Learning Activities

Teaching and Learning Activities (TLAs)

TLAs are activities which aimed at activating the action verbs used in the ILO's. As its name suggests, TLA include what the teacher does (teaching activities) and what the student does (learning activities). In learner-centered course, selecting teaching and learning activities should not be a random process. The activities we choose should be intentional & meaningful: activities which align with our ILOs and will help students to attain the intended learning outcomes. These activities can be teacher-managed, peer-managed or self-managed.

John Biggs (1999) suggested the following points of guidance for planning teaching strategies:

• Sound knowledge is based on interconnections – connecting new learning with old. Encourage students to create conceptual structures which integrate their new and old learning.
• Develop meta-cognitive skills by being explicit about learning and maximising students’ awareness of their own knowledge construction through structured reflection
• Plan learning activities that actively involve students. Activity heightens arousal and makes performance more efficient
• Incorporate explicitly stated study skills into learning, and if necessary, provide support for developing skills, for example in teamwork
• Consider how information technology can support learning and teaching.

References

Angelo, T.A. & Cross, K.P. (1993). Classroom assessment techniques: A handbook for college teachers (2nd ed). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass

Biggs J (1999)Teaching for Quality Learning at University.Philadelphia, PA: Open University Press