We know students are using AI, and we can expect that the majority will continue to do so for future coursework. These revelations have triggered alarm bells over how we assess learning, with a specific focus on minimizing the risk of academic dishonesty. But let’s not overlook the emotional toll on our students. According to a recent Best Colleges survey, 27 percent of students express worry about AI’s influence on their education, while 31 percent grapple with concerns about their future career prospects. Nearly half are anxious about AI’s broader societal impact. 

What’s striking is most students report their instructors have not broached the subject of AI, let alone its potential ramifications for education, careers, or the disciplines they are pursuing. Regardless of whether we have fully comprehended the implications of AI or its impact on the work we assign our students, it is important we initiate a broader conversation. Extensive research underscores the disruptive impact of stress on learning, particularly on memory formation and retrieval. Constructive, meaningful dialogue can alleviate this. By addressing the apprehensions AI has stirred among students, we also open a channel to discuss concerns over academic integrity.

Facilitating effective discussions

To steer clear of a reactionary discussion, we need to set the stage. Using ‘before, during, and after’ phases offers a useful framework for conducting substantive discussions.

To prepare for the discussion, assign readings that encompass diverse perspectives on AI and include comprehension questions for students to address beforehand. Summaries like the one provided by Danny Liu and Adam Bridgeman from a recent student forum at the University of Sydney offer a rich tapestry for exploration. The Best Colleges Survey, which delves into insights on student AI utilization, academic integrity, education, societal outlook, and the world of work, might also serve as a foundational resource. Contemplate having students complete a survey of your own, probing into these themes and adding questions tailored to your field.

Preparation for engagement

Engaging students often presents a formidable challenge. Beginning the discussion with a series of reflection questions, polls or ‘think-pair-share’ dialogues are effective ways to set the stage for interaction. Student engagement platforms like Top Hat provide an array of options, encompassing polling and word responses, to help students gain insights into what their peers are thinking.  Tools like this can be especially beneficial to students who may be less inclined to share their thoughts out loud. 

What are their overall views with respect to AI? What worries them or interests them most? What skills or knowledge do students deem indispensable in the age of AI? What do they hope to gain from their college experience? Questions like these are a powerful way to fuel discussion and deepen engagement. 

Check out our Top Hat course: AI in Focus: A Classroom Discussion

If feasible, use a discussion tool to establish a backchannel where students can pose questions and provide comments, fostering peer-to-peer dialogue and collectively addressing concerns throughout the discussion. If you teach a larger classroom, ask a student or TA to report out periodically, or make a point of pausing to check in on what’s transpired. 

If you devise your own survey to serve as the backbone of your discussion, disclose the results at pivotal junctures and encourage opinions and counterarguments. You might contrast your own findings with those from the Best Colleges survey to uncover commonalities and disparities. 

Potency in reflection

At the culmination of the discussion, have students write an exit ticket or a minute paper, encapsulating their key takeaways, shifts in their attitudes toward AI, and their plans moving forward. This not only provides instructors with invaluable insights but also ensures that the information and experiences endure.

If an end-of-class assignment feels rushed, consider assigning reflection questions for extra credit. Encourage students to delve into aspects of AI that pique their interest, exploring how AI could revolutionize traditional approaches in your field or enhance efficiency in their personal lives. They might also ponder what future employers will find valuable in terms of their education and experience with AI. 

Anxiety often stems from uncertainty. Encouraging students to undertake critical self-reflection about their thoughts, emotions, and potential courses of action can assist them in distinguishing perceived threats from genuine ones. By facilitating meaningful dialogue, we empower students to shape their perspectives and future plans, granting them a greater sense of agency in navigating the impact of AI.

The post Students Are Anxious About AI. Talking Will Help. appeared first on Top Hat.

This article will explain what curriculum development is, why it’s important for an instructor’s pedagogy, and how the three different models of curriculum design can be used to set any course up for success. You’ll understand why a thoughtful course plan is essential to the success of any classroom—and any group of students. Plus, we’ll guide you through building your own curriculum using our fully customizable course planning template.

Table of Contents

1. What is curriculum development?
2. What is curriculum design?
3. What are the three models of curriculum design?
4. What are the different categories of curriculum development?
5. What is curriculum planning?
6. What is curriculum development and renewal?
7. What’s the difference between curriculum development and curriculum design?
8. How to create your own college curriculum [with free course planning template]
9. Conclusion

What is curriculum development?

The way we understand and theorize curriculum today has changed significantly over the years. Today, the most simple definition of the word “curriculum” is the subjects that make up a course of study at schools, universities or colleges. The word curriculum has roots in Latin. It originally meant “racing chariot” and came from the verb currere, “to run.” Curriculum development is synonymous with course planning or course development.

It’s important to recognize that differences in course design exist: a math course taken at one university may cover the same material, but the educator may teach it in a different way. However, the core fundamentals of curriculum development remain the same.

Higher education institutions must balance two opposing schools of thought. On the one hand, some believe students should have a foundation of common knowledge, through core curriculum requirements. Others believe that students should be able to choose their own educational pursuits, by choosing their own courses or area of study. This fundamental disagreement is a frequently discussed topic in higher education environments, due to Harvard University’s core course requirement restructuring process.

An important element of curriculum design is identifying the prerequisites for each course. This can include prior courses taken, as well as relevant work experience or entrance exam completion. Typically, more advanced courses in any subject require some foundation in basic courses, but some coursework requires study in other departments, as in the sequence of biology classes for upper-level biochemistry courses.

The curriculum is the foundation for educators and students in outlining what is critical for teaching and learning. The curriculum must include the required goals, methods, materials and assessments to allow for effective instruction.

Goals: Goals within a curriculum are the expectations based on course standards for learning and teaching. The scope and skills required to meet a goal are often made explicitly clear to students. Goals must include the range and level of detail that instructors must teach.

Methods: Methods are the instructional approaches and procedures that educators use to engage inside and outside the classroom. These choices support the facilitation of learning experiences in order to promote a student’s ability to understand and apply content and skills. Methods are differentiated to meet student needs and interests, task demands, and learning environment. Methods are adjusted based on ongoing review of student progress towards meeting the goals. 

Materials: Materials are the tools selected to implement methods and achieve the goals of the curriculum. Materials are intentionally chosen to support a student’s learning. Material choices reflect student interest, cultural diversity, world perspectives, and address all types of diverse learners.

Assessment: Assessment in a curriculum is the ongoing process of gathering information about a student’s learning. This includes a variety of ways to document what the student knows, understands, and can do with their knowledge and skills. Information from assessment is used to make decisions about instructional approaches, teaching materials, and academic supports needed to enhance opportunities for the student and to guide future instruction.

Take your curriculum development to the next level with our Course Planning Template

What is curriculum design?

Now that we’ve covered curriculum development and planning, let’s discuss curriculum design. Curriculum design is the deliberate organization of course activities and delivery within a classroom. When higher ed instructors design their curriculum, they identify:

• Learning objectives
• Method(s) of delivery
• Timely and relevant bridge-ins
• Course content and readings
• Both low- and high-stakes assessments

Remember that the curriculum contains the knowledge and skills that a student needs to master in order to move to the next level. By thinking about how their curriculum is designed, teachers ensure they’ve covered all the necessary requirements. From there, they can start exploring various approaches and teaching methods that can help them achieve their goals.

Download Now: Free Course Planning Template

What are the three models of curriculum design?

There are three models of curriculum design: subject-centered, learner-centered, and problem-centered design.

Subject-centered curriculum design

Subject-centered curriculum design revolves around a particular subject matter or discipline, such as mathematics, literature or biology. This model of curriculum design tends to focus on the subject, rather than the student. It is the most common model of standardized curriculum that can be found in K-12 public schools.

Instructors compile lists of subjects and specific examples of how they should be studied. In higher education, this methodology is typically found in large university or college classes where teachers focus on a particular subject or discipline.

Subject-centered curriculum design is not student-centered, and the model is less concerned with individual learning styles compared to other forms of curriculum design. This can lead to issues with student engagement and motivation and may cause students who are not responsive to this model to fall behind.

Learner-centered curriculum design

Learner-centered curriculum design, by contrast, revolves around student needs, interests and goals. It acknowledges that students are not uniform but individuals, and therefore should not, in all cases, be subject to a standardized curriculum. This approach aims to empower learners to shape their education through choices.

Differentiated instructional plans provide an opportunity to select assignments, teaching and learning experiences, or activities that are timely and relevant. This form of curriculum design has been shown to engage and motivate students. The drawback to this form of curriculum design is that it can create pressure to form content around the learning needs and preferences of students. These insights can be challenging to glean in an online or hybrid learning environment. Balancing individual student interests with the course’s required outcomes could prove to be a daunting task. Download our free course planning template that takes a learner-centered approach to building your curriculum.

Problem-centered curriculum design

Problem-centered curriculum design teaches students how to look at a problem and formulate a solution. A problem-centered curriculum model helps students engage in authentic learning because they’re exposed to real-life issues and skills, which are transferable to the real world. Problem-centered curriculum design has been shown to increase the relevance of the curriculum and encourages creativity, innovation and collaboration in the classroom. The drawback to this model is that the individual needs and interests of students aren’t always accounted for.

By considering all three models of curriculum design before they begin planning, instructors can choose the model that is best suited to both their students and their course.

Download: Free Course Planning Template

What are the different types of curriculum development?

Current curriculum can be broken down into two broad categories: the product category and the process category. The product category is results-oriented. Grades are the prime objective, with the focus lying more on the finished product rather than on the learning process. The process category, however, is more open-ended, and focuses on how learning develops over a period of time. These two categories need to be taken into account when developing curriculum.

What is curriculum planning?

Curriculum planning involves implementing different instructional strategies and organizational methods that are focused on achieving optimal student development and student learning outcomes. Instructors might structure their curriculum around daily lesson plans, a specific assignment, a chunk of coursework, certain units within a class, or an entire educational program.

During the curriculum planning phase, educators consider factors that might complement or hinder their lesson. These include institutional requirements, for example. Each administrator at a university or college will have guidelines, principles and a framework that instructors are required to reference as they build out their curricula. Educators are responsible for ensuring that their curriculum planning meets students’ educational needs, and that the materials used are current and comprehensive.

Educators should employ the curriculum process that best incorporates the six components of effective teaching. These components are applicable at both the undergraduate and graduate level:

• To demonstrate knowledge of content
• To demonstrate the knowledge of students
• To select suitable instructional strategy goals
• To demonstrate knowledge of resources
• To design coherent instruction
• To assess student learning

What is curriculum development and renewal?

Curriculum development and renewal are vital components of higher education course planning, as they are critical for maintaining the quality and relevance of academic programs. Curriculum development involves the strategic design and creation of educational pathways, ensuring that courses align with institutional objectives and evolving industry needs. It encompasses the establishment of clear learning outcomes, pedagogical approaches, and assessment methods. Given the constantly changing educational landscape, curriculum development is crucial to incorporating emerging knowledge, technologies, and instructional strategies, fostering dynamic and engaging learning experiences. Regular review and updates are essential to keep the curriculum current, reflecting the dynamic nature of disciplines and the evolving requirements of the job market.

Curriculum renewal is equally indispensable, as it allows institutions to revisit and refresh existing academic programs, thus enhancing their quality and continued relevance. It responds to the recognition that curricular content and instructional methods may become outdated over time, necessitating adjustments to maintain program effectiveness. Curriculum renewal involves a comprehensive analysis of program outcomes, stakeholder feedback, and assessment data, ultimately leading to curriculum redesign, the integration of emerging best practices, or the development of new courses and concentrations. The primary aim of curriculum renewal is to ensure that higher education institutions offer programs that equip students with the knowledge and skills needed for success in an ever-changing world while adhering to the expectations of accreditation bodies and the needs of employers, thereby ensuring the value and competitiveness of their educational offerings.

Get our Free Course Planning Template

What’s the difference between curriculum development and curriculum design?

Curriculum development and curriculum design are two interrelated but distinct processes in the field of higher education. Curriculum development involves the overarching conceptualization and creation of a curriculum, often guided by educational goals, institutional mission, and learner needs. It encompasses the identification of key learning outcomes, the selection of appropriate content, and the sequencing of courses or modules. Curriculum development also involves decisions about assessment strategies, teaching methods, and the overall structure of the educational program. It’s a strategic and long-term endeavor that sets the direction for the educational experience.

Conversely, curriculum design refers to the more detailed and tactical aspects of implementing the curriculum that has been developed. It involves crafting the specific learning materials, activities, and assessments to achieve the established goals and outcomes. Curriculum design focuses on the day-to-day organization of individual courses, determining the order and timing of lessons, and creating instructional materials, such as syllabi, assignments, and assessments. It’s about translating the broader curriculum into practical, actionable plans that educators can use to guide their teaching and students can use to navigate their learning journey. In essence, curriculum development sets the vision, while curriculum design brings that vision to life in the classroom.

How to create your own college curriculum [with free course planning template]

Now that we’ve outlined the three models of curriculum development, how do you get started on building out your own course plan? An effective course plan will highlight your proposed curriculum for the semester along with your individual lesson plans. Developing an engaging course plan means considering how learning occurs before, during and after your class. Here are some factors to consider.

• Before your lesson, consider your learning objectives and source meaningful content
• During your lesson, administer relevant formative assessments to gauge pre-existing—and current—understanding of course concepts
• After your lesson, determine what students have learned by facilitating summative assessments

A thoughtful course plan is an essential piece of the instructional design process. Not only does it help you track progress towards your learning objectives, it ensures lectures are balanced with adequate opportunities for reflection, application of knowledge and community building. Here are a few questions to ask yourself pertaining to your learning objectives, assessments and course content.

These steps and questions are only just the tip of the iceberg. Depending on the curriculum model, educators must make a concerted effort to design and deliver content that strengthens a sense of belonging, participation and performance in and out of class.

Curriculum design tips

These curriculum design tips can help higher education instructors manage every step of designing their classroom curriculum:

• Identify stakeholder needs as early as possible when designing the curriculum. By conducting data analysis on a group of learners, instructors can uncover data what learners already know and what they still need to learn, in order to be proficient in a particular area or skill. It may also include information about a student’s strengths and weaknesses.
• Try making a curriculum map in order to evaluate the order and flow of instruction. Curriculum mapping provides educators with indexes or visual diagrams of a curriculum. This way, educators can easily identify potential learning gaps, repetition or ordering issues in instruction plans.
• Establish evaluation methods that will be implemented throughout the duration of the term to better understand instructor and learner achievement, as well as the efficacy of the curriculum. Evaluation will help instructors better understand if the curriculum design is achieving its desired results. The most effective evaluation is summative, and ongoing throughout the duration of the term. 
• Remember that curriculum design is not a one-step process; continuous improvement is a necessity. The design of the curriculum should be assessed periodically and refined based on assessment data. This may involve making alterations to the design partway through the course to ensure that learning outcomes or a certain level of proficiency will be achieved at the end of the course.

Use our Free Course Planning Template

Conclusion

Developing, designing and implementing an education curriculum is no easy task—especially with online and hybrid learning. With educational technology playing an increasingly essential role in higher education and with today’s diverse student body, instructors have their work cut out for them. But by following the fundamental guidelines and framework of curriculum development, educators will be setting themselves—and their students—up for long-term success.

The post Curriculum Development and the 3 Models [+ Free Course Plan Template] appeared first on Top Hat.

There are many reasons why students and professors struggle with work-life balance. Rigorous academic demands are ever present, in the form of coursework, deadlines and extracurricular activities. In the pursuit of academic success, a culture of overachievement prevails, encouraging students and professors alike to continuously push their boundaries. Of course it doesn’t help that modern technology blurs the lines between work and personal life. What’s more, for both early-career academics and students striving for future career prospects, the fear of job insecurity can drive them to overcommit and sacrifice personal time for professional advancement.

If you’re currently a student or professor, do you feel these effects? Do you know someone who does? If you want to better manage your work-life balance, it starts with understanding the factors that contribute to burning out and why work-life balance is so important.

What is work-life balance?

For both professors and students in higher education, work-life balance signifies the art of effectively juggling academic commitments and personal well-being. It involves skillfully managing the demands of lectures, assignments, research projects, and exams while also carving out time for family, relaxation, and pursuing passions. 

Attaining work-life balance empowers professors to deliver engaging lectures, mentor students, and contribute to scholarly pursuits while maintaining their own mental and emotional vitality. Similarly, for students, this balance ensures the capacity to excel academically while nurturing personal growth, social connections, and holistic well-being. By embracing work-life balance, both professors and students can create a richer academic experience that not only encompasses rigorous learning but also a fulfilling personal life.

In this blog post, we will explore why students and professors may struggle with work-life balance, identify factors contributing to stress and burnout, and highlight the importance of achieving equilibrium between professional and personal life.

