposal Title
“Reflection”, and “Do-It-Again (DIA)” approach using discussion forum fosters active learning
Session Type
Presentation
Room
P&A Rm 106
Start Date
July 2015
Keywords
Reflective Strategy, Do-It-Again, Memory Consolidation, Discussion Forums, Synchronous and Asynchronous Communications, Active Learning
Primary Threads
Teaching and Learning Science
Abstract
Teaching within higher education has undergone a pedagogical shift in recent years, with new approaches to improve students’ motivation, autonomy and achievement (Fernandes, Flores, and Lima 2012). In Master of Medical Biotechnology Program (MMB), Chemistry and Biochemistry Department - University of Windsor, international graduate students are actively participating in making a pedagogical change in one of its drugs course. It is proven that re-enforcing concepts plays a critical role in memory consolidation resulting in deeper learning. Revisiting concepts ensure reinforcement of memory networks over time, and spacing learning moments has been found beneficial (Carpenter et al., 2012). The presentation aims to share ways to improve student learning and memory by spacing out learning and revisiting concepts. In this session, I intend to share “Do it Again” (DIA) or “Reflective” strategy used in the Winter 0359:673 Drugs: From Discovery to the Market MMB course (2013-2015). In this model, students were encouraged to visit and revisit the concepts on an online learning environment such as CLEW based discussion forum before and after the class, and students continued to build those connections in the class. In academia, it has been found over and again that exchange of short messages improves social interaction among peers and assists in tracking of meeting learning outcomes (Dunlap and Lowenthal, 2009b). It was observed in Winter 2014-2015 course 59-673 that using discussion boards for posting messages opens pandora box of fun learning, recalling prior topics and seeking clarification by posting back to the discussion thread. A small 5-10% of grade was assigned to motivate active participation on forum, although forums were also used for formative assessment. Once participants appreciate how DIA strategy works, they will be encouraged to think, and discuss how they can implement this universal strategy in their own field.
Elements of Engagement
The presentation aims to share the strategy used in the Drugs MMB course at the University of Windsor, namely “Do It Again” (DIA) or “Reflective” strategy, in which students were encouraged to revisit the concepts on an online discussion forum (before the class, after the class) and in the class. The presentation will begin with individual activity where everyone will be asked to share various ways to improve students’ memory and learning, and this will be followed by large group discussion (5 minutes). The purpose of revisiting is to continue to build on the memory by recalling past learning and building new connections for advanced learning applications (Rinaldi, 1998; Forman & Fyfe, 1998). In the Drugs MMB course, revisiting was implemented by introducing drug presentation topic prior to the class on the forum and re-inforcement continued in the class through student based activities (Marco Ronchetti, 2010), and finally after the class outside of class room at students availability on discussion forum. I plan to deliver the presentation partly using MS PowerPoint for sharing the “reflective or DIA” strategy implementation steps and for sharing examples of how it was used in the course (5 minutes), and rest by engaging audience. I will share examples from the drugs course with participants to portray importance of this strategy (5 minutes). The participants will be encouraged to discuss first in small groups of 3-4 (5 minutes) and then as a large group to share their prior experience using discussion forums as learning links to course content (5 minutes) (Small to Large Group Discussion). At the end, everyone will also be encouraged to think and share how they can implement this strategy in their field (5 minutes).
“Reflection”, and “Do-It-Again (DIA)” approach using discussion forum fosters active learning
P&A Rm 106
Teaching within higher education has undergone a pedagogical shift in recent years, with new approaches to improve students’ motivation, autonomy and achievement (Fernandes, Flores, and Lima 2012). In Master of Medical Biotechnology Program (MMB), Chemistry and Biochemistry Department - University of Windsor, international graduate students are actively participating in making a pedagogical change in one of its drugs course. It is proven that re-enforcing concepts plays a critical role in memory consolidation resulting in deeper learning. Revisiting concepts ensure reinforcement of memory networks over time, and spacing learning moments has been found beneficial (Carpenter et al., 2012). The presentation aims to share ways to improve student learning and memory by spacing out learning and revisiting concepts. In this session, I intend to share “Do it Again” (DIA) or “Reflective” strategy used in the Winter 0359:673 Drugs: From Discovery to the Market MMB course (2013-2015). In this model, students were encouraged to visit and revisit the concepts on an online learning environment such as CLEW based discussion forum before and after the class, and students continued to build those connections in the class. In academia, it has been found over and again that exchange of short messages improves social interaction among peers and assists in tracking of meeting learning outcomes (Dunlap and Lowenthal, 2009b). It was observed in Winter 2014-2015 course 59-673 that using discussion boards for posting messages opens pandora box of fun learning, recalling prior topics and seeking clarification by posting back to the discussion thread. A small 5-10% of grade was assigned to motivate active participation on forum, although forums were also used for formative assessment. Once participants appreciate how DIA strategy works, they will be encouraged to think, and discuss how they can implement this universal strategy in their own field.