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Resources on this page are for educators who have completed the One-Day On Course Professional Development Workshop. Here you will read how previous participants have used or adapted the ideas from that workshop. Though you'll probably want to read ideas from your own discipline first, also look for ideas in other disciplines that you can use or adapt to your own role with students.
ACCOUNTING Jigsaw: Purpose--Students learn Assets, Liabilities, and Owner's Equity. In Home Groups of three, students choose their topic and then use their text and class lectures to develop expertise. Expert Groups then discuss/learn their topic and create 10 test questions with answers. Experts return to their home groups and teach others their topic and test the knowledge. Collect the questions and use the best ones on the next test. ADMINISTRATION PMI+Q/Value Line: Purpose--Have a
meaningful discussion on a topic (eg, integrated enrollment management
transition). Use PMI-Q to generate a list of concerns and questions,
and to recognize self-interest in the new model. Follow up with
"value line" to see group priorities. ADVISING PMI+Q & Use/Adapt: Purpose--Advisees analyze their academic plan. After advisees create a four-semester academic plan, use PMI+Q as an interview technique to help them evaluate and, possibly, improve their plan. Ask advisees to explain the Pluses of their plan, the Minuses, what's Interesting about their plan, and then ask what Questions they have about their plan. Conclude by having students determine how they will use or adapt what they learned to modify their academic plan. Quotation Game & Gallery Walk & Whole-Group Discussion: Purpose--Faculty advisers define the essential nature of their role as advisors. Have advisors form seven groups and read a list of quotations about being an effective faculty adviser. These quotations could be collected from college web sites, college catalogs, handouts from a conference of advisors, or from advising manuals. Each group identifies the essential truths they see in the quotations about advising. Groups then write on flip chart paper their own expression of effective advising that might have been written by an authority on the subject. Post statements on the wall and allow faculty to do a gallery walk, identifying the two definitions they feel most accurately capture the essential truths about faculty advising. Lead a whole-group discussion of the statements that garnered the most votes. Think/Pair/Share: Purpose-- students learn, understand, and create a long-term education plan toward an Associate of Business degree. First explain the following criteria (1) A-Bus requirements, (2) related starting points (3) course sequencing (4) flexible schedule. Have students create their own long-term plan. Next they join another students and critique for accuracy using the above four criteria. As a group, have pairs share the errors found in the plans so that others can look for and correct these problems as well. Gallery Walk: Purpose--Help students learn how to create a multi-year plan of study. Create a fictional student case study. Provide information about student’s academic, career, transfer plans as well as current life status (working, with or without children, other important life factors). Create seven teams whose challenge is to create a 2-year plan of study that meets the student’s background and aspirations. Post all plans around the room and have students vote for the two plans that seem best suited for this particular student. Follow with a discussion of what is needed for accurate and effective academic planning, such as knowledge of required courses, personal interests, time/life constraints, realistic self-assessment. Agriculture Value line. Purpose: Students develop their personal stance on the treatment of animals raised for meat. Following a brief lecture on animal rights vs. animal welfare, line students up 1-10 (1 = strongly agree with animal rights, 10 = strong agree with Animal Welfare). Ask students to discuss why they stood where they did in line with purpose of persuading others. Encourage students to move in line any time they are persuaded in either direction. ANY
DISCIPLINE Thirty-five: Purpose—Students better understand why the course is required with the goal of helping them to become more open to learning the subject. On the first day ask, “Why is this course required for your major? What is the relevance?" (The answers might be specific or applied to a broad application.) Students write answers on cards and play game. Read the top five answers and applaud writers, adding or emphasizing, when appropriate, the benefits and outcomes of learning the material. Jigsaw:
Purpose--On
the first day of class, students become familiar with the course syllabus and
begin to create a community of learners. Place students in Home Groups
groups of four and distribute the course syllabus. Ask students to decide who
will become the group’s expert on four elements of the syllabus such as 1)
Assignments/Tests (including due dates), 2) Course Rules, 3) Determination of
Grades, 4) Use of Blackboard System. Expert groups meet and discuss what their
Home Group members need to know about their element of the syllabus and how they
will convey it. Experts return to their home groups and teach their topic.