Why work-life balance is important

Work-life balance fosters overall well-being, enhances productivity, and promotes healthier relationships, allowing individuals to lead fulfilling and sustainable lives. Here are four specific reasons why it’s worth pursuing a better work-life balance.

1. Improved Mental Health: Maintaining a healthy work-life balance allows individuals to recharge and reduce stress, enhancing mental well-being. A refreshed mind is more creative, resilient, and better equipped to handle challenges.
2. Increased Productivity: Research has shown that individuals with a balanced lifestyle are more productive and focused when they are working. By taking time for personal pursuits, professors and students can return to their academic responsibilities with renewed vigor.
3. Stronger Relationships: Nurturing personal relationships outside academia strengthens social support systems, providing emotional sustenance during tough times and fostering a sense of belonging.
4. Enhanced Job Satisfaction: When professors and students can strike a balance between their professional and personal lives, job satisfaction increases. Contentment in one’s work positively impacts the quality of education and research output.

All said, work-life balance is incredibly important, but can be hard to accomplish. We tackle that next.

Factors contributing to stress and burnout

The overwhelming workload, academic pressures, lack of work-life balance, and the constant pursuit of high achievement contribute to stress and burnout for both students and professors in higher education. Here are four contributing factors:

1. Heavy Workloads: Students often juggle multiple courses and academic responsibilities, while professors face a myriad of tasks, including grading, lesson planning, and research commitments. An overwhelming workload can lead to burnout, affecting overall mental and physical health.
2. Research Pressure: In academia, research productivity is a critical metric for success. The pressure to publish papers and secure grants can create significant stress for professors, impacting their work-life balance.
3. Emotional Labor: Both students and professors invest emotional energy in their academic pursuits. Students may feel stressed by exams and performance expectations, while professors may face emotional challenges in managing diverse student needs and dealing with academic pressures.
4. Time Constraints: Balancing academic commitments with personal life can be challenging due to limited time. Finding time for family, hobbies, and self-care can become elusive in the face of packed schedules.

How does student burnout impact work-life balance?

Student burnout is a pervasive and concerning phenomenon characterized by physical and emotional exhaustion, reduced motivation, and a sense of detachment from academic pursuits. It arises from chronic and prolonged exposure to high levels of academic stress, overwhelming workloads, and unrealistic expectations, often compounded by personal pressures and external responsibilities. As students strive for excellence, they may push themselves beyond their limits, sacrificing much-needed rest and leisure time. This relentless pursuit of achievement, coupled with a fear of failure, can lead to a state of burnout, where the initial passion for learning gives way to feelings of disillusionment and apathy.

At the core of student burnout is the imbalance between academic demands and the ability to cope with them effectively. The constant pressure to excel in academics, coupled with the fear of disappointing oneself or others, can create a toxic cycle that erodes mental and physical well-being. As burnout sets in, students may experience difficulty concentrating, a decline in academic performance, and feelings of hopelessness. The toll of burnout extends beyond the classroom, impacting personal relationships, overall life satisfaction, and even physical health. Recognizing the signs of student burnout and implementing proactive measures to promote well-being is essential for fostering a healthier learning environment and ensuring that students can achieve their full potential without compromising their mental and emotional health.

10 work-life balance tips for students and professors

Here are 10 ways students and professors can improve their work-life balance. 

1. Prioritize and Plan: Create a weekly schedule that allocates time for both academic and personal activities. Prioritize essential tasks and set realistic goals to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
2. Set Boundaries: Establish clear boundaries between work and personal life. Avoid checking emails or engaging in academic tasks during designated personal time, and vice versa.
3. Practice Self-Care: Make self-care a priority. Engage in activities that promote relaxation and well-being, such as exercise, meditation, hobbies, or spending time with loved ones.
4. Learn to Say No: It’s essential to recognize your limitations and not overcommit to extracurricular activities or additional academic tasks. Saying no when necessary allows you to protect your time and energy.
5. Delegate and Collaborate: Students and professors can benefit from delegating responsibilities and collaborating with peers. Working together can reduce individual workloads and foster a sense of community.
6. Utilize Campus Resources: Many educational institutions offer resources for stress management and work-life balance. Take advantage of counseling services, wellness programs, and workshops to support your well-being.
7. Create Technology-Free Zones: Designate specific areas or times where technology is off-limits. Disconnecting from screens can help you unwind and focus on personal relationships or relaxation.
8. Communicate Openly: Encourage open communication with professors, students, and colleagues about workloads and stress levels. Understanding each other’s challenges can lead to a more supportive and empathetic academic environment.
9. Plan Short Breaks: Integrate short breaks into your study or work routine. Taking small, refreshing breaks can help maintain focus and prevent burnout during long academic sessions.
10. Reflect and Adapt: Regularly evaluate your work-life balance and adjust your strategies accordingly. Each semester or academic year may bring new challenges, so being flexible and open to adaptation is essential for sustained well-being.

On top of this, here are four valuable resources on work-life balance for students and professors:

1. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine – “Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Researchers: Balancing Family and Work.” This report provides insights and recommendations for balancing academic pursuits with family life for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. It offers valuable strategies and resources to manage work-life challenges in academia.
2. The JED Foundation – “Love is Louder’s Guide to Finding Your Happy Place.” This guide focuses on mental health and well-being for college students, offering practical tips for achieving work-life balance, managing stress, and building a support system. The JED Foundation is dedicated to promoting emotional health and preventing suicide among young adults. 
3. Inside Higher Ed – “Work-Life Balance in Higher Ed” Series. Inside Higher Ed features a collection of articles, webinars, and resources addressing work-life balance issues in academia. From managing workloads to navigating personal challenges, this series provides valuable insights and expert advice for both professors and students.
4. Mindful – “The Mindful Guide to Academic Success.” This resource offers mindfulness-based strategies for students and professors to manage stress, increase focus, and achieve work-life balance. Mindfulness practices can promote overall well-being and help maintain equilibrium between academic responsibilities and personal life. 

These resources cover a wide range of work-life balance topics and can provide valuable guidance and support to students and professors navigating the challenges of academia while prioritizing their well-being and personal lives.

Conclusion

Achieving work-life balance in the demanding world of higher education is an ongoing journey that requires conscious effort and commitment. By implementing these ten practical tips, both students and professors can create a more harmonious and fulfilling academic experience. Prioritizing self-care, setting boundaries, and fostering open communication within the academic community can lead to improved mental health, enhanced productivity, and a more vibrant and supportive learning environment. Remember, taking care of yourself is not a luxury; it’s an investment in your overall well-being and academic success.

Want to determine your own work-life balance? Take our interactive quiz below.

The post How to Manage Academic Work-Life Balance appeared first on Top Hat.

→ Get to know the engagement platform students love

Cater to students with varying levels of preparedness

Learners arrive to class with a complex set of needs. It’s why personalized and collaborative learning tools have become a non-negotiable item for students today. Students rate Top Hat particularly high on user-friendliness and engagement. 88 percent of student users agree or strongly agree that Top Hat activities help them feel more engaged in the learning process. “I would not have been as motivated to pay attention and learn the material without the incentive of acing the next Top Hat question!,” shares one student from the University of South Carolina. Students also grade Top Hat against traditional teaching software. 73 percent of learners agree or strongly agree that Top Hat is more engaging than most other educational products they’ve used in college.

Course materials play a critical role in keeping students engaged beyond class time—and students have come to expect accessible and multimedia-rich readings. Of those who use Top Hat textbooks, 77 percent agree or strongly agree that Top Hat’s dynamic courseware is more engaging than a traditional textbook. “All the resources given helped me understand and remember the material on a level that I usually can’t achieve with other textbooks. I also really like the formatting of the readings with relevant videos and questions integrated in the reading content,” shares a student from McGill University. 

Greater practice leads to better comprehension

Student ‘A’ might need support with the stages of mitosis. But Student ‘B’ might need support with the evolution of mammals. Today’s learners value having multiple opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge using frequent, low-stakes assessments that reduce the pressure to perform. They also see a direct correlation between practice and comprehension, made clear by the following results. 83 percent of students agree or strongly agree that Top Hat helped them better understand the course material. “I loved how Top Hat allows you the opportunity to answer the questions again if your results are incorrect. It helps me better understand my mistakes, therefore I am able to recognize my erroneous work,” shares a student from the University of Houston.

Comprehension and confidence go hand-in-hand for students today. When given the opportunity to complete several quizzes, polls and discussions in class, students are more likely to feel confident in their academic abilities. 79 percent of students agree or strongly agree that Top Hat helped them better understand their instructor’s lectures. Just as promising, 73 percent of students agree or strongly agree that being able to participate in class through Top Hat helped them feel more confident in their course.

Paving the way for a more enriching educational experience

When learning barriers are removed, students are more likely to thrive. So it’s no wonder that the majority of students support the use of Top Hat in their future academic endeavors. An impressive 89 percent of students recommend their instructors use the engagement platform again. Top Hat’s accessible and interactive tools have proven to leave a lasting impression on students from all backgrounds. For example, 83 percent of students agree or strongly agree that Top Hat helped them be successful in their course. “It was a very integrative way of teaching course concepts to the students and I think it benefited our learning experience,” shares a Wilfrid Laurier University student.

Survey methodology

Survey responses were collected by Top Hat from 4,146 college and university students who used the platform and content during the spring 2023 semester. Respondents represented 157 North American institutions. The top five disciplines include Chemistry, Psychology, Biology, Government and English.

→ Tour the engagement platform proven to up the ante on student engagement

The post Infographic: What Students Love About Top Hat appeared first on Top Hat.

→ Download Now: The Top Hat Guide to Intentional Course Design

AI and equity

AI creates both new threats to equitable learning and presents opportunities to advance it. Ultimately, plagiarism and student cheating are not new. When students perceive tasks as unworthy of their effort, their likelihood of cheating rises. Russ Hunt made this point more than 20 years ago when internet essay mills emerged as a new threat to academic integrity.² While there are many reasons for student cheating, I favor his view that student cheating is often a byproduct of a poorly designed assignment. 

On the positive side, there is genuine excitement over the prospect that we might be on the cusp of solving Bloom’s 2-Sigma problem.³ In doing so, we’re effectively equipping every student with a creative, intelligent, always on, personal tutor. AI promises gains in efficiency, both for overworked instructors and overscheduled students, and even invites us to set a much higher bar for student achievement.⁴ While not all of the implications are within our individual power as instructors to manage (though we can and should continue to advocate for institutional and social commitment to equitable access), there are real opportunities to embrace AI and enhance success for all students.

Inequity in education is real. And we know a good deal about its causes. Course readiness is a critical issue in large part due to structural inequities in K-12, and all indications are that the pandemic impact on student learning will make this an even more challenging dimension of inequity. But even controlling for readiness, inequity persists. Additional explanations include gaps in metacognitive ability⁵, psychosocial impacts⁶ (particularly in large STEM courses), and traditional assessment itself⁷, where infrequent, high-stakes assessments are the norm. But it’s not an entirely grim picture. With AI powered tutoring, hope is on the horizon. Instead of letting struggling students fall behind, we have a real opportunity to offer tailored support that may even suppress the urge to cheat. Even better, there are steps we can take right now to improve outcomes for all students.

An opportunity to rethink course design for the better

It’s clear that AI promises to radically alter the way we live, work, play, and learn. In the classroom especially, its presence has prompted faculty to rethink teaching goals for students, the models in which we assess their learning, and how we advance their success. AI invites us to consider some fundamental questions: 

• How is AI altering my discipline, career paths for students, and the skills they’ll need to thrive?  
• What opportunities for improvement might AI reveal about my course? 
• How can I leverage AI to enhance equity and student learning, while mitigating potential risks?

Advancing equity in the classroom begins with taking a thoughtful and evidence-informed route to teaching. Here’s how we might use AI to our advantage to make assessment time more valuable.

In favor of smaller, evidence-informed assessments

Traditional assessment (those that are high-stakes and administered at most a few times per term) focus on assessment of learning. The audience isn’t so much students—it’s primarily for the instructor to assure that learning has occurred and as a way to manage grading. Frequent, low-stakes assessments focus on assessment for learning. These include strategies like think-pair-share, minute quizzes, one question knowledge checks, one-minute reflection writing, and muddiest point among others. This cycle of frequent reflection, retrieval, and application couldn’t be more in line with what we know about how people learn. Plus, the ability to receive immediate feedback will only help students become more aware of their own learning gaps and serves as a valuable opportunity to seek help in the moment.

Top Hat makes it easy to build equitable assessments. Instructors will soon be able to save time by creating automatically-generated assessments. Students will get an instant look at their progress through real-time insights. And above all, our new AI capabilities will empower faculty to better serve each student all in the name of equity.

→ Download Now: The Top Hat Guide to Intentional Course Design

References

1. Abdous, M’hammed. (2023). How AI Is Shaping the Future of Higher Ed. Inside Higher Ed. https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2023/03/22/how-ai-shaping-future-higher-ed-opinion
2. “Whose Silverware Is This? Promoting Plagiarism Through Pedagogy.” Plagiarism: Prevention, Practice & Policy, 28-30 June 2004: Proceedings. Ed. Andy Peden Smith and Fiona Duggan. Newcastle-Upon-Tyne: Northumbria University Press, 2005. 265-274.
3. Bloom, B. S. (1984). The 2 Sigma Problem: The Search for Methods of Group Instruction as Effective as One-to-One Tutoring. Educational Researcher, 13(6), 4–16. https://doi.org/10.2307/1175554
4. Mollick, Ethan R. and Mollick, Lilach. (12 June, 2023). Assigning AI: Seven Approaches for Students, with Prompts. http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4475995
5. McGuire, S. (2021). Close the metacognitive equity gap: Teach all students how to learn. Journal of College Academic Support Programs, 4(1), pp. 69-72
6. Ahlqvist S, London B, Rosenthal L. (2013). Unstable identity compatibility: how gender rejection sensitivity undermines the success of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. Psychol Sci. 24(9):1644-52.
7. Montenegro, E., & Jankowski, N. A. (2020, January). A new decade for assessment: Embedding equity into assessment praxis (Occasional Paper No. 42). National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment (NILOA). Retrieved from https://www.learningoutcomesassessment.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/A-New-Decade-for-Assessment.pdf

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These issues aren’t confined to today’s generation of students. As we learned from six inspiring STEM faculty, they too faced hurdles in their own undergraduate experience. Here, they reflect on their past learning obstacles that many students are now coming up against years later. 

This is part one in a two-part series on STEM student success. Stay tuned for our second instalment where we share how faculty are making their field more equitable.

The challenge: Confining student success in STEM

Not seeing students as people

Part of humanizing learning involves seeing students as people with diverse and unique needs. Unfortunately, these professors didn’t get the level of support they wanted from their faculty when they were enrolled in higher ed themselves. “I did go to office hours occasionally but most of my faculty were research faculty so I was considered a pest as opposed to someone they really wanted to see,” shares Stephanie Dillon, Director of Freshman Chemistry Labs at Florida State University. 

Students also value opportunities to see the ‘real you’ during class time. But again, lack of engagement is an issue that runs deep in higher education. “I was the student who would sit in the very last row and do crossword puzzles. I never really got to know my instructor that well,” says John Redden, Associate Professor-in-Residence in the Physiology and Neurobiology department at the University of Connecticut. 

Academic support is only one determining factor of student success. Providing historically underrepresented and financially disadvantaged students with the resources they need to thrive can make a world of difference. It was a moment with a mentor that pushed Angela Seliga, Physiology Laboratory Manager at Boston University, to fully embrace an empathy-first mindset in her classroom. “Even though my primary job is here in the classroom, I always ask myself, ‘what can I do to help you learn better?’ Sometimes it’s about content, sometimes it’s about resources. Sometimes it’s just about life,” Seliga says.

A pervasive ‘weed out’ culture

There has long been a narrow pathway to success in STEM disciplines. Faculty reflect on the ‘weed-out’ culture—one that removes low-performing students from pursuing upper-year STEM education. “It wasn’t uncommon to walk into a class and have the professor say ‘look to your left, look to your right. Only one of you will be left at the end of three or four years.’ I felt that that was discouraging to people who could have otherwise made some really important contributions to the discipline,” says Lourdes Norman-McKay, Professor of Biological Sciences at Florida State College at Jacksonville.

Other faculty like Daniel Collins, Instructional Associate Professor of Chemistry at Texas A&M University, believe that the ‘weed out culture’ is partly fueled by cramming too much content into lessons. Adding to that, Collins has come to realize that he simply can’t teach using the same methods that he was once exposed to as a student. “I have a lot of first-generation students from small high schools. Maybe they’ve had one semester of chemistry. For me, it’s recognizing that these students aren’t me,” he says. 

