Documentation:FlISWModuleLDotMocracyDebNov
Time to Complete this module
10 minutes
Learning Objectives
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
- Find out about the exciting concept of ‘Dot-mocracy’ in ISW
- Familiarize yourself with the five (5) offered Dot-mocracy topics that you would be able to choose from on Day 1
- Share your comments/questions regarding your preferred Dot-mocracy sessions
What is Dot-mocracy
The core of ISW takes form around the mini-lessons you deliver and the feedback you receive from your peers (please see An Overview of the Mini-lesson Cycle for more information). However, throughout the ISW, you will also participate in a number theme sessions (30- to 50-minute sessions facilitated by ISW facilitators), with focus on different aspects of teaching and learning, which would help you develop knowledge and skills required for designing and delivering more effective lessons. Some of the essential theoretical as well as practical topics are offered in all the ISWs, including sessions on Lesson Basics and Adult Learning Theories. BUT! The fun does not end here! In order to allow for the specific needs of each of the participants, we also offer a number of potentially popular sessions on particular topics that you will be able to choose from. The selection will be done on Day 1 of the workshop, based on your votes. The three (3) most popular sessions will be then offered during the 2nd and 3rd day of your ISW.
Here is how it works:
- 5 sessions will be offered for voting on Day 1. The description and tentative learning objectives of each session is mentioned later in this module.
- Each of you will have a total of three (3) votes (‘dots’).
- On Day 1, you will vote for your preferred session(s) by putting your ‘dots’ beside the name of the session(s) you are interested in. You can use your 3 dots as you like (you may put all the 3 on one session, or else, distribute them among 2 or 3 different sessions.
- At the end of Day 1, we will count the dots and announce the ‘dot-mocracy winners’. The 3 winning sessions will then be offered on Day 2 and 3 (the required pre-workshop activities will be announced next week).
Discuss
Review the following theme sessions below and think about your own top 3 choices. Under Reply to Post, ask any questions you might have regarding the offered sessions. The actual ‘election’ will take place on Day 1. But it would be great if you could share your interests with the other participants, by mentioning your ‘candidates’ in the comments to the post!
Leading discussions
About the session: Class discussions are among the most effective techniques to promote active learning in the classroom. A well-moderated discussion would allow for the free generation and exchange of ideas, while at the same time leading the students towards the specific learning objectives of the lesson. In this session we will discuss some techniques and skills that would enable you to facilitate guided discussions and respond to different situations. We will also introduce a few specific forms of discussions that you could add to your inventory and use as needed.
Tentative learning objectives:
- Practice three different class discussion techniques
- Discuss and analyse benefits and drawbacks of using discussion as a teaching technique, and these three formats in particular
- Discuss strategies for running discussions effectively in the classroom
Challenging Classroom Situations
About the session: Teaching is fun! BUT, is it always? However I might love teaching, there are always situations that I dread. Well, perhaps not. But at least some situations that I don’t whole-heartedly look forward to! Unprepared and inattentive students, oppositional/hostile behaviors, shy or reluctant students, … Different teachers might consider different situations as challenging. In this session you will discuss your own particular concerns and challenges. We will then discuss some of the strategies that could help you overcome or minimize those challenges.
Tentative learning objectives:
- Recognizing potential challenges/difficulties
- Identify at least three common challenges
- Learn at least 3 strategies for (a) avoiding and (b) dealing with these challenges
Teaching Large Classrooms
About the session: As the size of a class increases, it gets more challenging to keep the students focused and active in the class. Implementing in-class activities and keeping all the students engaged would seem anywhere from ‘challenging’ to ‘impossible’. Establishing personal contact with individual students will become less-than-likely, and the student attention fades away from the course and gets channelled into Facebook, as you go toward the back rows! Encouraging! Isn’t it? In this session we will discuss some of the major challenges associated with large classrooms and introduce a number of strategies (ranging from simple-yet-awesome tips, to more specific techniques) that could help you teach more efficiently in large classrooms.
Tentative learning objectives:
- Identifying ‘good’ vs ‘bad’ practices for Teaching large classrooms
- Learn and discuss at least 3 strategies and 2 tricks for TLC
- Discuss participatory techniques for TLC
Facilitative Teaching
About the session: Learning is a complex process involving dynamic interaction between curriculum, instruction, student participation, and learning environment. Facilitative teaching and appropriate instructional strategies create a positive environment in the classroom that invites active learning and participation. A successful facilitative instructor is one who guides on the side, instigates, and motivates students to learn and to develop a sense of ownership in their own education. A facilitative instructor acts as a resource, rather than the source of learning. In this session, we will discuss what facilitation really means within a classroom, engage in inquiry interview about best facilitated experiences to identify effective facilitation strategies, and examine proactive and reactive interventions that we can use to create a space that is supportive to student learning.
Tentative learning objectives:
- Identify key features of facilitation
- Identify 1-2 strategies to influence the space to support learners in achieving their goals
- Identify 1-2 interventions to use to help support student learning
Active Learning Techniques for Higher Education
About the session: It was really fun to run around the room at CTLT, attach colored sticky notes all over the wall in a 10-minute mini-lesson, and come up with a whole lot of ideas through brainstorming, without reading a line of literature. But excuse me, could you please tell me HOW ON EARTH am I going to do this in ‘Advanced Immunology’, ‘Engineering Thermodynamics’, or ‘Organic Chemistry’!? In this session we will discuss a number of specific active learning techniques that could be used in higher education in different disciplines. We will also discuss some practical tips on how to implement active learning in your classes.
Tentative learning objectives:
- Identify 4 different stages of adult learning, using Kolb’s learning cycle
- Describe a number of different active learning techniques and identify to which stage(s) of the Kolb’s cycle they belong
- Identify active learning techniques suitable for university-level classes in your own discipline
- Discuss some of the logistics of implementing active learning techniques in higher education