Try this if you have a readings-heavy class and would like to foster healthy discussions and critical thinking among your students.
Details:
Professor: Denver Daradar
Subject: HCD1321 – The Knowledge Economy and Knowledge Management
Professor: Aileen Abadingo, Victor Primo, Garry Perez, Mags Valdez
Subject: COM011 – Reading and Writing
Intended Learning Outcome: Learners will critically analyze the text, touching on key points as well as questions they may have, and present it for discussion amongst their classmates.
Feedback & Comments:
- The students appreciated that they were not penalized for not understanding parts of the material – it really enabled them to learn and ask questions without shame
- Developing the annotation skill helped them in other classes as well
- Ensure that the reading assigned matches the students’ reading proficiency level
It’s helpful that you have a group to bounce ideas off of while reading. You might think “Oh, this is a stupid question” or “I’m probably the only one that doesn’t get it,” but when you all get together, two things could happen – One, one of your classmates can answer your question in a low-stakes environment, likely in a way easy to understand; or two, you’re all confused together, and you realize that yes, this concept really is as difficult as it looks. Having a professor that is not judgemental of your questions is crucial, so students so really can get the most out of the discussion.
– Student
U.N.I.T.A.S. Design Principles demonstrated in this design pattern:
| U.N.I.T.A.S. Design Principles | Application |
| Understands the learner | By listening to the students’ interpretations of the reading material, teachers can gauge where they’re at in terms of their skills and understanding of the course. |
| Nurtures student and teacher wellbeing | This activity creates a safe space for students to freely voice their ideas, as well as their questions, regarding the reading. By delegating reading sections, the activity also empowers students to take ownership of their task and gives them a sense of agency. |
| Achieves learning goals | By reporting on the material, students become “experts” on that particular reading, while helping their classmates understand it better as well. |
