rhyl macfarlane's List: Evaluate learning facilitation and delivery

• What  is learning?

   

   

  "Higher learning is an active, interactive, self-aware process  that results in meaningful, long-lasting changes in knowledge, skills,  behaviours,  beliefs, attitudes... that can not be attributed primarily to maturation."

   

   

  It  is useful to distinguish between deep and surface learning. It is usually  deep learning that lecturers aim to foster in their students.

             

  Deep learning involves ...	Surface learning involves ...
  active thinking  analysis  critical evaluation  making connections  more effective retention  an ability to apply new learning to different contexts  challenging tasks	limited thinking  little analysis  little critical evaluation  learning new material in isolation from context  ineffective retention  little ability to apply new learning to different contexts  relatively easy tasks (sometimes of the 'hunt and peck' variety)

• Factors which promote effective learning

   

  Fourteen  general research findings about effective learning.

   

  In general, students  learn more when they:

   
   
  1. are actively engaged with the work
   
  2. have high but realistic expectations  and goals
   
  3. receive regular, timely and specific feedback 
   
  4. focus on what's most important
   
  5. are aware of their learning
   
  6. experience a balance of intellectual  challenge and academic support
   
  7. are explicitly aware of preconceptions  and prior learning and are willing to unlearn when necessary
   
  8. connect  new and prior knowledge
   
  9. organise their learning in a meaningful way
   
  10. apply their learning to  real-world situations
   
  11. they are assessed appropriately and understand  the assessment criteria
   
  12. work regularly and productively with instructors
   
  13. work regularly  and productively with other students
   
  14. invest time and make a committed  effort.
   
   

• Characteristics of effective university  teachers

   

  Effective university teachers:

   
   
  1. have a strong knowledge of the field
   
  2. set appropriate assessment tasks
   
  3. demonstrate impartiality overall and specifically in assessing  students
   
  4. encourage active learning
   
  5. are clear in their teaching
   
  6. show enthusiasm for teaching in general  and their field in particular
   
  7. show sensitivity to and concern with  students' progress
   
  8. encourage lecturer-student contact
   
  9. foster cooperation among students
   
  10. respect different talents and  learning styles
   
  11. are available and helpful
   
  12. are efficient in course preparation and  organisation
   
  13. provide prompt feedback
   
  14. regularly engage in reflective practice

• Reflective practice and the action learning cycle

   

  One of the hallmarks  of an effective university teacher is the habit of critical self-analysis.  Analytical reflection need not be an involved  or complex process. It might simply consist of thoughtful post-teaching  ruminations or a coffee break conversation with a colleague.

   

  Reflection  can, however, be more formalised. One framework which has formalised  such reflection is the action learning cycle. UQ's Action  Learning Program Website defines the action learning cycle and  contains information about the action learning program, its philosophy  and structure.  As indicated in the diagram below, this process is an ongoing one which  begins when the academic plans a teaching approach, puts it into action,  observes what happens, takes time to reflect, and then revises the  plan where necessary. This is a straightforward yet effective means  of keeping  on one's teaching toes and ensuring continued attention to improving  teaching practice.

   

  

2 more annotations...

• 5 Amazing Tools To Create Tutorials
• This is a Presentation and Tutorial creation software. Wink is an extremely useful tool for creating tutorials on ‘how to use any software’ for e.g. MS-Word/Excel
• iShowU is a tool that enables both audio and video capture
• This extremely interactive tool can record all screen and audio activity on the computer.
• This is free software. Screencast-O-Matic is one of the easiest ways to create a video recording of screen and up loading it from the browser.This is a completely web-based application and allows the user to create video recordings from their browser itself.
• Jing is an interesting project that instantly captures and shares images and video from the computer. This unique tool is a freeware and works well with both Windows & Mac.

4 more annotations...

• New kinds of electronic tools are emerging that allow instructors to craft presentations that more closely reflect new approaches to teaching and learning. For instance, many of these tools allow collaboration between multiple authors, and some use nonlinear branching or sequencing so that class discussion can guide the presentation. Presentation tools based on new models of representing information also encourage instructors to rethink learning activities in ways that can improve learning. These tools might also bring about a more thorough merging of in-person and remote classroom audiences.

   

  The "7 Things You Should Know About..." series from the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI) provides concise information on emerging learning technologies. Each brief focuses on a single technology and describes what it is, where it is going, and why it matters to teaching and learning. Use these briefs for a no-jargon, quick overview of a topic and share them with time-pressed colleagues.

   

  In addition to the "7 Things You Should Know About…" briefs, you may find other ELI resources useful in addressing teaching, learning, and technology issues at your institution. To learn more, please visit the ELI Resources page.