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Student Centered Learning �In the age of generative AI

Maaike Bouwmeester, PhD

Educational Communications & Technology�Steinhardt, NYU

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From: images created by Dall-e + Photoshop

Since this talk about possibilities for how AI may assist to support SCL pedagogy- improve the experience, outcomes, workload, quality etc… and importantly possibly, alleviate workload of educators using these approaches, I thought it might be helpful to start by looking at these approaches as different types of journeys…

ChatpGPT 4.0, 2/1/2024, “Use an analogy that helps someone understand the difference between student centered learning and teacher centered learning?”

Imagine learning as a journey through a vast landscape. In teacher-centered learning, the teacher is like a tour guide who leads the way, deciding the route, destinations, and pace of the journey. The students follow the guide, absorbing information and insights provided by the guide. It's a structured and guided experience where the teacher imparts knowledge to the students.

On the other hand, student-centered learning is akin to a personalized exploration of the landscape. In this scenario, students are adventurers equipped with maps, tools, and guidance. The teacher becomes a facilitator or mentor, helping students navigate, discover, and make sense of the terrain on their own. Students have the autonomy to choose their path, set their goals, and learn actively through hands-on experiences. It's a more individualized and self-directed approach where the focus is on the learner's journey of discovery.

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Key attributes of SCL

Centers students’ experiences, curiosity and interests

Just-in-time teaching & learning

Process not product

Promotes self-regulation

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Relevant Frameworks

Critical Pedagogy - Paulo Freire

Constructivism/ Active Learning

Universal Design for Learning

Foundational ideas, theories and frameworks relevant to SCL.

--- Paulo Freire (19 September 1921 – 2 May 1997) was a Brazilian educator and philosopher who was a leading advocate of critical pedagogy.

He espoused that the goal of education is freedom from oppression (in his context socio-economic disparities and inequality, cast system in Brazil). Education not just about making a living but done well, education helps achieve a critical consciousness. Education is about empowerment, agency, Vs a banking model-- where Creative agents, empowerment, transformation, not only individual but community. �

-- Constructivism/ Active learning-- Constructivism is associated with work of Jean Piaget, John Dewey and Lev Vygotsky. They put forth that people learn from experience and reflection on that experience as they construct their own understanding and knowledge. �Active learning includes a broader range of strategies-- students encourage to thin about talk about and actively process course material (reading, writing, discussion problem solving…) Often stimulates higher order thinking, better outcomes. Expanding body of knowledge about teaching and learning supports this shift from passive (traditional teaching methods) to more active ones (also helps to “lift up a diverse group of students and prepare them for an increasingly complex world”). (chronicle, Beth McMurtie) Carl Wieman, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist and evangelist for active learning, who has long advocated for programs that help transform science education.

--Universal Design for Learning

https://www.cast.org/impact/universal-design-for-learning-udl

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an educational framework based on research in the learning sciences, including cognitive neuroscience, that guides the development of flexible learning environments and learning spaces that can accommodate individual learning differences.

Recognizing that the way individuals learn can be unique, UDL proposes that curriculum should be designed from the outset to provide:

Multiple means of engagement, to tap into learners' interests, offer appropriate challenges, and increase motivation.
Multiple means of representation, to give learners various ways of acquiring information and knowledge.
Multiple means of expression, to provide learners alternatives for demonstrating what they know.

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Fink’s and Bloom’s Taxonomies

Dee Fink (2003), Creating Significant Learning Experiences: An Integrated Approach to Designing College Courses

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…

How might AI reshape your teaching practices?

In your discipline, what does AI mean for the knowledge and skills required of your students?

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Engagement

Collaboration

Good humans

Critical Thinking

Life long learners

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SCL in an AI era

(some possibilities…)

The Guide(s)

on the Side

The Student

Journey

Feedback &

Assessment

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The student journey

01

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How might we discuss the use of AI with Students?

Cognitive Engagement- Learning Loss

Value of original thought

Tendency to Over-rely and go on Auto-pilot

�What is critical thinking?

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Bot Check: 85% human, 15% AI

Ai used to: Generate all illustrative images, give me definitions, suggest general ways that AI might be used for scaffolds

Matt Miller, AI for Educators (2023)

How do we acknowledge the use of AI?

Prompt + Tool + Time stamp

(Matt Griffen)

MLA Guidance �(Lucy Appert)

Transparency

Accuracy

Source Attribution

Responsibility

Originality

Quality

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Universal �Design for �Learning

Universal Design for Learning

Engagement

Representation

Expression

From: UDL guidelines, https:;//udlguidelines.cast.org

UDL→

Multiple means of engagement, to tap into learners' interests, offer appropriate challenges, and increase motivation.
Multiple means of representation, to give learners various ways of acquiring information and knowledge. customizing display of info, understanding across languages, multimedia, neurodivergence and physical and learning disabilities.
Multiple means of expression, to provide learners alternatives for demonstrating what they know.
engagement→ optimize individual choice and autonomy and relevance (auditory, visual, etc).. Heighten salience of goals, Multiple ways to engage, vary demands

Resources:

http://udloncampus.cast.org/page/udl_institutions#:~:text=At%20the%20undergraduate%20level%2C%20UDL,for%20success%20as%20classroom%20teachers.

Great 1 minute video.

https://udlguidelines.cast.org/

“These guidelines offer a set of concrete suggestions that can be applied to any discipline or domain to ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.”

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Multiple modes of representation with AI

Student prompts: ��Can you explain [fill in] through a descriptive story?

Can you reinforce my knowledge of xxx by quizzing me?

�Can you explain [fill in] in a away that’s easy for me to understand?

I’m struggling with [fill in]. Can you walk me through an example, step by step?

Can you explain the concept of gravity using an analogy?

