Panel Discussion
Instead of repeating 30-minute presentations, consider inviting 3 speakers to give a short 10-minute talk on overlapping topics and have the moderator lead them through a panel discussion after wards based on prepared questions or questions from the audience (comment wall to engage) or case discussions (polling to engage).
Recommended polling software: https://www.slido.com/?experience_id=13-z
Fireside Chat
A fireside chat is a personal and interactive discussion involving a moderator and guest, allowing an audience to gain insights into the guest’s personal stories and thoughts on various topics.
Debate
State the notion clearly. Take a poll from the audience regarding who is for or against the motion. Ask the audience if they are willing to change their mind. Given how much time is allowed, have each speaker give their pitch and allow for at least one rebuttal. At the end of the debate, retake a poll and see if the percentage of people for or against the motion has changed.
Recommended polling software: https://www.slido.com/?experience_id=13-z
Polling
Use multiple choice questions to have audience actively participate in case discussions or controversial topics for panel discussions. See this page for suggestions.
Recommended polling software: https://www.slido.com/?experience_id=13-z
One-Minute Paper
A “one-minute paper” is a very short, in-class writing activity (taking one minute or less to complete) in response to an instructor-posed question, which prompts students to reflect on the day’s lesson and provides the instructor with useful feedback. “In your opinion, what was the most useful idea discussed in today’s class?” “What did you learn in this session today?”
Entry and Exit Tickets
When learners enter the room (Entrance Tickets) or a few minutes before the end of session (Exit Tickets), give learners a question (or two) that they must answer.
Digital Entrance and Exit Tickets
You can also have learners complete digital entrance and exit tickets. Use Google Forms and set it up with a QR code so students can scan the code with their phones as they enter/exit the classroom. You could also set it up on Google Drawings (with sticky note template), Google Jamboard, Padlet, Flipgrid, Google Docs, Google Classroom Question, or any other digital system that allows students to respond quickly.
Interactive Demonstrations
Use spine or skull modules, have a hands-on portion if subject matter allows (chicken breast suture workshop), “EVD placement” with image guidance, involve industry to allow a hands-on portion in your course or class.
Games
Gamify the pre-post quiz
Recommended software: https://kahoot.com/schools-u/
Simulation
Simulations lab, cadaver lab, endovascular simulator, role-play.
Round Robin
- Pose an open-ended question to all students
- Give them some time to think independently
- Decide the order of sharing (breakout rooms)
This activity allows every student in a course to share. Be explicit about how much you want students to share (e.g., one word, one sentence, or for one minute). Compared to Think-Pair-Share, groups are usually larger but the responses are generally shorter. In other words, Think-Pair-Share might allow students to delve deeper, but Round Robin allows them to hear more perspectives.
Buzz Groups
Buzz Groups can help quickly and efficiently gather feedback on a topic or respond to a specific question during a plenary (a session that includes all participants of an event). Without moving from their seats, participants form mini-clusters of two or three people and engage in free discussion – or ‘buzz’ – for a few minutes on a given question. Buzz Groups provide a welcome change of pace for participants, helping to enliven and energize large group meetings and events.
Digital Sticky Notes
Sticky notes can be a great way to quickly get a lot of student ideas out at once. Use them for collaborative brainstorming activities, mind-mapping, and for helping students develop critical thinking by sorting concepts together.
Recommended software: https://padlet.com/auth/signup
Think-Pair-Share
Think-Pair-Share activities pose a question to students that they must consider alone and then discuss with a neighbor before settling on a final answer. This is a great way to motivate students and promote higher-level thinking.
- Open-ended question: Pose a question that requires reflection on material presented rather than simple recall.
- Sentence starter/fill in the blank: Present a sentence that needs completion in order to reflect an accurate statement. Ask learners to complete the sentence, then compare answer with a neighbor. Best if sentence starter requires reflection that goes beyond recall to levels of application or analysis.
- Compare or contrast: Identify 2 important parallel elements from the lesson and ask learners to identify similarities and differences.
- What’s your diagnosis? Present a case vignette or short video and ask learners to provide a diagnosis, identify an error in care, etc.
- Re-order steps: Present a series of steps in mixed order and ask learners to re-order them to the correct sequence.
- Paraphrase an idea: Present an idea and ask learners to rephrase it using their own words.
- Support a statement: Create a statement for which learners must provide supporting evidence.
- Reach a conclusion: Present facts or opinions, asking learners to make a logical inference. Such statements may result in multiple correct responses.
Asynchronous Learning Activities
1-2-3-4-All
You can immediately include everyone regardless of how large the group is. Generate better ideas and more of them faster.
- Silent self-reflection by individuals on a shared challenge, framed as a question (e.g., What opportunities do YOU see for making progress on this challenge? How would you handle this situation? What ideas or actions do you recommend?) 1 min.
- Generate ideas in pairs, building on ideas from self-reflection. 2 min.
- Share and develop ideas from your pairs in foursomes (notice similarities and differences). 4 min.
