CTD Spring 2015 Weekly Workshop: Active Learning
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Active learning is an instructional method that engages students in the learning process through activities and discussions in the classroom rather than passively listening to a lecture. It emphasizes higher-order thinking and often involves group work. Research shows that active learning techniques increase student performance on exams by about half a letter grade on average and decrease failure rates compared to traditional lecturing alone. Effective active learning strategies include peer instruction, interactive demonstrations, discussions, and predicting outcomes before viewing videos or demonstrations.
![Key Finding 1
Active Learning5
Students come to the classroom with preconceptions about how the
world works. If their initial understanding is not engaged, they
may fail to grasp the new concepts and information that are
taught,or they may learn them for the purposes of a test but revert
to their preconceptions outside of the classroom.
(How People Learn [1], p. 14)
Instructors must
draw out students’
pre-existing
understandings.
Instruction must be
student-centered.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/activelearningweeklyworkshop-150518175644-lva1-app6892/85/CTD-Spring-2015-Weekly-Workshop-Active-Learning-5-320.jpg)
![Key Finding 2
Active Learning6
To develop competence in an area,students must:
a) have a deep foundation of factual knowledge,
b) understand facts and ideas in the context of a
conceptual framework,and
c) organize knowledge in ways that facilitate retrieval and
application.
(How People Learn [1], p. 16)
These are
characteristics of
expertize
Instructors need to give
students opportunities
to practice being more
expert-like.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/activelearningweeklyworkshop-150518175644-lva1-app6892/85/CTD-Spring-2015-Weekly-Workshop-Active-Learning-6-320.jpg)
![Key Finding 3
Active Learning7
A “metacognitive” approach to instruction can help students learn
to take control of their own learning by defining learning goals
and monitoring their progress in achieving them.
(How People Learn [1], p. 18)
Instructors need to
provide opportunities for
students to practice being
metacognitive
Metacognition: that
voice in your head
that checks if you
understand](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/activelearningweeklyworkshop-150518175644-lva1-app6892/85/CTD-Spring-2015-Weekly-Workshop-Active-Learning-7-320.jpg)
![Constructivist theory of learning
Active Learning8
Students need to construct their own understanding of the
concepts, where
each student assimilates new material into his/her own
framework of initial understanding and preconception
each student confronts his/her (mis)understanding of
the concepts
A traditional, one-way lecture doesn’t give students
opportunities to “try, fail, receive feedback and try again,
before facing a summative evaluation.” [2]](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/activelearningweeklyworkshop-150518175644-lva1-app6892/85/CTD-Spring-2015-Weekly-Workshop-Active-Learning-8-320.jpg)
![Interactive Lecture Demos (ILD) [3]
Active Learning20
By making a prediction, each student
cares about the outcome (“Did I get it right?”)
knows when to look (can anticipate phenomenon)
knows where to look (sees phenomenon occur)
gets immediate feedback about his/her understanding
of the concept
is prepared for your explanation](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/activelearningweeklyworkshop-150518175644-lva1-app6892/85/CTD-Spring-2015-Weekly-Workshop-Active-Learning-20-320.jpg)
![Start teaching before the bell rings
Active Learning23
Students arrive, ready to engage with you, your content:
Project a picture related to today’s lesson
Add prompts:
“What do you notice?What do you wonder?” [8]
Spend first few minutes leading a discussion:
o every student can contribute because everyone can wonder
o you learn their pre-existing knowledge
o activates concepts in their memories
Don’t let their enthusiasm slip away!](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/activelearningweeklyworkshop-150518175644-lva1-app6892/85/CTD-Spring-2015-Weekly-Workshop-Active-Learning-23-320.jpg)
CTD Spring 2015 Weekly Workshop: Active Learning
- 1. Discuss this definition with others at your Table. Does anything surprise you? Active Learning1 “Active learning engages students in the process of learning through activities and/or discussions in class, as opposed to passively listening to an expert. It emphasizes higher-order thinking and often involves group work.” Freeman et al.(2014) pp 8413-8414
- 2. Peter Newbury, Ph.D. Center forTeaching Development, University of California, San Diego pnewbury@ucsd.edu @polarisdotca #ctducsd ctd.ucsd.edu CTD Weekly Workshops: Active Learning Unless otherwise noted, content is licensed under a Creative CommonsAttribution-Non Commercial 3.0 License. resources: ctd.ucsd.edu/programs/weekly-workshops-spring-2015/ please sign in
- 3. Scholarly approach to teaching: Active Learning3 CarlWieman Science Education Initiative cwsei.ubc.ca What should students learn? learning outcomes (goals, objectives) assessment that supports learning active learning peer instruction (May 20, 27) What should students learn? What are students learning? What instructional approaches help students learn?
