Intelligent design: student perceptions of teaching and learning in large social work classes

Research into the effects of large classes demonstrates that students are disadvantaged in terms of higher order learning because interactions between teachers and students occur at lower cognitive levels. This has significance for social work education, with its emphasis on the development of critical thinking and problem solving, both higher order cognitive skills. This paper reports on quantitative and qualitative research that explored social work students’ perceptions of different teaching and learning strategies in a large mental health course designed with reference to principles of student‐centred learning and constructive alignment. Findings revealed that well‐integrated design, relevance to the real world and teacher enthusiasm were seen as most useful by students, rather than particular learning strategies per se. Higher satisfaction ratings and grades were also associated with this student‐centred course compared with an earlier traditional lecture‐style course. The paper concludes that design based on the interplay between diverse learning activities, including lecture input, strengthened the student‐centred orientation of learning and recommends further research that compares learning outcomes associated with these contrasting approaches to professional education.     

The impact of a university teaching development programme on student approaches to studying and learning experience: evidence from Chile

In this paper, we analyse the impact of teacher participation in a University Teaching Diploma on student approaches to studying and learning experience. A quasi-experimental and multilevel design was employed. University teachers answered the Approaches to Teaching Inventory and students completed the Course Experience Questionnaire and the Study Process Questionnaire. In addition, contextual variables were included for both teachers and students. The total sample included 44 teachers and 686 students. Of these, 25 university teachers had completed the University Teaching Diploma and 19 had not; 373 students were in courses with a diploma teacher and 313 in courses were not. Results show that those university teachers who have completed the programme have, in their courses, students who were more likely to declare having adopted a deep approach to studying than those teachers who have not participated in the diploma. At the same time, no significant impact was found on the student learning experience. For practical purposes, this investigation provides evidence for the value of teaching development programmes in promoting deeper approaches to studying. For research purposes, it proposes the use of multilevel models to evaluate the impact of university teaching diplomas.     

Teachers' self-directed learning and teaching experience: What,how, and why teachers want to learn

This study focused on teachers' self-directed learning; a concept derived from adult learning theories that accommodates for the idea that teachers formulate their own learning needs and consequently direct their learning. Teachers from 11 Dutch secondary schools (N = 309) were asked about their preferred learning domains (‘what’), their preferred learning activities (‘how’), and their reasons to learn about a selection of learning domains (‘why’). In regression analyses we tested for linear and non-linear relationships between teachers' teaching experience with their self-directed learning. Early- and late-career teachers showed higher preferences compared to mid-career teachers to learn about classroom management domains.     

Dyad pedagogy in practical anatomy: A description of the implementation and student perceptions of an adaptive approach to cadaveric teaching

Prior to the challenges imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic, anatomy practical sessions at Trinity College Dublin involved eight to 10 students per donor station, rotating between digital learning, anatomical models/osteology, and dissection activities for three hours weekly. To maintain cadaveric participation in the anatomy laboratory while adhering to distancing guidelines, a transition to dyad pedagogy was implemented. This mode of delivery allowed two students per donor station to spend one hour per week in the anatomy laboratory with all digital learning elements transferred to the virtual learning platform Blackboard as pre- and post-practical session learning activities. Dyad pedagogy has been explored in clinical settings and simulation procedural-based training but is yet to be fully verified in anatomy education. To determine the effectiveness of hybrid practical sessions and reduced donor to student ratios, the opinions of first year medical students were examined using an online questionnaire with a 51% response rate. Although students recognized the merits of more time in the anatomy laboratory, including opportunities for self-directed study and exposure to anatomical variation, they felt that having two students per station enabled sufficient hands-on time with the donor body and fostered learning opportunities that would not be possible with larger groups. Strong preferences for quality time with the donor body supported by online resources suggests this modality should be a key consideration in course design for anatomy curricula and emphasizes the importance of gauging students' preferences to optimize satisfaction and learning output when pivoting to blended learning strategies in anatomy education.     

