For my course design, I chose to teach people how to use PyQt6, a Python library that helps developers create desktop apps. I chose this topic because I’ve been learning it in my software engineering class recently. However, the instructor’s approach is simply opening the digital handbook, clicking through sections, and showing us how to adjust the template code for buttons and images. Although he explained everything thoroughly, the lectures felt very dry. 

After reading this module, I realized there might be a better way to teach PyQt6. Allowing students to explore the instructions and build applications themselves could make the experience more engaging. Using Constructive Alignment and Backward Design, I created a course plan to teach students how to build apps, focusing on a skill they can use immediately. I have also come up with an idea that doesn’t fit neatly into the chart: to encourage participation, the instructor can award bonus points to students who attend lectures and volunteer to present their work. 

Big Idea   What is the big idea that the learner will walk away with at the end of the lesson that is critical for learners at this stage of their learning path?	Learning Outcome(s)What specific things will the learner know or be able to do by the end of the lesson?	Evidence of LearningWhat does learning look like for this objective? (e.g., accurate performance of a task, correct use of terminology)	AssessmentsWhat will learners do to provide evidence of their learning? (e.g., a presentation, a test, a project)	Learning ActivitiesWhat learning activities will allow learners to acquire and practice the skills necessary to demonstrate their learning and complete the assessment successfully?
Building GUIs with PyQt6	Students will learn to create a basic PyQt6 desktop app.	A functioning app with specific features (e.g., button, label, input field).	Short group presentations at the end of the lecture on their app and explaining its features (selective).	– Read PyQt6 instructions. – Form groups and build an app with guided steps and features provided by the instructor.

The reading Students Need to DO Something resonated with me, especially as someone who grew up in China’s passive learning system. My K-12 years were mostly spent sitting in a classroom, listening to teachers lecture for 40 minutes, taking a short break, and repeating the routine every day. But as I write this blog one active learning moment from my middle school stands out. 

Typically, English class in China is taught by local teachers and completely test oriented, but my middle school would have one English class each week taught by foreign teachers who are native in English. We considered that class relaxing because we didn’t need to take notes or concentrate heavily on learning specific material. One day the teacher played a spelling game with us. He picked out a few students to use their body to represent a word and the rest of the class guess what it is. The longest word was “San Francisco”. The room was in chaos as people in the front tried to figure out what body postures to use, while the rest of the class guessed the word. We had such a fun time. Even after 10 years, I still remember that class and I never forget how to spell “San Francisco” ever since. I guess the magic of active learning is that although you don’t feel its impact at the time, it becomes profoundly clear when you look back years later.

One feature of active learning I noticed in the reading is that students, whether in K-12 or college, often struggle with the design at and may doubt the learning outcomes. Students, parents and school administrators might prioritize test scores over other measures of learning, discouraging experimentation with new approaches. Active learning requires more planning and resources than traditional methods, which are typically more structured with established routines. Why waste the time for innovation when you already have a mature plan?