Categories
Canvas Spotlight

Just-in-Time-Teaching (JiTT)

Last updated on November 5, 2024

Picture a classroom where you meet students where they are in their learning experience. What if you had all the information to address gaps in knowledge or misunderstandings as they crop up rather than after an assessment has been given? What if, instead of giving a preset lesson that you think will be right for the learners in the room, you offered students the information they needed, right when they needed it? Just-in-Time Teaching can bring you closer to these ideal scenarios.

Just-in-Time Teaching (JiTT) is an evidence-based instructional strategy designed to foster this kind of dynamic learning experience. JiTT involves changing the way both teachers and learners prepare for synchronous class sessions. The process revolves around short, web-based assignments that students complete before the relevant class session. These “warm-up” assignments typically consist of 2-4 questions targeting key concepts from whatever resources students have engaged with before class (textbook, readings, videos, podcasts, etc.). As the instructor prepares for the class session, they sample student responses, giving them insight into what students do and do not understand from the work they’ve done so far. It’s not just about forcing students to prepare; it’s about working to meet them where they are in their learning.

Using this strategy may sound like extra work on your part, but there are strategies for reducing that work so that the gains are clearly worth the extra time. A common goal when using JiTT is to spend no more than 30 minutes processing student responses to the warm-up assignment. By combining the right tools in Canvas with the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) tools, this process can be fast, fair and insightful.

An Introduction to JiTT

Before we continue, let’s take a look at what the JiTT strategy may look and sound like from an instructor who is implementing the technique. Dr. Jeff Loats is a Professor of Physics and Executive Director of the Center for Teaching, Learning and Design at MSU Denver. He has used and studied Just-in-Time Teaching for over 15 years and has trained hundreds of faculty on this technique. After the introduction, Dr. Loats gives us an example of what his JiTT process is like for students in the video below.

Best Practices

What are the Benefits of Using the JITT Strategy?

  • JiTT may be among the easiest research-based instructional strategies to consistently integrate into your teaching. It can be effectively added to nearly any course or teaching style, with minimal change to your existing design.
  • From an evidence-based perspective, JiTT addresses often neglected areas such as metacognitive activities and spaced practice.
  • Using JiTT may mean that you discover gaps in student knowledge and skills that you didn’t know about. Rather than being discouraged by this, take it as an opportunity for you to use a realistic understanding of your students so that you can guide them to focus on what matters. 

What are the Steps to Implement JiTT?

  1. Create Pre-Class Assignments: Develop short assignments in Canvas that focus on the core concepts of your upcoming lesson. These should not feel like a classic “reading quiz,” in which we often ask basic comprehension questions that are computer-graded. Instead, these should be mostly questions that students answer in 2-3 sentences. You can include some multiple-choice questions, but they are generally less useful for everyone.
  2. Collect and Analyze Responses Using Copilot: Collect your submissions, then copy and paste them into a Microsoft Copilot chat. Ask Copilot to look for about three different categories that student responses fall into. You can use these categories or create your own if Copilot misses the key pedagogical aspects. Next, ask Copilot to show you 12 randomly chosen student responses allowing you to see examples of the categories, select responses that deserve discussion, and understand the broad patterns of student thinking. You do not need to read every student response. Use the prompts provided below to elicit feedback from Copilot. 
  • Note: This part of the JiTT Process requires the use of Microsoft Copilot. Review the CTLD Spotlight on how to Use Microsoft Copilot to learn more. 
  • Example Prompts for Copilot:
    Asking Copilot to look for categories of student responses:
    Here is a question followed by student responses to that question. I’m interested in what patterns there are in the student responses, especially regarding the ways they approach the question and the common mistakes that can happen. Suggest 3 categories that at least half of the students fall into.

    Asking Copilot to clean up and show random student responses:
    Here is a question followed by student responses to that question. Show me 6 randomly selected student responses, and show them in a random order. Label each one with which row they come from and then quote them, but don’t add quotation marks. Remove any special characters or odd formatting. If I ask you to show me more, show me another 6, but be sure not to repeat any.
  1. Close The Loop and Adapt Your Lesson: Select 2-4 responses that can be anonymously quoted during class to represent the overall pattern of responses, spur discussion, or clarify common misconceptions. Spend about 5 minutes of class time discussing each question from the warm-up assignment. Show the students the overall pattern of responses using the categories generated by Copilot (or your own). Discuss the 2-4 anonymous student responses, starting with ‘useful wrong answers’ and ending with good examples. Then, modify what happens during class! Spend more time clarifying and exploring topics students found challenging and reinforce concepts they grasped well. Be explicit about how their responses are shaping the way class time is spent.
  2. Facilitate Active Learning: On the heels of a JiTT warm-up discussion, students will be primed to engage with that topic. Active learning is ideal at these moments as a way to create real learning for the students. 

How Can I Build Effective Pre-Class Assignments?

