Methopedia (Posts about method)

100 words

Peter Koppatz — Tue, 31 Oct 2017 05:36:56 GMT

100 Words

Image by Charlotte Hollands (Access: 12.11.2009)

Short description

The activity enables course participants to interpret and share their understanding of the course topic and issues in their reading through short statements placed in the discussion boards.

Process description

Email the participants with the information about the activity and the discussion board available throughout the course.
Motivate participants to reflect on the course readings they have read.
Participants are encouraged to write a 100 or less-word summaries (interpretation and understanding) of the readings.
Participants should place an agreed number of summaries on the dissussion board, so that other learners could read and comment on them.
Moderate and supervise the postings.

Required resources

online asynchronous discussion board
access to emails

Examples

Article about the brevity of Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. He used just 272 words and now it is a magic number.

The brevity of Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address continues to inspire on 150th anniversary

Comments

The facilitator can also assign particular people to prepare specific topics. The description of the activity was prepared on the basis of R. Watkins's "75 e-learning activities".

Metadata

PSI: https://psi.methopedia.eu/learning-activity/100-words

Podcasting

Peter Koppatz — Sun, 18 Dec 2016 05:36:56 GMT

Podcasting

Image by the tartanpodcast (Access: 01.10.2009)

Short description

Podcasting is a way of publishing audio and video content on the web as a series of episodes with a common theme. Moreover this is supported by a so called "feed" making it possible for listeners to subscribe to the series and get new episodes when they are published. Podcasting in this activity is used as an alternative way to present a research assignment (Middelton, 2009: 149).

For more activities using podcasting see Middelton, A. (2009) Beyond podcasting: creative approaches to designing educational audio in ALT-J Research in Learning Technology.

Process description

Listen to podcasts from other students and educators to get inspired.
Discuss in class what makes a good podcast in relation to the assignment and make bulletpoints.
Write a manuscript for the presentation.
Record ...
Export audiofile as an MP3 file.
Upload file to a podcast webserver (Odeo or Podomatic).
Learners can subscribe to a podcast made by their group using free programmes (iTunes, Ipodder) or any RSS aggregater.

See more under examples.

Required resources

Computer
internal or exteral Microphone
Software:
- audacity (Windows/Linux/Mac)
- Garageband (Mac-User)

Examples

PSI: https://psi.methopedia.eu/learning-activity/podcast

5 Steps to Identify a Problem

Peter Koppatz — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 05:36:56 GMT

5 Steps to Identify a Problem

Image by Lincolnian (Brian) (retrieved on 01.10.2009)

Short description

This simple activity helps to define a problem (identify its roots, reasons) and propose a solution. It is particularly useful when working with groups.

Process description

The group should work for at least 2 hours, so they can complete all 5 steps.

Step 1:

Define the purpose clearly. What do I want to achieve? What will be the benefits? Is it possible to have multiple solutions?

Step 2:

Analyze the actual situation objectively. What are the pros and cons, advantages and disadvantages?

Step 3:

State the problem. What hinders reaching the goal?

Step 4:

Identify the symptoms and root causes. What is the source of the problem and what are its symptoms?

Step 5:

Provide a solution.

Required resources

Big and small sheets of paper, markers (different colors), pens.

Examples

Goal: I want to be healthy.
Situation: I work 14 hours a day, Monday through Saturday. I exercise 3 hours a week. I eat healthy foods.
Problem: I get colds very often.
Root cause: Fatigue lowers the effectiveness of my immune system.
Symptoms: Headache and low productivity.

Meta-Data

One may also use MindManager or FreeMind as an alternative for resources? -- Margit Scholl

PSI: https://psi.methopedia.eu/learning-activity/5-steps

ABC list

Peter Koppatz — Fri, 02 Oct 2015 05:36:57 GMT

ABC list

Image by berwis/PIXELIO zugriff 28.09.2009

Short description

Associations are generated for a topic by using the letters of the alphabet.

