Active Learning Active Learning Sessions

The active learning model works to engage students with each other around the content to create an active learning environment.

Active Learning Leader + Students = Facilitation Strategies
Course Material + Students = Learning Strategies
Students + Students = Collaborative Learning Strategies (CTLs)

Source: The International Center for Supplemental Instruction at the University of Missouri-Kansas City

Facilitation Strategies

In order to break the cycle of dependency, there are three facilitation strategies you should use throughout every active learning session.

Redirecting Questions

It's a natural tendency to answer questions that are asked, but this strategy requires you to suppress that tendency and redirect questions back to the group. There are three levels of redirection: Student to Self, Student to Notes/Text, Student to Group/External Resources.

Example: Student to Self

Student: I don't know how to do this problem.

Leader: Do you know how to get started? What step comes first? What part(s) of the problem do you understand?

Example: Student to Notes/Text

Student: What is the derivative of a constant?

Leader: What chapter of the text talks about that concept?

Example: Student to Group/External Resources

Student: I understand how to get the derivative, but I don't know what to do next.

Leader: Does anyone know what the next step would be?

Additional Sample Phrases:

What is this question asking?

Why are you thinking of it in that way?

Give an example of that.

Can you summarize the discussion up to this point?

Can you think of another way to think about this?

How is your answer (point of view) different from _____?

Let’s rephrase it on the board and figure out what information we will need to answer it. Can you be more specific?

How does your response tie into ____?

Let’s look that up in the text.

Let’s write down everything we know about this topic/problem/theory.

How can you relate this to everyday life?

Okay, that’s the book definition, but how do we define that (i.e. in your own words)?

Source: The International Center for Supplemental Instruction at the University of Missouri-Kansas City

Wait Time

Wait time is the time that elapses between an Active Learning Leader-initiated questions and the next behavior (student response or leader talking again). There are two kinds of wait time:

Wait-time 1: The time the Leader waits after asking a question

Wait-time 2: The time the Leader waits after a response is provided, regardless of the accuracy

Extensive research has demonstrated that the quality and quantity of students’ verbal responses increases significantly if Leaders regularly utilize at least 15-20 seconds of wait-time. Wait-time 2 seems to be even more significant than Wait-time 1. If you resist the natural temptation to jump in too quickly to answer or rephrase, student learning improves. Increased wait-time allows the brain more opportunity to consolidate information, which allows for deeper processing.

Benefits of wait time for students:

More students answer
More accurate answers
Answers are more elaborate, reasoned, and supported
Students listen to each other more
More speculative responses
More questions asked
Increased participation by all students
Increase in use of logical consistency in responses

Leaders may worry about what to do if no one responds. After waiting 15-20 seconds with no responses, they may want to try one of the following:

Repeat the question
Rephrase the question
Simplify the question
Ask a student to attempt to rephrase the question
Break down the question into its component parts
Make the question more specific
Ask students what it is about the question they do not understand.

After each alternative, wait 5-10 seconds.

Source: The International Center for Supplemental Instruction at the University of Missouri-Kansas City

Check for Understanding

Checking for understanding means ensuring that students have learned the content. The learning strategies that Active Learning Leaders use in their sessions are designed to promote student-to-student interactions. We cannot automatically assume, however, that the students are gaining understanding from their interactions. We must provide opportunities, through checking for understanding, for students to demonstrate their learning.

A common method of checking understanding is to ask the students a closed-ended question like, “Do you understand?” This question can be answered with a simple yes or no. This is not effective because students are sometimes uncomfortable admitting that they still do not understand a concept, especially if considerable time has just been spent on it during the session. Instead, questions that check for understanding should be open-ended and require higher-order thinking skills.

It is essential that students be able to explain the discussed topic in their own words so the Leader knows that students understand before proceeding to the next topic. If there is any doubt that the students did not “get” it, the concept should be discussed again. The Leader should make sure that the students have an opportunity to demonstrate their understanding and ensure that checks for understanding are integrated into every active learning session. This will improve student preparation and learning.

Possible Ways to Check for Understanding:

Maintain eye contact with the students during the session. By making eye contact, you will likely see when a student is confused.
Ask a student to summarize the concept just covered. If s/he struggles, ask the group to help him/her.
Ask for a volunteer to write the main points of the discussion on the board.
Ask a question that requires the student to understand the concept in order to answer correctly. For example, if you just reviewed the difference between the logical rules of inference, disjunctive syllogism and modus ponens, ask the group, “So I can use Disjunctive Syllogism on this argument, right?” when you cannot, based on the discussion. When they reply, “No, of course not,” ask them why not.
Once in a while, intentionally make mistakes on the board or verbally. The students will catch you if they understand. If no one notices, probe the group about the content on the board until they discover the mistake. (Note: Frequent use of this strategy may confuse students.)
Ask the students to rephrase the question you asked originally or to rephrase the summary another student provided.
Ask for real-life examples or applications of the concept.
Ask for a similar problem, metaphor, or analogy.

Source: The International Center for Supplemental Instruction at the University of Missouri-Kansas City

Learning Strategies

Learning strategies are how the students interact with the content in each section.

Examples of learning strategies

Source: The International Center for Supplemental Instruction at the University of Missouri-Kansas City

Collaborative Learning Techniques

Collaborative Learning Techniques (CTLs) are the methods you'll use to help the students interact with one another.

Examples of collaborative learning techniques

Source: The International Center for Supplemental Instruction at the University of Missouri-Kansas City

Examples

During each Active Learning Session you'll plan one or more activities that employ both an active learning strategy and a CTL. Here are some examples of what that might look like:

Example 1: Jigsaw (CTL) + Predict Test Questions (learning strategy)

Each group is assigned a certain chapter of the text or concept for which they develop possible test questions. The groups then come back together to exchange and work through each group's questions.

Example 2: Turn To a Partner (CTL) + Verbal Volleyball (learning strategy)

In pairs, students review as many key concepts on a topic as they can remember. Student A starts with a concept/idea. Student B then follows up with a related fact, idea, example. Students continue to volley back and forth until they run out of ideas.

Resources for Online Learning Sessions

Conducting active learning sessions online can require a bit of creativity to keep students engaged. Here are some resources you may consider using. You can add your own ideas in the discussion board on the next page.

- Google Slides - prepare slides ahead of time for students to add information to or have students create slides
- Jamboard - Great for brainstorming, concept mapping, whiteboarding
- Kahoot - Create quizzes and games
- Mentimeter - Interactive live polling
- Zoom - Polls, whiteboard

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