Soft skill building can also help incoming freshmen persist and see real value in their curriculum. But made clear by Beverly Kris Jaeger-Helton, Teaching Professor of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at Northeastern University, there has long been an emphasis on technical rigor over soft skills that will serve students beyond higher ed. “When I first started in engineering, there was a strong emphasis on the technical foundation. And I didn’t hear much about creativity and innovation to build on that foundation—it was something I had to explore on my own,” she says.

Watch the video below to see how your peers are redefining outcomes in STEM.

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Why Plan for Misconceptions?

Misconceptions in chemistry courses can arise from various sources, including preconceived notions, oversimplifications, and inadequate explanations. Ignoring or not addressing these misconceptions can lead to incomplete learning, flawed problem-solving skills, and a lack of confidence in the subject matter. 

By planning for and actively addressing these misconceptions, educators can promote deeper understanding and help students build a solid foundation in chemistry. Here, we share a list of common misconceptions in chemistry. 

7 Common Misconceptions in Chemistry

1. Equilibrium: One of many common misconceptions about equilibrium in chemistry is the belief that equilibrium represents a state of balance or equal concentrations. In reality, equilibrium refers to a dynamic state where forward and backward reactions occur at the same rate, leading to no net change in concentrations.
2. Balancing Chemical Equations: Many students hold the misconception in balancing chemical equations that the number of atoms on both sides of a chemical equation must be equal. In truth, balancing chemical equations involves adjusting coefficients to ensure the conservation of mass and atoms.
3. Oxidation and Reduction: A common student misconception about oxidation and reduction is that oxidation only involves the addition of oxygen, while reduction solely involves the removal of oxygen. In reality, oxidation involves the loss of electrons, while reduction involves the gain of electrons.
4. pH Scale: Some students incorrectly believe that the pH scale is linear, assuming that a substance with a pH of 4 is twice as acidic as a substance with a pH of 8. The pH scale is logarithmic, meaning that each unit represents a tenfold change in acidity or basicity.
5. Ionic and Covalent Bonds: Many students mistakenly believe that ionic bonds are always between a metal and a non-metal, while covalent bonds occur only between non-metals. However, both types of bonds can form between a variety of elements, and the distinction lies in the sharing or transfer of electrons.
6. Catalysts: Some students have a preconceived notion that catalysts are consumed or permanently changed during a chemical reaction. Catalysts speed up reactions by providing an alternative pathway but remain unchanged at the end of the reaction.
7. Chemical Properties: Students may wrongly assume that chemical properties are solely determined by the individual elements present in a substance. However, chemical properties also depend on the arrangement and interactions between the atoms.

5 Ways to Correct Misconceptions in Chemistry

Addressing misconceptions in chemistry requires a proactive approach and understanding why it is important to plan for misconceptions. Here are five effective strategies for addressing student misconceptions in the classroom:

1. Pre-assessment: Conducting pre-assessments to identify students’ prior knowledge and misconceptions helps instructors tailor their teaching approaches accordingly.
2. Conceptual Change Strategies: Utilize instructional methods that challenge and replace misconceptions with scientifically accurate concepts. Examples include analogies, visual representations, and interactive activities. Aktiv Learning makes use of in-class problems, polls, and quizzes to easily track student participation. Instructors can engage students in person or online with problem-solving and dynamic discussions.
3. Scaffolding: Provide students with support and guidance as they progress from their initial misconceptions toward a deeper understanding of the subject matter. Gradually introduce more complex concepts and reinforce correct principles.
4. Active Learning: Engage students in hands-on activities, experiments, and discussions that encourage critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Encourage them to question their assumptions and test their understanding through practical applications. 
5. Formative Assessment: Regularly assess students’ understanding through quizzes, class discussions, and formative assignments. Each Aktiv Chemistry question provides students with targeted feedback, including helpful hints for incorrect answers. If students exhaust their attempts, they are presented with a comprehensive, step-by-step solution that thoroughly elucidates the problem-solving process.

Conclusion

Debunking common misconceptions in chemistry is vital for higher education students to develop a solid understanding of the subject. By addressing misconceptions such as equilibrium, balancing chemical equations, oxidation and reduction, the pH scale, ionic and covalent bonds, catalysts, and chemical properties, students can overcome barriers to learning and gain accurate insights.

Educators play a crucial role in planning for and correcting these misconceptions. Strategies such as pre-assessments, conceptual change approaches, scaffolding, active learning, and formative assessments are effective tools for guiding students toward accurate understanding. By actively engaging with the subject matter and challenging preconceived notions, students can unlock their full potential and excel in their chemistry studies. Together, we can ensure that higher education students embark on a journey grounded in truth, curiosity, and a deep appreciation for the remarkable science that is chemistry.

The post 7 Misconceptions about Chemistry in Higher Ed—And How to Address Them appeared first on Top Hat.

Research has shown that diverse teams and perspectives lead to better problem-solving and innovation. Therefore, it is critical that the STEM field works towards creating a more inclusive and equitable environment, where everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed regardless of their gender, race, or socio-economic background. This can be achieved through initiatives such as mentorship programs, increasing diversity in STEM education, and creating more inclusive workplace policies and practices. By promoting equity in the STEM field, we can build a more diverse and innovative future for all.

Challenges for Women in STEM

Women face several challenges in STEM fields, including gender bias, stereotypes, and cultural barriers. Studies show that women are often subject to unconscious bias, which can manifest as discrimination or exclusion in the workplace. Stereotypes can also negatively impact women’s self-confidence and sense of belonging in STEM fields. Cultural barriers, such as a lack of female role models and societal pressure to conform to gender norms, can also discourage women from pursuing STEM careers. Additionally, women often face additional challenges, such as balancing work and family responsibilities, that can make it difficult to advance in their careers. 

Addressing these challenges requires a multi-faceted approach that involves increasing access to STEM education for girls and women, promoting diversity and inclusion in STEM workplaces, and challenging gender stereotypes and biases. By creating more equitable and inclusive environments, we can ensure that women have equal opportunities to thrive and succeed in STEM fields.

Statistically speaking, it’s obvious to see the disadvantages women face in the field of STEM. Here are six examples: 

1. Women make up only 28% of the science and engineering workforce, despite comprising almost half of the total workforce.
2. Women are less likely to choose STEM majors in college, with only 22% of women majoring in STEM fields compared to 35% of men.
3. Women in STEM jobs earn 25% less than their male counterparts, and the pay gap is even wider for women of color.
4. Women are underrepresented in leadership positions in STEM fields, comprising only 14% of executive positions in Fortune 500 technology companies.
5. Women are more likely to leave STEM careers than men, with 53% of women leaving their STEM jobs within 10 years of entering the field.
6. Women face bias and discrimination in the workplace, with studies showing that they are less likely to be hired for STEM jobs and receive less support and recognition than their male colleagues.

These statistics highlight the systemic challenges and barriers that women face in the STEM field and underscore the importance of promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM education and workplaces.

Why is diversity important in STEM?

Diversity is critical in STEM because it fosters innovation, creativity, and problem-solving by bringing together people with different backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. In STEM fields, diversity enables teams to approach problems from different angles, challenge assumptions, and develop more comprehensive and effective solutions. It also helps to ensure that the benefits of STEM research and innovation are shared equitably across different communities. Furthermore, promoting diversity in STEM fields can help address longstanding inequalities and barriers that have prevented underrepresented groups from accessing STEM education and careers. By creating a more diverse and inclusive STEM community, we can foster a culture of innovation, promote social and economic progress, and improve the quality of life for people around the world.

10 ways to make STEM more inclusive in higher ed

As mentioned, the STEM fields continue to be characterized by a lack of diversity and inclusion, with women and minorities being underrepresented. Here are ten ways to make STEM education more inclusive in higher education:

1. Increase diversity in STEM faculty: Increasing the diversity in science faculty can help promote a more inclusive learning environment and provide role models for underrepresented students.
2. Provide mentorship opportunities: Mentorship programs can help provide support and guidance to underrepresented students in STEM fields.
3. Promote STEM outreach to underrepresented communities: Outreach programs can help increase interest in STEM fields among underrepresented communities and encourage them to pursue STEM education.
4. Offer diversity and inclusion training for faculty and staff: Providing training on diversity and inclusion can help faculty and staff understand and address the unique challenges faced by underrepresented students in STEM fields.
5. Support student-led organizations: Supporting student-led organizations focused on diversity and inclusion in STEM can help create a more inclusive learning environment and provide a sense of community for underrepresented students.
6. Create more flexible STEM curricula: Creating more flexible STEM curricula that accommodate the diverse learning styles and backgrounds of students can help promote more inclusive and equitable education. 
7. Encourage interdisciplinary collaborations: Encouraging interdisciplinary collaborations between STEM and non-STEM fields can help create a more holistic and inclusive approach to problem-solving. Discussions can be a great way to engage students, even those who may not always feel comfortable participating. Top Hat’s inclusive discussion tool sparks conversations where students are encouraged to share their thoughts through a number of formats.
8. Provide financial support for underrepresented students: Providing financial support for underrepresented students in STEM fields can help reduce financial barriers and increase access to STEM education.
9. Increase awareness of implicit bias: Raising awareness of implicit bias can help faculty and staff recognize and address their own biases and promote a more inclusive learning environment. This can also help bring equity issues in science education to light. 
10. Conduct research on diversity and inclusion in STEM education: Conducting research on diversity and inclusion in STEM education can help identify effective strategies for promoting equity and inclusion in STEM fields, cementing why diversity in science is so important.

Conclusion

STEM equity is crucial for creating a more innovative, equitable, and prosperous society. The STEM fields have the potential to drive progress and solve some of the world’s most pressing challenges, but this potential can only be fully realized if we promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. By bringing together people with diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences, we can foster innovation and creativity, develop more effective solutions to complex problems, and ensure that the benefits of STEM research and innovation are shared equitably across different communities. Additionally, promoting diversity in STEM can help address longstanding inequalities and barriers that have prevented underrepresented groups from accessing STEM education and careers. It is essential that we continue to work towards creating a more diverse and inclusive STEM community to realize the full potential of these critical fields.

The post 10 Ways to Make STEM Courses More Inclusive in Higher Ed appeared first on Top Hat.

Academic leadership in higher education is critical because it plays a vital role in shaping the future of an institution. Effective academic leaders create a positive culture that supports the mission and goals of the institution, fosters a sense of community, and promotes the development of a diverse and inclusive academic environment. “The fundamental pillars of school leadership are relationships,” Jo Ann Rooney, former president of Loyola University Chicago, has said. “Nothing substitutes for building and nurturing them.” 

Academic leadership is also critical because it directly impacts the quality of education that students receive. Academic leaders are responsible for developing and implementing policies and practices that ensure the academic programs offered are of the highest quality and meet the needs of students. As an example of this, Mary Sue Coleman served as the president of the University of Michigan from 2002 to 2014. During her tenure, she emphasized the importance of public engagement and community outreach, and she established several initiatives to support student success, including the Michigan Merit Scholarship program and the Wolverine Pathways program for underserved K-12 students. A key priority for academic leaders is recruiting and retaining faculty members who are experts in their fields and who are committed to excellence in teaching, research, and service.

Who are the leaders at an academic institution?

The leaders at an academic institution typically include the president or chancellor, provost or vice-president for academic affairs, deans of various schools or colleges, and department chairs or program directors. These individuals work together to provide strategic direction, make decisions that support the academic mission and goals of the institution, and ensure the success of the students, faculty, and staff. Educational software like Top Hat supports institution-wide success through its single, flexible platform that empowers instructors and leaders to generate engagement in the way that best fits the needs of their students. Additionally, academic institutions may have other leaders, such as directors of centers or institutes, who also contribute to the success of the institution.

What is the role of an academic leader?

The role of an academic leader is multifaceted, encompassing a wide range of responsibilities and tasks. At its core, the role of an academic leader is to provide strategic direction, promote academic excellence, and foster a positive and inclusive academic culture. Academic leaders are responsible for developing and implementing policies and practices that support the academic mission and goals of the institution. They are also responsible for ensuring that the institution maintains a high standard of academic quality and rigor. 

In addition to setting the strategic direction of the institution, academic leaders are responsible for managing the institution’s resources, including its budget and human capital. They must allocate resources effectively to support the institution’s goals and ensure that all members of the community have access to the resources they need to succeed. Academic leaders must also foster a culture of collaboration and teamwork, encouraging open communication and supporting the professional development of their team members. Ultimately, the role of an academic leader is to promote the success of the institution, its faculty, staff, and students, and to ensure that it remains relevant and innovative in an ever-changing academic landscape.  Shirley Ann Jackson, president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute since 1999, serves as an example of a strategic institutional leader. Under her leadership, RPI has become a leader in technology and innovation, and the institute has established partnerships with businesses, governments, and non-profits to create new opportunities for students and faculty.

6 key characteristics of effective academic leaders

Now that we’ve established what academic leadership is and why it’s critical, let’s dive into key educational leadership qualities:

1. Visionary Thinking: Effective academic leaders have a clear vision of what they want to achieve and can articulate that vision to others. They are forward-thinking and are able to anticipate future trends and challenges.
2. Strategic Planning: Academic leaders must be able to develop and implement a strategic plan that aligns with the institution’s mission and goals. They must be able to allocate resources, set priorities, and make decisions that support the achievement of the plan.
3. Strong Communication Skills: Academic leaders must be able to communicate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders, including faculty members, students, staff, and external partners. They must be able to listen actively, express their ideas clearly, and provide feedback that is constructive and actionable.
4. Collaboration: Academic leaders must be able to work effectively with others and foster a culture of collaboration and teamwork. They must be able to build strong relationships with stakeholders and engage them in the decision-making process.
5. Accountability: Effective academic leaders hold themselves and others accountable for meeting the institution’s goals and objectives. They set high standards and expectations and ensure that they are met.
6. Inclusivity and Diversity: Academic leaders must create an inclusive and diverse academic environment that values and respects all members of the community. They must ensure that policies and practices promote equity and inclusion and that all members of the community have access to the resources they need to succeed.

By embodying these characteristics, academic leaders can create a positive culture that supports the success of the institution and its stakeholders.

3 effective leadership styles in academia

There are several leadership styles that academic leaders may adopt, but here are three common ones:

1. Transformational Leadership: This style of leadership is focused on inspiring and motivating individuals to achieve their full potential. Transformational leaders are typically visionary, and they use their charisma, enthusiasm, and communication skills to inspire their team members to work toward a shared vision. They empower their team members by providing them with the tools, resources, and support they need to succeed. Michael Crow, for example, has been the president of Arizona State University since 2002, and during his tenure, he has transformed the institution into one of the most innovative and dynamic universities in the world. Crow has emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary research and collaboration and has established partnerships with businesses, governments, and non-profits to create new opportunities for students and faculty.
2. Servant Leadership: Servant leadership is focused on putting the needs of others first. Servant leaders prioritize the well-being and development of their team members and work to create a positive, supportive, and inclusive work environment. They are typically empathetic, compassionate, and committed to helping others succeed.
3. Autocratic Leadership: In an autocratic leadership style, the leader makes decisions without seeking input from others. This style of leadership is most effective in crisis situations when immediate action is needed. However, it can also lead to an unhealthy power dynamic and a lack of trust and engagement among team members. It is generally not recommended as a long-term leadership style for academic institutions.

What are 5 academic leadership goals?

1. Promote Academic Excellence: One of the primary goals of educational leadership is to promote academic excellence. This can be achieved by setting high academic standards, developing effective teaching and learning strategies, and implementing rigorous assessment and evaluation processes.
   
2. Enhance Student Success: Educational leaders should work towards enhancing student success by creating a positive and supportive learning environment. This can include providing academic and personal support services, promoting student engagement and involvement in extracurricular activities, and fostering a sense of community among students.
   
   Platforms like Top Hat can help institutional leaders in this goal by allowing students to connect with content, instructors, and classmates. It lets instructors naturally link what students learn in class with engaging assessments and dynamic study materials, which increases student confidence and satisfaction with the course.
   
3. Develop and Implement Strategic Plans: Educational leaders must develop and implement strategic plans that align with the institution’s mission and goals. This involves setting priorities, allocating resources, and monitoring progress towards achieving the institution’s objectives.
   
   A leader who embodies this goal is Ruth Simmons, who became the first African American president of an Ivy League institution when she was appointed as the president of Brown University. During her tenure, Simmons increased the university’s financial aid budget, expanded the diversity of the student body, and oversaw the construction of new academic buildings.
   
4. Build and Maintain Positive Relationships: Building and maintaining positive relationships with stakeholders is a critical goal for educational leaders. This includes developing and maintaining strong partnerships with the local community, alumni, donors, and other key stakeholders.
   
5. Foster Inclusive and Diverse Learning Environments: Educational leaders should strive to create inclusive and diverse learning environments that promote equity and respect for all students, faculty, and staff. This includes implementing diversity and inclusion initiatives, promoting cultural competence, and creating opportunities for dialogue and understanding.  

