Active learning is a method of learning that involves more than just listening to a teacher talk about a topic. Active learning methods include hands-on activities, like experiments, group work, and discussions. This article will look at some active learning examples, its importance, and characteristics.
Active learning is defined as a teaching method that focuses on student participation in the classroom. It encourages students to be involved in their own learning, including group work, experiments, and discussions.
Active learning helps students retain information, solve problems, and gain confidence in their abilities. In this teaching style, students are encouraged to take an active role in their education.
This means that students are not just sitting and listening, they’re engaged in their education and taking part in their own learning process. When it comes to learning, we often think of the teacher as the source of knowledge and the student as the learner who receives that knowledge.
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We see a similar pattern in our day-to-day lives: doctors tell us how to stay healthy, engineers show us how to build things, and chefs instruct us on how to make amazing food. However, active learning is a bit different. In active learning, students are given problem sets or other work where they can try out what they’ve learned in class. This helps students to put the concepts they’ve been taught into action, rather than just memorizing facts and equations which may not have any real-world application.
This process allows students to become more actively involved with their education, rather than just passively letting information wash over them.
Also, active learning can be used in any subject. For example, in English class, the students could write an essay about what they would do if they were president for a day. In math class, the students could create posters that explain how to solve a difficult math problem.
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An active classroom is where the students are doing more than just listening to the teacher but where the teacher is teaching and taking questions and the students are participating in some way.
Active learning can be as simple as asking your students to answer a question, or it can be as complicated as teaching them to teach each other. Either way, there’s some kind of stimulus-response process going on.
In an active learning classroom, the students don’t just sit there like lumps of clay waiting for the teacher to mold them into something new. They’re actually doing things and engaging actively with their learning environment.
Traditionally, education has been about absorbing information and knowledge, but active learning is about engaging in an activity that helps you learn.
There are a few reasons why this is important:
For example, in an active learning environment, students might play a game that teaches them multiplication instead of memorizing multiplication tables. An instructor might tell students to write a short story or build a model car instead of just lecturing them on the material they’re expected to learn.
This means that active learning can help you be more effective in your classes, so you’ll get better grades and have an easier time understanding the material. It can also help you be more effective at work since it will increase your ability to learn new skills and understand new concepts.
Active learning requires a bit more time and preparation from both teachers and students, but the payoff is well worth it. Research has shown that retention rates are significantly higher for students who learn using active learning methods.
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Active learning is not exactly a new concept. However, in the past few decades, it has gained newfound popularity. Here are some of the characteristics of active learning:
In its most basic sense, active learning is an approach to education that requires an active rather than passive process on the part of the student. In other words, students are not just listening to lectures; they are also involved in doing something as part of their learning experience.
Active learning helps students engage with the material, meaning they are more likely to remember it and learn from it.
Some principles of active learning include:
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There are five types of active learning:
Active learning techniques can include things like brainstorming, discussion, problem-solving, and hands-on experiences. Some active learning techniques include:
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Technique #1: Give One-Get One: Students are given a prompt (either verbal or written) and asked to write down one word or concept that comes to mind—and then trade it with a partner. They must then give their partner another word or concept regarding the same prompt.
Technique #2: Ticket out the Door: Students are given a prompt (either verbal or written) and asked to write down a short answer to the question, which they submit as they leave class.
Technique #3: Four Corners: This is a game similar to Musical Chairs, except that each corner of the room represents an answer option to a question. Students stand in the corner that represents their selected answer and then discuss why they chose that corner with their fellow students who have also chosen that corner.
Technique #4: 3-2-1: Students are given a prompt (either verbal or written) and asked to write down three things they learned from class, two questions they have regarding what they learned, and one thing that surprised them during class. They can share these with their classmates if so desired.
Technique #5: Think-Pair-Share: Students think individually about a topic/question, then pair up with someone else in their group and share what they thought then work together with another student to solve it.
Technique #6: Note-Taking Pairs: Students pair up during lectures in order to take notes for each other and fill in gaps in their notes. One student will take notes on half of the material covered during the class, while the other student takes notes on the other half of the material. At the end of class, they will compare notes to see where there were similarities and differences and discuss why this could be.
Technique #7: Say Something: When presenting material to your class, call on different students to share their thoughts on what you’re teaching as you go along. If a student is having trouble coming up with something to say, you can start by asking questions like “What do you think?” or “Can you give an example of that?”
Technique #8: The Fish Bowl: This activity is ideal for large groups (25+ students) who are discussing a particular topic. The group is divided into two parts: an inner circle and an outer circle. The outer circle is given the topic, and members of the group have 3 minutes to discuss the topic amongst themselves. During that time, the inner circle listens but doesn’t contribute to the conversation. At the end of 3 minutes, 2 people from the outer circle switch places with 2 people from the inner circle, and those 4 people discuss their thoughts on the topic for 3 minutes. This continues until everyone in both circles has had a chance to participate in the conversation.
Technique #9: Visual Lists: This activity is ideal for groups of all sizes and can be used any time you want students to brainstorm ideas on a specific topic or theme. Visual lists involve students creating a list using pictures, images, or symbols. For example, you could ask students to create a list of what they would need to travel through space. They might use pictures of a rocket ship, food, and water, or even an alien. The more creative the better.
Technique #10: Structured Problem Solving: Structured problem solving is another form of active learning that involves students working together to solve a problem. This activity can be used for complex problems (what would happen if you were able to travel through time?) or simple ones (how many ways can you get from point A to point B?). You can give your students guidance, such as telling them they should use only their hands and feet or they should not speak while working on their problem. Students with autism may benefit from this type of activity because it helps them practice social skills while still being engaged in the lesson.
Other Examples of active learning include group work, discussion boards, student-led presentations, role-playing games and simulations.
Active learning is a powerful and transformative teaching strategy that encourages students to take an active role in their education.
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