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How do I plan synchronous active learning?

With content related to knowledge dissemination flipped online asynchronously (knowledge and comprehension in Bloom’s Taxonomy) there can be an opportunity to reorientate synchronous contact to support students apply, analyse, synthesise and/or evaluate knowledge.

Central to this shift in emphasis are principles of active or student-centred learning. However, as most programmes already accommodate active learning, care should be taken to define clearly to staff and students what distinguishes any additional synchronous sessions from existing provision and ensure these distinctions are applied consistently across all modules.

1. Workshops or small group sessions

Types of student-centred learning activities, in either workshops or small-group sessions, could include:

  • Individual or group presentations on material learning asynchronous online.
  • Individual or group demonstrations that show how students can apply what they have learned asynchronously online.
  • Discussion based learning, which can be tightly or loosely structured. For example, formal debates on controversies in the discipline or more open seminar style discussion.
  • Reading groups to support students engage with academic literature.
  • Case study analyses in which students propose solutions to known problems or challenges in the field.

2. Rethinking the lecture in a flipped module

Much of the literature on the flipped classroom assumes that lectures involve staff as the “sage on the stage” imparting their knowledge to passive students and therefore the most likely candidate for being flipped online.

However, flipping your classroom can also afford opportunities to rethink and revitalise what a lecture can be and how frequently they need to occur. There are many instances of creative approaches to a more selective series of lectures that enable student participation and active learning.

These might include:

  • Gamified lectures, in which students use physical play objects to model material covered online. Eg using lego to illustrate chemical structures and reactions.
  • Using lecture tools and “bring your own devices” to evaluate understanding of the online content through in-class polls and quizzes.
  • Asking students to work though solving a problem using digital collaborative tools that are then displayed to the cohort for evaluation and discussion.

3. Examples

A. Incorporating workshops into a flipped module

The table below below describes one way that workshops might be used in a flipped classroom.

In this example, workshops are additional to the pre-flipped content and intended to challenge students to increase their autonomy as learners.

Delivery Mode Step 1: Asynchronous Self-Study
(Online)		 Step 2: Practical
(Onsite Lab)		 Step 3: Workshop
(Onsite Flat Lecture Theatre)
Learning Activity Solo independent study of content formerly delivered in lectures. In pairs, apply knowledge to experiments designed by staff. In subdivided peer groups work on tasks and activities focused on “what next?” questions.
Examples:
  • present, evaluate and analyse findings from Step 2 with their group.
  • reflect on further real-world applications
  • adapt/redesign the experiment for different contexts

B. Incorporating problem-based learning

An alternative option would be to avail of flipping to redesign the module around a Problem Based Learning approach outlined in the next table.

In this example students are asked to design their own experiment to address a problem identified by the module leader.

Delivery Mode Step 1: Asynchronous Self-Study
(Online)		 Step 2: Workshop
(Onsite Flat Lecture Theatre)		 Step 3: Practical
(Onsite Lab)
Learning Activity Solo independent study of content outlining a specific problem in the discipline with guidance on how one might address it. In pairs, draw on the online content to design an appropriate experiment to investigate the problem. In pairs, conduct the experiment they have designed in Step 2 and evaluate results.

C. Incorporating project-based learning

Workshops could also be sequenced on the module to support Project-Based Learning. For example, sessions could subsequently support students to develop a mini research project.

This would likely involve the most significant redesign of the module under the flipped classroom model as it would require reorienting it entirely around supporting students’ independent work.

Delivery Mode Step 1: Workshop Series
(Onsite Flat Lecture Theatre)		 Step 2: Asynchronous Self-Study
(Online)		 Step 3: Practical
(Onsite Lab)
Learning Activity Supports students plan, design, develop and evaluate a mini project across the duration of the module (individually or in small groups) Independently study the online content in order to acquire the knowledge to pursue the project. Use practical time to implement the project.

4. Concluding points

Definitions

If you are considering adding in whole-cohort workshops in your module to replace the traditional lecture, it is important to first determine how they will complement but be distinct from practicals, seminars, or tutorials.

Without this being defined there is a risk that staff may find themselves struggling to try and apply familiar teaching methods intended to support, for example, small-group discussions or problem classes to significantly larger groups.

Staffing

A well designed workshop in which students are clear on the expectations of the task or activity can usually be facilitated by one staff member with 40 to 60 students in attendance.

However, as they do involve more interaction with students than a traditional lecture, very large workshops may need additional classroom assistants (e.g. GTAs organized similarly to how they are for lab demonstrator work).

Additional resources