Kristian Leisegang

School of Natural Medicine

University of the western Cape

CHECET Teaching & Learning Short Course 2012

My Use of Technology in Teaching & Learning

Prototype

Clinical science coordinator at School of Natural Medicine

Teach 3rd year and 4th year students

6 modules to cover:General and systemic pathologyGeneral medicine III & IVClinical diagnosisDifferential diagnosis

Insight into my UWC life

Completing a PhD with Medical Bioscience

Administration work.....like...setting tests, examsmarking papersSetting and marking assignmentsattending meetings

Increasing focus on learning how to teach!

Insight into my UWC life

General pathology

Introduces new and complex concepts

Underpins study of specific disease process (systemic pathology)

Pathology underpins the diagnostic process in medicine

Curriculum Focus for Prototype

Learning consists of 2 parts (Ally, 2004):Information transfer from a knowledge source (class)Assimilation of the information by student (home)

Learning influenced by instructional strategy more than the type of technology used (Ally, 2004)

A need to move the assimilation phase more into the classroom and to move information phase transfer out of the classroom (at least in part)

Problem Area and Curriculum Need

Ally, M. (2004). Foundations of educational theory for online learning. In T. A. Anderson & F. Elloumi (Eds). Theory and Practice of Online Learning (chapter 1). Athabasca University

An interactive environment to learn?

To learn via experience rather than books?

To assimilate knowledge in the presence of a facilitator rather than instructed in the presence of a lecturer?

Student Needs

For the things in life we must learn before we can

do them, we learn by doing them

Aristotle

How to transfer information to students before the

contact sessions?

PROBLEM

Pre-reading of course material

POTENTIAL SOLUTION

Large lecture load – 14 hours per weekHow can I find more time to address student needs?

Large volumes of work to cover in classHow can I minimise traditional lecture scenario but still

cover the course content?

Relatively little time to cover work loadHow to provide more formative assessment strategies?

Complex concepts to convey to studentsHow can I focus more on areas the students battle with?

My Challenges: Course Content

Clinical science a basis for their careerHow can I instil a desire and interest in a large

and complex workload?

How can I increase teacher-learner interaction in class time?

How can I better develop more higher order thinking skills?Identifying; Summerising; Analysing;

Integrating; Critical thinking;

My Challenges: Students

Access to basic technology should not be a problem

Students complete typed assignments and upload to Turnitin (access to computer, printer and internet)

I already make use of UWC eLearning platform that students use

Will look at a web based survey to assess students access to and ability to use various multimedia platforms

Technology Resources Available

Just-in-time teaching (JITT)

Pre-reading material activities should be used for activating and constructing background knowledge (Ajideh, 2003)

Pre-reading activities elicit prior knowledge, build background and focus attention (Ajideh, 2003)

The Focus: Pre-Reading

Ajideh, P. Schema theory-based pre-reading tasks: an neglegted essential in the ESL reading class. The Reading Matrix 2003, 3(1).

Just-in-time teaching (JITT)

According to Derek Bruff, research indicates that 30% student prepare when asked to do so

I suspect my class is lower than this!

So how to encourage this essential component of learning?

The Focus: Pre-Reading

Derek Bruff - http://chronicle.com/blogs/profhacker/getting-students-to-do-the-reading-pre-class-quizzes-on-wordpress/23066 [accessed 24 May 2012]

So How to Make it Work?

What about a blog?

A well used platform for communication and knowledge sharing

Considered a formative learning tool in the classroom

Allows facilitator and peer communication outside the classroom

Allow flexibility, adaptability and a wide range of potential uses in teaching and learning

Allow the following of a students leanring with immediate publications of capabilities on the web

Easy interaction with other web based tool

The Tool: Blogs

Williams JB, Jacobs JS. Exploring the use of blogs as learning spaces in the higher education sector. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology 2002, 20(2): 232-247Armstrong L, Berry M, Lamshed R.Blogs as electronic learning journals. E-Journal of Instructional Science and Technology 2004, 7(1)

Students can use a blog to do anything they would usually do on paper: answer homework questions, receive feedback on draft projects, reflect on reading assignments etc.

Teachers can then provide feedback using comments. Or, other students can provide qualitative feedback.

Taken from a presentation by Andrew Rusk

Blogs and wikis process potential in enhancing learners competence (Schrire, 2006)

Blogs and wikis valuable in the knowledge building process (Schrire, 2006)

Online discussions and blog postings are beneficial to the learners’ ability to gain and build knowledge (Hammond, 2000)

Affordances of blogs for learning

Schrire S. Knowledge building in asynchronous discussion groups: Going beyond quantitative analysis. Computers & Education 2006, 46(1):49-70.Hammond M. Communication with on-line forums: The oppertunities, contraints and the value of a communicative approach. Computers & Education 2000, 35(4):251-262.

