Effective Learning in Classrooms

Active Learning Strategies and Instructor Presence in An Online Research Methods Course: Can we Decrease Anxiety and Enhance Knowledge?

“…Each week students were expected to complete the asynchronous activities (via the Learning Studio site), and to read and prepare for the live Blackboard Collaborate sessions. Synchronous class sessions included review of the content and active learning strategies relating to the three components indicated by Watkins et al (2007): behavioral components (e.g., games promoting knowledge and understanding), cognitive components (e.g. application exercises), and social components (e.g., group activities where students worked together in small groups).…”

“…Lundahl (2008) noted that deeper-level learning occurs when students are directly involved with the material. Watkins, Carnell, and Lodge (2007) define active learning as having three components. The first is behavioral, where students are engaged in instructor-created activities; the second is cognitive, where students are engaged in critical thinking and decision-making, thus making use of critical thinking skills; and the third component is social, as students engage with each other.…”

“…The first is behavioral, where students are engaged in instructor-created activities; the second is cognitive, where students are engaged in critical thinking and decision-making, thus making use of critical thinking skills; and the third component is social, as students engage with each other. Building upon the work of Watkins et al(2007), Drew and Mackie (2011) added affect as a fourth component, drawing on the classic model of Bloom's taxonomy (1965) that recognizes students' motivational capacity in the affective domain. This implies the importance of the instructor's role or presence in explicating the pertinence of the content for students and creating an environment in which students want to learn.…”

Why Students Don’t Like Assessment and How to Change Their Perceptions in 21<sup>st</sup> Century Pedagogies

“…4-5). In a similar exercise conducted with a group of six teachers, Watkins, Carnell and Lodge (2007) found that the teachers said that assessment was "checking for learning, validating learning, testing out against criteria, celebrating attainment" (p. 142). Readman and Allen (2013), actually found that some of their students were "negative about assessment for a variety of reasons that are usually related to their own experiences of schooling" (p. 5).…”

“…Thus, assessment "traditionally focused on failure" (Latham et al, 2006: p. 263). Moreover, as Watkins, Carnell and Lodge (2007) warn, "there are many different, competing, overlapping and sometimes unexplored and unquestioned meanings that are associated with assessment. Some of these will support and promote effective learning, but some may even frustrate effective learning" (pp.…”