Active Learning: What, Why and HowESED 8200: Teaching Undergraduate EngineeringSummer 2015

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Active Learning

• By the end of this presentation, you will be able to:• Summarize what active learning is• Summarize the potential benefits of using active learning

techniques in your class • Practice an activity for your class that engages students in paired

problem solving

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• From Father Guido Sarducci’s “Five Minute University,” here’s what you’ll remember from this course 5 years from now:• Practice• Feedback

What is Active Learning?• Students are responsible for learning by engaging in activities

that promote analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of class content.

• Examples of activities in class:• Collaborative learning (peer instruction, paired problem solving)• Problem formulation and prediction• Trouble-shooting • Brainstorming• Concept mapping

• More advanced active learning techniques:• Role-playing, simulations and games• Case studies• Challenge-based learning or problem-based learning

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Why Active Learning?• Think: List as many benefits to active learning as you can

• Pair: Turn to your neighbor and compare your lists. Come up with one list of the best ideas from both of you.

• Share: Read your list out loud to the class when your “pair” is called on.

• This approach is called “Think-Pair-Share” and is one of the simplest ways to actively engage students during class.

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Why Active Learning?• Improved attendance• Deeper questioning• Greater lasting interest in

the subject • Higher grades and lower

failing rates

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From Freeman, Eddy, McDonough, Smith, Okoroafor, Jordt, and Wenderoth, 2014.

More evidence that active learning has positive effects on learning

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From Freeman et al, 2014: Data on failure rates for classes using active learning versus those with traditional lectures. Numbers below data points indicate the number of independent studies; horizontal lines are 95% confidence intervals.

How do you fit it in?• Can you afford NOT to?• Our job is not to COVER material, but to UNCOVER it• Time managements tips• Use handouts• Printed material will save time for students to take notes• Leave holes and gaps in the handouts

• Axes without graphs• Questions without answers• Blanks within statements

• Don’t spend class time on material for definitions and prerequisite material• Identify resources for students to look up what they need to fill in

holes in their background knowledge

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How do you get started?• Start simple!• Assign one to two tasks during a 50-minute class period to

break up lecture• Students work in groups of 3 - 5• Allow about 5 minutes per activity

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How do you get started?

• Simple activities are best to start with:• Sketch and label a flow chart (schematic, force diagram, etc.) for

this system. • Draw a graph of what the problem solution should look like. • Give several reasons why you might need or want to know the

solution to this problem. • What's the next step? • What's wrong with what I just wrote? • How could I check this solution? • What question do you have about what we just did? • What variations of this problem might I put on the next test?

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What about students who don’t want to engage in active learning?• “Remind” them to work together• Make yourself visible to them• After a few exercises, most go along with it• Even if 10% of your students don’t participate, you’re better

off than with lecturing and having 90% (or more) not participate

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Further reading on active learning:• Freeman, S; Eddy, S; McDonough, M; Smith, M; Okoroafor, N; Jordt, H; and

Wenderoth, M. 2014. Active learning increases student performance in science, engineering and mathematics. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, doi:10.1073/pnas.1319030111 http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2014/05/08/1319030111.short?rss=1&ssource=mfr

• Reaching Students: What Research Says About Effective Instruction in Undergraduate Science and Engineering. 2015. Washington, DC: National Academies Press. PDF available for download: http://www.nap.edu/catalog/18687/reaching-students-what-research-says-about-effective-instruction-in-undergraduate

• National Effective Teaching Institute Workshop Handout, available upon request at http://www4.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/users/f/felder/public/NETI.html

• Johnson, D. W., Johnson, R. T., and Smith, K. A. 1998. Active learning: Cooperation in the college classroom (2nd ed.) Edina, MN: Interaction Book Co.

• King, A. 1993. From sage on the stage to guide on the side. College Teaching, 41(1), 30-35.

• Angelo, T. A. and Cross, K. P. 1993. Classroom Assessment Techniques: A handbook for college teaching (2nd ed.), San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

• More tips and resources on active learning are available on the Clemson University College of Engineering and Science Graduate TA Training website: http://www.clemson.edu/ces/research/graduate-studies/current-students/gta-training/index.html

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Now it’s your turn!• Select from the list below an active learning approach, and

make a short presentation on the topic (See further instructions on Blackboard):• Collaborative learning/cooperative learning• Problem-based learning• Challenge-based (or discovery-based) learning• Project-based learning• Case-based instruction• “Just in Time” Teaching (JiTT)• Simulations, games and/or role playing• Peer instruction• Concept mapping

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