Active Learning
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B. How is it used in the classroom? C. How does active learning enhance teaching? |
Active learning refers to techniques where students do more than simply listen to a lecture (McKinney, 1999). Students are doing something including discovering, processing, and applying information. Active learning derives from two basic assumptions: 1) that learning is by nature an active endeavor; and 2) that different people learn in different ways. Research shows greater learning when students engage in active learning (Meyers & Jones, 1993). It is important to remember, however, that lecture does have its place and that you should not do active learning without content or objectives. The elements of active learning are talking and listening, writing, reading, and reflecting (Bonwell & Eison, 1991).
Talking and Listening: When students talk about a topic, whether answering an instructor's question or explaining a point to another student, they organize and reinforce what they've learned. When they listen, we want to ensure that it's meaningful listening, relating what they hear to what they already know. In a lecture class, students need periodic time away from passive listening in order to absorb what they've heard. And they need reasons to listen, reasons perhaps more immediate than a good grade at the end of the semester (Ramsden, 2003). Did the instructor ask a question before the lecture segment that was thought-provoking enough to cause the students to search for the answer in the words that followed? Were they told beforehand that they would have to explain the points in the lecture to a fellow student?
Writing: Like talking and active listening, writing provides a means for students to process new information in their own words. It is particularly effective in large classrooms where breaking students into pairs or groups may be prohibitive. It also appeals to individuals who prefer to learn independently.
Reading: Students do a great deal of their learning through reading, but they often receive little instruction in how to read effectively. Active learning exercises such as summary and note checks can help students process what they've read and help them develop the ability to focus on important information. : In the all-too-typical lecture class, the lecturer stops talking at the very end of the period. Students gather up their notes and books and run for their next class. One can almost see the knowledge evaporating from their brains. They've had no time to reflect, to connect what they've just learned with what they already know, or to use the knowledge they've gained in any way. Allowing students to pause for thought, to use their new knowledge to teach each other, or to answer questions on the day's topics is one of the simplest ways to increase retention.
Reflecting: In the all-too-typical lecture class, the lecturer stops talking at the very end of the period. Students gather up their notes and books and run for their next class. One can almost see the knowledge evaporating from their brains. They've had no time to reflect, to connect what they've just learned with what they already know, or to use the knowledge they've gained in any way. Allowing students to pause for thought, to use their new knowledge to teach each other, or to answer questions on the day's topics is one of the simplest ways to increase retention.
By using some or all of these types of learning in the classroom, students are involved in more than passively listening to the instructor. Less emphasis is placed on transmitting information to the students and more on developing their skills, students are involved in higher-order thinking (analysis, synthesis, evaluation), students are engaged in activities (e.g., reading discussing, writing, group work), and greater emphasis is placed on students' exploration of their own attitudes and values (Meyers & Jones, 1993).
B. How is it used in the classroom?
· Begin using active learning early in the semester. Introduce the concept on the first day of class and let students know that they will be expected to participate in such activities throughout the course.
· Use active learning frequently–at least once a class period initially. After the first several sessions, students will begin to understand active learning and will accept their role as participants readily.
· When planning and presenting active learning strategies to your students, make sure to consider four elements: the goal of the activity, the outcomes you expect of students, the procedure they should follow, and the time limit for the activity. It is often a good idea to put directions for in-class activities online or on a PowerPoint slide so that students have something to refer to as they begin the activity (Nilson, 1998).
· Manually break students into groups. This can be an effective way to overcome student reluctance and demonstrate that you are in charge.
· It is not necessary to devote your entire session to active learning. You can still lecture. In fact, a mix of instructional methods–lecturing for ten or fifteen minutes followed by a three or four minute active learning interval–is an extremely effective technique. It is also very easy to implement and does not require a great deal of additional preparation (Ramsden, 2003).
· Start small and simple. Use low-impact strategies such as think-pair-share or in-class writing exercises. These strategies are easy to implement, take only a few minutes, and are "low stakes" for students who may be unsure or uncomfortable. As you and your students gain experience, you may decide to graduate to more involved activities.
C. How does active learning enhance teaching? The incorporation of active learning in the classroom can enhance student learning greatly compared to lecture only and can be especially valuable in order to increase retention among students. Research suggests that more time reinforcing new facts and concepts presented in the classroom will lead to greater student learning and active learning is one of the best ways to accomplish it. With active learning students have a greater opportunity to practice previously learned material (Ramsden, 2003).
