Active Learning Strategies

1. Active Learning Strategies Mary Jo Self, Ed. D. College of Education Occupational Education/Career and Technical Education

2. Active Learning Strategies • Active = engaged • Learning = measurable or observable change • Strategies = ways to do things • In other words, what are ways to provide an environment where learning will take place?

3. Education in our Society Most Relevant

4. Skills of Effective Educators • Quality planning • Effective organization • Providing positive environment • Using proven techniques • Professional behavior

5. Concept of Constructivism • Focus is on a student-centered approach • Learners connect new information with what they already know • Not blank slates or empty vessels but rather learners who are active

6. Misconceptions • Only the words I speak as a teacher are important. • If I don’t teach it, they won’t learn it. • I can fully prepare students for their future lives in this 3 credit hour course (or in their university academic careers) • Student should learn information the same way I do as a teacher. • My job is to put the information out there; up to the student to learn it.

7. Teaching is defined as . . • The actions of someone who is trying to assists others to reach their fullest potential in all aspects of development. • A building process much like the construction of a house or a wall.

9. Three Part Process • Motivation • Curriculum Design • Learning Environment

10. 1. Motivation • Self directed • Can be related to a life change event (83%) • “person’s life structure” • When a need is perceived

11. 2. Curriculum Design • Anchoring new information to old information/experiences • Little patience with irrelevant or simply nice to know information • Coping with uncertainty and change

12. 3. Learning Environment • More flexibility; less rigidity • Keep discussions civil; allow multiple perspectives • One to one access to expert • Not a sage on the stage but a guide from the side

13. 3. Learning Environment • Context not content • Personal traits of the educator • Physical and psychological comfort • Building bridges/connections

14. Learning Environment • Easy access to comforts/amenities • Balance of breaks, alternate activities with content • Choices when appropriate • Focus on learners • Development of a ‘co-learning’ environment • Expectations prior to the learning

15. To Review: Remember - - • Needs Assessment • Knowledge of students • Expectations of educator and students • Immediate relevance • Applicability of content • Physical comfort • Engaging students • Balance of activities • Skill level of educator • Evaluation and assessment to use in the future

16. 6 Strategies that Work • Needs assessment – self evaluations • Icebreakers – Bell Ringers • Free Writes • INSERT • Anticipation Guides • Graphic Representations

17. Strategy 1: Needs Assessment • Helping the teacher to get a better idea of what is already known by the participants. • Learning Equation: • Learning = New Information + Connection to Previously Known Information

18. Remember • Don’t single out a participant • Use aggregate (group) data • Use it for planning • Use it for feedback and review at the end of instruction

19. Strategy #2: Icebreakers • Getting to Know you • Designed to break the ‘ice’ • So What’s the Ice? • Used to encourage students to relax and engage in the learning process • Why use them: • Students come from different backgrounds • People need to bond quickly to work towards a common goals • The topics you are discussing are new or unfamiliar to many people involved.

20. BTW: It is also a special-purpose ship or boat designed to move and navigate through ice covered waters • Many, many great icebreakers exist: • http://wilderdom.com/games/icebreakers.html • http://www.eslflow.com/ICEBREAKERSreal.html • http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_76.html

21. Strategy #3: Free Writes • Purpose: clarify thoughts, develop ability to communicate in written form • How to do this: • Provide the focus • Set the time limit • Make sure all are engaged • May not stop writing • Must write in complete sentences • Can model for them • Have students read if they would like • Collect free writes • Could read several out loud (anonymously) and share your own

22. Strategy #4: INSERT • Interactive Notating System for Effective Reading and Thinking • Purpose: improve comprehension while reading; being able to synthesize and evaluate ideas during reading.

23. How to use INSERT • Provide guide for symbols • Give reading to be completed • As students read, the symbols are used – can be completed lightly in pencil; using post-it notes; pieces of notebook paper.

24. To Begin: • Might use a check mark and question mark • Put the chart on the wall or easily viewed location • Use symbols appropriate to your teaching content: • C = Cause; E =Effect • F = Fact; O=Opinion

25. Next Steps: • After students have read and used INSERT; • Have small group or classroom discussion based on notations; • Large group discussion and/or writing activity such as cubing.

26. INSERT I agree. This confirms what I already knew. I have a question about this.

27. Other symbols I really don’t understand at all!! This is important!

28. Strategy #5 – Anticipation Guides • Used to help students’ anticipate instruction; • Easily constructed • Each statement concerns the important concept of the lesson • All statements are plausible • Each statement rephrases what the text says • Some statements are worded in such a way as to provoke critical thinking about key concepts.

29. Strategy #6 – Graphic Representations • Purpose: • Preview; use prediction; read critically; visually represent text and use key vocabulary terms to show important relationships • Sometimes called mind mapping or concept mapping • Great study tools for students (and for teachers too!)

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33. Quotable • Where yesterday’s teacher used to be the leader and provider, today’s teacher is the catalyst and navigator.