Instructor then quizzes the entire class to assure they understand the key
issues. Thirty-Five: Purpose--Students set the classroom rules and expectations. Have students write on an index card an answer to the question, "What is one behavior that you want to see exhibited by your peers inside our classroom?" Then play Thirty-Five to generate a Top 10 list of behaviors for a positive learning environment. Publish this list on a handout and, as homework, ask students to consider any changes they would like to see in the list. In the next class, finalize the list and post it in the classroom as well as on the class web site. Ask students to remind anyone (including the instructor) when s/he isn't following the agreed-upon rules and expectations. Quick List (Online): Purpose--Have students identify personal behaviors conducive to being successful in an online class. Ask students to post on the class discussion board a list of behaviors they think will most help them succeed in an online class. Have students discuss the behaviors they will implement this semester. *Thirty-five & Who’s the Expert & Gallery Walk: Purpose: Review appropriate format for short answer/essay questions, as well as review content for exam. Ask “practice” exam questions with typical points associated with that question indicated. Ask students to write an appropriately formatted well-organized answer to the questions. Use “ Thirty-five” to choose the “top five” responses. Post “top five” randomly with the addition of an answer written by the instructor. Then and ask students to guess which is the instructor formatted answer. Use sticky dots to vote. Repeat if desired on multiple days prior to exam. *Popcorn Reading & PMI-Q: Purpose: Involve students in an active review of the syllabus, alerting them of its importance, AND get them interacting on day one. Distribute the syllabus and popcorn read it aloud. Divide the students into groups of 3 according to month/day of birth (perhaps line up and then sort to groups). Have each group generate one Plus, one Minus, one Interesting point and one question they have from the syllabus. Put together four of these smaller groups to share their PMI+Q and have one scribe transfer their list to a white board. (Realize this is a large group but the point is to reduce redundancy of items and create only two or three master lists). Have everyone in the class individually rank the plusses and then share with one other person (to generate enthusiasm for the course.) Answer all questions that came up! *Quick List & Who's the Expert? & Gallery Walk: Purpose:
Focus students on preparation for an upcoming exam. Place
students in groups to create a quick list of the "five most important
concepts" to understand from the current unit. Have each group post
their list, as well as one created by the instructor (the expert). Do a gallery
walk to have students vote for which list they think was created by the
instructor. Follow up with discussion. ART Value line: Purpose: Students learn to evaluate works of art based on specific criteria. Students read criteria of expanded square problem and see four examples placed on board. Students rate designs 1 (best) through 4 (worst) based on successful solving of problem. Students line up according to where they placed one piece of work and defend their positions. Students use expanded square problem to create two original works of art. BIOLOGY Jigsaw: Value Line: Purpose: Human Reproduction/Sexuality--Engage in discussion of why young people do not use condoms as a preliminary to discussing condom distribution. Create a list of top ten reasons young people do not use condoms. Then do a value line with students explaining their reasoning. Jigsaw: Purpose: Analysis of a scientific paper. Assign a scientific paper for homework reading. In class, form home groups of 4, and each student becomes an expert on one section (Intro/Methods/Results/Discussion) of the paper. Expert groups discuss teacher-provided questions regarding each section. Experts return to their home groups to explain to the others their section, using what they have learned from answering the questions. End with having the entire class discuss additional questions regarding the paper. Quick-List
& Think/Pair/Share: Purpose:
Students create lists of risks/benefits for a treatment, such as hormone
replacement therapy after menopause, or reasons why antibiotic resistance is
becoming an increasing problem. In each case, first have students
create their lists individually, then join as a pair, and finally reporting out
to the whole large group. Who's
the Expert? (variation): Purpose: Students learn
to identify reliable vs unreliable sources on scientific topics such as
greenhouse effect or global warming. Provide examples of expert,
advocate, and "windmill" statements: Expert simply expresses
scientific facts; advocate crosses the line and supports a given opinion
strenuously; "windmill" is a statement with no basis in fact. Post the
statements and have students select the one(s) which are actual expert
statements vs advocate or "windmill." Value
Line: Purpose:
Students learn the issues of using stem cells. Have
students rank statements on the value of using stem cells. These
statements would include different types (embryonic, adult, and iPS) and/or
different uses (paralysis, testing drugs, hair replacement, Parkinson’s
disease, heart disease, etc.) Allow them to better understand the
possibilities and origins of stem cells. Thirty-five:
Purpose: Students practice answering
free-response exam questions at an appropriate depth. Students are
given five minutes to write their answer to a question (such as "Describe
the process of feedback inhibition of an enzyme") on an index card.
Play Thirty-five, and then use a document projector to look at the top three
responses and discuss as a class what makes them good answers to the question.
VARIATION: Make photocopies of actual student answers for a particular
question on an exam (just the answer, without noting student names.) Bring
these to class, and play Thirty-Five with those answers, and similarly review
the top three responses and discuss the qualities that made them high quality.
Thirty-Five: Purpose--Students research and take a stand on the issue of whether global warming is more a result of human activities or just nature at work. Provide students with an extensive bibliography of sources that discuss global warming. Each student chooses and reads for homework three sources from the list; then they write in 300 words or less their informed opinion of the cause of global warming, offering evidence that they found in their sources. Play Thirty-Five and discuss the top five top-scoring answers. Jigsaw: Purpose--In lab, students learn five ways to test common substances for Protein, Carbohydrates and Place students in Home Groups of five and a list of five test. Students each choose one test method and then study 1) the purpose of the test, 2) the basis of the test, 3) the procedure they must use, and 4) what constitutes a positive and negative result. Expert groups gather and first agree on the four items above; then they perform their test. Experts then return to their home groups and 1) explain the purpose of the test they did, 2) clarify the basis of the test, 3) describe the procedure they used, and 4) show a sample of both a negative and positive result. Quotation game: Purpose--To clarify the concept of scientific theory. Students form 6 groups and are given 10 quotes from science journals stating the scope of scientific theory. Each group synthesizes the essence of these idea into a concise statement describing scientific theory. Students write their ideas (sentence) on large sheets. Tape to wall. Students vote for the one they believe is the most complete and clear, using colored dots. Discuss. Thirty-Five: Purpose--Exam preparation/topic review. Provide a potential essay question that might appear on an upcoming exam. Examples: Describe the flow of electrons during photosynthesis; describe how blood is filtered by the nephrons of the kidneys. Have students write answers and then play Thirty-Five. Identify the top scoring answers and discuss why. Gallery Walk. Purpose--help students understand the major points of a lab. At the conclusion of a particularly challenging lab, have each lab group list their conclusions/summaries and observations. Post lists and have students vote for the two lists that cover the main points of the lab in the most clear and concise manner. The instructor can address any major points that were not covered by the student comments. BOTANY Jigsaw: Purpose: In lab, help students learn to recognize basic cell and tissue types, following a general introduction. Create six stations with a single microscope, some slides of roots, leaves and stems, and some figures of specific cell types, one type per station (e.g., vessels, traceids, phloem, parenchyma, epidermis.) Students at each station learn to identify their cell/tissue type in X-S and L-S sections of various specimens. At home groups, each group looks at a new unfamiliar slide and creates a labeled figure of all the cells and tissues in it, and makes a labeled sketch of what they think their specimen would look like in a different view. (i.e., if the slide was X-S, what would the specimen look like in L-S, or vice versa?). CHEMISTRY Value Line: Purpose--Students examine theories of global warming. Have students read and rate (1-8) their agreement with one of the theories proposed by scientists for present-day global warming. Line up students by their rating. Then bend the line so that 1 pairs with 8 and have the pair discuss their views on the theory. Jigsaw:
Purpose:
Students learn about factors that affect the rate of enzyme-catalyzed reactions
(temperature, pH, substrate concentration, enzyme concentration).
