The document discusses theories of teaching in higher education ranging from passive transmission of knowledge to student-directed learning. It also examines the benefits and challenges of large group teaching, including the use of interactive techniques versus traditional lecturing. Effective group sizes and dynamics for problem-based learning are explored, along with the role of face threats and social constructs in student interactions.

1. Does size matter?
Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (LTHE)
Module
Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice
University of Salford
Twitter @pgcap
March 2012

2. The plan
• Discuss with you (large group) teaching
through an immersive learning experience to
trigger thinking, reflection and action

3. What I would like you to take away
to be open to new approaches, to be creative, reflect on practice and try new things
What would you like you to take away

5. Three main theories of teaching in HE
Theory 1: Teaching as telling, transmission or delivery - PASSIVE
students are passive recipients of the wisdom of a single speaker – all problems reside
outside the lecturer
Theory 2: Teaching as organising or facilitating student activity - ACTIVE
students are active – problems shared
Theory 3: Teaching as making learning possible – SELF-DIRECTED
teaching is cooperative learning to help students change their understanding. It
focuses on critical barriers to student learning (Threshold Concepts – Meyer and Land,
2003) Learning is applying and modifying one’s own ideas; it is something the student
does, rather than something that is done to the student. Teaching is speculative and
reflective, teaching activities are context-related, uncertain and continuously
improvable.
(Ramsden, 2003, 108-112)

6. How large is large?
a. 30 +
b. 50 +
c. 100 +
http://www.polleverywhere.com/multiple_choice_polls/MTEzMzA2MDY1

7. sticky notes image
How do you feel
when you teach large
groups?

8. Discuss with the person
next to you your
experiences of large
group teaching.

9. origami: let’s make something ;o)
NOT boats!!!

10. What is happening in
your sessions?
What would you like
to happen in your
sessions?

11. Benefits Challenges
Large-group teaching
co-ordinators
Task (5min): Share findings with the other group.
What do we need to do?

12. scenarios: [1, 2] [3, 4]
• Task 1 (10min): Work in groups of 4. Critique,
debate, suggest
• Task 2 (10min): Share your thoughts with
another group

13. scenario 1
“I employ teacher-focused methods
when I deliver lectures to large
groups of students. With a large
group of students, it is difficult to
be interactive.”

14. scenario 2
“I have minimised lecture material in my
courses and maximised individual and group
research projects, group problem-solving, and
in-class discussions. Although I don’t cover as
much material this way, the students learn and
retain this material better. Also, standard
lecture format is not the way that we learn
after university. Instead, we are expected to
read for ourselves and get the information that
way. Thus, I feel my teaching approach better
prepares students for life after university.”

15. “The lecture delivers the necessary
core knowledge and content that
the student needs to succeed.”

16. “Though I needs sometimes to lecture
and may even enjoy doing it, lecturing
all the time simply bores me: I usually
know what I am going to say, and I
have heard it all before. But dialogical
methods of teaching help keep me
alive. Forces to listen, respond, and
improvise. I am more likely to hear
something unexpected and insightful
from myself as well as others.” (Palmer,
2007, 25)

17. “Most of the things that used to work don’t seem to work
anymore. The technique in the book on lecturing you lent me
didn’t work either. They all ignored the buzz group questions and
talked about Saturday’s game or something. They’re basically
idle and won’t do a thing unless it gets a mark. I tried a few labs
differently, I asked them more questions and tried to explain
things better, but there were problems becasue some of the
students reckonded I was spending too much time on explaining
and not enough on getting the stuff across, covering the
syllabus. Which was true of course. And now with my student
appraisal coming up, I’m worried. Remembering what we tell
them is the big thing for students. The amount of knowledge in
this subject increases every few minutes and the syllabus is now
twice as big as it was when I was a student. I am thinking about
some video presentations to get the stuff across, to transfer it
more efficiently from my mind to the students’ head. If
something is visual, they’ll remember it better. Isn’t that right?”
(Ramsden, 2003, 15-16)

18. Donald Clark: Don’t lecture me!
from delivering to facilitating(flipped classroom Aaron Sams,
and Jonathan Bergmann , PBL etc.)
from isolation to conversation, collaboration, questioning,
connecting, networking, negotiating
from passive to active
from just low or no-tech to also high-tech
from one for all to personalisation
from just in-class to everywhere and anytime

19. video clips Task: Watch, observe and comment (what did
you like, what could be improved and why)
http://www.wlv.ac.uk/Default.aspx?page=25525

20. Grouping and size
Phil Race: In at the deep-end: starting to teach in higher education, Leeds Metropolitan University
pairs threes fours fives sixes and more
• not groups • small enough • still small for • large enough • the main
• difficult for to avoid the everyone to to have the danger is
one member risk of “shy contribute – “odd passenger
to be violets” this is the passenger” behaviours
completely in • big enough preferred or or non-
active to bring group size! “bystander” participation.
together • disadvantage – getting
more group might away
experience split into two without
than a pair. pairs contributing
• disadvantage • no case vote much to the
can be two if pairs group work.
ganging disagree how
against one. to approach
a task.

21. We are all different!
”They should not feel compelled to adopt a
persona that is unnatural or seems to go
against the grain of his or her personality”
(Light et al 2009:124)

22. Would you like a
break?

23. Constructions of PBL
• Early descriptions – Cognitive psychology
– “PBL described and measured against three principles of
learning: activation of prior knowledge, elaboration and
encoding specificity” 1
– Outcomes of individuals as ‘unit of analysis’
– Cohort comparison methodologies
• Late 90’s onward – social constructivist theory
– “these [PBL] processes actually occur in small-group tutorials
…processing of new information is indeed facilitated by
discussion of a relevant problem”2
– Group becomes ‘unit of analysis’3
– Interactional analysis methodologies4
– Influence of communication and relational management and
on learning5,6,7

24. • Face is the positive social value a person claims for
themselves in interaction
Concept of Face and Face Threat
• In ‘normal’ conversation tacit agreement between
interactants to uphold face of other
• Face Threatening Acts (FTAs) - Interactions which threaten
face
• Observation ofin Miller and Fox (2004)
1 Goffman E (1967) how these are managed allows analysis of
interactant relations and impact on learning

25. PBL, Face and FTAs
• PBL requires students to engage in FTAs
• FTAs are essential for social constructivist learning
processes
• Reducing the impact of FTA
– Reduce ‘social distance’
– Legitimise FTAs through ground rules but…
– …eliminate notion of ‘right and wrong’

26. References- PBL
• 1. Schmidt, H. G. (1983). "Problem-Based Learning - Rationale and Description." Medical
Education 17(1): 11-16.
• 2. Schmidt, H. G. (1993). "Foundations of Problem-Based Learning - Some Explanatory
Notes." Medical Education 27(5): 422-432.
• 3. Tipping, J., Freeman, R. F., et al. (1995). "Using faculty and student perceptions of group
dynamics to develop recommendations for PBL training." Academic Medicine 70(11): 1050-2.
• 4. Clouston, T. J. (2007). "Exploring methods of analysing talk in problem-based learning
tutorials." Journal of Further and Higher Education 31(2): 183 - 193.
• 5. Walker, A., Bridges, E., et al. (1996). "Wisdom gained, wisdom given: instituting PBL in a
Chinese culture." Journal of Educational Administration 34(5): 12-31.
• 6. McLean, M., Van Wyk, J. M., et al. (2006). "The small group in problem-based learning:
more than a cognitive 'learning' experience for first-year medical students in a diverse
population." Medical Teacher 28(4): E94-E103.
• 7. Singaram, V., Dolmans, D., et al. (2008). "Perceptions of Problem Based Learning (PBL)
Group Effectiveness in a Socially-Culturally Diverse Medical Student Population." Education
for Health 21(2): 1-9.

27. Do you have a question?
1. Ask me now,
2. Ask the person next to
you
3. Write it on a sticky note
and leave on the door

28. Reflect:
Does size matter?
What would you consider
changing as a result of this
session?

29. References
Light,G., Cox, R. and Calkins. S (2009) Learning and Teaching in Higher
Education, The Reflective Professional, London: Sage Publications.
Meyer, J.H.F. and Land, R. (2003) Threshold concepts and troublesome
knowledge: linkages to ways of thinking and practising, In: Rust, C. (ed.),
Improving Student Learning - Theory and Practice Ten Years On. Oxford:
Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development (OCSLD), pp 412-424.
Palmer, P. J. (2007) The Courage to Teach. Exploring the Inner Landscape of a
Teacher’s Life, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Race, P. (2009) In at the deep-end: starting to teach in higher education, Leeds
Metropolitan University
Ramsden, P (2003) Learning to teach in Higher Education, Oxon:
RoutledgeFalmer.

30. extras

31. extensions
This could be used for an activity
• 10 big problems with lecture-based learning at
http://www.onlineuniversities.com/10-Big-
Problems-With-Lecture-Based-Learning

32. Flipped classroom
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2H4RkudF
zlc

33. Stimulating Physics through PBL
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHhWWhl
1Zd8&feature=PlayList&p=3458B7D62DFF0E1
B&playnext_from=PL&index=1&playnext=2

34. Six principles of effective teaching in
Higher Education
1. Interest and explanation
2. Concern and respect for students and student
learning
3. Appropriate assessment and feedback
4. Clear goals and intellectual challenge
5. Independence, control and engagement
6. Learning from students
(Ramsden, 2003)