A course will often consist of activities during teaching itself, where the teacher and students are present at the same time (in class), as well as activities as preparation between teaching sessions (out of class). The model illustrates how teaching alternates between in-class and out-of-class activities. Use the model to get an overview of whether there is balance and alignment between the course activities. This is important in order for the course activities to seem relevant and important for students. Do this by using student preparation actively, so that the activities build on each other.
The Castle top-model based on Dee Fink (2013)
This example shows a course structure that can easily be conducted as an online teaching format, e.g. as flipped classroom or blended format.
In-class activities take place in class, where the students can engage in dialogue with both the teacher and fellow students during the activities. In-class activities can be carried out onsite, where the teacher and students are present in person, or online, where you are all present simultaneously (synchronously) via learning technology. When planning in-class activities, pay particular attention to:
Interaction | Organise the in-class activities to be carried out individually, in pairs, in groups or in plenum. Make the most of the fact that you are synchronously present, so that the students can ask questions, participate in discussions, vote in plenum, discuss in pairs or otherwise interact with each other. Find inspiration for interactive learning activities here. |
Synchronous execution | Regardless of how activities are organised, you should take into account that everyone should spend roughly the same amount of time on each activity. You must therefore facilitate the activity from start to finish, ensuring that different types of students are taken into account. For example, you can prepare extra questions if someone finishes quickly, or allow the students to finish the activity at home. |
Out-of-class activities take place between lessons in the students' preparation time and are carried out at different times by the students (asynchronously). Out-of-class activities are often organised either as individual or group activities, e.g. in study groups. Examples of out-of-class activities include students giving each other peer feedback on their products, watching an academic presentation on video, doing quizzes or tests, preparing written assignments, answering reading questions, etc. Find inspiration for more learning activities here.
Focus in particular on the following when organising out-of-class activities:
Clear instructions | Since you will not be present when the students carry out the activity, it is important that you describe the activity in detail, so that the students have no doubt about what to do or how. |
Clear purpose | If the students know the purpose of their preparation time, they will be more focused and motivated when working on their assignments. This can also help them prioritise their time appropriately. For example, you can prepare a reader's guide, so that the students know what to focus on and what to take away from the often vast amounts of text. |
Differentiated teaching | One particular advantage of out-of-class activities is that the students do not have to spend the same amount of time on the assignments you give them, as they take place asynchronously. Out-of-class activities are therefore also an opportunity to differentiate teaching, so that students who find the academic content easy can finish the activity quickly, while students who find it difficult can spend longer on the activity or repeat it several times. Activities making particular use of the asynchronous space are:
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Community outside the classroom | By organising group activities as part of the students' preparation, you can support the academic community and the students can help and encourage each other in their learning processes. |
Online interaction | Plan students' preparation online, where the students have to write forum posts, give each other peer feedback, do quizzes or watch your academic presentation on video. Consider whether you should be present online as a facilitator during the students' preparation. |
When planning your course, it is important to align what the students are going to do in class with what they are going to do out of class. This helps make the teaching activities seem relevant and necessary for the students, which may increase their motivation to carry them out. If the students feel that preparation is not worthwhile, because the texts or exercises are either slavishly reviewed or not reviewed at all in class, it may seem like a waste of time to them (even though they may have to carry out such exercises at the exam).
In order to engage the students, you could include learning activities that require the students to take an active role, for example through peer feedback, quizzes and questionnaires, making their own academic presentations in class or producing written material. Engaging students both in class and out of class will encourage them to take responsibility for their own learning.
Which activities need dialogue or ongoing questions (and therefore should be in class)?
Can the academic presentation be recorded on audio/video and be listened to/viewed by students out of class, so that there is more time for activities where the students are more active in class?
Are there any activities that some students find easy and others difficult (and therefore should be out of class)?
How can you describe the activity, so that the students will carry it out correctly, even though you are not present?
Fink, L. D. (2013). Creating significant learning experiences: An integrated approach to designing college courses. John Wiley & Sons.
Fink, L. D. (2003). A self-directed guide to designing courses for significant learning.
Elving, P.R. & Hansen, R. (2020). 3 opmærksomhedspunkter i overgangen til universitetet: Hvad kan vi lære af Arts-studerendes oplevelse af at starte på universitetet?. Dansk Universitetspædagogisk Tidsskrift, 15(29), 70-86.
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