Talk on designing Active Learning Classroom

Dr. Rekha Srinivasan delivered a talk on designing active learning classroom (ALC) for Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM), a bridge between teaching and learning. She is James S. Swinehart Professorial Teaching Fellow and Senior Instructor in the Department of Chemistry at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), Cleveland, USA. Dr Rekha Srinivasan spoke about integrating active learning strategies in the classroom, using some common and simple active learning strategies in teaching and instructional technologies to support the use of active learning and maintaining the student-attention-span. Dr. Rekha Srinivasan mentioned that pursuit of active research enhances the teachers’ ability to teach effectively bringing out the application areas of the lessons learnt. She circulated a learning style questionnaire, to find out what kind of learner each of them was. She explained that there were three types of learners – audio learners, visual learners and kinesthetic learners. She mentioned that it is important to be aware that in a classroom there will be all the three types of learners and the instruction should cater to all the types to keep the whole class lively and involved. She noted that this can be achieved with a proper mix of auditory instructions, visuals and hands on exercises. Dr Rekha Srinivasan also made all the participants to answer a classroom teaching style survey to know what kind of teacher they were: Traditional (teacher centered), Transitional (teacher guided), Transitional (student influenced), Reformed (student centered). This led to an introspection on the type of teacher each one was. She reiterated that each and every type was acceptable and reflected the type of teaching outlook. Dr. Rekha Srinivasan spoke about new learning techniques such as Concept Maps, Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) Classes and JiTT which could enhance the classroom experience. She also spoke about flipped and hybrid classrooms, and the need to involve the students in group activities to enhance the learning outcomes. She stressed on the need for infrastructural and technological support to support the new age teaching requirements.