Conclusion

Ultimately, there are three foundations of leadership in an academic organization: academic excellence, student success, and community engagement. 

The key component of academic leadership is the ability to inspire and motivate others. Effective academic leaders must be able to communicate their vision for the institution and inspire others to share in that vision. They must also be able to motivate and empower others to take ownership of their work and to contribute to the success of the institution.

The post The Ultimate Guide to Academic Leadership in Higher Ed appeared first on Top Hat.

1. Unraveling Faculty Burnout: Pathways to Reckoning and Renewal (2022)

The last few years have taken a disproportionate toll on women when it comes to stress and exhaustion. Rebecca Pope-Ruark, Associate Professor of English at Elon University, offers tangible advice to curb feelings of mental and physical exhaustion for those in academia today. Drawing upon stories collected from female scholars across various career stages as well as her own experiences, Pope-Ruark leaves readers with four pillars to cultivate greater resilience: purpose, compassion, connection and balance. No matter your identity, get a first-hand look at how burnout shapes academic perceptions and performance and what you can do to support yourself and your female colleagues.

2. Inclusive Teaching: Strategies for Promoting Equity in the College Classroom (2022)

Many students may feel like guests as opposed to valued participants in your classroom. So how do you ensure all students feel welcome and heard? Viji Sathy, Associate Dean of Evaluation and Assessment, and Kelly Hogan, Associate Dean of Instructional Innovation at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, offer ways to gear class discussions, group work and office hours around student needs. With a special emphasis on course structure, these two equity-minded scholars engage in a meaningful discussion on how to address privilege and implicit bias to make the classroom a welcoming environment for all students. Watch our on-demand talk with both authors for more inclusive and empowering teaching tips.

3. Feedback (and Other Dirty Words): Why We Fear It, How to Fix It (2019)

Feedback. If the word makes you squirm, you’re not alone. Many associate the word with bias, politics and perception. But as this book makes clear, feedback can be a powerful tool to improve communication and performance. Authors M. Tamra Chandler, Founder and CEO of PeopleFirm LLC, and Laura Grealish, Senior Manager, Performance Management, Feedback and Exec Teams at EY, uncover why feedback got a bad rap in the first place. They also share the “three Fs” framework (focused, fair and frequent) to guide you when delivering your next round of feedback. You’ll leave with formulas you can apply in your own professional life as well as the opportunity to practice giving effective critiques through chapter exercises.

4. Powerful Teaching: Unleash the Science of Learning (2019)

Want to teach smarter next term? Dr. Pooja Agarwal, celebrated cognitive scientist, and Patrice M. Bain, a veteran K-12 teacher, are determined to help you apply science-backed teaching tools to any course (without the additional time or financial commitment). Their practical resource is packed with scientific knowledge and evidence-based strategies to help students see real value in their learning. The authors also present step-by-step guidance on how to effectively assess learners and tips to enhance metacognition through feedback. Hear from Dr. Agarwal directly in our on-demand talk for proven ways to raise achievement.

5. Native Presence and Sovereignty in College (2022)

Cultural, economic and social barriers prevent many students from earning a degree. Nowhere is this more true than for Indigenous students who face racial erasure, assimilation and systemic inequities. Amanda Tachine, Assistant Professor of Higher & Postsecondary Education at Arizona State University, details the experiences of 10 Navajo teenagers as they enter their first year of college. She exposes the ‘systemic monsters’ (injustices) that these students face when transitioning from high school to higher ed. With an emphasis on race, finances and belonging, among other factors, Tachine outlines how professors and administrators alike can do a better job of supporting diverse students.

6. Hacking Assessment: 10 Ways to Go Gradeless in a Traditional Grades School (2015)

“Does this count for marks?” If that’s a question you’ve heard too many times to count, then this book is for you. Starr Sackstein, Educational Consultant and Instructional Coach, offers an assessment alternative to help students thrive: going 100 percent gradeless. Sackstein offers simple techniques and a step-by-step action plan to do away with grades in favor of making learning more transparent and meaningful. She sheds light on how swapping summative for formative assessments can be a good place to start and provides testing ideas crowdsourced from educators worldwide.

7. Teach Students How to Learn (2015)

It’s no secret that students often resort to highlighting chapters and rereading notes when studying for exams. But as Saundra McGuire—Director Emerita of the Center for Academic Success at Louisiana State University—reveals in her book, the majority of students aren’t equipped with the necessary study skills to thrive in higher ed. In this essential handbook, McGuire presents a five-step study cycle to guide students through the process of taking effective notes and assessing their own understanding outside of class. McGuire also offers ways to help students tap into a growth mindset—such as by running several smaller assessments versus the single high-stakes exam. Watch our on-demand talk for McGuire’s top strategies to fuel active learning and academic success.

8. The Hidden Curriculum: First Generation Students at Legacy Universities (2021)

Being the first in your family to navigate college is no easy feat. And then there’s demystifying the hidden curriculum—the unwritten and often unintended lessons that students are expected to understand. Rachel Gable, Director of Institutional Effectiveness at Virginia Commonwealth University, unveils the hurdles first-generation students face when attending elite colleges like Harvard and Georgetown. In this eye opening read, Gable advocates for policy reform to make education more equitable and inclusive for this student population.

9. Paying the Price: College Costs, Financial Aid, and the Betrayal of the American Dream (2017)

The path from academia to the workplace isn’t as linear as it may seem. A key issue preventing students from completing their studies? The heaps of expenses associated with tuition, housing and food, among other factors. Sara Goldrick-Rab, Founding Director of The Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice at Temple University, follows the socio-economic experiences of more than 3,000 students in the U.S.—ranging from juggling several jobs, skipping meals and even dropping classes. She presents a number of improvements to fix the broken financial aid application process, with an end goal of getting students to graduation day—not with heaps of debt, but with a well-earned degree.

10. Uncommon Sense Teaching: Practical Insights in Brain Science to Help Students Learn (2021)

A good portion of your lecture will likely be forgotten as soon as students exit your classroom. The good news? There’s a workaround to getting information to stick long-term. Barbara Oakley, Professor of Engineering at Oakland University, exposes the neurological conditions in which effective learning occurs. With tangible tools for any educator (or parent) looking to enhance their teaching, Oakley shares how to improve education through practices steeped in cognitive science. Watch our on-demand talk where Oakley uncovers how to deepen learning and form ‘neural connections.’

The post 10 Must-Read Books During Summer 2023 appeared first on Top Hat.

→ Webinar: Changing Student Lives Through the Power of Connection

1. Bridging the gap between the classroom and the workplace

How does your course material prepare students for their future careers? Today’s learners appreciate the value of real-world, applicable learning that allows them to explore their own passions. Danny Brodson, an Aviation Management and Finance major at The Ohio State University, applauds his professor Ty Shepfer for connecting students to campus resources that get them one step closer to their dream roles. “Before class even began, Ty invited me to an alumni session with Boeing. He knew that my passion for aviation would be perfect for this guest speaker. That meant a lot to me,” says Brodson.

Alumni and teaching assistants play an equally important role in preparing students for the next chapter beyond the classroom. Steven Gross, a Finance student at Florida State University—and a learning assistant to professor Stephanie Dillon—takes a community-first approach to student success. For Gross, it’s not just about helping students master chemistry concepts, but also about honing the skills needed for long-term success. “We usually work with pre-medical students, so it’s really about keeping them on top of their STEM courses and helping them prepare for entrance exams such as the MCAT,” Gross says.

2. Offering smaller, interactive lessons over high-stakes tests

It’s no doubt that learners arrive at your course with varying degrees of preparedness. But as these students share, the single, high-stakes exam shouldn’t be the entire story. Lauren Contreras, a Chemistry student at CUNY, Hunter College, in professor Kirsten Grant’s course, appreciates the visual and sensory-rich approach to pulse checks. “Dr. Grant asked students to physically act out the process of how particles attract. It was a funny and entertaining way to better understand the material,” Contreras shares. Lauren D’Entremont, a Biology major at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, also praises her Forensic Psychology professor Neil Shortland for making learning more experiential—and Top Hat’s click-on-target question was partly to thank. “He would show us a crime scene and ask us to click where we thought the perpetrator entered. It was appealing because it switched things up compared to full-on lectures,” D’Entremont shares.

Making learning fun and interactive during lectures is a great start. And students like Ricardo Cardenas, a Public Health major at the University of Texas, El Paso, enjoyed how media, discussions and poll questions were peppered throughout his assigned textbook in Top Hat. As a member of Generation Z, Cardenas appreciated reading bite-sized snippets versus walls of text. “It doesn’t feel like a huge PDF. The material is presented in a way that’s not menacing—it feels like you’re reading something from the New York Times or The Washington Post,” he says.

3. Offering in-depth, personal feedback early on

Feedback. Does the word inspire you or make you sweat? No matter what form it takes, feedback from student to instructor and from student to student makes a huge difference in the learning experience, as Laila Hayes, a Biology student at Florida State University, found in professor Sam Martin’s course. “She would ask us if she could improve in any areas of her teaching. Being so open to our concerns and issues made me feel like she actually cared about how we can learn better,” says Hayes. 

It’s not lost on students when faculty go the extra mile to help them hone their study skills. William Hidalgo, an Aerospace Engineering major at the University of Central Florida, recalls how his professor broke down the stigma that can come with attending office hours. “We used this time to practice homework in front of our professor who gave instant feedback and could confirm whether the knowledge from readings stuck,” he says.

Letter grades only go so far in helping students engage deeply in their learning. But when instant, guided feedback is introduced, students are better equipped to close their knowledge gaps. Alena Lateef, a Neuroscience major at Wilkes University, shares how professor Amy Bradley uses Aktiv Learning—a platform that helps students visualize chemical structures, dimensional analysis and more—to give students a chance to identify areas they may need help with in advance of larger tests. “Aktiv gave me a great foundation for organic chemistry. We were able to practice and get feedback as well as get opportunities to fix our answers,” Lateef shares.

At Top Hat, we thank you for all that you’ve done in this academic year to support student success. Check out our talk, “Changing Student Lives Through the Power of Connection,” to hear from best-selling author Dr. Adam Sáenz on how to make learning more valuable and inclusive. Learn more here!

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It’s a broad brush for sure, and there are many talented instructors in our midst adopting evidence-informed practices in their courses. But as a whole, the results we are delivering speak for themselves: Failure rates in excess of 20 or 30 percent in a given class, sometimes even higher. College dropout rates above 30 percent nationally. The current state of affairs is made all the more painful because when it comes to learning, we know what works. 

In the face of a national crisis in college-going and degree-attainment, we need to do better, and fast. The time has come for a higher ed moonshot—an urgent shift from the traditional lecture-based model to one that makes evidence-informed teaching the standard for course design and delivery. Part and parcel to this is making data-informed iteration an expectation for continuous improvement. 

Transforming institutional practice this deeply will not be easy, but it can be done. Health care systems, for instance, compel alignment to evidence. Failures in a clinical setting are publicly reviewed to seek understanding and intervention to minimize its likelihood in the future. Health care providers must commit to professional development and continuing education to maintain current knowledge. We can do this in our industry just as well.

So what can be done to make the shift to evidence-informed teaching in 10 years instead of 100? Let me offer five solutions.

1. Make DFW rates for every course visible to the university community

We cannot manage what we do not measure. This is not about public shaming. But by shining a light on where we’re falling short, we can encourage faculty to reflect on their current approach, and seek support from colleagues or their centers for teaching and learning to drive improvement. 

2. Identify large enrollment courses with high DFW rates, and treat them as urgent priorities

A failure in one course can have a devastating effect on a student’s academic trajectory. We need to act with urgency to eliminate these barriers by working with faculty on course redesign initiatives. At the same time, we need to embrace a spirit of community and shared purpose to align on success metrics and hold one another accountable to confirm with data that what we’ve changed has actually improved outcomes. If the evidence suggests otherwise, then commit to a clear-eyed review of the results and learning from mistakes as a community.

3. Make professional development a central part of the institutional mission

We need to ingrain ongoing discussions and initiatives to improve the quality of instruction into the cultural fabric of departments and institutions as a whole. This includes investing in instructional designers as part of a modern center for teaching and learning, and supporting faculty learning communities to develop and implement evidence-informed course design. Creating the time and space for professional development should, as a starting point, include efforts to establish minimal evidence-based design standards (e.g., active learning, frequent, low stakes assessments) for all courses.

4. Embrace data to create feedback loops that spur tangible improvement

Colleges and universities are huge repositories of data. But only recently have they begun to systematically leverage this data to improve academic advising and increase student success. Are gateway courses adequately preparing students for subsequent classes? Are degree requirements overly complex? Are students withdrawing at an unusually high rate from courses they need? It has never been easier to pinpoint and act on these issues. 

We also need to give faculty the tools to gauge student progress early and often. Educational technology offers enormous opportunities to track student progress in real time, especially when we use these tools to create a regular cadence for assessments. The use of frequent diagnostic and formative assessments enable students to receive the feedback they need to course correct before it’s too late. These tools can also identify and help to replicate instructional practices that are making the difference and scale what’s working more quickly across courses.

5. Celebrating the evidence of success

Improving student outcomes takes time, and a healthy dose of humility and endurance to keep pushing forward when our best assumptions don’t go according to plan. We need to celebrate these efforts, not just with awards and recognition, but with practices around promotion, tenure and budget allocation aligned to this priority. But at the core, recognizing transformational course redesign needs to be couched in tangible improvements in student outcomes, reinforcing that we honor what we value. 

We know that teaching and learning is deeply context-sensitive. The discipline at the center of a course, the variation in readiness among students, the social environment surrounding a class, and more, conspire to create a gap between learning science and its application. But by embracing best practice, and using data to iterate and improve, we can design courses that promote belonging, that allow students to apply learning, and, above all, cultivate the critical thinking, communication, discipline-specific skills and understanding necessary to fuel their success in higher education and beyond. We can end the tradition of high failure rates in our gateway courses. We can successfully graduate more students. What are we waiting for?

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The reality is, it’s unrealistic and arguably too simplistic to cordon off something as powerful as AI. Instead, as with any disruptive innovation, the rise of ChatGPT should challenge us to examine our current approaches to teaching and learning, including the issue of student cheating. 

In praise of cheating

Whenever the fear of cheating arises—whether plagiarism or the wholesale outsourcing of assignments—we should first seek to understand. Why do students feel compelled to cheat? Are ChatGPT detectors and internet disabled computer labs really the only solution?

In the relative infancy of my career, I came across an early version of Russ Hunt’s, “In Praise of Plagiarism.” Among other things, Hunt argues that the more students view assessments and assignments as hoops to jump through, the more likely they are to fall for the allure of essay mills and other shortcuts. This is especially true when the primary motivation for students is securing the grades to progress in their chosen major.

Cheating is ultimately symptomatic of a design flaw: the challenge for educators is to cultivate genuine interest in the topics we teach and the knowledge and skill we seek to nurture so that students are motivated to do the work. If I want to learn to play guitar, cheating would be the last thing on my mind. It’s counterproductive because my motivation is intrinsic. 

Of course, instructors often teach courses students are required to take. Steven Mintz, a professor of history at the University of Texas at Austin, accepts that many of his students view his history course as a “box-checking exercise.” Nevertheless, he feels a sense of duty to try and alter this viewpoint by “demonstrating that history isn’t just one damn fact after another.” Connecting what we teach to student interests, their lived experience and the world outside of higher education is foundational to motivation and engagement. 

Assessments for learning

Our reliance on high-stakes assessments is hardly helping. Reducing the criticality of any one test through frequent, low-stakes assessments can lessen the incentive to cheat, particularly when assessments are designed to provide value to the student along with meaningful feedback. Knowledge, as Hunt suggests, needs to be “continuously reformatted, reconstituted, restructured, and exchanged in new forms.” Our assessment practices should offer the variety and flexibility to allow students not just to apply knowledge and learn from mistakes, but to reflect and connect learning to their own goals and aspirations. 

Happily, there are many benefits to this approach. Not only are frequent assessments supported by our best understanding of how people learn, they contribute to increased overall engagement, foster metacognition, and improve learning outcomes for all students. Formative and low stakes assessments can also deliver the real-time data instructors need to support learners. By pinpointing what’s working and what isn’t, educators are better equipped to modify where and how we spend our time with students, allowing us to make iterative improvements in course design. 

ChatGPT is just the latest in an accelerating pace of change driven by technology that will alter how we live and work in unpredictable ways. We will have to come to terms with the challenge of regularly and rapidly modifying courses and curricula, that much is true. But while cheating may take on new forms, it is nothing new. The good news is we can design away to a very high degree the impulse to cheat. And the best evidence from learning science tells us how. 

