Friday, November 19, 2010
iLibrarian: 8 Awesome Websites to Take Free College Courses Online
http://oedb.org/blogs/ilibrarian/2010/8-awesome-websites-to-take-free-college-courses-online/
The Bivings Report: What’s this HTML 5 Thing?
Posted by Todd Zeigler in Design,Usability,Web 2.0
http://www.bivingsreport.com/2010/whats-this-html-5-thing/
http://www.bivingsreport.com/2010/whats-this-html-5-thing/
10 Steps to Mobile Supremacy for Libraries
http://www.slideshare.net/librarianinblack/10-steps-to-mobile-supremacy-for-libraries
Hongkiat.com: Online Tips for Designers and Bloggers: 25 Tools to Improve Your Website’s Usability
http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/tools-to-improve-your-websites-usability/
ECAR Study of Undergraduate Students and Information Technology, 2010
http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ERS1006/RS/ERS1006W.pdf
School Library Journal: Best Video Creation Tools for the Classroom
http://www.slj.com/slj/articlesatechnology/887287-464/best_video_creation_tools_for.html.csp
All Facebook: 10 Facebook Pages Every Techie Should Follow
http://www.allfacebook.com/10-facebook-pages-every-techie-should-follow-2010-10
Mashable / Social Media: 38 New Social Media Resources You May Have Missed
http://mashable.com/2010/11/07/new-social-media-resources-6/
Social Media
Top 10 Twitter Trends This Week
Wondering what was hot in the Twitterverse this past week? Check out our comprehensive chart of the top trends.
10 Fun Doodling Apps to Unleash Your Creativity
The pen and paper may be on a fast track to obsolescence, but the doodle will live on forever. These 10 sites are some of our favorites.
The Future of Social Media and Politics
With the midterm elections in their final throes, we spoke to some key players for their views on what the rise of mainstream social media has in store for the next generation of political campaigns.
HOW TO: Gain Twitter Influence
Twitter Influencers Guy Kawasaki and Robert Scoble share their tips for earning Twitter cred.
4 People Who Let the Crowd Control Their Destiny
We’ve taken a look at four instances of crowd sourcing one’s life — all of which launched around the same time, but include their own set of hardships and rewards.
A Glimpse at the Future of Foursquare
CEO and co-founder Dennis Crowley discussed the future of Foursquare Wednesday, touching on customized recommendations, the instant checkin, and brand discovery.
HOW TO: Organize a Mashable Meetup
Many of our readers have been taking the reins in getting to know each other by organizing Mashable Meetups. Here’s how to get started setting up your own.
5 Must-Follow Non-Profits Making a Difference With Social Media [Mashable Awards]
From raising money to spreading awareness to connecting with people, social media is a boon for non-profit organizations. Here are five must-follow groups that stood out in 2010.
Social Media Weddings: 4 Tips From the Pros
Social media can help you research vendors, communicate with guests and share your big day with your friends and family. Here’s how.
An Inside “Look” at Showtime’s New Voyeuristic Series
Based on director Adam Rifkin’s 2007 film of the same name, “Look” was shot via security cameras and integrates social media.
__________________________________________________
Tech & Mobile
10 Essential Websites for iPhone Photographers
We’ve bookmarked 10 brilliant online resources that offer great galleries, talent showcases, app reviews, exhibition news and more, all for the iPhone photography enthusiast.
5 Website Designs That Blew Us Away [Mashable Awards]
A beautiful website can blow you away: Here are a few of the websites we think showcased excellent design work this year, both in terms of form and function.
5 Stylish iPhone Alarm Clock Apps to Wake You Up On Time
We’ve tried and tested five great alarm clock apps for the iPhone that can’t make getting out of bed any easier, but at least you can customize your morning.
“Def Jam Rapstar” Raises the Roof Just Short of Greatness [REVIEW]
The game’s creators can go on and brush their shoulders off because the limited options won’t hold those living room MCs back from personal stardom.
The Social Future of Xbox Live and “Halo” [INTERVIEW]
We spoke with “Halo” Franchise Development Director Frank O’Connor to learn more about Bungie and Microsoft’s strategy for promoting social gaming with “Halo: Reach.”
9 iPhone Apps for Managing the Recruiting Process
Instead of creating new processes or downloading a bunch of new apps, here are some iPhone apps you might already have that can help you manage the recruiting process.
