Motivating Student Learning with Engaging Pedagogies

Edmond Ko

A workshop conducted at Baptist University 27 May 2010

Three stages of faculty/staff development

Enhance common teaching techniquesUnderstand the science and principles of learning and teachingExplore the humanistic dimension of education

____________________________________J. Dee Fink, Susan Ambrose and Daniel Wheeler,Journal of Engineering Education, Jan 2005, 94(1), pp. 185-194.

Key question addressed in this workshop series

How to design a learning experience that would motivate student learning?

What do I know about my students?

What do I want my students to learn?

How can I facilitate that

learning?

Teaching and Learning Activities

Learning Outcomes

Assessment

Student Centered

How do I knowthat learning does happen?

Model of outcome-based education

Learning Experience

Intended Learning Outcomes

How to achieve the intended outcomes?

AssessmentTeaching and

learning activities(Pedagogies)

Evidence of having achieved theintended outcomes?

Constructive alignment

An alignment ofLearning outcomes• Where are you going?

Teaching and learning activities (pedagogy)• How are you going to get there?

Assessments (both as a motivation for learning and as a measure of learning effectiveness)• How do you know you are there?

By the end of this workshop, you should be able to:describe several pedagogical approaches that are known to enhance student learning, explain why they are effective, anddevelop a plan to adopt one of these pedagogical approaches in your teaching.

Workshop outcomes

Activity 1

Think of a teacher from whom you learned a lot, what did he/she do that motivated your learning in terms of:

his/her relationship to you?his/her instructional style?his/her approach to assessing your work?

Write a few words down for each question on the worksheet provided and be prepared to share with the group.

Pedagogies of engagement

Pedagogy: study of teaching methods, including the aims of education and the ways in which such goals may be achieved. The field relies heavily on educational psychology, or theories about the way in which learning takes place.

--- Encyclopedia Britannica

Relations between teaching approaches and learning approaches

Teachers’ approaches to teaching

Students’approaches to

learning

Information transmission/teacher-

focused approachSurface approach

Conceptual change/student-focused

approachDeep approach

K. Trigwell, M. Prosser & F. Waterhouse, Higher Education 37: 57-70, 1999

Learning approaches

Approach Motive Strategy

Surface Instrumental: main purpose is to meet requirements minimally: a balance between working too hard and failing.

Limit target to bare essentials and reproduce through rote learning.

Deep Intrinsic: study to actualize interest and competence in particular academic subjects.

Read widely, interrelate with previous relevant knowledge.

Achieving Obtain high grades, whether or not material is interesting.

Behave as “model students” in organizing one’s time and working space.

The Learning and Study Strategy Inventory (LASSI)

A typical distribution of first-year university students in Hong Kong

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

ATT MOT TMT ANX CON INP SMI STA SFT TST

Category

Scor

e (P

erce

ntile

)

Motivation

Value Expectancy

Attainment

IntrinsicInstrumentalOutcome Efficacy

Values

Satisfaction that one gains from mastery and accomplishment of a goal or task

Attainment

Satisfaction that one gains simply from doing the task than from a particular outcome of the task

Intrinsic

The degree to which an activity or goal helps one accomplish other important goals (extrinsic rewards)

Instrumental

Expectancies

The belief that specific actions will bring about a desired outcome

Outcome Expectancies

The belief that one is capable of identifying, organizing, initiating, and executing a course of action that will bring about a desired outcome

Efficacy Expectancies

Activity 2

Recall an experience in which:You were motivated in pursuing a learning task and were able to maintain that level of motivation throughout, orYou were motivated at the beginning, but ended up losing that motivation.

For one of these two experiences, explain why it happened in terms of the value-expectancy theory. Write your answer on the worksheet provided and be as specific as you can. Be prepared to share with the group.

Activity 1 (revisited)

Let’s go back to the teacher whom you thought of before.

In terms of the model we just discussed, in what ways did this particular teacher enhance your motivation and why was it effective?

