In-class activities

Close contact between students and their teachers has long been highly appreciated as part of teaching at CBS. Even with the introduction of blended learning, CBS will continue to be an on-campus university where students come to engage with teachers. Where online learning offers flexibility in time and space, opportunities to support diversity in students’ learning preferences as well as new opportunities in the form of activities that engage students outside the classroom, face-to-face teaching provides the social setting for discussion, questioning and collaborative analysis and reflection.

Below you may find some inspiration for in-class activities  – all of them suitable for both smaller and large classes. The following eleven learning activities (among others) appear in Kim Jesper Herrman and Anna Bager-Elsborgs book “Effektiv Holdundervisning – en håndbog for nye undervisere på universitetsniveau“, from 2014. Feel free to borrow a copy from Teaching & Learning.

For inspiration about asking questions and enabling a dialogue in class, read Jakob Ravn and Jens Tofteskovs publication Questions and Dialogue here.

Buzz groups
WHAT AND HOW?

Buzz groups are based upon the students’ interaction with each other. Break the students up into groups of two or three individuals and make them shortly (1-2 minutes) discuss the answer/solution to an assignment/question. Finish the exercise by asking the students what they have discussed and support with keywords from plenary on the whiteboard.

BENEFITS

Buzz groups are a very beneficial strategy to engage the students in a quick way. The activity is not very time-consuming and it is very easy to explain to the student because it does not imply a lot of steps and instructions. When introducing buzz groups, students get the chance to speak their minds in front of fewer people before entering a plenary discussion. The buzz group can also be used if the students do not answer a question from the teacher. Students can be asked to discuss the question in a buzz group before presenting their responses.

BE AWARE OF…

Buzz groups are easy to manage. However, students might get tired of the activity if it is used too many times in one session. Differentiation is key.

Think-pair-share
One-minute-paper
Clear/unclear
Brainstorm
Test
Plenary Discussion
Student presentations
Peer Review
Matrix groups
Interview round