Implementing Active Learning in STEM Courses

Implementing Active Learning in STEM Courses

This is an online workshop. You will receive a link via email to the Zoom meeting link upon registration and prior to the beginning of the workshop. Please use your Northwestern Zoom account.

Workshop Description: 

Active learning techniques are powerful tools for engaging and motivating students while improving learning outcomes. In this workshop, we will introduce participants to active learning and covering teaching techniques that promote active learning in a wide range of teaching contexts applicable to STEM courses. We will discuss methods of facilitating group work among students and how to apply active learning teaching techniques to specific learning environments. By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to incorporate active learning and group work into their courses and adapt active learning techniques to different classroom contexts.

Workshop facilitators:

Alexandra Tamerius is a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in Chemistry and current Graduate Teaching Fellow. Alexandra is passionate about science outreach, inspiring future scientists, and promoting science literacy. She is currently in her second year coordinating a 200-student outreach program at Hayt elementary, where she uses active learning strategies and evidence-based teaching to foster positive student engagement with science.

Nathan Bradshaw is a fifth-year PhD candidate in the Materials Science and Engineering department. Nathan is interested in science communication, science outreach and helping veterans complete college degrees. He spent the last four years conducting TA training in his department and has six years experience teaching people to operate nuclear reactors in the Navy. Nathan hopes to carry his interest in active learning and inclusive teaching techniques into exploring methods of increasing veteran graduation rates in secondary education.