ACTIVE LEARNING:

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• ACTIVE LEARNING
• A VERY BRIEF LOOK
• Barbra A. Roller, Ph.D.
• January 3, 2007
• What is active learning?
• Why use active learning?
• What are some examples of active learning that
• I can incorporate into my courses?

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Active Learning Quotes All genuine learning is
active, not passive. It is a process of
discovery in which the student is the main agent,
not the teacher. (Adler,
1982) Students learn what they care about and
remember what they understand. (Ericksen,
1984) Learning is not a spectator sport.
Students do not learn much just by sitting in
class listening to teachers, memorizing
pre-packaged assignments, and spitting out
answers. They must talk about what they are
learning, write about it, relate it to past
experiences apply it to their daily lives. They
must make what they learn part of themselves.
(Chickering and Gamson, 1987)
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The sort of teaching we propose requires that we
encourage active learning and that we become
knowledgeable about the ways in which our
students hear, understand, interpret, and
integrate ideas.  (AAC task Group on General
Education, 1988) One must learn by doing the
thing, for though you think you know it---you
have no certainty until you try. (Sophocles,
5th century B.C.)
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• Obstacles or barriers preventing faculty from
  using active learning strategies
• You cannot cover as much course content
• in the time available
•  There is a great deal of pre-class preparation
  involved
•  Large class size prevents implementation of
  active learning strategies
•  Most instructors think of themselves as being
  good lecturers
•  There is a lack of materials or equipment needed
  for active learning activities
• Students resist non-lecture approaches

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• There are many risks involved. There are risks
  that students will not
• Participate actively
• Learn sufficient course content
• Use higher order thinking skills
• Enjoy the activities
• There are also risks that the faculty member will
  not
• Feel in control of the class
• Feel self-confident
• Possess the necessary skills for this method
• Be positively viewed by other faculty members
• Be viewed by students positively, and receive
  poor evaluations

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Selected Active Learning Strategies     Pause
Procedure     Short Writes (includes summarizing
the last lecture, journal entry, etc.)    
Surveys or questionnaires     Un-graded
quizzes     Think-Pair-Share (think about your
answer, then pair up and share your
response)     Brainstorming     Pairs or groups
develop an outline of the lecture.    
Structured group discussions with specific
questions provided     Individual or group
presentations
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    Pairs or groups develop applications related
to the lecture content     Students analyze
something- such as a photo, cartoon, or
problem
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 Students work a problem, then evaluate each
others work  Role playing a concept from
lecture   Ask students to identify one question
from the readings that they would like to have
answered at the beginning of class   Round table
exercise- write a response to a question, then
pass it to the next person in the group until all
have had a chance to comment on it   Have
students work in small groups to make concept
maps/flow charts showing relationships between
concepts
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Example of a Flow Chart
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APPLY TO MEDICAL SCHOOL
Letters of Recommendation
GPA
MCAT
Volunteer/clinical experience/research
Application essays
BCPM
AO
Develop Writing Skills
Professors
Physicians
Verbal
Science
Writing
Develop Reading Skills
Upper Division
Lower Division
HS English
Physiology, Genetics, Biochemistry, etc.
HS Biology/ Honors/AP/IB
Bio 1,2
High School English
Chemistry 1,2
Algebra
HS Chemistry/ Honors/AP/IB
Organic 1,2
HS Physics/ Honors/AP/IB
Physics 1,2 with or w/o calculus
Calculus
Algebra Trig or Precalc
HS Math
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•     Have students work in small groups to
  complete a small mini-test (not graded)
•     Have students work in small groups to put a
  sequence of events in their proper order
•     If computers are used in the classroom or
  lab, have students find data about a particular
  topic and then share with the class, not only the
  data, but how it was obtained

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• Divide students into groups, and decide who the
  reporter is for the group. This can be by
  randomly giving out colored cards or playing
  cards in advance, or having them choose numbers
  and then calling out a number to be the reporter
  for the group
• Require students to figure out how to act out a
  concept. This would follow the introductory
  information in a lecture. As examples in biology,
  I have students act out an action potential.
• Have a structured discussion following a film,
  but provide questions. I also provide a worksheet
  for students to complete while they watch the
  film.

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• Pose a multiple- choice question to the class. On
  the count of 3 have them hold up the appropriate
  letter (a-d) or colored index card. The same
  thing can be done for true/false questions.
  Multiple -choice questions can also be assigned
  individually for homework or for extra credit,
  and can then be used on exams.
• Have students outline the days lecture. They
  then discuss it with a partner.
•  Have students form groups and write good
  multiple choice questions on a topic just
  discussed, or discussed in the previous class.
  Students then present these questions to the
  class (via overhead projector).

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• Use of show and tell. Students must be given a
  chance to touch, depending on subject material.
• Use of simulations. In biology there is
  incredible software for interactive simulations
  also in many other disciplines
• Use of debate- students can be divided into teams
  to debate ethical issues
• Use of appropriate questioning
• Use of problem-solving either in groups, or
  individually. For example, I put up a problem,
  encourage them to talk with their neighbors, and
  then we go over the problem
• Send a problem (use of groups)

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• Use of games
• Scavenger hunt
• Reaction Course
• Fishing for Connection (Go Fish) Deck consists
  of sets of 3 cards with some relationship to each
  other
• Jeopardy
• Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
• Quizo
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•     Quick Thinks these are done to break up the
  lecture into small blocks
• o  Select the best response
• o  Correct the error
• o  Complete a sentence
• o  Compare or contrast
• o  Support a statement
• o  Reorder the steps

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• Quick Thinks these are done to break up the
  lecture into small blocks. Try to avoid lecturing
  gt15 minutes at a time.
• Select the best response
• Correct the error
• Complete a sentence
• Compare or contrast
• Support a statement
• Reorder the steps
• Reach a conclusion
• Paraphrase the idea

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Selected Active Learning sites

• http//www.nea.org/he/advo99/advo9902/feature.html
  
• http//www.active-learning-site.com
• http//www.udel.edu/cte/pbl.htm
• http//www.cte.usf.edu/bibs/active_learn/intro.htm
  l

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Thank you for your active participation Barbra A.
Roller, Ph.D. rollerb_at_fiu.edu