Active Learning

Active learning is a teaching and learning approach that engages students in the learning process beyond passive listening and note-taking. It involves activities that help students build knowledge and skills by connecting new information and experiences to their prior knowledge and experiences. Active learning also promotes higher order thinking, metacognition, and collaborative learning (Brame, 2016).

According to constructivist learning theory, students learn by constructing new knowledge and understandings based on their existing knowledge and experiences (Bransford et al., 1999). Active learning strategies provide opportunities for students to serve as sources of knowledge, formulate questions and articulate ideas, and interact with peers (Turpen & Finkelstein, 2009). Active learning can also increase student performance and decrease failure rates, especially for students from underrepresented and excluded communities (Eddy & Hogan, 2014; Haak et al., 2011; Theobald et al., 2020).

Some examples of active learning strategies are:

– Purposeful pause: The instructor pauses every 15 minutes during lecture and asks students to summarize what they just learned, write down any questions or confusions, or discuss with a partner (Brame, 2016).
– Think-pair-share: The instructor poses a question or problem and asks students to think individually, then pair up with a partner and share their thoughts, then report back to the whole class (Lyman, 1981).
– Jigsaw: The instructor divides a topic into subtopics and assigns each student to a “home group” and an “expert group”. The expert groups learn about their subtopic and then return to their home groups to teach their peers (Aronson et al., 1978).
– Case study: The instructor presents a real or fictional scenario that requires students to apply their knowledge and skills to analyze, solve, or evaluate a problem or situation (Herreid, 2007).

References:

– Aronson, E., Blaney, N., Stephan, C., Sikes, J., & Snapp, M. (1978). The jigsaw classroom. Sage.
– Brame, C. J. (2016). Active learning. Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching. https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/active-learning/
– Bransford, J. D., Brown, A. L., & Cocking, R. R. (Eds.). (1999). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school. National Academy Press.
– Eddy, S. L., & Hogan, K. A. (2014). Getting under the hood: How and for whom does increasing course structure work? CBE—Life Sciences Education Essay Help US, 13(3), 453–468.
– Haak, D. C., HilleRisL