Active Learning
Your goal is to be an active learner, not a passive learner. A passive learner moves her eyes over the words of an
assignment, closes the textbook, and says something like: 'That takes care of that. I'm ready for the exam.' This student
makes 54 out of 100 points on her test and is surprised at the low score. She is shocked because, in her mind, she
adequately prepared for the assessment. After all, she did 'read' the material. Her problem is she is a passive learner.
In contrast to the above, an active learner involves herself in much more activity than simply moving the eyes
across the lines in the textbook. The active learner understands the process of learning and the study conditions that
promote long term memory. Earlier we went into detail discussing the three stages of reading. Following that set of study
strategies will take you much farther than just moving eyes over the pages.
Research in cognitive psychology has shown how mental attention (focus, concentration) works. The brain (mind)
is able to either attend to or ignore something. We learn by our mind paying attention to what we want to learn. If this focus
or concentration is lacking, then we ignore that which we are studying. This explains how a person can study a textbook
page and then realize he can't remember what was just read. If the brain is distracted, your study time is wasted. However,
a better understanding of your learning environment will help you make better use of your study time.
The brain has two components that help filter out of the things that are going on within your head and outside of
your head. These two anatomical parts of your brain are: the cortex and the R.A.S. (reticular activating system). They
work to keep all the 'clutter' in your life from destroying your concentration while studying. You can make these 'filters'
stronger by spending a lot of time engaged in active learning.
Many students haven't developed the ability to know when they have lost focus. They continue 'studying' and don't
realize that their mind is 'out to lunch'. Until this focal strength is acquired, you must have the proper study environment.
Later, with a higher degree of concentration (and a stronger set of filters) , the student probably won't have to be so careful
as to study environment.
An active learning environment eliminates or controls the two types of distractions which harm concentration. The
first kind is external distractions - things like: loud music, cell phone interruptions, people asking you questions, etc.
Sometimes you have to be selective about where you study. And don't try to multi-task while studying. Surfing through
social media websites and preparing for an exam don't mix. The mind can't do two complicated tasks well at the same time.
If you doubt that, consider this: Have you ever been on the roadway and noticed the car next to you traveling erratically?
You look over and see the driver's head going up and down as he sends a text message. Active learning requires a fully
attentive mind.
The second category is internal distractions - things like: paying the rent on time, your child's illness, relationship
problems with a friend, etc. To keep these concerns from interrupting your focus, take a couple of minutes and write down
your thoughts on the matter. Figure out how best to deal with the situation. Maybe you need to make a doctor's
appointment, or go ahead and make out the rent check and put it with your car keys so you won't forget. Sometimes
making a to-do list helps to clear your head of these mental distractions. You just can't ignore these interruptions; they
should be dealt with so you can then have a productive study period.
Learning Styles
On my website on the LearningWeb you will find a lot of information, including links dealing with the different
learning styles. It's important to be familiar with this data because each of us has a set of learning preferences. If you know
your strengths and weaknesses, you will know which learning activities to include in your study learning sessions. I listed
many of those choices in the previous section dealing with the three reading stages, particularly the Post-Reading Stage.
When you visit those websites you will have the opportunity to take psychological inventories. By studying the
results, you gain an understanding of how your brain best functions. Study the explanations that accompany each of your
results in order to see why you showed a preference in that area. I know which activities work the best for my active
learning sessions. Chances are, your set of study activities will be different from mine. You need to discover what those
activities are.
For example, are you an extrovert or introvert? Do you prefer to learn with graphic (pictures, maps, charts,
diagrams, etc.) information or are you more attracted to tactile (kinesthetic, hands-on, etc.)? Do your results show you to be
left-brain dominant (verbal, analytical, and logical) or right-brain dominant (intuitive, creative, inventive, and emotional)?
There are no right or wrong results. You are who you are. What you need to know is where you are strong, so you can
then select the your active learning strategies. That increases your changes of being successful in college and career.
Now, if you have not already done so, visit my website and examine the postings. Take those inventories; study
your outcomes, and find out what makes you 'tick'.