3. What is learning centered?
QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
(Weimer, 2002)
4.
5. Students
Play active role in their learning
Find the learning personally relevant
(Blumberg, 2008; O’Neill & McMahon, 2005)
6. Teachers
Use a variety of teaching methods
and assessments
Facilitate learning
(Blumberg, 2008; O’Neill & McMahon, 2005)
7. Why the Syllabus?
1. Indicates quality of teaching and
learning
2. Makes connections between
instructor goals and student
expectations
3. Can be used as a tool for teacher
evaluation
(Woolcok, M. J., 2005)
11. Relationship
3 elements must be tied together
1. Course objectives
2. Teaching & learning activities
3. Assessments
12. The 3Rs in Action
Questions:
Can the student connect with the course?
Are expectations and roles well defined?
Are the 3 elements tied together?
(objectives, activities, assessments)
13. Overview:
Use mythology to untangle our own moral
dilemmas
Objective Activity Assessment
Explain the important role Choose a myth you relate Measure your final
of myth as it pertains to to and use it as a product against the class-
your own life framework to create a created rubric;
myth that reflects a Receive teacher feedback
personal value;
Share your ideas with
peers;
Incorporate peer feedback
into draft;
Express final product as
an essay, comic, artwork,
video, etc.
14. Rubric
3Rs Needs work Improving Spot on!
Identified the Identified and Identified,
language Evaluated the Evaluated,
Relevancy language Created new
language
Identified the Identified and Identified,
language Evaluated the Evaluated,
Roles language Created new
language
Identified the Identified and Identified,
language Evaluated the Evaluated,
Relationship language Created new
language
16. Thank you!
Questions?
Please contact
Lisa Hasler Waters
hasler@hawaii.edu
Editor's Notes
Overview -- today, we’ll talk about a learning centered syllabus and why we might want to implement this focus to our syllabi I am going to give you a mini experience of a learning centered workshop
My goal today is to give the the tools to define what a learning centered syllabus is So that you can identify language appropriate for a learning centered syllabus use this information as you begin to rethink your own syllabus
It’s a shift from what the teacher is doing to what the student is learning To a focus on what the student is doing to learn
Lots of words concerning this topic But learning center is the focus on the learning process It’s roots have been credited back as early 1900s And referred to in Dewey and Piaget’s work describing young learners But more fully developed for adults learners under Malcolm Knowles in his adult learning theory - andragogy He asserted that adult learners: 1. Are self directed 2. Autonomous learners 3. Who seek relevancy in what they learn
Read above Students are actively involved They have increased accountability for how they learn, what they learn
Teachers use a variety of teaching methods and assessments To differentiate the learning Teachers get students involved in the learning process Where they are a guide to learning Rather than purveory of knowledge
Its been said that “the quality of the course outline is a fairly reliable indicator of the quality of teaching and learning that will take place over the course of a semester” It should make explicit connections between instructor goals and student expectations Some suggest that course syllabus could be an effective tool to evaluate teacher effectiveness because it should Link Pedagogical activities to student outcomes (cite: Woolcok, M. J. V., 2005)
So, what should a learning centered syllabus include? It should include what I refer to as the 3Rs: relevancy, roles, relationship That is, each of these elements is clearly stated so that the student Immediately identifies with the course Understands course expectations Recognizes ultimate goals of the course and how he’ll engage in the course Let’s take a closer look at each of the 3 Rs
The student should be able to identify with the course How it will relate to his own life, the next course, or his future career Where he feels a connection to the content and is motivated to learn This can be stated in the Overview, Objectives but should also resonate in the Activities and Assessments
The roles and responsibilities assumed by the student and the teacher are clearly defined The student 1. Takes responsibility for learning -- seeks ways to gain deeper understanding 2. Is actively involved, participates, communicates 3. Is accountable for getting work done, doing quality work, self assessment The teacher 1. Facilitates learning using different teaching methods and strategies, guides students 2. Involves student in some of the course direction, criteria 3. States how regulary the teacher gives student feedback
The syllabus clearly links together the 3 key element that form learning centered practices: Course objectives Teaching and learning activities Assessments Within each of these elements the student finds a layer of personalization
I took some time to review a handful of syllabi on the NOVA site. I found that they all follow a very neat, well organized format This is great for consistency and efficiency However, knowing our students (I.e. audience) we can add the layer of personalization by infusing the 3 Rs Take a look at this mocked up syllabus. I choose it because it was well written and compelling Take a moment to identify language the reflects our 3 Rs, learning centered Use the 3 questions posted on this slide as a guide
Ideally, we’d have time to dissect the syllabus and go through it as a group. In the essence of time, I revised this closely to what seemed representative of the original intentions of the course (read: Overview) In Objectives: Here we see a direct link to their own life -- may help them associate with why learn myths, or the purpose of myth’s in today’s world In activities: we see the student choosing -- his theme, the way he presents and actively engaged in with peers to build their knowledge In assessment -- we see they are doing their own assessments, using a class created rubric We might even restructure the way the online syllabus is organized -- using this layout to create a more Visual representation of the 3rs
If we had more time, we could have assessed our own learning And then move onto to use what we’ve practiced in our own syllabus
IN SUMMARY, The syllabus can show the student how the course is relevant to him beyond school walls It gives him and the instructor an idea of the roles and responsibilities There is a clear link between the objectives, activities and assessments, -- all of which actively engage the student where learning Becomes his responsibility and the teacher clearly identifies expectations A student who feels connected to his learning is a better, happier learner!