One of the advantages to active learning is to take the student out of a passive role and create an environment where he or she can practice the skills that need to be developed. Active learning and utilization of various activities that incorporate this approach facilitates active knowledge construction, which in turn improves memory (Meyers & Jones, 1993). In addition to memory enhancement, active learning demands more high-order thinking skills than does passive learning.
D. Difficulties of Active Learning
· Design group activities to include positive interdependence, independent accountability, face-to-face interaction, use of group social skills, and group processing.
· Assign group roles for students. Explain these clearly at the outset of the activity.
· Implement peer review rather than solely instructor to promote full group interaction, but recognize that peer reviews can falter because students fail to understand the process.
· Consider portfolio grading or having students submit a revision essay outlining the comments they offered their peers and how they used peer comments to improve their own writing.
When the instructor beings to work with group based active learning there is also the possibility of having dysfunctional groups which can also lead to problems ensuring equality among students and assessing their participation and knowledge gained. These tips will help to make this type of active learning more productive and sound (Meyers & Jones, 1993).
E. Examples of Active Learning
· Just in Time Teaching
· Discussion
· Ice Breakers
· Think/Pair/Share
· Write/Pair/Share
· Concept Mapping
· Class Research Symposium
· Student Debates
· Analysis of Current Case Studies
Resources:
· Access to Internet (Blackboard)
· DyKnow
How to:
The instructor assigns content for students to read from a book, case study or online content. Using Blackboard, a blog or e-mail, students then respond to a short list of questions over the material. In a collaborative effort, students can then review their answers, discuss what they gained from the reading and questions or expand into a group project. The Dyknow software allows students to easily form groups and develop ideas using tablet computers in the classroom.
Discussion: Promoting a successful discussion depends on correctly framing questions to promote higher order thinking. This can be done verbally in class, in an online environment, synchronously during class or asynchronously, via a blog, discussion board or wiki.
Resources:
· Access to Internet (Blackboard, blog or wiki)
How to:
The instructor delivers content to students through lecture, from a book, case study or online content. Using normal classroom discussion Blackboard, blog or wiki, students then use the gained knowledge to develop a deeper understanding of the material and question what has been presented as true. By using discussion in several formats the instructor can carry on debates and research well beyond the normal allotted class time
Ice Breakers:
Resources:
· Access to Internet (Blackboard, blog or wiki)
How to:
The instructor delivers content to students through lecture, from a book, case study or online content. Using normal classroom discussion Blackboard, blog or wiki, students then use the gained knowledge to develop a deeper understanding of the material and question what has been presented as true. By using discussion in several formats the instructor can carry on debates and research well beyond the normal allotted class time.
Think / Pair / Share: The objective is to engage students with the material on an individual level, in pairs, and finally as a large group. Have students turn to someone near them to summarize what they're learning, to answer a question posed during the discussion, or to consider how and why and when they might apply a concept to their own situations. The activity can help to organize prior knowledge; brainstorm questions; or summarize, apply, or integrate new information. Works well with pre-planned questions and with ideas that emerge during a class from a larger group discussion (Silberman, 1996).
Resources:
· Various options for formulating, recording and presenting ideas
o Access to Internet (Blackboard)
o Dyknow
o Tablet or Laptop Computer
o Paper & Pencil
How to:
After presenting material to students, the instructor will assign students to form small groups (2-4 per group) and direct them to summarized and discuss what they are learning. Each group will formulate an opinion or summarized overview of material using the resources available to them. Dyknow allows students to easily form groups and develop ideas using tablet computers. The instructor then randomly chooses a few pairs of students to give thirty-second summaries of their ideas to the rest of the class verbally or using presentation software.
Write / Pair / Share: The format for this strategy is identical to the think--share, except that students process the question asked of them by writing about it rather than reflecting. After a brief time to note their thoughts, each student turns to a partner to discuss and develop a collective idea or summary. Dyknow allows students to easily form groups and develop ideas using tablet computers. The activity closes with the instructor calling on random students to summarize their responses.
Concept Mapping: Students create visual representations of models, ideas, and the relationships between concepts presented in the class. Using software like Inspiration, Dyknow or even PowerPoint, students draw circles containing concepts and lines, with connecting phrases on the lines, between concepts. These can be done individually or in groups, once or repeated as students acquire new information and perspectives, and can be shared, discussed, and critiqued (Silberman, 1996).
