Educators increasingly recognize the value of engaging students in their learning experiences. While short, targeted lectures can be effective tools to communicate content and instructor enthusiasm, lectures as the sole instructional strategy may not result in optimal student outcomes. “Active learning,” often defined as any strategy that asks students to do things and think about what they are doing, can help increase student motivation, engagement, retention and transfer, as well as improve learning outcomes. Active learning (AL) strategies can include learner-centered activities integrated into a lecture, or more robust approaches like team-based or problem-based learning. This session will provide faculty an opportunity to experientially explore active learning strategies that can easily be incorporated into the classroom.
Violet Kulo is an Associate Professor in the Health Professions Education program in the Graduate School at the University of Maryland Baltimore. Violet’s scholarly interests include instructional design, learner engagement, student assessment, and evaluation of innovative educational programs. Dr. Kulo is a team member of the Physician Assistant (PA) Leadership and Learning Academy, a state-wide initiative led by the University of Maryland Baltimore to advance PA education across the state of Maryland.
Erin Hagar is an instructional designer with the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning, and has worked in higher education for over twenty years. Her passions include helping faculty discover active learning strategies that work for them, designing authentic assessments that mirror the real-world application of knowledge, and the impact of the social and emotional environment on learning. As a member of the Physician Assistant Leadership and Learning Academy team, she designs faculty development for PA educators across Maryland.