Active Learning Conference 2017

Our Active Learning Conference 2017 was an opportunity for delegates to share their successful active learning practices as well as research into active learning

Active learning focuses on students actively engaging in their learning through active problem-based learning, inverted or flipped classroom approaches, Team-Based Learning (TBL), SCALE-UP, and technology-enhanced active learning (TEAL).

The conference linked Team-Based Learning at University of Bradford, SCALE-UP at Nottingham Trent University and our own active learning practices. It was one of the seventeen projects funded by HEFCE's Catalyst Fund. Read more about the project on the Vice Chancellor's blog.

The Active Learning Conference aimed to:

introduce active learning approaches through masterclasses
share good practice in using and embedding active learning approaches in the curriculum
provide opportunities to learn new skills and techniques.

The hashtag for the conference was #altalc.

Illustrations

View illustrations by Dr Michelle Fava and Natalie Eldred.

Keynote

Designs for Active Learning

Professor Mike Sharples, The Open University
View the slides

Masterclasses

Effective task design for active learning (TBL)

with Simon Tweddell and Beck McCarter, University of Bradford

View the slides for 'Effective task design for active learning (TBL)'

View the Student Study Guide – Introduction to Team-Based Learning

View the Student Study Guide – Top Ten Tips for Constructing TBL Units

We should adopt active learning strategies to make best use of our time with our students so it is crucial that the tasks we set effectively deliver high levels of student engagement and challenge students to apply their learning.

In Team-Based Learning (TBL) we use the simple but effective 4S model to structure our tasks. This workshop will be delivered in a TBL format so that participants can explore the anatomy of 4S task design, experience at least two types of active learning tasks, and develop and use criteria to review tasks. Finally, we will share a peer review tool to aid future task development and signpost further resources.

The Goldilocks Zone – Asking the right questions for active learning (TEAL)

with Professor Simon Lancaster, University of East Anglia

Prof Lancaster believes that the success of all active learning pedagogies depends on the nature of the questions we ask. Active learning is not about finding out what our students know but about providing opportunities for them to learn something new. To achieve this, a question needs to be conceptual in nature, requiring not recall but understanding and application. It also needs to be pitched at the right level. Too easy and everybody can answer. Too hard and nobody can answer. By employing questions in “The Goldilocks Zone”, we can lever the social dimension of the lecture theatre experience to collectively construct understanding. In this masterclass, we will discuss how to ensure the answers we select surface all the misconceptions. We’ll explore approaches to question co-creation with students and the forging of learning partnerships. Above all, Prof Lancaster practises what he preaches and the masterclass will be highly interactive.

Up and running with SCALE-UP

with Jane McNeil, Michaela Borg, Ellie Kennedy and Zena Rashid, Nottingham Trent University

SCALE-UP is an active learning approach where students learn concepts using online materials before they come to class, and then apply them in a series of enquiry-based, problem-solving activities in the sessions.

In 2013, Nottingham Trent University (NTU) became the first UK University to pilot SCALE-UP in an institutional, multi-disciplinary project. Today, we’re also interested in the possibilities of using SCALE-UP alongside other active learning pedagogies to address unexplained disparities in progression and attainment.

In this masterclass, you will have the opportunity to:

Explore the findings of the NTU evaluation and our experience of using SCALE-UP.
Learn about the features of the approach and how to use them.
Consider practicalities for introducing SCALE-UP into a course.
Take part in a SCALE-UP session.