Active learning

From ArticleWorld

Active learning, also known as cooperative learning, is when a learner or student, learns a subject through actively participating in the learning process. This can be done by reading, writing, discussing, analysing and evaluating the topic at hand.

Benefits

Students are known to prefer active learning to the traditional teaching method of “passively” taking in the professors lecturing. Research suggests that too many students possess a learning style that is best served by active engagement in the classroom. It has also been found that the students’ development in thinking and writing skills is superior in active learners, and many learn better through pedagogical techniques. Mastery of content is not lessened by an active approach compared to formal presentations, either.

Techniques

Ways of incorporating active learning in the classroom are many. Basically anything that gets the learner to learn through more than just listening is considered active learning, but some, because of a lack of comprehensive explanation of the term, believe all learning is active. Here follows some suggestions;

• Acting out the subject in drama, role play or simulation, together with students.
• Feedback lecture: two short lectures with in-depth study in small groups, in-between.
• Guided lecture: Writing from memory for five minutes after listening, without note taking, to a 20-30 minute presentation, and then discuss it in small groups for the rest of the lesson.
• Note-reading for two minutes three times during a lecture.
• Peer teaching, students holding speeches or presentations.
• Short demonstrations inserted in the lecture, followed by class discussion.
• Students write a paper or do a presentation followed by independent research of the topic.
• Visual-based, such as power-point presentations or similar, with graphs and images.
• Writing exercises, which are not graded, followed by class discussion.

Obstacles

The lecturer may object mainly because of the risks involved, such as the loss of control, lack of skills, critique from others for not using conventional methods, or the possibility of students refusing to participate, not learning enough. Other barriers are limited class time, large classes, lack of material and resources. The obstacles in the way for an active learning atmosphere can be overcome by good planning.