1 6/28/11New Faculty Workshop How to get your Students to Prepare for Every Class Just-in-Time Teaching (JiTT) A. Gavrin, IUPUI

2 6/28/11New Faculty Workshop A few of your comments (BlueHair27): It's good to think about these things ahead of time... I can already see how it would be good to apply in a classroom.(BlueHair27): It's good to think about these things ahead of time... I can already see how it would be good to apply in a classroom. (Asleep): It's hard to just answer the questions and not jump right into questions and concerns that I have after my first two quarters of teaching:(Asleep): It's hard to just answer the questions and not jump right into questions and concerns that I have after my first two quarters of teaching: (Anton): my blood circulating. Thanks.(Anton): my blood circulating. Thanks. (Nickname): I am very interested to hear how other people interpreted and answered these questions. I have used (a version of) this technique in my introductory physics class, and find that student responses are quite illuminating (and funny sometimes, too!)(Nickname): I am very interested to hear how other people interpreted and answered these questions. I have used (a version of) this technique in my introductory physics class, and find that student responses are quite illuminating (and funny sometimes, too!)

3 6/28/11New Faculty Workshop Outline BackgroundBackground Just-in-Time TeachingJust-in-Time Teaching –Background –Implementation AssessmentAssessment

4 6/28/11New Faculty Workshop How did you decide how to teach? UVA: Mostly based on experiences in classes that I took over the years.UVA: Mostly based on experiences in classes that I took over the years. Jeb: Having no prior training in teaching, I have tried to "act" like a good teacher, based on an amalgamation of the good teachers I have had.Jeb: Having no prior training in teaching, I have tried to "act" like a good teacher, based on an amalgamation of the good teachers I have had. JJ: I have talked with more experienced colleagues about their experience teaching and what they think works best. I also used my own experience as a student as a guide.JJ: I have talked with more experienced colleagues about their experience teaching and what they think works best. I also used my own experience as a student as a guide. Baba: initially, based on what I thought worked best for me (as a student), later on, based on a combination of what I've seen worked generally well with the students (frustrate them less) and what I thought they need …Baba: initially, based on what I thought worked best for me (as a student), later on, based on a combination of what I've seen worked generally well with the students (frustrate them less) and what I thought they need … Nickname: I have read quite a bit about PER (took a graduate seminar on PER), which has helped me to understand how people learn, and what instructional strategies are effectiveNickname: I have read quite a bit about PER (took a graduate seminar on PER), which has helped me to understand how people learn, and what instructional strategies are effective

5 6/28/11New Faculty Workshop Results Many classes designed “for professors”Many classes designed “for professors” Problem: Students do not learn like we doProblem: Students do not learn like we do –See R. Felder references on web site Most students not prepared or motivated like we wereMost students not prepared or motivated like we were Most students have different goals than we did.Most students have different goals than we did. Most students do not “think like we do”Most students do not “think like we do”

6 6/28/11New Faculty Workshop Active Learning: Proven effective for “regular students”Proven effective for “regular students” –Anyone not a likely future professor Used extensively at MIT, RPI, UIUC, NCSU, HarvardUsed extensively at MIT, RPI, UIUC, NCSU, Harvard Also many small colleges (prestigious and not) Community Colleges, high schoolsAlso many small colleges (prestigious and not) Community Colleges, high schools PS — How did you learn from your PhD advisor… Lectures?PS — How did you learn from your PhD advisor… Lectures?

7 6/28/11New Faculty Workshop Digression Could have spent time “collecting data”Could have spent time “collecting data” Instead, spent time discussing itInstead, spent time discussing it Same content covered at greater depthSame content covered at greater depth

8 6/28/11New Faculty Workshop Outline BackgroundBackground Just-in-Time TeachingJust-in-Time Teaching –Background –implementation AssessmentAssessment

9 6/28/11New Faculty Workshop The (original) settings Large numbers of studentsLarge numbers of students Theater-style lecture hallIUPUITheater-style lecture hallIUPUI 1 graduate assistant (lab only)1 graduate assistant (lab only) All students take physics USAFAAll students take physics USAFA Military, athletic requirementsMilitary, athletic requirements Highly selective college Davidson Coll.Highly selective college Davidson Coll. Very heavy teaching loadsVery heavy teaching loads

