Techniques Video Library

With Case Studies, student teams review a real-life problem scenario in depth. Team members apply course concepts to identify and evaluate alternative approaches to solving the problem.

A Triple-Jump is a three-step technique that requires students to think through and attempt to solve a real-world problem.

In Variations, students create an altered version of the original, such as rewriting the ending of a story or imagining the consequences of a changed event in history.

A Frame is a template of sentence stems that provides the shape of a short essay, but not the content. Students complete the sentences, expressing their ideas in their own words, but doing so within a clear and organized framework.

In Invent the Quiz, students write a limited number of test questions related to a recent learning module and then create an answer sheet, or alternately a model answer and scoring sheet, to accompany the test questions.

In Letters, students assume the identity of an important person in your discipline and write a letter explaining their thoughts on an issue, theory, or controversy to another famous person who holds a different perspective.

In a Think-Pair-Share, the instructor poses a question, gives students a few minutes to think about a response, and then asks students to share their ideas with a partner. Hence Think-Pair-Share.

In Affinity Grouping, individual students generate ideas and identify common themes. Then, students form groups to sort and organize the ideas accordingly.

Crib Cards are three-by-five inch index cards that students create to use on exams, on which they write whatever information they believe will be useful to them.

In Fishbowl, students form concentric circles with a small group inside and a larger group outside. Students in the inner circle engage in an in-depth discussion, while students in the outer circle listen and critique content, logic, and group interaction.

In Quotation Summaries, students comment on a series of quotes from their assigned reading using a structured process: paraphrase, interpret, comment, and cite.

In a Briefing Paper, students research a current problem of their choice, summarize the main issues, and present solutions to a specific audience.