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Teacher burnout symptoms

Increased research responsibilities. Additional grading. Managing a team of teaching assistants. All of the above. Teachers are quitting their jobs in academia because of pure exhaustion. The first step to overcome burnout is recognizing early symptoms. 

Dragging yourself to work, having trouble being productive and finding it hard to concentrate on a task may be a sign that burnout is taking over your job. And if you’re physically or emotionally exhausted, the quality of education you deliver may begin to suffer. Nor will you be the most resourceful mentor to students who need academic or emotional support. Data from The Chronicle of Higher Education reveals the compounding effect that the COVID-19 pandemic had on academic stress rates. Nine percent of professors considered themselves ‘very stressed’ in 2019. A year later, that figure jumped to 33 percent. 

Teacher burnout causes 

There’s a high probability that you or a close colleague have felt overwhelmed with work demands recently. The World Health Organization classifies work-related burnout as a major part of chronic stress—and even categorizes burnout as an “epidemic.” Academics are nearly three times more likely to report symptoms of depression than other adults, which means prioritizing personal well-being is key to avoiding stress and burnout. Here are some tips on how you can realign your life to avoid feeling suffocated by work.

Teacher burnout prevention

1. Life is an important part of work-life balance

Ensure you give yourself enough space away from your work: Research shows how more time with family and focusing on leisure activities lead to reduced burnout. As former First Lady Michelle Obama believes, “If we’re scurrying to and from appointments and errands, we don’t have a lot of time to take care of ourselves. We need to do a better job of putting ourselves higher on our own ‘to-do’ list.” It’s necessary then to adopt a stricter work-life balance which will boost your mental and emotional state. Doing so will also ensure routine tasks don’t become mundane.

2. Ensure you are well-rested

Research from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine shows that one in five adults fail to get enough sleep. Professors can get so caught up with grading, teaching and researching that sleep is put on the back burner until a satisfactory amount of work is complete. Sleep deprivation may lead to higher anxiety, poor decision-making, lack of energy and lack of concentration. Getting enough sleep can help you stay motivated, alert and engaged, meaning teaching never becomes a tedious task.

3. Learn to step back

Although it may look great on a CV to have multiple committees and activities listed, it’s healthy to say no every now and again. You might engage in plenty of activities outside of your job requirements, such as helping a co-worker draft a committee proposal. But these seemingly small acts can only fuel the cycle of teacher burnout. The literature shows that extra-role behaviors are frequently taken on by instructors, which in turn contributes to increased workplace stress.

Try not to over-commit yourself. If you sense that your plate is starting to overflow, eliminate tasks from your day that aren’t necessary or place them at the bottom of your to-do list. Focus on what truly needs your attention in a given moment. It might be exciting to start a new, extra-credit project or endeavor but ask yourself, “Do I really need to do this?” before you add another item to your agenda.

4. Treat peers as equals

Did you know that your non tenure-track colleagues—a population that makes up 70 percent of professors in the U.S.—are more prone to burnout? Job insecurity, lower pay and perceived status are among the factors to blame. A 2016 study by Lisa Larson, Psychology professor at Iowa State University, shows how even simple gestures, such as help from a department chair or any form of workplace recognition, can lead to increased well-being among faculty. These acts help non tenure-track professors feel as if they fit in at work and boost their self-esteem. If you recognize your peers’ work and achievements, you’ll feel better too.

Although work may seem never ending, don’t forget to put your physical and mental health first. With enough sleep, prioritizing your tasks accordingly and more focus on family and community, you can stave off stress and burnout.

Use Top Hat to reduce signs of academic burnout

Reduce the manual labor and time spent grading and engaging students. Top Hat makes it easy to do just that. Here are three simple ways our engagement platform allows you to direct your time to where it’s needed most.

• Automatic content updates

  Keep your textbook up-to-date without the manual effort. Review proposed chapter updates from our team of subject matter experts and accept changes as you please.

• Weekly course reports

  Dedicate more time to students who require extra support. Our weekly reports offer at-a-glance insights into student participation and correctness on the student and class level.

• Autograded assessments

  Take the stress out of grading. Students receive automatic results on their quizzes, discussions and tests administered in Top Hat.

Want to see how Top Hat reduces the time and preparation involved when running quizzes? Read how Joshua Osbourn, Chemistry professor at West Virginia University, eliminated three hours of grading time with the help of Top Hat.

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• The six Bloom’s Taxonomy levels of thinking and how to apply them throughout a lesson plan;
• The three key domains, cognitive, affective and psychomotor, and their importance;
• How Bloom’s taxonomy can aid in active learning, as well as in formative and summative assessments.

Finally, we’ll address some of the criticisms of Bloom’s taxonomy, and how to address these in your classroom planning.

→ Download Now For Free: Ultimate Guide to Bloom’s Taxonomy

Table of contents

1.0. What is Bloom’s taxonomy?

2.0. The history of Bloom’s taxonomy

2.1. Original Bloom’s taxonomy from 1956

2.2. Revised Bloom’s taxonomy from 2001

3.0. Why is Bloom’s taxonomy important?

4.0. The levels of thinking in Bloom’s taxonomy

4.1. What the levels of thinking in Bloom’s taxonomy mean

4.2. How to use the Bloom’s taxonomy levels of thinking

4.3. Bloom’s taxonomy Level 1: Remembering

4.4. Bloom’s taxonomy Level 2: Understanding

4.5. Bloom’s taxonomy Level 3: Applying

4.6. Bloom’s taxonomy Level 4: Analyzing

4.7. Bloom’s taxonomy Level 5: Evaluating

4.8. Bloom’s taxonomy Level 6: Creating

5.0. What are the Bloom’s taxonomy objectives?

5.1. The cognitive domain in Bloom’s taxonomy

5.2. The affective domain in Bloom’s taxonomy

5.3. The psychomotor domain in Bloom’s taxonomy

6.0. How to use Bloom’s taxonomy in the classroom + Bloom’s taxonomy examples

6.1. Using Bloom’s taxonomy in lesson planning and course design

6.2. Bloom’s taxonomy and active learning

6.3. Bloom’s taxonomy and formative assessment

6.4. Bloom’s taxonomy and summative assessment

6.5 Bloom’s Taxonomy for adjunct professors

7.0. Bloom’s Taxonomy question stems

8.0. Problems with Bloom’s taxonomy

8.1. Creativity as a goal, not as a tool

8.2. Over-reliance

1. What is Bloom’s taxonomy?

Bloom’s taxonomy is a framework for learning, teaching and educational achievement in which each level depends on the one below. It’s often depicted in the form of a pyramid—similar to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

Basic knowledge, the first stage of learning, leads to the development of the skills and abilities that are crucial to completing the pedagogical process: Comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation. While there are subcategories within each, each stage lies on a continuum. The belief is that students move up through each level of the pyramid in Bloom’s taxonomy, starting from very basic learning, to acquire deeper knowledge on a subject, with each level crucial to the development of the next. In this free guide, you can learn how professors effectively put Bloom’s taxonomy to work in their college classrooms.

Teachers can apply Bloom’s taxonomy by asking questions and delivering assignments that directly correlate with specific learning objectives in each stage of the process, making the objectives clear to the student. For example, posing multiple-choice questions can help gauge a student’s level of basic understanding and remembering of a subject, while asking a student to come up with a comparison or analogy points towards entering the application or analysis stage.

2. The history of Bloom’s taxonomy

2.1. Original Bloom’s taxonomy from 1956

In the 1940s, Benjamin Bloom, along with his collaborators Max Englehart, Edward Furst, Walter Hill and David Krathwohl, devised Bloom’s taxonomy to place educational goals into specific categories, with the belief that this classification would be useful to better assess college student performance.

Each year for the following 16 years, Bloom and his colleagues revised and refined the framework at the American Psychological Association convention. In 1956, the final version was published as the Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, showing the path of educational attainment through six orders of learning.

“After forty years of intensive research on school learning in the United States as well as abroad, my major conclusion is: What any person in the world can learn, almost all persons can learn if provided with appropriate prior and current conditions of learning.”

Benjamin Bloom

The original taxonomy has served as the backbone of many teaching philosophies ever since. While it initially aided in the assessment of students, it quickly became a tool for teachers to devise their curriculum, outline clear learning objectives, and design classroom activities. It has been adapted for use in classrooms from K–12 to college and at the university level.

• Benjamin Bloom and several of his peers developed Bloom’s Taxonomy in 1956 to better assess college student performance.
• Bloom’s Taxonomy consists of six different levels of learning that build on one another to guide students and educators through the stage of educational attainment.

2.2. Revised Bloom’s taxonomy from 2001

In 2001, a group of cognitive psychologists, curriculum theorists, instructional researchers and testing assessment specialists led by Lorin Anderson, a colleague of Krathwohl’s and former student of Bloom’s,  aimed to reorganize and create a revised Bloom’s taxonomy. This involved putting together a series of more dynamic concepts for the classification system as compared to the original static, one-dimensional levels of educational objectives.

At the core of the revision of Bloom’s taxonomy is the use of verbs to replace nouns—providing learners with clearer objectives for what is expected of them.

The new revision swaps the two final Bloom’s taxonomy levels of learning, Synthesis/Evaluation, making them clearer and emphasizing the application of knowledge, which is the end goal of effective learning.

Additionally, Bloom’s revised taxonomy separates the cognitive domain, which consists of all of the levels involved in learning noted above, into four distinct types within a matrix: factual, conceptual, procedural and metacognitive.

Factual knowledge is characterized by terminology and discrete facts. Conceptual by categories, principles, theories, and models, looking at the relationships among all elements within a larger structure that helps it work together. Procedural is the knowledge of a specific technique, process, or methodology: essentially, how to do something. Finally, metacognitive defines a student’s self-assessment of their ability and knowledge of different skills and techniques. The question this attempts to answer is this: Is the student aware of their cognition or learning?

The matrix organization of the revised version of Bloom’s taxonomy is designed to be a more precise form of thinking about learning, making it easier for educators to create clear objectives for lesson planning and student evaluation. It also makes it simpler for students to understand what is expected of them.

• Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy focuses on the use of verbs and action words to provide learners with a clearer understanding of what is expected of them.
• Bloom’s revised taxonomy separates the cognitive domain into four distinct types within a matrix: factual, conceptual, procedural and metacognitive.

3. Why is Bloom’s taxonomy important?

Bloom’s taxonomy has been actively used by teachers from K-12 to college instructors for over five decades. Yet it is still just as important today as it was  in the 1950s.

At the heart of Bloom’s taxonomy framework is the ability to create achievable learning goals that teachers and students understand, and build a definitive plan to meet them. Instructors are encouraged to view learning objectives in behavioral terms, such that they can see what students are capable of as a direct result of the instruction they have received at each level, without the need for class-wide generalizations.

Using the categorization, educators can more effectively organize objectives and create lesson plans with appropriate content and instruction to lead students up the pyramid of learning. Educators can also design valid assessment tools and strategies to ensure each category is met in turn, and that each part of the course material is in line with the level’s objectives, whether it’s basic knowledge at the beginning of a course (e.g. remembering and recalling basic concepts), or applying that knowledge towards the middle of a school year (e.g. using the learned information in specific settings by solving problems.) For students, Bloom’s levels bridge the gap between what they know now, and what they need to learn to attain a higher level of knowledge.

At the end of the learning process, the goal with Bloom’s taxonomy is that a student has honed a new skill, level of knowledge, and/or developed a different attitude towards the subject. And that teachers can effectively assess this learning on an ongoing basis, as the course moves through each stage of the framework.

• Bloom’s Taxonomy is essential because it helps educators identify achievable learning goals and develop plans to meet them.
• The Bloom’s Taxonomy framework allows educators to assess learning on an ongoing basis, encouraging students to reflect on their progress.

4. The levels of thinking in Bloom’s taxonomy

This pyramid, courtesy of the Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching, represents the revised Bloom’s taxonomy framework and educational objectives and outlines the key levels of thinking.

It starts with the most basic level of knowledge at the bottom, Remembering, whereby students recall facts and basic concepts, and moves up towards the pinnacle: Create, where new or original work is produced in some fashion.

4.1. What the levels of thinking in Bloom’s taxonomy are, explained

In any learning environment, according to Bloom’s taxonomy, it’s critical to start from the bottom level and work your way up. The lower-order skills require less cognitive process but provide an important base for learning. Meanwhile, the higher Bloom’s levels require deeper learning and a greater degree of cognitive processing, which, presumably, can only be achieved once the lower-order skills have been mastered.

• Bloom’s Taxonomy is a hierarchical framework that encourages learners to work their way up towards higher-order thinking and cognitive tasks.

4.2. How to use the Bloom’s taxonomy levels of thinking

Each level of Bloom’s taxonomy should be addressed before moving on to the next. When course planning, bear in mind the implications—how quickly to introduce new concepts, when to reinforce them and how to test them.

The first stage, Remember, is about recalling facts and concepts. A student can define and duplicate, make a list, memorize points, repeat information, and make valid statements. But this does not prove comprehension.

This is where Understand, the next level comes in. The student explains ideas and concepts, discusses and describes a topic in detail, explains what it means, recognizes it and translates the facts in some way. They can paraphrase a point, or compare and contrast information.

Once this level is conquered, students move up the pyramid to the next stage of learning: Apply. They use the information they’ve learned in new situations, whether to solve a problem, demonstrate an idea, interpret, schedule, sketch—whichever method works for the specific type of learning, course of study, and/or class environment.

Then, they must draw connections between ideas in the Analyze level of Bloom’s taxonomy, and differentiate, organize, relate, compare, contrast, examine, question or test their knowledge. Critical thinking finally comes into play, as the student distinguishes between fact and opinion, and breaks information down into component parts.

In the Evaluate stage, the student can justify a stand or decision by appraising a situation, arguing, defending, judging, critiquing, supporting, or weighing in with thoughts based on the knowledge and application they’ve acquired thus far. In the original version of Bloom’s taxonomy, this was considered the pinnacle of learning. But in the revised version, Create (which Bloom originally called Synthesis) is at the top of the pyramid. There, students produce new or original work.

Something can’t be understood without first remembering it; can’t be applied without understanding it; must be analyzed before evaluating it; and an evaluation needs to have been conducted before making an accurate conclusion.

Using verbs and actions allows educators to encourage success through each Bloom’s taxonomy level of thinking, also helping them accurately measure learning. Do so by defining learning outcomes, and breaking them down as parts of a lecture. Use three key pillars to achieve this: condition (the resource being used), performance (what students should accomplish by the end), and criteria (the method of measuring success).

Importantly, some education-related words like include, understand and learn can’t be measured in a meaningful way. Following the framework of Bloom’s taxonomy makes performance actionable and effective, using verbs that set clear expectations that can be specifically measured.

4.3. Bloom’s taxonomy Level 1: Remembering

In the first stage of Bloom’s taxonomy, you might ask students to recite something you’ve taught them, quoting information from memory based on previous lectures, reading material, and notes. Educators can use verbs like define, describe, identify, label, list, outline, recall, and reproduce to effectively measure success in this stage. It’s the most basic level in Bloom’s taxonomy, but represents an important foundation; a stepping stone toward deeper learning. A basic way to test learning on this level is simple questions and answer periods, or multiple-choice questions. This shows that the student can memorize facts and recall them. But it does not yet suggest that students understand the material.

• The first level of Bloom’s Taxonomy is remembering. This level helps build a solid foundation and acts as a stepping stone towards more complex learning. At this level, students are asked to memorize and recall facts.

→ Free Download to Learn More: The Ultimate Guide to Bloom’s Taxonomy

4.4. Bloom’s taxonomy Level 2: Understanding

Ask students to discuss a problem or idea in their own words, to evaluate their comprehension from the “remembering” stage of Bloom’s taxonomy. For example, they might have to paraphrase a story or definition, explain a concept in their own words, tell a story that relates to it, or provide analogies. To measure this, we can use verbs like defend, explain, generalize, paraphrase, summarize and translate. A student who reaches this level can interpret the materials, and demonstrate comprehension of the material.

• The second level of Bloom’s Taxonomy is understanding. This level asks students to explain course concepts in their own words.

4.5. Bloom’s taxonomy Level 3: Applying

The student will now have to take what they’ve learned and apply it to a scenario outside of the classroom. For example, they can use a math formula they’ve learned to calculate a family budget in the real world or apply a legal ruling to a specific case in the news headlines. Verbs to use in this stage of Bloom’s taxonomy include apply, demonstrate, predict, show, solve or use. That could come in the form of collaborative group projects or the composition of a blog.

• The third level of Bloom’s Taxonomy is applying. This level encourages students to extend their learning outside the classroom by finding similarities and differences in the real world.

