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A New Approach: Table Top Problem Based Learning.

Introduction
The U turn to my approach to teaching and learning began three years ago. After an
exhausting lesson cajoling a group of rather complacent A level Mechanics students to
work for a whole hour during which most of them resumed their ! degrees to the
vertical comfort posture of least possible effort" whenever the pressure was lifted #
decided something had to change$ and it had to be radical%
That evening # tapped away on my computer at home on the subject of the modern
student& what do they want from the teacher'" and came out the other end with the
conclusion they no longer view us as a knowledge bank on which they depend$ they have
the internet for that. (hat they need is a good manager of their learning.
)o # declared to them in the next lesson # would not be writing on the whiteboard nor
teaching them from the front for the rest of the course% # did not realise then what a new
direction to my classroom management this change in my behaviour would bring.
*ot writing on the whiteboard was pretty hard to stick to% # could feel the board pen
urging me to pick it up and explain parts of our work they were unsure of time and time
again. # even found myself writing in tiny writing in the corner of the board convincing
myself # was not really writing on the board%
)o if # was going to stick to this$ how were we to proceed'
Prompt sheets and presentations
+or each new topic # gave the students a prompt sheet, with tick boxes with (hat you
have to know details". # put them into groups and told them to prepare a presentation to
give to me and the rest of the class using any resources they wanted textbook$ internet$
etc$ they had to assume # had come down with a bad case of amnesia overnight%
# couldn-t believe the transformation% They were discussing and sorting out problems and
most of them gave a good attempt at their first presentation with me sitting at the back of
the class taking notes on a topic # knew nothing about" and asking probing .uestions.
The ! degree body language was replaced by engagement with each other.
/ow come it has taken me so long to realise this would work%
Three years on # have now totally adopted this approach. There is no doubt # am on a
huge learning curve on how to make it effective& in a nutshell discovering How to be an
effective manager of their learning." 0ut it is exciting$ challenging and producing great
results.
,see appendix and glossary
h! do I call it TABL" T#P P$#BL"% BA&"' L"A$NIN()
This was a title which ensured # did not deliver topics from the whiteboard at the front of
the classroom but worked with my students at their tables. #t is problem driven$ that is
students see the problem to be solved$ the end of the journey and then plan their own
route to get there". #n creating mathematical hunger" students are motivated to find the
answers to their own .uestions on a topic.
h! is it a different approach to learning)
hat it is not:
#t is not driven by the teacher
#t does not involve the teacher planning every lesson for the students and therefore having
control
#t does not give all the responsibility of the course to the teacher.
#t is not delivered from the whiteboard.
hat it is
#t is driven by the student.
#t involves the student or group of students planning each lesson and therefore having
control
#t is driven by problem solving in groups on table tops.
#t is recognising that the students themselves represent the resources needed for learning
to take place and that by challenging everything through the teacher this resource is
severely restricted.
How is it managed)
This is the key to its success.
&*ilful management is re+uired to ensure that learning ta*es place,
1egular testing and .uestioning of topics demonstrates clearly to the student and teacher
whether they have ac.uired a sound understanding& then to decide together the action to
be taken if they have not.
2ots of support and encouragement is essential to ensure the student feels secure and
confident in their learning.
/elp with the creation and execution of their plan whether it is for the next ten minutes in
class$ the whole lesson$ the next week or longer.
All topics have an activity attached which will test learning.
hat practical techni+ues can be emplo!ed)
The prompt sheets 3,now designed by the students%4 or a short talk 3given by a student4 is
used as an introduction to each topic using the course specifications$ the students plan
how long their group is going to spend on it$ there is an activity associated with each
prompt sheet$ for example& a presentation to the class or in smaller groups$ writing a
worksheet$ teaching another topic to a student$ preparing a demonstration of Autograph
graph package on the computer$ making a poster$ and others
How to chec* their learning is effective in practice
5. A weekly assignment which must be submitted complete with a comment sheet$ to
explain how the student overcame any problems6 for example by using a mentor$
going to a )ubject 7xtension$ 8lass +orum$ asking each other$ asking me etc.
9. A weekly test on two or three .uestions from the assignment and the test is a pass or
fail" so the aim is perfection%
:. ;ne to ones and comments on progress on their record cards as a teacher<student
dialogue.
. A poster turnaround" activity,
!. (arm up .uestions at the start of each lesson
=. The teacher and other students asking probing .uestions instead of supplying solutions
>. )trip tests,
?. )tudent presentations
@. Aroups of students planning and delivering whole lessons
5B. A one hand walk" through a topic,
The ideas are endless once you open up the resource bank to include the students instead
of putting them in the passive role of listening to the teacher$ lesson after lesson.
A wor* in progress
# still have a long way to go$ but the great thing is my work and my students- work is
creative and exciting$ the resource bank in the classroom consists of twenty three students
with ideas and different approaches instead of just one C M7% /ow was # so arrogant to
think that # knew best$ that all information had to be channelled through me C why'
*ow # am freed up from the dogged delivery of the course from the front$ to work with
the students on a more individual basis. (e have time to try out new ideas all the time.
