Microteaching: Object based learning

Participating in an object-based learning activity was a fascinating component of our unit journey, transforming us into genuine students within the classroom setting. This session, slated for 20 minutes per participant, involved five of us, including our tutor. As a student in a vulnerable position, I experienced a mix of nerves and excitement.

My task, titled “We are the inspiration to everything in the WORLD,” prompted participants to view themselves as objects. As we being online batch, I wanted to show them objects but yet understand without the “touch or feel”. I was initially bit sceptical if this would work? But got the guts to try out when people try to do Object based learning without objects in the room (Orgill, S, 2024)

And I presented the following images (Figure 1) to creatively match it to themselves. What I expected of them is to identify these devices as Input, Output and Process (left to right) and match it their input sensory organs, output sensory organs and brain respectively.

The first component to the left is a temperature sensor (input) which senses the environmental temperature like our skin senses the weather outside, the second was buzzer (output) which produces sound to indicate something alarming similar to we shout out in case of fire, the third was the microcontroller (Processor) which decides when to sound the buzzer when temperature heats up beyond threshold similar to our brain which decides and communicates to us as “fight” or “flight” based on the surrounding inputs.

However, the activity didn’t unfold as expected. Despite my briefing, participants struggled to grasp its objectives, leaving me disappointed. Their confusion prompted a valuable reflection on what went well and what didn’t. Feedback from participants highlighted the enthusiasm for exploring new concepts but emphasized the need for clearer instructions. They suggested that concise guidelines, articulated on-screen, could enhance engagement and comprehension.

Participant one noted the ambiguity within the task, calling for more explicit instructions and enhanced engagement among peers. Participant two appreciated the opportunity for novel experiences but suggested introducing key terms upfront to alleviate confusion. Participant three valued the freedom to explore without pressure but desired more interaction with peers. Participant four praised the activity’s productive uncertainty but urged for clearer learning outcomes.

Reflecting on my observations, I recognized a shortfall in understanding participants’ diverse backgrounds, particularly those from arts disciplines, who struggled to relate to the presented concepts. This oversight resulted in a ripple effect, hindering overall comprehension. To address these issues, I resolved to share relevant documents in advance to better align expectations.

However, despite these challenges, the experience served as a valuable learning opportunity. It inspired me to digest the feedback constructively and refine my approach. Subsequently, I successfully implemented similar activities in recent classes, leveraging participant engagement and feedback to achieve greater success.

In conclusion, while the object-based learning activity initially presented challenges, it ultimately fueled growth and improvement. By embracing feedback and refining my approach, I navigated setbacks to foster a more engaging and enriching learning environment for all participants involved.

References:

Orgill, S (2024) How we incorporate Object-Based Learning into the online classroom at the ASCC. UAL PGCert Cross Programme Lecture series. 24th January 2024.