Active Learning: Why it Matters & What Can You Do
Unfortunately the norm in many classrooms, or training environment is the instructor standing at the front (or in some case sitting) and spurting out information after information to the learners, with the only way the learners expected to learn the information is via writing down what the instructor said or have on the board. After a while, the learner has forgotten over 90% of what he/she wrote. The instructor in many instances pins the blame on the learner. In fact, this is the issue of the instructor. The method that the information was taught was passive and thus easily forgettable and arguably boring!
Active learning is the opposite of this! Active learning is a learning method where the learners are actively involved in the learning process. Active learning puts the learner at the center of the learning process, with learners doing things and thinking about what has been done and the purpose for it.
In this blog, we will look a bit more in depth on the following:
Why choose active learning?
Active learning strategies
Challenges to active learning
Why Choose Active Learning?
As a child you may have heard ‘practice makes perfect’ or ‘learn by doing’. This is essentially the case for active learning, learning by doing. There’s a reason these sayings came into existence, as well as a plethora of others from great historical minds on active learning:
Mahatma Gandhi: An ounce of practice is worth more than tons of preaching
Dale Carnegie: Learning is an active process. We learn by doing …. Only knowledge that is used sticks in the mind
Confucius: I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand
Modern studies have shown that using the active learning methodology allows learners to not only better retain the information for a longer period, but also be able to recall and understand the information.
The differences between passive and active learning in terms of retention %
Active Vs Passive!
We can still see the use of passive learning in many lecture halls and classrooms. Simply, because it is easier for an instructor, rather than implementing active learning. It is also the case of being able to go across more things, i.e. quality over quantity.
Passive learning can be seen as one way traffic, with the instructor or a source providing all of the information. Active learning meanwhile is the learner getting involved in the learning.
Example 1: Passive learning will be the instructor telling the learners about different religions, whilst active learning will be the instructor and learners discussing in different ways about different religions they have heard of and in what context, as well as what they know about the religion compared to others they may know
Example 2: Passive learning is the instructor telling the learners about how a business works. Active learning is allowing the learners to set up mock businesses and see the work in action
A video from sprout on active learning
Active Learning Strategies
There are a plethora of strategies which instructors can use. Many can be found from one of the advocate of the active learning methodology, Harvard. All of our training at The Trainer Squared has also been purposefully designed to contain active learning strategies, in order for the learners (and instructors) to get the most out of the trainings. Below are some strategies which can be easily implemented.
Think - Pair - Square/Triangle - Share (TPSS)
One of the most well known active learning strategies, as well as arguably the easier to use. TPSS is easy to set up at all levels. TPSS also allow shyer learners to participate and feel comfortable, as well as allow the instructor to be able to listen and facilitate where needed.
Instructions
The instructor poses a question/problem to the learners
The learners are given time to think or write down their response
The instructor then ask the learners to pair up and share their thoughts with each other
After this discussion, the different pairs can then re-pair to form a quad and discuss again
The instructor then ask some learners to share their ideas with everyone
TPSS allows the learners to filter the information, to gain a new perspective and to draw a sensible conclusion by the end. It also benefits social interaction and appreciation of peers.
The Alien
This is a strategy which is useful for difficult topics or topics where learners may not fully understand. It is also useful for physical topics and in language based learning situation.
Instructions
The instructor give the learners a topic/scenario and pair learners up
The paired learners converse on how to explain the situation to an alien who has landed on Earth with no previous knowledge on this topic/scenario
The instructor calls everyone back
The instructor then pick some pairs and a random other learner or him/herself. The pairs will then explain the topic/scenario and the the other learner will have to do what they said
An example of the above will be a simple language exercise of how to make a sandwich. Language has to be clear, concise and accurate, with precise information. This strategy is good as it allow learners to be clear on their topic, as well as adding some humor elements.
Polling
Polling is one of many active learning strategies which integrates technology within the learning process. In this case, using their mobile phone to vote in a poll. Instructors can find many different types of polls available online, such as poll everywhere. There are many different ways to do this, but one suggested strategy is below.
Instructions
The instructor poses a question
The learners first vote individually and anonymously
Learners discuss ideas with peers in pairs or groups
Learners then re-vote
The above strategy allows discussion on the most appropriate answer, as well as allowing learners to listen and understand why their answers may not be the most appropriate.
As shown from the polling strategy, instructors should embrace technology and make it part of the learning process. Ways of using technology will depend on whaat the subject matter, is but it can range to having an active online discussion board, to virtual field trips, to online quizzes, which can be easily created via Kahoot!
Challenges to Active Learning
As we spoke about above, one reason passive learning continues is because it is easier for instructors to set up. Another reason is because some of the perceived risk instructors see, and thus deciding to be more risk adverse. However, all challenges can be overcome.
Challenge 1: How to Start
Some instructors also find it difficult to start due to not knowing how to start or what active learning strategy to use. To overcome this, the best way is to start is using strategies which has low risk for both instructor and learners. These can be simple strategies such as minute papers and TPSS. As time goes on, the instructor can talk to their learners about their learning and look to develop more independent learners.
Instructors can then look to implement more complicated strategies by looking at their learning goals first and then working backwards from there on what best strategy fits. Instructors should consult colleagues on their ideas to gain feedback, as well as consulting the learners themselves on the activities and satisfaction of them.
One suggestion would be for instructors to have an activity bank, which they can refer back to when designing training or lessons. This will help new instructors who is not as familiar to the active learning process.
Challenge 2: Resistance from Learners
Instructors should use active learning from early on, let learners know of expectations and may even want to start with a form of reward for extrinsic motivation. The instructor should use active learning strategies frequently and use several different strategies to build an arsenal for the learners.
As more different types of strategies are being used, the instructor can even ask the learners to vote on how they plan to fulfil different types of activities, thus giving them more control of their learning.
Instructors should also be clear on any strategy they use, explaining everything clearly (timing, interaction pattern, expected outcome etc.). This is in order for the learners to know the importance and seriousness of active learning.
Challenge 3: Timing
One criticism that has been given to active learning strategies is that it takes too much time to implement in a real life scenarios. Examples have been the time wastage of splitting learners into groups and reconvene again. One way to minimize this disruption is using signaling with examples of using a bell, light or counting down.
Other perceived problems of timing has been not enough time to cover all content. In a properly structured active learning environment, time should be enough, but it is true that not as much material will be gone through as a passive learning environment. However, quality is more important than quantity, as well as the importance of the learners picking up and understanding the content. Instructors can think of the main content needed to cover when planning, as well as moving non-essential learning to self learning for the learners.
If you are an instructor and looking to plan active learning activities for your learner, or wanting more on what is active learning and how it can be implemented or is a manager wanting to teach your instructors on the method of active learning, click below to see our Active Learning Training to guide you through each step!
