Cooperative Learning within a Large Lecture Environment Exploiting Remote Keypad Technology (slides selected by Steve Ehrmann from this 2005 Jacobs presentation)

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Cooperative Learning within a Large Lecture
EnvironmentExploiting Remote Keypad
Technology(slides selected by Steve Ehrmann from
this 2005 Jacobs presentation)

Dennis C. Jacobs Professor of Chemistry and
Biochemistry Vice President and Associate
ProvostUniversity of Notre Dame
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Focus Group Comments on the Traditional Large
Lecture Experience at ND

• I dont keep up with the reading for lecture,
  because we dont have any discussions in
  lecture. Im better off spending the time
  reading for other classes where we do discuss
  things.
• I am afraid to ask questions in such a large
  lecture hall.
• I dont feel responsible for what happens in
  class.
• The large lecture lets me remain anonymous,
  which is good.

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Does Learning Occur as a Result of Lecture?
Plot of Mean Exam Performance in
General Chemistry
80
70
60
Arizona State University
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Exam Scores
40
30
20
10
0
0
10
20
30
Number of Absences

• J. Birk and J. Foster, Journal of Chemical
  Education, 70 180-182 (1993)

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The Primary Learning Goals for General Chemistry
at Notre Dame

• Learn through inquiry and exploration.
• Work collaboratively with classmates to
  visualize, understand, and describe chemistry at
  the molecular, macroscopic, and symbolic levels.
• Utilize critical thought and intuition to predict
  chemical behavior (structure and reactivity).
• Develop original solutions to problems that you
  have not encountered before.

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The Primary Learning Goals for General Chemistry
at Notre Dame
Analysis of Evidence

• Learn through inquiry and exploration.
• Work collaboratively with classmates to
  visualize, understand, and describe chemistry at
  the molecular, macroscopic, and symbolic levels.
• Utilize critical thought and intuition to predict
  chemical behavior (structure and reactivity).
• Develop original solutions to problems that you
  have not encountered before.

Synthesis of Information
Critical Reasoning
Application of principles
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Structure of Alternative General Chemistry Course
(CHEM 113/114)

• Three 50-minute lectures/week
• Demonstrations and Visualizations
• Students pair-off to answer Conceptual Questions
• One 2.5 hour laboratory/week
• Students work in pairs
• One 50-minute recitation/week
• Small Group Cooperative Problem Solving

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Peer Instruction A Users Manual

• Eric Mazur

Prof. Mazur introduced ConcepTests to physics
students at Harvard. The book documents the
value of the ConcepTest approach with classroom
data and plenty of examples.
Prentice Hall, 1997
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• The Levi Straus trademark shows two horses trying
  to pull apart a pair of pants. Suppose Levi had
  only one horse and attached the other side of the
  pants to a fencepost. Using only one horse would
  (a) cut the tension on the pants by one-half.
  (b) not change the tension on the pants at all.
  (c) double the tension on the pants.

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Representative Concept Question
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McGraw-Hill
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Representative Concept Question

• Pure H2O(l) did not conduct electricity.  
• 2 CH3CO2H(aq) in H2O(l) was a poor conductor.
• Predict how well pure CH3CO2H(l) will light the
  lightbulb.

1. Bright
2. Dim
3. Dark
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Students Vote on Responses

• Scantron sheets
• Wireless Personal Response System
• http//www.bedu.com/
• TurningPoint Software
• http//www.turningtechnologies.com/

• Raise hands
• Show cards

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Extra-credit Points are Awarded to Encourage
Thoughtful Participation
Confidence Level Correct Answer Incorrect Answer
Low
Medium
High
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Extra-credit Points are Awarded to Encourage
Thoughtful Participation

• Individual student responses and the consensus
  response of each pair are graded

Confidence Level Correct Answer Incorrect Answer
Low 3 pts. 2 pts.
Medium 4 pts. 1 pts.
High 5 pts. 0 pts.
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Sequence for each Concept Question
Time
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Representative Concept Question
Pure H2O(l) did not conduct electricity.   2
CH3CO2H(aq) in H2O(l) was a poor conductor.
Predict how well pure CH3CO2H(l) will light the
lightbulb.
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Sequence for each Concept Question
Time
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What are the benefits of asking concept questions
in class?

• Students will
• Articulate preconceptions and defend ideas
• Hear multiple perspectives
• Practice speaking the language of the discipline
• Become more invested in the topic
• Receive an accurate form of self-assessment
• Instructor will
• Gain immediate feedback on student understanding
  and readiness for new material.

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When we use the remote keypads, I receive
valuable feedback on how well I understand the
course material.
Survey Data gathered by www.textrev.com
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I appreciate the way that the remote keypad
technology allows me see what my classmates are
thinking.
Survey Data gathered by www.textrev.com
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I pay greater attention in class when I know the
instructor will ask me to periodically answer
questions on my remote keypad.
Survey Data gathered by www.textrev.com
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Do you recommend that the instructor use the
remote keypads in this course in the future?
Survey Data gathered by www.textrev.com
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Questions I Ponder about my Students

• How accurately do my students assess their own
  level of understanding or misunderstanding?
• When students with differing opinions debate a
  question, does their discourse increase their
  understanding? Does it leave them more or less
  confident in their own understanding?
• To what extent does a students metacognition
  guide and regulate her study?

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How Students are Persuaded through Discussion
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Correlation between Answers and Confidence
Ratings
Individual
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Is it Valuable for Students to Attend an
Interactive Class?
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Summary

• Students learn best when they are engaged in
  applying their new skills and conceptual
  understanding to matters of consequence.
• Remote keypads offer students the potential to
• Fully participate in class discussions, even
  within a large lecture setting.
• Receive instantaneous feedback and
  self-assessment.
• Be encouraged for progressing in both accuracy
  and confidence.
• Community-based learning adds value to
• Students professional, academic, and personal
  development.
• The lives of families facing environmental
  hazards.