Blended Learning Series: Topic Intro | Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4
Blended Learning
Part 4:
Next Step – Embedding Active Learning Activities
Overview
After getting started with the basics, this part of the series explores the next step – integrating active learning into the online environment. Active learning engages students in “doing” (also see Active Learning series). Students talk about their learning, write about it, connect it to prior experiences, and apply it to their lives. They transform their learning into a part of themselves.
Active learning is observable; we can observe students learn as they problem solve, interact, discuss, reflect, teach, and apply. Active learning activities range from those that are easier to integrate (i.e., minute papers, the muddiest point, pause for reflection, group discussion, self-assessment, clickers), to those moderately difficult (i.e., concept maps, think-pair-share, peer review, case studies), to those more complex (i.e., role-playing, jigsaw activities, simulations, experiential learning).
As with any innovative pedagogy, there are naturally concerns to implementation. Potential solutions to the common concerns of limited time, student reactions, and large classes are suggested below in Tables 1a-1c.
Table 1a: Addressing Limited Time
Concern | Solutions Applied to a Hybrid Environment |
| There is no time to add more to an already packed lecture. | - Flip the class design by swapping direct instruction and homework. Remove some direct instruction from class time and assign it for homework (e.g., using videos or readings). Adapt homework for inclass or synchronous, interactive activities.
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| Implementing interactive activities means adding more assignments that need grading. | - Use online peer assessment. Create low-stakes assignments that students need to complete in order to succeed on other graded projects or assignments.
- Use automated feedback. Explore automated grading options of your LMS, such as Gradescope.
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| Too many emails. Students have too many questions since active learning is unfamiliar. | - Set clear expectations for students to reach out to each other for help via the discussion forum or through an online Q & A page.
- Answer students’ emailed questions on a message board. If one student has a question about a part of the assignment, it’s likely that others do too. Be sure to remove all identifying information.
- Collect student questions and create a FAQ page. This FAQ can be an online document or attached to a syllabus.
- Use a rubric to explain the assignment prompt. Rubrics answer many common student questions and clearly communicate your expectations for assignments. Post the rubric on Canvas.
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Adapted from the University of Buffalo, Center for Educational Innovation
Table 1b: Student Reactions
Concern | Solutions Applied to a Hybrid Environment |
| Some students may resist active learning. | - Clearly explain why students are being asked to engage in these talks and how they benefit. This can also be communicated prior to class via Announcements.
- Facilitate student work by checking in with students (e.g., through Zoom break-out rooms).
- Plan activities that students perceive as having value. Be explicit about learning outcomes and why they are important. Connect them to the course objectives that may be posted on your Canvas home page or syllabus.
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| Students may be distracted and off-task. | - Adopt “facilitation” strategies to check in with students over and “be” in the room. Instructors should not be hesitant to refocus students on their work.
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| Students may come to class unprepared. | - Make your expectations clear. Explain to students what it means to be “prepared” for class and what they should be able to do when they come to class. Whether the material is text or video, students need to know what to look for, how to identify the important parts, and to understand why it matters.
- Hold students accountable. A “ticket to enter” strategy asks students to complete a task as part of their pre-class work. Other strategies include: a low-stakes quiz, writing three questions based off the reading, or posting to the class discussion forum. The instructor can use this information to address content students may be struggling with.
- Have a conversation. Identify who is not prepared and see if this is a trend. Talk to the student or arrange a future meeting or Zoom conference. Once students realize they are on the instructor’s radar, they often resolve their unpreparedness.
- Reflect on the way you have organized your course on Canvas. Is it easily navigable? Can students readily find “what is due” that day or that week?
- Regular Announcements can be a proactive way to focus student attention to what is immediately required for preparedness.
- Rethink participation grades. Make the completion of online or preclass work a significant part of participation and their final grade. This allows instructors more flexibility in determining what counts as “participation” and encourages students to come prepared.
- If using pre-recorded videos to view before in-person sessions, consider using PlayPosit to maximize engagement (Lukins, 2023). This Canvas-supported tool allows instructors to embed interactive elements into their lecture videos to encourage active learning and provide opportunities for formative assessment. For instance, you can require students to answer short questions before allowing them to continue a video. These short tasks can be linked to your Canvas gradebook or remain ungraded.
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Adapted from the University of Buffalo, Center for Educational Innovation
Table 1c: Class size
Concern | Solutions Applied to a Hybrid Environment |
| Sorting large numbers of students into groups. | - If students need to meet outside of class, utilize a tool such as When2Meet to create groups based on availability. Or use a simple Google Forms survey to collect metrics that will help determine how students are grouped.
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| Supervising student work can be overwhelming. | - Have students work in a digital environment (e.g., Google Drive) and then send a link to their group folder. The faculty or TA can decide how much oversight they would like to provide. This also creates a time-and-dated stamped paper trail of the work each student contributes.
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| No time to grade additional work. | - Check Canvas options for automatic grading for quizzes. Peer grading can also be useful, but students will need direction on how to properly critique and give feedback.
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| Many students need help and there’s only one faculty member or TA in class. | - Encourage students to ask their peers before asking the instructors. Make use of message boards or other tools (e.g., social media) where students can post questions, and everyone can respond.
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Adapted from the University of Buffalo, Center for Educational Innovation