- 4. Prediction Active Learning4 Ice cubes are floating in a glass of water that is filled to the brim. As the ice cubes melt, what happens to the water level? A) it stays the same B) it rises and spills water over the brim C) it falls to a level below the brim.
- 5. Key Finding 1 Active Learning5 Students come to the classroom with preconceptions about how the world works. If their initial understanding is not engaged, they may fail to grasp the new concepts and information that are taught,or they may learn them for the purposes of a test but revert to their preconceptions outside of the classroom. (How People Learn [1], p. 14) Instructors must draw out students’ pre-existing understandings. Instruction must be student-centered.
- 6. Key Finding 2 Active Learning6 To develop competence in an area,students must: a) have a deep foundation of factual knowledge, b) understand facts and ideas in the context of a conceptual framework,and c) organize knowledge in ways that facilitate retrieval and application. (How People Learn [1], p. 16) These are characteristics of expertize Instructors need to give students opportunities to practice being more expert-like.
- 7. Key Finding 3 Active Learning7 A “metacognitive” approach to instruction can help students learn to take control of their own learning by defining learning goals and monitoring their progress in achieving them. (How People Learn [1], p. 18) Instructors need to provide opportunities for students to practice being metacognitive Metacognition: that voice in your head that checks if you understand
- 8. Constructivist theory of learning Active Learning8 Students need to construct their own understanding of the concepts, where each student assimilates new material into his/her own framework of initial understanding and preconception each student confronts his/her (mis)understanding of the concepts A traditional, one-way lecture doesn’t give students opportunities to “try, fail, receive feedback and try again, before facing a summative evaluation.” [2]
- 9. Freeman et al. (2014): Meta-analysis of 225 studies of STEM education. Active Learning9 Two important conclusions: 1. In classes with effective, active learning, student performance increased by 6% on final exams (about half a letter grade.) 2. The average failure rate decreased from 34% to 22%. Under-represented minorities and women make up a disproportionate number of students who fail STEM classes. Fewer failures means enhanced success for URM and women.
- 11. Active Learning11 peer instruction with clickers interactive demonstrations What do you notice? What do you wonder? surveys of opinions reading quizzes worksheets discussions videos student-centered active learning
- 12. (Question: Sujatha Raghu from Braincandy via LearningCatalytics) (Image: CIM9926 by number657 on flickr CC) Discussion (peer instruction) Melt chocolate over low heat. Remove the chocolate from the heat.What will happen to the chocolate? A) It will condense. B) It will evaporate. C) It will freeze. Active Learning12
- 13. Typical Episode of Peer Instruction Active Learning13 1. Instructor poses a conceptually-challenging multiple-choice question. 2. Students think about question on their own and vote using clickers, colored ABCD cards, smartphones,… 3. The instructor asks students to turn to their neighbors and “convince them you’re right.” 4. After that “peer instruction”, students may vote again. 5. The instructor leads a class-wide discussion concluding with why the right answer(s) is right and the wrong answers are wrong.
- 14. In effective peer instruction Active Learning14 students teach each other while they may still hold or remember their novice preconceptions students discuss the concepts in their own (novice) language each student finds out what s/he does and doesn’t know the instructor finds out what the students know (and don’t know) and reacts, building on their current understanding and preconceptions. students practice how to think, communicate like experts
- 15. To learn more about peer instruction Active Learning15 UpcomingWeeklyWorkshops at the CTD: To register, look for the Teaching and LearningWeeklyWorkshops at ctd.ucsd.edu May 20 Peer Instruction 1:Writing Good Peer Instruction (“Clicker”) QuestionsA good episode of peer instruction requires a good question. In this session, we’ll see a variety of questions and contrast good vs bad questions, that you can adapt to your discipline May 27 Peer Instruction 2: Best Practices for Running Peer Instruction with Clickers In this session, we’ll discuss best practices for choreographing an episode of peer instruction in your class including how to pose the question, when to open and close the poll, how many votes, and how to get the most out of the class-wide discussion.
- 16. Active Learning16 peer instruction with clickers interactive demonstrations What do you notice? What do you wonder? surveys of opinions reading quizzes worksheets discussions videos student-centered active learning
- 17. Active Learning17 Chemistry Day 4 by pennstatenews on flickr CC-BY-NC
- 18. In-class demonstrations Active Learning18 1. Instructor (meticulously) sets up the equipment, flicks a switch,“Taa-daaah! 2. Students don’t know where to look don’t know when to look, miss “the moment” don’t recognize the significance of the event amongst too many distractions To engage students and focus their attention on the key event, get students to make a prediction (using clickers, for example)
- 19. Prediction Active Learning19 Ice cubes are floating in a glass of water that is filled to the brim. As the ice cubes melt, what happens to the water level? A) it stays the same B) it rises and spills water over the brim C) it falls to a level below the brim.
