GLN 2023 - TeachAbout - Activity Based Learning and Applied Improv

[Paul Terlemezian]

Session Leader: Brent Darnell

The format of this session will be:

1. Five minutes of welcome and introductions
2. Segment A - Ten minutes of listening to the interests and perceptions of those who wish to learn more about ABL and Applied Improv. Brent will be off-camera and muted.
3. Segment B - Ten minutes of "formal" presentation by Brent.
4. Segment C - Ten minutes of listening to the reactions to the "formal" presentation while Brent is off-camera and muted.
5. Segment D - Ten minutes of open conversation including Brent.

Topic: GLN 2023 - TeachAbout - Activity Based Learning and Applied Improv
Time: Nov 9, 2023 02:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86406897060?pwd=WThRRDYxbkV5UG8xdFRvZ0Flb...

Meeting ID: 864 0689 7060
Passcode: 974603

One tap mobile
[phone],,86406897060#,,,,*974603# US (Washington DC)
[phone],,86406897060#,,,,*974603# US

-

[Brent Darnell]

There is much research that supports activity based learning as a viable way to teach and learn.  My mentor for this work, Thiagi, did a ton of research at the University of Indiana on learning, what works, and what doesn't work.  The right activities, with the proper debrief, is one of the most effective ways for folks to understand and apply the learning. 

[Paul Terlemezian]

Is activity based learning - abundant, scarce, hard to measure?

If scarce - why? what are the obstacles? how are the obstacles being overcome? are the obstacles the same or are new obstacles emerging?

If abundant - what is new? what are the best practices? what might it evolve into?

If hard to measure - is measuring necessary?

[Brent Darnell]

From what I've experienced, ABL is not abundant.  The main pedagogical model is lecture-based for most corporate and higher-learning education. It's not hard to measure the impact of ABL, but you would have to have a control group to compare.  That's what Thiagi did at the University of Indiana.  I would say that Applied Improvisation has some of the newest practices combining ABL with applied improvisation.  I transitioned from lecture-based to activity-based and have seen a difference in how learners change behaviors. Behavioral change is lasting and sometimes profound.  But we also insist on ongoing learning.  Event-based, informational learning is also not very effective in changing behaviors in my experience.  

[Paul Terlemezian]

How might we acknowledge the success of ABL without diminishing other forms of education that also claim to produce better learning and performance?

Might the topic of scaling be included in this conversation>- not to diminish ABL or other approaches  - but to help both be successful?

What comes first - the decision to scale or the decision on the method of educating?

[Brent Darnell]

I'm sure that some topics lend themselves to lectures. I must use lectures to introduce concepts to be able to do ABL. Scaling can be thrown into the mix, but as we learned during the pandemic and what I have done with online courses (which are totally scalable), is introduce ABL, gamification, metaphors to solidify the learning, and quests to apply the learning, the last of which is always, "teach someone what you learned from this course." 

[Paul Terlemezian]

Thanks Brent!

I agree that "educating" can be scaled...I wonder how to best scale "learning."