Presentation in the UNC Charlotte Summer Institute 2009, “Rethinking the Large Lecture: Strategies for Engaging Students.” The session description is as follows: This session will show the active learning techniques and technologies that can be used easily and effectively in large classes.

1. Mary McKenzie
Sociology
UNC Charlotte

2. Passive Learning:

◦ What type of learning experience do you think of as
being passive?
Active Learning:

◦ What type of learning experience do you think of as
being active?

3. Students stay awake!
Students participate in their educational experience.
Students can interact with the course material.
Students can collaborate with other students to explore
course material.

4. Moodle
Wikis “Clickers”
Blogs

6. • the visual layout
• the ease of moving from one
activity to another
Students • the ability to contact me from the
home page
like: • the ease of contacting each other
• the calendar of class events
• the upcoming events box

7. You can also
click on the
hyperlinks
throughout
the page to
take you to
activities or
people.
Click on
Activity
Click on
Participant
you want to
contact, or
on my link
to contact
me

8. Calendars
allow
students
to enter
dates for
their own
reminders
Course
dates and
group
dates can
also be
entered
These
dates
show up
in the
upcoming
events
box
You can
message
anyone
online

9. • Many different activities available
• Forums and Blogs
• Wikis
Faculty • Journals
• Chats
Benefits: • On-line quizzes and exams
• Databases
• Surveys
• On-line and offline assignments

11. Everyone turns on the clicker with the power key on the bottom
left. Your clicker should say that it is searching for the class.
Click on the green send key to enter the set up mode so you can enter
your NinerNet ID (first part of your email before the @uncc.edu)
When entering your NinerNet ID, use the scroll buttons to move
up and down the alphabet to enter you ID. (Like primitive
texting)
Click on the * to exit set up mode and you are ready to
answer questions.
For True/False questions, click either the T or the F at
the bottom right of the clicker.
Always click the send button after every response.

12. •Come to class because the clicker will take attendance
•Stay awake because they have to answer questions
Students: throughout the class session
•Receive instant feedback on questions asked during the
class session to indicate concepts they need to review
•Can work together to understand the concepts
•Have real-time feedback on whether students
understand the concepts
Faculty:

13. I would find it very useful to know when

students are in class.
True

False


14. It would be nice to know, during my lecture,

if students understood the concepts.
True

False


15. Active learning We want students to
We want the students
interact with one
continues outside to read class material
another to enrich
and work with the
the classroom as concepts more than their learning
only taking notes.
well. experience.
Students post explanations This allows them to This also gives them
of concepts to the class think about the
a place to explore
blog or forum to further connections between
questions they have
explore the concepts as the class examples and
about the concepts
they are presented in the the concepts in the
and class readings.
class readings. text.
This is very useful This is also a useful
Students can reply to way for students to
as students add
postings to add to a “correct”
examples to clarify
discussion of the misunderstandings of
the concepts in the concepts for
concept. everyday terms. classmates.
The blogs become an
interactive study guide
and study group for
students as they
prepare for exams.

16. They give faculty insight into how students are
understanding the class material.
Faculty can clarify misunderstandings in the following
class.
Students have to read some of the course material to be
able to post.
Students have people, other than the course instructor,
from whom they can learn and question.
Students have to actively consider the conceptual
meanings and be able to express them in writing.

17. I could use a blog as a quick check to see if

students have understood what they have
read before class.
True

False


18. It would not be effective to have separate

groups be responsible for posting concepts,
for specifically assigned chapters, to limit the
number of blog postings in large classes.
True

False


19. Wikis are on-line spaces where students can

collaborate on projects or upload their own
work for class projects.
It would be necessary for students to meet to

work on group projects that would be
uploaded to the wiki.
True

False


20. Activities in and outside of • Students explore class concepts and apply them to real world
class create a more active situations.
learning environment for • Students can chat with each other about class material, blog
and query about class material in postings, and
students to master course
collaboratively complete class assignments.
material.
Active learning can occur • These can sometimes be difficult to manage, but are easier
through in-class activities. with interactive technology.
Active learning can also • The active learning outside of class occurs through written
communication technology activities.
occur through assigned
• Technology allows students to peer review classmates’ or
activities in which students
group member’s work to more easily allow revisions before
interact with each other final submission of work.
outside of class.