Active Learning in the Classroom

Alex Wagner
March 6, 2013

Content developed by Chris ONeal & Alex Wagner

What is Active Learning?
Please take a moment to reflect on the
following statement:

What is active learning and what is one

example of active learning that you have
experienced in the classroom?

Find a partner and discuss your thoughts.

What is Active Learning?
Learning which engages students with
the concepts and material presented in
the course

Active learning is students doing, and

thinking about what they are doing
Benefits of Active Learning
Addresses attention span
Improves retention of underrepresented
groups
Accelerates acquisition of high order
thinking skills
Improves attitudes
Leads to higher performance
 Active Learning Strategies

The Active Learning Continuum

Simple Complex

Pausing High-level
during lecture cooperative
learning

Bonwell, 1996
 Think-Pair-Share
Short activity for student-student interaction

Design your own think-pair-share!

 Think-Pair-Share Example #1
The following radical reaction provides a
molecule, which was identified to have a
molecular formula of C3H7Br. What is the
product and what is the mechanism for the
formation of the product?
HBr
H3C CH3
(BzO)2 (5 mol %)
Benzene
 Think-Pair-Share Example #2
A number of studies have been published
about the influence of human development
and manufacturing on the global warming of
the planet. Based on the readings for todays
class, what do you think is the single greatest
cause of global warming and why? Use
quotes/references from the readings to
provide context to your answer.
 Think-Pair-Share
Short activity for student-student interaction

Design your own think-pair-share!

 Think-Pair-Share - Other Ideas
Reflect on an equation, explain it to your partner in
non-numeric/symbolic language
Show students ten works of art and ask them to
select the three that best exemplify a school or
movement. Have them defend their selection
Present characteristics of a chemical compound, ask
students to reflect and identify what it might be
Ask a question that will be on the test, and ask
students to explain it to each other
Show students a static diagram and ask them to
identify and label force vectors
 Think-Pair-Share
The Active Learning Continuum

Simple Complex

Pausing High-level
during lecture cooperative
learning

Think-Pair-Share
Cooperative Learning
Students working together to
accomplish shared learning goals
Cooperative Learning - Research
Academic Success - higher achievement,
including knowledge acquisition, accuracy,
creativity in problem-solving, and higher
reasoning level
Attitude Effects - Persistence toward goals,
intrinsic motivation, applying learning in other
situations, greater time on task, improved
interpersonal skills
Johnson, Johnson, and Smith (1998)
Types of Groups in Lectures
Informal pairs

Informal, short-term groups

Formal, long-term groups

What Makes Cooperative Learning Work?
Non-competitive interaction
Group processing
Group interdependence
Social skills
Individual accountability
Active maintenance of groups
Opinions on Cooperative Learning
One one side of your index card, write whether you
agree or disagree with this statement:

More often than not in my discipline, cooperative

learning methods will be more effective for teaching
students than lecturing and individual study.

On the other side of the index card, write WHY you

agree or disagree with this statement
Now hand in your index card. The cards will randomly
be redistributed to other people. When you receive
the new card, be prepared to read it to the group.
Opinions on Cooperative Learning

The Active Learning Continuum

Simple Complex

Pausing High-level
during lecture cooperative
learning

Informal
Short-term
Groups
Inquiry-based Activities

Inquiry is a pedagogical method in

which students use an investigative
process to discover concepts for
themselves

Uno (1999)
Inquiry Activities

Are learner-centered
Emphasize critical thinking
Have content learned in context
Focus on the discipline as a process

Uno (1999)
Kinds of Inquiry
Guided inquiry
Instructors direct investigations of students and
lead them to discover concepts on their own
Open-ended inquiry
Instructors facilitate independent studies by
students
Collaborative inquiry
Instructors and students work together on
authentic investigations
Uno (1999)
Inquiry-based Activity
Idea/Concept:
Using Common Household Items for Science

Question:
What happens when mentos are dropped into
a bottle of Diet Coke?

Why does the observed event occur? What

causes this to happen?
Inquiry-based Activity
Alone, formulate observations

In pairs, come up with one reason that might

explain your observations

In pairs, generate one way you might see if

your explanations are correct

Mythbusters
Creating Inquiry-based Activities
Identify idea/concept
Look for a pattern, a misconception, or an observable
phenomenon related to that idea/concept
Provide background information
Pose question that asks students to make
observations, pose hypotheses, and speculate on
conclusions
Enlist students in tying the activity back to the main
idea/concept

Uno (1999)
Examples of Inquiry-based Activities
Provide data (graphs and tables) to students. Let
them determine trends and main points and draw
conclusions
Show students a (natural) phenomenon, have them
speculate on what factors are contributing to its
occurrence
Give students different observed groups to compare
(e.g. men and women with respect to heart disease)
 Inquiry-based Activities

The Active Learning Continuum

Simple Complex

Pausing High-level
during lecture cooperative
learning

Inquiry-based
Activities
Active Learning - Take Home

Active learning is an effective tool that

can be easily incorporated in the
classroom to benefit student-centered
learning
A variety of techniques are available
that can apply to all disciplines