Abstract:

As educators, it is critical that we prepare our students for the expectations of their chosen professions. Collaborative, immersive and experiential modes of learning provide students with pragmatic experience to benefit them as they enter the profession. This presentation highlights an innovative course structure that includes 60 students and three instructors of diverse expertise. Throughout the semester-long course, students work individually and on teams, provide feedback via online communities, and produce work with the guidance of all three instructors.

This innovative course prepares students for the demands of their final year of undergraduate study in their major. The course focuses on design thinking strategies, research methods, web, advanced technologies, social media, collaborative work strategies and presentation methods. Students alternate between working independently and on teams to solve complex visual communication problems using a variety of problem-solving techniques and strategies introduced and practiced in class sessions. The course also utilizes the Flip Classroom” model, where students alternate between working face-to-face in the classroom and working online via blogs and other online groups.

One of the most exciting and beneficial aspects of this course is that the three instructors interact with 60 students and provide information in lectures, discussions, critiques, small and large group meetings, and online. Although it is challenging to coordinate and manage a course of this size and complexity, the benefits to our students far outweigh any obstacles and it is an extremely rewarding course to teach.

Keywords:

Innovation, collaboration, flipped classroom, active learning, experiential learning.