10 6/28/11New Faculty Workshop The “theoretical” background Active learning (students think in class)Active learning (students think in class) Student centered (it is not about you)Student centered (it is not about you) Formative assessment (real-time feedback)Formative assessment (real-time feedback) Peer interaction (learning and motivation)Peer interaction (learning and motivation) Many learning styles (faculty not like students)Many learning styles (faculty not like students)

11 6/28/11New Faculty Workshop What is JiTT? DT: In JiTT, a student learns something on her own and answers questions (online) based on the material. The teacher then uses the answers to feed into the very next class.DT: In JiTT, a student learns something on her own and answers questions (online) based on the material. The teacher then uses the answers to feed into the very next class. Alex: web-based technique to collect preliminary info about student’s knowledge on the subject, facilitate pre- reading of the course material. This helped [instructors] to make corrections/additions to the content of their lectures.Alex: web-based technique to collect preliminary info about student’s knowledge on the subject, facilitate pre- reading of the course material. This helped [instructors] to make corrections/additions to the content of their lectures. Pete: JiTT seems like a tool to assess where students are before they come to class so the instructor can adjust and devote more time to common problemsPete: JiTT seems like a tool to assess where students are before they come to class so the instructor can adjust and devote more time to common problems

12 6/28/11New Faculty Workshop Just-in-Time Teaching (JiTT) World Wide Web AssignmentDesign Homework Classroom ER: “JiTT is feedback between what students do at home and what they learn in class.”

13 6/28/11New Faculty Workshop Just-in-Time Teaching AdaptableAdaptable Combines “high tech” with “high touch”Combines “high tech” with “high touch” WarmUp Exercises = Online, pre-class reading quiz:WarmUp Exercises = Online, pre-class reading quiz: –Due few hours before class –A few open-ended conceptual questions –Cover that day’s material

14 6/28/11New Faculty Workshop What makes a good WarmUp? Christopher: Must expose the students with unfamiliar concepts and hard vocabulary. Must be able to encourage good students to explore deeply into the subject as far as he/she can go.Christopher: Must expose the students with unfamiliar concepts and hard vocabulary. Must be able to encourage good students to explore deeply into the subject as far as he/she can go. BigMac: It gets the students thinking about the material that will be covered in class so that students do not come into the classroom cold. It helps motive students on the purpose of the material being covered. It provides a good starting point to encourage discussion.BigMac: It gets the students thinking about the material that will be covered in class so that students do not come into the classroom cold. It helps motive students on the purpose of the material being covered. It provides a good starting point to encourage discussion. Piccolo: A good warmup exercise sets up a framework for the class. Gives students a chance to think about and explore the subject to be covered ahead of time. Gives the instructor a chance to assess the level of student understanding.Piccolo: A good warmup exercise sets up a framework for the class. Gives students a chance to think about and explore the subject to be covered ahead of time. Gives the instructor a chance to assess the level of student understanding.

15 6/28/11New Faculty Workshop Another Digression JiTT described in your wordsJiTT described in your words Jargon already familiar (JiTT, WarmUp)Jargon already familiar (JiTT, WarmUp) “preview” of important concepts“preview” of important concepts

16 6/28/11New Faculty Workshop Example Question: Is it possible to add heat to an ideal gas without changing its temperature? If it is possible, please explain how it is done.Question: Is it possible to add heat to an ideal gas without changing its temperature? If it is possible, please explain how it is done. –“It is not possible because the internal energy of an ideal gas only depends on the temperature.... the internal energy will increase when the temperature rises.…” –“It is possible to add heat to an ideal gas without it changing it's temperature by the gas receiving the heat, and the atoms of that gas getting excited enough to disperse that heat as fast as they receive it…” –“If you add heat to a system while the system is doing the corresponding amount of work, the temperature will not change.”

17 6/28/11New Faculty Workshop The “Interactive Lecture” Step 1: Synchronization Read the students’ responses… What do they understand?Step 1: Synchronization Read the students’ responses… What do they understand? Step 2: Preparation Select excerpts from students workStep 2: Preparation Select excerpts from students work Step 3: Execution Class is a dialog based on student excerpts and faculty notesStep 3: Execution Class is a dialog based on student excerpts and faculty notes

18 6/28/11New Faculty Workshop Choosing and using student responses More useful phrases…More useful phrases… –This is a good answer, but to a different question… –This has a great beginning, but more could be added… –This is correct, but the reasoning isn’t quite right… Always say something positive (see last example)Always say something positive (see last example) –This is true, but what if something else occurs simultaneously… –This makes sense, but something is missing… –This is a great response… how would we know how much heat to add?

