Active Learning Strategies

Season Your Lectures with Active Learning

• Michael J. Quinn
• 1 June 2007

Complete this sentence: Three things I’d like to know about active learning are _________________.

Structure of This Lecture

• Critiquing lecturing
• Defining active learning
• Implementing active learning

Listening Teams

• Questioners
• Agreers
• Nay-sayers
• Example-givers

I How come the more I talk the less my students learn?

Advantages of Lecturing

• Spark interest
• Provide unavailable information
• Convey large amounts of information
• Reach large audiences
• Model ways of thinking
• Maintain control
• Protect students
• Help auditory learners

• Source: Sutherland and Bonwell

Disadvantages of Lecturing

• Passive students
• Inadequate feedback
• Flagging attention
• Poor retention
• Burden on lecturer
• Non-auditory learners

• Source: Sutherland and Bonwell

Students Tune Out

• Source: Pollio

As lecture continues, retention of new material declines.

• Source: Johnson, Johnson, and Smith

Retention of New Material

• Source: McKeachie

Lectures Assume Homogeneity

Listening Teams

• Questioners
• Agreers
• Nay-sayers
• Example-givers

• Source: Silberman

II Active learning to the rescue!

Fundamentals

• Learning is an active process.
• Different people learn in different ways.
• We often don’t know what we think until we try to say it or write it.
• Just because you’ve said it doesn’t mean they’ve learned it.

Genuine Learning

• Reception

• Test

• Recap

• Explain

Engage More Parts of Brain

• Talking and listening
• Reading
• Writing
• Reflecting

“When learning is active, students do most of the work” [Silberman].

Counter the Objections

• “That’s not how I learned the material.”
• “Active learning is great for children, but college students don’t need it.”
• “It’s too slow paced— I’ll spend a lot of time watching instead of talking.”
• “I won’t be able to cover all the material.”

III Fit active learning to your needs and personal style.

Ask Students to...

• Restate information
• Give examples
• Recognize instances
• Make connections
• Apply concepts
• Predict consequences
• State converse

In-class Writing Assignments

• Be specific — ask students to
• analyze – compare
• contrast – define
• describe – evaluate
• justify – prove
• summarize – synthesize

• Source: Fulwiler

Learning Partners

• Compare class notes
• Discuss an example
• Solve a problem
• Critique each other’s writing
• Question partner about reading
• Recap lecture
• Develop questions for teacher
• Test each other

More Examples

• Pop quiz (manual or electronic)
• Response cards (anonymous)
• Whips
• Games (Family Feud or Jeopardy)
• Complete outline of lecture

Use in Moderation!

Complete this sentence: Three different ways I can add active learning to my lectures are ________________.

References

• Fulwiler, T. Teaching with Writing. Boynton/Cook. 1987.
• Holt, J. How Children Learn. Pitman. 1967.
• Johnson, D. W., Johnson, R. T., and Smith, K. A. Active Learning: Cooperation in the College Classroom. Interaction Book Company. 1991.
• McKeachie, W. Teaching Tips: A Guidebook for the Beginning College Teacher. D. C. Heath. 1986.
• Meyers, C., and Jones, T. B. Promoting Active Learning: Strategies for the College Classroom. Jossey-Bass. 1993.
• Pollio, H. R. “What Students Think About and Do in College Lecture Classes.” Teaching-Learning Issues No. 53. University of Tennessee. 1984.
• Silberman, M. Active Learning: 101 Strategies to Teach Any Subject. Allyn and Bacon. 1996.
• Sutherland, T. E., and Bonwell, C. C. Using Active Learning in College Classes: A Range of Options for Faculty. Jossey-Bass. 1996.