I noticed the same thing this morning in a Pharm TBL.  I can't say it
was 100% but a lot of students had pens in their hands.  I noticed
because two students sitting next to each other were spinning the pins
at the same time.  Then  I looked around as saw others.  This sounds
like someone needs to do a study of the mind/hand/tRAT link.

 

Bill----

_________________________
William Brescia, Ph.D.
Director of Instructional Technology
Assistant Professor of Preventive Medicine
Office of Medical Education
University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC)
910 Madison Avenue, Room 1002
Memphis, TN 38163 
901-448-5506
[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> 

This correspondence may be considered a public record and subject
to public inspection pursuant to the Tennessee Public Records Act

 

From: Team-Based Learning [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Sweet, Michael S
Sent: Monday, May 16, 2011 12:07 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Interesting observation

 

That is a totally cool observation.

 

It seems to be a small step from using a physical tool (a pen) to using
intellectual tools (concepts).

 

Very, very cool.

 

-M

 

 

From: Team-Based Learning [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Herbert Coleman
Sent: Monday, May 16, 2011 11:44 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Interesting observation

 

Now that the semester is over, I wanted to check and see if anyone else
has noticed what I found to be an interesting observation.   I can't
believe I've never noticed it before.  I've been using TBL for 3 years
now and I just noticed something about student engagement during the
T-RATs.  About mid way through the semester, I started noticing when my
classes were taking the T-RAT how many students in each group had a pen
in there hand.  One class period I actually documented it.  The higher
performing groups had all or most of the members with a pen in their
hand evethough only one student was recording the answers.  Since I use
clickers, typically one student will hold the paper form of the test,
read the questions out loud and then mark the agreed upon answer.
Another student will hold the clicker and enter the answers either as
they work through the T-RAT or at the end.  It was the pen holding
behavior that I found particularly interesting.  In one high performing
group, not only did everyone have their pen in their hand but they
gestured with it often pointing to items on the paper and frequently one
or more student would draw a diagram in the white space to explain a
concept.  

Even more intriguing is that the lower performing teams often only had
one person with pen in hand.  Their body language also suggested less
involvement (leaning back, slouching vs. leaning forward toward the
group and the paper).  

Next semester, I plan to pay closer attention and document during each
T-RAT the pen holding behavior and body positions of individuals and
groups during T-RAT's.  




-- 

Herb Coleman, Ph.D
Dir. Instructional Computing and Technology
Adjunct Professor of Psychology 
Austin Community College
Highland Business Center
5930 Middle Fiskville Rd.
Austin, TX 78752
[log in to unmask]
512-223-7746
*************************************************
"Life, only really has one beginning and one end
...and the rest is just a whole lot of middle...
who cares what happens when we get there...
when the getting there has been so much fun." 

---Mr. Schuster 
    from the TV show "Glee"
*************************************************