{"id":1709,"date":"2016-09-08T18:35:51","date_gmt":"2016-09-08T18:35:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/waymaker-collegesuccess\/?post_type=chapter&#038;p=1709"},"modified":"2016-09-19T19:52:20","modified_gmt":"2016-09-19T19:52:20","slug":"text-active-learning-in-class","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-buffalo-wmopen-collegesuccess\/chapter\/text-active-learning-in-class\/","title":{"raw":"Text: Active Learning in Class","rendered":"Text: Active Learning in Class"},"content":{"raw":"<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\r\n\r\n<em>Megan is currently taking two classes: geology and American literature. In her\u00a0geology\u00a0class, the instructor lectures for the full class time\u00a0and gives reading assignments. In Megan\u2019s literature class, however, the instructor relies on\u00a0class discussions, small group discussions, and occasionally even review games. Megan enjoys her literature class, but she struggles to feel\u00a0engaged and interested in geology. <\/em>\r\n\r\n<em>What strategies\u00a0can Megan use\u00a0to stay motivated and involved\u00a0in both of her courses?<\/em>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<h2>Active Learning in Class<\/h2>\r\n<img class=\"wp-image-324 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1110\/2016\/02\/02025030\/4947091025_0b1a31c0cd_z.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of a group of students sitting in a circle on a lawn outside of a campus building, while other students stream around them\" width=\"301\" height=\"197\" \/>Think about the college classes you've taken so far. Like Megan, you may feel like it's a mixed bag: you probably enjoyed the courses\u00a0with a variety of\u00a0teaching styles and learning activities the most. Even if you're a quieter, more reserved student who dislikes lots of group discussions, you probably prefer to have\u00a0<em>some<\/em> class projects or writing assignments rather than\u00a0lectures alone. Group projects, discussions, and writing are examples of active learning, because they involve <em>doing<\/em> something. Active learning happens when students\u00a0participate in their education through\u00a0activities that enhance learning. Those activities may involve just thinking about what you're learning. Active learning\u00a0can take place both in and out of the classroom. The following are examples of activities that can\u00a0facilitate\u00a0active engagement in the classroom.\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>Class discussions<\/strong>: Class discussions can help students stay focused\u00a0because they\u00a0feature\u00a0different voices besides\u00a0that of the\u00a0instructor. Students can also hear one\u00a0another\u2019s questions and comments and learn from one\u00a0another. Such\u00a0discussions may involve the entire class, or the instructor may organize smaller groups, giving\u00a0quieter students a greater chance to talk. Another method\u00a0is to create online discussion boards so that students have more time to develop their ideas and comments and keep the conversation going.<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Writing assignments<\/strong>: Instructors may\u00a0ask students to write short\u00a0reaction papers or journal entries about lessons or reading assignments. Such\u00a0assignments can help students review or reflect on what they just learned to help them understand\u00a0and remember the material, and also provide a means of\u00a0communicating questions and concerns to\u00a0their instructors.<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Student-led teaching<\/strong>: Many instructors believe that a true test of whether students understand concepts is being able to\u00a0teach the material to others. For that reason, instructors will sometimes have students work in\u00a0groups and research a topic\u00a0or review assigned readings, and then prepare a minipresentation and teach it to the rest of the class. This activity can help students feel more accountable for their learning and work harder, since classmates will be relying\u00a0on them.<a href=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1110\/2016\/02\/02025030\/4947091025_0b1a31c0cd_z.jpg\">\r\n<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>","rendered":"<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<p><em>Megan is currently taking two classes: geology and American literature. In her\u00a0geology\u00a0class, the instructor lectures for the full class time\u00a0and gives reading assignments. In Megan\u2019s literature class, however, the instructor relies on\u00a0class discussions, small group discussions, and occasionally even review games. Megan enjoys her literature class, but she struggles to feel\u00a0engaged and interested in geology. <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>What strategies\u00a0can Megan use\u00a0to stay motivated and involved\u00a0in both of her courses?<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Active Learning in Class<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-324 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1110\/2016\/02\/02025030\/4947091025_0b1a31c0cd_z.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of a group of students sitting in a circle on a lawn outside of a campus building, while other students stream around them\" width=\"301\" height=\"197\" \/>Think about the college classes you&#8217;ve taken so far. Like Megan, you may feel like it&#8217;s a mixed bag: you probably enjoyed the courses\u00a0with a variety of\u00a0teaching styles and learning activities the most. Even if you&#8217;re a quieter, more reserved student who dislikes lots of group discussions, you probably prefer to have\u00a0<em>some<\/em> class projects or writing assignments rather than\u00a0lectures alone. Group projects, discussions, and writing are examples of active learning, because they involve <em>doing<\/em> something. Active learning happens when students\u00a0participate in their education through\u00a0activities that enhance learning. Those activities may involve just thinking about what you&#8217;re learning. Active learning\u00a0can take place both in and out of the classroom. The following are examples of activities that can\u00a0facilitate\u00a0active engagement in the classroom.