Author: miller.3250

Of Interest: Let’s use video to reinvent education

“In a traditional classroom, you have homework, lecture, homework, lecture, and then you have a snapshot exam. And that exam, whether you get a 70 percent, an 80 percent, a 90 percent or a 95 percent, the class moves on to the next topic. And even that 95 percent student — what was the five percent they didn’t know? Maybe they didn’t know what happens when you raise something to the zeroth power. Then you build on that in the next concept. That’s analogous to — imagine learning to ride a bicycle. Maybe I give you a lecture ahead of time, and I give you a bicycle for two weeks, then I come back after two weeks, and say, ‘Well, let’s see. You’re having trouble taking left turns. You can’t quite stop. You’re an 80 percent bicyclist.’ So I put a big ‘C’ stamp on your forehead — and then I say, ‘Here’s a unicycle.’ As ridiculous as that sounds, that’s exactly what’s happening in our classrooms right now.”

– Sal Khan, Founder and CEO of Khan Academy

Satch Sal Khan’s full TED talk “Let’s use video to reinvent education”(Click the banner image to watch the video)

While you may have never heard of him, Sal Khan is revolutionizing education. The former hedge fund analyst began his unlikely path in education when he started tutoring his cousin in mathematics using the internet. By 2006, Khan had shifted his tutoring strategy to the creation of videos which he publicly posted to YouTube. The videos became a hit with an audience that spanned well beyond Sal’s friends and family, leading Khan to quit his job in 2009 in order to found the “Khan Academy”.

Today, the on-line Khan Academy is a global leader in free education. Over 15 million users visit the site each month in order to access over 100,000 videos, articles, and exercises. Learners can use the site in order to practice everything from the most basic mathematics skills all the way to preparing for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).

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Small Teaching Discussions

Over the past several weeks, the Office of Teaching and Learning has hosted group discussions with CVM faculty and staff around Part I and Part II of James Lang’s book, Small Teaching. The book provides an easy to understand overview of modern education research, with countless simple examples of how instructors can make small changes to classes of all shapes, sizes, and delivery methods in order to engage student learners.

Please feel free to join us for the discussion of the third part of Small Teaching on April 10th (8am) and 11th (noon) in VMC 0076. The book is available through the OSU library system, or for purchase through kindle, nook, or your favorite book store.

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Learner Participation and Rewards

Recent issues of Faculty Focus have tackled the challenge of learner participation and offering rewards for engagement.

In “Encouraging Student Participation: Why It Pays to Sweat the Small Stuff,” Maryellen Weimer, Ph.D. suggests asking yourself a few questions:

How often do you ask questions and when do you ask them? At the end of class isn’t optimum because students anticipate a break or want to leave a few minutes early. The purpose of the question might encourage participation, especially if it previews how you will test mastery.

How long do you wait for an answer? Most presenters wait 2 to 3 seconds but feel as if they wait 10 to 12 seconds. While waiting may feel uncomfortable, it has advantages, specifically allowing for participants to think about complex topics and encouraging responses.

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An Introduction to Assessment

The formal use of assessment in higher education is a growing trend. While some institutions began assessment when required by legislatures or accreditation bodies, others have proactively tried to create an institutional culture of academic assessment.

Regardless of the reasons for starting an assessment program, the expectation that student learning is consistently evaluated is here to stay.

This is the first part of a series intended to introduce the basics of assessment including what assessment is and is not. The series will begin by looking at program level assessment. Future topics will include basic assessment terminology, tangible examples of assessment, discussions on classroom level assessment, and more.

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