Making Active Learning Simple
Donna Kearley, Annie Downey, & Gayla Byerly
TLA Annual Conference 2009
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UNT assessed 575 students
 11% could perform a subject search after
instruction
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Added a worksheet to instruction
 Success rate increased to 38%
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Other studies prove it works as well
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1. Experience
 Activity that brings the student’s experience into the
teaching situation
 Ex: Worksheet
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2. Practice
 Activity where the student is provided an opportunity to
demonstrate their understanding of the new information
 Ex: Assessment
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3. Application
 Opportunity to apply the information to a new situation
 Ex: Research paper assignment
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Students take an active role in learning
Students are more engaged
Students feel more comfortable participating
and asking questions
Takes into account that learning is a process
Facilitates assessment
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Learning is demonstrated to the learner BY
the learner
Facilitates teacher learning
Different learning styles and domains can be
accommodated and addressed
Learning becomes personally meaningful
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Honor Silence!!!
Expect participation
Give students time to think
When students answer questions, reward
them
Make contact with students that look
interested
Allow time for informal questions at the end
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Individually or in groups
Short and simple
Customized for a specific subject area or
audience
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Divide into groups of four
Assign each group member with a role
 Leader
 Searcher
 Recorder
 Reporter
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Assign each group a searching task
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Give each student a card
Ask students to hold up cards that meet
specific criteria to illustrate Boolean concepts
Explain the concepts as you go
(have them hold up a card that meets the
criteria for the search)
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Show a brief 3-5 minute video on a research
topic
Ask students to brainstorm the questions the
video brought up for them
Break students into small groups
Using the questions the brainstorm brought
up, develop a research question the group
wants to investigate
List keywords based on research question
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Show a brief 3-5 minute video on a research
topic
Ask students to brainstorm the questions the
video brought up for them
Break students into small groups
Using the questions the brainstorm brought
up, develop a research question the group
wants to investigate
List keywords based on research question
Locate several websites you want students to
evaluate – these should be a mix of “good” and
“bad” websites
 Print the web addresses on slips of paper – make
one for each student
 Either individually or in pairs, ask students to go
to the website on their slip of paper and evaluate
it
 Have each student (as time allows) make the
case either for or against their website
 Ask the rest of the class to weigh in with
whether they agree or disagree and why
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Really Old
More Recent
Most
Recent
Older
Really New
Q $100
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Q $400
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Final Jeopardy
 Design a computer game to teach
the concept.
 Ask students to write or adapt a
computer game to teach the
concept involved.
 CPS Units – can be used anytime you
would use a multiple choice test.
 We have used
CPS units with
Kindergarten
through adults
Baby Got Nitrogen
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Biography Hash – Anne Berry
maryanne.berry@region16.net
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This lesson was adapted from an article by
Judy Freeman in Library Talk
(September/October 2000).
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I do several museum walks with my students
before they begin their Shakespeare unit, read
the Odyssey, or study the Holocaust.
Think of it as "Learning Stations" from
elementary days.
Who better than you knows where all of the
great pictures are, the wonderful reference books
that no one uses, and where the great articles
from the databases are?
The great thing about the museum walks is
that you tailor it to your collection.
If you were doing Civil Rights, you might pull up
the audio (DVD, cassette, or VHS) of Martin
Luther King's speech, or the children's book
about Ruby Bridges, or a clip from the movie,
or any of the recent books about the murder
of Emmett Till.
I make colorful file folders with the questions
on them and the number of the station.
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I adapted one done by a teacher in our
district (Gretchen Birnaby) on lynching before
students read To Kill a Mockingbird.
I went to the Handbook of Texas and found a
great article on the lynching of Jesse
Washington in Waco, TX.
I also found a great article about Hispanics
that were lynched on one of the databases.
I also set up a computer station or two with
Billie Holiday performing "Strange Fruit".
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February has a variety of themes: Valentine’s
Day, President’s Day – for the birthdays of
Abraham Lincoln and George Washington,
Black History Month and Heart Month (Dress
Red for Women).
