Active Learning

Gone are the days of sitting in a classroom and furiously taking notes from the board because it just might be on the test. We have moved on from memorization to exploration. Active learning has taken us from a teacher-centered classroom to a student-centered environment where students become more responsible for their own knowledge. Tim Elmore (2010) states, "Today's young people are described as epic: Experiential, Participatory, Image-rich, and Connected. Teachers must remember that a lecture isn't enough anymore. For students today, almost everything comes instantly (Generation iY: Our Last Chance to Save Their Future, slide 12). Students no longer need us to be the primary source of all their information. Instead, they need us to help them understand what to do with it all, why it's important, and how to dig deeper through hands-on learning. 

But what does this look like?

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Any activities that require students to explore (i.e., problem-solve, think critically, research, etc.) and synthesize that information into a final product encourage active learning. Not only does it increase retention of the content, but it also builds 21st-century skills. 

For instance, there is a wonderful example that was created by Nicole Zumpano on how QR codes can be used for active learning. You can read more about it in her blog post, "QR Code Mysteries," or see my Active Learning Padlet to read about some of the highlights. 

Essentially, Fourth graders were introduced to what a quote is through a carousel activity. Famous quotes were placed around the room, but a word was missing. The students had to solve the mystery words through the use of the QR codes that were posted alongside the poems. Kids later created their own mystery word quotes and QR codes using QRstuff.com and a step-by-step guide. Not only did this physically allow students to move and explore their space as kinesthetic learners, but it also activated their minds in different ways. It taught them problem-solving and critical thinking through the mystery words and explored technology by allowing them to design their own version using what they learned about quotes and QR codes. 

Always ask yourself, "Does it connect to their lives?"

Anytime you sit down to plan the lessons you will be utilizing, educators should have active learning in mind. Active learning doesn't have to be a big project. It can simply be allowing your kiddos to partake in a think, pair, share, or a jigsaw activity. Both of these strategies require little preparation, and they don't take a ton of class time. However, they allow students to collaborate, move around, learn from one another, and figure out how to take the information they gathered and disperse it to their peers. You cannot force a student to learn; instead, one must create an atmosphere that makes students curious and interested in digging deeper. These are the classes that students look forward to going to and don't want to leave. This is when you start hearing, "Class is over already?!"

In my experience...

There have been plenty of times when I have worked alongside a fellow educator who teaches the same grade level and content area as me with the same standards and goals, but I still have students stating that they wish they could join my room. I don't have a dazzling personality or a never-ending stash of Cheetos. I have my good days and my bad days. I also prefer not to have little cheesy fingerprints all over my room. The difference is that when I plan, I always try to find ways to alter the curriculum to embed active learning. Suppose students need to show reading comprehension of a novel. In that case, I will skip the packet and have the students design a newspaper with a lead story, a character profile, related images, comic strips, advice columns, and so on. Or perhaps students will receive a choice board of possible project ideas. They can choose how to demonstrate their understanding of a book with activities such as dioramas, t-shirt designs, additional chapters, clay sculptures, radio plays, puppet shows, etc. Students even develop their own ideas that I would never even think about, such as my student who asked if he could use his 3-D printer to create a scene. The ideas are endless, and it's a ton of fun to see what they come up with! So I challenge you. Take a look at one of your lessons and see if it can be revised to encourage active learning. You can even ask the kids for ideas on what activities they would like to do. You'll never have a shortage of student volunteers who would love to join you in looking over a lesson plan and getting involved behind the scenes of the classroom.