“Are You the Only Active
Learner in the Classroom?”
Stewart Ross, Ph.D.
Sultan Qaboos University
Al Khoud, Oman
September 7, 2018
“Tell me and I forget. Show me and I
remember. Involve me and I understand.”
-
Chinese proverb
11/11/2023
2
Icebreakers
One of the easiest yet
effective ways to incorporate
active learning into a class
Particularly useful at early
meetings of a course
Can create a “safe”
classroom over time
Even a course using
traditional lecture could
benefit from the use of
occasional icebreakers.
11/11/2023
3
Let’s Do An Icebreaker…
Find someone in the room you do not
know well (if possible).
Sit together and answer this question (one
at a time): what is your biggest frustration
in teaching college students?
Discuss possible solutions to lessen this
frustration.
If time, share something in your teaching
that gives you great joy.
11/11/2023
4
What Is Active Learning?
Make a list of every active learning activity
or exercise you can think of in 60
seconds?
Share with a neighbor.
If time, discuss how do you define “active
learning”? (filler)
11/11/2023
5
What is Active Learning?
Active learning occurs when students are
given the opportunity to interact with the
subject matter of a course. It is anything
students do in the classroom other than
passively listening to a lecture.
Students generate rather than receive
knowledge. It is impossible to transmit
knowledge.
The teacher facilitates rather than dictates
the students’ learning.
11/11/2023
6
Why Use Active Learning?
Research suggests that
active learning is an
exceptionally effective
teaching technique.
11/11/2023
7
Instructor Role in Active Learning
You are a facilitator not a lecturer
The most important role you play is to create
high quality active learning activities that help
students achieve outcomes
You need to learn how to weave your
comments into the mix of these activities so
they are seamless
Learn how to physically use active learning in
the classroom (noise, room layout, voice,
bell, where to stand, etc.)
11/11/2023
8
Instructor Role in Active Learning
You need to fully believe in active learning
and why it can help students learn
Students might “push back” at times using
active learning, you can’t give up
Other faculty may not like the fact that you
are no longer a traditional lecturer; work with
those willing to listen but don’t waste your
time continually trying to justify it to faculty
who do not want to understand. Don’t be
defensive about using active learning.
11/11/2023
9
Instructor Role in Active Learning
Spend much preparation time for each
active learning technique you plan to use
in class.
Spend some reflective time after each
class to evaluate what went well and what
not so well. How can you improve the
experience next time for student learning?
Be prepared for problems and/or students
asking questions you did not expect.
11/11/2023
10
Active Lectures
Clarification pauses
One minute papers
(more on this later)
Wait time after question is asked
Feedback cards or clickers (see
example of feedback cards)
Clarification mini-lecture
11/11/2023
11
Collaborative/Cooperative Learning
Collaborative learning is
one of the most powerful
tools instructors have in
higher education.
Students get a chance to
speak, share personal
views, and develop the
skill of working with
others.
Requires that group
members work together
to complete a given task.
11/11/2023
12
Think-Pair Share
Students are given time to think
about a topic, turn to their
neighbor for a short discussion,
and then share the results with
the rest of the class.
Can be used in any size
classroom
Works well with nearly any
subject or topic
Useful in moving traditional
lectures to active lectures even
in very large classes
11/11/2023
13
Let’s Try One!
In pairs, make a list of the “world’s most
important inventions.” How many can you
list in 2 minutes?
11/11/2023
14
Step Two
Each pair find another pair and share your
most important invention lists. Together
come up with a New list of at least 5
inventions you agree on.
If time, put these 5 inventions in priority
order.
11/11/2023
15
Step Three
Put together two groups of four to create a
group of 8. Sit at tables together. Share
your lists of 5 inventions and then have the
large group agree in a New list of 5
inventions. Make sure you at least agree
on ONE best invention.
If time, put the new list of 5 inventions into
priority order.
11/11/2023
16
Classroom Assessment
Techniques (CATS)
Students are given a few minutes during, or at
the end, of a class to answer questions such as:
“What was the most important thing you learned
today?”
(CATs by Angelo and Cross)
11/11/2023
17
CATS
MINUTE PAPER
-This is the single most used CAT in higher education.
Provides rapid feedback. Students must first organize
their thinking before answering.
-Possible questions to ask students:
1. What is main point of session?
2. What was most surprising to you today?
3. What question do you still have at end of class?
4. What are you still confused about in the course?
11/11/2023
18
CATS
BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE PROBE
-assesses the the level of knowledge the
student brings to the course. Best used at
beginning of a course to aid instructor.
1. Rubric--(a) never heard term (b) heard of it
but don’t understand it (c) clear idea and
can explain the term to others (d) use it in
my courses for assignments
11/11/2023
19
Games
Games related to a subject can easily be
incorporated into the classroom to foster
active learning and increased participation.
Games might include matching, mysteries,
group competitions, solving puzzles, and
jeopardy.
11/11/2023
20
Debates
Debates staged in class can
be effective tools for
encouraging students to think
about several sides of an
issue.