5 Media Format Flops Destined To Be Forgotten [VIDEOS]
For every VHS, there’s a BetaMax. As consumer electronics companies do battle, the tech landscape is littered with losers. Check out the interesting stories behind 5 famous flops.
Hands-on With Logitech’s Wireless Solar Keyboard [REVIEW]
The K750 won’t change your life. It won’t even even help you type faster. It will, however, allow you to buy a few less batteries.
10 Intermediate and Advanced Tips from PHP Masters
We asked PHP() experts about their top suggestions for developers on their way to becoming true masters of the art and science of PHP.
Online Behavior Tracking and Privacy: 7 Worst Case Scenarios
If advertisers continue to self-regulate online tracking or if the government steps in, what’s the worst that could happen? We spoke to experts on both sides of the issue to find out what’s at stake.
Two Ways Developers Will Interact With Google TV Viewers
Connected() devices like the Google TV promise to bring the web to your living room in one of two ways: optimized websites and native applications.
12 Tech Toys for a Geeked-Out Wedding
A wedding is no time to hide your inner geek. These 12 gadgets will spice up any lo-fi nuptial celebration.
7 A/B Testing Resources for Startups and Solo Developers
If you need a simple, inexpensive way to figure out what’s going to make your website’s users click on that big, red button, check out these tools.
HOW TO: Start Your Own Internet Talk Show
Do you fancy yourself a budding talk show personality? With a few inexpensive tools and a bit of planning, you can launch your own web show. Here’s how to do it.
Why Location Apps of the Future Will Do Much More Than Checkins
Sparkle() is a new location platform launching today from Location Labs.
5 MP3 Players for Pumping Up Your Workouts
Whether you’re looking for a new MP3 player or an alternative to taking your expensive phone into the danger zone, we’ve got five options that are ideal for sporty types.
The Evolution of Mobile [COMIC]
We’ve certainly come a long way.
__________________________________
Business
HOW TO: Score a Job Through Facebook
While Facebook is known as a casual network of friends, with 500 million users, it has the potential to be one of the largest job hunting resources available – if used correctly.
How Online Private Sales Work and How Businesses Can Get Involved
A look at the ins and outs of online private sales and how businesses can benefit from getting involved.
4 Things Small Businesses Should Know About Facebook’s New Groups
Can Facebook’s new Groups feature be used for business? Here’s a rundown of what you should include in your Facebook biz strategy.
5 Tips for Marketing Online to an International Audience
Expanding your marketing efforts to an international audience widens your brand’s reach, but it entails understanding regional cultures, laws and online behaviors.
Drupal Founder on Why Open Source is Good for Business [INTERVIEW]
Fresh off of an $8.5 million round of funding, Acquia and Drupal() founder Dries Buytaert spoke with Mashable about the role of commercial interests in the success of open source software.
What to Consider When Building an In-House Social Media Team
We talked to professionals who have built a social media team – from big global businesses to small companies – in order to pin down some best practices.
Essential Startup Funding Tips From 8 Seasoned Investors
Mashable reached out to angels, seed stage investors and VC firm partners and asked them to share their best advice on how to get your big idea in front of the right people.
5 Tips for Improving Your Social Customer Service
Companies that provide support through public channels keep customers happy and gain a reputation as consumer-focused businesses. Check out these tips for streamlining your social support model.
5 Proven Strategies for B2B Social Media Marketing
B2B marketers can use social media to generate leads, create specialized communities, improve SEO, become knowledge sources, and strengthen marketing campaigns.
HOW TO: Calculate the ROI of Your Social Media Campaign
If you’re not measuring your social media campaigns on an ROI basis, you’re setting yourself up for failure. Here are some tips to get you on a results-driven path.
10 Reasons Every TV Exec Needs to Start Tweeting
Twitter offers a lot for TV execs looking for a real-time understanding of what fans want. Here’s why everyone in the TV biz should start tweeting.
Social Media
Top 10 Twitter Trends This Week
Wondering what was hot in the Twitterverse this past week? Check out our comprehensive chart of the top trends.
10 Fun Doodling Apps to Unleash Your Creativity
The pen and paper may be on a fast track to obsolescence, but the doodle will live on forever. These 10 sites are some of our favorites.
The Future of Social Media and Politics
With the midterm elections in their final throes, we spoke to some key players for their views on what the rise of mainstream social media has in store for the next generation of political campaigns.
HOW TO: Gain Twitter Influence
Twitter Influencers Guy Kawasaki and Robert Scoble share their tips for earning Twitter cred.