- Ask, “What is one idea that stood out in your conversation?” Each group shares one important idea with all (repeat cycle as needed). 5 min.
Peer Teaching
In peer instruction, instructors pose a challenging question to students, students answer the question individually, students work with a partner in the class to discuss their answers, and finally students answer the question again. A large body of evidence shows that peer instruction benefits student learning.
Team-based Learning (TBL)
Team-based learning (TBL) is a structured form of small-group learning that emphasizes student preparation out of class and application of knowledge in class. Students are organized strategically into diverse teams of 5-7 students that work together throughout the class. Before each unit or module of the course, students prepare by reading prior to class. Use iRAT and gRAT (see below)
Individual Readiness Assurance Test (iRAT) / Group Readiness Assurance Test (gRAT)
The Individual Readiness Assurance Test (iRAT) is a short (5-10 question – 5 minute) quiz taken by an individual student.
The Group Readiness Assurance Test (gRAT) is a short (5-10 question – 5 minute) quiz taken by assigned groups of students.
The tests are typically multiple choice. The student discusses what they think the correct answer is in a small group. This process encourages learners to review the material, evaluate their understanding, and defend the choice they made. gRAT reflects active learning principles (and Provides a Healthy Dose of Peer Pressure). The gRAT is typically administered during each class session during a small group activity (a.k.a. TBL: team-based learning). Each group receives one copy of the gRAT and must answer it together. All group members receive the same score. gRAT scores are typically higher than iRAT scores because students must deliberate over each potential response. (This discussion is one form of active learning at work!) Lastly, the group setting encourages students to come to class prepared so that their lack of preparation does not weigh down the entire group.
Jigsaw
- Identify a learning module that can be broken into parts (e.g., students need to read four different research papers about a similar topic).
- Form small groups and have each group focus on one of the parts (e.g., each group reads one of the four papers). This can be completed asynchronously.
- During class, allow the groups to discuss their part with the goal of explaining it to other classmates.
- Reform the groups so that each new group has one member that focused on a different part. Each group member now explains their part to the new group.
- Provide the new groups with a problem to solve that requires the integration of the different parts.
Zoom White Board
While the Zoom whiteboard is somewhat limited, it is the quickest route to some quick drawings. From a Zoom meeting, Share screen -> Whiteboard. You can add text or draw, either yourself or with the class.
Zoom Annotation
From within a screenshare in a meeting, you can "annotate" your slide to quickly circle or draw attention to content, either yourself or with the class.
What-if-Analysis
You are to identify one specific point in a patient’s history of present illness for which you are interested in changing the outcome. Once you have identified your point of divergence, you will need to consider both the immediate changes and the long-term impacts that divergence would have on the patient’s. outcome. You will work with your learners to compose a “revised history.”
Digital Inking
For more control over writing and more sophisticated software, you will probably want to use a tablet.
Two-stage Exam
- Students complete an exam (or exam-like questions) individually, keep a copy of their responses, and submit another copy to the instructor. This can be completed asynchronously.
- Students are put into small groups, complete the same or similar exam, and submit their answers together. This can be completed during class in breakout rooms or groups can meet separately and complete the second stage by a certain deadline.
Muddiest Point
This quick and easy active learning activity asks students to identify the muddiest, or most confusing point in a lecture, class session, or assignment. By asking students to write this down and collecting their responses you can quickly identify the areas where your students are having difficulty. From there you can address those difficulties at the start of your next class. The effectiveness of this strategy hinges on addressing the muddiest points identified by the students. You can respond via email, your course management system, or with a short screencast or video.
Students-generated Question
Have students generate their own questions for a quiz.
Concept Test
Concept Tests are generally short, and as they are multiple choice, they are useful for immediate quantitative assessment of student understanding. It may be useful to the instructor to know how many correct responses there are to a question both before and after peer instruction to better gauge student understanding.
Maybe follow up with a "think-pair-share."
Teach-back
The purpose of this toolkit is to help all health care providers learn to use teach-back—every time it is indicated. The toolkit combines health literacy principles of plain language and using teach-back to confirm understanding, with behavior change principles of coaching to new habits and adapting systems to promote consistent use of key practices.
Teach-back toolkit: http://www.teachbacktraining.org/home
Three-minute Pause
Incorporate a Three-Minute Pause as a break in large sections of content. The Three-Minute Pause provides a chance for students to stop, reflect on the concepts and ideas that have just been introduced, make connections to prior knowledge or experience, and seek clarification.
Anchor Chart
An anchor chart is a tool used to support instruction (i.e., “anchor” the learning for students). As you teach a lesson, you create a chart, together with your students, that captures the most important content and relevant strategies.
K-W-L Chart
K-W-L stands for the three columns on the chart: Know, Want-to-know, and Learned. KWL charts are designed to encourage reading or guide a learning session. They are also a great way to refresh your knowledge about a certain topic or identify knowledge gaps.