Engaging Students

Good Practice Uses Active Learning Techniques

"Learning is not a spectator sport. Students do not learn much just sitting in classes listening to teachers, memorizing prepackaged assignments, and spitting out answers. They must talk about what they are learning, write reflectively about it, relate it to past experiences, and apply it to their daily lives. They must make what they learn part of themselves (Chickering & Gamson, 1987)."

ACTIVE LEARNING  is defined as any strategy "that involves students in doing things and thinking about the things they are doing". (*Bonwell, C., & Eison, J. (1991). Active learning: Creating excitement in the classroom (ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report No. 1). Washington, DC: George Washington University, p. 2)

ACTIVE LEARNING includes a range of teaching and learning activities. These strategies, supported by decades of classroom research, may be thought of as a continuum from low risk to high risk for both teachers and students.  Such a continuum may include (but not be limited to) strategies such as some of the following:

• involving students in well structured question and answer sessions in lecture classes
• individual think and write exercises, such as the pause technique or one minute papers
• pairing activities such as "think, pair, share"
• interactive seminars
• case studies

   More complex  and higher risk processes might include such activites as:

• individual and group project based assignments;
• student involvement in research,
• internships,
• practicum experiences,
• student teaching,
• clinical preceptor structures

(Read more...)

Source: COM-FSM ASSESSMENT MANUAL