Debates can vary from simple,
in-class presentations to more
elaborate work over a period
of time and with a group.
Debates can be particularly
powerful learning tools when
students have to switch sides.
11/11/2023
21
Debate: The most effective strategy
to help college students learn is
traditional lecture and exams.
Do you agree or disagree with this statement?
Form two groups for debate: pro and con tables.
Prepare for debate by brainstorming ideas.
Select team member to represent group for debate.
Have debate. (max 2 minutes each and 1 minute
responses)
Reflect on the process of debate as individuals, in
groups and as whole class. (written and oral)
11/11/2023
22
Role Play
Most people have heard
that you really don’t know
something until you can
teach it. Through role
play, students actually
experience the material
they are studying.
Role play can be simple to
complex depending on the
course, level of students,
and time given for student
preparation.
11/11/2023
23
Case Studies
Instructors who use case
studies find real-life stories
or problems that prompt
students to integrate their
classroom knowledge with
their understanding of realworld situations, actions,
and consequences.
Instructors can develop case
studies to fit the topics and
material being studied.
11/11/2023
24
Case Study: Business Ethics
Your small PR agency, which has a strong relationship
with an advertising agency, is called in by a major
client to help re-launch a product that has steadily
been losing market share. The client has asked the
advertising agency and, by extension, your PR agency,
to employ a message of “new and improved” in the relaunch.
As you work toward an extremely expensive marketing communications re-launch, you learn that the
product has only gone through a name change and an
extremely expensive packaging design. No existing
product features, attributes or benefits have been
improved in any way.
11/11/2023
25
Case Study: Business Ethics
What will you do?
1. Talk this over with the person next to you.
2. See if there is agreement between the
two of you.
3. What are the ramifications of your
response?
4. Why might some decide to go ahead and
help the company?
26
Problem Based Learning
Problem-based Learning: PBL is any
learning environment in which the problem
drives the learning. PBL is an important
part of Team based learning.
11/11/2023
27
Team Based Learning
http://www.ou.edu/idp/teamlearning/
Team based learning goes a step further
than cooperative learning with students
staying in the same group for an entire
semester, transforming groups into teams.
11/11/2023
28
IF-AT
http://www.epsteineducation.com/
A relatively new strategy that encourages
active learning is the Immediate Feedback
Assessment Technique (IF-AT).
This multiple-choice procedure provides
immediate feedback to students and
partial credit for answers.
Powerful with team based learning.
11/11/2023
29
IF-AT
This is a particularly powerful tool when used
with groups.
Each group decides the best answer and
scratches off the coating of the rectangle
corresponding to the answer. If correct, a star
appears.
If the first answer is incorrect, the group
continues to look for the next best answer and
scratch rectangles until the correct answer is
found.
11/11/2023
30
IF-AT
The Foreman College Quiz
All take the quiz separately then as a
group. For group:
4 points for correct answer first time
2 points for second time
1 point for third time
No points for fourth time
Appeals period after the group quiz.
11/11/2023
31
Writing Assignments
Provides students with the
opportunity to think about and
process information
Many options for writing
activities including reflections on
material learned.
Provides valuable feedback to
instructor and student
Daily journals a popular
technique
11/11/2023
32
Service Learning
Service-learning is an educational
method that entwines the threads
of experiential learning and
community service.
It meets educational objectives
through real-world experiences,
while tapping youths as resources
to benefit their college and
communities.
Students can discuss and reflect
on subject matter outside of the
classroom and with others
besides the instructor.
11/11/2023
33
Value of Active Learning
Fosters metacognition in students
Involves students in the learning process
Classroom results tend to improve with
deeper learning evident through
connections with material from the
students’ own experience.
Builds diversity understanding among
students as they learn about each other
11/11/2023
34
Value of Active Learning
Develops learning communities and study
groups
Encourages students to seek help and
accept tutoring from peers
Cooperation reduces anxiety
Provides a variety of assessments for
student learning
Develops oral communication skills
through classroom discussions
11/11/2023
35
Value of Active Learning
Models appropriate student problem
solving techniques
Develops social support system for
students
Established a positive atmosphere for
preparing students for real world
workplace where teamwork is often crucial
to success
11/11/2023
36
Value of Active Learning
Large classes can be more personalized
with pair-share work
Increases excitement and interest for the
instructors who learns new things in each
class period since they can’t depend on
lectures and must sometimes improvise
Encourages students take responsibility
for their own education
11/11/2023
37
“The teachers who get "burned out" are not the
ones who are constantly learning, which can be
exhilarating, but those who feel they must stay
in control and ahead of the students at all times.”
- Frank Smith
11/11/2023
38
“The best learners... often make
the worst teachers. They are, in a
very real sense, perceptually
challenged. They cannot imagine
what it must be like to struggle to
learn something that comes so
naturally to them.”
- Steven Brookfield
11/11/2023
39
Take Some Risks!
11/11/2023
40
Please contact me at:
Stewart.ross@mnsu.edu
11/11/2023
41