Workshop 6 Engaging Students in Active Learning · Engaging Students in Active Learning ... •...

Social Studies in Action K–5 Workshop - 99 - Workshop 6

Workshop 6

Engaging Students in Active Learning

Session Summary How do we engage students in active learning? This session examines the relationship between social studiescontent and the teaching strategies that tap students’ critical thinking skills, promote cooperative learning, andunderscore the relevance of social studies in students’ lives. To help you extend your thinking, you will:

• Explore cooperative learning.

• Define the elements of authentic instruction.

• Analyze social studies lessons for active learning strategies.

Learning GoalsAt the end of this session, you will be able to:

• Identify the elements of authentic instruction.

• Identify strategies that promote active learning.

• Apply strategies for active learning in your practice.

FACILITATOR’S NOTE: You will need to make copies of the following materials for all participants (pages 107–116).

Concept Chart • Viewing Chart • Elements of Authentic Instruction

Developing a Lesson • Summary

Workshop 6 - 100 - Social Studies in Action K–5 Workshop

Key Concepts• Cooperative learning • Jigsaw • Authentic instruction

ReadingsBefore arriving for each session, read each of the articles listed below to gain knowledge about key concepts relat-ed to active learning in social studies. As you read, look for these concepts, their definitions, and examples of each.

After you read the articles, write answers to the following questions. Use the Reading Questions form on page 106.

1. What are the elements of authentic instruction? How does each element engage students and increaseunderstanding?

2 What is cooperative learning, and how does it differ from other small-group work?

3. How do different kinds of questioning promote active learning?

4. How can active learning help teachers assess students’understanding?

Articles“Meaningful, Engaged Learning”Describes the characteristics of active learning.Jones, B. G., G. Valdez, J. Nowakowski, and C. Rasmussen. “Meaningful, Engaged Learning.” North CentralRegional Educational Laboratory.

“Essential Elements of Cooperative Learning”Describes how cooperative learning is used in active learning.Stahl, Robert J. “The Essential Elements of Cooperative Learning in the Classroom.” Educational Resources Information Center.

“Five Standards of Authentic Instruction”Explains how the five standards of authentic instruction promote active learning.Newmann, Fred M., and Gary G. Wehlage. “Five Standards of Authentic Instruction.” Educational Leadership.Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

“Classroom Questioning”Describes the types and uses of classroom questions.Cotton, Kathleen. “Classroom Questioning.” North West Regional Educational Laboratory.

FACILITATOR’S NOTE: Be sure that everyone has access to these readings.You may want to have a few copies available for those without Internet access.

Explore

Assignment: Bring your written workto the session, and save it to submit asan assignment.

Visit the Web Site: These articles are available online at the workshop Web site at:

www.learner.org/channel/workshops/socialstudies

Go to session 6 and select Printouts.

FACILITATOR’S NOTE: When the workshop session begins, you may want to spend a few minutes reviewing the Reading Questions and key concepts.

Activity 1: Getting StartedWatch the video introduction to familiarize yourself with the session, instructor, and participants. Before youwatch, consider the following questions:

• How do you define active learning?

• How does active learning differ from traditional, or “non-active,” learning?

• How does social studies content lend itself to active learning?

Activity 2: What Do You Know?FACILITATOR’S NOTE: Distribute the Concept Chart.

This activity is designed to help you think about teaching strategies you use to engage students in active learn-ing. Begin by thinking of a social studies unit you teach. Then recall your objectives and the strategies you use toengage students in active learning.

Use the Concept Chart to list the objectives and the active learning strategies you already use.

Activity 3: Reflect on Your WorkAfter you have completed your chart, review your answers and consider the following questions:

• What active learning strategies do you tend to use?

• Why are some strategies more successful for you than others?

• How do the strategies you use enhance learning and help you meet your learning objectives?

• What strategies from the video would you add?

View Video Segment: Introduction: Go to this segment in the video bymatching the image (to the left) on your TV screen. You’ll find this segment atthe beginning of the video. Watch for about 18 minutes.

In this video segment, participants take part in a cooperative learning activi-ty that reviews the elements of authentic instruction.


Engage


FACILITATOR’S NOTE: Distribute the Viewing Chart.

The following video segment reviews teaching strategies that promote active learning in classroom examples. Asyou watch, take notes on the teaching strategies you see in the classroom examples.

Use the Viewing Chart to record your observations. This will prepare you for the upcoming activity.

After you have completed the Viewing Chart, review your answers and consider the following questions:

• Which strategies seemed most relevant to your teaching?

• What made these strategies effective?

• How do the related activities demonstrate students’ understanding?

• What would you add?

Explain

View Video Segment: Identifying Strategies in Classroom Examples: Goto this segment in the video by matching the image (to the left) on your TVscreen. You’ll find this segment approximately 19 minutes into the video.Watch for about 27 minutes.

In this segment, workshop participants watch several classroom teachersengaging students in active learning. After each classroom example, partici-pants discuss their observations.

Assignment: Save your written workto submit as an assignment.

Now that you have explored and viewed teaching strategies that engage students in active learning, apply whatyou know in the following activities.

Activity 1: Examples of Authentic InstructionFACILITATOR’S NOTE: Distribute the Elements of Authentic Instruction form.

In this activity, you’ll analyze three of the classroom segments you just watched and identify teaching strategiesthat illustrate authentic instruction. Before you begin, review the strategies you listed on your Viewing Chart, andthe elements of authentic instruction below.

Elements of Authentic Instruction• Higher-order thinking—stimulates critical thinking

• Depth of knowledge—encourages comprehensive learning

• Real-world connection—teaches applications of concepts

• Substantive conversation—uses meaningful discussion

• Social support—provides encouragement and inclusion

Use the Elements of Authentic Instruction form and follow the instructions.

