A Bit About Active Learning
Compiled by Sam Donovan
The Problem
“.…it would be difficult to design an educational
model that is more at odds with current
research on human cognition than the one that
is used in most colleges and universities.”
From: Halpern, D. F., & Hakel, M. D. (2002). Learning That Lasts a Lifetime:
Teaching for Long‐Term Retention and Transfer. New Directions for Teaching
and Learning, 2002(89), 3-7.
Significance
In addition to limiting students’ ability to “learn
the material” ineffective instruction has
consequences with respect to:
– Learning to learn
– Public perceptions of science
– Broadening participation in STEM
What is Active Learning?
The process of having students engage in some activity that
forces them to reflect upon ideas and how they are using those
ideas. Requiring students to regularly assess their own degree of
understanding and skill at handling concepts or problems in a
particular discipline. The attainment of knowledge by
participating or contributing.
Michael, J. (2006). Where's the evidence that active learning
works?.Advances in physiology education, 30(4), 159-167.
Building mental models of whatever is being learned, consciously
and deliberately testing those models to determine whether
they work, and then repairing those models that appear to be
faulty.
Michael, J., & Modell, H. I. (2003). Active learning in secondary and college
science classrooms: A working model for helping the learner to learn.
Links to Key Features of Learning
• Learning involves the active construction of meaning by the
learner.
• Learning facts (“what”–declarative knowledge) and
learning to do something (“how”–procedural knowledge)
are two different processes.
• Some things that are learned are specific to the domain or
context (subject matter or course) in which they were
learned, whereas other things are more readily transferred
to other domains.
• Individuals are likely to learn more when they learn with
others than when they learn alone.
• Meaningful learning is facilitated by articulating
explanations, whether to one's self, peers, or teachers.
from Learning, Working & Playing in the Digital Age by John Seely Brown
http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/sci_edu/seelybrown/seelybrown4.html
Acknowledging Some Barriers
• Influence of educational tradition
• Faculty self-perception of agency and roles
– Tied to faculty incentives and rewards
• Change is risky/uncomfortable
– For faculty
– And, for students
• The challenge of coverage
• Classroom challenges
– Large course, short classes, diverse student
backgrounds
McNeal, A. P., & D'Avanzo,
C. (1997). Student-active
science: Models of
innovation in college
science teaching.
Freeman, S., Eddy, S. L., McDonough, M., Smith, M. K., Okoroafor, N., Jordt, H., & Wenderoth, M. P.
(2014). Active learning increases student performance in science, engineering, and mathematics.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111(23), 8410-8415.
Bonwell, C. C., & Eison, J. A. (1991).
Active Learning: Creating Excitement in
the Classroom. 1991 ASHE-ERIC Higher
Education Reports. ERIC Clearinghouse
on Higher Education, The George
Washington University, One Dupont
Circle, Suite 630, Washington, DC
20036-1183.
Available onine:
https://www.ydae.purdue.edu/lct/HBCU/documents/
Active_Learning_Creating_Excitement_in_the_Classro
om.pdf
Some of the content presented
here is derived from:
Michael, J. (2006). Where's the
evidence that active learning works?.
Advances in physiology education,
30(4), 159-167.