In the lab, students collect enzyme rate data under
different conditions. Each member of the lab group is assigned to an
expert group in one of the four areas (temp, pH, [S], [E]) and works with the
expert group to collect and interpret lab data. Each student then returns
to their “home” lab group and shares the results from their expert group
work. Each “home” lab group then writes a summary of the factors
affecting enzyme rate and answers a set of questions on a report. As a result,
more time can be spent analyzing and interpreting data instead of collecting
data by having each group conduct all four assays. CHILD DEVELOPMENT Value line: Purpose: Students improve understanding of the influence of
heredity and environment on human development. Students rate the influence COMPUTERS Think/Pair/Share: Purpose--Students consider the computer hardware solutions & technology support needs of a real estate office environment and recommend a solution to meet their needs. Have students individually develop a list of needs for the client and recommend specific computer hardware components such as laptops, desktop computers, monitors, printers and networking strategy. Students then pair and compare their recommendations, using the best ideas from each partner. Finally, pairs share their combined solution with the class. Jigsaw: Purpose--Students learn real- life applications of data base programs such as Microsoft Access. In Home Groups of five students, each chooses to become the group's expert on how data bases are used in a 1) local business, 2) large church, 3) hospital 4) local unemployment office, and 5) bank. Students interview people in each location, asking what database program is used and how this program is employed to maintain their records. Students share findings with their home groups. CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY Think/Pair/Share: Purpose--Students learn to lay out a wall. Provide students with a set of plans. First working alone, they determine the best way to lay out a wall for framing. Then, pair students and have them discuss the best combination of their two approaches to laying out a wall. Finally, have each pair present/demonstrate to the class how to lay out a wall. CULINARY ARTS Thirty-Five: Purpose--Students develop their imagination and sense of creativity in cooking. Provide students in a Baking and Pastry Arts class with a list of food products. Using knowledge about baking techniques and procedures covered in class, each student creates a recipe to design a new/unique dessert that will include a base item, sauce, garnish and decoration. Students play 35 (or maybe just 28) to come up with the top recipes. ECONOMICS Jigsaw: Purpose: Students learn about factors that affect changes in equilibrium market prices. In groups of six, students choose from a list of factors: income, prices of related goods, technology, inputs, etc. Using the text, notes, and/or reading logs, students study their factor. Students pair with other students who are expert on the same factor to further develop expertise. Students return to home groups and explain how a change in one factor affects equilibrium market price. Hand Up/Stand Up, Think/Pair/Share & PMI+Q: Purpose--Students practice writing and critiquing lesson plans. Have students create a lesson plan to teach addition of fractions using a discovery approach. Using hand up/stand up, have students pair up and provide feedback on their partner's lesson plan, discussing the Pluses and Minuses of the plan, as well as what they find Interesting about the plan. Finally, they offer Questions they still have about the plan. Bring the class together for a discussion of what they learned from the activity about writing lesson plans. Value Line: Purpose--Students examine pros and cons of teaching mathematics with an inquiry-based approach. Present a statement about inquiry-based teaching in mathematics. Have students rate their agreement (1-9) and then find their place on the value line. Students then share their positions for, against and in the middle. Assign students homework to read articles for and against teaching mathematics with an inquiry-based approach. Repeat the value line and have students discuss whether they maintained their ranking or changed and why? ENGLISH Popcorn & Thirty-Five: Purpose--Students learn to identify the author's purpose in a reading selection. Students popcorn read aloud an article/essay from the textbook (this assures that everyone has read the article). Each person then writes on an index card their answer to the following: "What is the author's purpose for writing this article/essay?" Play Thirty-Five to generate the top five answers. Discuss the similarities and differences among the answers. Conclude with a discussion of how one determines the purpose of a piece of writing. Thirty-Five: Purpose--Students practice and become skilled at summarizing articles. For homework, have students read an article from the course textbook (or other source) and write a summary of the article on a 4"x6" index card. Tell students that during their next class, they will be using their summaries in a game and that they won't be able to play if they don't have a summary. For extrinsic motivation, you might announce that there will be prizes for the top five scores. In the next class, have students play Thirty-Five, determining the best five summaries. Afterwards, have students identify the criteria by which they assessed the summaries, making a list of these qualities for posting in the classroom and/or class web site. ENGLISH Thirty-Five: Purpose--Students identify and implement one new strategy to improve their writing. After returning a graded essay : (1) have students write on an index card something different they could do in order to improve their next essay (e.g., go to the tutoring center, rewrite the essay they just got back, etc.), (2) mix cards and have students play Thirty-Five, (3) identify the ideas that got the top five scores, and (4) Each student chooses one thing s/he will do different in order to improve his/her next essay. Value Line: Purpose--Students become aware of and evaluate their assumptions about Standard English grammar. Provide students with assumptions about language such as 1) People who use bad grammar are lazy, 2) Some languages are more primitive than others, and 3) You can judge a person’s