Unable to find templates or similar use in the published literature

Original post and comments not altered or changed

Facilitates engagement, reflection and assimilation of new material autonomously

Facilitates writing skills and communication

Affordances of blogs for pre-reading

Encourage students to articulate their own thoughts

May have a discussion based nature (although a blog is not a discussion forum)

Essentially a reflection log on the new concepts and how they relate to what is already known to them

Affordances of blogs for pre-reading

Would need to be well constructed framework to stimulate a desired outcome

Post open ended questions and framework for the students to reflect on

Contectualisation of the use for self reflection and thought processing is very important

Focus on the development of thought processing, assimilation of new knowledge and learning skills

Learning outcomes to focus on the process of learning rather than the content

Blogs for pre-reading

Ineffective contextualisation

Unclear learning outcomes

Misuse of the environment

Illusive grading practices

Inadequate time allocation

Must avoid the 5 common mistakes of using blogs with students

Ruth Reynard: Avoiding the 5 most common mistakes in using blogs with students. http://campustecnology.com/articles/2008/10/avoiding-the -5-most-common-mistakes-in-using-blogs-with-students. [accessed 29 May 2012]

Encourage student engagement with new material on their own

JITT approach assess common problem areas focus on these in class facilitation and

discussions

Can incorporate reflections that encourage students to ask questions

Formative Learning

In order to encourage engagement

Clear outcomes will need to be put in place via rubrics

A focus on how each student has engaged with the material and develop learning and assimilation skills

Small or no focus on the correctness of the work (students not expected to self study the material, just to engage with it and display the ability to assimilate)

Summative Learning

Create a course specific blog: general pathology

Link blog to UWC eLearning plateform and a corresponding facebook group

Instruct students via assignment handout (print and electronic) how to create google profile and access blog

Similar instructions in how to join a facebook group

Prototype Conceptual Development

Produce broad open ended questions and statements for blog discussions for each chapter

Post this on the blog for ‘replies and comment’ from each student

Limit posting via minimum and maximum word length (e.g. 400 – 600 words)

Also post a link to the assignment from facebook and through eLearning to student emails

Comments due the day before we begin the chapter and corresponding course work in class

Prototype Conceptual Development

Participation - completion of task with a response related to the discussion topics

Reflective statements – self positioning within the course concepts

Commentary statements – effective use of reading material in the discussion

Application statements – direct use of new ideas in there current education setting and future career

Communication – effective writing skills and communication of the information without re-typing the textbook

Further research – links or referals to other on-line sources of knowledge based on the material

Rubric Outlines

Task: Read chapter 14 on thrombosis

Reflect on the underlying mechanisms of thrombus formations, and relate these mechanisms to the physiological process of haemostasis as previously studies

Discuss areas of potential difficulty in understanding the definition, aetiology or pathogenesis of thrombus formation

Identify any potential risk factors your are exposed to that may increase you chances of a thrombus forming

Example: Thrombosis

Task: Read chapter 24-27 on cancer

What are the most interesting components of these chapters that stimulate your interest, and provide some insight as to why you find it interesting

Describe how reading these chapters has changed your preconceived ideas and knowledge about what cancer is and how cancer forms

Describe relevant areas of anatomy and physiology studies in previous years has been most useful in preparing you to study cancer formation and spread?

Example: Cancer

Difficult to execute in large classes

Consider condensing the readings into units that can be addressed bi-weekly or monthly to reduce continuous workload

Word-press can accommodate wiki applications, and you can in bed alternative reading or even videos into the posting for discussions and comments

Consider using facebook group to facilitate the process

CHEC Facilitators Formative Feedback

Nothing as yet....

Margolis et al. (2006) consider student feedback as essential in order to gauge efficacy of technological tool in course gain

Have been developing and experimenting with on line survey programs to address student based formative feedback

This can be used for various aspects of teaching, and not just my prototype

Peer and Student Formative Feedback

Margolis JL, Nussbaum M, Rodriguez P, Rosas R. Methodology for evaluating a novel education technology: A case study of hand held video games. Computers & Education 2006, 46(2):174-191

Was it useful?

Did it aid learning?

Did it stimulate increased interest in the subject?

Did it stimulate anticipation for the contact sessions and practical classes?

What would you change and why?

Student Formative Feedback After Course Completion

AND THAT IS ALL FOR NOW

QUESTIONS?

FEEDBACK?