- 20. Interactive Lecture Demos (ILD) [3] Active Learning20 By making a prediction, each student cares about the outcome (“Did I get it right?”) knows when to look (can anticipate phenomenon) knows where to look (sees phenomenon occur) gets immediate feedback about his/her understanding of the concept is prepared for your explanation
- 21. Active Learning21 peer instruction with clickers interactive demonstrations What do you notice? What do you wonder? surveys of opinions reading quizzes worksheets discussions videos student-centered active learning
- 22. Learning Outcomes22 Flight Deck byWayanVolta on flickr CC CTD Weekly Workshop: Learning Outcomes
- 23. Start teaching before the bell rings Active Learning23 Students arrive, ready to engage with you, your content: Project a picture related to today’s lesson Add prompts: “What do you notice?What do you wonder?” [8] Spend first few minutes leading a discussion: o every student can contribute because everyone can wonder o you learn their pre-existing knowledge o activates concepts in their memories Don’t let their enthusiasm slip away!
- 24. Engage Explore Explain Elaborate Evaluate “The 5 Es” Active Learning24 The Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS) 5E Instructional Model bscs.org/bscs-5e-instructional-model
- 25. Active Learning25 student-centered instruction peer instruction with clickers interactive demonstrations What do you notice? What do you wonder? surveys of opinions reading quizzes worksheets discussions videos
- 26. What do you see? Active Learning26 A) old lady B) young woman Let your students contribute authentic data, especially when studying about their behavior. (For issues when privacy is important, clickers can be set to “anonymous”)
- 27. Active Learning27 student-centered instruction peer instruction with clickers interactive demonstrations What do you notice? What do you wonder? surveys of opinions reading quizzes worksheets discussions videos
- 28. Showing video in class Active Learning28 There are times when a video is the perfect resource. Archimedes’ Principle In today’s Physics class, we’re going to study buoyancy and Archimedes’ Principle. http://tinyurl.com/TCCdemo (Paul Hewitt video) (Image:Wikimedia Commons – public domain)
- 29. Showing video in class Active Learning29 The students do not select the video check it contains key events anticipate key events recognize key events interpret key events relate key events to class concepts instructor does this before class instructor does this unconsciously, the “curse” of expertise This is what you want to do in class! anticipate and recognize are necessary for rich discussion/analysis.
- 30. Videos: implications for instructors Active Learning30 Coach the students how to watch the video like an expert: As you watch this video,try to… watch for when the A starts to B. count how often the C does D. watch the needles on the scales as water drains. Don’t “give away” the key event (Notice the buoyant force is equal to the weight of the fluid displaced.) That’s what the follow-up discussion is for: help the students get prepared for that discussion.
- 31. Is Lecture Dead? Active Learning31 No!There is still a time and place for lecture.You can lecture (for 10-15 minutes) when the students are prepared to learn: active learning has activated the concepts in their memories they’ve tried, failed, received feedback, tried again and are waiting for confirmation they’re prepared to intellectually appreciate the expertise you’re about to share with them
- 32. Alternatives to Lecture Active Learning32 peer instruction with clickers interactive demonstrations What do you notice? What do you wonder? surveys of opinions reading quizzes worksheets discussions videos To enhance students’ learning and retention, some instruction must be active and student-centered. That’s how people learn.
- 33. References Active Learning33 1. Freeman, S., Eddy, S.L. McDonough, M., Smith, M., Okoroafor, N., Jordt,. H. &Wenderoth, M.P. (2014)Active learning increases student performance in science, engineering, and mathematics. PNAS 111, 23, 8410–8415 2. National Research Council (2000). How People Learn:Brain,Mind,Experience, and School:Expanded Edition. J.D. Bransford,A.L Brown & R.R. Cocking (Eds.),Washington, DC:The NationalAcademies Press. 3. Bain, K (2004). What the best college teachers do. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. 4. Get the full story of interactive lecture demos (ILDs) at serc.carleton.edu/introgeo/demonstrations/index.html 5. Read more about “What do you notice?What do you wonder” at ctd.ucsd.edu/2013/08/you-dont-have-to-wait-for-the-clock-to-strike-to- start-teaching/
- 34. Active Learning ctd.ucsd.edu34 Active learning engages students in the process of learning through activities and/or discussions in class, as opposed to passively listening to an expert. It emphasizes higher- order thinking and often involves group work. Freeman et al.(2014) pp 8413-8414