Lecture 2: COMMON TEACHING METHODS

The following teaching and learning techniques fall at various points on a scale of completely directive to completely nondirective. Directive instruction is teacher-oriented and didactic, whereas nondirective instruction is student-oriented and facilitative. These are the two main categories of teaching styles, and most methods involve some combination of the two, the distribution of which is up to the educator’s discretion.
Active Learning: An interactive (as opposed to passive) approach wherein the student is allowed to generate, rather than receive, information. In an active learning environment, the teacher assumes the role of facilitator. Examples include spontaneous group dialogue, cold calling, think-pair-share, and reciprocal peer questioning.
Assessment and Feedback: By using assessment strategies that draw students into the assessment process, it is more likely that they learn more of the content that you want them to learn while getting the added benefits of learning skills that will be useful to them in the future. By deliberately using different Functions of Assessments at specific times during the learning process students, will have a clearer vision of what is expected of them and generally will be more positive about their course experiences.
Blended Learning: A blended learning approach combines face-to-face classroom methods with computer-mediated activities to form an integrated instructional approach. In the past, digital materials have served a supplementary role, helping to support face-to-face instruction. For example, a blended approach to a traditional, face-to-face course might mean that the class meets once per week instead of the usual three-session format. Learning activities that otherwise would have taken place during classroom time can be moved online. This is the idea behind flipped classrooms.