Active Learning
Active
Learning defines by (Bonwell & Eison 1991) as “Learning activities where
students do more than just listen: They must read, write, discuss, or be
engaged in solving problems. Most important, to be actively engaged, students
must engage in higher-order thinking tasks such as analysis, synthesis, and
evaluation”
Studies have
shown that Active Learning improves student understanding, enhances
problem-solving skills and conceptual learning, and positively impacts student
retention. The
National Standards for Quality Online Teaching also echoed the same concern
and stated that maintaining high levels of student engagement is both a
priority area and a challenge for teachers in this new online learning
environment.
Active
Learning Techniques could range from basic techniques such as Pause for Reflection
all the way to more complex methods of Experiential Learning.
- Pauses for Reflection: This method promotes “active listening” as faculty are expected to
pause after covering important topic and provide students with the opportunity to reflect
and ask faculty if any clarification needed.
- Writing Activities such
as the “Minute Paper”: Give students one minute after covering important topics to list
the key points of their learning.
- Large-Group Discussion: Engaging all students in
discussion after sharing a reading, a
short case, or showing a video.
- Think-Pair-Share: One of the most popular
strategy in Active Learning where students are expected to solve a given
questions first, then team up with another student and share their understanding
with each other.
- Peer Review: Students submit a copy
of their assignment to faculty and another to peer and during the class time
each student review first the paper and provide their peer with constructive
feedback.
- Cooperative Groups in
Class:
Organize different groups and ask them to discuss the given short cases and present them to the class or evaluate presentations of any other group in terms of quality and delivery.
- Role-Playing: The faculty shares a well-planned business scenario where students are
expected to "act out" and play different roles. Role-Playing has
helped students to develop further interpersonal skills and has been quite
effective in teaching a wide range of subject matters in particular history and
customer serveries.
- Jigsaw Discussion: This
technique would promote critical thinking and teamwork among students and
enhance their communication and problem-solving. The faculty will divide a module in the
course into smaller interrelated topics and assigned them to different student
groups. Students should learn the given topics and teach others.
- Concept Map: This
is an effective technique that helps students to comprehend subject matters.
Students should identify key concepts that they have learned in a section or
entire course and draw a visual map of the relationship between those concepts.
There is a wide range of free tools on the Internet that could be used.
- Student-Generated Test
Questions: Students
are first placed in groups and provided with a copy of the learning outcomes as
well as Bloom’s Taxonomy. Then challenge them to create relevant test questions
and mapped them to the learning outcomes. There should be at least a few
questions for each level of the taxonomy. Students will share their questions
with the rest of the class and prepare a study guide using the best questions.
Additional Resources:
- 226 Active Learning Techniques - Iowa State University
- Active Learning: Association for the Study of Higher Education and the ERIC Clearinghouse on Higher Education
- Active learning: Creating Excitement in the Classroom, by Charles Bonwell and James Eison
- Active learning with PowerPoint, Center for Teaching and Learning, University of Minnesota
- Six Ways to Discourage Learning, by Douglas Duncan (American Astronomical Society Education Office) and Amy Singel Southon (Chicago Botanic Gardens).
- Engaging Students, Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching, Iowa State University
