Our time in class has been transformed slightly due to the work students are completing before entering the classroom. Yet, the foundation of a traditional lecture is still present. The differences lay in the active learning injections we provide during class. Not exactly a flipped classroom, although this website can help you start one, my class focuses on specific moments of active learning, not an entire 75 minute lecture filled with active learning.

If you are not able to implement anything else, active learning exercises appear to be a great first step in transforming your class. Not only does it allow an instructor to break up the time spent lecturing into manageable chunks, but these activities provide students a road map for problem solving.

Students are tasked with solving a variety of problems to either fortify their understanding, prepare them for assessments or expose them to more abstract applications. At first these exercises became a necessary way for me to know the level of understanding of each student. In real-time, I am able to assess the impact of the previous 10-15 minutes of lecture by observing the success rate of problem solving.

As I have tweaked these problems semester to semester, I have been able to include not just the baseline problems i.e. problems that will be on assessments, but I have also been able to include abstract applications. Not exactly case studies, these abstract applications provide a more "grounded" analysis of a problem.

Developing active learning exercises for your class should begin by an examination of the concepts which are often difficult for students to grasp without some help. After identifying the concepts you want to introduce into class, deciding on a methodology can often be met with some paralysis. There are so many resources and methods aimed at implementing active learning that a paradox of choice begins to develop.

To help with choice-lock, here are a few ways you can begin introducing active learning into your lectures. Regardless of the activities you explore, you should look at how the pace of the class can be improved. Often in my 75 minute class I devote 50-60 minutes to lecture. Within that time, I try to pace the class so that I talk for around 10-15 minutes and then introduce an active learning exercise. Some require only a few minutes while others may need closer to half of a class.

Regardless of my choice, I try to be consistent as to how students are consuming information. Generally, they hear me describe a topic and/process, then they see me solve a problem, then they will be asked with completing an active learning exercise.

To begin your own classroom example

Beginner Methods

• Have students take a "one-minute quiz", before during or after your lecture
  • This quiz should be a simple recap of a topic and can be qualitative or quantitative in nature
  • Implementation time: 5 minutes, Classroom time: 1-5 minutes
• Have students perform a "Think, pair, share" exercise
  • Propose a question where students should try to obtain the solution at first on their own, then turn to neighbors to discuss the process and finally provide an explanation to the class
  • Implementation time: 5 minutes, Classroom time: under 5 minutes

Intermediate Methods

• Ask students to answer a question using an in-class poll, similar to Polleverywhere, Google Forms, or an analog equivalent
  • This active learning exercise forces all students to participate and can provide a nice snapshot of understanding and recollection
  • Implementation time: 10-15 minutes, Classroom time: 5-10 minutes
• Develop a sample problem set that you distribute to students before lecture begins. After tackling a topic, ask students to complete specific problems corroborating the methods just introduced
  • These in-class assignments provide students a template for problem solving and an example of what the homework/quiz/test may look like
  • Implementation time: 10-15 minutes, Classroom time: under 10 minutes

Advanced Methods

• Set students up into pre-determined groups to problems solve
  • This active learning exercise asks students to outline the problem solving algorithm while making connections to the more qualitative components of lecture
  • Note: Here I like to create groups based on class performance: grouping strong students with students who need extra attention. Budget into your time-estimate the fact that students are slow to rearrange themselves. Using a case study is often a tool I'll employ here
  • Implementation time: 10-15 minutes, Classroom time: 10-15 minutes
• Task students with using some simulation software e.g. VeconLab or Sloan School SImulations
  • These programs provide immense value for students struggling to connect the classroom to the real world
  • Note: it is imperative that you completely understand the game, the setup and dynamics. I often find that I'm bogged down by the most simple questions about the game, like logging in.
    • Implementation time: 30-45 minutes, Classroom time: 20-30 minutes

• Recently, after the end of a class I have been reserving about 3 minutes of time to ask students: what did you learn today? What was the big take away from class?
  • After I give students around a minute to write their summary, I randomly call on a few students to express their ideas.
• An abstract application I use every semester to emphasize the market power of a monopoly is to see if we as a class can replicate the retail price of Ray-Ban sunglasses. Using the Lerner Index, estimated elasticities, and some internet research, we use Luxottica as a prime example of a vertically integrated firm.

• Every semester after my intermediate microeconomics class works through the theory and methodology behind the Cournot profit maximizing problem we play a Cournot style game using VeconLab. To make clear the distinction in decision making, we first play where each person in class makes a choice on production as if they were a monopolist. Then students are instructed to now make decisions as a duopoly as they will be competing against each other. Without fail, students will gravitate to the theoretical outcome.
  • Showing the results to the class is an important final step. This solidifies the connection between our theory and application.

To make any game from VeconLab run smooth I try to do the following

• Create a slideshow detailing the process to login
• In the same slideshow show students what "levers" they will be pulling
• Before I bring a game to class, I test the game before by logging in, using different devices and play against myself
• Always set aside more time than you think you will need