4.6. Bloom’s taxonomy Level 4: Analyzing

Now it’s time to reach the higher half of the learning levels in Bloom’s taxonomy. Here, students can draw connections between ideas, utilize critical thinking, and break down knowledge into the sum of its parts. This can include using logical deduction to figure out how a piece of equipment works, or finding fallacies in the reasoning of an argument. Key verbs for measurement include analyze, break down, compare, contrast, differentiate, deconstruct and infer. Upon achieving this level of Bloom’s taxonomy, a student can demonstrate that they fully understand the material on the whole, and its component parts. They might be able to draw diagrams or deconstruct thought processes.

• The fourth level of Bloom’s Taxonomy is Analyzing. This level allows students to use their critical thinking skills to understand how or why different concepts work together.

4.7. Bloom’s taxonomy Level 5: Evaluating

Here is where the student makes an educated judgment about the value of the material they’ve just learned, applied and analyzed, to be able to tell the difference between fact and opinions or inferences. That could include finding an effective solution to a problem, or justifying a specific decision and being able to back up that justification with knowledge. Appraise, conclude, critique, evaluate, support and summarize are all good verbs to use in this level of Bloom’s taxonomy. Tools like surveys and blogs can help in this particular level.

• The fifth level of Bloom’s taxonomy is Evaluating. This level asks students to make value judgments about the material they’ve learned.

4.8. Bloom’s taxonomy Level 6: Creating

In the final level of Bloom’s taxonomy, the student demonstrates full knowledge by applying what they’ve learned, analyzed and evaluated, and building something, either tangible or conceptual. That could include writing a manual or report on a particular topic, designing a piece of machinery, or revising a process to improve the results. Verbs to use include categorize, combine, compile, devise, design, generate, modify and write. Projects can range from detailed essays that put parts of the learning together to form a whole concept or idea, or networking with others to discuss the merits of a study.

• The sixth level of Bloom’s Taxonomy is Creating. This level encourages students to demonstrate their knowledge by building something tangible or conceptual.

5. What are the Bloom’s taxonomy objectives?

Bloom’s taxonomy is further divided into three distinct Bloom’s taxonomy objectives, or domains of educational activities: cognitive, affective, and psychomotor. These are also referred to by the acronym KSA, for Knowledge (cognitive), Skills (psychomotor), and Attitudes (affective). The goal is that by the end of a learning session, the student will have acquired new knowledge, skills and attitudes towards a subject.

5.1. The cognitive domain in Bloom’s taxonomy

Knowledge and development of intellectual skills is at the heart of the cognitive domain or objective of Bloom’s taxonomy, whereby a student can recall or recognize facts, patterns, and concepts that will serve as a foundation for deeper learning. This is where the six key facets of Bloom’s taxonomy—Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis, Synthesis and Evaluation–come in.

5.2. The affective domain in Bloom’s taxonomy

In this domain, students have new feelings or emotions about the subject, and/or themselves. They should be able to place more value on something, and have a greater appreciation for it, along with different motivations and attitudes. In a medical or caregiving setting, students might be able to demonstrate empathy towards patients or children. Students can be assessed in several ways when it comes to the affective domain, such as their ability to listen with respect and provide their unwavering attention, actively participate in class discussions, resolve conflicts and exhibit consistent and pervasive behaviors that reflect their internalized values.

5.3. The psychomotor domain in Bloom’s taxonomy

The psychomotor domain is one of the later additions to Bloom’s taxonomy, as the original team did not believe they had sufficient knowledge in teaching such skills at the post-secondary level. In this domain of Bloom’s taxonomy, students develop manual or physical skills. There are three versions: physical movement, coordination and the use of motor skills. A student in a medical setting might demonstrate psychomotor development by properly stitching a wound; a student of construction through an understanding of how to operate a backhoe. Psychomotor skills can represent basic manual tasks, like washing a car or planting a garden, as well as more complex activities, like operating heavy machinery or following choreographed dance steps. Psychomotor skills are measured in terms of speed, precision, distance, procedures and technique.

• Bloom’s taxonomy consists of three domains of educational activities.  These domains are cognitive, psychomotor and affective.
• Instructors are encouraged to design learning plans so that students will have acquired new knowledge, skills and attitudes towards a subject.

6. How to use Bloom’s taxonomy in the classroom + Bloom’s taxonomy examples

6.1. Using Bloom’s taxonomy in lesson planning and course design

Educators can use the tools of Bloom’s taxonomy to precisely focus curricula throughout the year on specific parts of the framework, ensuring that students demonstrate the proper cognitive abilities in each assignment and exam before moving on to the next.

This way, students can have clear, concise, and measurable goals to achieve. They answer questions and complete tasks based on which objective is the focus at the time, using measurable verbs like the ones previously noted for each level to elicit the proper types of responses. For example, questions asking students to compare, discuss, and predict will help their basic understanding of a project, while the use of verbs like “investigate” and “relate” suggest that they’ve moved on to the analyzing stage.

Students can move from the lower levels to the higher Bloom’s levels of learning through course materials, topics, lectures, assignments and in-classroom activities that are fine-tuned to help them succeed. Following the framework of Bloom’s taxonomy, assignments and classroom learning can be restructured to ensure that they fall in line with each level in succession, so students have the critical tools to move towards achieving that all-important deeper level of learning: the top of the Bloom’s taxonomy pyramid.

• Educators should consider designing lesson and curriculum plans following Bloom’s Taxonomy. This way, students can build on their learning and progress through the levels throughout the term.

6.2. Bloom’s taxonomy and active learning

In modern classrooms, students aren’t always sitting passively in front of a lecturer. Mobile devices and online course materials are the norms. It’s a testament to the versatility of Bloom’s taxonomy that fits extremely well into lesson planning for active learning.

In the Remember stage of Bloom’s taxonomy, instead of sitting back and absorbing information, you could ask students to challenge each other to recollect facts, or make a list at the end of the class of the most important facts they learned that day. And in the Analyze stage of Bloom’s taxonomy, you can spark class discussions by exploring problems, comparisons, and examining how a subject might relate to students’ everyday lives.

Being explicit about expectations in class can also help guide students in the right direction—a great application of metacognition within Bloom’s taxonomy. In this way, you can help students take responsibility for their learning. For instance, in a marketing class, teachers can instruct students that, by the middle of the term, they should not only know the components of an effective TV commercial, but why each is important, and how they holistically work together to achieve the goals of the company placing the advertisement.

• Each of Bloom’s Taxonomy levels is designed with active learning in mind. This way, students feel a sense of responsibility for their learning.

6.3. Bloom’s taxonomy and formative assessment

A student’s grade isn’t directly impacted by ongoing, or formative, assessment, but it’s a way for educators to gauge how well students are learning, and moving up the Bloom’s taxonomy hierarchy. Formative assessment is not a scale that determines the success or failure of a student; instead it’s used as a tool for teaching.

Focus on what you want students to achieve, using Bloom’s taxonomy as a guide, as opposed to whether a specific activity will contribute toward their overall grade. Develop concrete learning objectives for each stage, and give the students clear expectations. Identify what action a student should be taking with your assignment, and to which level it applies. Then, match suggested assessment techniques and questions to the lecture, and choose activities that will encourage results.

In the Remember and Understand stage of Bloom’s taxonomy in an entry-level class, for example, multiple-choice or true or false questions make sense. 

Once you reach the top Analyze, Evaluate, and Create levels of Bloom’s taxonomy, whether it’s in an advanced class or toward the end of the course, consider oral examinations or written essays. Even if they aren’t tied to a grade, the assignments can paint a picture of how much the students have truly learned to date so educators can tweak course materials or their approach. This will help better prepare students to succeed when it comes time for summative assessment.

• Bloom’s taxonomy can be used to test and reinforce learning as the term progresses. Educators can course-correct and refocus on areas of learning where students are struggling.

6.4. Bloom’s taxonomy and summative assessment

For assignments and exams that impact grading, Bloom’s taxonomy can also apply. Typically, mid-term exams might cover material and learning that fits closer to the bottom of the pyramid, in Remembering, Understanding, and Applying.

When you get to final exams, however, this is when it can be useful to assess learning towards the top of the pyramid, including Analyzing, Evaluating, and Creating. Students should be able to apply their knowledge to everyday situations beyond course material, provide informed opinions and defend them, and consider additional questions that need to be addressed, including providing examples. Perhaps ask them to make a booklet outlining five to ten important rules, a mock marketing campaign, a flowchart, or a series of tips based on their learning. By the time you get to the summative assessment, the results should indicate a deeper level of learning that fits within the top of Bloom’s taxonomy pyramid.

• Bloom’s Taxonomy allows students to apply their knowledge in creative ways. Educators can use the later levels to design flexible assessments that let students demonstrate their learnings in ways that make sense for them/

6.5. Bloom’s taxonomy for STEM Classes

With so much emphasis on ensuring students meet math and science standards, particularly in introductory courses, higher-order thinking skills are sometimes deprioritized. With most STEM assessments consisting of multiple-choice questions, which tend to focus on the lower levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy, there just doesn’t seem to be enough time to cover higher levels. Unfortunately, much of what students will need in order to be successful outside the classroom requires them to proficiently apply, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information. 

The good news is that STEM subjects lend themselves well to Bloom’s Taxonomy’s higher levels. Educators can help students internalize course concepts by designing engaging activities in which they practice learning through higher-order question stems. They’ll not only perform better on assessments, but they’ll also be better prepared to apply their learnings outside the classroom as well.

7. Bloom’s taxonomy question stems

Bloom’s revised taxonomy gives educators the ability to construct a curriculum to assess objective learning outcomes. Pre-created Bloom’s taxonomy question stems make engaging students in each of these levels easier. This way, educators can plan opportunities for students to learn, reflect and assess their learning in motivating and creative ways throughout the term.

8. Problems with Bloom’s taxonomy

Bloom’s taxonomy is by no means a hard and fast rule book that needs to be followed to a tee; it’s a theoretical construct that can be interpreted in many ways to fit individual teaching styles, courses, and lesson plans. Some believe that it is only appropriate for the lower Bloom’s taxonomy levels of learning and that it fails to address more recent developments in cognitive psychology, including the ability for students to create knowledge in their minds throughout the learning process. Some also frown on the idea that students must start at the lowest level and work their way up before engaging in a meaningful dialog about facts, which isn’t always necessarily the case.

8.1. Creativity as a goal, not as a tool

Sometimes, creativity isn’t just a goal, it’s a tool that can be effectively used to further learning. You could ask students to create something in the first lesson, like a mock advertisement in a marketing class, or a proposed solution to global warming. Educators can deconstruct and compare the results with them, and use that creative project to introduce facts, concepts, and basic knowledge of the topic. In that respect, while the components of the framework are always the same, it isn’t always necessarily organized neatly into a pyramid, as with the original Bloom’s taxonomy. Bloom’s taxonomy structure can morph into everything from a circle, to a web, a flower, or even a mandala (below) in design, showing each level of learning feeding into one another and occurring at different points in the process. No matter which way you slice (or organize) Bloom’s taxonomy, though, it always uses the six key principles to result in deeper learning.

Bloom’s taxonomy mandala. Based on an image from K. Aainsqatsi

8.2. Over-reliance

As with any construct, there’s always room for improvement. With Bloom’s taxonomy, the 21st-century revision proved there was further refinement and adjustments necessary to make the framework relevant for future decades. Sticking to the template without thinking about the reasons behind it can lead to an over-reliance on the literal interpretation of Bloom’s taxonomy. Just because a student can defend a position, for example, doesn’t mean they’re doing so in anything more than a superficial way. And the ability to come up with a detailed plan isn’t evidence that the plan itself is the result of good judgment and analysis. There’s more than meets the eye to learning and education, but using Bloom’s taxonomy as a guide to ensure all six of Bloom’s taxonomy levels of learning are covered, in whichever way works best, can put you on the right path to success.

The post Bloom’s Taxonomy: The Ultimate Guide [Free Download] appeared first on Top Hat.

The short version is that students in the professor’s courses were struggling. They were not passing their assessments and since Organic Chemistry is a precursor to medical school consideration, that was a big deal. Students were also unhappy with the instructor’s demeanor and grading policies. A few—a reported 30 out of 475—started a petition asking for help. NYU made concessions and declined to keep Jones.

It did not have to be that way. 

Here’s a radical idea that may have aided the students, retained a valuable teacher, and kept NYU out of this public and likely embarrassing debate. 

When students ask for help, give it to them. 

The fact is, Organic Chemistry is a hard course, and it should be. 

But as someone with a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering and as the founder of a company that provides a learning platform designed explicitly for Chemistry students, I know that it’s possible to help students perform in their courses without sacrificing rigor or the standards of instruction. Which, given a do-over, is probably what everyone involved in this Jones/NYU saga would have preferred. 

There is no doubt about it that the pandemic has caused a significant amount of learning loss for students. It’s also true that the learning habits of Gen Z are different from cohorts before. But nothing is going to change either of those things, and this is where educators, institutions, and ed tech companies need to rise to the challenge.

There are two things in particular that can help struggling students learn in challenging STEM courses—addressing student gaps before their course even begins and providing students with the right opportunities for practice. These two attitudes may seem obvious, but both are in short supply on most college campuses, especially in career-track Chemistry courses such as Organic Chemistry. 

It may not surprise you to hear that a student’s understanding of the prerequisite material for a college-level Chemistry course can be a strong predictor of outcomes in the course itself. Chemistry professors have studied these effects for at least over 80 years, such as the level of Math proficiency as a predictor of performance in introductory college Chemistry courses. A solid understanding of concepts such as Lewis structures, acids and bases, thermodynamics, and kinetics is critical for student success in Organic Chemistry.

But what to do about it? In response to the pandemic, many instructors and departments have spun up “boot camp” programs. These programs, often free to students and offered over the summer or right before the semester, give students a zero-risk opportunity to get up to speed on crucial foundational material and even get a head start on the upcoming work. As one example, Texas Christian University has successfully targeted a boot camp program towards at-risk students for their General Chemistry course and has seen dramatic improvements in student performance. These boot camps often also allow students to foster community and study groups that lead to better study habits going into their semester. 

Without the resources to support a boot camp, courses and departments can look to emerging personalized learning technology that can address student gaps by tailoring homework assignments to the individual. Those that foster the learning science of spaced repetition are even better. 

The other thing we know works for Chemistry and STEM students is practice—oodles of zero-risk trial and error. Here, I mean opportunities for students to work on a problem and get feedback to see why they did or did not get it right. For any STEM discipline, a student can understand concepts but applying those concepts to presented problems is how they’re expected to show comprehension and skill attainment. And that takes practice. 

Practice opportunities are available, I know. But they often come in the form of practice tests or quizzes that repeat questions and provide answers without the ability to highlight the missteps or learning points along the way. They also too frequently come in the format of multiple-choice questions, which is far from the format students are expected to face in a university-level exam setting. Chemistry students must draw structures, write names, and balance equations—not just pick an answer from four or five options. 

Accessibility can also be a challenge. These existing practice and repetition options usually exist in books or sometimes deep within learning management systems, making them clunky or downright inaccessible to many students who need the practice to be more on-demand and consistent. Worse, learning tools for high-level STEM subjects are often built on antiquated technology that is often not compatible with students’ smartphones, thus blocking them from engaging. Studies have shown that smartphones are becoming increasingly important to student learning, enabling an abundance of opportunities for them to engage in their course material. 

However it comes, chemistry practice opportunities have to be both abundant and without a grade and connected to the classroom experience. Students must feel free to try and fail. It’s hands down the best way to learn. 

Still, and to be clear, even with boot camps and better technology for on-demand practice, the responsibility for learning rests with the students. They have to use the tools and get help. They have to put in the work. But without the best learning resources, we leave students in these big gateway courses to sink or swim, and far too many sink too often. And when that happens, as we’ve so clearly seen in this Jones/NYU case, everyone fails. 

There are many lessons to be observed and debated in what happened at NYU. But one lesson we should learn is that Chemistry students can learn—even Organic Chemistry. The best path is to do everything we can to help them.

Justin Weinberg is the co-founder of Aktiv Learning and the Vice President of Product at Top Hat.

The post Organic Chemistry Is Hard and It Should Be appeared first on Top Hat.

Improving retention and graduation rates in the face of declining enrollments has taken on new urgency. The classroom—physical or otherwise—is arguably the most important lever we have to improve the overall student experience and outcomes. This means ensuring evidence-informed teaching becomes the norm, rather than the exception. 

We know the basic practices that should be non-negotiable features of every course: tailoring learning to the individual; aiming for significant learning, rather than imparting information that can be easily Googled; forging community within the classroom and connecting learning to the communities students identify with and care about; and, critically, integrating diagnostic, formative and summative assessments in service of student learning rather than infrequent, high-stakes assessments that serve only as an inequitable sorting mechanism. 