4 People Who Let the Crowd Control Their Destiny
We’ve taken a look at four instances of crowd sourcing one’s life — all of which launched around the same time, but include their own set of hardships and rewards.
A Glimpse at the Future of Foursquare
CEO and co-founder Dennis Crowley discussed the future of Foursquare Wednesday, touching on customized recommendations, the instant checkin, and brand discovery.
HOW TO: Organize a Mashable Meetup
Many of our readers have been taking the reins in getting to know each other by organizing Mashable Meetups. Here’s how to get started setting up your own.
5 Must-Follow Non-Profits Making a Difference With Social Media [Mashable Awards]
From raising money to spreading awareness to connecting with people, social media is a boon for non-profit organizations. Here are five must-follow groups that stood out in 2010.
Social Media Weddings: 4 Tips From the Pros
Social media can help you research vendors, communicate with guests and share your big day with your friends and family. Here’s how.
An Inside “Look” at Showtime’s New Voyeuristic Series
Based on director Adam Rifkin’s 2007 film of the same name, “Look” was shot via security cameras and integrates social media.
__________________________________________________
Tech & Mobile
10 Essential Websites for iPhone Photographers
We’ve bookmarked 10 brilliant online resources that offer great galleries, talent showcases, app reviews, exhibition news and more, all for the iPhone photography enthusiast.
5 Website Designs That Blew Us Away [Mashable Awards]
A beautiful website can blow you away: Here are a few of the websites we think showcased excellent design work this year, both in terms of form and function.
5 Stylish iPhone Alarm Clock Apps to Wake You Up On Time
We’ve tried and tested five great alarm clock apps for the iPhone that can’t make getting out of bed any easier, but at least you can customize your morning.
“Def Jam Rapstar” Raises the Roof Just Short of Greatness [REVIEW]
The game’s creators can go on and brush their shoulders off because the limited options won’t hold those living room MCs back from personal stardom.
The Social Future of Xbox Live and “Halo” [INTERVIEW]
We spoke with “Halo” Franchise Development Director Frank O’Connor to learn more about Bungie and Microsoft’s strategy for promoting social gaming with “Halo: Reach.”
9 iPhone Apps for Managing the Recruiting Process
Instead of creating new processes or downloading a bunch of new apps, here are some iPhone apps you might already have that can help you manage the recruiting process.
5 Media Format Flops Destined To Be Forgotten [VIDEOS]
For every VHS, there’s a BetaMax. As consumer electronics companies do battle, the tech landscape is littered with losers. Check out the interesting stories behind 5 famous flops.
Hands-on With Logitech’s Wireless Solar Keyboard [REVIEW]
The K750 won’t change your life. It won’t even even help you type faster. It will, however, allow you to buy a few less batteries.
10 Intermediate and Advanced Tips from PHP Masters
We asked PHP() experts about their top suggestions for developers on their way to becoming true masters of the art and science of PHP.
Online Behavior Tracking and Privacy: 7 Worst Case Scenarios
If advertisers continue to self-regulate online tracking or if the government steps in, what’s the worst that could happen? We spoke to experts on both sides of the issue to find out what’s at stake.
Two Ways Developers Will Interact With Google TV Viewers
Connected() devices like the Google TV promise to bring the web to your living room in one of two ways: optimized websites and native applications.
12 Tech Toys for a Geeked-Out Wedding
A wedding is no time to hide your inner geek. These 12 gadgets will spice up any lo-fi nuptial celebration.
7 A/B Testing Resources for Startups and Solo Developers
If you need a simple, inexpensive way to figure out what’s going to make your website’s users click on that big, red button, check out these tools.
HOW TO: Start Your Own Internet Talk Show
Do you fancy yourself a budding talk show personality? With a few inexpensive tools and a bit of planning, you can launch your own web show. Here’s how to do it.
Why Location Apps of the Future Will Do Much More Than Checkins
Sparkle() is a new location platform launching today from Location Labs.
5 MP3 Players for Pumping Up Your Workouts
Whether you’re looking for a new MP3 player or an alternative to taking your expensive phone into the danger zone, we’ve got five options that are ideal for sporty types.
The Evolution of Mobile [COMIC]
We’ve certainly come a long way.
__________________________________
Business
HOW TO: Score a Job Through Facebook
While Facebook is known as a casual network of friends, with 500 million users, it has the potential to be one of the largest job hunting resources available – if used correctly.
