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Forms of activity based learning
Essay about active learning and teaching
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“We learn by example and by direct experience because there are real limits to the adequacy of verbal instruction.”
-Malcolm Gladwell
In today’s society, for current and future teachers, an active learning approach to teaching is essential for students’ success in the classroom. Learning that contains student-based inquiry versus teacher-based inquiry allows the students to develop their own understanding of the content with little facilitation from the teacher. Unfortunately, active learning in many classrooms has always consisted of the teacher directing the learning, which inhibits each student’s growth and potential.
Active learning refers to a method of learning where active student participation is encouraged through project-based exercises. Research studies indicate that teachers typically dominate classroom conversation, consuming nearly 70% of classroom time (Northeastern Illinois University). This happens even though other research studies have shown that student learning correlates with the quality and quantity of student involvement (Cooper and Prescott, 1989). Instead of students listening to lecture over large amounts of time, active learning:
• allows students immediate feedback from their teacher
• engrosses students in activities (reading, discussing with peers, writing)
• builds self-directed learning skills
• teaches problem-solving and critical thinking skills
• develops student’s own inquiry and heightens interest in the material which tends to improve their motivation
• engages students with other peers
The practice of active learning techniques in the classroom is critical because of the remarkable impact on the student’s learning.
Active learning is a helpful method to use in the classroom for a va...
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...all share their thoughts.
Other excellent ways to include active learning into classrooms is through group work, various forms of writing activities, and even educational games (Davis, n.d.). Group work is a productive way to give every student the chance to speak and share their ideas. A convenient way to include this in lessons would be to give each group their own topic. Have them read the material, answer questions and find information in which later they can share and teach to the rest of the class.
Students’ success in the classroom is dependent upon the amount of active learning they are involved with. Educational classrooms should be moving their courses beyond lecture and into learning spaces that allow for this to happen. Therefore, educating our future teachers is critical so they can, in return, help students to display academic growth and achievement.
Stiggins, R., & Chappuis, J. (2008). Enhancing Student Learning. Retrieved from July 2009 from, http://www.districtadministration.com/viewarticlepf.aspx?articleid=1362.
According to Worthen, "these newer and innovative teaching methods are moving out the traditional lecturing method " while on the other hand according to Annie Murphy Paul, the active learning helps students to openly interact with one another and participate in lecture. Annie Murphy Paul says, "The act of putting one's own thoughts into words and communicating them to others, is a powerful contributor to learning. Active-learning courses regularly provide opportunities for students to talk and debate with one another in a collaborative, low-pressure environment". Whereas as per Worthen, "Absorbing a long, complex argument is hard work, requiring students to synthesize, organize and react as they listen". I do agree with her that it is a hard work but at the same time I also feel there is no scope of interaction for students during traditional lecture teaching. I would say the key to lecturing method is to keep them short as well as one needs to in cooperate other innovative teaching approaches like active learning. This helps students to interact with the given piece of information which promotes active thought, with the help of activities like discussions, debates , seminars, showing educational videos, application of principles etc. Students are doing more than simply listening which helps in skills development rather than just note-
“Motivation is the process whereby goal-orientated activity is instigated and sustained” (Schunk, Pintrich & Meece, 2008. As cited in Eggen & Kauchak, 2010, p.284). Motivation comes in many forms and can be divided into two broad categories - extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. Extrinsic motivators are external factors which can motivate a student; rewards are an example of this. An issue with extrinsic motivators is that the desire for the learner to participate often lessens, once the rewards are withdrawn (McCullers, 1987). On the other hand intrinsic motivation comes from within - learning for the joy of it - where the desire to learn leads to a higher level of knowledge, and is a reward in itself. Kohn (1996, p.285) states that research suggests, “Rewards actually decrease interest in intrinsically motivating tasks, therefore sending the wrong message about learning” (as cited in Eggen & Kauchak, 2010a)
When reading "Engaged to Pedagogy" by Bell Hooks, the first few weeks of Art 515 discussion came to mind. Hooks stated, "students should be an active participant, not a passive consumer". Which means that students should want liberation in their course; taking control of their education. These pupils should not sit there and consume the information for just that semester. In a classroom setting, it takes two active players for a course to be successful.
The facilitation of this model allows adult learners to be active and self-directed in their learning.
Strategies to support inclusive student participation and engagement in learning allow the teacher to help students who struggle to become involved in class and who struggle to engage in the learning material. Finally, organisation of the classroom and providing directions to learners managing challenging behaviour is highly important to create a positive and creative workspace that allows students to want to learn and to reduce bullying in the class.
Teachers will become familiar with the ways in which students learn best, allowing them to create a classroom that
Posing questions on materials covered and the quality of materials selected can create the desired environment for students to thrive. I want to inspire my students to think outside the box and to ask questions. Society needs thinkers not robots. The classroom plays an important part in aiding the growth of an individual. It is my duty as a teacher to impart knowledge because ideas have a way of changing lives. Examining and discussing ideas with students allows them to move to a new level of understanding, so that ultimately, they may be transformed.
Guillaume, A.M., Yopp, R.H., & Yopp, H.K. (2007). 50 strategies for active teaching: Engaging k-12 learners in the classroom. Upper Saddle Ridge, NJ: Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall.
An effective teacher will excite, inspire and motivate students to be active in their learning, investigate new areas of knowledge and make connections to future learning (Whitton et al 2010). When a teacher is successful, their students are motivated, mutually respectful and ready to build on their knowledge and solve real-world problems. To be a teacher of value, one must have many skills and qualities to cater for a diversity of learners and their individual development; this includes many personal traits that are noticed students.
"The important thing is not so much that every child should be taught, as every child should be instilled with the wish to learn."
Motivation is really important tool in a learning environment. Also motivation effects student learning and their behavior as well. It directs behavior towards particular targets. Also it effect the decision which students takes. In motivation mainly we have two types which is intrinsically and extrinsically being motivated. For example: when a student is intrinsically motivated they just do it for themselves not because of the reward that they will get back. It’s just because they have their own interest and they enjoy doing that. On the other side, when a student is extrinsically motivated they just do it for the reward that they will get. That’s why in learning process it’s important that each student should
allows teachers and students to keep up with things they learn or are taught by letting them try
One element of effective teaching and learning which has been proven to have a huge impact of student progress is extensive