Activity 2: Developing a LessonFACILITATOR’S NOTE: Distribute the Developing a Lesson form.

Now that you have identified teaching strategies that engage stu-dents in active learning, develop a social studies lesson of yourown with these strategies in mind.

Use the Developing a Lesson form to help you organize your lesson plan.

Visit the Web Site: This activity is also available online as an Interactive Activity at:

www.learner.org/channel/workshops/socialstudies

Go to session 6 and select Apply.

View Video Segment: Mini-Lesson: Go to this segment in the video bymatching the image (to the left) on your TV screen. You’ll find this segmentapproximately 47 minutes into the video. Watch for about 10 minutes.

Watch this segment to see how workshop participants use the Pledge of Allegiance to plan for active learning.

Assignment: Save your written workto submit as an assignment. Note: Ifyou are taking all eight sessions forcredit, you may continue to work onthis unit in subsequent sessions. Savea copy of your work.


Apply


What Did You Learn?FACILITATOR’S NOTE: Distribute the Summary form.

In this session, you examined a range of strategies that promote active learning. Review your initial concept chart,answers to the reading questions, strategies you observed in the video segments, and the lesson you developed.Now write a summary to record what you’ve learned. Use the Summary form and follow the instructions.

Assignments

Submit Your WorkIf you are taking this workshop for credit or professional development, submit the following assignments for session 6: Engaging Students in Active Learning.

1. Explore: Read the articles and respond to the questions that follow using the Reading Questions form.

2. Explain: Watch the video segment, complete the Viewing Chart, and answer the questions that follow.

3. Apply: Apply what you’ve learned and complete the Developing a Lesson activity.

4. Evaluate: Summarize what you’ve learned and how you will apply new strategies in your teaching.

For Next WeekSee Explore: Readings for session 7 for next week’s reading assignment.

Evaluate

Assignment: Save your written workto submit as an assignment.

Check the Assignments list that fol-lows to be sure you’ve completed allassignments for this session.


PrintBlythe, Tina, and Associates. The Teaching for Understanding Guide. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1998.

Newmann, Fred M., and Associates. Authentic Achievement: Restructuring Schools for Intellectual Quality. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1996.

Web Active Learning Practices for Schoolshttp://learnweb.harvard.edu/alps/Provides information about Teaching for Understanding.

Harvard Research Online http://www.edletter.org/past/issues/2000-mj/models.shtmlDescribes four leading models of cooperative learning.

Jigsaw Classroomhttp://www.jigsaw.org/Explains the jigsaw strategy of cooperative learning.

Resources


After you read the articles, write answers to the following questions:

1. What are the elements of authentic instruction? How does each element engage studentsand increase understanding?

2. What is cooperative learning, and how does it differ from other small-group work?

3. How do different kinds of questioning promote active learning?

4. How can active learning help teachers assess students’ understanding?

6: Engaging Students in Active Learning

Reading Questions

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Elements of Authentic Instruction

This activity takes a closer look at how authentic instruction engages students in active learning,using teaching examples from three classroom video segments. Review the elements of authenticinstruction, then read the description of each classroom segment and identify up to three elementsof authentic instruction best represented in the segment. Explain each answer by giving an exam-ple, then compare your answers to what other teachers said.

Elements of Authentic Instruction

Higher-Order Thinking

Depth of Knowledge

Real-World Connection

Substantive Conversation

Social Support

stimulates critical thinking

encourages comprehensive learning

teaches applications of concepts

uses meaningful discussion

provides encouragement and inclusion

1


Description: Ms. Mesmer uses probing questions to guide students in a discus-sion about the winter solstice, winter holidays in different cultures,and what they have in common.

Select up to three elements displayed in the example above and write in your explanation ofwhy you chose these elements.

Higher-OrderThinking

Depth ofKnowledge

Real-WorldConnection

SubstantiveConversation

Social Support

2

Segment 1


Description: Mr. Cuddi uses essential questions to connect the early explorersto other themes and disciplines, such as geography, economics, and politics.



Depth ofKnowledge



Social Support

3

Segment 2


Description: Mr. Kitts uses stories about past and present farming practices to teach students in an agriculture-based community about change over time.



Depth ofKnowledge



Social Support

4

Segment 3



Depth ofKnowledge



SocialSupport

Ms. Mesmer challenges students to master abstract science concepts aboutlight.

Students reveal what they learn in a question-and-answer discussion.

Ms. Mesmer encourages students to participate and praises them for theireffort and answers.

Segment 1


Depth ofKnowledge



SocialSupport

Students are asked to explain the economic impact of the explorers, and syn-thesize new knowledge with content from previous units.

Mr. Cuddi asks probing questions to gauge students’ mastery of the material.

Content is taught and reviewed in an active question-and-answer format.

Segment 2


Depth ofKnowledge



SocialSupport

Students make comparisons and distinctions between the past and present.

Mr. Kitts asks students to show what they know by completing a time wheel.

Mr. Kitts uses farming as a topic that his students can relate to.

Segment 3

© 2003 WGBH Educational Foundation. 5

Sample Answers


Lesson Title:

Objectives

Lesson outline

Activities

Strategies to engage students in active learning

Methods for assessing students’ understanding


Developing a Lesson

Use this form to create a draft of your lesson.




Summary

Write a summary of what you’ve learned. Be sure to include:

• the range of active learning strategies you studied;

• the benefits and challenges of planning for active learning;

• how promoting active learning can increase students’ engagement with material, long-termretention, and understanding; and

• how you might incorporate elements of active learning into your practice.


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