Akin to the Chinese Proverb, “Tell me and I’ll forget, involve me and I will remember” is John Dewey’s principle of “learning by doing” (Dewey, 2009).  Quite related to the “the learning by doing” principle of Dewey is Gange's (1987, 1992) instructional model that has emphasis on learning activities in the design of instruction.        
   Thus, in designing the instructional curriculum, I have found it best if students are highly engaged in exploring, discovering, learning and acquiring knowledge and skills of any concepts, principles, and theories. I plan and design instruction through a variety of learning activities with efforts to attain mindful learning engagement (Langer, 2004)                                        
    Specific to a speech communication class, the learning activities include: thinking quick on one's feet through classroom discussions or speaking exercises (impromptu speaking), reflective, critical, and creative writing, researching, speech planning, outlining, and other speech preparation activities.                                       
   In place of traditional quizzes are non-traditional means of learning outcome assessments and evaluations such as in the form of graded assignments that require work output relevant to speech planning, research, and other speech preparation activities; as well as periodic Reflective Journal Writing.     All learning activities, assignments, lectures, discussions, team tasks, address the specific learning objectives of the course.    Teaching and learning reflectively, critically and creatively have helped me to continually update and revise my course syllabus to adapt the necessary changes  and apply the feedback, suggestions, and recommendations from students, mentors, colleagues.
REFERENCES
1. Dewey, J. (2009). Democracy and education: An Introduction to the philosophy of education. New York: WLC Books. (Original work published 1916)
2. Fishman, S. & McCarthy, L. (2007). John Dewey and the Philosophy and Practice of Hope. University of Illinois Press.
3. Gagne, R. (1987). Instructional Technology Foundations. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Assoc.
4. Gagne, R. & Driscoll, M. (1988). Essentials of Learning for Instruction (2nd Ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
5. Gagné, R., Briggs, L., & Wager, W. (1992). Principles of instructional design (4th ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
6. Langer, Ellen J. (2004). The Power of Mindful Learning. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.

Click on the play button of the video below to see an example of an absorb learning material  + a Do Activity: After watching the video,  express your own thoughts about the impact of your own attitude to the way you deliver your speech. Think about this: If you a enthusiastic and passionate about your topic, would this attitude possibly manifest during delivery? What if you yourself do not like your topic?

An overview of the presentation on the Collaborative and Participatory Instructional Design Model at the Fourth Annual Student and Faculty Research Symposium at Penn State University-Dubois campus on April 30, 2011 and Faculty Convocation on August 18, 2011.

Video below: Formative vesus Summative Evaluation