MODULE 4

Learning Experiences using Active Learning

1st

2nd

3rd

The Backward Design

1st

2nd

3rdDefine Learning

Objectives

Define Evidences of Learning

and Assessment

tasks

Plan Learning

Experiences

Learning Objectives

• How to create a lesson plan?

• How to engage students in a course?

• What is the professor’s role in a learner-centered classroom?

• What is the purpose of using Active Learning?

• How to apply Active Learning to a course?

From Big Ideas to Lesson Plans

ActivitiesAssessment

Learning

Goals

Nature

of the

Content

Learning

Experiences

BIG IDEA

LESSON PLANS

Content Plan

Objectives

What students should be able to know and do by the end of the

course?

What students should be able to know and do by the end of the course?

From Big Ideas to Lesson Plans

BIG IDEA

Nature

of the

Content

How would you

summarize this concept

in one sentence?

Main Idea behind the

concepts and skills you

want to teach

What to teach?

Learning

GoalsObjectives

Content Plan

What students should do

to learn this concept or

skill?

From Big Ideas to Lesson Plans

Nature of the Content

Learning

experiences

What is the best way

to provide this

experience?

LESSON PLAN

Create a context that will

reproduce / illustrate the nature of

the content

Give students a role (thinking or acting) in this context

SeePerform

Listen

TalkAnalyze

Create Other…

Debrief: students should talk and reflect on the experience

Lesson PlanDirections on how to help students to achieve the

desired results

Current knowledge and skills

Desired knowledge and skills

Lesson Plan

Where to start?

From

To?

Who your students are?

• What are the course objectives?

• What do your students already know?

• What is the gap? How to bridge it?

First, learn about your students!

Then, create or adjust lesson plan to fulfill students’ needs!

What do they Know? What do they Want to learn?

What they should Learn?

Components of a Lesson Plan

Course number and name

Topic & Context

Big Ideas

Learning Objectives

ASSESSMENTS: Performance Tasks Other formative assessment activities

OBJECTIVES:

LEARNING ACTIVITIES:

Time Teaching Method Professor Instructions and Student Learning Activities

Material and Resources

The lesson plan will follow the same path from backward design!

Creating Learning Activities

“I hear, I forget

I see, I remember

I do, I understand” - Chinese Proverb

From “Understanding by Design”, Wiggins and McTighe

What students should do to achieve the desired results?

Class activities should engage students!

Principles of LCT

Weimer, 2002

Less teacher control

Less content coverage

Less focus on teacher

Less focus on grades

LCT strategies provide ways to engage students in active participation and to build their own understanding

How to engage students?

Teaching approaches that creates learning environments to engage

students to construct understanding based on:

By using LCT!

Create meaning

Real-life situations

Solve problems

Relevant to

students

Apply concepts

Perform authentic

tasks

Knobloch & Ball, n.d.)

What is the professor role in LCT environment?

Professors should act as facilitators, encouraging students interaction and discussions

• Prepare more class activities -> Students will construct their knowledge

• Prepare and give less lecture -> Interact more with students

• Create environment for interaction -> Manage class discussions

Professors will:

(http://academic.pgcc.edu/~wpeirce/MCCCTR/weimer.htm)

LCT ApproachesLCT strategies were grouped into three approaches:

Which one should I use?

It will depend on the learning experience needed to achieve

the objective

This Module:

Active

Learning

Active Learning

Students should do more than simply listen to a lecture!

Students should process and use the information in order to retain it

Active Learning is “anything that involves students in doing things and thinking about the things they are doing”(Bonwell & Eisen, 1991)

Why Active Learning?

The amount of information retained by

students declines substantially after ten

minutes of listening (Thomas, 1972)

Why is it important?

Students need to be physically and mentally involved in class activities to learn

Multiple Intelligences

Learning requires multi-modal approaches!

Why Active Learning?

Why does it help students to learn?

Students who actively engage with the material are more likely to recall information (Bruner, 1961)

Provide immediate feedback, raise questions, and make students think, building understanding

Different people learn in different ways

(Multiple Intelligences)

Active Learning Process

Knowledge Application

Feedback

Questions Understanding

Student’s existing

knowledge

A dynamic process!

Professor as facilitator

Multi-modal

delivery

Active Learning

Social

Real-time feedback

Verbal

Visual

Multi-modal delivery engages students in class activities that use multiple senses

How to use Active Learning?

Kinesthetic

Active Learning: Visual

Show students:• Videos• Demonstrations• Real objects• Graphs / Diagrams / Pictures• Animations / Flashes

Visual Instruction + Analysis

Use technology to present concepts:

• Animations / Flashes• Simulation• 3D images

Active Learning: Verbal

Story-telling Involving students in the story

Teaching with enthusiasm

Teaching with songs

Use:• Analogies/metaphors• Stories• Real-life examples

Engaging Lectures!