intelligence by their grammar. Ask students to volunteer any other assumptions they have heard and add to the list. Have students rate one assumption at a time from 1 (strongly disagree) to 10 (strongly agree), form a value line, and discuss each assumption, leading students to understand the view of linguists about assumptions. Jigsaw & Use/Adapt: Purpose--Students learn to implement all four components of the writing process. In Step A, place students in groups of four and ask them to each select one of the four elements of the writing process: Pre-writing, Writing, Revising, and Editing. Discuss resources (e.g., text book, tutoring center, class notes, etc.) for becoming their group’s expert on their chosen step of the writing process; then give them a specified amount of time to gather information. In Step B, have experts for each component of the writing process meet and decide how to teach the component to their home groups. In Step C, experts return to their home group and teach others their component of the writing process. Finally, have students write a paragraph about how they will use or adapt something they have learned about the steps in the writing process. Value Line: Purpose--Students improve their writing skills. Have students read and grade (A to F) an essay written by an anonymous former student. (You can choose the essay to highlight writing issues of your choosing.) Have students line up by the grade they awarded the essay. Lead a discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the essay and elicit suggestions about how the author could improve it. Finally, compile a list of student-generated suggestions for future reference, and possibly a rubric. [This same activity could be done with any element of writing, such as thesis statements, transitions, paragraph development, and conclusions.] Gallery Walk: Purpose--Students learn to structure essay by answering key questions about their thesis. Assign students to bring to class a thesis statement for their next essay. Each student write the thesis on a flip chart page, or if you have enough board space in the room, students can write it on the board. Students now walk around, read thesis statements, and write a question that the thesis causes them to wonder about. Students now collect their own flip chart page with thesis and questions. They choose the 3-4 questions that they think are most important, place them in the most logical order to answer, and use these questions as the focus of separate paragraphs that develop the thesis statement. Thirty-Five: Purpose--Students learn how to identify and create strong thesis statements in their papers. Write criteria for strong thesis on the board or overhead, and provide some examples. Have students identify their own thesis statement in a draft essay. Then ask students to write the thesis statement on an index card. Play thirty-five to generate the top five thesis statements. Discuss how each of these top five exemplify the criteria presented earlier. ENGLISH Think/Pair/Share: Purpose--Students learn to explore character's motivations and actions. THINK: Have each student read/review the assigned reading assignment through the eyes of one of the characters. PAIR: Working with another student, create a summary of the events through the point of view/perspective of their assigned character. SHARE: Send a tweet (or email/text message) to others in the class summarizing the events, as if written by their character. In class, continue the discussion, sharing responses/reactions to the various points of view expressed by the characters in the story. Discuss how social media might have affected the outcome of the story had it been available to the characters (e.g., Juliet might have texted Romeo to let him know she’d be faking her death). ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE Jigsaw: Purpose: Have students learn to explain the biogeochemical cycles. In the home groups, have each person be assigned one type of cycle: nitrogen cycle, carbon cycle, etc. Gather in expert groups based on type of cycle to clarify explanations. Reconvene in the home groups and have each student teach others the basics of his/her particular cycle. Follow up with an assessment to make sure all students have a clear understanding of each cycle. Value Line (modified): Purpose: To understand the human impact on the environment. During the first class period, have the students rank from most important to least important from a list of six to eight of the significant environmental issues of the day. They are allowed to add one or two items that are not on the list already. Then create a value line on one of the items and ask students to explain their reasoning on the choice of importance. Repeat as possible. This exercise could then be used to shape the topic structure of the course. Who's
the Expert?: Purpose:
Have students understand the meaning of the word "sustainability."
During the first class meeting, put the students in small groups and have each
group answer the question, "What is sustainability?" Post the
group answers as well as the instructor-created definition, and have students
attempt to identify the instructor's definition. This will help students become
aware of the many aspects involved with sustainability, and also provide the
instructor with an instant assessment of current level of understanding in the
class as a whole. FINE ARTS (painting, ceramics, photography) PMI+Q: Purpose: Students learn to accept and apply constructive feedback as well as to critique works of art. Students complete their visual/creative assignment and share it with the class asking for specific feedback using the PMI+Q model. In this way, the student is asking for feedback, something that is often difficult for students in the Fine Arts area. The student is also guaranteed to receive some Positive feedback, as well as some Minus comments that can help them stretch and grow. Having to think about “What is interesting about this piece of work?”, and “What questions do I have for the artist?” are great ways to help students learn how to critique works of art and think more deeply about what they see. FOREIGN LANGUAGE GEOGRAPHY Think/Pair/Share:
Purpose: Learn about Roots and Diversity.
SOLO: Have students define and differentiate the concept
of race vs. the concept of ethnicity, including the use of supporting arguments.
