A Visual Approach to Helping Instructors Integrate, Document, and Refine Active Learning

Abstract

If instructors are to integrate active learning effectively in courses in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), they need an accurate account of when and how they are integrating active learning-and of how students are responding. Without such an account, instructors may perceive that they are incorporating more active learning than observers document, or they may miss opportunities to target aspects of the implementation that may be adjusted to improve effectiveness. This article describes a visual approach to integrating observational data into self-evaluation and peer review of teaching, practices that can lead to adoption of evidence-based active-learning strategies in STEM. While our approach has specific relevance during this period of reform in STEM education, it was designed to be implemented for undergraduate courses across the disciplines. The presentation of observational data in a timeline provides a "big-picture" view of observed class sessions that captures the sequencing of instructional strategies and the "ebbs and flows" of student participation-in a chronological format that coheres with how instructors often visualize a class session. Such a view can help instructors see where these strategies meet their instructional goals, and where these strategies might be refined and improved.

A Mixed-Methods Investigation of Clicker Implementation Styles in STEM

“…There are a number of existing observation protocols, including the Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP; Sawada et al. , 2002 ), the Classroom Observation Protocol for Undergraduate STEM (COPUS; Smith et al ., 2013 ), the Teaching Dimensions Observation Protocol (TDOP; Hora, 2013 ), and the Observation Protocol for Active Learning (OPAL; Frey et al. , 2016 ).…”

“…We used the OPAL protocol to observe a number of high-enrollment STEM courses whose instructors were using clicker-based active learning. OPAL was developed from COPUS and TDOP; hence, it is similar in structure to these protocols ( Frey et al. , 2016 ).…”

“…This is especially important in high-enrollment, lecture-based courses, in which students may not have many opportunities to interact with the instructor—we wanted to be sure that this student–instructor interaction was captured, as past literature has noted that the instructor asking questions during the lecture can be a sign that effective teaching strategies are being used ( Schonwetter, 1993 ; Hora, 2015 ). Additionally, a method for developing a visual timeline of the observation data is available for OPAL ( Frey et al. , 2016 ; also see the Supplemental Material).…”

“…Segments are inserted into the timeline based on the codes marked. Examples of segments might be: lecture, interactive lecture, problem solving with group work, and demonstration ( Frey et al. , 2016 ).…”

“…The OPAL observation data from each observation ( N = 183) were transformed into an OPAL timeline (see Frey et al. , 2016 ).…”