Reflective Teaching Evolution

Synopsis/Reflection – What does it mean to learn? (from a neuroscience perspective, that is) Learning, at its most fundamental, is a process that changes the brain. According to Gary’s warm-up video, neuroscience states that “learning has occurred when information can be retrieved after a period of disuse and applied to new situations.” This neuroscience definition … Continue reading 5R Adult Learning Assignment 5: Learning – The Neuroscience and the Neuromyths →

Synopsis/Reflection – Why all traditional learning theories fail to describe the entire experience of learning Merriam and Bierema (2014, p. 25) state that a learning theory is an explanation “of what happens when learning takes place”. While this definition is simple, it doesn’t really effectively capture what learning theories should entail. Illeris (2018, p. 86) … Continue reading 5R Adult Learning Assignment 4: Learning Theories →

Synopsis/Reflection – Mastery learning, Practice and Feedback: Essentials for Learning According to Ambrose et al. (2010), to achieve mastery in learning a certain domain, students must acquire key component skills, practice integrating those skills effectively, and apply those skills in appropriate contexts. We would like our students to achieve mastery because experts (interchangeable with masters … Continue reading 5R Adult Learning Assignment 3: Mastery Learning, Practice and Feedback →

This is a blog series detailing my seven 5R assignments for Adult Learning, an 8-week course I'm taking at UNM with Gary Smith. The name 5R comes from the requirements for each assignment: Read, Reflect, Research, Relate, Resources. Read reflects checking off a box - reading the assignment and working through the learning module components, which … Continue reading 5R Adult Learning Assignment 2: Prior Knowledge and Misconceptions →

This is a blog series detailing my seven 5R assignments for Adult Learning, an 8-week course I'm taking at UNM with Gary Smith. The name 5R comes from the requirements for each assignment: Read, Reflect, Research, Relate, Resources. Read reflects checking off a box - reading the assignment and working through the learning module components, which … Continue reading 5R Adult Learning Assignment 1: The Adult Learner →

I was prepared. I was ready for almost any student argument. I had thoroughly thought through how I would "sell" ungrading to my Organic Chemistry II students. And then the first day happened. It was yet another reminder that we're never truly ready for new pedagogical implementations, no matter how ready we think we are. … Continue reading Ungrading: The First Day (Part 2) →

I find myself reminiscing on what an awesome experience #BCCE2018 was, even though I could not attend the conference due to health issues. My reflection on my BCCE 2018 experience begins with a dream that was fulfilled during the conference. I co-organized (with the incredible Glenn Hurst) a symposium jointly hosted by the Higher Education … Continue reading Reflecting on #BCCE2018: Our RSC/BCC Joint Symposium “Communicating Chemistry via Social Media” →

It began with a blog post and a fundamental dismantling of my assumptions, courtesy of Jesse Stommel: Just published a new piece about ungrading and other alternative approaches to assessment. I continue to be disturbed by how many otherwise productive pedagogical conversations get sidetracked by the too easily internalized ubiquity of grades. pic.twitter.com/IJHqtvjc5Z — Jesse … Continue reading Ungrading: A Series (Part 1) →

Yesterday morning I woke up to an email from the Digital Pedagogy Lab that announced the opening of the 2019 Digital Pedagogy Lab Fellows program: The Digital Pedagogy Lab (@DigPedLab) has its 2019 Fellows application available, folks. It’s due 1/10/19. Information about the Fellows program is here: https://t.co/qzLFSZkHp7 and you directly can apply here: https://t.co/emq2jlWyF3 … Continue reading Digital Pedagogy Lab 2019 Fellowship Application →

This morning, I finally got around to reading Bonnie Stewart's SlideShare from her Northwestern University talk: today i got to hang out at @NorthwesternU and talk experiential learning & its intersection with digital learning thanks to @matthewlaron & #TEACHxperts & it was way fun & MAN this is a pretty place. slides from the opening … Continue reading Experiential Learning & Experimental Teaching →