ACTIVE LEARNING

What is active learning?

Active learning refers to a wide range of teaching strategies which include students with their
teacher as active participants in their learning during class time. Such methods usually require a
certain number of students working together during class, but may also include individual
research and/or meditation. Such instructional methods range from brief, basic tasks such as
journal writing, problem solving and combined conversations to lengthy, complex exercises or
pedagogical structures such as case studies, role play and formal team-based learning (Jensen et
al., 2015).

Why use it?

Active learning improves student outcomes
The application of constructive learning is backed by well-established data base. There are other
advantages of performing these exercises, including enhanced critical thinking capabilities,
increased acquisition and transmission of new knowledge, increased engagement, better
leadership skills and decreased course loss (Eichler et al., 2016).
For an example, since 2000 the National Student Engagement Survey (NSSE) has analyzed the
engagement perspectives of hundreds of thousands of students from over 1600 colleges and
universities. The strong findings of these research indicate that realistic, comprehensive, and
integrated active learning environments contribute to high rates of student achievement and
personal growth (Parker, 2018).
As another example, (Margulieux, 2015) systematic meta-analysis of 225 science, engineering and
mathematics curriculum studies found that active learning can substantially improve course
grades over didactic approaches and is especially successful in small classes with 50 or fewer
students. In their study, students were 1.5 times more likely to fail the course in courses with no
active learning than students in courses with active learning.
Eventually, study shows a reciprocal effect between emotional and responsive learning systems.
Productive learning may have a positive effect on student engagement, in addition, engagement
's cumulative influence reduces core learning characteristics, such as concentration and memory
retention (Shernoff et al., 2016).

SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION
1. Choose meaningful activities or questions
One of the most critical facets of active learning is picking the tasks or questions that you will be
including in the lesson. Tell yourself before considering what to do, or what to do for students
(Owens et al., 2020):
How will students benefit the most from this class session?
What are growing myths or difficulties students have about this content?
What kind of preparation should students do to help them plan for next task or evaluation?

"Students from first generation or from underrepresented minorities benefit the most from active
learning." - Abdi Warfa, Assistant Professor, Biology
 
Use the answers to these questions to pick tasks and questions which will provide opportunities
for students to interact meaningfully with the content. You want students to engage in research
that will give them input about how well they grasp the content and experience in learning the
skills that are necessary for your course to succeed. Classroom Assessment Strategies is one
form of practice that works especially well, when successful learning starts. Using these
techniques, or variants on them, will help you hold the attention of your students and allow them
to properly maintain and pass knowledge and skills from your course (Barkley et al., 2020).
"Students are not dumb and they are well conscious of whether we use pointless, time-sucking
learning exercises."-
Sehoya Cotner, Associate Professor, Biological Sciences

2. Explain your rationale to students

Ask the students at the beginning of the semester and before you start the first (few) tasks why
you have them involved in activities during the week. It is especially important if successful
learning in your discipline isn't common.
This clarification doesn't have to be lengthy or complicated and can be as easy as, "In this course,
I 'd like you to handle your assignments and tests positively, so we're going to do in-class
exercises that I think will make things simpler for you. Sometimes you can work in pairs or
classes, and you can bounce off each other's thoughts and ask each other questions (Tharayil et al.,
2018).

3. Develop a facilitation approach

The nature of your course (e.g. number of students, style of furniture in your room, time
available) and level of practice can affect how you want to promote constructive learning.
Students can operate alone, in pairs, or in small groups. Both classes may be predetermined by
the professor or decided by similarity at the moment.
One of the most common strategies is to allow students a limited time to consider individually
(30-90 seconds is always enough), and then make them work in pairs or small groups. When
you're in a classroom with set chairs, students may still work together, so you may need to allow
students to move around and break into classes. When you have a student sitting alone,
encouraging a group to allow an individual to join them is always quicker and more successful
than leading the person into entering a similar party ((Jensen et al., 2015).
Keep students on task
One of the most critical aspects of positive constructive learning is that students have a sense of
responsibility for engaging in the task being given. We will quickly get off the mission if they
don't, or chose not to do as you asked. One of the most important questions that teachers ask is,
"Do I need to rate all of this work in class? "The quick reaction is, no. You can opt to score in
class work but as a means of keeping students accountable, it's not necessary.
Accountability may be created, for example, by notifying students before they start working on
the project that everyone will be prepared to contribute when the whole community gets back
together. Then, when you reconvene the large community, randomly call an person or
organization to discuss what they were thinking about or how they addressed the topic. You
should also listen in on small group discussions and if you hear a especially popular or
fascinating question, ask the party to answer their question in order to launch a bigger debate.
Another way for students to record their answers is by using clicker tools or paper clickers
(Kwan, 2015).
"Don't believe you need to control anything, and don't think you need to know anything in
advance. Let everything go to see what's going on."- Sheryl Breen, Associate Professor,
POLSCI
Students often appear to stay on track as they sense the importance and significance of the
assignment they were called to perform. When activities are identical or specifically linked to
expected assignments or exams, students are fundamentally inspired to train and prepare for the
graded work.
Finally, keep short on the events. Offer students a simple target or mission, rather than "discuss
your reaction" as a general guidance. Tell the students that you will allow them a small and
defined period of time to work. If they require more time, include it where possible.
Wrap-up activities
Taking time after students collaborated in small groups to put the task to a end. Typically this
wrap-up happens before the most important learning takes place.
You may invite a group of students to discuss their thinking, or invite others if they have any
thoughts or strategies. Invite other students to help explain why this line of logic is wrong when a
answer represents a common misconception. You should also not only correct the answer but
also help them understand how the issue is addressed by experts.
You should also illustrate the forms in which the operation represents how the details about an
future task should be needed. You might say , for example, "We just walked through an
overview of this journal paper, first looking at the methodology and tables of results, then
attacking the assumptions and argument. This is the same methodology that you would be asked
to use when you read papers on your own, which is the kind of logic that I'll anticipate next week
on the issue (Wanner et al., 2015).

4. Gather and record feedback

Develop a habit of capturing and gathering feedback on how things go, particularly while
attempting new activities. Save room to capture your thoughts on an incident in your notes,
either paper or electronic. It may be as easy as noticing whether students became unfamiliar
about a topic or task, or how long it took a task.
Ask the students for suggestions to refine your tasks or facilitation. They will tell you if the tasks
are too long or too short, too quick or too hard and whether they find them worthwhile. It will
also offer an excuse to explain that you are doing constructive learning if you have a group of
reluctant students , in addition to providing you valuable feedbacks (Estévez-Ayres et al 2015).

ADDRESSING CHALLENGES
Active learning strategies can pose problems for instructors who are new to using them and for
students who have had negative experiences with them prior to your class. What follows are
common issues you may experience and some suggested solutions (Bovill et al., 2016).
"One of the biggest challenges is discomfort... I think that can be overcome by just disclosing
why we're doing this and the evidence based behind it." - Katharine Nelson, Assistant
Professor, Psychiatry

