Active Learning in the Classroom
Active learning is when students are engaged in the learning process, and they are not simply listening and recalling facts. Students that are actively learning will be engaged in activities that target several learning styles. A learning style is how an individual learns material best- whether it be auditory, visual, or kinesthetic/tactile. Active learning strategies will include lessons and activities that target these different learning styles. This ensures students with different learning styles are able to access the material in ways that suite them.
Find out your learning style here. Teachers can also give a learning style inventory to students at the beginning of the year to see how a majority of their class learns best.
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Image from EdSurge |
What does active learning actually look like?
Luckily, we live in the 21st century. There are amazing websites and resources that teachers can use to ensure students are actively learning.
One teacher had his third grade class research regions of the United States. The students completed graphic organizers with information about the respective regions. They then used these graphic organizers to create a Thinglink and 5 page website. This activity is a perfect example of active learning. The students were using several modalities to learn and apply the new information on their own.
Here is a short description and link to the students' websites: U.S. Regions, Thinglink & Websites
In my own graduate level Educational Technology course, we are engaged in active learning. This week, I created a Padlet with two classmates. This website allows students to collaborate and work on group projects. My group members and I created a Padlet regarding the above teacher's Thinglink activity. Padlets can then be shared with teachers or other classmates.
You can see our full Padlet here: Active Learning: Thinglink IL Project
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| Personal Image: Padlet |
Takeaways
Personally, I learn best through kinesthetic or auditory activities. I am able to understand and apply information best when I am moving/doing or listening. I struggle with receiving and retaining visual information. Websites like Thinglink and Padlet may be visually overwhelming to me at first, but being able to navigate the websites on my own involves a kinesthetic process that helps me retain the information.
It is crucial for teachers to develop lesson plans that utilize active learning strategies. Both the third grade teacher and my college professor designed activities that would target several learning styles. Every student has the potential to learn information- and it is our job to tap into that potential. Creating activities for one topic that target all the modalities ensures we tap into that potential.
Additional Resources
Here is a group lesson Thinglink I designed for a 3rd grade class: Auckland Marine System
Here are a few of my favorite websites that promote active learning in the elementary level classroom:
Hi Sarah - I really enjoyed reading your post. It is so true today that students are learning not just by listening to a lecture or reading a book, but by also having hands on experiences that are student centered and meaningful to them. I thought the assignment that the students had to do was a great way to get them to not only learn about another region, but to also make the work meaningful by having them design their dream vacation. I thought this was an excellent addition because it is something that they are accountable for and they are assessing their own learning by discovering a new region of the world. I also like how you brought up that this class is also active learning. We are doing work that is meaningful to our careers and futures and that really holds us more accountable for the work we do. I hope more teachers start to implement active learning into their lesson plans so students can be more engaged in what is being taught and really take charge of their learning.
ReplyDeleteHi Sarah! I really loved reading your post. When you discuss learning style I think you are hitting the nail on the head. We have to know about our students before we can create an active learning environment. It reminds me of the UDL class we took with Dr. Cutler. I also like how you and your group organized your padlet. The look is really engaging and relates to your activity nicely. Thank you for your takeaway section! I think that was a great add. From your post and being in classes with you, I can tell that you are very passionate and will be a great teacher! I look forward to reading more blog posts in the future!-Mary Kate
ReplyDeleteHello, Sarah,
ReplyDeleteThank you for the share! I really appreciate the fact that you shared a little about your own learning style(s) and how that influences your own approach to technology and software. It really reinforces the fact that teachers need to have a hefty bag of tricks. What works really well with one student can often lead to disaster with another! Thank you for sharing all of the active learning links. Although I teach high school, I find that many of the cool activities designed for younger kids can be modified to work with older kids. On a side note...I spent 10 days in New Zealand 2 summers ago...What an amazing place! Your Thinglink made me long for Aukland and a glass of "sauv". We had less emphasis on science and more on Hobbits...I am an English geek! - Cheers!
I like how your Padlet looks! I'm definitely a visual (and a little kinesthetic) learner, so pretty projects are more appealing. I'm glad you shared that you aren't and that, if you were my student, your projects may look or be different due to your learning styles. Thanks for pointing that out and it's something I think I need to be a little more cognizant of. Thinglink looks like a cool tool to utilize as well. It's amazing what we are able to do these days, and I love learning about these different technology tools!
ReplyDeleteHey Sarah ,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your post this week. I liked how your padlet was set up, it was easy to navigate. I totally understand your learning style because I learn in a very similar manner so when websites re too visually stimulating it can be too much for me. I think sometimes when we try and design lessons to engage as many learning styles as we can we fall under the more is more category. When in fact it is so important to create thoughtful lessons that use digital tool sin a way that provides choice but is not overwhelming. Your list of resources was awesome !
Sarah -
ReplyDeleteThank you for the informative post. I really appreciated the links to resources you find helpful -- I added some to my bookmarks to carry forward. It's really interesting to me that you use News 2 You for elementary classrooms. It makes perfect sense, but my personal experience is using it with post-secondary students with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities and I hadn't considered its usefulness to other student populations. I agree with your statement that it is crucial to lesson plan for multiple learning styles and to incorporate active learning. I have known some teachers who look at these activities as "putting on a show" when someone is observing them but I think they have missed a critical point about how learning happens in their classrooms.