Author: Funmi Amobi
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Reassessing Assessment in Covid-19 Crisis: The Importance of Discursive and Performative Reflection
The Covid-19-forced pivot to remote teaching has upended productive discourse about evidence-based pedagogical practices. The recurring theme in the myriad of recommendations and best practices for engaging students in remote learning is the need to communicate care and hope, and to maintain a sense of connectedness. The pandemic is a great equalizer; the resultant uncertainties,…
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Bringing out Students’ Best Assets in Remote Teaching: Questioning Reconsidered
To say that these are unprecedented times in higher education is becoming an understatement. Across the country, traditional face-to-face classes are now in remote delivery. University teachers are working assiduously to approximate as much as possible the best practices of traditional classroom teaching format in the digital platform. This unique transition presents the opportunity to…
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Going Far Together: The Benefits of Participating in a Faculty Learning Community
“If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” Faculty learning communities (FLCs) provide a fail-safe place for university educators with a common interest in innovative teaching and learning practices to go far together. FLCs are interdisciplinary groups of 6 – 15 faculty members who engage in a…
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Two Heads Are Better Than One: Tips for Making Group Work Work
Group work is a critical element of active learning (Freeman et al. 2014; Brame & Biel, 2015, Hodge, 2017; Tombak & Altun, 2016). The benefits of group work range from promoting learning, metacognition and academic success to developing social interaction, communication, and critical thinking skills. These skills are greatly valued in the workplace (Hodge, 2017;…
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It’s OK to Lecture: Tips for Priming Lecture With Active Learning Structures and Techniques
The lecture method has come under serious criticism in recent times (Haave, 2019). A body of research attests to the benefits of active learning (Freeman et al., 2014; Deslauriers et al., 2019). In view of the upsurge of support for active learning, the lecture method seems somewhat anachronistic when it comes to reaching today’s students.…
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Lesson Planning Matters: Learning Points from Tuesday Teaching Talk
Lesson Planning Matters: Learning Points from Tuesday Teaching Talk “Teaching in a university classroom requires preparation and a redirection of focus. The teaching is not about us; it’s about the students” (Hara, 2010). I recently facilitated my first Tuesday Teaching Talk to a cross-section of esteemed OSU faculty. If you missed it, this blogpost summarizes…