ELI Online Event | The Active Learning Classroom: Directions and Impacts

November 28, 2017 | Noon–4:00 p.m. ET

The visibility of active learning spaces has grown appreciably over the past several years, as their contribution to the teaching and learning mission has become more widely recognized. But they can also represent significant financial investments, ranging from the wires and gear to the faculty support programs. In light of that, critical questions emerge: What impact can these spaces have with respect to learning success? What practices best support the success of these investments? What kinds of impact evaluation work best for these spaces? In the course of this virtual event, our subject matter experts will engage with the participants around many of the important aspects of the 21st-century learning space, such as:

• What is the best research telling us about the effectiveness of these resources?
• What teaching challenges and opportunities are common to these spaces?
• What kinds of impact analysis can we do at our institutions to best inform stakeholders and faculty?

Is This Event for You?

This online event brings together a variety of teaching and learning professionals to explore successful active learning classroom models. The session will be valuable for:

• Learning technologists and instructional designers
• Campus teaching and learning center directors and staff
• Faculty members and instructors
• Senior teaching and learning administrators (e.g., deans, provost office staff)
• Librarians

You will receive the greatest value from this online program if you attend as a member of a team or host a group event on your campus. Team participation can help your institution advance a current or upcoming project or encourage cross-disciplinary collaboration. Team members also find active discussion and engagement with each other during activities builds rapport, solidifies plans, and enriches collaboration. By sharing a common learning experience, participants can reflect on the implications for their institution.

How You Will Prepare

Please review the resources and guided activities provided to help you frame discussions locally and organize team participation around the content. We recommend teams consider the ways they can interact both inside the online learning environment and as a team with colleagues at their institution.

Event Components

• Presentation Sessions: Sessions designed to provide an overview of specific topic areas and successful emerging approaches related to the event theme immediately followed by opportunities to interact one-on-one with session presenters.
• Project Rounds: A series of institutional cases/examples presented in a sequential, fast-paced format exploring a single project, emerging technology, or campus initiative. Project rounds will be followed by an opportunity for separate discussion with each of the presenters.
• Activities/Discussions: Discussions will focus on the program theme and associated challenges and opportunities. Groups, both virtual and local, may use this time to further probe session topics through guided discussion and collaborative activities, conducted with an institutional group or individuals in virtual rooms.