Process description

The instructor provides a time frame
Participants write down their associations (starting with A/B/C/D etc) and then read them out to others

Required resources

Note cards
an online forum
a word processing software

Example

ABC-Liste for the topic "UML (Unified Modeling Language)"

A  - Aggregation
B  - Bar diagram
C  - class, collaboration diagram, container
D  - decission
E  - extend
F  - facade
G  - Generalisierug
H  - helper class
I  - interface, instance
K  - ???
L  - life line, lollipop
M  - modell, MDA
N  - nodes
O  - OOP, OOA
P  - package diagram, port, pin
Q  - qualifiying attributes
R  - reality, recursion
S  - sequenz diagram, stereotypes
T  - ???
U  - use-case
V  - ???
W  - ???
X  - ???
Y  - ???
Z  - ???

Comments

You know more than you think. Try making an abc list for nuclear physics!

Sources

Metadata

PSI: https://psi.methopedia.eu/learning-activity/abclist

15 questions

Peter Koppatz — Fri, 02 Oct 2015 05:36:56 GMT

15 Questions

Photo by oberazi (Access: 28.09.2009)

Short description

The goal of this activity is for the participant to guess the name of an object that the group has chosen.

Process description

Participants are sitting in a circle. One person leaves the room.
The group picks an object in the room (e.g., a lamp, someone’s shirt, the window).
The person who had left the room is asked to come back in. He or she now has to try to find which object the group has chosen by asking up to 15 questions.
Groups members can only respond with yes or no. The number of questions asked is written down.
After the person has guessed the object, he or she can name the person whose turn is next.

Required resources

none

Excamples

Sample questions:

Is the object in this side of the room?
Is it made of metal?
Is it bigger than … ?
Is it green?

Comments

The number of questions allowed can be changed depending on the available time and the age of participants.

Metadata

PSI: https://psi.methopedia.eu/learning-activity/15-questions

Before, during and after

Peter Koppatz — Fri, 02 Oct 2015 05:36:56 GMT

Before, during and after

Image by Mike Vogt (Access: 15.12.2009)

Short description

It's a very useful technique if you want to learn about course participants' expectations concerning a course, what they bring to the course (pre-existing knowledge), what they want to gain during the course, what's their motivation, etc. Such information can help you in designing and facilitating the course. Most preferably, the technique is used during the first course meeting.

Process description

First of all, you should email learners with instructions for the activity.
Post a discussion topic on the learning platform with the following questions (and any other that you find useful):
- What skills and/or knowledge related to the course topic do you have at this time?
- What do you want to learn during this course?
- How will you determine whether this course has been successful for you?
Motivate each participant to give his/her responses to the questions in the discussion forum.
You, as a facilitator, should review all the posting, give your comments, explain basic principles of the course and comment on how they could meet the participants expactations.
Other participants can review and comment on other participants responses - there could be a discussion.

Required resources

online asynchronous discussion board
access to email

Examples

None

Comments

The activity can be done in groups - each group providing collaborative response to all the questions.

The description of the activity was prepared on the basis of R. Watkins's "75 e-learning activities".

PSI: https://psi.methopedia.eu/learning-activity/before-during

Blogging

Peter Koppatz — Fri, 02 Oct 2015 05:36:56 GMT

Blogging

Image by ~C4Chaos (Access: 01.10.2009)

Short description

A blog is a type of website, usually maintained by an individual almost like a diary or portfolio. In the blog the author comments or describes events or material such as videos or pictures. The posts are most often displayed in reverse-chronological order (wikipedia 2009). Writing the blog everyday learners reflect on small learning results in relation to the bigger goal of the curriculum and thus learn how to learn (O'Donnell 2006: 17).

Literature:

O'Donnell, M (2006) Blogging as Pedagogic Practice: Artefact and Ecology in Asia Oacific Media Educator, Issue No. 17, Dec. 2006

Process description

To make learners reflective of their own thinking (Crook et al. 2008: 32) the following process is suggested:

At least 1/2 hour everyday is reserved for blogging in the classroom. The learners is asked to blog on what they learned that day, what they want to learn better and how they will reach this goal.
After blogging every student is asked (on class) to mention some of the things he or she wrote in the blog. It is discussed how he or she can reach the learning goal.
The learners is continuously encouraged to comment on each others blogs.

