ACTIVE LEARNING

Active Engagement Promotes Learning: Strategies for Your Classroom.

Dr. Margaret A. Waterman Departments of Biology and Middle & Secondary Education Dr. Margaret P. Hill Department of Physics and Engineering Physics Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701 USA Workshop on Active Learning For High School Teachers Kerala, INDIA October 13-23, 2008

What is Active Learning?

Instructional activities in which students are doing things and thinking about what they are doing. Research shows that to learn students must: read, write, discuss, or be engaged in solving problems. Learning is an active endeavor.

From Bonwell and Eison Active Learning Creating Excitement in the Classroom: http://www.ntlf.com/html/lib/bib/91-9dig.htm

Why Use Active Learning Strategies?

From http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~tbayston/eme6313/learning_pyramid.jpg

Why Use Active Learning Strategies?

Lecture on Day 1. Recall falls off significantly by Day 2.

From http://frank.itlab.us/forgetting/COF.jpg

Why Use Active Learning Strategies?

Lecture on Day 1. Repeated studying improves recall.

From http://frank.itlab.us/forgetting/COF.jpg

The U.S. science agencies, and many employers, beg us to Devise and use pedagogy that develops skills for communications, teamwork, critical thinking and lifelong learning in each student. . .
Shaping the Future: New Expectations for Undergraduate Education in Science, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology National Science Foundation, 1996. (p. 53)

How People Learn: Brain, Mind,

Experience and School.

National Research Council, National Academy Press, 2000.

a new theory of learning is coming into focus that leads to very different approaches to design of curriculum, teaching and assessment (p.3)

How People Learn

Learners come to formal education with a range of prior knowledge, skills, beliefs and concepts

These affect what learners notice How they reason and solve problems How they remember (p.10).

How People Learn

People construct new knowledge based on what they already know.

Constructivists assume that all knowledge is constructed from previous knowledge, irrespective of how one is taught. . . (p. 11)

Constructing knowledge is already a workplace reality. Active learning strategies help bring it to classrooms.

Active Learning Strategies:

One Minute Paper, Muddiest Point
On the half sheet of paper you have been given, write

down what you think are two important points presented so far (One Minute Paper).
Also write down an idea that was presented that

seems unclear to you right now (Muddiest point)

Why Use Active Learning Strategies?

Lecture on Day 1. Recall falls off significantly by Day 2.

From http://frank.itlab.us/forgetting/COF.jpg

Why Use Active Learning Strategies?

score on test vs. time during lecture

score on test

Recall of facts presented during lecture falls off.

Based on: Ruhl, K. L., Hughes, C. A., & Schloss, P. J. (1987, Winter). Using the pause procedure to enhance lecture recall. Teacher Education and Special Education, 10, 14-18.

Why Use Active Learning Strategies?

Score on test vs. time during lecture: Punctuated Lecture

Punctuating lecture increases recall

Based on: Ruhl, K. L., Hughes, C. A., & Schloss, P. J. (1987, Winter). Using the pause procedure to enhance lecture recall. Teacher Education and Special Education, 10, 14-18.

Punctuating Lectures:

15-20 min.

One minute paper (only do this once every two weeks

or so) Muddiest point (Can do more often) Pause 2 minutes for students to compare and rework notes Ask a question that has students use (apply) the ideas you have been teaching Use a visual aid Do a demonstration Change the pace

What is Active Learning?

In Active Learning, students: Use more kinds of thinking than usual
compare, interpret, analyze, create, judge

Reflect/ be aware of ones own learning

What do I already know? What am I not sure about?

Work with others on meaningful problems

sharing ideas and constructing understanding

From Bonwell and Eison Active Learning Creating Excitement in the Classroom: http://www.ntlf.com/html/lib/bib/91-9dig.htm

Use More Kinds of Thinking

Active Learning requires students to use more kinds of thinking than usual. Blooms Taxonomy (updated by Anderson and Krathwohl, 2001) (right) shows a set of thinking skills.
.Anderson, L.W., and D. Krathwohl (Eds.) (2001). A Taxonomy for Learning, Teaching and Assessing: a Revision of Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. Longman, New York. Image: http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/file/view/blooms_revised_taxomony.jpg

Use More Kinds of Thinking: Key Verbs

Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS)
Creating -design, construct, plan, produce Evaluating hypothesize, critique, experiment Analysing - Compare, organize, outline, find

Applying - Implement, carryout, use

Understanding - Interpret, summarize, infer Remembering -recognize, list, identify

Lower Order Thinking Skills (LOTS)

Use More Kinds of Thinking Analyze This Objective:

Students will be able to recall the main topographies of the various States of India (rivers, mountains, midlands, etc.).

Use More Kinds of Thinking Analyze This Objective

Students will be able to interpret a map of population density of India.

Use More Kinds of Thinking Analyze This Objective

Students will be able to construct hypotheses about relationships between population density and the topographical features of India using maps.

What is Active Learning?

In Active Learning, students: Use more kinds of thinking than usual
compare, interpret, analyze, create, judge

Reflect/ be aware of ones own learning

What do I already know? What am I not sure about?

Work with others on meaningful problems

sharing ideas and constructing understanding

From Bonwell and Eison Active Learning Creating Excitement in the Classroom: http://www.ntlf.com/html/lib/bib/91-9dig.htm

Work with others on meaningful problems Reflect/Become aware of own learning Active Learning Strategy: Think, Pair, Share
THINK: about the next example by yourself. Write

down your own answer.

PAIR:

When I tell you, please turn to your neighbor

SHARE: Share your idea. Listen to the other person. SHARE: Together, come to agreement on the three

locations for the storage facilities and why.

Use More Kinds of Thinking Analyze This Objective

Students will be able to advise a company wishing to expand their rice packaging industry by suggesting 3 likely places to locate and defending their choices with evidence.

Topographical Highway Map

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/middle _east_and_asia/india_crop_1973.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/71/India_topographic al_roadway_map.svg/530px-India_topographical_roadway_map.svg.png

Summary of Strategies Used Here

One minute paper Muddiest point Pause 2 minutes for students to compare and rework

notes Think Pair Share Ask a question that has students use (apply) the ideas you have been teaching Use a visual aid Change the pace

Combining strategies leads to higher level thinking

E.g., For the analyzing objectives: used small group, visual, meaningful problems Any others?

Application of these ideas:

Make a note of which strategies you think would work

best in your classes Think of a topic that your are going to teach soon, or one that is difficult for students.
Think of which strategies might be useful PLAN how you will use at least one strategy

In a group of 4-5, share your plan and ask for

comments and ideas.