Resources:
· Various options for formulating, recording and presenting ideas
o Access to Internet (Blackboard)
o DyKnow
o Tablet or Laptop Computer
o Paper & Pencil
How to:
After presenting material to students, the instructor will assign students to form small groups (2-4 per group) and direct them to summarized and discuss what they are learning. Each group will formulate an opinion or summarized overview of material using tablets, laptops or pen & paper to record the group’s ideas. The instructor then randomly chooses a few pairs of students to present their summaries of their ideas to the rest of the class or ask for the documents to be turned in.
Resources:
· Tablet or Laptop
· Inspiration, Dyknow or PowerPoint
· Paper & Pen
How to:
After presenting material to students, the instructor will assign students to form small groups (2-4 per group) and direct them to create a representation or visual model of the material and its relationship to the concept(s). Students can use basic shapes and lines to connect ideas with common tools found in popular concept mapping software, such as Inspiration, Dyknow and even PowerPoint, or use paper and pen to accomplish the task.
Class Research Symposium: Students design a research study from a topic in class by themselves or in a small group. In many situations, students will be able to have them collect data during class time online or as part of an outside-of-class project.
Resources:
· Tablet or Laptop
· Internet
· Dyknow
· PowerPoint
How to:
Depending on how the activity is assigned, the Student Debate can be started with little or no preparation time for informal engagement in small groups or as a class. Students begin the discussion over the assigned topic by verbally expressing their personal ideas or beliefs. To enhance discussion, instructors might consider using tablet computers and Dyknow software, allowing students to more easily share their concepts in a visual as well as verbal environment.
In a formal situation, students will be allowed a determined amount of time to research their ideas and opinions, as well as collect data to support their position. This can be done in as little as 10 minutes or given an entire class period to be presented during the next class period. In this setting, using the Class Research Symposium in conjunction with the Student Debate is an excellent combination of active learning techniques.
Resources:
· Tablet or Laptop
How to:
· Assign periodic "self-discovered" readings on the topics being discussed in class. This broadens discussion greatly, encourages initiative in locating ideal material and creates an ever-growing bibliography for that course that could be stored in Blackboard for students in later sections of the course.
· Assign students to visit websites for collecting information from a specific list or using an internet search engine. Blackboard makes it simple to provide the entire class or individual groups a series of links to sites that could help students with their research as a jump off point.
· Using an internet search engine or academic database, students will be challenged to find at least three research studies that pertain to the discipline and that utilize a similar design. Students then critique the studies as to their usefulness to the discipline, and suggest changes that would improve the design or the rigor of the study.
Student Debates:The in-class student debate can be formal or informal, individual or group, graded or not, etc. They allow students the opportunity to take a thesis or position and gather data and logic to support that view, critically. Debates also give students experience with verbal presentations. Some faculty members ask students their personal view on an issue and then make them argue the opposite position.
Resources:
· Tablet or Laptop
· Internet
· DyKnow
· PowerPoint
How to:
Depending on how the activity is assigned, the Student Debate can be started with little or no preparation time for informal engagement in small groups or as a class. Students begin the discussion over the assigned topic by verbally expressing their personal ideas or beliefs. To enhance discussion, instructors might consider using tablet computers and Dyknow software, allowing students to more easily share their concepts in a visual as well as verbal environment.
In a formal situation, students will be allowed a determined amount of time to research their ideas and opinions, as well as collect data to support their position. This can be done in as little as 10 minutes or given an entire class period to be presented during the next class period. In this setting, using the Class Research Symposium in conjunction with the Student Debate is an excellent combination of active learning techniques.
Analysis of Current Case Studies: Case studies may be assigned to individuals or groups from current events. When students work in small groups on case studies they show more enjoyment discussing the case and developing answers. Case Study research by using technology in the classroom has been much more helpful than classic paper version due to the instant research capabilities at the students’ disposal when using a tablet or laptop (Silberman, 1996).
Analysis of Current Case Studies
Resources:
· Tablet or Laptop
· Internet
· Word
· PowerPoint
How to:
The students are asked to read the assigned case studies during or before class time and then review, challenge and summarize the material. Students during the review process will compare and test the validity of the case studies with current events and information available through the Internet, academic resources, online library databases and journals. Students are then able to compile the best summary of the case study with current information.
Researching case studies with access to online resources have prompted active, creative and independent learning in the classroom, which is often delayed or inaccurate using tradition methods of research. Implementing the Student Debates on key points of interest for a single case study can promote lively academic discussions.
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Collaborative Learning |
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