Metacognitive Skills as Learning Strategies in Classroom Activities using LectureTools

Discussion among Perry Samson, Shirley Yu, Duncan Sibley, and Simon Brassell

One focus of our discussion was designing a class activity related to global climate change using LectureTools, according to the following steps:

1. Present Keeling graph of measured changes in atmospheric CO₂ at Mauna Loa since 1958.
2. Ask students to describe the graph, including its trends, submitting their answers.
3. Engage students in a discussion of their answers, including group sharing, and address specific questions that they raise.
4. Require students to restate their description of the data, why they made changes compared to their previous submission, and, separately, interpret the temporal changes in CO₂.
5. Engage students in a discussion of their interpretations, including group sharing, and address specific questions that they raise.
6. Require students to restate their interpretation of changes in the data, why they made changes compared to their previous submission, and, separately, predict the future trend for atmospheric CO₂, explaining their prediction.
7. Engage students in a discussion of their predictions, including group sharing, and address specific questions that they raise.
8. Ask students to examine the graphs of measured changes in atmospheric CO₂ at Barrow, AK, American Samoa, and South Pole, Antarctica.
9. Ask students to describe and interpret temporal trends in these data, separately, explaining similarities and differences among the three trends atmospheric CO₂, and interpreting why observed differences exist.