Please reflect on how faculty might respond Please reflect on how faculty might respond to these situationsto these situations

Many students complain that we talk too fast for them to take good notes

Many students complain that they do not know how to study for our tests or say the tests are impossible or not fair

We feel we have a huge amount of material to cover in our courses

We want our students to read literature in our field, so we give them specific articles to read and test them on the material without discussing it in class

This is their course: Getting This is their course: Getting students to take greater students to take greater

responsibility for their learningresponsibility for their learning

Phyllis Blumberg, Ph.D.Phyllis Blumberg, Ph.D.p.blumbe@usp.edu

Outcomes of this sessionOutcomes of this session

Participants will be able to:Participants will be able to: Assess the long term impact of who takes Assess the long term impact of who takes

responsibility for learning responsibility for learning Discuss alternative ways to foster students Discuss alternative ways to foster students

to assume responsibility for learningto assume responsibility for learning Begin planning for changes in your Begin planning for changes in your

coursescourses

What are the consequences in terms of What are the consequences in terms of student and faculty behaviors of these facts?student and faculty behaviors of these facts?

College students are more diverse than College students are more diverse than they were previouslythey were previously Many college students are unprepared Many college students are unprepared

in terms of background and study skillsin terms of background and study skills Many college students are non-Many college students are non-

traditional, older or part-timetraditional, older or part-time Many college students hold additional Many college students hold additional

responsibilities such as 20-40 hours of responsibilities such as 20-40 hours of employment or dependent careemployment or dependent care

Many college students have less Many college students have less motivation to work hardmotivation to work hard

Consequences of current Consequences of current student characteristicsstudent characteristics

Fewer students may be autonomous, Fewer students may be autonomous, responsible learnersresponsible learners

Faculty adapt their teaching to fit Faculty adapt their teaching to fit requests/ needs of studentsrequests/ needs of students

What do faculty do to respond?What do faculty do to respond?

When faculty assume more responsibility for When faculty assume more responsibility for the students’ learningthe students’ learning

They direct how students learnThey direct how students learn They determine what students will learnThey determine what students will learn Faculty become the sole judges of how Faculty become the sole judges of how

well students have learnedwell students have learned

When faculty assume more responsibility for When faculty assume more responsibility for the students’ learningthe students’ learning

Students remain passiveStudents remain passive Students lack confidence in their Students lack confidence in their

abilities to learn on their ownabilities to learn on their own Students do not become lifelong, Students do not become lifelong,

self-directed learnersself-directed learners

Does this sound familiar?Does this sound familiar?

Consider the four situations you reflected Consider the four situations you reflected on initially in terms of who takes on initially in terms of who takes responsibility for learningresponsibility for learning

How do the data on the previous slides How do the data on the previous slides effect you, your students, and how you effect you, your students, and how you teach?teach?

What have you done to assume What have you done to assume responsibility for your students’ learning?responsibility for your students’ learning?

How would you like to help your students How would you like to help your students take more responsibility for learning?take more responsibility for learning?

How much do you trust your students How much do you trust your students to take responsibility for their own to take responsibility for their own

learning?learning? Not at allNot at all SomewhatSomewhat Mostly Mostly CompletelyCompletely

Hopefully the rest of this workshop will Hopefully the rest of this workshop will help you find ways to increase your help you find ways to increase your trust in students in this regard by trust in students in this regard by engendering skills so they can take engendering skills so they can take this responsibilitythis responsibility

What should faculty do to assist What should faculty do to assist students?students?

Most instructors do not use Most instructors do not use strategies to help our students take strategies to help our students take responsibility for their own learningresponsibility for their own learning

See the next slide for USciences data See the next slide for USciences data This workshop will offer some This workshop will offer some

strategiesstrategies These strategies are part of an These strategies are part of an

approach to teaching called approach to teaching called learning/learner centered teachinglearning/learner centered teaching

Use of strategies to help students take responsibility for learning

We will discuss the philosophical We will discuss the philosophical overview and 6 ways faculty can overview and 6 ways faculty can

assist students to take responsibility assist students to take responsibility for learning (refer to blue sheet)for learning (refer to blue sheet)

1.1. Taking responsibility for LearningTaking responsibility for Learning2.2. Developing skills for further learningDeveloping skills for further learning3.3. Developing self-directed, lifelong Developing self-directed, lifelong

learning skillslearning skills

6 ways faculty can increase student 6 ways faculty can increase student taking responsibility for learning taking responsibility for learning

(continued)(continued)

4. 4. Developing their ability to assess Developing their ability to assess their own learningtheir own learning

5.5. Developing proficiency at self-Developing proficiency at self-assessment of their strengths and assessment of their strengths and weaknessesweaknesses

This is not the same as self-This is not the same as self-gradinggrading

6. Developing proficiency in 6. Developing proficiency in information literacy skillsinformation literacy skills

Peer teaching activity (12 minutes) Divide into groups of 5. Each person is responsible to teach others

in groups about 1 skill (components numbered 2-6 on your handout)

2 minute self-study with a focus on the example given

Take turns teaching each other with each person taking about 2 minutes to describe the skill

I will be happy to answer questions, clarify ideas, etc.

Choose a skill or component you might Choose a skill or component you might want to assist students to developwant to assist students to develop

From among those you just From among those you just discussed, select a skill/component discussed, select a skill/component you want to focus onyou want to focus on

Choose on the basis of what these Choose on the basis of what these students need the most, or would students need the most, or would help students learn betterhelp students learn better

I have questions to help you you I have questions to help you you teach this specific skills- 10 minute teach this specific skills- 10 minute individual exercise individual exercise

2 part small group activity (20 2 part small group activity (20 minutes)minutes)

Groups will be working on the same skillGroups will be working on the same skill Part 1- consider possible changes Part 1- consider possible changes

Consider which changes you might makeConsider which changes you might make Agree upon 1-2 possible changes Agree upon 1-2 possible changes Part 2- planning for transformationPart 2- planning for transformation

Discuss the answers to the questions on the Discuss the answers to the questions on the planning for transformation form for the planning for transformation form for the selected componentselected component

Complete the planning for transformation form (green sheet) as a

group or individually

Use the form as a stimulus to plan how you can assist your students to take responsibility for their learning on this component

Pay special attention to the following tactical questions

Answer tactical planning questionsAnswer tactical planning questions

What do you need to do, decide prior What do you need to do, decide prior to making changes?to making changes?

Identify obstacles or challenges that Identify obstacles or challenges that need to be overcomeneed to be overcome

Identify strategies for overcoming Identify strategies for overcoming obstaclesobstacles

Identify necessary resourcesIdentify necessary resources How can you get students to accept How can you get students to accept

this change?this change?

Any questions or feedback?Any questions or feedback?

Reports from the groups