Active+learning,+interaction+&+choice

//Organize your ideas under the following headings.// __ACTIVE LEARNING__

Interesting perspective (Curtis & Maggie): http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro05/web2/jshafagh.html

Danielle and Jane Surprisingly, educators' use of the term "active learning" has relied more on intuitive understanding than a common definition. Consequently, many faculty assert that all learning is inherently active and that students are therefore actively involved while listening to formal presentations in the classroom. Analysis of the research literature (Chickering and Gamson 1987), however, suggests that students must do more than just listen: They must read, write, discuss, or be engaged in solving problems. Most important, to be actively involved, students must engage in such higher-order thinking tasks as analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Within this context, it is proposed that strategies promoting active learning be defined as instructional activities involving students in doing things and thinking about what they are doing. Use of these techniques in the classroom is vital because of their powerful impact upon students' learning. For example, several studies have shown that students prefer strategies promoting active learning to traditional lectures. Other research studies evaluating students' achievement have demonstrated that many strategies promoting active learning are comparable to lectures in promoting the mastery of content but superior to lectures in promoting the development of students' skills in thinking and writing. Further, some cognitive research has shown that a significant numbe of individuals have learning styles best served by pedagogical techniques other than lecturing. Therefore, a thoughtful and scholarly approach to skillful teaching requires that faculty become knowledgeable about the many ways strategies promoting active learning have been successfully used across the disciplines. Further, each faculty member should engage in self-reflection, exploring his or her personal willingness to experiment with alternative approaches to instruction. The modification of traditional lectures (Penner 1984) is one way to incorporate active learning in the classroom. Research has demonstrated, for example, that if a faculty member allows students to consolidate their notes by pausing three times for two minutes each during a lecture, students will learn significantly more information (Ruhl, Hughes, and Schloss 1987). Two other simple yet effective ways to involve students during a lecture are to insert brief demonstrations or short, ungraded writing exercises followed by class discussion. Certain alternatives to the lecture format further increase student level of engagement: (1) the feedback lecture, which consists of two minilectures separated by a small-group study session built around a study guide, and (2) the guided lecture, in which students listen to a 20- to 30-minute presentation without taking notes, followed by their writing for five minutes what they remember and spending the remainder of the class period in small groups clarifying and elaborating the material. Discussion in class is one of the most common strategies promoting active learning_with good reason. If the objectives of a course are to promote long-term retention of information, to motivate students toward further learning, to allow students to apply information in new settings, or to develop students' thinking skills, then discussion is preferable to lecture (McKeachie et al. 1986). Research has suggested, however, that to achieve these goals faculty must be knowledgeable of alternative techniques and strategies for questioning and discussion (Hyman 1980) and must create a supportive intellectual and emotional environment that encourages students to take risks (Lowman 1984). Several additional strategies promoting active learning have been similarly shown to influence favorably students' attitudes and achievement. Visual-based instruction, for example, can provide a helpful focal point for other interactive techniques. In-class writing across the disciplines is another productive way to involve students in doing things and thinking about the things they are doing. Two popular instructional strategies based on problem-solving model include the case study method of instruction and Guided Design. Other active learning pedagogies worthy of instructors' use include cooperative learning, debates, drama, role playing and simulation, and peer teaching. In short, the published literature on alternatives to traditional classroom presentations provides a rich menu of different approaches faculty can readily add to their repertoire of instructional skills.
 * ||  ||   || Research consistently has shown that traditional lecture methods, in which professors talk and students listen, dominate college and university classrooms. It is therefore important to know the nature of active learning, the empirical research on its use, the common obstacles and barriers that give rise to faculty members' resistance to interactive instructional techniques, and how faculty, faculty developers, administrators, and educational researchers can make real the promise of active learning.
 * WHAT IS ACTIVE LEARNING AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?**
 * WHAT IS ACTIVE LEARNING AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?**
 * HOW CAN ACTIVE LEARNING BE INCORPORATED IN THE CLASSROOM?**

