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Active Learning
Why Active Learning?
“Students learn best by doing” (Silberman, M, 1996, p. ix). Active learning is a teaching method that involves students in the learning process rather than seeing them as passive recipients. “Active learning asks that students use content knowledge, not just acquire it” (Cameron, B, 1999 p.9). The purpose of active learning is to improve students’ comprehension, retention and overall learning.
Active learning is a teaching method that incorporates a variety of activities to get the brain working. Students need to hear, see, question, discuss, use and teach the content (Silberman, 1996). This is true in online and blended environments as well as in face-to-face classes.
Consider this: Teachers speak at approximately 100 – 200 words per minute. This greatly differs from the listening rate of students who are actively paying attention, they will only be able to hear and process about 50-100 words per minute and thus will get lost in the lecture.
Active learning techniques allow instructors to pause a lecture and initiate short activities that give students a chance to reflect on their learning, catch up or do something with the material (Silberman, 1996).
Within a class, students will have a variety learning styles. Some may learn best by hearing, others through visuals and still others by doing. It is important to offer as many activities and opportunities to meet all learning styles. This may include adding a visual to a PowerPoint presentation and then asking students to turn to a neighbour and discuss it. In this short example you may have hit 3 different learning styles. While there are some common challenges to implementing active learning techniques in the classroom, the opportunities far out way these challenges. When done appropriately, active learning has been shown to increase student motivation, class preparation and participation, retention and knowledge
Teach students how to be active:
1. Many students may not know how to behave or participate within an active class and thus it is important to teach students how to actively engage with their peers and the teacher. On day one, get students involved. For example, if you are going to use discussions in your class, be sure to have a discussion on day one so that students know what to expect and how to succeed in your class.
2. Start small – If active learning techniques are new to you or you are not sure how well it will work, start with one small activity and examine if the learning opportunities outweigh the challenges.
3. Do different things. Repetition gets boring, inter-mix new activities to change things up.
4. Remember active learning does not always mean group work or movement. For example, after a brief lecture you can give students one minute to reflect on the key concepts and begin to explore how this new concept fits with past information.
5. Try it!
Examples of Active Learning Techniques
· Think Pair Share: students ponder the answer to a question and then share their thoughts with a neighbor.
· Role Playing: students look at the topic from the perspective of a character, who will affect and be affected by a chosen topic."each student takes the role of a person affected by an Earth science issue, such as a volcano or a polluted lake and studies the impacts of Earth science issues on human life and/or the effects of human activities on the world around us from the perspective of that person."
· Discovering Plate Boundaries(more info): this is a group discussion method employing many aspects of cooperative learning. In the example cited here, students use the "Jigsaw" technique to learn more about plate tectonics. For a more general discussion of cooperative learning see the module onCooperative Learning.
· Peer Review: students review and comment on materials written by their classmates.
· Discussion: promoting a successful discussion depends on correctly framing questions. Discover tips for framing discussion questions to promote higher order thinking.
· Role Playing: Problem solving using real data: students use a variety of data to explore scientific questions.
· Just in Time Teaching: students read assigned material outside of class, respond to short questions online, then participate in collaborative exercises the following class period.
· Game Based Learning: uses competitive exercises, either pitting the students against each other or through computer simulations.
Inquiry-Based Learning
Inquiry-based learning implies involving students in the learning process so they will have a deeper understanding of what they are learning. We are born with the instinct to inquire - as babies we use our senses to make connections to our surroundings. Inquiry-based learning strategies are used to engage students to learn by asking questions, investigating, exploring, and reporting what they see. This process leads students to a deeper understanding of the content that they are learning, which helps them be able to apply these concepts they are learning in new situations. In order for our students to be able to be successful in the 21stcentury, they need to be able to answer complex questions and develop solutions for these problems. The Inquiry-based learning strategy is a great tool to do just that.
The inquiry approach is more focused on using and learning content as a means to develop information-processing and problem-solving skills. The system is more student-centered, with the teacher as a facilitator of learning. There is more emphasis on "how we come to know" and less on "what we know." Students are more involved in the construction of knowledge through active involvement. The more interested and engaged students are by a subject or project, the easier it will be for them to construct in-depth knowledge of it. Learning becomes almost effortless when something fascinates students and reflects their interests and goals.
Using methods such as guided research, document analysis and question-and-answer sessions, you can run inquiry activities in the form of:
· Case studies
· Group projects
· Research projects
· Field work, especially for science lessons
· Unique exercises tailored to your students
Whichever kind of activity you use, it should allow students to develop unique strategies for solving open questions.
The 4 Types of Inquiry-Based Learning
· Confirmation Inquiry— You give students a question, its answer and the method of reaching this answer. Their goal is to build investigation and critical-thinking skills, learning how the specific method works.
· Structured Inquiry— You give students an open question and an investigation method. They must use the method to craft an evidence-backed conclusion.
· Guided Inquiry— You give students an open question. Typically in groups, they design investigation methods to reach a conclusion.
· Open Inquiry— You give students time and support. They pose original questions that they investigate through their own methods, and eventually present their results to discuss and expand.
Regardless of the type, inquiry-based learning aims to develop students’ abilities to analyze, synthesize and evaluate information — indications of high-level thinking according toBloom’s Taxonomy.