Challenge 1 - Students are resistant to engaging in the activities

Start early on using constructive learning techniques. Introduce the idea on the first day of class,
and let students know they are supposed to engage during the semester in these events.
Using constructive learning frequently – at least initially once a class time. Vary the methods
you use for successful learning. After the first few classes, the students will recognize that you
are serious about active learning and will more readily consider their position as participants
(Finelli, et al., 2018).
Ask them specifically. Specify the target students should achieve, how much time they have for
the task, what protocols they should follow and with whom they will collaborate (i.e., "turn to
the individual next to you" or "shape groups of four with the people next to you.") Place
directions for in-class tasks on a PowerPoint slide so that students have something to refer to
when they initiate the exercise (Finelli, et al., 2018)..
Explain to students that you use constructive learning and what benefits they can gain from it.
Invest in the option by using constructive learning and express it to students with trust. When
students understand that you are in charge and have legitimate reasoning for what you are doing,
they will be put at ease (Finelli, et al., 2018)..
Quick and quick setup. Using low-impact techniques, such as lessons on thinking-pair or
learning in-class. Such techniques are just a few minutes, so for students who may be unsure or
nervous, they are "small stakes" When you acquire experience along with your peers, you can
plan to graduate from more active activities (Finelli, et al., 2018)..
Challenge 2 - Activities take too much time
Use methods to quickly reconvene the large community until successful learning events are over.
You could ring a bell, for example, or shine the lights to get the attention of the students
(AbdelSattar et al., 2019).
Think closely what the learning priorities are. Based on these, which material is the most
important to learn for students? Delete non-essential materials, and you can spend more time on
tasks contributing to better learning for students.
Remember what material you will cover in the classroom, and what material students should
cover for themselves outside the classroom. Creating tasks, lessons, or other resources can be
important to help students learn content themselves (AbdelSattar et al., 2019).
In the classes, consider using one or two short constructive learning techniques. During the
presentation, plan the exercises to break it up and keep students involved.
Consider using Classroom Evaluation Methods to decide what students are learning and what
leaves them frustrated. They will help you determine when (and if) you need to spend more time
dealing with particular content (AbdelSattar et al., 2019).
Avoid speeding through content to achieve all of this before the end of the time. Nearly always,
this is detrimental. Students are more likely to be distracted and depressed.
Note that even because you're doing it doesn't mean they 're understanding it. Settle for spending
more time on less content.
Challenge 3 - Students don’t want to work together
Ask the students to get into groups and meet each other first as part of the activity guidance. It
sets the assumption that they can collaborate with someone they don't know, which helps them to
create partnership space (Masika et al., 2016).
Determine that the operation is demanding enough to include a staff of two or more individuals.
Will the role need group leaders to have various backgrounds, diverse viewpoints or specific
knowledge? Model events where the job done is of real interest.
At the start of the course, address people who work independently and either urge them to
collaborate with a neighboring community or ask the community to allow individuals to
participate. Conduct so on a regular basis because the students know you want them to work
together (Masika et al., 2016).
References:
1. Jensen, J. L., Kummer, T. A., & Godoy, P. D. D. M. (2015). Improvements from a flipped
classroom may simply be the fruits of active learning. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 14(1), ar5.
2. Eichler, J. F., & Peeples, J. (2016). Flipped classroom modules for large enrollment general
chemistry courses: a low barrier approach to increase active learning and improve student
grades. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 17(1), 197-208.
3. Parker, D. A. (2018). Mentoring Student Engagement: The Effect of a College, Peer Mentoring
Program on Student Engagement. Indiana State University.
4. Margulieux, L. (2015). Mixing in-class and online learning: Content meta-analysis of outcomes for
hybrid, blended, and flipped courses.
5. Shernoff, D. J., Kelly, S., Tonks, S. M., Anderson, B., Cavanagh, R. F., Sinha, S., & Abdi, B.
(2016). Student engagement as a function of environmental complexity in high school
classrooms. Learning and Instruction, 43, 52-60.
6. Owens, D. C., Sadler, T. D., Barlow, A. T., & Smith-Walters, C. (2020). Student motivation from
and resistance to active learning rooted in essential science practices. Research in Science
Education, 50(1), 253-277.
7. Barkley, E. F., & Major, C. H. (2020). Student engagement techniques: A handbook for college
faculty. John Wiley & Sons.
8. Tharayil, S., Borrego, M., Prince, M., Nguyen, K. A., Shekhar, P., Finelli, C. J., & Waters, C.
(2018). Strategies to mitigate student resistance to active learning. International Journal of STEM
Education, 5(1), 7.
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critical thinking ability: Cognitive and motivational variables as mediators. International Journal of
Educational Research, 70, 68-79.
10. Wanner, T., & Palmer, E. (2015). Personalising learning: Exploring student and teacher
perceptions about flexible learning and assessment in a flipped university course. Computers &
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11. Estévez-Ayres, I., Alario-Hoyos, C., Pérez-Sanagustín, M., Pardo, A., Crespo-García, R. M.,
Leony, D., & Delgado-Kloos, C. (2015). A methodology for improving active learning engineering
courses with a large number of students and teachers through feedback gathering and iterative
refinement. International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 25(3), 387-408.
12. Bovill, C., Cook-Sather, A., Felten, P., Millard, L., & Moore-Cherry, N. (2016). Addressing
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institutional norms and ensuring inclusivity in student–staff partnerships. Higher Education, 71(2),
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