Models of Active Learning: ||
 * **ACTIVE LEARNING** ||

By L. Dee Fink Reprinted with permission of the University of Oklahoma Instructional Development Program, July 19, 1999

The model below offers a way of conceptualizing the learning process in a way that may assist teachers in identifying meaningful forms of active learning. ||
 * Many college teachers today want to move past passive learning to active learning, to find better ways of engaging students in the learning process. But many teachers feel a need for help in imagining what to do, in or out of class, that would constitute a meaningful set of active learning activities.
 * **A Model of Active Learning** ||
 * [[image:4circles.gif width="321" height="257" align="center"]]

This model suggests that all learning activities involve some kind of experience or some kind of dialogue. The two main kinds of dialogue are "Dialogue with Self" and "Dialogue with Others." The two main kinds of experience are "Observing" and "Doing."
 * Explanation of the Components**

This is what happens when a learner thinks reflectively about a topic, i.e., they ask themselves what they think or should think, what they feel about the topic, etc. This is "thinking about my own thinking," but it addresses a broader array of questions than just cognitive concerns. A teacher can ask students, on a small scale, to keep a journal for a course, or, on a larger scale, to develop a learning portfolio. In either case, students could write about //what// they are learning, //how// they are learning, what role this knowledge or learning plays in their own life, how this makes them //feel//, etc. **Dialogue with Others:** This can and does come in many forms. In traditional teaching, when students read a textbook or listen to a lecture, they are "listening to" another person (teacher, book author). This can perhaps be viewed as "partial dialogue" but it is limited because there is no back-and-forth exchange. A much more dynamic and active form of dialogue occurs when a teacher creates an intense small group discussion on a topic. Sometimes teachers can also find creative ways to involve students in dialogue situations with people other than students (e.g., practitioners, experts), either in class or outside of class. Whoever the dialogue is with, it might be done live, in writing, or by email. This occurs whenever a learner watches or listens to someone else "Doing" something that is related to what they are learning about. This might be such things as observing one's teacher do something (e.g., "This is how I critique a novel."), listening to other professionals perform (e.g., musicians), or observing the phenomena being studied (natural, social, or cultural). The act of observing may be "direct" or "vicarious." A direct observation means the learner is observing the real action, directly; a vicarious observation is observing a simulation of the real action. For example, a direct observation of poverty might be for the learner to actually go to where low income people are living and working, and spend some time observing life there. A vicarious or indirect observation of the same topic might be to watch a movie involving poor people or to read stories written by or about them. This refers to any learning activity where the learner actually does something: design a reservoir dam (engineering), conduct a high school band (music education), design and/or conduct an experiment (natural and social sciences), critique an argument or piece of writing (the humanities), investigate local historical resources(history), make an oral presentation (communication), etc. Again, "Doing" may be direct or vicarious. Case studies, role-playing and simulation activities offer ways of vicariously engaging students in the "Doing" process. To take one example mentioned above, if one is trying to learn how to conduct a high school band, direct "Doing" would be to actually go to a high school and direct the students there. A vicarious "Doing" for the same purpose would be to simulate this by having the student conduct a band composed of fellow college students who were acting like (i.e., role playing) high school students. Or, in business courses, doing case studies is, in essence, a simulation of the decision making process that many courses are aimed at teaching. ||
 * Dialogue with Self:**
 * Observing:**
 * Doing:**

__INTERACTION

Posted by Danielle and Jane__

The most important individual characteristics in relation to educational achievements are social background, gender and ethnicity. Since there is research into the achievements of students, it is known that students with a low social background achieve less than do students with a higher social background. The point of view that these lower achievements were caused by lower intelligence (Hirsch, 1967; Mathijssen, 1971) was soon replaced by the idea that students from lower social classes are socially deprived (Bernstein, 1960; Coleman, Campbell & Hobson, 1968). On the basis of this idea compensation projects, such as the Head Start project and the GEON project in the Netherlands, were initiated. Unfortunately, the improvements in achievements based on such projects were only temporary. Research of more recent date shows that the achievement differences between social classes still exist (Bosker & Van der Velden, 1989; Crane, 1996; Hanley & McKeever, 1997).

