“Are You the Only Active

Learner in the Classroom?”

Dr. Stewart Ross

Minnesota State University
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Icebreakers
“Tell me and I forget. Show me and I
remember. Involve me and I understand.” One of the easiest yet
- Chinese proverb
effective ways to incorporate
active learning into a class
Particularly useful at early
meetings of a course
Can create a “safe”
safe”
classroom over time
Even a course using
traditional lecture could
benefit from the use of
occasional icebreakers.

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 What is Active Learning? Why Use Active Learning?
Active learning occurs when students are given Research suggests that
the opportunity to interact with the subject matter active learning is an
of a course. It is anything students do in the exceptionally effective
classroom other than passively listening to a teaching technique.
lecture. Regardless of subject
Students generate rather than receive matter, when compared to
knowledge. Impossible to transmit knowledge. traditional teaching methods
The teacher facilitates rather than dictates the (lecture), students learn
students’
students’ learning. more material, retain the
information longer, meet
Active learning can vary from occasional use in other students, and enjoy
a course to the main “teaching”
teaching” strategy used by class more.
the instructor.
Much more later…
later…

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Active Lectures
Structured notes
Clarification pauses
Muddiest point
One minute papers
Presentation with listening teams
Wait time after question is asked
Feedback cards or devices

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Collaborative/Cooperative learning Think-pair share
Collaborative learning is Students are given time to think
one of the most powerful about a topic, turn to their
tools instructors have in neighbor for a short discussion,
higher education. and then share the results with
Students get a chance to the rest of the class.
speak, share personal Can be used in any size
views, and develop the classroom
skill of working with
others. Works well with any subject or
topic
Requires that group
members work together Useful in moving traditional
to complete a given task. lectures to active lectures

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Classroom Assessment
Techniques (CAT’s)
Students are given a few minutes during,
or at the end, of a class to answer
questions such as: “What was the most
important thing you learned today?”
today?”

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 Brainstorming Games
A simple technique that Games related to a subject can easily be
can involve an entire class incorporated into the classroom to foster
in a discussion active learning and increased participation.
The instructor introduces a Games might include matching, mysteries,
topic or problem and then group competitions, solving puzzles, and
asks for student input. jeopardy.
Works well with pair-
pair-share

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Debates
Debates staged in class can
be effective tools for
encouraging students to think
about several sides of an
issue.
Debates can vary from simple,
in-
in-class presentations to more
elaborate work over a period
of time and with a group.
Debates can be particularly
powerful learning tools when
students have to switch sides.

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 Role play Team based learning
http://www.ou.edu/idp/teamlearning
http://www.ou.edu/idp/teamlearning//
Most people have heard Team based learning goes a step further
that you really don’
don’t know
something until you can than cooperative learning with students
teach it. Through role staying in the same group for an entire
play, students actually
experience the material semester, transforming groups into teams.
they are studying.
Role play can be simple to
complex depending on the
course, level of students,
and time given for student
preparation.

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Case studies Case study example

Instructors who use case “When Twins Marry Twins”
Twins” - Deborah E. Allen
studies find real-
real-life stories
or problems that prompt
students to integrate their
classroom knowledge with
their understanding of real-
real-
world situations, actions,
and consequences.
Instructors can develop case
studies to fit the topics and
material being studied.

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 Problem based learning Writing assignments by individuals
Provides students with the
Problem-
Problem-based Learning:
Learning: PBL is any opportunity to think about and
learning environment in which the problem process information
drives the learning. PBL is an important Many options for writing
part of Team based learning. activities including reflections on
material learned.
Provides valuable feedback to
instructor and student
Daily journals a popular
technique

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Service learning IF-AT

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http://www.epsteineducation.com//
Service-
Service-learning is an educational A relatively new strategy that encourages
method that entwines the threads
of experiential learning and active learning is the Immediate Feedback
community service. Assessment Technique (IF- (IF-AT).
It meets educational objectives
through real-
real-world experiences, This multiple-
multiple-choice procedure provides
while tapping youths as resources immediate feedback to students and
to benefit their college and
communities. partial credit for answers.
Students can discuss and reflect Powerful with team based
on subject matter outside of the
classroom and with others learning.
besides the instructor.

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 IF-AT Value of active learning
This is a particularly powerful tool when used Fosters metacognition in students
with groups.
Each group decides the best answer and
Involves students in the learning process
scratches off the coating of the rectangle Classroom results tend to improve with
corresponding to the answer. If correct, a star deeper learning evident through
appears.
connections with material from the
If the first answer is incorrect, the group
continues to look for the next best answer and students’
students’ own experience.
scratch rectangles until the correct answer is Builds diversity understanding among
found. students as they learn about each other

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Value of active learning Value of active learning

Develops learning communities and study Models appropriate student problem
groups solving techniques
Encourages students to seek help and Develops social support system for
accept tutoring from peers students
Cooperation reduces anxiety
Established a positive atmosphere for
Provides a variety of assessments for preparing students for real world
student learning
workplace where teamwork is often crucial
Develops oral communication skills to success
through classroom discussions
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 Value of active learning
Large classes can be more personalized
with pair-
pair-share work
Increases excitement and interest for the
instructors who learns new things in each
class period since they can’
can’t depend on
lectures and must sometimes improvise
Encourages students take responsibility
for their own education

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“The best learners... often make

the worst teachers. They are, in a
very real sense, perceptually
challenged. They cannot imagine
what it must be like to struggle to
learn something that comes so
“The teachers who get "burned out" are not the naturally to them.”
ones who are constantly learning, which can be - Steven Brookfield

exhilarating, but those who feel they must stay

in control and ahead of the students at all times.”
- Frank Smith

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 Take some risks!
“If a doctor, lawyer, or dentist had 40
(or 400) people in his office at one
time, all of whom had different needs,
and some of whom didn't want to be
there and were causing trouble, and
the doctor, lawyer, or dentist,
without assistance, had to treat them
all with professional excellence for
nine months, then he might have
some conception of the classroom
teacher's job.” - Donald D. Quinn

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Please contact me at:

[email protected]
507-
507-389-
389-1098

Check out the MSU Center for Excellence

in Teaching and Learning website at:
www.mnsu.edu/cetl

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