The library would like to advertise these
themes with posters. We may even share
some with classroom teachers who are
interested in having them in their room.
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Your assignment is to design a poster using Excel
about any of the topics above.
I have the directions printed out if you need a
copy.
To find information for your poster, please use
one of the online encyclopedias.
Be sure to cite your sources for information and
for your pictures. They need to be included on
the poster in a text box or in small print below
each item.
If you select Valentine’s Day, add a library or reading
theme to the holiday idea or some facts about the
holiday.
 If you choose to do people from Black History then
have them grouped by area of recognition –
authors, musicians, science, etc.
 With the presidents, include some facts about
them, or their presidency.
 Heart Month you should include some statistics,
warning signs of heart attack, or something similar.
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http://www.dentonisd.org/512719693919/lib/
512719693919/Geothermal_Wanted_Poster.p
df
 PhotoStory - Science Vocabulary
Cheezy Puppet show.wmv

http://www.dentonisd.org/512719693919/lib/
512719693919/Biome_Brochure.pdf
Introductory PhotoStory by Students
 http://www.dentonisd.org/5252081313462594
7/lib/52520813134625947/5_R_Ogenche.wmv
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http://www.dentonisd.org/5252081313462594
7/blank/browse.asp?A=383&BMDRN=2000&
BCOB=0&C=84517
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http://www.dentonisd.org/5252081313462594
7/lib/52520813134625947/wedding_crashers_
by_Breanna.mp3
Book Trailers
 Naomi Bates -
http://naomibates.blogspot.com/2009/
02/booktrailer-my-fathers-son-byterri.html
 Interactive Book Reviews
 http://hhs.lisd.net/calendar_library/libr
ary/booktalks.htm
Origami Books
Study Cards
Miniature
Books
Fan Decks
Pocket Portfolio
Folding Venn
Filmstrip
 Tower
 Pyramids
http://www.printcutfold.com
 Cascading Flip
Books
 Stretch Books
 Post Cards
 http://www.dentoni
sd.org/51271969391
9/lib/512719693919/
Instructions_for_Fol
ds.pdf
 Flap Books
 Clue Square
 Diorama
 Contrast Square
 Tabbed Books
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Harmin, Merrill and Toth, Melanie, Inspiring
Active Learning: A Complete Handbook for
Teachers, Association for Supervision and
Curriculum Development, 2006,ISBN 9781416601555.
Bowman, Sharon, Preventing Death by
Lecture, Bowperson Publishing, 2001,ISBN
978-0965685153.
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Bruff, Derek, Teaching with Classroom
Performance Systems, Jossey-Bass, 2009,
ISBN 978-0470288931.
Fontichiaro, Kristin, Active Learning
Thorough Drama, Podcasting, and Puppetry,
Libraries Unlimited, 2007, ISBN 9781591584025.
Practical Pedagogy for Library Instructors: 17 Innovative
Strategies to Improve Student Learning
Doug Cook and Ryan Sittler
Creating the One-Shot Library Workshop: A Step-by-Step
Guide
Jerilyn Veldof
Teaching Information Literacy: 35 Standards-based
Exercises for College Students
Joanna M. Burkhardt, Mary C. MacDonald and Andrée
Rathemacher
Designs for Active Learning: A Sourcebook of Classroom
Strategies for Information Education
Gail Gradowski, Loanne Snavely, Paula Dempsey
Library Instruction Publications: Active Learning Series
http://library-instruction-pubs.com/index.php
Active Learning Techniques for Library Instruction
Information Literacy Activities Designed by Librarians, For Librarians
http://ww.yccc.edu/library/activeLearning/active_learning.htm
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Donna Kearley
 Denton ISD
 dkearley@dentonisd.org
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Annie Downey
 University of North Texas
 Annie.downey@unt.edu
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Gayla Byerly
 University of North Texas
 Gayla.byerly@unt.edu