International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
Volume 3, Number 1, January 2009

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Research Article

Excerpt

Playing Bingo to Review Fundamental Concepts in Advanced Courses

The beginning of advanced courses often requires a review of fundamental concepts.
Such review is often tedious and boring for both student and instructor. Instead, an active learning exercise such as a modified Bingo exercise can serve to review and re-educate at the same time. Ninety-two university students rated their understanding of developmental psychology theories before and after participating in a modified Bingo exercise designed to review the fundamentals of the theories and concepts. Students reported an improvement of their perceived knowledge of developmental theories and for each of the theories reviewed. They rated the exercise as academically challenging, helpful to learn concepts, and not a waste of time. Students who reported being able to explain the theories to
others at the conclusion of the exercise had higher test scores.

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Bio

Rob Weisskirch
California State University, Monterey Bay
Seaside, California, USA
rob_weisskirch@csumb.edu

I am an Associate Professor of Human Development in the Liberal Studies Department at California State University, Monterey Bay. I earned a Ph.D. in Human Development from University of California, Davis, a Master of Social Work from San Diego State University, and a Multiple Subjects Teaching Credential and Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from University of California, Irvine. I currently teach courses in adolescent development, behavior disorders of childhood and adolescence, child development, and senior capstone. My research interests are pedagogy of adolescent development, language brokering, ethnic identity, acculturation, and how technology affects relationships. I have served as a regular reviewer for American Psychology Association Division 2: Society for the Teaching of Psychology annual convention program and the Instructional Resource Awards.

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