PAIR: Have students compare and contrast these definitions with
their partner’s and then come up with a consensus definition. SHARE:
Have students present their resulting definitions to the rest of the class. HEALTH OCCUPATIONS (also see Nursing) Thirty-Five: Purpose: Students learn to identify causes and symptoms of
diseases/disorders. Ask students to write a description of an assigned HISTORY Thirty
Five. Purpose: to help students see the connection between
historic events. Pose a question such as : “How did the fall of HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT HUMAN
ANATOMY Hand-Up/Stand-Up: Purpose--In Anatomy lab, help students learn new terminology. Assign one new term to each student. Instruct students to spend 10-15 minutes finding that item on a model, on a chart, and on an x-ray or other material to be used on exam. Next, have students use Hand-Up/Stand-Up to find a partner and spend two minutes teaching each other their items. Have students find a new partner and exchange their information again. Repeat until each student has met with every other student and covered all the terms. Jigsaw: Purpose--Students discover how to learn from different sources in the anatomy lab. Have students sit in groups of 4. All students in each group learn the same material but use different instructional formats: model, chart, x-ray, and cadaver. Have experts from different home groups meet and then have students return to Home Groups to share what they have discovered about learning in their particular format. Case study & Think/Pair/Share: Purpose: Have students read clinical case studies (which appear at the end of the selected textbook for this course) and learn the details of each case. After reading, each student explains his/her understanding to a lab partner for feedback, and the lab partner, with different life experiences, does the same. The pair of students critiques each other and then one pair delivers a presentation to the whole lab section of 10 to 24 students, who evaluate the quality of the students' oral presentation. (This activity should motivate each student to do well and improve student success on the clinical case studies already assigned.) Student pairs do this once each week during the semester. Jigsaw: Purpose: Function and regulation of
various parts of the nephron in urine formation. In home groups of of
four, students are assigned one of the four main parts of the nephron (glomerulus,
PCT, loop, DCT). Expert groups discuss/learn about the role of their
structure in urine formation and what regulates the various events at that
structure. Experts return to their home groups and teach others their
topic and test the knowledge. HUMAN ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY PMI-Q: Purpose: Evaluate the use of nuclear
radiation in generation of electricity. Have students generate a list
of plusses, minuses, interesting features and questions about the use of nuclear
power. LEADERSHIP Thirty-Five: Purpose--Students learn the important characteristics of a student leader. Each student writes on an index card his/her top trait of a student leader, with a supporting explanation. Then play Thirty-Five to generate a list of the most important characteristics of a student leader. MATHEMATICS Think/Pair/Share: Purpose—Students learn how to choose the most efficient method to solve quadratic equations. Provide students with a set of quadratic equations to solve and a complete list of the different methods that may be used. For homework, have students independently develop a graphic organizer to describe when a particular method should be used based on characteristics of the equation. Pair students to compare their work. Finally, have pairs present their ideas to class. Quotation Game: Purpose--In preparation for an upcoming test, students create and solve potential problems. Have students count off to form seven groups. Without using their books, have each group write a problem they think the instructor could ask on the next test and write that problem on a flip chart page with a black marker. Create one yourself. Post the eight problems around the room and have students vote on the one they think you (the instructor) wrote. Individually, students now solve the problem for which they voted. Debrief by going through the problems from the one that received the fewest votes to the one that received the most votes. Discuss how to solve each problem and reveal the author(s). Congratulate the group that received the most votes for its problem, perhaps awarding a few bonus points on the upcoming test. Jigsaw: Purpose--Students learn to apply the Sine Rule to calculate a side or angle of a non-right-angled triangle. Have students read in their text (or other resource) how to use the Sine Rule. Place them in home groups of four and provide each group with the same four questions to solve. Each person in the group volunteers to become the group's expert on solving one of the four problems. Have students solve their chosen problem, either in class or for homework. The expert groups now meet and check each other's solutions, if necessary confirming with the instructor that they have both the correct answer and method for solving. Experts then return to their home group and take turns teaching how to solve their question and answering any concerns of their group members. Value Line: Purpose--Students understand the benefits of mathematics and are, thus, motivated to do well. This might be a first-day ice-breaker. On a scale of 1-10, have students rate their agreement with the statement, “I see the value of taking this mathematics course.” Encourage students to be honest. Have students line up by their number and invite those at each end to share their rationale for their choice. You might repeat this activity at the end of the class to see if attitudes towards math have changed. Thirty-Five & Use/Adapt: Purpose--Students learn new strategies for studying math. Ask students to write on an index card their answer to the following question: “What strategy helps you the most to learn math?” Play Thirty-Five to generate a list of the best strategies. In the next class, distribute and discuss a list of the top ten strategies. Ask students to choose one new strategy and write how they will use/adapt it for a week and report their experiences and outcomes to the class. Think/Pair/Share: Purpose--Students learn to solve specific kinds of problems and gain confidence in their ability to do so. Provide students with a problem to solve by themselves (perhaps for homework). Afterwards, have students pair up and compare their solutions and steps. Afterwards, invite students to share their answers and what they learned in conversation with their partner. List on the board what students learned about solving this problem that could be transferred to solve similar problems. Quotation Game: Purpose--Students' motivation in math increases as they discover personally meaningful answers to the question "Why math?" Have students answer the following on an index card and turn it in anonymously: "On a scale of 0-10 (10 high), what value do