This introductory economics course brings together a large number of students in a large auditorium. To capture their attention and maximize their memorization and learning, the teacher has set up several devices.
To get students actively involved, he sequences the lesson by offering online polls every 15-20 minutes using Pingo software. At the beginning of the lesson, for example, he can ask students to position themselves individually about the subject of the lesson, and then ask the same question again at the end of the lesson to see how the responses have evolved. During the course, this tool can be used to set up small group work by asking a question and requiring the students to answer it in collaboration with those sitting around together for a few minutes. The live display of the answers allows students to know where they stand, and the teacher to identify any difficulties that need to be addressed. These online votes stimulate discussion and reflection, while encouraging interaction.
Since 2016, class sessions have been filmed and broadcast live during class time, then recorded on Mediaserver. In the video, the teacher appears in an insert of his presentation. Seeing the teacher present the course and following his movements adds an extra dynamic dimension compared with recordings that only show the slides.
The teacher also uses Openboard software, enabling him to write with a stylus directly on his presentation support. Annotating the course in this way allows him to slow down the pace of the lesson, while at the same time giving rhythm to the learning by highlighting what's important. It also adds interactivity with the students.
In his first lesson, the teacher sets out a few empirical facts about learning, so that students can adopt the strategy best suited to them. For example, he warns about the impact of streaming on learning. Indeed, one study showed that the use of streaming accentuated the gap in exam performance between students with good results before arriving at university and those with poorer results. While the most independent students do better on the exam when using streaming, less independent students do less well. Attendance seems to lead to better results, especially if students have problems learning independently.
The teacher also points out that studies have shown that a student's brain activity during a lecture is quite low if the student is not active. In a seminar, on the other hand, this activity is higher due to note-taking and invitations to ask questions. In an auditorium, active engagement by taking notes increases brain activity and maximizes comprehension and memorization. The results also show that taking handwritten notes is more conducive to memorization and comprehension than notes taken on a computer, as they are more filtered, selected and therefore require active reflection.
The course assessment takes the form of a 30-question MCQ, including comprehension questions, questions requiring students to develop their answers in draft form, and complex questions based on press articles related to the course content. Previously, students could use any documents they wished. From now on, their reference medium is limited to a handwritten A4 sheet. This format offers added pedagogical value by encouraging them to organize and synthesize the information they deem essential, thus promoting memorization.
