Active Learning

Dodge, Bernie. Active Learning on the Web (no date). Available: http://edweb.sdsu.edu/people/bdodge/active/ActiveLearning.html.
Seeler, D. C., G. H. Turnwald and K. S. Bull. From Teaching to Learning: Part III. Lectures and Approaches to   Active Learning (9/17/99). Available: http://borg.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JVME/V21-1/Seeler1.html
Bonwell, Chuck. Active Learning and the Internet (7/15/97). Available:
http://www-cs.canisius.edu/~mcconnel/AL_Archive/Bonwell.html

Classroom Suggestions for Active Learning
by Thad Crews, Jr.

Introduction
 The more students are involved with their education process, the more they learn.  From this simple premise follows the concept of active (or involved) learning.  Active learning may be broadly defined as "anything that involves students and causes reflection about the things they are doing."

Studies of classrooms show repeatedly that nearly 90 percent of time in college classrooms is filled with teacher talk.  National reports criticizing higher education have called for the use of instructional strategies that more actively engage students in learning and help them to acquire better skills in writing, speaking, thinking critically, and solving problems.(1)

Students learn both passively and actively.  Passive learning takes place when students take on the role of "receptacles of knowledge"; that is, they do not directly participate in the learning process. . Active learning is more likely to take place when students are doing something besides listening (2 ).

Active inquiry, not passive absorption, is what engages students.  It should pervade the curriculum.(3)

 There is no one "correct" way to achieve active learning in the classroom.  Within the class the teacher selects suitable active learning strategies.  Such activities often take only a few minutes but may last for the entire class period.  The activities may involve the students as individuals or in groups.
 Teaching strategies that promote active learning include group discussions, problem solving, case studies, role plays, journal writing, and structured learning groups.  The benefits to using such activities are many, including improved critical thinking skills, increased retention and transfer of new information, increased motivation, and improved interpersonal skills.

One Example: Paired Activities
 If you are looking for a place to start, let me recommend having students work in pairs.  It represents a low-risk activity and can be used in classes of any size (large classes simply have more pairs).  It virtually guarantees participation by every member of the class and can be easily adapted to almost any content.  (The following activities are taken from A Handbook for Teaching Assistants at the University of Minnesota.)

 Paired Activity #1:  Think/Pair/Share
 The objectives are to engage the class with the material on an individual level, in pairs, and finally as a large group. The activity can help to organize prior knowledge; brainstorm questions; or summarize, apply, or integrate new information. Approximate time: six to eight minutes.
 The procedure is as follows: 1) individuals reflect on and write brief notes for one minute in response to a question; 2) students pair up with someone sitting near them and share their answers verbally for two to three minutes, or they may choose to work together to create a better answer; 3) the instructor randomly chooses a few pairs to give thirty-second summaries of individual or joint answers.

 Paired Activity #2:  Question and Answer Pairs
 The objective here is to engage students with outside-of-class readings and then to pair them to answer particular questions.  This helps to increase motivation to read before the class, to deepen the level of analysis of articles, and to practice explaining difficult concepts. Instructors may choose to model the kinds of questions that are appropriate to this exercise or somehow indicate the level, content, or scope of appropriate questions. Approximate time: five to ten minutes.

 The procedure is as follows: 1) students read the assignment before class and compose one or two questions about it; 2) in class, the students pair up; A asks a prepared question and B responds; then B asks a prepared question and A responds; 3) the instructor may ask students to turn in their questions and summary answers.

 Paired Activity #3:  Note-checking Pairs
 The objective is to engage students with their notes during class in order to integrate their notes on new material with previous material, to clarify major and minor points, and to increase accuracy in note-taking. Approximate time: two to five minutes.

 The procedure is as follows: 1) at the end of a lecture segment (15 minutes is a good length), students pair up to complete a task with their notes; for example, they could summarize the three major arguments of the lecture, choose the most important idea that will appear on the exam, check the accuracy of some information, or use the notes to solve an example problem; 2) when comparing notes, the instructor should encourage the pairs to ask questions if there is any discrepancy in their understanding; when solving problems, the instructor may ask students to turn in their answers.

 Keys to Success
 Incorporating active learning does not necessarily require more effort that traditional lecture preparation.  What it does require is the desire to improve the students learning process and the commitment to explore new teaching approaches.  Here are some guidelines to consider.
 1.  Start small and be brief
 2.  Always try the question or task yourself first. Whenever possible, also try it on a colleague.
 3.  Develop a plan for an active learning activity, try it out, collect feedback, then modify and try it again.
 4.  Be candid with the students as to why you are asking them to do these things. Explain attention span, the need for engaging material individually and socially, and that research shows better learning occurs by using active learning.
 5.  Vary the accountability by occasionally having students turn in the work. Read a sample then comment specifically on them.
 6.  Incorporate some of the informal activities in the formal evaluations in some way. For example, include a short essay question that was used in a think/pair/share.
 7.  Find a colleague or two to plan with (and perhaps teach with) while you're implementing active learning activities.
 8.  Continue learning through workshops, reading, and practice.
 Obviously there is much more to say (and-more importantly-to learn) about this topic.  Below are some recommended information sources for your consideration.

 1 Michigan State University Teaching Assistant  Handbook. http://www.msu.edu/~taprog/hb.htm
 2 Ryan, Michael P., and Gretchen G. Martens. 1989. Planning a College Course: A Guidebook for the Graduate Teaching Assistant.  Ann Arbor, Mich.: National Center for Research to Improve Postsecondary Teaching and Learning. (p. 20)
 3 Johnson, Joseph, Jane Spalding, Roger Paden, and Abbie Ziffren. 1989.  Those Who Can: Undergraduate Programs to Prepare Arts and Science Majors for Teaching.  Washington, D.C.: Association of American Colleges. ED 316 682. (p. 68)
 

Suggested Web Links
http://www.active-learning-site.com/
This excellent site supports the scholarship of teaching by providing research-based resources designed to help faculty use active learning successfully in college and university classrooms.  Includes bibliographies, research summaries, and additional internet links.

http://www2.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/users/f/felder/public/Cooperative_Learning.html
Articles and columns written by Dr. Richard Felder on active learning (AL) and cooperative (team-based) learning (CL) in engineering and college science education.

http://www.atl.ualberta.ca/articles/idesign/activel.cfm
A handbook that presents the idea of interactivity as it applies to a cohesive design including high interface, content, and instructional design.
 
 

Suggested Readings

Bonwell, Charles C. and James A. Eison, Active Learning: Creating Excitement in the Classroom, 1991, ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report, Washington, D.C., ISBN # 1-878380-08-7.

Campbell, William E. and Karl A. Smith. New Paradigms for College Teaching. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1995.

Johnson, David W., Roger T. Johnson, and Karl A. Smith, Active Learning: Cooperation in the College Classroom, 1991, Interaction Book Co., Edina, MN, ISBN # 0-939603-14-4.