you place on doing well in mathematics and why?" Have students count off to form seven groups. Students write a quotation stating what they believe a math expert would say in response to the same question. Create an answer yourself or use the following: "Starting salaries go up $2000 per year for every mathematics course taken after the ninth grade." [Source: Frances Rosamond, Department Chair of Mathematics, National University, quoted in Overcoming Math Anxiety by Sheila Tobias.] Post the eight quotations around the room and have students vote on the one they think is the best reason to do well in mathematics. Debrief by going through the quotations from the one that received the fewest votes to the one that received the most votes. Congratulate the groups for their insights on the value of learning math. After the discussion, have students answer the prompt question again and, once again, turn in their cards anonymously. In the next class, report on the average pre- and post-activity scores (ideally they went up) and summarize the reasons given for "Why math?" Consider posting the reasons in the classroom. Jigsaw: Purpose--Students actively review and deepen their understanding of key topics of the course. Students in Home Groups of five choose to become the group's expert in one of the following: 1) Graphing and writing equations of lines, 2) Factoring, 3) Solving systems of equations, 4) Rational expressions/equations, and 5) Word Problems. Tell experts to study their topic and return to the next class ready to share their knowledge. Remind them that they can seek help in the tutoring center. In the next class, have Experts meet to 1) discuss how they will teach their topic and 2) create 5 test questions for their topic. Experts turn in their test questions to the instructor; then they return to their home groups to teach their topic. Instructor announces that s/he will include some of the best student-created questions on the next test. MICROBIOLOGY Thirty-five: Purpose: Students learn how to write a clear, concise, but thorough response to an essay exam question. Inform students of the general assignment (although not the specific question) prior to the class period so that they may prepare. In class, provide an essay question that is representative of a question that could be asked on an exam, and give a limited time period in which students write an answer to the question. Students then play "Thirty-Five," exchanging and assigning points to the answers. When done, facilitate a discussion about which answers were scored the highest, and what components made them successful. MUSIC Quotation Game & Gallery Walk: Purpose--Students learn essential truths about the impact of music on the brain and human behavior. Form seven groups of students and provide each group with a list of expert's statements about the effect that music has on the brain and human behavior. Students use these quotations to determine the essential truth about this topic, write their own quotation on a flip chart page, and post them around the room (along with the added expert's quotation). In a Gallery Walk, students place stickers on the one they think is the expert's quotation. Debrief the activity by discussing the "essential truths" expressed by the five quotations receiving the most votes. Value line: Purpose--Students improve their listening skills with regard to matching the tuning note. Directions: Play recordings of student attempting to match a tuning note. Have the class evaluate each student's success by their place in the value line (1 = totally out of tune & 10 = perfectly in tune). Discuss each evaluation. NURSING (also see HEALTH OCCUPATIONS) Who’s the Expert?: Purpose: Students explore and exchange ideas about the concept of “health.” In seven groups of three to five, students read ten definitions of “health” by various experts. Then they create a group definition, write it on a flip-chart page, and return to the teacher. The teacher posts the definitions, including, without the student’s knowledge, one expert definition. The students score definitions, top three are discussed, groups who wrote them applauded, and expert definition is revealed. Jigsaw: Purpose--Students learn the Nursing Process: Assess, Diagnose, Plan, Implement, Evaluate (ADPIE). Students in Home Groups of 5 each choose to become the group's expert on one of the components of the Nursing Process and study provided information (e.g., text book chapter). Expert groups then meet and deepen their understanding of their component and create ways to help their home groups understand it. Experts return to their home groups and teach their topic. Instructor then quizzes the entire class to assure they understand the key issues. Thereafter, Experts wear a tag that indicates their expertise, allowing other students to seek them out as consultants. Case Study: Purpose--Students learn critical thinking skills while defending a position in a complex medical situation. Present students with a real-life medical case such as that of Karen Ann Quinlan or Terri Schiavo, young women who fell into a persistent vegetative state (PVS). The case should include information about the controversies that ensued concerning whether or not to keep them alive through extraordinary means. Have students research what transpired in the real case and write a paper in defense of either maintaining or curtailing life support. The culmination of the assignment is a debate, followed by a vote to maintain life support or not. Quick List, Whole-Group Discussion & Gallery Walk: Purpose--Students determine the inner qualities of a successful nurse, assess themselves for these qualities, and create a plan to strengthen their greatest weakness. Have students individually create a quick-list of the “Inner Qualities of Successful Nurses.” Next, conduct a whole group discussion to combine all of the lists (eliminating duplications), writing the compiled list on a white board or flip-chart paper. Conduct a Gallery Walk, asking students to vote for the three most important inner qualities. Voting can be done with markers or stick-on colored dots. Based on the voting, create a top ten list of “Inner Qualities of Successful Nurses.” Finally, have each student identify his/her weakest quality and make a plan to strengthen that quality during the semester, writing a paper on the experiences, outcomes and lessons learned. Corners: Purpose--Students learn to prioritize interventions in a medical emergency. Provide a list of four nursing interventions for a patient experiencing congestive heart failure. Designate one corner of the room for each intervention. Have students go to the corner of the intervention they think is the most important and, as a group, develop their reasoning. A spokesperson from each corner presents reasons for the group’s choice. Afterwards, provide students with the accepted prioritization as determined by the medical community. Case Study & Popcorn Reading: Purpose--Students learn the Have students "popcorn" read a case in which a nurse discovers that another nurse--a close friend who recently had back surgery--is