From: PRITEN SHAH, AI for Education (2023)

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The guide(s) on the side

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Finding the way

MAP→ Milestones in a Project plan

GOALS→ Learning Objectives

WHAT MATTERS→ Rubric

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Prompts for teaching activities

Discovery Learning: “generate a [fill in type] report. Ask the students to interpret the data and draw conclusions about the [purpose of report]

Inquiry based Learning: Create a scenario about a [...]. Provide students with primary sounce document to analyze and construct their own interpretation of the event.”

Concept Mapping: Present a complex topic, such as [fill in], and ask students to create a concept map showing how the different elements are connected. Provide a starting point for them with a partial map

Cognitive Flexibility: “present a complex [fill in] phenomenon, such as [fill in], from various [ fill in] perspectives. Ask students to integrate this information and form their own comprehensive understanding

Reflective Leaning: (P. Shah, pg 55)-” Create an essay prompt for student to write a reflective essay on … “

From: PRITEN SHAH, AI for Education (2023)

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Learning supports--

“scaffolds”

Image created by Dall-e

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Scaffolds in SCL context

Reflection/ Question Prompts

Progress Check-ins

Graphic Organizers

Cognitive Modeling

Skill Development

Templates and Examples

Guiding questions to steer inquiry and reflection

Examples of skill, or completed projects

Mind maps, flow charts, venn diagrams

Demonstrating how an expert might approach it

Workshops or self-directed learning

Regular meetings to discuss progress, obstacles, adjust goals as needed

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Reflection and Sense Making

RiffBot.AI

Leticia Britos Cavagnaro

Stanford University

Book: Experiments in Reflection

Leticia Britos Cavagnaro

PhD in Developmental Biology Stanford, teaches Reflective Practice in the d.School of design.

Riff supports learning by enhancing group discussions and promoting individual reflection outside of the classroom.

From https://riffbot.ai

How Does Riff Help Learners?

Riff can help learners by facilitating a deeper exploration of their experiences through personalized, thought-provoking questions generated by AI. This process not only strengthens their reflective skills but also promotes self-awareness and critical thinking, ultimately contributing to their personal growth and learning outcomes.

How Can Riff Help Educators?

Riff can help educators by encouraging deeper reflections, facilitating group discussions, providing valuable feedback, promoting independent reflection, enabling data-driven analysis, and offering customization options.

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Scaffolds in SCL context

Reflection/ Question Prompts

Progress Check-ins

Graphic Organizers

Cognitive Modeling

Skill Development

Templates and Examples

Guiding questions to steer inquiry and reflection

Examples of skill, or completed projects

Mind maps, flow charts, venn diagrams

Demonstrating how an expert might approach it

Workshops or self-directed learning

Regular meetings to discuss progress, obstacles, adjust goals as needed

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Skill Development Platform (SDP)

One project I’m working on with Dr. Xavier Ochoa (Asst professor of Learning analytics, a colleague of mine in the Educational Technology programs at STeinhardt, .. Director of Augment-Ed research lab) is an Ai-enhanced Skill development platform.

�We’re interested in supporting ‘soft skills’ - currently focusing on communication skills- that often don’t get the attention they deserve. We are focusing on oral presentation skills since many student centered learning projects involves making thinking visible, sharing ideas, presenting work to various audiences.

The art of oral presentation is hard to teach, but it turns out there are some skills- that with practice- are quite effective in helping one to become an effective presenter. Dr. Ochoa and I are designing and developing learning activities that are personalized to the students’ existing skills..

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SDP: Skill Development Platform

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Xavier Ochoa

Director, Augment-Ed

Elaine Li, MA

Learning Technology & Experience Design

Stephanie Sinwell

Learning Technology & Experience Design

Maaike Bouwmeester

ECT Clinical Asst Professor

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Feedback and Assessment

03

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How can AI support..?

Peer feedback

Formative Assessment

Summative Assessment

“

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Prompts - summarization and organization

Instructor feedback on presentation (from transcript): �“As a professor, provide feedback on this presentation that focuses on the team’s’ use of UX design methods such usability testing, ideation, prototyping, iteration, or heuristic evaluation.”

Peer feedback (based on anonymous non-identifiable written peer feedback)�“Summarize peer feedback and list actionable next steps”

Peer feedback organized into table format:

“Organize feedback into a table that lists students in rows, and columns list categories: Strengths, weaknesses, suggestions for improvement”

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Summative Assessment

First pass

Second pair of eyes- edits

Newer more targeted assessment tools - look for ones that keep human in the loop� (e.g. Writing coach/ USC)

Flag missing work, formatting issues, grammar, etc

Improve written comments for clarity, etc

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Questions>>>

Contact me:

Maaike Bouwmeester

Educational Communications & Technology

Department of Administration, Leadership and Technology

Steinhardt

mb262@nyu.edu

More about me:

https://steinhardt.nyu.edu/people/maaike-bouwmeester

All black/white sketchy images created by Dall-e

CREDITS: This presentation template was created by Slidesgo, including icons by Flaticon and infographics & images by Freepik

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References & Credits>>>

All black/white sketchy images created by Dall-e

Cavagnaro, Britos Leticia (2023) Experiments in Reflection: How to See the Present, Reconsider the Past, and Shape the Future, Ten Speed Press

Shah, Priten (2023) AI and the Future of Education: Teaching in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, Jossey Bass

Ton de Jong et al (2023), Let's talk evidence – The case for combining inquiry-based and direct instruction, Educational Research Review, Volume 39, 2023,

Wieman, C (2017), Improving How Universities Teach Science: Lessons from the Science Education Initiative, Harvard University Press

Tools mentioned: Riff AI, MagicSchool, Bongo

CREDITS: This presentation template was created by Slidesgo, including icons by Flaticon and infographics & images by Freepik