Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Stephen Mang Use Packback to Encourage Peer Learning in a Chemistry Lab
Dr. Stephen Mang shares how Packback gives students a place where they can help each other understand class materials, lab experiments and data analytics that he may not have time to cover in class.
“Packback has been great for really expanding my curriculum in a student-driven way that lets them fill in information gaps for each other.”
Dr. Stephanie Tikkanen from Ohio University shares how she uses Packback in her course of 18 to increase student engagement.
Read more “Professor Video: The Value of Packback in Small Courses”Why was your post moderated?
Closed-ended questions aren’t just questions that can be answered with a “yes” or “no”! We consider a closed-ended question to be one that has a straight forward response — there is a correct answer to it, it can be found on Google or in a textbook, or it can be copied and pasted from another source. Your post was moderated because we felt it demonstrated the characteristics of a closed-ended question and has the potential to be revised into one that is open-ended and therefore more engaging!
Why do we moderate for closed-ended questions?
Closed-ended questions don’t allow for you and your peers to explore various opinions and ideas. Closed-ended questions can lead to many students restating similar answers with slightly different wording, or students agreeing with one another without supporting their opinion. This is because a closed-ended question seeks an answer that is already defined and does not invite novel discussion.
There is strong evidence that peer learning is an effective way to motivate deeper learning in the classroom. In this webinar, Alex Gainer of the University of Alberta shares three strategies instructors can use to transition their class from the traditional chalk-and-talk lecture to an environment that encourages effective peer learning.
Read more “Packback Webinar: Peer Learning- Why It’s Worth It & How to Easily Implement It”
Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Chritopher Capp on Enhancing the Level of Questioning in His Biochemistry Course
Dr. Christoper Capp shares how implementing Packback helped his students connect what they learned in previous courses to what they were learning in their senior-level biochemistry course. Dr. Capp found that these connections began enhancing the level of questioning from his students.
“Over the past half of the semester that we’ve been using Packback, I’ve already noticed students are thinking much more critically and at a much deeper level about the material that we’re covering.”