Literature:

Crook, C. (2008) Web 2.0 Technologies and Learning at Key Stages 3 and 4: Summary Report in BECTA

Required resources

Computer and softwareprogram for blogging (find them at: www.blogspot.com and www.thoughts.com).

Examples

Comments

None

PSI: https://psi.methopedia.eu/learning-activity/blogging

Brainstorming

Peter Koppatz — Fri, 02 Oct 2015 05:36:56 GMT

Brainstorming

Image by Rick & Crinid (Access: 28.09.2009)

Short description

Brainstorming is a classic among creativity methods. A large number of ideas about a topic or problem is generated by spontaneously providing ideas without criticism.

Process description

First, topics have to be agreed. The number of topics will depend on the number of participants. Studies have shown that the number of people talking in a group is about 7 and independent of group size. Therefore the size of the group should not be very large.
Groups are set up, a person is designated to take notes and a facilitator is named.
In each group, the moderator determines the topic.
Participants spontaneously provide ideas for finding a solution which are being written down. The ideas should flow without restrictions and be combined with other ideas. The group should be in a productive and creative mood.
All ideas are read out or presented by the group facilitator and then evaluated and categorised by the participants in order to identifiy different aspect of the concept and weed out extraneous ideas. The evaluation and analysis can be done by the participants or by other experts.

Required resources

pens and paper or transparencies
Mindmapping software

Examples

7 Rules of Brainstorming

Comments

Studies suggest that even just mentioning an idea influences the generation of ideas by others. Therefore it may be helpful to have participants note down some of their ideas before they start with the actual brainstorming so they can report on them without having been influenced.

If yout get stuck, ask questions:

Who?
Why?
What?
Where?
When?

PSI: https://psi.methopedia.eu/learning-activity/brainstorming

Brainwriting

Peter Koppatz — Fri, 02 Oct 2015 05:36:56 GMT

Brainwriting

Image by e_walk (Access: 28.09.2009)

Short description

Brainwriting is also called the „6-3-5 method“: 6 people, 3 ideas each, and 5 rounds. Basically, the same rules apply as in brainstorming. The difference is that in brainwriting the creative phase consists of writing instead of talking. Everybody first writes down their own ideas and then amends the ideas of all other participants in turn. Finally, possible solutions are discussed with regard to their fit to the problem at hand.

Process description

The problem is defined.
Six participants generate 3 new ideas each.
Notepads are passed around in a circle to the next person.
Each person complements or amends the ideas of his neighbor.
The cycle is continued 5 times.
Conclusions and solutions are being created.
The ideas are discussed in groups and adapted and applied to the problem.

Required resources

Paper
Pens

Examples

Comments

An important factor for this method is a quiet working environment. It is important that nobody talk or asks questions. Therefore, it is important that the writing is legible, for example. An important prerequisite for the creative process is the separation of different stages, e.g. gathering and evaluating ideas.
Is it possible to use it online? -- Christian Niemczik
The time might also be important: 3 ideas within 5 minutes! -- Margit Scholl

PSI: https://psi.methopedia.eu/learning-activity/brainwriting

Buzz group

Peter Koppatz — Fri, 02 Oct 2015 05:36:56 GMT

Buzz group

Image by aussiegall (Access: 30.09.2009)

Short description

The Buzz Group is a method for larger groups of participants, e.g. for inviting people to voice their own opinions during a talk or to increase their engagement and involvement, but also to for the clarification of questions.

Process description

Form groups
Each group is presented with a situation and asked to think about it and exchange ideas.
Each group works on possible outcomes and makes a plan of action.
After ten minutes a participants can leave the group and move on to another one.

Required resources

a meeting space with separated areas for groups to meet
paper and pens

Examples

None

Comments

I didn't get the point of this method: only one(!) participant can change the group after 10 minutes? And the others will go on in the topic discussion - with or without a new person? So, a group can also be splitted or dissolved? Is there a time limit for the whole process? (Margit Scholl)

PSI: https://psi.methopedia.eu/learning-activity/buzz-group