ACTIVE LEARNING

What is it? Why is it important?

How do we do it?

What is it?

1. Teaching techniques that are not straight lecture.

2. Not an entire project, but smaller tasks given to students.

3. Students must be doing something – discovery, processing, applying…

Why is it important?

1. Students remember better when they have done something.

Why is it important?

1. Students remember better when they have done something.

2. 90% of what they DO!

“Learning is not a spectator sport. Students do not learn much just by sitting in class listening to teachers, memorizing prepackaged 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, 1987

Active learning assumes 2 important things: (1) Learning is by nature an active endeavor (2) Different people

learn in different ways. Active learning research proves greater retention, comprehension, satisfaction, and application in learners than other

non-active methods.” Borden, 2010

How do we do this?

• Look at the words we use.

• Think about Blooms Taxonomy.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_337GUHQH0FY/SmpJqHcNYBI/AAAAAAAABmc/TlOe7vasGWg/s1600-h/Revised_Bloom_taxonomy_circle.GIF

REMEMBERING: can the student recall or remember the information?

define, duplicate, list, memorize, recall, repeat, reproduce state

UNDERSTANDING: can the student explain ideas or concepts?

classify, describe, discuss, explain, identify, locate, recognize, report, select, translate, paraphrase

APPLYING: can the student use the information in a new way?

choose, demonstrate, dramatize, employ, illustrate, interpret, operate, schedule, sketch, solve, use, write.

ANALYZING: can the student distinguish between the different parts?

appraise, compare, contrast, criticize, differentiate, discriminate, distinguish, examine, experiment, question, test.

EVALUATING: can the student justify a stand or decision?

appraise, argue, defend, judge, select, support, value, evaluate

CREATING: can the student create new product or point of view?

assemble, construct, create, design, develop, formulate, write.

…slightly larger…

• REMEMBERING: can the student recall or remember the information?

• define, duplicate, list, memorize, recall, repeat, reproduce, state

• CREATING: can the student create new product or point of view?

• assemble, construct, create, design, develop, formulate, write.

Ideas

• Open Discussion• Response Cards• Jigsaw Groups• Classroom Polling• Focused Listing• Problem-Based

Learning• Students as

teachers

• Fishbowl Discussions

• Billboard Ranking• Think-Pair-Share• Question and

Answer Pairs• Note Check• PowerPoint Games

Ideas

• Graphic Organizers• Podcasting• Timelines• Temperature Reading• iClickers• Cognitive Analogies/

Metaphors

• Podcasting • Two Minute Paper• Final Question• Let's Cheat• Choral Reading• Go Fish• Six Easy Pair-Shares• Ticket Out• Today's Meet

www.nwicc.edu

Find handouts on the NCC website

Click on High School and then Instructors.

5 Things to Consider!

• Does the activity meet your learning objectives?

• Where does it fall in Bloom’s taxonomy?

• Are you addressing multiple learning styles?

• When and/or how will you assess what students have learned?

• Does the time needed to complete this assignment seem realistic ?

Let’s Discuss!

Let’s Assess Ourselves!

• What is Active Learning? • Why is it important?• How do we do it?

Gretchen BartelsonDean of Extended Learning ServicesNorthwest Iowa Community College

gbartelson@nwicc.edu