Activity 2. Derek's Metacognition Activity - Midterm Reflection

Activity 2. Derek's Metacognition Activity - Midterm Reflection

by Derek Murray -
Number of replies: 10

This is very practical for me since this activity will be happening on Thursday! Students in my class (HIST 209 - History of Aboriginal Peoples in Canada) wrote their midterm exam last week, and I will be handing back the graded exams this week.

Context

  • The course is structured using the Team-Based Learning model, so students are in the same teams every week.
  • The class meets once per week in a 3-hour block. There are 35 students.
  • Very little class time is spent lecturing (about 15-20% usually) and most of the time is spent in guided team activities.
  • Most of their discussions happen in their regular teams, though there are always full class discussions and sometimes I have them discuss things outside their teams using Impromptu Networking, 1-2-4-All, or similar strategies.
  • Half of the students are multi-lingual learners, primarily from South Asia, many in their first semester in Canada, and the other half are mostly students from the Lower Mainland, many of whom are in teacher-track programs.

Current Version of Activity

Usually after a midterm I have students do a reflection activity that is either a variation on 3-2-1, or something that looks like this:

  • First: What was the most important theme or concept that you learned about in the first half of the course? Why?
    • (1) Take a minute to write down your response. (2) Share with a partner. (4) Create groups of 4 [variation: go back to your team] and make rationale for a consensus choice. (ALL) Defend your choice to the class and discuss.

  • Second: What did you do before the exam that helped you succeed? Share in your teams. Then, choose one new strategy that you will implement in preparing for the final exam. [Teams then discuss and share back their key takeaways to the class.]

I am trying to think of a way to enhance the metacognitive aspect of this activity, or to change it completely if necessary. I've found this does generally work well in other non-TBL courses, but I am curious if there is a way to leverage TBL to make it even more effective. The reading from Joseph Ball ("Connect-Extend-Challenge") helped to shape my thinking on this question, and I am building off the "Five Tips" article by John Spencer, specifically the "Integrate Self-Assessment" part.

Revised Version of Activity

  • First [no change to this part]: What was the most important theme or concept that you learned about in the first half of the course? Why?
    • (1) Take a minute to write down your response. (2) Share with a partner. (4) Create groups of 4 [variation: go back to your team] and make rationale for a consensus choice. (ALL) Defend your choice to the class and discuss.

  • Second: Start by answering the following questions [write or type responses]:
    • Which parts of the exam did you do well on? Why? (i.e. what study strategies did you use to prepare?)
    • Which parts of the exam did you do poorly on? Why? (i.e. what was missing in your study strategy?)
    • How much better do you want to do on the final exam? (i.e. make a specific goal, e.g. B+ instead of C+)
    • Start, stop, continue: What is one thing you will start doing, one thing you will stop doing, and one thing you will continue doing in order to reach your goal?
    • Share in your teams. Then, choose one new strategy that you will implement in preparing for the final exam. [Teams then discuss and share back their key takeaways to the class.]

Is that too many questions? Or is it manageable? I usually give about 30 minutes in class for this whole activity. I am attaching two slides that will be used to provide instructions. All of your feedback is very much appreciated!

Thanks,

Derek

In reply to Derek Murray

Re: Activity 2. Derek's Metacognition Activity - Midterm Reflection

by Leonne Beebe -

Derek,

Your class description sounds like many classes now found in post-secondary, mine included. The blending of first and second language English speakers in one class offers unique challenges and also supports the role of metacognitive activities in helping students experience the value of learning about their own learning and thinking about their own thinking in relationship to their success as learners.

You have put a lot of thought into how to expand and revise your reflection activity. Your first step integrates metacognition with mostly   collaboration, which is an effective group consensus activity. Your second step does focus more on the individual's metacognitive insights into their relationship with their own learning process.  There may also be a third step to further help each student explore and examine their relationship with the course content. Questions such as, "What was the most interesting for you? Why?", or "What was new for you?  Tell me more." .  Especially for ESL students learning about Canada's indigenous history, this type of question helps to personalize their learning process.  Also, questions like, "What was easy, hard and/or confusing for you? Why?" will  also help you to discover any misconceptions or misunderstandings students may have about the course content. Adding an "Other Comments" space may also result in student input into their learning.

You have the "ideal" situation- the need to be ready to check out your revised activities with your students on Thursday.  I look forward to your reflection on your revisions.

Based on the depth of our participants' experience, I look forward to learning from their feedback and comments.

Out of confusion comes clarity.

Leonne

In reply to Derek Murray

Re: Activity 2. Derek's Metacognition Activity - Midterm Reflection

by Heather Smith -

Hi Derek -- I appreciated this post so much!!! For a novice online teacher the use of the links is so helpful so thank you for that because it's modelling great practices for me to use in the future. I also really appreciate the intentionality with with you guide your students to reflect on their learning. 

The one question I have is whether or not the students receive the questions in advance? I ask because I've found with some of my learners that asking them to reflect 'on the spot' can cause them anxiety and I have had some learners who like to take time to reflect and not be required to respond 'quickly'. I've found that if I provide some of the reflective questions in advance that it fosters a greater sense of ease among some of my learners. 

My two bits. 

Cheers - Heather 

In reply to Heather Smith

Re: Activity 2. Derek's Metacognition Activity - Midterm Reflection

by Derek Murray -

Hi Heather,

Thanks for the feedback! In general, I agree that some advance knowledge of the questions is a good idea. What do you think about it in this specific case though? Should I provide the questions in advance even though they won't have seen the marked exam yet? I suppose even without the marked exam they can still answer some of the reflection prompts.

