Instructors | Students
Instructors - Faculty, Staff, TAs
I'd like to hear an educator’s
perspective on interactive
learning - is there someone
I can contact who has tried this?
Yes! Please feel free and contact the following people with any questions you may have:
Is this a mandate?
No. Your participation is completely voluntary. Interactive learning is an area of education that the medical school is exploring as part of a larger medical curriculum reform effort.
Will using interactive-learning methods mean more work for me?
At first, yes. It takes some extra time to rethink your format, to decide what you would like to do, and to create new content and activities.
What does the flipped classroom mean?
"Flipping" the classroom means replacing a lecture with some sort of interactive session (e.g. discussion, Q&A, team learning), and delivering the lecture material before class using tools like online video, audio or interactive content. More »
What type of support is available for video capture?
There are a number of resources available for video capture through the school’s EdTech group. These include a recording studio, mobile recording kits, cameras, and the automated lecture capture system in the Li Ka Shing Center. We can also advise you on acquiring or configuring your own equipment. More »
Are there similar efforts taking place at Stanford University, outside of the medical school?
There are a number of individuals and groups on campus who are experimenting with and implementing interactive learning approaches. You can find some of them here on the SMILI website, and some from other areas of campus.
Does this mean courses will be reduced to online video?
No. In fact, the central purpose of the "flipped" model is to free more classroom time for direct interaction between teachers and students. This time can be used for Q&A, discussion, case studies, team-based learning, problem-based learning, and many other face-to-face activities. The videos simply provide a way of delivering information outside of class time. More »
How much time will it take to make a video?
This can vary greatly depending on the style of the video and the video's content and length. You should consider not just the recording of the video itself (which may take 20-60 minutes for a 5-10 minute video), but the course planning, content development, editing, publishing, and creation of supplementary materials like embedded quizzes and other resources. EdTech can help you determine more accurate time estimates for specific projects. More »
How does this change benefit me?
Interactive learning offers a number of potential benefits:
» Higher student attendance and engagement in class. One school pilot showed in-class attendance increased from 20% to 90%.
» Greater satisfaction in teaching. By delivering lecture content outside of class, and using class time for interactive sessions, you'll have more time to answer student questions, check their understanding, and ensure that they have a solid grasp of the material.
» Improved lecture content. You can craft your best explanation of key concepts in a series of videos. As new research emerges, you will only need to update a particular video module, saving time on lecture preparation.
» Ongoing refinement of your course. In moving to an interactive learning approach, you might find that engaging with your materials in new ways will spark new ideas and approaches to reinvigorate your teaching. Also, you can leverage feedback provided by quizzes and in-class exercises to identify challenging concepts and test new approaches to teaching them.
What challenges does this change present? How does this change my role as a teacher?
Making this type of pedagogical change can push you to rethink your role in the classroom. You may go from "sage on the stage" lecturing to organizing small group activities or large Q&A or discussion sessions.
You may also need to rethink the content you use for lecture and modify it to work well in another format, which could mean finding new materials or approaches to explain a concept. If you plan on publishing your videos publicly online, there are copyright considerations you'll need to make about your existing materials.
Will content be open or is it restricted to Stanford students?
Whether content is available to the public or only accessible to Stanford students is ultimately up to you.
Will my work always be attributed to me?
Your work will not be used publicly without your permission and proper attribution.