Making Students Active Learners
Consider a topic that you usually present using a pure lecture approach. Discuss ways you could make students more active learners during such lessons.
When teaching a subject, if I see some confusion on any of the students faces, I will write on the board several questions relating to the subjects objective and break the students into several groups and have them write the questions down and look for the information relative to the part I assigned them. Then I have each group present what they have found and learned, answering questions from their peers. After each group has presented I ask for any questions regarding the subject matter and ensure the students understand what we have covered.
During classes of pure lecture using guided lecture followed by group discussion and quiz creating or note creating will create a more active learning classroom.
Anatomy requires a great deal of memorization. As I was taking this course I was thinking about having students put together models while they learned certain structures of the human anatomy. I think I will be having them build a muscle a layer at a time.
Sometimes a particular subject may be dry in nature. So I use my resources and do interactive class quizzes. The students tend to participate more and try to outdo each other.
I teach Math. So I really have to make students active learners by doing lab which includes some simple problems for them to work out and then I ask them to create a problem and write it on the board for other students to solve so all the students have to be creative and active learners during that time
After a lecture there is usually a written assignment. To review the written assignment I use a "nerf" type ball and we play a ball game with the students indicating which answers they want to give. I find that this approach draws out even the most reluctant student because everyone wants to "play ball". Also no one is forced to provide information when they are not sure. If a student is stumped, other members of the "team" are encouraged to assist that "team mate". I feel that this is a game where everyone is a "winner".
Teaching math, most of my teaching is lecture based. I could assign some a more practical math problem and break the class into groups where they need to communicate with each other. One could summarize the group findings.
I truly appreciate that idea. I have observed shy, non-verbal students come out of their shell when they have been placed in a group or with a team during our activity/share time. There has been cases where these type of students have become the spokes person for the group. They then have become active learners and retain the information addressed.
Hi Tanya,
Students like learning that is made in to fun such as what you are doing. Students also retain more when they are having fun while learning.
Patricia Scales
I am in a unique position in that I teach massage therapy, so there is a lot of active learning going on in most every class. At the beginning of every term, I tell the students I love questions - bring it on - hit me with your best shot. And when they do ask questions, I am enthusiastic about answering them. I am also very honest if I don't know the answer, and we all pick up our phones and google the answer to see what each of us comes up with. I am also appreciative of those who ask questions during our lecture time, which tends to stimulate others wanting to ask questions also. It works in our setting.
I am relating this to a small time frame of instruction in a one on one scenario.
1.I verbally relate my expectations of the students obligations for todays task.
2.I tried a different approach and asked the student to describe the perfect day of what their expectations were for the task.
The number 2 approach was more successful for the students successful outcome.
I teach psychology, specifically the parts of the brain. One way I make it an active learning project is to take a model brain and ask the students to label the various parts of the brain and to then tell me what each part does. They must all act out the important processes of each part...which is always entertaining.
Hi Jennifer,
Great way to break the ice by bouncing back and forth. Students really want more than just lecture.
Patricia Scales
Hi Reanna,
Trying incoportating some type of technology to promote active learning.
Patricia Scales
Hi Nicole,
Awesome! Sounds like fun too! Students love doing these type of activities to grasp concepts.
Patricia Scales
I too try to break up the lecture and do quick activities and go back to lecture to keep them engaged and energized and ready to hear more.
I teach Pathology for massage therapists. The class has so much information to cover in such a short period that I could do a pure lecture approach, but retention would not be very good. I use a variety of active learning approaches to help the students learn and retain the information. First approach is guided lectures with a lecture packet that they fill out. The packet is also used as the study guide for the written exams. Second is a project that has them make flash card of the most relevant diseases which needs to include specified information. During the lectures I will ask the students to share what they know about the various diseases and conditions being covered then I will fill in information around what they have shared. I will also bring up specific scenarios and ask them what they should do in each case. The flash cards are used in class for group competitions and games. If time permits I will use online publisher resources or Youtube videos if relevant. This is usually enough variety to keep the students engaged and learning.
I have been able to turn my College Math class into an interactive class by bringing in store fliers to price compare by using unit rates, using basket ball hoops made to attempted to show ratios and proportions and balancing a check book to show positive and negative integers.
I am a clinical dental hygiene instructor and I do two things each at each 4 hour session to ensure they are actively learning. At the beginning of the session I form a "Huddle" with the 5 students I am assigned to that day. I ask them to each present the case of each of their patients to all of us before the patient is brought into the clinic. They are encouraged to discuss any extra safe guards or precautions they must take with that patient and the treatment plan they have made to follow that day. At the end of the session we all regroup and discuss how their appointments went- that way they are not only reiterating what they personally experienced and learned that day, but they are sharing that information to their classmates for future reference. There was a period when I first started instructing that I didn't do this and I can most definitely see a huge improvement in the students willingness to succeed.
