Blooms Taxonomy
What category occupies the lowest level in Bloom's Taxonomy of cognitive objectives?
"Remember" (Knowledge).
What is the average attention span of an adult learner?
12-15 minutes
How could technology be leveraged to support principle #3 (encourage active learning)?
i-clickers, online quizzes, online IEF, team projects facilitated by Collaborate/Teams/Zoom, flipped class videos with responses, online HW, discussion board, etc
If you ask a question in class and get no student responses, what should you do?
Give extra wait time (3-5 seconds), ask again/rephrase, provide hints.
What is retrieval practice and why is it important?
Retrieval practice boosts learning by pulling information out of students’ heads, rather than cramming information into students’ heads.
Who developed the original taxonomy of learning objectives?
Benjamin Bloom
What is the definition of "active learning"?
Any activity that substantially engages the students in course content. It involves the students in DOING things and THINKING about what they are doing.
What could you do to "respect diverse talents and ways of learning" (principle #7)?
By adopting many types of assignments and assessments throughout the semester. Different lecture styles too. Offer students choice of assignments.
Give an example course policy that supports a growth mindset in your students.
Anything that rewards/supports second chance opportunities, growth over the semester, improvement, multiple ways to succeed.
What do emotions have to do with learning?
Students learn and remember more if they CARE about the material and feel CONNECTED to it (this is both intellectual and emotional connection).
What are the three highest levels in Bloom's Taxonomy (often referred to as "critical thinking")?
Analyze-Evaluate-Create. (Also accept the older "Analysis, Synthesis, and Evaluation").
Which two "Principles for Good Practice in UG Education" directly relate to active learning? Explain why.
Encouarge cooperation among students (#2), active learning (#3). Maybe time on task (#5), maybe respecting diverse talents and ways of learning (#7), maybe encourages student-faculty contact (#1).
According to Luther (CS), what is cognitive overload and how is it related to inclusive teaching?
Cognitive overload is a state of mental exhaustion that occurs when learners are faced with an excessive amount of information or demands that exceed the capacity of their working memory. Students not familiar with higher education or your content area may be at a disadvantage.
How might LLMs (AI chatbots) be incorprated into your course in an appropriate manner?
AE3 staff judge correctness.
How do learning objectives fit into "Backward Design"?
You begin with your course goals and objectives (outcomes) and work backward from that point to create assessments (evidence) and then teaching & learning activities (instruction).
How would you defend the statement "Active learning can be successfully implemented in any size classroom"?
Many AL techniques work in any size class: questioning, clickers, quizzes, 1-minute papers, think-pair-share, votes, discussions/debates, video clips with debriefing...
Related to Principle #2 ("Cooperation Among Students"), how can faculty support this principle in their courses?
In-class activities that require student interaction and HW/assignments/projects that have partners or small groups. Maybe develop and support study groups.
Name one good practice that you could implement to make team projects go smoother?
Teach group dynamics, have learning contracts, assign members intentionally, utilize self and peer assessments, etc.
Why is informal early feedback (IEF) so important for classroom instructors?
It guides changes that will make the current course more effective before the end of the semester. Quick way to see how things are going and make improvements. Shows students you care about their learning.
What are some assignments that teach or assess the higher levels of Bloom's taxonomy (cognitive domain)?
Project or problem based learning, senior design, reflective essays, service learning, writing new software code, etc.
Why are some faculty hesitant to adopt active learning in their courses?
Fear of losing control, extra time to prepare, not knowledgeable about active learning (do not know what it is), takes away from class lecture time (cover less content).
What did we learn from the movie "A Beautiful Mind" about teaching?
Any reasonable answer accepted (judged by AE3 staff). Should be something related to challenging your students, but NOT insulting them. High goals and expectations. "Let's not waste OUR valuable time together." Probably good to actually teach your course content/syllabus too!
Part 1: Why might instructors oppose grading rubrics?
Part 2: Why are those instructors wrong?
Part 1: Rubrics take time to create, limit grading freedom, tell students what is expected (make tasks too easy)
Part 2: Rubrics save time in long run, make grading fair, and signify to students what is important.