1 Using Weekly Laboratory Sessions to Stimulate Student Discussion Charlie Peltier Saint Mary’s College Notre Dame, IN

2 Why do this ?(content) Students learn better in a course if they are more involved in the course Students learn course material better if they talk about the material and have to organize and explain their own insights If more students are talking at once, more students are active I can learn more about what my students are thinking if I can observe them working

3 Why do this? (other) We need to help students move (over time) to a more active role in their own learning Most work environments are based on teamwork and cooperation Communication is a critical part of using the mathematics for most of our students

4 Goals for this Approach Encourage student conversation about mathematics Make students responsible for their learning Develop student’s experience with working in a team situation Increase opportunities for discussion and feedback

5 Process - overview Activity each week – uses one class meeting - specified exercises to be completed Usually new content or enrichment, though sometimes a second day on a topic. Students work in teams of 3-5, fixed for the semester Instructor present, observes, answers questions, watches for process, wrong directions

6 More process overview Team produces a written report on content and on process at the end of each session Reports are read, commented, graded, and returned (copies for team) at the next class meeting There are specified “roles” for team members - report must comment on these (as well as on mathematical content)

7 Team Roles Captain: coordinate, keep all team involved Recorder: produce copy of answers, work Reflector: observe, comment on team work Spokesperson: ask questions, give oral reports, responsible for technology issues (computer work, etc.) Roles rotate weekly basis - everyone must do all

8 Required reports “Recorder’s report” - team’s work on the exercises, answers to questions - students see this as the “content” “Reflector’s report” - functioning of the team. As a minimum –Strength and area for improvement for the team –Role, strength, area for improvement for each member Team’s self-assigned grade (0.0 to 5.0)

9 Parts of an Activity - 1 Why: The point of the topic, exercise in the course Learning objectives: What the students should gain from the activity Criteria: Basis for judging success, for grading Resources: Tools available to complete the activity Plan: An outline of “How to complete”

10 Parts of an Activity - 2 Discussion (if appropriate): Content explanation Models (if appropriate): Examples of use of the ideas Exercises: The work to be written up for submission Assignment for next class

11 Developing an Activity - 1 Activity usually covers the next natural topic of the course May be enrichment, side topic Necessarily one topic - but can be two aspects Content about equivalent to one day of lecture, with examples

12 Developing an Activity - 2 Begin with “What is the point for today?” or “What do I want them to do (or see)?” Design exercises that will lead there Write discussion, models to allow them to work on the exercises and see the point Time - about 2 hours first time - with a “library” developed, this is greatly reduced.

13 Benefits Increased discussion among students (over the semester) Increased opportunity for the instructor to see the students at work Student experience with working in teams - begin skills, see costs and benefits

14 Benefits - 2 Many short writing experiences with quick feedback Improved student preparation for classes

15 Problems/Costs Takes longer than developing a lecture Have to give up control of the discussion Have to plan whole activity, commit to exercises and examples - harder to adjust Timing is an issue –Teams work at different speeds –There are variations between classes –Sometimes time estimation is simply wrong

16 Problems/Costs - 2 Weaker students have to be pushed to contribute, stronger to listen Personality and style clashes can occur There is always some “Just get it done” pressure acting during the activity

17 Some anticipated questions Instructor time - it does require more preparation time - grading time about equivalent to a quiz Course time - it does not slow down the course. If anything, it speeds things up Some students are resistant to working together, to being graded as a team Absences - treat as usual for test or quiz

18 Some references Basic outline and terminology adapted from processes taught by Pacific Crest (Lisle, IL) for their Process Education™Philosophy The outline for the learning activities and the team roles is adapted from Myrvaagnes, Brooks, Wolf, Foundations of Problem solving, Pacific Crest software, Corvallis, Oregon, 1997.