Quick Thinks

From: http://www1.indstate.edu/cirt1/facdev/tips/index.html

One of the most important findings in learning psychology is that students must deliberately process information in order to retain it. No matter how well new ideas are presented, short term memory can only hold about seven items before it must either process the ideas into long term kinds of memory or lose them. In most lectures, this point is reached every 12-18 minutes.

The successful teacher creates moments that allow students to cognitively process information before it becomes overwhelming. In traditional lecture courses, this may only require two or three brief activities inserted in the middle of a talk. This week's tips offer some ideas that you might use. Of course, classes that do not rely on lectures can adapt these activities to invite critical reflection on the work students are doing.

The ideas presented below are taken from the work of Susan Johnston and Jim Cooper (CSU-Dominguez Hills). They call these activities "Quick Thinks." The CIRT will be glad to send you a copy of their article.

Select the Best Response. At the right moment in your lecture, present students with a single multiple choice question over the material just covered. Have students indicate what they believe is the correct response (usually by holding up a paper with their answer). From the range of responses, you can gauge their understanding of the material and adjust accordingly.

Correct the Error. Present students with a statement -- based on the material just covered -- that contains a deliberate error. Ask students to discover the error and correct it. As you listen to their efforts, you will learn what confusions remain. Students will begin practicing critical thinking.

Complete a Sentence. Create a sentence stem that requires using lecture material to complete accurately. Present it to the class, allowing 1-2 minutes for completion. Ask for several responses before continuing. This activity requires students to recall and interpret rather than just recognize information.

Compare or Contrast. Ask students to compare or contrast newly presented information with prior knowledge. For quick thinking, you should pose the comparison in precise terms, such as: how are the elements of this idea (just covered) like/unlike these other ones?

Support a Statement. Present students with a statement and ask them to use the information just presented to support (or dismiss) the statement. Students will need to connect the material to deeper thought processes to draw connections and inferences.

Re-Order the Steps. If your instruction includes teaching students steps of a procedure, hand out a list of steps in the wrong sequence and ask students to reorganize them. This may make a thought-provoking start to a lecture if linked to the readings.

Reach a Conclusion. Present a short problem to students drawn from data or events or opinions and give students a couple minutes to draw a conclusion that would be consistent with the material you are covering. A short discussion of various responses will model how the material is part of complex thinking.

Paraphrase the Idea. After presenting an idea, have students write down the idea in their own words (or as if they were explaining it to a friend). As you share the results of this complex re-processing of your content, your students profit from hearing it several times, and you can coach those who are still uncertain.

Final Thoughts

Quick Think activities are small but powerful tools to engage students in the kind of mental work that psychologists have shown are crucial to effective learning. There are various adaptations of each of these. Some instructors, for example, let students know that the multiple choice questions are drawn from the question pool used in exams -- capturing attention and introducing students to your testing style. Other faculty connect quick thinks with homework. Still others, have students share in pairs before gathering responses. This brings social support into the processing. By focusing Quick Thinks around the main ideas of the lesson, students learn how to discriminate ideas from details. Some samples can be found in the Johnston and Cooper's essay. Your imaginative application of the principle should help your students become more actively engaged in understanding the lessons of your classroom.

This Teaching Tip was first published by Indiana State University’s, Center for Teaching and Learning on February 9, 1998.