DEEP LEARNING AND THE BRAIN
Skip Downing, creator of the massively successful On Course student success course, notes that there are three principles of deep learning. The first is prior learning. That is why it is important for us as teachers to relate new information for our students to previously learned information. Brain research reveals that when you connect what you are learning now to previously stored information, you learn the new information or skill faster and more deeply.The second, quality of processing, refers to using numerous and varied deep-processing strategies. Much of what we teach in college is too complex for mere memorization and calls for deep processing. The third is quantity of processing. This requires using frequent practice sessions of sufficient length distributed over time because the quality of learning is significantly affected by how often and how long someone engages in varied deep processing. You can learn more by visiting Downing's website.
Skip Downing, creator of the massively successful On Course student success course, notes that there are three principles of deep learning. The first is prior learning. That is why it is important for us as teachers to relate new information for our students to previously learned information. Brain research reveals that when you connect what you are learning now to previously stored information, you learn the new information or skill faster and more deeply.The second, quality of processing, refers to using numerous and varied deep-processing strategies. Much of what we teach in college is too complex for mere memorization and calls for deep processing. The third is quantity of processing. This requires using frequent practice sessions of sufficient length distributed over time because the quality of learning is significantly affected by how often and how long someone engages in varied deep processing. You can learn more by visiting Downing's website.
ASSESSING THE ASSESSMENT
The Association for the Assessment of Learning in Higher
Education (AALHE) is now accepting proposals for presentations at its third annual
conference. The AALHE 2013 conference theme is “Juggling Conflicting
Priorities: Rethinking What We Thought." How we can deal with existing and
emerging challenges while seizing new opportunities to create more meaningful
systems of assessment focused on improving learning is the central theme of the conference, which will be held in Lexington, KY, on June 3-5,
2013. In AALHE’s continuing effort to
provide a robust and transformative experience for conference attendees, they are
offering a wide variety of session formats this year. From standard concurrent
sessions to one-on-one consultations with assessment experts, assessment
practitioners attending the conference will have diverse
opportunities to will allow us to develop skills and strategies for improving assessment
at BRCC. Proposals are due by February 8, 2013. Visit the AALHE
website for more information.
GETTING WHAT YOU PAY FOR
Aaron Bady has written an interesting blog post about the value of MOOCs. He asks, "Why have we stopped aspiring to provide the real thing for everyone?" And adds, "MOOCs are only better than nothing and speculation that this will
someday change is worth pursuing, but for now, remains just that,
speculation. It should be no surprise that venture capital is interested
in speculation. And it should be no surprise that when academics look
at the actual track record, when we try to evaluate the evidence rather
than the hope, we discover a great deal to be pessimistic about."
CRITICAL SELF-REFLECTION IMPROVES TEACHING
Coming to the end of a semester always conjures up the inevitable wondering about having accomplished what you described in your learning objectives. Not simply "getting through the material" but really having your students learn. Lyons, Kysilka, and Pawlas (in their book The Adjunct Professor's Guide to Success LB1778.2.L96) tell us, "The instructor who regularly engages in systematic self-evaluation will unquestionably derive greater reward from the formal methods of evaluation commonly employed by colleges. Regular self-evaluation is especially important early in your career as you seek to develop insights and skills that will form habits you can incorporate into your continually evolving teaching style." It is just as important for those who have taught for a number years as it will help you uncover habits that are causing you problems in the classroom. I always recommend that you keep a journal for each class. This will allow you to reflect on your teaching experiences. Regularly investing 10-15 introspective minutes following each class meeting, noting what worked and what did not, will help you tremendously. Focus especially on the strategies and events in class that you feel could be improved. Jot down any breakthroughs, milestones, and disasters that occur over the course of the semester. Then commit to reading the comments before you begin to teach the same class again. This is especially useful if you are beginning a course redesign.