  • Select the Graded survey submission type when creating your pre-class assignments. This ensures students receive full credit for their thoughtful responses — you are able to change this grade manually if you determine a student should not receive full credit. 
  • A good warm-up question requires learners to use the topic resources they’ve recently engaged with. It is specific, and deserves just a 2-3 sentence response. Avoid asking students to summarize or paraphrase. XX
  • Be very specific about the length of student responses. Warm-up questions should be bite-sized, with a complete answer being just a few sentences. Use phrases like these in the question:
    • “Explain in 2-3 sentences…”
    • “Give two brief examples…”
    • “Explain how you got your estimate for…”
  • Encourage metacognition by asking students to regularly evaluate their interaction with the material. Do this by adding the two questions below as the first and last question to every pre-class assignment:
    • First Question: “What aspect of the material did you find the most difficult or interesting?”
    • Last Question: “How much time did you spend on the pre-class work for tomorrow?”
      • Note: Do this as a multiple choice or dropdown question showing increments of 5 min from 0 to 60 min.

Additional Resources from Jeff

For more information on building effective pre-class assignments, review Jeff’s Guide to Writing WarmUp Questions and Jeff’s Guide to Implementing JiTT.

Best Practices Video

Let’s Walk through it Together

Dr. Jeff Loats is a Professor of Physics and Executive Director of the Center for Teaching, Learning and Design at MSU Denver. He has used and studied Just-in-Time Teaching for over 10 years and has trained hundreds of faculty on this technique. He walks us through his process in the video below. 

Create Pre-class Assignments

  1. Go to MSU Denver’s Faculty and Staff Hub.
  2. Click Canvas in the Teaching & Learning section.
  3. Log in to your Canvas Account.
  4. Select the Course you’d like to work in.
  5. Click Quizzes in the left-hand navigation menu.
  6. Click + Quiz in the top right-hand corner of the page.
  7. Select Classic Quizzes in the pop-up menu.
  8. Click Submit in the bottom right-hand corner.
  9. Enter a title for the quiz in the Quiz Title field.
  10. Enter any instructions for the quiz in the Quiz Instructions field.
  11. Choose the Graded Survey option for the submission type.
  12. Add a point value in the points field. 
  13. Select any Options that you would like to enable for the quiz.
  14. Assign the quiz to your students in the Assign menu.
    • By default, the quiz will be assigned to all students in the course. Ensure the quiz is due before the class it is associated with. 
  15. Click on the Questions tab at the top of the page.
  16. Click + New Question at the bottom of the page to add a single question to the quiz.
    • Add questions to your quiz, then click Save in the bottom right corner

Collect Student Responses Using Canvas Analytics

Note: It is advised to start this process with another tab in your browser open with ChatGPT (or another GenAI software, such as Microsoft Copilot) chat started. 

  1. Click on the pre-class assignment in Canvas.
  2. Click Survey Statistics in the upper right corner.
  3. Open the report that was downloaded to your computer.
  4. Copy the answers to a question by highlighting and copying an entire column. 

Use Copilot to Analyze Responses

Prompt Copilot to analyze the survey responses for common questions and thoughtful effort using one of the prompt templates provided above. After you have copied and entered one of these prompt templates, follow these steps:

  1. Paste the submissions into the Copilot text field.
  2. Review the submissions Copilot presents for you. 
  3. Copy 2-3 responses into a PowerPoint to be shown in class. Choose responses you deem representative of common misunderstandings or deserving of discussion. 
  4. Navigate to the Gradebook in Canvas to change grades as needed.
  5. Instruct Copilot to show you 6 more responses and repeat steps as needed. 

Close The Loop and Adapt Your Lesson

Based on the answers you receive, follow the steps below to apply the JiTT strategy:

Address gaps in understanding

As you analyze responses, ensure you respond to some students individually via Speedgrader comments. This increases engagement and helps students feel invested in the assignment. After Copilot identifies common themes in the submissions, use this information to facilitate discussions or inform your lecture to address common gaps in understanding in real time. 

Address common themes 

Address the class as a whole based on their responses. Adapt your lesson to answer common questions or possible misconceptions that were identified by Copilot. 

Quote responses anonymously during class

Quoting responses from student submissions conveys that you are engaged with learners and will meet them where they are in their learning. Quotes may be used to address misunderstandings or reinforce content. Displaying the quotes for the class via PowerPoint to observe during this step is advised to facilitate engagement.

Wrapping Up

Incorporating Just-in-Time Teaching (JiTT) into your instructional practices provides a responsive, student-centered approach that enhances engagement and understanding. By creating a fast feedback loop and adapting lessons to meet students’ immediate needs, you foster an environment that values each learner’s experience. With the aid of GenAI, implementing JiTT becomes a streamlined and efficient process, allowing you to focus on what matters most: facilitating impactful learning. As you refine your approach to teaching, consider how JiTT can help you create a more dynamic and effective classroom for all your students.

Looking for more? View related topics: