#8 Using Active Learning
from integrating simple active learning techniques to more substantive redesign of course activities
Welcome to the summer 2024 “Top 10 Essential Practices” series for new faculty! Catch up with the series introduction here and #10: Understand Your Learners. My apologies, but #9: Clear Learning Objectives was posted but not emailed out while I was on vacation, so you may want to check out #9 before diving in to this post!
#8 Using Active Learning
Active learning is a powerful approach that engages students in the learning process through hands-on activities, group work, discussions, and problem-solving tasks. Unlike traditional lecture-focused approaches, where students passively receive information, active learning involves them in interactive tasks that require critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration. This hands-on approach should help students to better understand and apply concepts as well as fostering essential skills such as teamwork, communication, and adaptability. Moreover, active learning creates a more dynamic and stimulating classroom environment, which can increase student motivation and participation. By promoting deeper cognitive engagement and practical application, active learning ensures that students are not just memorizing information but are developing a thorough and lasting understanding of the subject matter.
There are many effective active learning strategies we can incorporate into our teaching practice:
Group Activities: Assign students to small groups to collaborate on projects, solve problems, or discuss course materials. This fosters teamwork and encourages peer learning.
Case Studies: Present real-world scenarios or case studies relevant to our field of study. Challenge students to analyze the situation, propose solutions, and justify their reasoning.
Peer Teaching: Have students take turns presenting topics to their classmates. This not only reinforces their understanding of the material but also promotes communication and leadership skills.
Role-Playing: Create simulations where students assume different roles or perspectives. This helps them understand complex concepts from multiple viewpoints and enhances critical thinking.
Interactive Quizzes: Use online platforms or classroom response systems to conduct quizzes or polls during lectures. This provides instant feedback and encourages active participation.
Active learning benefits students by deepening their understanding of course material, improving retention, and developing critical thinking skills. It also fosters a dynamic and engaging classroom environment where students feel motivated and empowered to learn.
Put Active Learning in Practice…
If you want to incorporate more active learning strategies into your teaching, there are a number of ways to do it - from making very small adjustments to re-design of major activities and course outcomes.
Level 1: Initial Integration
Start Small: Begin by integrating simple active learning techniques, such as think-pair-share or brief group discussions, to gradually introduce students to this new approach. From a design standpoint, plan class sessions that include a mix of short lectures and active learning activities. This can involve breaking up a lecture with interactive elements like problem-solving exercises or quick polls.
Interactive Polling: Use tools like Poll Everywhere or Kahoot! to conduct live polls during lectures, allowing students to answer questions and see instant feedback.
Think-Pair-Share: After presenting a concept, have students think about a question individually, discuss their thoughts with a partner, and then share their insights with the class.
Tech Focus: Leverage digital tools and online platforms to facilitate active learning. For instance, use classroom response systems for live quizzes, or platforms like Google Docs for remote collaboration.
More on Collaborating in Google Suite here: “Publish” from Google Drive | Google Classroom updates | “Make a copy” function in Google Drive | Working in shared Google docs | Collaborating in Google Slides | Turn Google Forms into a formatted document
Level 2: Innovative Activity Development
Develop case studies, role-playing scenarios, and real-world problems that are relevant to the course content and that require students to work in pairs or small groups. This helps students see the practical application of what they are learning. Collaborative learning not only enhances understanding but also builds communication and teamwork skills.
Plan lessons that combine short lectures with engaging activities. Use technology to facilitate interactive elements, create engaging case studies, where you present real-world case studies related to your subject and students work in small groups to analyze the case, discuss potential solutions, and present their findings. Other collaboration options include developing role-playing scenarios where students must role-play different perspectives in a debate or historical event, enhancing their understanding through experiential learning, and incorporating more peer review to give students opportunities to review and provide feedback on each other’s work, fostering critical analysis and constructive feedback skills.
Tech Focus: Implement a flipped (or “tipped classroom”) model - provide lecture materials or videos for students to review at home, and use class time for interactive activities, discussions, and hands-on practice.
Level 3: Full Course Transformation
If you’re ready to dig into some more substantial changes, consider redesigning your course to revolve around active learning principles. This could look like Integrated Active Learning Modules, where your structure your course into modules that each contain a mix of lectures, hands-on activities, discussions, and assessments focused on active learning. Or, you could plan around Project-Based Learning, and design the entire course around long-term projects that require students to apply course concepts to real-world problems. Another option is to incorporate Service-Learning Components related to the course content, allowing students to apply their learning in a real-world context and reflect on their experiences. Finally, up the collaboration though Learning Communities within the class that work together throughout the course on various assignments and projects, fostering deeper collaboration and support.
More on course (re)design here: on planning by design, writing learning outcomes, connecting assessments to outcomes, planning learning activities & course materials) building structure (organization, expectations & syllabus) and teaching (instructor presence and facilitation).
What kinds of active learning activities have you found to be successful with your students? Please share in the comments!
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