How Online Private Sales Work and How Businesses Can Get Involved
A look at the ins and outs of online private sales and how businesses can benefit from getting involved.
4 Things Small Businesses Should Know About Facebook’s New Groups
Can Facebook’s new Groups feature be used for business? Here’s a rundown of what you should include in your Facebook biz strategy.
5 Tips for Marketing Online to an International Audience
Expanding your marketing efforts to an international audience widens your brand’s reach, but it entails understanding regional cultures, laws and online behaviors.
Drupal Founder on Why Open Source is Good for Business [INTERVIEW]
Fresh off of an $8.5 million round of funding, Acquia and Drupal() founder Dries Buytaert spoke with Mashable about the role of commercial interests in the success of open source software.
What to Consider When Building an In-House Social Media Team
We talked to professionals who have built a social media team – from big global businesses to small companies – in order to pin down some best practices.
Essential Startup Funding Tips From 8 Seasoned Investors
Mashable reached out to angels, seed stage investors and VC firm partners and asked them to share their best advice on how to get your big idea in front of the right people.
5 Tips for Improving Your Social Customer Service
Companies that provide support through public channels keep customers happy and gain a reputation as consumer-focused businesses. Check out these tips for streamlining your social support model.
5 Proven Strategies for B2B Social Media Marketing
B2B marketers can use social media to generate leads, create specialized communities, improve SEO, become knowledge sources, and strengthen marketing campaigns.
HOW TO: Calculate the ROI of Your Social Media Campaign
If you’re not measuring your social media campaigns on an ROI basis, you’re setting yourself up for failure. Here are some tips to get you on a results-driven path.
10 Reasons Every TV Exec Needs to Start Tweeting
Twitter offers a lot for TV execs looking for a real-time understanding of what fans want. Here’s why everyone in the TV biz should start tweeting.
The Blue Skunk Blog: Seven qualities of highly effective technology trainers
http://doug-johnson.squarespace.com/blue-skunk-blog/2010/4/12/seven-qualities-of-highly-effective-technology-trainers.html
iLibrarian: 2010 State Of The Blogosphere
http://oedb.org/blogs/ilibrarian/2010/2010-state-of-the-blogosphere/
Technorati CEO Richard Jalichandra presented the annual State of The Blogosphere presentation at the ad:tech conference last week. The findings of the report are based on a survey of 7,200 bloggers.
Some key takeaways:
•Self-employed bloggers now account for 21% of those surveyed, compared to 9% last year.
•But only 11% say their primary income comes from blogging.
•Hobbyists still make up the bulk of bloggers at 65%, but that is down from 72% last year
•Corporate bloggers now make up 4% of the total, up from 1% last year.
•Two thirds are male
•They use many types of social media (LinkedIn, YouTube, Flickr, StumbleUpon, Digg), but when it comes to driving traffic back to their blogs only two social media services really count: Facebook and Twitter
•Tablets and smartphones are impacting impacting blogging styles for 39% of bloggers
•Of those, 70% are writing shorter posts, 50% are posting photos from their smartphones, and 15% are using less Flash
•When writing about brands or products, 71% will only write about brands they approve of.
Technorati CEO Richard Jalichandra presented the annual State of The Blogosphere presentation at the ad:tech conference last week. The findings of the report are based on a survey of 7,200 bloggers.
Some key takeaways:
•Self-employed bloggers now account for 21% of those surveyed, compared to 9% last year.
•But only 11% say their primary income comes from blogging.
•Hobbyists still make up the bulk of bloggers at 65%, but that is down from 72% last year
•Corporate bloggers now make up 4% of the total, up from 1% last year.
•Two thirds are male
•They use many types of social media (LinkedIn, YouTube, Flickr, StumbleUpon, Digg), but when it comes to driving traffic back to their blogs only two social media services really count: Facebook and Twitter
•Tablets and smartphones are impacting impacting blogging styles for 39% of bloggers
•Of those, 70% are writing shorter posts, 50% are posting photos from their smartphones, and 15% are using less Flash
•When writing about brands or products, 71% will only write about brands they approve of.