Mini-break

Motivation

Value Expectancy

Attainment

IntrinsicInstrumentalOutcome Efficacy

Pedagogy Assessment

Comparing Conventional with Learner-Centered Approaches

Non-Learner-Centered (Conventional) Learner-Centered

Relationship Hierarchical, blaming, controlling Caring; promote positive expectations and participation

Curriculum Fragmented, non-experiential, limited, and exclusive of multiple perspectives

Thematic; experiential; challenging; comprehensive; inclusive of multiple

perspectives

InstructionFocuses on a narrow range of learning

styles; builds from perceptions of student deficits; is authoritarian

Focuses on a broad range of learning styles; builds from perceptions of student

strengths, interests, and experiences; participatory and facilitative

GroupingTracked by perceptions of ability;

promotes individual competition and a sense of alienation

Not tracked by perceptions of ability; promotes cooperation, shared

responsibility, and a sense of belonging

EvaluationFocuses on a limited range of

intelligences; utilizes only standardized tests; assumes only one correct answer

Focuses on multiple intelligences, utilizes authentic assessments, and

fosters self-reflectionSource: McCombs, B. L., & Whisler, J. S. (1997). The learner-centered classroom and school: Strategies for increasing student motivation and achievement. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Seven principles for good practice in higher education

Good practiceencourages contacts between students and facultydevelops reciprocity and cooperation among studentsuses active learning techniquesgives prompt feedbackemphasizes time on taskcommunicates high expectationsrespects diverse talents and ways of learning

__________________________________________A. W. Chickering and Z. E. Gamson (1987) “Seven principles for good practice in

undergraduate education.” American Association for Higher Education Bulletin, 39, 3-7.

Evidence-informed pedagogic principles

Effective pedagogyequips learners for life in its broadest senseengages with valued forms of knowledgerecognizes the importance of prior experience and learningrequires learning to be scaffoldedneeds assessment to be congruent with learning

_____________________________________http://www.tlrp.org/themes/tenprinciples.html

Evidence-informed pedagogic principles (cont’d)

Effective pedagogypromotes the active engagement of learnerfosters both individual and social processes and outcomesrecognizes the importance of informal learningdepends on the learning of all those who support the learning of othersdemands consistent policy framework with support for learning as their primary focus

_____________________________________http://www.tlrp.org/themes/ten principles.html

Clickers (PRS), Concept Tests: Chemistry, Physics, CATs

Learning (or learner) – centered pedagogical approaches

Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs)

This and 45 other techniquesThis and 45 other techniques……inin

Classroom Assessment Technique

The Muddiest Point

What was the muddiest point in this presentation on elements of

effective learning?

Inductive teaching methods

Deductive teachingBeginning with theories and progressing to applications of those theories.

Inductive teachingTopics are introduced by presenting specific observations, case studies or problems, and theories are taught or students are helped to discover them only after the need to know them has been established.

______________________________________

M. J. Prince and R. M. Felder, Journal of Engineering Education, 95(2), 123-138, 2006.

Examples of Inductiveteaching methods

Inquiry learningProblem-based learningProject-based learningCase-based learningDiscovery learningJust-in-time teaching

_________________________________

M. J. Prince and R. M. Felder, Journal of Engineering Education, 95(2), 123-138, 2006.

Inquiry learning

Inquiry learning begins when students are presented with questions to be answered, problems to be solved, or a set of observations to be explained.

An umbrella category that encompasses other inductive teaching methods such as problem-based and case-based learning.

______________________________________

M. J. Prince and R. M. Felder, Journal of Engineering Education, 95(2), 123-138, 2006.

Characteristics of PBL

Learning is driven by challenging, open-ended problems.Students work in small collaborative groups.Traditional teaching is replaced by facilitation of learning.

Eight tasks of PBL

1. Explore the problem. Create hypothses. Identify issues. Elaborate.

2. Try to solve the problem with what students currently know.3. Identify what students do not know.4. As a group, prioritize their learning needs, set learning goals

and objectives, allocate resources and identify tasks for each member.

5. Individual self-study and preparation.6. Return to the group. Share the new knowledge effectively so

that the entire group learns the information.7. Apply knowledge to solve the problem.8. Assess the new knowledge, the problem solution and the

effectiveness of the process used. Reflect on their own work and that of the group.

_______________________________________________________Donald R. Woods (1994) Problem-based Learning: How to Gain the Most from PBL,

Ontario: Woods.

Reinventing UG education at HKUST

A key theme is:

Inquiry-based learning to stimulate creativity and curiosity, and make use of the research depth of the University.

Hong Kong Baptist UniversityGraduate Attributes

Graduates should:

Be independent, lifelong learners with an open mind and an inquiring spirit.

Cooperative/collaborative learning

Students work in small groups in which they are expected to interact with each other, sharing ideas and resources, supporting and encouraging each other’s learning, and holding mutual responsibility for achieving learning outcomes.

________________________________http://celt.ust.hk/ideas/ccl/Intro/index.html

Reinventing UG education at HKUST

A key theme is:

Interdisciplinary degree programs to expose students to complex technical and societal issues requiring analysis from multiple perspectives and interdisciplinary teamwork.

Hong Kong Baptist UniversityGraduate Attributes

Graduates should:

Be ready to serve, lead and work in a team, and to pursue a healthy lifestyle.