__CHOICE__ Danielle and Jane

Book-The Classroom of Choice: Giving Students What They Need and Getting What You Want Teachers everywhere face the daily challenge of engaging students whose knowledge, skills, needs, and temperaments vary greatly. How does a teacher establish a learning environment that supports the class as a whole while meeting the particular needs of individual students? Teacher Jonathan C. Erwin believes the answer lies in offering real opportunities to students rather than throwing up the obstacles inherent in traditional discipline and motivation techniques. At the heart of his approach are the five basic human needs of William Glasser's Choice Theory: survival and security, love and belonging, power through cooperation and competency, freedom, and fun. By understanding and attending to these needs, teachers can customize and manage a classroom environment where students learn to motivate and monitor themselves. Drawing on theories and practices from experts in a variety of learning techniques, Erwin explores each of the five basic needs to create nearly 200 adaptable strategies for teaching and classroom management at any grade level. Readers will find dozens of ideas for helping students make positive changes, including. Improving their work habits,. Connecting curriculum with individual interests,. Opening lines of communication with teachers and other students,. Boosting self-worth through accomplishment, and. Supporting their classmates in cooperative work. Erwin ties everything together in a unit guide that allows teachers to develop a classroom profile based on the needs of individual students. The guide can be used with any district planning approach or curriculum. For teachers seeking a win-win situation in managing their classrooms, The Classroom of Choice is an excellent aid in creating a learning environment where students and teachers approach each day with energy and enthusiasm.

Teaching Choices and Classroom Management- Danielle and Jane

=**Planning**= · Start with clearly conceived Student Learning (Behavioral) Objectives. · Know the learning outcomes you are trying to help students master. · Concepts · Skills · Information/Content · Procedures · Select the most authentic means to accomplish your objectives · Let your objectives determine the best way to teach your lesson. · Have a lesson design for each of the type of learning outcomes list above. · When will the students get to “put it all together?” Or is each lesson a disconnected chunk? Synthesis is motivating as well as cognitively essential.

Lesson Delivery
· Good directions (think about the S’s and the N’s). Make sure that both the big picture and the specifics are clearly explained. · Use anticipatory activities (put new information into a larger context) · Model interest in the topic. Why is it meaningful and relevant? · Teach your students not just your lesson outline. · Focus on what they are learning not on what you are presenting · Modify if necessary. If your lesson or your curriculum is not working, try something that you feel would be more effective. · Don’t be afraid to re-teach. · Have activities that address the range of ability levels. · Develop techniques for keeping the students “on the hook” cognitively. · Use questioning effectively · Calling on students Randomly vs. Volunteers · Calling on students in Random vs. Fixed patterns · Don’t use questioning as a form of public embarrassment · Become a master of Wait Time · Responding to student answers (think about the social learning model)

· Preventing Misbehavior · Withitness · Overlapping · Managing Movement · Momentum · Smoothness · Maintaining Group Focus · Group alerting · Encouraging accountability · High-participation formats · Avoiding Momentum problems
 * Maintaining Lesson Flow (Kounin) **

Assessment Choices that promote motivation and efficiency
// Remember, how you assess defines success in a very real and material way for your students. // · Assess that which is most meaningful and/or related to what you want students to learn. Use “authentic assessments” as much as possible. · As much as possible assess learning over which students have control. · Have explicit targets (if they are clear and standing still, your students will reach them). · Communicate a clear purpose for each assessment to your students (and ask yourself, is my purpose for this assessment going to help them learn. If not why do it?) · Give your students as much control over their own assessment data as is possible. Ask yourself, who is assessment data for? · Consider assessing the quality of participation formally or informally. · Keep formal assessment private.