JiTT Workshop:Writing Questions & Making It

Work

“The challenge is not simply to incorporate learning technologies into current institutional approaches, but

rather to change our fundamental views about effective teaching and learning and to use technology to do so.” (Higher Education in an Era of Digital Competition, Donald E. Hanna)

Jeff LoatsMetropolitan State University of Denver

Department of Physics

LMU – Sept. 2012

Setting The Stage

The two-week sales pitch.

Clarity of purpose without sliding to apology or guilt.

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The Ideal JiTT Web Tool

Features to seek out:

• All student responses on one webpage

• Auto-grading: 2/2 for anything by default.

• Click to email students from the response page.

• “Frequently sent responses” somewhat automated.

• List of responses is either randomized or tracked to distribute instructor attention.

• Other “modern” web amenities, like autosave, time warnings, etc.

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Small Aside: Text Expander• Every professor should have this!• You create a short text string, such as “ttyl”

Which, when typed, is instantly replaced with a longer string of your choosing:“Talk to you later!”

• Best FREE tools for Windows: –Texter (simple with some advanced tools)–AutoHotKey (advanced and can do much more)

• Best tools for Mac:–TypeIt4Me (30 days free, $5 after that. Worth it)

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Generating Questions• Higher-level questions (3rd or 4th on Bloom’s

Taxonomy) seem like better JiTT questions.• But class discussion is stimulated by both types.

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Mock WarmUp QuestionStudents have developed a robot dog and a robot cat, both of which can run at 8 mph and walk at 4 mph.

A the end of the term, there is a race!

The robot cat is programmed to run for exactly half of its racing time, then walks. The robot dog is programmed to run for exactly half the racing distance, then walks.

Which one wins the race? Explain your reasoning.

(put this on a notecard, please)

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Some Brainstorming• Imagine an introductory course in your discipline.

• Imagine a topic you discuss early in that course.

• On a notecard, write down one question, of either type:

– A “low level” question (remember, understand):Terms: “Define, repeat” or “describe, explain”

– A “higher level” question (apply, analyze, evaluate)Terms: “Sketch, use” or “compare, estimate”

• Take a few minutes, then I will ask you to trade your question with a neighbor. Answer each other’s questions as best you can…

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Student Feedback

315 students in 7 classes over 4 terms (roughly ±6%)

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The WarmUps have…Agreed or

Strongly Agreed

…helped me to be more prepared for class than I would otherwise be. 70%

…helped me to be more engaged in class than I would otherwise be.  80%

…helped me to learn the material better than I otherwise would 64%

…been worth the time they required to complete 57%

What Might Stop You?

In terms of the technique?

In terms of the technology?

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What Might Stop You: Techniques• The time investment for instructor is large the first

time, falling to an extra ~30 minutes after that.

• As with nearly any learner-centered technique, the amount of material “covered” will likely shrink.

–To “cover” more or have the students learn more… not a questions I can answer for you.

• Your actions must reflect the value you place on their efforts on the WarmUps. Do your part.

• JiTT (used well) places more responsibility for learning on the students. Students may balk.

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What Might Stop You: Technology• All technology has both a learning curve and flaws.

–Practice with your technology beforehand.

–Give yourself “outs” so that if it goes badly it doesn’t cause a stampede.

–Find a community of instructors to help you through rough patches (Local? Online?).

• Visit a class that uses these techniques.

• Don’t reinvent the wheel!

• Don’t do it all at once. (“10% rule”, or 5 min a day)

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A Possible Plan• Choose one course you will teach next term.

• Write two questions for each lecture

– One lower-level, one higher.

– Give yourself 10 minutes to write each question

• Write a standard 3rd (1st?) metacognitive question

• Discuss one question at the top of class, and one in the middle. Use the metacognitive responses as break points or highlights.

• Find yourself wishing you had implemented Just in Time Teaching in all your courses.

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Works Cited• Bloom B. S. (1956). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, Handbook

I: The Cognitive Domain. New York: David McKay Co Inc.• Bloom’s Taxonomy Wheel, posted May 17th, 2010,

http://dougpete.wordpress.com/2010/05/17/blooms-taxonomy/

Jeff Loats

Jeff.Loats@gmail.com

303-900-2175

Take a card and visit slideshare.net/jeffloats

Thanks!Than

ks!