The Potential Capacities Within Teacher Communities: Understanding Instructors' Active Learning Instructions From Their Lesson Scripts

• In Event: Research on Faculty Teaching, Evaluation, and Development

Abstract

Given its positive impact on student learning, active learning (AL) instructions have been prescribed for decades. However, even with structured guidance, successful adoption of AL is difficult for teachers. To address this problem, this project inquires into the potential capacity and value of the teacher communities. We examine a publicly available online collection of activities by post-secondary instructors to understand the kinds of "active learning" practices that are used in classrooms. The findings reveal that the majority of the activities are conducive to students’ deep learning, yet only a third of are explicitly designed to motivate student engagement. Identified strengths and weaknesses in instructors’ activity designs and scripts have implications for future instructional design and professional development for AL.

Authors

• Chao Zhang, McGill University

• Bojana Krsmanovic, Concordia University - Montreal

• Elizabeth S. Charles, Dawson College