iLibrarian: Truth Be Told: How College Students Evaluate and Use Information in the Digital Age
http://oedb.org/blogs/ilibrarian/2010/truth-be-told-how-college-students-evaluate-and-use-information-in-the-digital-age/
iLibrarian: A Digital Key for Unlocking the Humanities’ Riches
http://oedb.org/blogs/ilibrarian/2010/a-digital-key-for-unlocking-the-humanities%e2%80%99-riches/
IDEA Paper #48: Strategies to Improve Student Writing
http://www.theideacenter.org/sites/default/files/IDEA_Paper_48.pdf
Tomorrow's Teaching and Learning: Awake, Accountable, and Engaged
http://cgi.stanford.edu/~dept-ctl/cgi-bin/tomprof/postings.php
As a new college professor, one of the things that surprised me most was the lack of student engagement and accountability in the classroom. Striving to be a professor that utilized a lecture format sparingly, I structured my class sessions to encourage participation and to be highly interactive, collaborative, and student-centered. Mini-lectures were designed to foster discourse. Since I am preparing many of my students to be educators, I feel responsible to model ?best practice? instructional strategies and procedures.
My belief has always been never to work harder than my students, but I found myself not living up to that principle. Students? classroom participation was minimal, and question/answer ?wait time? had become extreme. Silence was the norm, and the same volunteers would eventually contribute only when they could no longer bear the stillness. Clearly, a new strategy was required.
I recalled two techniques for increasing student accountability that I had found very effective when implementing the Collins Writing Program in the K-12 classroom two decades ago. (The Collins Writing Program is used in K-12 classrooms, across the country with tremendous success.)
As a former classroom teacher and Curriculum and Instruction Director, I have implemented and supervised many programs throughout the years, but none with such success as Collins Writing. In my twenty years of experience using Collins, I observed that once teachers are trained in Collins techniques, they often become ?lifetime users.? I realized the same research-based strategies and techniques I had used two decades ago could be just as effective in the college classroom.
Herewith are two teaching strategies I have used to engage students in the classroom and hold them accountable for their own learning by systematically gauging their comprehension of presented material.1
Strategy 1: Using ?Intentional Closure? to Help Students Determine and Retain Primary Information
During classroom discussions, students frequently have asked what information they would be tested on. I realized many students had become accustomed to receiving a study guide and were conditioned to rely on the instructor to provide them with a synopsis of essential coursework. I purposely did not provide them with a study guide; my belief is the student should be responsible for determining the most relevant information. Yet I witnessed many students struggling to prioritize what was essential material. A strategy was needed to promote student accountability and to help students synthesize the most important information.
One technique for helping students to clarify the most relevant lecture material relies on intentional closure of the class session. I ask students to compose two questions about the day?s lesson at the end of each class. Students present their questions at the beginning of the following class to initiate discussion and confirm the previous lecture?s essential information.
Composing the questions compels students to review and summarize what was provided during class. It is also an effective closure activity, with all students focused on reviewing the day?s information rather than simply packing their bags and chatting.
This technique has been identified by Marzano as one of nine instructional strategies most likely to improve student achievement. Marzano (2001) states that students should learn to eliminate unnecessary information, substitute some information, keep important information, write/rewrite and analyze information, and put some information into their own words.
As a result of this activity, I found that students began taking diligent notes since they would use them to formulate their questions a the end of each class period. As students compose their questions, I circulate around the classroom, scan the questions quickly and provide a check or minus for completing the assignment. Note that I am not collecting students? questions; I?ve learned to be selective regarding papers I take home to grade. A check or minus can be given quickly and is one way that I can objectively grant a grade for class participation.
Before dismissing class, I ask a few students to read their questions. Hopefully, their responses give other students an explicit indicator of the essential information presented during class. I then select a few of the oral questions and write them in my plan book. The students quickly learn that I will begin the next class meeting by asking one or two of these questions and that they will be expected to formulate a brief written response.
Indeed, when the next class meets, I write one of the questions students came up with in the previous meeting on the board and ask students to write a response. I again circulate through the classroom while they write, scanning their papers for misconceptions about the prior material. Sometimes I collect all students? papers; however, I?m more apt to ?roll the dice? when determining which student papers to collect and grade. This may be based on the seating arrangement or other student grouping.
I rarely grade every collected paper but make sure that by the end of the semester, I have collected an equal amount from each student. No one knows whose paper will be collected during a class session, since it?s always random, and I can usually grade these papers in about fifteen minutes.
Strategy 2: Promoting Student Engagement and Participation Through Writing Responses
When students come to class, I want them to be mentally engaged as well as physically present. I expect everyone to be an active participant.
Often, however, when I asked a question, the same three to five hands were raised while the remainder of the class sat idle (most likely giving thanks that they were spared from answering the question). In this scenario, it was impossible to determine who had prepared for class or completed required reading and who was having difficulty synthesizing the material.
