A presentation from the STEM Annual Conference 2014.
Disengaged and apathetic students are common in many classrooms particularly in the earlier years of higher education. Learning to these students is a passive process typified by a consumer-like attitude. One approach to engage students and enhance the learning experience is to redesign the curriculum by integrating active learning and generating a student-centred learning environment. In this presentation one example of active learning aligned to an assessment for learning approach will be outlined discussed and experiences shared. In this case study second year biochemistry students produced a group digital video resource to teach their peers and a community partner about a biochemical topic that interested them.
Encouraging students to become active knowledge producers allowed peers to become a learning resource for each other. The dynamic integration of autonomous learning when appropriately timed and aligned to the curriculum can achieve an authentic and inspirational learning experience for all. Motivated students will engage in higher order thinking and will autonomously research synthesise analyse create edit and ultimately ‘produce’ their own knowledge. Research centred student produced knowledge can also give the students an earlier and more positive research experience compared to the traditional ‘capstone’ final year project typical in the Sciences.
Students that engage with this pedagogy were empowered to take ownership of their learning and learnt effectively and efficiently through a unique approach which is most conducive to their style and required less academic guidance. Empowered students are likely to become engaged students; engaged students are likely to be active “producing” students.