19 6/28/11New Faculty Workshop Tips and Pitfalls Explain methods and purpose on first dayExplain methods and purpose on first day No need to review all responses before class; sample for “useful” quotes, grade laterNo need to review all responses before class; sample for “useful” quotes, grade later Focus on students strengths, too, not just misconceptions and other problems.Focus on students strengths, too, not just misconceptions and other problems. Use answers from many students: not favorites.Use answers from many students: not favorites. Do not “isolate” WarmUps - scaffold lectureDo not “isolate” WarmUps - scaffold lecture Must be routine. Do not start/stop during semesterMust be routine. Do not start/stop during semester Upper level students can handle more “exploratory” questions, connections to intro.Upper level students can handle more “exploratory” questions, connections to intro.

20 6/28/11New Faculty Workshop Chemistry example This picture depicts matter at the submicroscopic level. Describe what you see and take a guess as to what the identity of the substance is. –“The particles are well spaced out so I would guess the substance to be a gas. The substance is a gas composed of 2 elements that are in an equal ratio.” –“After reading Chapter 1 in the book I would guess that the substance is water in the form of a solid because the atoms are in order. However, I could be wrong because I think the atoms in a solid might be closer together.”

21 6/28/11New Faculty Workshop Other JiTT Components Weekly Puzzle Opposite “Bookend” to WarmUpWeekly Puzzle Opposite “Bookend” to WarmUp “What is Physics Good For”“What is Physics Good For” Student-Faculty and Student-Student Communication toolsStudent-Faculty and Student-Student Communication tools Collaborative problem Solving in RecitationCollaborative problem Solving in Recitation

22 6/28/11New Faculty Workshop Results Students better prepared for classStudents better prepared for class –Familiar with jargon –Given thought to ideas Faculty better prepared for studentsFaculty better prepared for students –Misconceptions identified –Just in time adjustment to coverage Class time spent more productivelyClass time spent more productively –Students interact during class

23 6/28/11New Faculty Workshop Outline The ChallengesThe Challenges Just-in-Time TeachingJust-in-Time Teaching –Background –Background –implementation –implementation AssessmentAssessment

24 6/28/11New Faculty Workshop Study Habits (N=155, biology) Q1 Do the WarmUps help you stay caught up? Q2 Do you “Cram” before tests in this course? Q3 Do you “Cram” in your other courses? 1- Yes 2- Yes 3- Yes “A” students 85%14%43% “B” students 89 % 39%61% “C” students 89%47%68% “D” students 84%68%68% “F” students 92%58%58%

25 6/28/11New Faculty Workshop Retention (N~80-150/semester)

26 6/28/11New Faculty Workshop Cognitive (biology, N~200)

27 6/28/11New Faculty Workshop Affective (E&M, N~60)

28 6/28/11New Faculty Workshop Student Comments “This was a fantastic course. It was the hardest course I’ve taken yet, but also the most fun.”“This was a fantastic course. It was the hardest course I’ve taken yet, but also the most fun.” I think the WarmUps are a good idea because they give students a chance to think about the material prior to lecture.I think the WarmUps are a good idea because they give students a chance to think about the material prior to lecture. "This course was very well structured. It was obvious that a lot of time was spent in preparation for it.”"This course was very well structured. It was obvious that a lot of time was spent in preparation for it.” "152 & 251 have made me reach more than any courses I have taken.”"152 & 251 have made me reach more than any courses I have taken.” Don’t tell anyone, but I think I will greatly miss my physics class.Don’t tell anyone, but I think I will greatly miss my physics class.

29 6/28/11New Faculty Workshop Summary JiTT is based on feedback between homework and classroomJiTT is based on feedback between homework and classroom WarmUp exercise: a pre-class, online reading quizWarmUp exercise: a pre-class, online reading quiz Improved study habits, retention, content knowledge, morale.Improved study habits, retention, content knowledge, morale. Instructor knowledge of student difficultiesInstructor knowledge of student difficulties Easily adopted and adaptedEasily adopted and adapted

30 6/28/11New Faculty Workshop Your Assignment: Please think of a few possible WarmUp questions for the class you will teach this fall.