Rules of
Student
Engagement:
Active Learning
Strategies
January 16, 2015
Welcome
 Introductions
 Agenda
 Objectives
 Tools
Section 1:
 Identify
challenges or frustrations you
have experienced in engaging students in
learning
What do all those
words mean?
“Learning results from what the
student does and thinks and only
from what the student does and
thinks. The teacher can advance
learning only by influencing what
the student does to learn.”
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HERBERT A. SIMON, one of the founders of the field of Cognitive
Science, Nobel Laureate, and University Professor (deceased) at
Carnegie Mellon University.
(Ambrose, Bridges, DiPietro, Lovett, & Norman, 2010)
What is Learning?
1.
2.
3.
Learning is a process, not a
product
Learning involves change in
knowledge, beliefs, behaviors,
or attitudes
Learning is not something done
to students, but rather
something students themselves
do
(Ambrose, Bridges, DiPietro, Lovett, & Norman, 2010)
Flipped Homework Discussion
What is Active Learning?
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Usually involves two key components
introduced in the classroom – “doing” and
“reflecting”
Students engage in activities that involve
reading, writing, discussing or problem-solving
(Millis, 2012)
Research – Benefits of Active
Learning
 Increases
student achievement
academically (Nelson, 2010)
 Helps address and change students’
misconceptions (Hake, 1998, 2002)
 Can significantly improve recall of
information (Prince, 2004)
 Can foster more favorable attitudes
toward learning (Springer, Stanne,
Donovan, 1997)
Research – Benefits of Active
Learning (cont.)
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Can help develop critical thinking and
problem-solving skills (Brookfield, 1987; Prince,
2004)
Promotes interpersonal relationships, improves
social skills and fosters self-esteem (Prince,
2004)
Can influence students’ social integration,
commitment to institution, and decision to
remain in school (Braxton, Milem, Sullivan,
2000)
Incorporating Active Learning into
Lecture
At several points during lecture, stop and
ask students to:
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Answer a question
Sketch a flow chart, diagram, plot
Outline a problem solution
Solve all or part of a problem
Carry out all or part of a formula derivation
Interpret an observation
Critique a design or argument
Come up with a question
(Felder & Brent, 2003)
Incorporating Active Learning
into Lecture
 Pause
Procedure – lecturer
pauses periodically for 2
minutes and has students
clarify their notes with a
partner
 Short-term and long-term
recall of information
significantly improved with
pause procedure vs.
straight lecture (Prince,
2004)
Examples of Active Learning
Approaches for Individual Work
 Minute
paper
 Direct paraphrasing
 Application cards
 Lecture summaries
 Clicker Questions
 Exam Wrappers
(Millis, 2012)
Examples of Active Learning
Approaches for Pairs or Groups
 Thinking-Aloud
Pair Problem Solving
(TAPPS)
 Think-Pair-Share/Write-Pair-Share
 Visible Quiz (Poor Teacher’s Clickers)
 Send/Pass-a-Problem (Gallery Walks)
 Case Study Discussions
(Felder & Brent, 2003; Millis, 2012)
Section 2:
 Were
there any ideas during the flipped
homework or active learning discussions
that you want to remember for your
classroom?
Faculty
Panel
Section 3:
 What
ideas were generated in listening to
the faculty panel that might address
some student engagement issues?
How to ask the right
questions and elicit
student responses
Section 4:
 What
could you
implement in your
classroom to improve
questioning
strategies and elicit
student responses?
Breakout Sessions
DELTA
Labs
Gallery Walk/Wikis
Problem-Solving Ideas
Exam Wrappers
Tools of Engagement
Section 5:
 What
was useful to you from the breakout sessions you attended?
Putting it all together:
 What
changes do you want
to make/steps you want to
take ... and when?
Thank You for Attending!
 Announcements
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Faculty Calendar, certi.mst.edu
February 11, noon-1:30 p.m. – How to Get
Students to Focus on Learning Instead of
Grades – Dr. Saundra McGuire
March 12-13 – Teaching and Learning
Technology Conference
Please fill out an evaluation of the workshop!
For these and other active
learning resources, go to ...
http://edtech.mst.edu/teach/services/workshop/sp2015
References
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Ambrose, S.A., Bridges M.W., DiPietro, M., Lovett, M.C., & Norman, M.K. (2010). How
Learning Works. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Braxton, J.M., Milem, J.F., & Sullivan, A.S. (2000, September/October). The influence
of active learning on the college student departure process: Toward a revision of
Tinto’s theory. The Journal of Higher Education, 71(5), 669-690.
Brookfield, S.D. (1987). Developing critical thinkers: Challenging adults to explore
alternative ways of thinking and acting. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Felder, R. & Brent, R. (2003) Learning by doing. Chemical Engineering Education,
37(4), 282-283. Retrieved Jan. 8, 2015, from
http://www4.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/users/f/felder/public/Columns/Active.pdf
Hake, R. R. (2002). Lessons from the physics-education-reform effort. Ecology and
Scoiety, 5(2), Article 28. Retried Jan. 8, 2014, from
http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol5/iss2/art28/
Millis, B. J.. (2012). IDEA Paper #53: Active learning strategies in face-to-face courses,
University of Texas at San Antonio. Retrieved Jan. 6, 2014, from
http://ideaedu.org/sites/default/files/paperidea_53.pdf
Nelson, C.E. (2010) Want brighter, harder working students? Change pedagogies!
Some examples, mainly from biology. In B.J. Millis, Cooperative learning in higher
education: Across the disciplines, across the academy (pp. 119-139). Sterling, VA:
Stylus Publishing.
Prince, M. J. (2004). Does active learning work? A review of the research. Journal of
engineering Education, 93(3), 223-231. Retrieved Jan. 8, 2015, from
www.ncsu.edu/felder-public/Papers/Prince_AL.pdf
Springer, L., Stanne, M. E., & Donovan, S. S. (1997). Effects of small-group learning on
undergraduates. In Science, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology, A MetaAnalysis. National Institute for Science Education, University of Wisconsin.