Review the evidence we’ve provided and decide which one you think is more powerful and relevant for you. Write down and share why you feel that way.

1.  How Eric Mazur brought peer instruction into the lecture theatre using simple ‘clicker’ technology in his lectures – watch Mazur’s 2012 keynote from 18 min 25 sec for about three minutes

I came across a different video by Professor Mazur quite recently, Confessions of a Converted Lecturer, and really enjoyed watching the whole hour or so of his lecture.  I found seeing someone relating their experience of both naively (in the sense of being open minded) and expertly (in a scientific sense) dissecting and responding to the challenge of enhancing learning was both inspiring and informative, and particularly refreshing for me to see outside of a TEL context with the emphasis on “enhancing”.  (As an aside, it’s interesting that the comparative quality of these two videos in terms of “glossy production” has nothing to do with the impact of the content for me.)

Eric is focussing on his teaching in his context.  For teachers in similar settings the evidence appears compelling and direct lessons could be drawn around teaching in lecture theatre settings, creating discussion and teaching through questioning.  “You can’t sleep in my lectures”.

In a “traditional” lecture information may be pushed at students with an implicit assumption that they’re equipped to actively construct their own understanding from the material presented.  It’s that assumption which has been knocked over here, showing that even “high level” students learn better when they’re supported and, though not centrally, that the clicker technology augments the activity.

Here’s a mischievous thought: does that have implications for the common practice and professional development of  educators primarily working as individuals within institutions?  How many of us would say that we work within a functional community of practice?

In other settings the lessons require more consideration.  Certainly, the teachers I know don’t strictly demarcate “information transfer” and supporting students to assimilate new knowledge.  It’s worth reflecting that I’ve heard lecturers describe all kinds of antics they use to disrupt their student’s expectations of a lecture  even in similar traditional settings and pull their attention into the moment, so there may be other activities to experiment with.

What really jumps out at me – and what makes this a powerful example for my ocTEL thinking – is the analytical approach and Eric’s drive to enhance learning outcomes by changing methods, whether technology based or not.

I wonder how we might be similarly analytical in our own design experiments to help evolve our understanding and avoid repeatedly learning the same lessons.