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Presentation Abstracts - Best Practices Conference - October 29, 2004 |
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Gregor M. Novak |
(1) Presentation Title: Leadership for the Coming Decade: A Snapshot of People, Programs, and Places Transforming the Undergraduate STEM Learning Environment - Jeanne Narum, Director Poject Kaleidoscope
Abstract: What we learn from the experiences of recognized leaders in the work of reform is that initiatives work when a community:
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Puts the focus on student learning at the center of their efforts, increasingly giving attention to insights from cognitive science on how people learn
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Tackles reform as scholars in the classroom in the same manner that they pursue their work as scholars in the research lab
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Explores, builds upon and expand the work of peers
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Identifies the right questions to pursue and the means to pursue them
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Understands who the learners are, how, what and where they learn
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Tells stories about the outcomes of their efforts
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Is willing to take risks, energizes gifted members of the faculty at all career stages to be risk-takers
This session will be in three parts: 1) an overview of a select number of interesting directions in curricular and pedagogical reform from across the country; 2) a collective exploration (hands-on) in thinking through some of the politics and processes of initiating and sustaining effective programs; and 3) individual and collective reflections on taking risks-roles and responsibilities of leaders. Each participant will leave (hopefully) with three next steps to take, in the context of thinking about student learning, their institutional culture, and their own opportunities and challenges as a leader.
Curriculum Vitae: Jeanne Narum
(2) Just-in Time Teaching (JiTT) - Gregor M. Novak - Distinguished Visiting Professor of Physics, U.S. Air Force Academy
Abstract: For many years I have has a deep interest in harnessing the electronic technologies in the service of teaching and learning. I believe that the ancient method of mentoring, the student learning under a watchful eye of a teacher is still the best. It is obviously impractical in the age of mass education, but it is an ideal to be kept on mind. As the use of electronic technology became increasingly commonplace in education, attempts to make the workstation into a personal tutor also became common. Unfortunately this often reduce ‘the amount of personal contact between students and faculty on intellectual issues’. I became increasingly troubled by what to me appeared as a disconnect between technology-based instructional resources and human-based instruction. The advent of the world wide web protocol and particularly the possibility of rapid dissemination of information in so many formats shifted my focus from subject content to the learning process. Why not use the technology to enhance the process of learning rather that to deliver content. My first approach was to have students work in the classroom on strategically designed exercises, delivered to workstations from a web server. This is an active learner classroom. However, somehow it did not work as expected. There are many reasons why the effort fell short: students felt they had less face-time with the instructor; since all the work was done in the classroom students felt rushed to complete the tasks; it was very difficult to analyze student work quickly enough to spot common trends, and bringing the classroom together was a problem as groups were working on different tasks.
The solution was staring us at the face: Move the technology out of the classroom. Let the students do the preparatory work before coming to class, with ample time to reflect, and give the instructor time to prepare the lesson with timely student input . In other words, Just-in-Time Teaching (JiTT).
October 29, 2004 - Annual Best Practices Conference - Agenda: Download (PDF)