Active Learning: Verbal

HumorCommunicate meaning,

relevance

Student’s mind

Previous experiences

Connects!

Teaching in chunks

Break lessons down into lessons segments (~10 min) and processing time (~2 to 10 min)

Active Learning: Social

• In pairs• With all students & professor as facilitator• Think-pair-share

In-class discussions

In-class debates

Peer-to-peer learning! Promotes Students’ interaction!

In-class small projects Peer teaching or Collaborative Learning

Active Learning: Social

In-class small scenarios and discussion

Brainstorming

Active Learning: Social

Student-led review sessions

Concept mapping

Ask students to create visual representations of models, ideas and relationship between concepts + share + discussion

Active Learning: Real-time Feedback

In-class writing

One-minute Paper / Essay:• Student will summarize last or current class, and write

questions to be clarified• Students will write down the key idea and what needs

clarification

Stump the professor

Students will write down difficult questions about the content to ask the professor. The objective is to ask questions that the professor is not able to

answer.

Review Games

Games can include matching, mysteries, and group competitions (jeopardy, bingo)

Active Learning: Real-time Feedback

Thumbs up / thumbs down / thumbs sideways or flash cards

Ask students to agree disagree to a statement, problem solution and discuss their reasoning

Use clickers to in-class quiz, student voting, opinion etc.

Active Learning: Real-time Feedback

Debriefing / reflection

Build Models

Active Learning: KinestheticLearning by doing! Use the body!

Build models

Role-playing

Perform a task

Perform or review concepts

How to get started?

What specific activity professor could create that will provide students the

right learning experience?

What resources should be used?

Nature of the Content

Learning experiences

LESSON PLAN

Objectives & Learning

Goals

How would you summarize this concept

in one sentence?

What students should do to learn this concept or skill?

It may require Active Learning, Inquiry Learning or Contextual Learning

activities!

What students should know and be able to do at the end of the class?

How to get started?A Nutrition Example

Describe and explain the digestion process

Nature of the

Content

Learning experiences

LESSON PLAN

Objectives & Learning

Goals

Digestion is a process; a sequence of events

• Listen

• See

• Talk about it

• Get involved in the process

• Show pictures or video while lecturing

• Peer-teaching, concept mapping

• Build a model, role-play

• Review • Quiz

Outcomes of each activityDesired Outcomes / Objectives

Activity

1

2

Outcomes of each activityDesired Outcomes / Objectives

Activity

1

2

Outcomes of each activityDesired Outcomes / Objectives

Activity

1

2

Outcomes of each activityDesired Outcomes / Objectives

Activity

1

2

Outcomes of each activityDesired Outcomes / Objectives

Activity

1

2

Bottom line: different activities will lead to different outcomes!

Depending on the nature of the task, different outcomes can be achieved.

Tailor to students’ needs, interests and styles

Evaluate work and their progress

Provide opportunities to students to Reflect, Rethink and Revise

Equip students with opportunities to Experience and Explore the big

ideas

Hook the students and Hold their attention

Where is it going? Why?

Is my lesson plan engaging and effective?

Is it providing students a path to achieve the objectives?

Organize activities for maximum engagement and

effectiveness

Summary

ActivitiesAssessment

Learning

Goals

Nature

of the

Content

Learning

Experiences

BIG IDEA

LESSON PLANS

Objectives

Content Plan

From Big Ideas to Lesson Plans!

SummaryLearn about your students

Plan activities that will bridge the gap

Current knowledge and skills

Desired knowledge and

skillsLesson Plan

Write your Lesson Plan

Summary

Activities are effective and engaging?

Which activities?

SummaryActive Learning

Active Learning

Social

Real-time assessments

Verbal

Visual

Kinesthetic

Learning Objectives

• How to create a lesson plan?

• How to engage students in a course?

• What is the professor’s role in a learner-centered classroom?

• What is the purpose of using Active Learning?

• How to apply Active Learning to a course?

References• Understanding, Unpacking Standards, Big Idea, Essential Questions

Wiggins, Grant and McTighe, Jay. Understanding by Design. 2nd Edition. ASCD, Virginia, 2005.

• Multiple Intelligences

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_multiple_intelligences

• http://www.shapingyouth.org/blog/?p=2071

• Active Learning: Creating Excitement in the classroom, by Charles C. Bonwell, Ph.D.

• Center for Teaching, Learning and Technology website, by Kathleen McKinney (http://www.cat.ilstu.edu/additional/tips/newActive.php)

References• Review and Summary of Learner-Centered Teaching by Maryellen Weimer (http://academic.pgcc.edu/~wpeirce/MCCCTR/weimer.htm)

• Active Learning Strategies:

• http://www.phy.ilstu.edu/pte/311content/activelearning/activelearning.html

• http://activelearning.uta.edu/FacStaff/ALtechniques.htm

• http://www.vcu.edu/cte/resources/active_learning.htm

• http://www.thiagi.com/interactive-lectures.html