This week # am going to get them to draw posters of a rough sea with safe grounds$
islands where they place topics or parts of topics that they feel one hundred per cent
confident on$ a visual reminder of the progress they are making and the unknown the
rough seas" the topics yet to be tackled%
In conclusion
/ow do # guard against taking back control again' Aiving into the voice which says oh #
could just teach them this in three minutes" instead of allowing them time to struggle
with understanding the text book$ asking each other$ looking confused'
A good motto: can the student-s do this instead of me)
8an a student explain it to the student who is confused$ can the student ask the rest of the
class for a discussion on a topic$ can the student deliver this topic to the others$ can the
students invent a testing strategy to prove learning has taken place$ can the students
decide when to hold tracking tests and the mock exams and which paper to hold back
even. Dthe answer is invariably ."&,
Not a completel! smooth ride
This is an enormous step in giving the students responsibility for their own learning 3a
great preparation for life at university and beyond4 and they don-t like it to begin with% #t
is more demanding$ class evaluations have included this table top approach doesn-t work
we-d rather you taught us from the front" and a revealing comment to a teacher watching
my class last week which the student was using as a negative of my lesson # enjoy
teacher led lessons because it gives you times where you have rest periods$ this type of
learning means you have to concentrate on your work all the time" (hat she sees as
negative gives me huge encouragement to keep improving this approach to learning in
my classroom. )o students prefer teacher led lessons. ;f course they do% That-s easier for
them and perceived as effective learning but test them on what you have just delivered
and you .uickly find out they can-t do it%
/owever$ many of my students are now commenting that their learning is more thorough
and lasting and a good preparation for university and they are beginning to take
responsibility for their own learning. ;n occasions when my lessons have to be covered
by another teacher they ask me what # want them to do with them. # reply nothing$ just
be there they know what they-re doing".
Three years on$ # am still learning to be the skilful manager of their learning and trying to
lose the old habits of wanting to take control which is hard%
)o to conclude$ in refusing to write on the whiteboard three years ago$ # found an
alternative which # know is more effective$ gives a greater depth of learning$ instils
confidence and$ above all$ allows a more creative and exciting way to learn mathematics
which is$ after all$ the most creative and exciting of all subjects%
A change in m! behaviour$ not the students initially$ brought about a new approach to
learning for my students.
/ivien %oore 0%athematics Teacher and &pecialist Tutor1
Brighton2 Hove and &usse3 &i3th 4orm 5ollege.
Appendi3 and (lossar! 6
0elow are examples<explanations of a prompt sheet$ a poster turnaround activity$ a
strip test and a one hand wal* through a topic.
Note:
# am keen not to take credit for inventing all of these activities but # am indebted to my
colleagues for introducing them to me.
A Prompt &heet for Moments in Mechanics
M;M7*T) E1;MET )/77T tick each point when completed
5. # understand what the moment of a force is.
9. # understand the two conditions for a system to be in e.uilibrium& no resultant force
and no turning effect.
9. # can use the principle of moments to find an unknown force on a system such as a
uniform rod
:. # can take moments when the force is acting at an angle$ for example in ladder
.uestions.
. # can find the perpendicular distance from the point of taking moments to the line of
action of the force using trig$ # do not resolve the force into two components.
!. # use clear notation to show where # am taking moments.
A Poster Turnaround activit! used as an introduction to a new topic
)tudents are split into groups of four$ six .uestions are displayed on posters on the wall
around the classroom preferably with easy access to a whiteboard 3# have a minimum of
three in my classrooms$ the more the better4. This works well with a completely new
topic.
;ne student volunteers to be the host" and work begins in the group on solving the
.uestions using the textbook or other sources to find out how to do it.
After five or ten minutes the group move clockwise to the next .uestion but the host
remains to explain their progress so far to the new group. A new host is chosen and the
work continues for five minutes. After which$ the students again turnaround" to the next
problem$ the new host remains and so on.
This activity creates the mathematical hunger" essential for effective learning and often
needs to be followed by a consolidating lesson. A worksheet on the same .uestions is
very effective in testing they have understood fully how to solve the problems and for
discussing and sorting out any doubts.
3This was introduced to us as a techni.ue by Aeoff Eetty$ only the name is mine%4
A &trip Test
)tudents are given ten short .uestions. They need to be sitting at tables in groups of four.
The teacher selects one at random and the students solve it displaying their solution
clearly at the top of a sheet of A.They then fold this over so their solution is hidden and
pass it on to the next student on their table. Another .uestion is selected and the process
repeated. After four or five .uestions have been completed the strip papers are opened
and put in the centre of the table. The teacher selects one and marks it. The best team
wins.
This encourages group work and students are motivated to help weaker students to
provide an exact and clear solution.
A #ne7hand al* through a topic
)tudents hold up one hand and have to come up with a summary of the topic just studied
using each finger in turn to represent five main points only. A good revision activity and
an aid for walking into the exam room feeling prepared.
A further note
My new project is to apply this method to my tutor groups.
#nstead of tutees coming to a session where they have the passive role of listening to me
delivering 3often by EowerEoint% ugh4 the theme of the week$ they now use the resources$
which are on an e page$ to make personal contributions to produce an 72 education for
life" portfolio.
Foubtless # will be writing about that very soon%

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