Reading List

Online Teaching at Its Best, from Linda Nilson, director emerita of the Office of Teaching Effectiveness Innovation (OTEI) at Clemson University, and Ludwika Goodson, associate director of the Center for Enhancement of Teaching and Learning at Purdue University Fort Wayne,
Article about this books

Reflection: Turning experience into learning – ‎Edited by David Boud, Rosemary Keogh, and David Walker; 

How Learning Works: Seven Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching

Book Discussion

How Learning Works: Seven Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching 1st Edition by Susan A. Ambrose (Author),‎ Michael W. Bridges (Author),‎ Michele DiPietro (Author),‎ Marsha C. Lovett (Author),‎ Marie K. Norman  (Author),‎ Richard E. Mayer (Foreword)

Link to Amazon

pdf version

Other resources related to this book.

• Dr. Mary Jo Carnot presents "How Learning Works: Seven Research Based Principles of Learning," part of the Graves Lecture Series at Chadron State College.
• How Learning Works:7 Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching with Dr. Susan Ambrose Women in Engr ProActive Network

Part 1: View a pre-recorded webinar by Dr. Ambrose discussing the book she and colleagues published: "How Learning Works: 7 Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching."
Part 2: Q&A with Dr. Ambrose in which she discusses how to apply the information presented in Part 1 to specific teaching contexts.
This webinar is a product of the Engineering Inclusive Teaching series funded under grant 1203164 by the National Science Foundation (NSF).

• Eberly Center Teaching Excellence & Educational Innovation. Carnegi Mellon University
• Slides by Dr. Michele DiPietro, Executive Director Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning Kennesaw State University
• Book review by Julie G. Nyquist & Rima Jubran for The Journal of Chiropractic Education
• Goodreads

Small Teaching: Everyday Lessons from the Science of Learning

Small Teaching: Everyday Lessons from the Science of Learning by James M. Lang

I just started reading this book. My plan is to capture at least one idea from each chapter and incorporate immediately into my teaching.

Part 1: Knowledge
1. Retrieving. The idea here is that retrieval practice will help learners retain foundational material. Frequency matters, align practice and assessments and require thinking. The opening and closing of class are good places to add retrieval activities. 
I could close the training event with a short quiz or  solve a problem. I could also close the class by asking learners to write down the most important concept from today. 
Example of a problem. Your student needs to work online for 60 minutes during the week. How might you weave that time into your weekly schedule?

2. Predicting. Predictive activities prepare your mind for learning by driving you to make connections. Predictive exercises may also reveal gaps in our knowledge. Stay conceptual, provide fast feedback. Induce reflection. Curiosity.
Ideas. Begin the session with a pretest. When presenting a case or a problem, stop before the conclusion and ask the learner to predict the outcome.
Example: after reviewing the action tabs, ask participants how long they think it will take to check this information. After reviewing auto placement information ask participants to predict how long a 1st grader placed in level 2 will be asked to work online each week.

3. Interleaving. Spacing out learning sessions over time and mixing up your practice of skills you are seeking to develop.
If we used spaced learning to allow some time for forgetting to set in, we are forced to draw from our long-term memory when we return to it. A little forgetting has the effect of retriggering consolidation, further strengthening memory.
The time that intervenes between spaced learning sessions allows our mind to better organize and solidify what we are studying.


More to come.....

Book Discussions

Offering and facilitating a book discussion using a form of reciprocal teaching.


On December 7, 2017 the TLT Group offered a book discussion for members.  The book,  "How We Learn: The Surprising Truth About When, Where, and Why It Happens" by Benedict Carey. 

I invited TLT Members to chose a chapter in the book to read and then share at least two ideas that were most significant to them. Sharing could take several options: attend the session or submitting a summary in writing or via video or audio. I created a Google doc sign up sheet. "Sign Up for a Chapter." 

I then prepared a slide representing each chapter using Haiku Deck. 


Book Discussion "How We Learn" - Created with Haiku Deck, presentation software that inspires

The approach was a form of reciprocal teaching in that each person shared information from their chapter.  The summaries took different forms, from verbal, to slides, to a document to a audio recording.  We had a small group of 7 people and we used ZOOM video conferencing platform to connect. 

Some of the lessons learned from this experience:

• Most people only read their chapter not the entire book
• Reading and summarizing one chapter was more manageable.
• Participants who read one chapter were able to come away with insights from the entire book.
• Participants who one chapter had more information and then could decide if they wanted to invest more time in reading the entire book or other aspects.
• We needed a little more time structure to ensure that all chapters were given time. so setting a limit for each chapter would be good.
• Add a few minutes at the end for debrief, what went well, what could be improved and next steps.
• Provide more time to promote and describe the expectations in better detail. 

Next steps

1. Decide what book to discuss next by surveying the TLTG Members. See survey below.
2. Determine what approach to use. Link to Google search on book discussion questions