Now, to encourage active participation, and in lieu of asking questions to individual students, all students must provide a written response to a posed, content-based question.
When using this technique, I often stop class midway and ask a question. Based on the number of hands up, I will often say, ?Why don?t you all just respond in writing?you have five minutes.? I always give a definitive time limit and expected quota of lines when using this technique. This provides students with well-needed practice in putting their thoughts into words. Having the ability to formulate written responses that are succinct and to the point is a required skill in virtually all professions.
The questions that I ask are purposeful, have a definite answer, and can span the full range of Bloom?s Taxonomy. Each question constitutes a brief quiz but one that requires that students formulate an answer clearly, succinctly, and correctly in a limited amount of time. This does not mean that the answer should be a verbatim response from the text or class notes. The best questions help students make their own meaning by translating concepts into their own words.
Evaluation of student responses varies, depending upon the importance of the questions and the time available. I tend to keep evaluations simple so that I can skim each paper looking for appropriate responses. I prefer a point system because it is quick and easy to use. Students who previously relied on their classmates to field my questions are now alert and engaged.
Listed below are five of my most effective questions:
1. Give a five-to-ten-line summary of last night?s reading. Include two or three main ideas.
2. What were three of the most important points from yesterday?s discussion?
3. If you were summarizing today?s discussion for a friend who was absent, what two ideas do you think are the most essential?
4. Define in your own words the term ________________.
5. Tell me three things wrong with this statement: ____________.
I have found that frequent use of this technique makes students more comfortable and skilled in explaining their thinking, generates better writing, and, most important, promotes learning, retention, and participation.
Professors from multiple disciplines will find that incorporating the two strategies described here requires minimal effort and results in more participatory, engaged students.
References
? Collins, J. 2007. The Collins Writing Program: Improving Student Performance through Writing and Thinking across the Curriculum. West Newbury, Mass.: Collins Education Associates.
? Marzano, R. J., Pickering, D. J., & Pollock, J. E. 2001. Classroom Instruction That Works: Research Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement. Alexandria, Va.: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Contact:
Dr. Lisa J. Lucas Recitation Hall, Suite 210C West Chester University 700 South High Stree, West Chester, PA 19383
Telephone: (484) 571-6803 E-mail: llucas@wcup
As a new college professor, one of the things that surprised me most was the lack of student engagement and accountability in the classroom. Striving to be a professor that utilized a lecture format sparingly, I structured my class sessions to encourage participation and to be highly interactive, collaborative, and student-centered. Mini-lectures were designed to foster discourse. Since I am preparing many of my students to be educators, I feel responsible to model ?best practice? instructional strategies and procedures.
My belief has always been never to work harder than my students, but I found myself not living up to that principle. Students? classroom participation was minimal, and question/answer ?wait time? had become extreme. Silence was the norm, and the same volunteers would eventually contribute only when they could no longer bear the stillness. Clearly, a new strategy was required.
I recalled two techniques for increasing student accountability that I had found very effective when implementing the Collins Writing Program in the K-12 classroom two decades ago. (The Collins Writing Program is used in K-12 classrooms, across the country with tremendous success.)
As a former classroom teacher and Curriculum and Instruction Director, I have implemented and supervised many programs throughout the years, but none with such success as Collins Writing. In my twenty years of experience using Collins, I observed that once teachers are trained in Collins techniques, they often become ?lifetime users.? I realized the same research-based strategies and techniques I had used two decades ago could be just as effective in the college classroom.
Herewith are two teaching strategies I have used to engage students in the classroom and hold them accountable for their own learning by systematically gauging their comprehension of presented material.1
Strategy 1: Using ?Intentional Closure? to Help Students Determine and Retain Primary Information
During classroom discussions, students frequently have asked what information they would be tested on. I realized many students had become accustomed to receiving a study guide and were conditioned to rely on the instructor to provide them with a synopsis of essential coursework. I purposely did not provide them with a study guide; my belief is the student should be responsible for determining the most relevant information. Yet I witnessed many students struggling to prioritize what was essential material. A strategy was needed to promote student accountability and to help students synthesize the most important information.
One technique for helping students to clarify the most relevant lecture material relies on intentional closure of the class session. I ask students to compose two questions about the day?s lesson at the end of each class. Students present their questions at the beginning of the following class to initiate discussion and confirm the previous lecture?s essential information.
