A program at University of Wisconsin is challenging traditional educational techniques with its focus on innovative teaching tools that emphasize interactive, peer-to-peer learning.
The Wisconsin Collaboratory for Enhanced Learning is an initiative among staff members geared toward building effective instructional models and learning spaces for students.
The three-year-old program offers alternative teaching methods to lecture-style classrooms that support more instructor-student interaction, as well as more student-to-student interaction, Sarah Mason, the associate director of WisCEL, said.
WisCEL creates learning environments that include student-centered inquiry, peer-collaboration, frequent feedback and a high amount of instructor-student interaction, she said. Group study, tutoring and social events are also available to students in the program.
The setup of the WisCEL centers include active learning labs with large tables, consultation rooms fit for smaller groups, breakout rooms meant for group projects and a student lounge allowing for necessary “down time,” Mason said.
WisCEL was funded out of the education innovation as well as the Madison Institution for Undergraduates. There are currently two different learning centers for the program: Wendt Commons and College Library. Here, there are different kinds of classroom setups where WisCEL can serve innovative teaching and learning techniques that integrate technology and active collaborative learning, Mason said.
Once courses have been held in WisCEL, the instructor spends time redesigning their curriculum in order to create online resources under sites like Moodle or Learn@UW to produce exercises for group work and video lectures, Mason said.
This fall, there are currently 31 courses being taught between the two centers. WisCEL is planning on renewing almost all courses from this fall, and open time slots are filled with other courses. Applications for new classes are due Dec. 1.
This fall, WisCEL started hosting Freshman Interest Group courses, and they are hoping to branch out and increase that number next year, Mason said.
“I think [WisCEL courses] are important because the research shows that students learn better when they can construct their own understanding of concepts, content and procedures. Also, if students learn how to work with their peers, they’re able to transition into their careers with a skill set of not only knowing how to learn, but also how to work in groups or teams,” Mason said.
WisCEL courses integrate technology in a way that reduces time spent passively learning, so it frees up time for students to engage in a deeper understanding in the material they would learn in a lecture-based class, Mason said. WisCEL is a tool that diversifies the way in which classes are taught on campus by integrating more technology, and this is important to what students will be doing with this knowledge after graduation, she said.
Current WisCEL staff member Michael Morrow, professor of electrical and computer engineering at UW, is an advocate for the program.
Hands-on learning is more effective than just listening to a lesson, Morrow said. However, if students are having trouble within WisCEL, he said experts are available to help.
WisCEL is great to practice active learning techniques, Morrow said. Students can learn better in this environment, and a great space is created for them to work together.
“People get to collaborate and work together and help each other learn and that makes a huge difference because they’re learning by doing and by doing things together,” Morrow said. “Those are two very powerful, motivational factors for humans when it comes to learning.”
