Module 3: Principles of Learning Design & Active Learning

In this module I explored the benefits of active learning and exploring some of the ways that multimedia can support these activities such as H5P. I used the concept of Backward Design to plan my lesson with my intended outcomes and prepare students for the assessments. Then I showed my H5P multiple choice exercise for students to participate in active learning and engage with the topic with higher order thinking skills.

Lesson Plan Design – Differentiate Whale Species

HP5 Interactive Learning Object

Constructive Alignment and Backward Design​​

Both these concepts are relevant in most of my courses. At the beginning of most of my lectures, (or in this courses case, the beginning of the module) my professor provides a clear list of the learning outcomes for this specific unit or module. I find this really helps me be able to focus on what I should intend to learn from the lecture and what to focus on. I also use the concept of backward design when I am about to start a project or essay. I like to read the grading rubric first to get a sense of what is expected of me for the assignment, from there I can focus on how to achieve the expected outcomes.

Experience with HP3

I had a great experience with H5P. I was very impressed with the amount of different teaching activities they had, from interactive video, multiple choice, image hotspots, fill in the blank, timelines and several more. They had different activities depending on if you wanted an activity for a formative assessment, problem solving, language or conceptual learning. I would definitely like to explore H5P more in the future. I found specifically for my teaching context multiple choice was the perfect fit. It was obvious the multiple choice options were either toothed or baleen but I did not want to use an activity that used an image because using an image of a specific whale could possibly give away what the correct answer was. By using the multiple choice activity students were pushed to use their memory of what they learned on characteristics of each specific whale.

Conclusion

This module deepened my understanding of active learning and how tools like H5P can enhance engagement and higher-order thinking. By using Backward Design, I effectively aligned lesson outcomes with assessments, and preparing students to meet objectives. This experience has motivated me to further explore multimedia tools to create engaging and impactful learning activities.

My Comment on my Classmate’s Module 3 Blog Post