Essential elements of team-based learning (TBL)

Groups must be properly formed and managed.Students must be accountable for the quality of their individual and group work.Students must receive frequent and timely feedback.Group assignments must promote both learning and team development.

______________________________________Larry Michaelsen, Michael Sweet and Dean X. Parmalee (editors)

(2008) Team-based learning: small group learning’s next big step, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Web resources at HKUST

Teaching large classeshttp://celt.ust.hk/experience/largeclass/index.html

Problem-based learninghttp://celt.ust.hk/ideas/pbl/Intro/index.html

Cooperative/collaborative learninghttp://celt.ust.hk/ideas/ccl/Intro/index.html

Consideration of learner characteristics

Generation Y Raised on technologyVisual learnersReliance on parental guidance

Chinese learners________________________________Carol K.K. Chan & Nirmala Rao (2009) Revisiting the Chinese Learner:

Changing Contexts, Changing Education, Comparative Education Research Centre, The University of Hong Kong.

Technology as lever

Example: Seven principles (slide 21)http://www.tltgroup.org/programs/seven.html

Break

Activity 3

Read the handout entitled “Guidelines on Learning that Inform Teaching.”

Each person will explain one of these guidelines to the group based on his/her understanding of how people learn.

Tips and strategies for fostering motivationExpect engagementDevelop and display the qualities of engaging teachersUse behaviorist-based strategies to reward learning rather than behaviorUse praise and criticism effectivelyAttend to students’ basic needs so that they can focus on the higher-level needs required for learningPromote student autonomy

_________________________________________________Elizabeth F. Barkley (2010) Student Engagement Techniques: A Handbook

for College Faculty, San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Tips and strategies for fostering motivation (cont’d)

Teach things worth learningIntegrate goals, activities, and assessmentCraft engaging learning tasksIncorporate competition appropriatelyExpect students to succeedHelp students expect to succeedTry to rebuild the confidence of discouraged and disengaged students

_________________________________________________Elizabeth F. Barkley (2010) Student Engagement Techniques: A Handbook

for College Faculty, San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

The way forward

Now that you have learned about several engaging pedagogies, choose one that you would like to adopt in your teaching and develop a plan for execution.

Where am I now?My strengths and

weaknesses

How do I keep improving?Repeat of the process

Where do I want to be?My goals

How do I know I am there?Evidence of success

How can I get there?An action plan

Adoptingan Engaging

Pedagogy

Towards realizing your goals

Evaluate where you areIdentify the key gaps between where you are and where you would like to beFormulate an action plan (specific steps; dates to be completed) to fill the gapsObtain the necessary resources to execute your planAnticipate potential obstacles and ways to overcome themEstablish credible measures of success (both tangible and intangible benefits) along the way; adjust your goals and/or plan as appropriate

Activity 4

Use the worksheet provided to draft a professional development plan for you to adopt an engaging pedagogy of your choice.

Work in pairs of two so that you can comment on each other’s plan.

Kirkpatrick’s 4-level model for evaluating training

Level Description Assessment

1 ReactionCan be done at the end of a program, usually in the form of a satisfaction survey

2 LearningCan be done with pre- and post-tests; at the end of the training or shortly thereafter; easier for knowledge outcomes

3 BehaviorBest done as a post-training assessment with multiple inputs; particularly suited for affective outcomes

4 Results Can only be done as a post-training assessment, usually within 3-6 months

Donald L. Kirkpatrick and James D. Kirkpatrick, Evaluating Training Programs, 3rd edition, Berrett-Koehler Publishers (2006), Ch. 3.

Assignment for the workshop on 15 June

Between now and then, revise your draft plan after giving it more thoughts and submit a copy to the Centre for Holistic Teaching and Learning by 9 June.

Bring a hard copy to the workshop on 15 June.

By the end of this workshop, you should be able to:describe several pedagogical approaches that are known to enhance student learning, explain why they are effective, anddevelop a plan to adopt one of these pedagogical approaches in your teaching.

Workshop outcomes

References

John Biggs and Catherine Tang (2007), Teaching for Quality Learning at University, 3rd edition, Society for Research into Higher Education & Open University Press.

Marilla Svinicki and Wilbert J. McKeachie(2011), McKeachie’s Teaching Tips: Strategies, Research, and Theory for College and University Professors, 13th

edition, Belmont: Wadsworth.

References (cont’d)

L. Dee Fink (2003), Creating Significant Learning Experiences: An Integrated Approach to Designing College Courses, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

P. Ramsden (2003), Learning to Teach in Higher Education, New York: Taylor and Francis.