stealing prescription pain killers. Students discuss what they would do upon making such a discovery; then have them read related laws and learn the actual legal consequences of their proposed choices. Case Study, Corners, & PMI+ Q: Purpose--Students review the use of Fosamax as well as spark discussion of other treatments for osteoporosis. Provide a case study such as the following: "Ms C. is a 42-year-old woman who had a total hysterectomy, including removal of both ovaries, four years ago. She has just been diagnosed with osteoporosis. Her doctor prescribed a bisphosphonate (Foxamax)." Divide the class into corners and have each group identify PMI-Q related to treating this woman with Fosamax. After hearing the PMI from each group, make a list of any questions generated and have students research the answers for homework. Jigsaw: Purpose--Students learn about four different drug classifications for oral anti-diabetic agents. Ask students to bring a resource to class that they frequently use as a reference for medications. Identify four drug classifications. Each student in the home group selects one of these classifications to research: identifying the purpose, side effects, and administration guidelines. In expert group, students deepen their expertise on their chose drug classification, and then they return to their home group to teach what they have learned. Think/pair/share. Purpose--Students practice diagnosing patients and evaluating prescribed medications. Provide students with various case studies of patients presenting with a chief complaint, list of symptoms, lab values, medications and any pertinent history. THINK (solo)- Students have 10 minutes to develop a probable diagnosis for the patient and decides whether the prescribed medications are correct for the diagnosis. Students determine what the priorities should be for this patient and the nursing goals/outcomes. PAIR: Students have 10 minutes to pair up with another student and compare their decisions and make adjustments. SHARE: Each pair shares their summary to see if there is class consensus. Instructor is able to critique the final response, thereby clarifying any misconceptions. Case Study: Purpose: Students learn to better organize their work process and identify and prioritize tasks. Ask students to read a study of a typical day in the life of a med/surg nurse who is caring for five patients in an 8-hour day. Ask students to create a timeline of this nurse’s work day. Students may work in pairs. Have students share orally with the group. Encourage students to give feedback. PHYSICS Thirty-Five: Purpose--Students learn how physics is relevant to their lives. Provide students with a list of physics principles. Have each student choose one principle and write on an index card how s/he could use the principle to enhance success and enjoyment in work or play. Next, play Thirty-Five to identify the strongest ideas. This activity could be done at the end of a course as a review. Variation: Do this activity both at the beginning and end of the course to see the impact of the semester's instruction. In this case, have students put their names on their first card and collect it. At the end of the semester, after playing Thirty-Five, return students' first card and have them compare what they wrote at the beginning and at the end of the course. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Value Line: Purpose—Faculty within a department begins to norm grading rubrics for an introductory course. Faculty members rate their agreement (10) or disagreement (1) on the following statement: “Students in this course should be rewarded for effort and improvement rather than solely academic performance.” Faculty members align themselves and share their rationale, with the goal of moving to a closer consensus. PSYCHOLOGY VIDEO & PMI-Q: Purpose--Students in a child development course analyze "The Business of Being Born," aAfter viewing the documentary, students use PMI+Q to write a response in their journals. They then join a smaller groups based on the area of PMI-Q that they would like to explore more thoroughly (e.g., a group of pluses). Afterwards, lead a whole-group discussion exploring what each group generated as Pluses, Minuses, Interesting ideas, and remaining questions. PUBLIC HEALTH Case
Study & Role Playing: Purpose:
Learning about problem solving and the scientific method in public health, and
the interrelationship between science, society, culture and health. Students
are presented with a pellagra epidemic case study from the early 1900's.
They then form groups that are public health investigators working with Dr.
Goldberg of PHS to solve the pellagra problem. Step by step, the students
advise...
STUDENT
SUCCESS Thirty-Five: Purpose--Students understand that success begins inside. Have students write on an index card their answer to the following question: “In your opinion, what is the one most important inner quality that successful students have and struggling students do not? Explain your choice in 100 words or less.” Play Thirty-Five and identify the cards that received the top five scores. Hold a discussion of the qualities identified on these cards, making a list on the board. Continue the discussion by asking what qualities are missing from the list. In an On Course class, have students compare their list to the Eight Qualities of Successful Students that is on the inside front cover of the text. Jigsaw: Purpose--Students learn about and use campus resources. In Step A, place students in groups of four and ask them to each select one of four campus resources (e.g., tutoring center, library, financial aid office, and counseling center). Discuss how they might become their group’s expert on their chosen campus resource; then give them a week to gather information. In Step B, have experts for each campus resource gather and create a list of “The Top 10 Things to Know about ______.” In Step C, experts return to their home group to teach others their Top 10. Afterwards, provide handouts of the Top 10 Lists and/or post the list on a class web site or discussion board. Value Line: Purpose--Students find ways to stay motivated in college. Provide students with a list of nine beliefs and behaviors that could influence their motivation in college. (There is such a list in the On Course text in the “Embracing Change” activity after Journal Entry 11.) Ask students to rank these beliefs and behaviors from 1 (most helpful) to 9 (least helpful). Have students do a value line for each of the nine (or as many as you have time for) and discuss their reasons. Afterwards, ask if any students have raised or lowered their score for any of the nine choices. Finally, ask students to implement one belief or behavior for one week and report their experiences and outcomes to the class. Quotation Game: Purpose--Students learn the value of effective self-management. As a way of introducing this topic, gather a group of quotations about the value of effective self-management. For example, "Research shows that one's ability to manage time--specifically time on task--is a better indicator