I should say also that this won't be the first time they've been asked to reflect in this way. The questions are slightly different, but this is something we do on a weekly basis. In your experience, does the anxiety still exist after multiple iterations of the same kind of activity? In other words, is it the idea of reflecting that causes the anxiety? Or is it the specific questions that they are being asked to consider?

Thanks again. Good question!

Derek

In reply to Derek Murray

Re: Activity 2. Derek's Metacognition Activity - Midterm Reflection

by Heather Smith -

Hi Derek -- I think if you're students are used to these kinds of processes that indeed the anxiety is reduced - as you suggest. And it sounds like you've created a classroom where those kinds of reflections are the norm and so that matters greatly. 

From my experience, it's not the idea of reflecting that causes the anxiety, it's the speed with which they are asked to reflect and then share their reflections. Some of my most reflective students just wanted more time. Some of my international students wanted the time so they could get the language right. There are a variety of reasons. 

But if you do it regularly than that makes a significant difference to the class and to the context in which your assessment is taking place. 

Of course, you can always ask the students -- I can't seem to navigate myself back to your main activity description but if we're not sure about something we can always ask the students...and I suspect you have all sorts of those kinds of assessments baked into your class.

Cheers - Heather 

In reply to Heather Smith

Re: Activity 2. Derek's Metacognition Activity - Midterm Reflection

by Derek Murray -

Thanks Heather. The "speed" is a challenge for me, as I am usually trying to cram too many activities into a three-hour class.

In reply to Derek Murray

Re: Activity 2. Derek's Metacognition Activity - Midterm Reflection

by Neil Davison -

just a quick thought Derek (this thought popped up in my reading of Janna's too).

Is it difficult to perhaps get them to question their study strategies prior to the exam rather than afterwards - prevention rather than cure?

I can see why we would want to interrogate after the fact.

Are study strategies covered beforehand?

Neil

In reply to Derek Murray

Re: Activity 2. Derek's Metacognition Activity - Midterm Reflection

by Doug Strable -

Hello Derek, 

This question is indeed very interesting (and important)!

1. When I look at the activity, it seems the responsibility for the test results rests on the test taker. Isn't it true the test itself, the test maker and also the course design bears some responsibility for the test results?  BC Campus has a great OpenText resource called University 101 that helps students develop their learning skills.  Maybe you could ask some questions referring to this text to make the questions less personal and pressured?

2. My graduate class also ended with a reflective exercise, but the difference was that the questions focused on how we would change the course for the next class. The discussions were lively and enjoyable because we had the feeling our comments were contributing to the improvement of the learning of the next class. People also shared how they collaborated and studied together to help their learning. 

3. I also found as a mature student how powerful the rubrics are in learning if given at the start of the course. I constantly checked the rubrics to see that I was on target with the learning in the course and helped me evaluate my learning myself. Asking the students to compare the test results with the rubrics would also focus the reflection on the course and how the student worked with the rubrics. I like how the U of Waterloo even suggests creating rubrics with students! That might be an idea too for the reflective practice.

I feel from my undergraduate days to nowadays the role of instruction is changing from an instructor role to more of a guidance counsellor where we guide our students in their learning.  

I hope these comments help you think about your thinking. 

Doug 


In reply to Doug Strable

Re: Activity 2. Derek's Metacognition Activity - Midterm Reflection

by Shawna Williams -

Hi Derek,

I see some rich discussion in this thread, and don't have much to contribute. However, in the note about getting students to help create a rubric with you, I once tried this in a final course of a diploma program (for people who were in a teacher education program!), and they were very much outside of their comfort zone! None had ever been invited to co-create a rubric. They required far more prompting and guidance than I'd anticipated. I've not had the opportunity to teach this course again, but if I ever did,I would love to do the rubric co-creation again, but would definitely approach it in baby-steps (e.g., for an earlier assignment, they could come up with 1 criterion in addition to ones I have already prepared), so that by the end of the course, they'd feel more competent to co-create an entire rubric.

In reply to Derek Murray

Re: Activity 2. Derek's Metacognition Activity - Midterm Reflection

by Viviana Chiorean -

Hi Derek,

You have some thought-provoking questions there and I particularly like the "start, stop and continue" component. It can be often difficult to pinpoint a "bad" strategy, and even once identified (ie. "cramming"), it may be difficult to stop unless one clearly makes a commitment to do so. I'm speaking from personal experience here ;) will head to sleep soon!

Viviana 


In reply to Derek Murray

Re: Activity 2. Derek's Metacognition Activity - Midterm Reflection

by Beth Cougler Blom -

Hi Derek,

This feedback is probably coming too late because you're probably facilitating the activity right now, but another option could be to slightly lengthen the pairs and foursomes parts of the 1-2-4-All to have the person listen to their partner's top theme and share that person's rationale with the foursome instead of their own:

(1 min) Take a minute to write down your response. (4 min) Share with a partner. Listen and take notes on your partner's important theme or concept and their reason why. (8 min) Join your pair with another pair. Make the rationale to the two new people for why your partner made their choice in the new group of four. (ALL) Defend yours or your partner's choice to the class and discuss.

Just a riff/variation on your idea! Love that you're using Liberating Structures.