Designing for learning in the Yellow House: a comparison of instructional and learning design origins and practices

ABSTRACT

For the past two decades, there has been persistent debate around whether there is a difference between the fields of instructional design (ID) and learning design (LD). While differences in the two approaches are certainly apparent, there are cross-over points that can provide ID and LD researchers and practitioners with opportunities for dialogue about the purposes and remit of research-based practices for optimal design. Though potentially disruptive, initiating dialogues among learning and instructional designers could lead to more thorough and critical analyses of both ID and LD repertoires. Should boundary crossings occur, there is a potential for a third space for the contemplation, research, and practice of design. A goal of this article is to use the notion of Van Gogh’s Yellow House as an anchoring metaphor for the third space – a location for shared discourse, inspiration, collaboration, and challenge for a community of designers of/for learning. Using the impressionist and expressionist terminology to help elucidate the ways of thinking of designers of both traditions, this article examines the history, underlying philosophical approaches, methodologies, and design goals of ID and LD. We conclude that the emergence of a third space for design can help us move beyond the LD and ID dichotomies. We suggest that a socio-materialist perspective alleviates issues of incommensurability by acknowledging ontological multiplicity.     

智能时代学习空间的融合样态与融合路径

智能时代,随着大数据、云计算、智能技术等新兴技术在教育领域的应用,衍生出泛在学习、无缝学习、智慧学习等新型学习方式,学习空间作为学习发生的场所也发生着重大改变,其中一个重要的变革趋势是学习空间走向融合。学习空间融合可为学习者构建虚拟和现实无缝融合的环境,使学习者能够轻松、有效和投入地开展正式和非正式学习。文章立足时代背景,对学习空间的主要形态及空间融合的本质内涵进行阐释,指出空间融合具有"教学设计的贯一性"和"学习链条的连续性"两大核心特征,同时指出学习空间存在三种典型的融合样态,分别是物理空间之间的融合、信息空间之间的融合以及物理与信息空间之间的融合。最后,从教与学要素的角度出发提出了目标融合、内容融合、活动融合、场景融合和评价融合五条融合路径,以期为实现学习空间的有效融合提供指导和借鉴。     

Digital natives and digital media in the college classroom: assignment design and impacts on student learning

The use of multimodal learning techniques is becoming more widespread, however, the pedagogical discourse surrounding its implementation into classroom and course design is complicated as these technologies are either demonized or viewed as the panacea for curriculum ills. Educators are faced with unique challenges when investigating how to experiment with the best ways to produce classroom experiences that use digital media. This case study examines the implementation challenges and learning outcomes related to such an experiment by reviewing and assessing the use of digital media in a health communication course, specifically through the development of documentaries. Creating an effective assignment requires addressing the development of technical skills along with course content and providing guidance and feedback throughout a semester-long project. Creating an effective assignment is pointless without sufficient learning outcomes. Because this assignment engaged students with both the course content and digital media, their learning experiences were enhanced and improved their group collaboration, critical thinking and media literacy skills.     

Modelling blended solutions for higher education: teaching,learning, and assessment in the network and mobile technology era

The article addresses the role of network and mobile technologies in enhancing blended solutions with a view to (a) enriching the teaching/learning processes, (b) exploiting the opportunities it offers for their observability, and hence for their monitoring and formative/summative assessment. It will also discuss how such potential can only be captured by solidly integrating the process of instructional design with that of monitoring and assessment. First, the article presents the proposed conception of blended solutions, giving examples. In the second part, the article discusses a possible breakdown of blended solutions into its various components and how these can enrich both the teaching/learning and the assessment processes. Finally, it addresses the question of how to combine and/or use singly the various components of blended solutions. To conclude, implications for the implementation of blended solutions are discussed, also in relation to emerging contexts such as Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs).     

More than just a game: the role of simulation in the teaching of product design and entrepreneurship to mechanical engineering students

The purpose of this work is to contribute to the debate on the best pedagogical approach to developing undergraduate mechanical engineering skills to meet the requirements of contemporary complex working environments. The paper provides an example of using student–entrepreneur collaboration in the teaching of modules to Mechanical Engineering final-year students. Problem-based learning (PBL) is one of the most significant recent innovations in the area of education for the professions. This work proposes to make an original contribution by simulating a real-life entrepreneur interaction for the students. The current literature largely confines simulation-based learning to computer applications such as games. However, this paper argues that role playing by students interfacing with technology start-ups can also be regarded as ‘simulation’ in a wider sense. Consequently, the paper proposes the concept of simulation-action learning as an enhancement of PBL and to distinguish it from computer simulation.