When it comes to improving student outcomes, we know what works. We live in a golden era of learning science. Yet instructional practice broadly remains rooted in traditional approaches that run contrary to what we know about how people learn. In fairness, what we know is often general and how to effectively apply that knowledge in specific contexts is not straightforward: disciplinary differences, individual student differences, cohort dynamics, and more, call for humility in the application of learning science. So, another dimension of evidence-informed practice is to leverage data to iteratively improve outcomes.

A useful analogy

Higher education is at a similar place to the healthcare system at the turn of the 20th century. At the time, the scientific method was just gaining traction, yet the practice of medicine was still steeped in tradition (bloodletting, anyone?). Today, healthcare professionals are required to demonstrate a clear commitment to evidence-based practice. Negative outcomes are reviewed publicly and mined for insight to improve care. Training incorporates emerging evidence and sets the expectations for professionals to stay current with the latest medical knowledge.

Higher education is not there yet. The question is, how can we make evidence-informed teaching ubiquitous in 10 years instead of 100? 

Can you articulate your strategy? 

The past few years have meant near constant adaptation. That’s left many at the front-end of change burned out and unclear about where to go next. Vision and mission are well and good, but are less helpful when it comes to clarifying objectives, scope, what needs to be done differently and why. Who are we serving? And who are we not serving? What is our desired outcome? And what priorities will help us achieve it? How will we know we are successful? A clear and differentiating strategy is essential for alignment and decision-making at all levels of the institution. 

Lack of strategic clarity makes the business of change more difficult, particularly in the face of faculty burnout. While perhaps only one of many factors, being “all things to all people” only exacerbates the high turnover among faculty and staff already pulled in too many directions. Ambiguity also makes it harder to determine what kinds of evidence we need to collect to guide decision-making and measure progress, as well as the role we want technology to play.

Where do we go from here? 

The consensus is institutions have work to do to clarify strategy. Strategy is just as much about guiding incremental change as it is about differentiation. It means making investments and tradeoffs. But doing the hard work will yield important benefits:

• A cohesive strategy provides the narrative structure so important in contextualizing and getting buy-in for change initiatives. 
• It helps articulate faculty and staff roles in change, expectations, institutional support and how this will evolve over time. 
• It makes clear how technology aligns and supports the larger strategy, helping reduce or eliminate the frictions associated with technology proliferation. 

Grounding strategy in improving outcomes, and providing more supportive learning to diverse or historically underrepresented students is a natural starting place. These are tangible and, with the right focus, achievable. They are also things most people and universities care about.

Technology as change accelerant

Technology has opened up new options for higher education—not just in terms of day-to-day operations but within the business of teaching and learning itself. As Diana Oblinger argued almost 20 years ago, “history demonstrates that fundamental technological change ultimately begets significant structural change, regardless of whether the affected participants choose to join or resist the movement.” 

We saw this principle in action with the advent of the LMS. The right tools can also accelerate the shift to evidence-informed teaching without requiring faculty to have deep pedagogical expertise or retool an entire course. But to avoid technology for technology’s sake, we need to ensure strategy drives our considerations. 

Given the importance of online and hybrid modalities (to say nothing of the expectations for ‘consumer grade’ learning experience among students), digital fluency is foundational. Yet too often we assume students and faculty have the necessary skills. Using a smartphone or PowerPoint is not the same as making optimal use of a student engagement platform or designing a dynamic blended learning environment. Ensuring faculty and students understand the basics is the first step in ensuring equitable and accessible learning. And it’s equally important in instilling the confidence we need among faculty to support ongoing innovation. 

The question is determining where accountability for leveling up digital fluency lies. Is this the responsibility of the instructor? Or does this require institutional investment in specialists, whether instructional designers and technologists, to build and maintain a tech enabled environment that aligns to the larger strategy? In any event, laying a solid foundation sometimes means slowing down in order to speed up.

Shifting people and perceptions

The notion of permanence can become a mental roadblock to sustainable change, especially given the speed with which technology is evolving. We need to instill the recognition that what works today will likely change in the future. Like healthcare, change in higher education is an ongoing, iterative process. And that requires a mindshift in and of itself. 

It’s all too common for faculty to become discouraged—or even punished—when a new approach or tool doesn’t work out as planned. Incentives and support are important. But so too is removing potential penalties. For example, at some institutions, faculty undertaking material changes to the teaching and learning process are given exemptions from student evaluations. It’s natural to think in terms of rewards, but it may be just as helpful to think about and address the ways in which we disincentivize change. 

The language we use to position change is important. By and large, faculty are passionate about research. We enjoy formulating and testing hypotheses, and collecting data. Framing initiatives as ‘experiments’ and opportunities for serious research can be effective in enlarging the pool of people we need to support new initiatives and collect evidence to demonstrate impact. 

Conclusion

We’re always hungry for data. But when we are clear on our direction and what the change needs to look like, we should move forward, even if we don’t have as complete a picture as we might like. Many of the tools we use today generate a wealth of data, often in real time. We can harness this to better meet the needs of individual learners and improve course delivery at scale. The key is to make a start. As an early voice for agile software development, Kent Beck, notes, “I tell people to start implementing when they are pretty sure there aren’t more important stories out there. An iteration’s worth of data is worth months of speculation.”

The post In Conversation: Scaling Evidence-Informed Teaching Practices appeared first on Top Hat.

Whether we call it a leaky pipeline, an antagonistic ecosystem, or something else, we are failing to meet a growing readiness and equity gap. Here are just a handful of data points underscoring the challenge:

• Only 20 percent of US high school graduates are prepared for college-level coursework in STEM majors—and the learning loss resulting from the pandemic has only exacerbated this issue. 
• 40 percent of students who enter college intending to major in a STEM field complete a STEM degree. 
• Black and Latinx students have a significantly higher probability of switching out of STEM majors and completing a degree in a non-STEM field.
• 2 out of 3 US women say they were not encouraged to pursue a career in STEM.

There are no easy solutions, especially since encouraging and supporting students in their STEM journey necessarily begins in K-12. Yet it’s clear that holding to past traditions in higher ed is not the way forward.

Breaking with tradition

First, the ‘weed-out culture’ that persists in many STEM courses and that recently captured national headlines only disenfranchises more students. As a New York Times article noted, using courses to distinguish serious from non-serious students often does “a better job of distinguishing between students who have ample resources and those who don’t.” 

Second, STEM courses typically require high cost, low value textbooks that routinely do not keep pace with the speed of discovery in many fields. A recent survey found that only 34 percent of students considered textbooks ‘very helpful’ to their learning. 

Third, STEM courses traditionally lean on long lectures and infrequent, make-or-break high-stakes assessments, which are problematic in a number of ways.

While there are no easy fixes, we do know that active learning, whereby students are engaged in learning through discussions and problem-solving activities, has been shown to improve outcomes time and again. Active learning benefits all students but offers disproportionate benefits for individuals from underrepresented groups. Ample data suggests that evidence-based teaching practices like this also reduce or even eliminate achievement gaps in STEM courses and promote greater equity in higher education.

Learning without the risk

To really learn in these disciplines, students need to practice and make mistakes in a risk free environment where they won’t be penalized for being wrong. Frequent, low-stakes diagnostic and formative assessments that begin early and persist throughout STEM courses create important opportunities for students to practice and master essential concepts. With the right tools, they also generate data that students, faculty, and universities can leverage to shape interventions like tutoring services to ensure students maintain progress.

The weed out culture persists, in part, from a misguided belief that it represents rigor and the only way to improve outcomes is to lower standards. This is demonstrably false. Take the example of Stephanie Dillon, Director of Freshman Chemistry Laboratories at Florida State University. Her emphasis on active learning and consistent practice has reduced DFW rates for her course by more than half. To make this work for her class of more than 300 students, she uses a homework and assessment tool called Aktiv Learning, a company Top Hat recently acquired. Aktiv Learning allows students to practice a variety of different problem sets specifically designed for undergraduate chemistry and receive feedback that adapts to their individual progress.

The material students cover is no less rigorous—and in fact Dillon would argue it is more so. The key difference between the approach Dillon takes and more traditional approaches is the centrality of frequent low stakes opportunities for students to practice, to learn from mistakes, and to receive feedback to sustain engagement and support academic success. Dillon’s focus on continuing to fine-tune the learning experience is also the mindset we need to adopt more broadly if we are to ensure more students succeed. 

Making frequent assessments for learning a consistent part of the academic journey doesn’t just contribute to better grades. When students struggle and learn by experience that with effort and guidance they can master even the most challenging concepts, it builds confidence. And that’s one of the most important lessons we can teach, especially for students who haven’t been given the opportunity or encouragement they need to pursue their dreams.

Dr. Brad Cohen is the Chief Academic Officer at Top Hat and the former Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at Ohio University.

The post To Improve STEM Education, First Break with Tradition appeared first on Top Hat.

This guide lays out key information on how to create opportunities for skill-based learning to help smoothen the transition from college to the workforce. It will also describe how to develop these skills in students while they’re still in the classroom. Most significantly, you’ll learn how educational technology can sharpen the essential soft skills students need beyond your course.  

Below are 15 soft and hard skills that make up 21st-century learning.

The 4 Cs of 21st-Century Learning

The first four of these higher-order learning skills are widely considered the most vital 21st-century skills in the classroom for students to learn. Commonly known as the 4 Cs of 21st-century learning, they comprise:

1. Critical thinking:

Critical thinking is about problem-solving, and being able to bring a skeptical, discerning perspective to assertions of fact and opinion. Students are given opportunities to question and challenge the information presented to them. Troubleshooting and IT support are two hard skills that rely heavily on critical thinking as a foundation and are in-demand skills for the wide variety of technology-based careers in today’s job market.

How Top Hat helps: Donna M. Smith, a math instructor, is a recipient of the Top Hat Black Educator Grant. A teacher of College Algebra at Sierra College, she has leveraged Top Hat to build a framework that helps students learn how to develop critical-thinking skills, and other soft skills like teamwork, adaptability and time management. She uses this framework to provide students with practice opportunities that demand specific actions from students, then gauges their higher-order learning using Top Hat’s range of assessment tools, spanning all six levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy. As a result, she reports, she’s found her students’ rate of success improved dramatically.

In the same vein, 93 percent of students surveyed in a Top Hat research report said the variety of assessment types Top Hat offers help them learn how to develop critical-thinking skills.

2. Creativity:

This is the process of approaching problems from a variety of perspectives, including ones others might not notice. It helps develop trust in one’s own instincts and helps students seek out new solutions to old problems.

3. Communication skills:

This is the ability to convey thoughts and ideas clearly and effectively. In a 21st-century education, that includes being able to communicate well digitally, from texts, emails and social media, to podcasting and video conferencing.

How Top Hat helps: Top Hat’s Discussion feature helps develop skill-building via collaboration in the classroom. While not all students are always on an equal playing field when it comes to comfort in group discussions, this Top Hat feature meets students where they are by allowing them to respond to comments and questions from any device. They can use simple text or incorporate images, sound bites and videos to propel the conversation forward. Teachers can even employ anonymity to make students comfortable engaging in sensitive topics. Teachers can use this Top Hat feature to drive up classroom participation significantly.

4. Collaboration:

This is the ability to work with others as a team to solve a problem or achieve a shared goal. It helps develop the abilities to share control, pitch solutions and discuss and decide with others the best course of action. It also helps students learn to effectively deal with others who may not agree with them, develop the critical abilities to resolve conflicts effectively and consider different viewpoints from their peers.

Research shows that students who enter the workforce with knowledge and experience in the 4 Cs of 21st-century learning tend to be more adaptable and flexible in the constantly-shifting workplace environment. The 4 Cs of 21st-century learning, in turn, empower students to work better across cultures and are more prepared to take on leadership roles.

Key Higher-Order Learning Skills

Other important 21st-century skills in the classroom include:

5. Problem-solving:

This is the use of both conventional and innovative methods to solve different types of unfamiliar problems. It involves identifying and asking meaningful questions to clarify different viewpoints and arrive at more effective solutions.

How Top Hat helps: The Top Hat Assignment feature enables teachers to provide students with interactive homework assignments that actively engage them in their own higher-order learning outside the classroom. A multimedia-friendly tool with 14 easy-to-use question types and automatic grading, this versatile feature keeps collaboration, communication and other essential skills front and center. It incorporates reading, answering questions and viewing media with worksheets, case studies and simulations to help students develop a deeper understanding of a problem and a multifaceted approach to its potential solutions. An added benefit for instructors is that it provides insights into students’ comprehension, participation and completion in real-time.

6. Information literacy:

This includes the ability to access, evaluate, utilize and manage information, critically and efficiently. It also involves the accurate and creative application of available information to the current problem or issue. It requires managing data flow from multiple sources, and the application of fundamental legal and ethical knowledge regarding access to and use of that information.

7. Technology skills and digital literacy:

Often abbreviated as ICT literacy (Information, Communication and Technology,) this is the collective set of abilities that allow students to effectively apply digital technologies to researching, evaluating, organizing and communicating information across digital channels. This may include using computers, mobile devices, social networks and other communication tools. Jobs in machine learning, product management and software development require understanding of technological platforms and apps. Individuals in these careers must be proficient in these skills in order to suceed.

How Top Hat helps: Top Hat improves general literacy and digital literacy at the same time with Interactive Textbooks. Dynamic courseware incorporates text with high-quality images, videos and 3D simulations to captivate students’ interest and help them absorb and retain information better. They include case studies and customizable, interactive assessments, and students can access them anytime and from any device. Teachers can use Top Hat’s interactive textbooks in combination with physical textbooks, or on their own.

Incorporating interactive textbooks and other digital technologies also helps students with skill-building and better prepare them to enter the 21st-century workforce by providing one-to-one computing, giving them the technology required to utilize their higher-order thinking skills in coursework.

8. Media literacy:

This includes the ability to analyze media and create media products. It involves understanding how, why and for what purpose various entities construct media messages, including what values and viewpoints they choose to include or exclude, and why. It also examines how people interpret messages differently and how that influences behaviors and beliefs. 

9. Global awareness:

This is the use of 21st-century skills to comprehend and address issues of global magnitude, and to collaborate with those from diverse backgrounds. It also involves taking an equitable or inclusive mindset when presenting new information. For example, educators might draw connections between cultural references in an English or cultural studies course. Teaching students the importance of global awareness also starts with reflecting on current and real-time events in your teaching, such as incorporating case studies on political or social uprisings.

10. Self-direction:

This is the ability to effectively set goals and manage time, as well as to work independently. It requires determining tangible and intangible criteria for success and balancing short-term tactical goals with long-term strategic ones. It also requires demonstrating initiative and commitment and working independently, including defining, prioritizing, monitoring and completing tasks without oversight, while reflecting on past experiences and learning from them.

11. Social skills:

This is the ability to effectively interact with others and work in diverse teams. Students recognize the appropriate times to listen or speak while remaining open-minded to diverse values and ideas. Students also learn how to conduct themselves professionally in a respectful manner, including when working with people from different backgrounds. Those looking to pursue careers in nursing or other areas of healthcare must be proficient in providing both emotional and physical care to patients. Common hard skills required for these careers include Basic Life Support (BLS), Patient Safety and Critical First Aid.

12. Perseverance:

This is the ability to persist in a determined effort in spite of obstacles and setbacks. It requires many of the other higher-order thinking skills, including problem-solving and self-direction, to employ effectively.

How Top Hat helps: Top Hat’s 21st-century learning suite includes many tools that help educators make sure no student falls behind. Not least among them is learning insights. By tracking every interaction between a student and the software automatically, Top Hat enables you to see which students need additional help, in what area and when. Gauge attendance, progress, comprehension, participation—and act on these insights proactively in real-time.

13. Literacy skills:

Basic literacy skills include the abilities to create, comprehend, analyze, absorb, retain and recall written information. In the 21st-century workplace and modern economy, they especially apply to business, economic, financial, health and entrepreneurial interests.

14. Civic literacy:

Students become familiar with how civic decisions have local and global implications. This type of literacy involves effective participation in civic life by remaining informed and comprehending the processes of government. It also requires knowing how to exercise citizenship rights and obligations.

15. Social responsibility:

This encompasses everything from human rights, labor practices, the climate and the environment, fair operating practices, consumer issues and community involvement and development. It requires accountability, transparency, ethical behavior and respect for stakeholder interest, the rule of law, international norms of behavior and human rights.

Why 21st-Century Skills Are Important

Importance of Soft Skills for Students

At its most basic level, teaching 21st-century skills, like critical thinking, provides a framework for higher-order learning. Beyond that, however, it also helps students develop the skills that ensure they will thrive when they leave the classroom and enter the workforce.

Today’s workplaces are changing constantly, and the role of technology is ever-evolving and growing. That means that persistent, continual learning is essential to succeed and an emphasis on the importance of soft skills for students. Today’s graduates require not only the knowledge and skills for their chosen careers, but critical-thinking skills to navigate an always-changing landscape.

