Several institutions have redesigned
traditional learning spaces to better
realize the potential of active,
experiential learning. We compare
student performance in traditional
and active learning classrooms
in a large, introductory biology
course using the same syllabus,
course goals, exams, and instructor
"For me, risk literacy is central to digital literacy. It is our ability to assess the drawbacks, dangers and limits of control in digital and digitally augmented environments. It is an acknowledgement that by using digital tools, no matter how open, if a learner is unable or not required to modify the code to create a learning experience, as much as we'd like them to stay learners, they occupy the role of an "end user.""
"The learning spaces an institution plans will inevitably be in a network of other spaces. Being not just aware of those connections, but actually leveraging that awareness, making the spaces explicitly connected to one another, raising the visibility of the spaces to teachers and learners alike, can have an impact. "
"It was an interesting conference, with several excellent speakers. One message became clear. In the words of Mark Valenti of the Sextant Group in UB's June edition of its magazine:
"we're basically seeing the beginning of the end of the lecture hall.'
In essence, new technology, hybrid learning and the need to engage students and develop core '21st century skills' are leading some institutional leaders to rethink the classroom and the way it's used - and about time."