INTERACTIVE TEACHING/LEARNING.

Compelling evidence shows that different interactive methods used during lecturing large classes, but probably in smaller ones as well, help increase student participation, a change of attitude towards learning (not dozing in the back rows or worse - disturbing by creating the background noise); it can enhance the volume of learned material and decrease the attention fade – “fight the fade” – increase the active attention span. In the digital era being in front of a classroom with no technological backing is really lecturing naked. Advocates of the “clickers” – classroom response systems, argue that these enlivening techniques through remote control devices that collect data and give out chartered results on the front screen “allow teachers to sample the thinking of all the students at all the time”, without the risk of embarrassing students because of not having understood, or not knowing in front of their peers. At any moment lecturers can verify understanding, plus attendance, plus participation and attention, students cannot any more doze in the back  rows; the conclusion of the system users is that clickers give lecturers a detailed picture of the normalized gains the percentage of knowledge accumulated during a lecture/course. The constant communication and connection during the lecture between the lecturer and the auditory excludes the phobia about the analysis paralysis. The gap between the expected or ideal result and the actual state can be reduced through constant evaluation, by incorporating the evaluation in all the stages - the evaluation permeates all the steps of the teaching/learning process.

Among other interactive methods LOLAs (Live Online Learning Activities) experts cite, proper instructional magic Psychic Card Trick, the case method and optical illusions, that captured my attention in particular.

The Psychic Card Trick is good to be used to demonstrate key principles from perceptual psychology and to emphasize the potential limitations of observation as a data-gathering strategy, like an experiment.

The Case Method - A popular teaching technique for ESP, can be used as an effective training tool in virtual classrooms. The basic procedure involves the participants processing the case material that is presented in an audio, video, or text format.

The Optical Illusions provide attention-getting visual metaphors for key concepts and principles. The hypothesis at test is mind’s capacity for patternicity. This capacity helps us act and think proactively but also leads to self-deception, superstitious behavior and conspiracy theories. This trick is used namely to identify and use the false beliefs as markers so as to differentiate and elucidate the correct answers in multiple choice activities for example. Also based on psychologic cognitive aptitudes of the individual.

These are the main theoretical take-away that I internalized from the readings of this week, I insisted on recasting it and sharing it with anyone who maybe was also captivated by the information or maybe focused on some other aspects; it is good to share, when one is apt of teaching somebody else it means s/he understood - it is another essential point from the materials of this week, this emphasizes the importance of the pair/group work and the productive noise that we as a rule - dread.

Some other capital points from the readings are not to reinvent the wheel, reuse, adjust, adapt everything, capitalize and valorize what we already have but “build the plane while flying it” which means design activities, aspects while training.

The master card of the practical work of the current week is the interactive PPP power points presentations and the incorporated tests in google.docs test format that I can pride myself with creating.

The proper launch of my project for the course could also be considered as successful.

Ø     I have created a site, I sent invitations - students responded, became members and published their blogs’ URLs on the discussion thread.  This site is intended and expected to become a platform of communication and interaction for the course.

Ø     I have posted my interactive PPP Problem/Solution essay that I presented to them and worked with. They are going to need this later on, when they are going to create a short up to 2 min video documentary on a social issue at their choice.

Ø     I have created a timeline of the main activities during the immediate following weeks and months for reference. I have posted several WebQuests as examples to study, as students have also to create one.
I would like to conclude this remarkable week with some quotes: “A mind is a fire to be kindled, not a vessel to be filled.” by Plutarch, which is relevant to the topic of this week of active interactive learning.  But this one “Schools are designed on the assumption that there is a secret to everything in life; that the quality of life depends on knowing that secret; that secrets can be known only in orderly succession; and that only teachers can properly reveal these secrets.” by Ivan lllich, seems to be strongly outdated, outpaced by the flipping ubiquitous technology.