Composing the questions compels students to review and summarize what was provided during class. It is also an effective closure activity, with all students focused on reviewing the day?s information rather than simply packing their bags and chatting.
This technique has been identified by Marzano as one of nine instructional strategies most likely to improve student achievement. Marzano (2001) states that students should learn to eliminate unnecessary information, substitute some information, keep important information, write/rewrite and analyze information, and put some information into their own words.
As a result of this activity, I found that students began taking diligent notes since they would use them to formulate their questions a the end of each class period. As students compose their questions, I circulate around the classroom, scan the questions quickly and provide a check or minus for completing the assignment. Note that I am not collecting students? questions; I?ve learned to be selective regarding papers I take home to grade. A check or minus can be given quickly and is one way that I can objectively grant a grade for class participation.
Before dismissing class, I ask a few students to read their questions. Hopefully, their responses give other students an explicit indicator of the essential information presented during class. I then select a few of the oral questions and write them in my plan book. The students quickly learn that I will begin the next class meeting by asking one or two of these questions and that they will be expected to formulate a brief written response.
Indeed, when the next class meets, I write one of the questions students came up with in the previous meeting on the board and ask students to write a response. I again circulate through the classroom while they write, scanning their papers for misconceptions about the prior material. Sometimes I collect all students? papers; however, I?m more apt to ?roll the dice? when determining which student papers to collect and grade. This may be based on the seating arrangement or other student grouping.
I rarely grade every collected paper but make sure that by the end of the semester, I have collected an equal amount from each student. No one knows whose paper will be collected during a class session, since it?s always random, and I can usually grade these papers in about fifteen minutes.
Strategy 2: Promoting Student Engagement and Participation Through Writing Responses
When students come to class, I want them to be mentally engaged as well as physically present. I expect everyone to be an active participant.
Often, however, when I asked a question, the same three to five hands were raised while the remainder of the class sat idle (most likely giving thanks that they were spared from answering the question). In this scenario, it was impossible to determine who had prepared for class or completed required reading and who was having difficulty synthesizing the material.
Now, to encourage active participation, and in lieu of asking questions to individual students, all students must provide a written response to a posed, content-based question.
When using this technique, I often stop class midway and ask a question. Based on the number of hands up, I will often say, ?Why don?t you all just respond in writing?you have five minutes.? I always give a definitive time limit and expected quota of lines when using this technique. This provides students with well-needed practice in putting their thoughts into words. Having the ability to formulate written responses that are succinct and to the point is a required skill in virtually all professions.
The questions that I ask are purposeful, have a definite answer, and can span the full range of Bloom?s Taxonomy. Each question constitutes a brief quiz but one that requires that students formulate an answer clearly, succinctly, and correctly in a limited amount of time. This does not mean that the answer should be a verbatim response from the text or class notes. The best questions help students make their own meaning by translating concepts into their own words.
Evaluation of student responses varies, depending upon the importance of the questions and the time available. I tend to keep evaluations simple so that I can skim each paper looking for appropriate responses. I prefer a point system because it is quick and easy to use. Students who previously relied on their classmates to field my questions are now alert and engaged.
Listed below are five of my most effective questions:
1. Give a five-to-ten-line summary of last night?s reading. Include two or three main ideas.
2. What were three of the most important points from yesterday?s discussion?
3. If you were summarizing today?s discussion for a friend who was absent, what two ideas do you think are the most essential?
4. Define in your own words the term ________________.
5. Tell me three things wrong with this statement: ____________.
I have found that frequent use of this technique makes students more comfortable and skilled in explaining their thinking, generates better writing, and, most important, promotes learning, retention, and participation.
Professors from multiple disciplines will find that incorporating the two strategies described here requires minimal effort and results in more participatory, engaged students.
References
? Collins, J. 2007. The Collins Writing Program: Improving Student Performance through Writing and Thinking across the Curriculum. West Newbury, Mass.: Collins Education Associates.
? Marzano, R. J., Pickering, D. J., & Pollock, J. E. 2001. Classroom Instruction That Works: Research Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement. Alexandria, Va.: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Contact:
Dr. Lisa J. Lucas Recitation Hall, Suite 210C West Chester University 700 South High Stree, West Chester, PA 19383
Telephone: (484) 571-6803 E-mail: llucas@wcup
Higher Ed Impact: Weekly Scan: News & Key Takeaways
November 12 - 18, 2010
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