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Class discussions<\/strong>: Class discussions can help students stay focused\u00a0because they\u00a0feature\u00a0different voices besides\u00a0that of the\u00a0instructor. Students can also hear one\u00a0another\u2019s questions and comments and learn from one\u00a0another. Such\u00a0discussions may involve the entire class, or the instructor may organize smaller groups, giving\u00a0quieter students a greater chance to talk. Another method\u00a0is to create online discussion boards so that students have more time to develop their ideas and comments and keep the conversation going.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Writing assignments<\/strong>: Instructors may\u00a0ask students to write short\u00a0reaction papers or journal entries about lessons or reading assignments. Such\u00a0assignments can help students review or reflect on what they just learned to help them understand\u00a0and remember the material, and also provide a means of\u00a0communicating questions and concerns to\u00a0their instructors.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Student-led teaching<\/strong>: Many instructors believe that a true test of whether students understand concepts is being able to\u00a0teach the material to others. For that reason, instructors will sometimes have students work in\u00a0groups and research a topic\u00a0or review assigned readings, and then prepare a minipresentation and teach it to the rest of the class. This activity can help students feel more accountable for their learning and work harder, since classmates will be relying\u00a0on them.<a href=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1110\/2016\/02\/02025030\/4947091025_0b1a31c0cd_z.jpg\"><br \/>\n<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\t <section class=\"citations-section\" role=\"contentinfo\">\n\t\t\t <h3>Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t <div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <div id=\"citation-list-1709\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <div class=\"licensing\"><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Original<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>College Success. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Jolene Carr. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Lumen Learning. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\">CC BY: Attribution<\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Shared previously<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>Image of students outside. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Penn State. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/8xa8NR\">https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/8xa8NR<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/\">CC BY-NC: Attribution-NonCommercial<\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t <\/section>","protected":false},"author":19,"menu_order":19,"template":"","meta":{"_candela_citation":"[{\"type\":\"original\",\"description\":\"College Success\",\"author\":\"Jolene Carr\",\"organization\":\"Lumen Learning\",\"url\":\"\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by\",\"license_terms\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Image of students outside\",\"author\":\"Penn State\",\"organization\":\"\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/8xa8NR\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by-nc\",\"license_terms\":\"\"}]","CANDELA_OUTCOMES_GUID":"15ed275f-f4c4-4d1f-9abf-6d8c201ccccf, ea87a629-4dde-44ca-917e-2790376b71e6","pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-1709","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":132,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-buffalo-wmopen-collegesuccess\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1709","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-buffalo-wmopen-collegesuccess\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-buffalo-wmopen-collegesuccess\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-buffalo-wmopen-collegesuccess\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-buffalo-wmopen-collegesuccess\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1709\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1889,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-buffalo-wmopen-collegesuccess\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1709\/revisions\/1889"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-buffalo-wmopen-collegesuccess\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/132"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-buffalo-wmopen-collegesuccess\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1709\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-buffalo-wmopen-collegesuccess\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1709"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-buffalo-wmopen-collegesuccess\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=1709"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-buffalo-wmopen-collegesuccess\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=1709"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-buffalo-wmopen-collegesuccess\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=1709"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}