Good for the World

The greater community also benefits from new workers entering the workforce with a 21st-century education. The wellbeing of our broader society requires workers with competence and experience in:

• Civic engagement
• Critical thinking
• Digital literacy
• Effective communication
• Global awareness

Graduates equipped with these higher-order learning skills comprehend their role as good citizens and their connection to their neighbors and their shared environment. This way, they are more tolerant, they think more equitably and they aim to build a more diverse workforce. They are empowered to approach all they do in their work with a civic-minded focus.

Conclusion

As a 2017 research review in Nurse Education in Practice reported, “Technology has advanced in quantity and quality; recognized as a requirement of 21st-century learners.” Integrating curricula on critical thinking and other soft skills in your classroom will help your students enter the 21st-century workplace better equipped to meet the challenges facing future workers and leaders. As technology becomes an increasingly inseparable part of the working world, it’s becoming more evident that teachers who make effective use of it have an advantage in helping students prepare for life beyond the classroom.

The developers and designers of Top Hat, including professional educators themselves, are singularly focused on employing the latest in 21st-century education technology to help educators empower students to achieve these aims.

References

Ross, D. (2017, April 24). Empowering Our Students with 21st-Century Skills for Today. Getting Smart. www.gettingsmart.com/2017/04/24/empowering-students-21st-century-skills/

What is social responsibility? (n.d.). ASQ. asq.org/quality-resources/social-responsibility

LinkedIn Jobs on the Rise 2022: The 25 U.S. roles that are growing in demand (2022, January 18). LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/linkedin-jobs-rise-2022-25-us-roles-growing-demand-linkedin-news/

The post How to Equip Your Students With Essential Soft and Hard Skills Using Ed Tech appeared first on Top Hat.

You’ll learn about the different aspects of pedagogy, as well as some common pedagogical knowledge and approaches. Examples for each will provide greater insight into how you can apply different pedagogical teaching styles to your own classroom.

With tips on creating your own pedagogy, including taking into account how digital technology and online and collaborative work are changing teaching, you’ll understand why and how having a clear and concise pedagogy can support your curriculum. 

There are countless pedagogies that can work for your course. Download our free guide, which highlights and explains 9 different pedagogical approaches and how they can be used to keep your students motivated and engaged.

Table of Contents

1.0. What is pedagogy?

1.1. Why is pedagogy important?

1.2. How do you say ‘pedagogy’?

2.0. Different types of pedagogy

2.1. What is constructivist pedagogy?

2.2. What is inquiry-based learning?

2.3. What is the Socratic method?

2.4. What is problem-based learning

2.5. What is collaborative learning?

2.6. What is integrative pedagogy?

2.7. What is reflective pedagogy?

2.8. What is critical pedagogy?

2.9. What is culturally responsive teaching?

3.0. Creating your own pedagogy

3.1. How can pedagogy support your curriculum?

3.2. How does pedagogy impact the learner?

4.0. How is pedagogy changing?

4.1. Online learning

4.2. Personalizing pedagogies

5.0. Conclusion

1. What is pedagogy?

Pedagogy is often confused with curriculum. The definition of pedagogy refers to how we teach—the theory and practice of educating. Curriculum refers to the material being taught. Pedagogy, meaning the relationship between learning techniques and culture, is determined based on an educator’s beliefs about how learning takes place. Pedagogy requires meaningful classroom interactions between educators and learners. The goal is to help students build on prior learning and develop skills and attitudes. For educators, the aim is to present the curriculum in a way that is relevant to student needs.

Shaped by the educator’s own experiences, pedagogy must take into consideration the context in which learning takes place, and with whom. It isn’t about the materials used, but the process and the strategy adopted to lead to the achievement of meaningful cognitive learning.

In a literal sense, the word pedagogy stems from the Greek word that effectively means “the art of teaching children.” More specifically, agogos means leader in Greek, and pedagogue refers to the teacher. Paidagogos were slaves tasked with taking boys to school and back, teaching them manners and tutoring them.

Pedagogy vs. Andragogy

Pedagogy is the teaching of children or dependent personalities. This means that it is up to the instructor to determine how, what and when course concepts are learned. Andragogy is the facilitation of learning for adults, who are self-directed learners. Adults are primarily driven by intrinsic motivation and can solve complex problems relying on past experiences. This must be taken into account in order to best support them in retaining new ideas, learning new ways of problem-solving, and strengthening independent thinking.

1.1. Why is pedagogy important?

Having a well-thought-out pedagogy can improve the quality of your teaching and the way students learn, helping them gain a deeper grasp of fundamental material. Being mindful of the way you teach can help you better understand how to help students achieve deeper learning. And it can, in turn, impact student perception, resulting in cooperative learning environments. The proper approach helps students move beyond simple forms of thinking as defined in the Bloom’s taxonomy pyramid, like basic memorization and comprehension, to complex learning processes like analysis, evaluation, and creation. Students can leverage their preferred learning styles with a teaching process that supports them, and the way they like to learn.

1.2. How do you say ‘pedagogy’?

Pedagogy is pronounced differently in various countries. The International Phonetic Alphabet pronunciation is ˈpɛdəˌɡoʊdʒi/ /ˈpɛdəˌɡɑdʒi/. In both the U.K. and U.S., it’s often pronounced “ped-a-gaug-gee” (as in “geese”) though some use the “j” sound and pronounce it “paidag-o-jee” (as in the seventh letter of the alphabet, “g”.)

Others, particularly in the U.K., say “pe-de-gaw-jee,” with more of an “ugh” sound in the middle, and replace the “go” sound with “gaw.” The Merriam-Webster dictionary suggests it should be “pe-de-go-je” (or ga).

2. Pedagogical strategies

There are countless pedagogies that can help you engage students. By implementing activities from different pedagogical techniques in your classroom, you’ll ensure students can tackle learning in a way that best meets their needs. Here, we outline nine pedagogical approaches that help students develop higher-order thinking skills and provide a more nuanced understanding of how their learnings fit into the world around them.

2.1. What is constructivist pedagogy?

Constructivist teaching strategies help students understand the meaning of their learning materials, instead of just passively ingesting content. Rather than focusing on the subject or lesson being taught, educators are encouraged to focus on how the student learns. 

An example of a constructivist pedagogical practice:

KWL(H) Charts are a great way to get an overview of student progress throughout the term. After finishing a unit or series of lessons, have learners fill out a chart with the following fields: What we know, What we want to know, What we have learned, How we know it.

2.2. What is inquiry-based learning?

Inquiry-based learning encourages students to ask questions and complete research while learning various concepts. The pedagogy focuses on helping learners acquire the skills necessary to develop their own ideas, as well as question themselves and group members in a constructive way. The four steps of inquiry-based learning are:

• Developing problem statements that require students to pitch their question using a constructed response, further inquiry and citation.
• Researching the topic using time in class where the instructor can guide students in their learnings
• Presenting what they’ve learned to their peers or to a small group
• Asking students to reflect on what worked about the process and what didn’t. Students focus on how they learned in addition to what they learned, to activate metacognition skills (or thinking about thinking).

An example of inquiry-based learning: One way to incorporate inquiry-based learning in your classroom is through oral history projects. Ask students to research the personal histories of an individual of their choice, conduct interviews with the person (if possible) and create a presentation that includes artifacts, a feature article, a personal memoir and a photograph.

2.3. What is the Socratic method?

The Socratic method is a traditional pedagogy named after Greek philosopher Socrates, who taught students by asking a series of questions. The principle underlying the Socratic method is that students learn through the use of critical thinking, reason and logic. 

An example of Socratic learning:

To implement Socratic learning strategies in your classroom, arrange students in inner and outer circles. The inner circle engages in discussion, while the outer circle observes and takes notes. The outer circle then shares their observations and questions the inner circle with guidance from the instructor. The Socratic Method is one of many tools that professors at the University of Chicago Law School use to help theirstudents become lawyers. Elizabeth Garrett writes that “The Socratic Method provides all students greater confidence about talking to large groups, allows them to develop the ability to argue forcefully and persuasively, and teaches them to think critically. “

2.4. What is problem-based learning?

In problem-based learning, students acquire knowledge by devising a solution to a real-world problem. As they do, they acquire knowledge, as well as communication and collaboration skills.

An example of problem-based learning pedagogical practice:

Concept mapping is an engaging activity that helps students tackle complex course concepts. Divide the class into teams and present them with a course-related problem. One team member writes down a solution and passes the sheets of paper along to the next team member, who builds upon that idea and then passes it along to the rest of the team. In the end, a spokesperson can present their ultimate solution. In a study monitoring the learning of students in an Engineering course, the research found that participants’ learning gains from problem-based learning were two times their gains from a traditional lecture.

2.5 What is collaborative pedagogy?

Collaborative pedagogy rejects the notion that students can think, learn and write effectively in isolation. Collaborative pedagogy is a learner-centered strategy that strives to maximize critical thinking, learning and writing skills through peer-to-peer interaction and interpersonal engagement.

An example of collaborative pedagogical practice:

Set up stations or posters in a few locations around the classroom and get students to participate in a gallery walk. Divide students into small groups and have them rotate between each station together sorting their observations into categories. Finally, ask them to write down a list of questions about the source material they are viewing.

2.6. What is integrative pedagogy?

Integrative learning is the process of making connections between concepts and experiences so that information and skills can be applied to novel and complex issues or challenges.

An example of integrative pedagogical practice:

Hands-on learning experiences, like community service, are a great way to bring integrative pedagogy into the classroom. Holding fundraisers, volunteering at local schools or eldercare homes or preparing meals for those experiencing food insecurity are forms of experiential learning that can help students take part in community service activities, like volunteering at food kitchens, tutoring children in local schools, or working in local prisons and detention centers to help with literacy skills, like Queen’s Students for Literacy.

2.7. What is reflective pedagogy?

Reflective pedagogy encourages the instructor to reflect upon lessons, projects and assessments, with the goal of improving them for future use. Students are also encouraged to reflect on their performance on assessments and look for areas where they can improve.

An example of reflective pedagogy:

Conversation stations are a great way for students to engage with their peers and reflect on their own learnings. Instructors start by sharing a list of discussion questions pertaining to a course reading, video or case study. Students are put into groups and given five-to-ten minutes to discuss, before rotating to another group. The students who have just joined a group have an opportunity to share findings from their last discussion, before answering the second question with their new group. Similarly, reflective pedagogy is useful when used as a complement to placement-based internships. These pedagogical strategies allow students to understand what they have learned and experienced on a deeper level.

2.8. What is critical pedagogy?

Critical pedagogy asserts that issues of social justice and democracy are not distinct from acts of teaching and learning. It is a theory and practice that helps students question and challenge prevalent beliefs and practices—and achieve critical consciousness.

An example of critical pedagogy:

Flipped classroom strategies aim to increase student engagement and learning by having students complete readings at home and then work on live problem-solving during class time. These strategies allow instructors to orient their teaching to be knowledge-based, focusing on the development of critical thinking skills and understanding what it means to create a just society.

2.9. What is culturally responsive teaching?

Culturally responsive teaching is a more modern pedagogy that acknowledges, responds to and celebrates fundamental cultures. It strives to offer equitable access to education for students from all cultures.

An example of culturally responsive teaching:

Use learning stations in your classroom to accommodate a variety of student learning styles at the same time. Whether due to culture, socialization, preference or learning needs, students respond differently to a variety of content. You can provide a range of material to each student by setting up learning stations where students can play a game or watch a video.

3. Creating your own pedagogy

To create your own pedagogy, start by forming a personal philosophy of teaching statement. This is a crucial step in the profession of teaching. This helps students manage their expectations about your teaching methods and better approach your curriculum. Critically, make sure to support students in finding the best ways to understand the subject matter and encourage engaging discussions in the classroom.

It’s also important to be mindful of the different educational experiences students have and their preferred methods of participation, as well as their personal experiences and backgrounds. That might include monitoring for cues like wait time between talking in a conversation, eye contact or using written forms of communication, like discussion threads. You can use real-world experiences to demonstrate abstract concepts, and link them back to everyday experiences to which students can relate. Followed by activities that are purpose-built to involve students, this helps learners break down course concepts in their own ways.

3.1. How can pedagogy support your curriculum?

Pedagogy can allow students to gain a deeper understanding of subject matter and can help them apply their learnings to their own personal experiences outside the classroom. Teachers can work together with students to come up with the best way for subject matter to be studied.

Once you’ve created your own pedagogy in higher education, you can then develop course material and activities that are challenging for students. This will assist them in cognitive development, ensuring that they advance their understanding of concepts to higher levels.

With a clear understanding of your pedagogy, students can follow your instruction and feedback clearly. They know what they need to do and how to do it, and can respond in kind. This encourages engaging dialogue between educators and students, as well as among students themselves—that’s because everyone shares ideas, questions, and knowledge to explore concepts and deepen their knowledge.

3.2. How does pedagogy impact the learner?

With a clear and concise understanding of pedagogy, everyone is on the same page. Students can comfortably share ideas and understand how curriculum will be approached and what’s expected of them. 

Students expand their knowledge base, but also understand how to use their learnings in authentic and relevant real-world contexts. They can draw on their own cultural knowledge as well to come up with unique and personalized thoughts and opinions. Concrete evidence, facts and data, are combined with the exploration of cultural differences of others to further expand knowledge. This allows students to reflect on new concepts and open their minds to different approaches.

Through your pedagogical strategies, students can also learn what approaches work best for them: Which learning activities and learning styles they tend to gravitate towards—and how to develop concepts and build mental models to further their learning—are all important elements to consider. Overall, active learning makes student engagement rise. Students get to participate in personalized teaching strategies, rather than be mere spectators in the classroom.

4. How is pedagogy changing?

Pedagogy has been evolving to better support 21st-century skills and ideas. The traditional classroom lecture is no longer as effective as it once was. Teaching has expanded to include new forms of learning, like interactive and collaborative projects and online and remote curricula, and to accommodate more flexible schedules.

Real-world scenarios and cultural differences are being taken into account, affording students new ways to acquire, construct and organize their learning. Pedagogy is shifting focus beyond basic memorization and application of simple procedures to aiding students in higher-order learning, including critical thinking skills, effective communication, and greater autonomy.

4.1. Online learning

Online learning has become a significant part of higher education. Any modern pedagogy must account for students finding, analyzing and applying knowledge from a growing number of online tools, platforms and sources. Higher-order skills, like critical thinking and the ability to learn more independently, as well as in larger groups, are essential for engaging in online learning in a meaningful way.

Students must be comfortable using technology to help them learn, and to access, share, and create useful information and gain better fluency in a subject. Educators, in turn, can use technology to enhance course materials and further support their pedagogies through blended learning that combines classrooms with online teaching, flipped classrooms that provide materials students can access after class, like videos, lecture notes, quizzes, and further readings, and overall wider access to sources and experts online.

They can integrate new forms of technology to teach, like videos, animations, and simulations through sources like YouTube channels, podcasts and clickers. Digital textbooks can incorporate content like video and audio clips, animations, and rich graphics that students can access and annotate. All of this content enhances the experience for students, and particularly benefits students who are struggling. It can also reduce spending since students have plenty of valuable, real-time updated information at their fingertips for free.

4.2. Personalizing pedagogies

It’s critical that what you’re teaching students is relevant and meaningful, and personalized to their experiences. The increase in non-formal, self-directed learning methods means that students have more access to information than ever before. It makes it easier for educators to track their learning through digital activities. But it also requires more attention in guiding them to the right sources, adjusting lecture content and adopting approaches purpose-built for engagement and collaboration.

In many innovative pedagogies, there’s a power shared between educator and student. Students learn more independently, instead of following a set course of lectures and textbooks from an instructor. In many cases, students thrive in self-directed learning methods, while educators can use lecture time more effectively for discussion and collaborative work.

The educator, then, becomes a critical guide and assessor for students, linking them to accepted sources of information and emphasizing the importance of accreditation. They are no longer the only source of information, delivered in chunks via lectures. And this requires an overhaul of the strategy towards how student learning is achieved, monitored and assessed.

5. Conclusion

Pedagogies are constantly evolving. You can develop your own, inspired by common ones and modified for 21st-century learning. A pedagogy must fit your audience, and focus on helping students develop an understanding of the material beyond basic memorization and surface knowledge. Students should be able to relate concepts back to the real world, and even their own lives.

Every pedagogy is different. A good starting point is to create a philosophy of teaching statement that outlines your communication goals as an instructor, and how you plan to relate the work you do in the classroom to professional development once the student moves on to a career. Then, design classroom experiences around this philosophy, work with students to adapt methods to encourage positive responses and determine how you will evaluate and assess their performance. It’s also worth considering how you will integrate technology into lesson plans and classwork, as well as promote inclusivity.

Taking all of this into consideration makes for a great recipe for a successful pedagogical approach. The more aware you are of the way you are teaching, the better you’ll understand what works best for your students.

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