Educational Approaches

In Fall 2013 the Task Force on Academic Innovation and New Educational Approaches Issued a Faculty Survey.  The first question asked, “Have you developed or implemented any of the following educational approaches or are you interested in doing so?”

  1. Adaptive learning/learning analytics: Technology-enabled learning model in which students are constantly given exercises and questions based on their demonstrated mastery (or lack of mastery) of previous material.
  2. Alternate Scheduling: Course does not use typical semester calendar, e.g., block courses, accelerated term, minimester, short courses, etc.
  3. Clickers (Interactive quizzing in class): Clickers or classroom response systems enable instructors to rapidly collect and summarize student responses to multiple-choice questions they ask of students in class
  4. Experiential Learning: Problem-based, project-based, or applied learning. Authentic learning experiences; Learning by doing; Application of knowledge, skills, and responsibilities to new settings and complex problems.
  5. Field work: Learning outside the classroom, e.g., gathering data in the field; includes mobile learning.
  6. Flipping the classroom: Moving administrative and other activities out of the classroom to allow for more interaction or deeper learning in the classroom
  7. Game-based learning: Using competitive exercises to motivate student learning
  8. Hybrid or Blended learning : Combining face-to-face and online instruction, potentially with reduced face-to-face time Integrative learning: Encouraging students to build connections across the curriculum and beyond, e.g., through portfolios, interdisciplinary capstones, linked courses, etc.
  9. Interdisciplinary Approaches to Teaching: Use and integration of methods and analytical frameworks from more than one academic discipline to examine a theme, issue, question or topic
  10. MOOC: Massive Open Online Course
  11. Networked course: Intercampus course; Course with local instructor(s) that also links to a network of other courses.
  12. Online learning: Course delivery is completely online
  13. Pedagogical experimentation: Encouraging risk-taking in pedagogy, e.g., by allowing faculty to opt out of course evaluations periodically for an experimental course
  14. Portfolios: Evaluating students based on progress demonstrated by a portfolio of work maintained across the course of a semester or across multiple semesters
  15. Prior learning assessment: Granting college credit for college-level learning achieved in settings other than the college classroom
  16. Self-instructional learning: Students work on their own to develop competency in a skill, subject-matter, etc.
  17. Service-learning: Academic learning through community service.
  18. Simulations/Case-Based Learning: Simulations for learning a discipline in a controlled environment; enable students to solve real-world problems in a safe environment. Includes case-based learning & role-playing.
  19. Studio-based teaching: Students work on their own artifacts in a studio context, receive formative critiques from experts and peers, and iterate their work. Studio-based learning develops problem-solving and design skills.
  20. Team-based learning: AKA collaborative or cooperative learning. Students rely on each other for their own learning and are held accountable for coming to class prepared.
  21. Team-teaching: Two or more faculty co-teach a course; instructors model collaboration, often with an interdisciplinary focus.
  22. Student research and creative activity: Provides opportunities for students to collaborate with faculty on authentic research projects or creative activities, learning about both a particular topic in a field and the research or creative process in general.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *