Active Learning

Active Learning 

This past week I explored examples of active learning in different classrooms.  Active learning is when students are excited, interested, and engaged in their learning. During active learning, the tasks are student-centered, and the students take ownership of their work.  

One of the active learning activities I enjoyed learning about was The American Revolution... It's Like We Were There, where students created pictures using PicCollage and used Audioboom to create presentations about The American Revolution.  

You can view my Padlet for more information about this activity or reference the image below. 

                                                                Image Source: My Personal Padlet 

I was not familiar with Audioboom, so it was neat to see how it worked and to be able to listen to actual examples of students' using Audioboom for their projects.  This project was an excellent example of active learning.  It uses the technology tools of PicCollage and Audioboom to engage students in reflecting, writing and talking.  This project was student-centered, allowing students to have a voice in their learning. It also allowed the student's opportunities to be creative and collaborate.

Why is Active Learning Important?

I ABSOLUTELY think teachers should keep active learning in mind when developing lessons.  Let's be honest, no student likes to sit at their desk and listen to a teacher lecture for 40-50 minutes, in EVERY class, all day long. 

Image Source: GIFHY

Teachers need to allow multiple classroom opportunities for students to express their understanding of content by providing fun and captivating activities that enable students to use their critical thinking skills, collaborate, and be creative.  

My Experience 

One active learning activity that I use in my Math classes is peer teaching. This is where classmates partner up and instruct each other on concepts. We work on the idea of giving positive and meaningful feedback to each other. My students often use Flipgrid to create videos of themselves solving problems or posing questions to their peers.  Students can comment and offer suggestions to help each other out. 

In Social Studies, my students are currently working on an active learning project called An Immigration Experience. With a partner, they will take on a role of an immigrant who came to America in the early 1900s. Together, they will use what you have learned in class to create a presentation or video for the class pretending they are the immigrant at that time. 

Another active learning activity I use in my Social Studies classroom is gallery walk discussions. This is where I will post pictures around the room related to a topic we are learning about. The students will walk in groups around the room, interpreting the pictures and answering questions. This active learning activity helps build students' knowledge, promotes higher-order thinking, and gives them opportunities to collaborate and discuss.