Hands-on Design of Effective University Learning Environments

Rob Phillips, Academic Consultant

Educational Design Project, School of Education, Curtin University, PerthAdjunct Associate Professor, School of Education, Murdoch University, Perth

My Background

• 1980s– Research scientist – theoretical chemistry and computer

science – Germany and Australia• 1990s

– Interactive multimedia designer and project manager• 2000s

– Educational designer• 2010s

– Learning and Teaching Policy work– Academic consultant – mentoring and educational design

Thesis Statement

• The traditional model of university teaching is inappropriate to meet the needs and pressures of the 21st century– It isn’t scalable in the face of funding cuts– It poorly adapts to increasing student diversity and

need for flexibility• Way forward:

– Build on research– Innovative unit design and clever use of educational

technology

Flipped Classroom

• Content is everywhere• No need to spend class time in delivering

content

• Engage with content before class• Class time is spent in discussion, practising…

Nothing new under the sun…

• Bligh, D. A. (1972). What's the Use of Lectures. Harmondsworth, UK: Penguin.

• Laurillard, D. M. (1993). Rethinking University Teaching: A Framework for the Effective Use of Educational Technology. London: Routledge.– Second edition 2002

Overview

• Examples• Conceptual frameworks• Hands-on activities

Overview

• Examples• Conceptual frameworks• Hands-on activities

Book advert

• Learning Environment, Process, Outcomes

Educational Context

Learning environments

Learning processes

Learning outcomes

Students Teachers

facilitate

designfacilitate

assess

lead todetermine

work within

engage in

demonstrate

interact with

The LEPO Framework

Educational Context

Learning environments

Learning processes

Learning outcomes

Students Teachers

Students

Students• Existing knowledge and abilities• Socioeconomic context• Expectations of success• Motivation to learn• Conceptions/ beliefs about

learning• Preferred approach to learning

Educational Context

Learning environments

Learning processes

Learning outcomes

Students Teachers

Teachers

Teachers• Conceptions/beliefs of

learning• Teaching expertise• Ability to motivate students• Deep contextual knowledge

Teaching philosophy

• Behaviourism and constructivism

The Forest Metaphor

Lloyd Rieber, University of Georgia, 1995

The Yellow Brick Road Approach

Discovery Learning

Discovery Learning 2

Guided Discovery Learning

Educational Context

Learning environments

Learning processes

Learning outcomes

Students Teachers

Learning Environment

Learning Environment• Curriculum

• what to learn• desired learning outcomes, content

• Learning design• how to learn• learning “tasks”

• Technology design• technical specifications

Curriculum Design

• Desired Learning Outcomes• Generic Learning Outcomes

– Graduate attributes– 21st century skills

• Bloom’s Taxonomy

Bloom’s Taxonomies

Learning Domains

• Cognitive Domain• Psychomotor Domain

– physical skills• Affective Domain

– emotions• Conative Domain

– capacity to act, decide, and commit – motivation

Educational Context

Learning environments

Learning processes

Learning outcomes

Students Teachers

Learning Process

Learning Processes• Learning activity: an interaction between

a learner and an environment• Contextual learning processes –

studying• Cognitive learning processes

Educational Context

Learning environments

Learning processes

Learning outcomes

Students Teachers

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes• Conceptual knowledge• Professional skills• Literacies• Learning skills• Societal beliefs and values• Lifelong learning skillsAssessment

Learning Design

• Learning tasks are what teachers set• Learning activities are what students do• Constructive alignment

What are Learning Tasks?

• Activities that students do to practice and consolidate their understanding

• E.g.– Read chapter 3…– Write a reflective journal entry– Work with your group to refine your project plan

Authentic Learning

• Authentic context• Authentic activity• Expert performances• Multiple perspectives• Collaboration• Reflection • Articulation• Coaching and scaffolding• Authentic assessment

(Herrington, Reeves & Oliver, 2010)

Critique

• Are there any disciplines that Authentic Learning is not suited for?

• Yes• but even if not, you can still use elements to make

it relevant

Section Conclusion

• As well as outcomes and content, think about learning tasks and assessment

• Try to be more authentic than the yellow brick road

• Focus on effective and efficient learning not effective and efficient teaching

Overview

• Examples• Conceptual frameworks• Hands-on activities

Activities

• Analyse a current course in terms of outcomes, assessment and learning tasks

• Progressively refine the design– to make it more appropriate for your students

• Outcome: – Better understanding of effective learning

environments– An initial plan to refine a course

Task

• In pairs or 3s– Choose a course– Fill in current Objectives, Assessments and Tasks

Educational Context

Learning environments

Learning processes

Learning outcomes

Students Teachers

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes• Conceptual knowledge• Professional skills• Literacies• Learning skills• Societal beliefs and values• Lifelong learning skillsAssessment

Learning Domains

• Cognitive Domain• Psychomotor Domain

– physical skills• Affective Domain

– emotions• Conative Domain

– capacity to act, decide, and commit – motivation

Bloom’s Taxonomies

Aims, Objectives and Outcomes

• Aim - what the teacher is going to do (archery competition)

• Objective - what the student should be able to do (the target)

• Outcome - what the student can do (shooting the arrow)

Learning OutcomesThree types of learning outcomes (Allan, 1996)• Subject-based outcomes

– subsume learning objectives– complex, discipline-based outcomes - capable of being assessed;

• Personal transferable outcomes– acting independently– working with others– using information technology– communicating effectively– metacognitive and self-efficacy skills

• Generic academic outcomes– making use of information– thinking creatively and critically– analysing and synthesising ideas and information

• Graduate Attributes or 21st Century Skills• Your students might already have some of these

– or they might not….

Task

• In pairs or 3s• Review learning outcomes and assessment• Are they deep enough?

Task

• Do the Learning Outcomes, Assessments and Tasks match the profile of your students?

• Plenary discussion

How to Teach the Topic

• What (authentic) tasks can you develop to engage students?

• What classroom activities can you design to improve understanding?

Task

• Go to Column 2• Review Learning Outcomes and Assessment• Identify authentic tasks• Identify troublesome concepts• Propose solutions

Teaching Ideas

• If you can’t change the course, you can change how you teach it!

• Inspiring students• Relevance

Adult Learning Principles

• The subject matter is relevant to the personal interests of the adult learner

• Capitalise on the wealth of experience of participants• Adult learners must understand the rationale and purpose of

their learning• Need to be involved in the planning and evaluation of their

learning• Experience (including mistakes) can provide the basis for

learning activities • Interested in learning material that has immediate application• Problem centric rather than content specific

Jeremy Williams (2006) Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 2 (1)

Open-Book Open-Web (OBOW) Exams

• Jeremy Williams (2009) The efficacy of the final examination: a comparative study of closed-book, invigilated exams and open-book, open-web exams (with Amy Wong), British Journal of Educational Technology, 40 (2), 227-236.

• Jeremy Williams (2007) E-xams: harnessing the power of ICTs to enhance authenticity, (with Wing Lam and Alton Chua), Educational Technology and Society, 10 (3), 209-221.

An OBOW Exam….