7 Benefitsof Inquiry-Based Learning
1. Reinforces Curriculum Content
2. “Warms Up” the Brain for Learning
3. Promotes a Deeper Understanding of Content
4. Helps Make Learning Rewarding
5. Builds Initiative and Self-Direction
6. Works in Almost Any Classroom
7. Offers Differentiated Instruction
Project-Based learning
Project-based learningrefers to any programmatic or instructional approach that utilizes multifaceted projects as a central organizing strategy for educating students. When engaged in project-based learning, students will typically be assigned a project or series of projects that require them to use diverse skills—such as researching, writing, interviewing, collaborating, or public speaking—to produce various work products, such as research papers, scientific studies, public-policy proposals, multimedia presentations, video documentaries, art installations, or musical and theatrical performances, for example. Unlike many tests, homework assignments, and other more traditional forms of academic coursework, the execution and completion of a project may take several weeks or months, or it may even unfold over the course of a semester or year.
Closely related to the concept ofauthentic learning, project-based-learning experiences are often designed to address real-world problems and issues, which requires students to investigate and analyze their complexities, interconnections, and ambiguities (i.e., there may be no “right” or “wrong” answers in a project-based-learning assignment). For this reason, project-based learning may be calledinquiry-based learningorlearning by doing, since the learning process is integral to the knowledge and skills students acquire. Students also typically learn about topics or produce work that integrates multiple academic subjects and skill areas. For example, students may be assigned to complete a project on a local natural ecosystem and produce work that investigates its history, species diversity, and social, economic, and environmental implications for the community. In this case, even if the project is assigned in a science course, students may be required to read and write extensively (English); research local history using texts, news stories, archival photos, and public records (history and social studies); conduct and record first-hand scientific observations, including the analysis and tabulation of data (science and math); and develop a public-policy proposal for the conservation of the ecosystem (civics and government) that will be presented to the city council utilizing multimedia technologies and software applications (technology).
In project-based learning, students are usually given a general question to answer, a concrete problem to solve, or an in-depth issue to explore. Teachers may then encourage students to choose specific topics that interest or inspire them, such as projects related to their personal interests. For example, a typical project may begin with an open-ended question (often called an “essential question” by educators): How is the principle of buoyancy important in the design and construction of a boat? What type of public-service announcement will be most effective in encouraging our community to conserve water?How can our school serve healthier school lunches? In these cases, students may be given the opportunity to address the question by proposing a project that reflects their interests. For example, a student interested in farming may explore the creation of a school garden that produces food and doubles as a learning opportunity for students, while another student may choose to research health concerns related to specific food items served in the cafeteria, and then create posters or a video to raise awareness among students and staff in the school.
In public schools, the projects, including the work products created by students and theassessmentsthey complete, will be based on the same statelearning standardsthat apply to other methods of instruction—i.e., the projects will be specifically designed to ensure that students meet expected learning standards. While students work on a project, teachers typically assess student learning progress—including the achievement of specific learning standards—using a variety of methods, such asportfolios,demonstrations of learning, orrubrics, for example. While the learning process may be more student-directed than some traditional learning experiences, such as lectures or quizzes, teachers still provide ongoing instruction, guidance, andacademic supportto students. In many cases, adult mentors, advisers, or experts from the local community—such as scientists, elected officials, or business leaders—may be involved in the design of project-based experiences, mentor students throughout the process, or participate on panels that review and evaluate the final projects in collaboration with teachers.
Collaborative and Cooperative Learning
"What's the difference between collaborative and cooperative learning?"
The terms collaborative learning and cooperative learning sometimes are used interchangeably. This is reasonable, as both favor small-group active student participation over passive, lecture-based teaching and each require a specific task to be completed. Each strategy inherently supports a discovery based approach to learning. The two methods assign various group roles though collaborative learning can have fewer roles assigned. In both situations, student members are required to possess group skills though cooperative learning may include this as an instructional goal. Each plan comes with a framework upon which the group's activity resides, but cooperative learning is usually more structurally defined than collaborative learning (Cooper and Robinson, 1997; Smith and MacGregor, 1992; Rockwood, 1995a, 1995b).
However, practitioners point out that these two terms are different. Rockwood (Rockwood, 1995a, 1995b) characterizes the differences between these methodologies as one of knowledge and power: Cooperative learning is the methodology of choice for foundational knowledge (i.e., traditional knowledge) while collaborative learning is connected to the social constructionist's view that knowledge is a social construct. He further distinguishes these approaches by the instructor's role: In cooperative learning the instructor is the center of authority in the class, with group tasks usually more closed-ended and often having specific answers. In contrast, with collaborative learning the instructor abdicates his or her authority and empowers the small groups who are often given more open-ended, complex tasks.
Cooperative/collaborative learning is interactive; as a team member, you:
§ develop and share a common goal.
§ contribute your understanding of the problem: questions, insights and solutions.
§ respond to, and work to understand, others' questions, insights and solutions.Each member empowers the other to speak and contribute, and to consider their contributions.
§ are accountable to others, and they are accountable to you.
§ are dependent on others, and they depend on you.
What makes for a good learning team?
§ Team activities begin with training in, and understanding group processes. An instructor begins by facilitating discussion and suggesting alternatives but does not impose solutions on the team, especially those having difficulty working together.
§ Three to five people: Larger teams have difficulty in keeping everyone involved.
§ Teacher-assigned groups: They function better than self-assigned groups.
§ Diverse skill levels, backgrounds, experience:
1. Each individual brings strengths to a group.
2. Each member of the group is responsible to not only contribute his/her strengths, but also to help others understand the source of their strengths.
3. Any member who is at a disadvantage or not comfortable with the majority should be encouraged and proactively empowered to contribute.