of success in the first year of college than SAT test scores and high school grades." Have seven groups of students analyze the quotations to determine the essential truths about the value of effective self-management. Then have each group write its own quotation about the value of self-management and play Thirty-Five. Lead a class discussion about the essential truths expressed by the top scoring quotations. Think/Pair/Share: Purpose--Students learn to use self-management tools to make better use of their time. Have each student choose a self-management tool (monthly calendar, to-do list, etc.) that they will experiment with for a week. Alert them that at the end of the experiment, they will be reporting their experiences to a partner. At the end of the week, have them pair with another student. (You might want to pair them with someone who experimented with the same tool…or with a different tool.) Have students show their self-management tool to their partner and explain 1) what they actually did with the tool (including nothing, if that is the case), 2) their experiences using the tool (e.g., sense of control, overwhelm, peace, efficiency, etc.) 3) their outcomes using the tool (e.g., competed all homework, scheduled “fun,” fell further behind, caught up on reading in history), and 4) their lessons learned. Finally, have student share with the class the most significant things their partner told them. PMI+ Q: Purpose--Students learn a new study skill; additionally, they practice writing. From their text, each student identifies a study skill that s/he has never used before and experiments with it for one week. Students then write a five-paragraph essay about the study skill, each paragraph answering one of the following questions: 1) What are the pluses of the study skill? 2) What are the minuses? 3) What is interesting about the study skill? 4) What questions do they still have about the study skill? 5) Will they continue to use the study skill or not...and why? Thirty-Five & Use/Adapt: Purpose--Students learn better self-management skills, becoming more efficient and effective. Have students write on an index card their response to the following prompt: “What is a strategy you use to manage your time effectively? Explain how you use it.” Play Thirty-Five to generate a list of the best strategies. In the next class, distribute a list of the strategies and ask students to do an experiment. The experiment is to use or adapt one new strategy for a week and report their experiences and outcomes to the class. Quick List: Purpose--Students see their growth during the course. On the first day of class, ask students to make a quick list of the Inner Qualities of Successful Students. Have students put their name on the list. Collect the lists and save them. On the last day of the class, ask students (again) to make a quick list of the Inner Qualities of Successful Students. After they complete their list, hand back the lists they created during the first class. Give them time to compare their two lists and write a paragraph about their most important lessons learned in the class. Invite students to share with the class their most important lessons learned and any commitments they are willing to make to be successful in college. Value Line: Purpose--Students realistically examine their level of Interdependence and understand the benefits of being Interdependent. Have students rate themselves on the following statement from 1 (completely untrue of me) to 10 (completely true of me): I readily accept and seek offers of assistance to help me achieve my goals and be a successful student. Line students up from 1-10, and ask them to explain reasons for their score, encouraging them to provide specific examples to explain their belief. Further, encourage a spirited debate with respect for all. Particularly have those with high scores provide anecdotes of when being interdependent helped them to be successful. This structure could be used with any On Course principle! Jigsaw: Purpose--Students learn how to prepare for different types of questions on an exam: essay, multiple choice, problem solution and short answer. In Home Groups, students each choose one kind of question and then begin to develop study strategies for it. In Expert Groups, students deepen their understanding of how to answer the type of question they have chosen and create sample exam questions (with answers) to illustrate. Experts return to the home groups to teach others. Afterwards results are collected to create a master Test-Taking Strategy Guide for the class. Think/Pair/Share and Gallery Walk: Purpose--Students learn and share ways to reduce text anxiety. Ask student to list 5 ways of reducing text anxiety. Have students pair up, discuss their ideas, and reduce their 10 ideas to a list of the best three. Next have pairs represent their three best ideas on flip chart pages using only graphics (no words). Do a gallery walk, having students place stars on their favorite ideas. Finally, lead a discussion of the methods of reducing test anxiety that received the most votes. Quotation Game: Purpose--Students learn about different theories of motivation and find one that helps with their own motivation in college. Provide students with a handout containing a number of quotations from experts about motivation. In small groups, students identify the essential truths of motivation, create their own expert-like quotation, and write it on a flip chart page. Students vote on their choice for the motivational theory that seems most helpful to them. Finally, lead a discussion about what motivates the students in your class. As homework, have students write a paragraph about one strategy they will experiment with to maintain or increase their level of academic motivation. Thirty-Five & Value Line: Purpose--Students evaluate what made them successful or not successful in their first semester; subsequent students benefit from what they learned. At the end of the first semester, have students write on an index card an answer to the question, "What one piece of advice would you give to new students about being successful in college?" Play Thirty-Five to generate a Top 10 List of Advice. Publish the list on handout to be given out to both this semester's and next-semester's students. As a first-day activity with next-semester's students, give out the Top 10 List of Advice and do a Value Line for each suggestion. Ask the new students why they think last-semester's students selected each piece of advice. TUTOR TRAINING Thirty-Five: Purpose--Tutors learn ways to help students come to the tutoring center fully prepared. Have tutors respond to the question, "What can you do to increase the likelihood that a student who has not completed her homework will be better prepared at the next tutoring session?" Play Thirty-Five to generate a list of the top five strategies. Have students practice the strategies in pairs (role play). In future sessions, invite tutors to share stories of using one of the strategies, along with an explanation of how well it worked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||