Discovering the Active Classroom
Andrew Middleton & Ian Glover
Learning Enhancement & Academic Development
@andrewmid @irglover #telfest
Introduction
Learner
Explore what is meant by active learning and consider strategies you
can take for developing an Active Classroom
Outline of the workshop
Active learning: meaning, benefits and challenges
ALCs and PBL
Technology in the classroom
Active lectures
Our work
Learner
Spaces for Learning Toolkit
SCALE UP
PC Labs Evaluation
Third Space, Place & Social Spaces
Adjacent spaces
‘Studio for All’
Studios and BeaconsDesign principles for
student-centred active learning
Whiteboarding
Digital Placemaking
Stand Up Pedagogy#Twalks
Spaces for Active
Learning
Technology Enabled Learning Labs
Flexible & Active Classrooms
Academic accommodation
Timetabling and Zoning
Student - Engagement - Learning
Be
lon
gin
g &
Bec
om
ing
Stud
en
t-Cen
tred A
ctive Learn
ing
Student Engagement Network
RIBA Design - Commissioning
Define ‘Active Learning Spaces’
Activity #1: Can you define ‘Active Learning Spaces’?
Collect responses and build a definition
Bonwell and Eison’s Characteristics of Active Learning (1991)
Students are involved in more than passive listening;
Students are engaged in activities e.g. reading, discussing, writing;
There is less emphasis placed on information transmission and
greater emphasis placed on developing student skills;
There is greater emphasis placed on the exploration of attitudes and
values;
Student motivation is increased (especially for adult learners);
Students can receive immediate feedback from their instructor;
Students are involved in higher order thinking (analysis, synthesis,
evaluation).
On Active Learning
The active classroom is a place of ‘becoming’ in which students are
motivated through their involvement in work that matters to them.
Students learn by building upon and applying what they already
know, developing experiments to explore, test and create new
knowledge, and by making meaning from their experience (Bruner,
1960)
Learning is as much social as it is cognitive and concrete, and calls
for students to continuously make and review decisions by applying
what they know to situated problems (Brown, 1999)
Hence, Authentic, Experiential and Situated Learning
Active Learning Benefits
Activity #2: Whiteboard Activity - ‘Go Fishing’
Objective: create a list of exactly 7 benefits of Active Learning.
Everyone: generate post-its rapidly to identify the benefits of active
learning
Two volunteers: collect, synthesise and list 7 Benefits
Note:
Everyone involved
Use of roles
Manageable contained and constrained activity
Fun, accessible and challenging
Participants are on the same page?
Active Learning Challenges
Activity #3: Peer Co-operation
Objective: analysis and co-construction of knowledge
Listen to ‘Common challenges when teaching in an Active Learning
Classroom – and how to address them’
Two volunteers: make notes of key points using whiteboards
Others: Use Padlet, a Google Doc, Paper
Now:
Clarify, improve and capture notes
Discussion: what happened?
Peer co-operation, generative learning context, co-production, ownership of knowledge
The teacher’s role (setting, clarifying, supporting, challenging, giving feedback)Reference: Petersen, C., & Gorman, K. (2014). Strategies to Address Common Challenges When Teaching in an Active Learning Classroom. New
Directions for Teaching and Learning, 2014(137), 63-70
Introduction to SCALE UP
Robert J. Beichner 2011 Prize Winner, YouTube
https://youtu.be/MdymI61hLPY?list=PLnc5lgJfUsQFkHzh7EFRKwfy83Bs5L57L
Circular tables accommodating groups
Groups of 9 and divisible by 3
Technology-rich, integrated into small group work
Short learning activities interspersed with class-wide discussion
Use of the GOAL framework for problem solving (Gather, Organise, Analyse,
Learn) or the use of other use of specific problem-solving frameworks
Flipped teaching model
Student-led learning
Facilitative teaching role
Continuous opportunities for in-class formative feedback from peers and tutors
Strategic, tutor-allocated group formation e.g. mixed ability groups
Use of group roles e.g. manager, scribe, questioner, or other roles
Inquiry or problem-based learning approaches
The SCALE-UP approach
Problem-based Learning is key to Active
Learning
Activity #4: Create yourself a problem!
Using scenarios to form problems (see
handout) in your triad roles (Co-ordinator,
Scribe and Moderator) create a scenario
as the basis for a problem-based learning
activity in your discipline.
Tour the tables - using post-it notes,
provide feedback on the work of at least
two other tables
Problem-based Learning (PBL)
Triads for Active LearningManager/Organiser
Directs the sequence of steps in the
problem and manages time
Reinforces the merits of everyone’s ideas
Ensures that each group member
participates
Scribe/Note-taker/Recorder
Writes actual steps on the whiteboard
Checks for understanding of all group
members
Makes sure all group members agree on
each step of the problem
Questioner
Makes sure all possible problem-solving
strategies are explored
Suggests alternative approaches or raises
concerns with suggested processes
Provides reasoning and explanations of
steps to group members as necessary
McNeill et al. (2017). SCALE UP Handbook. NTU. Online at: https://www4.ntu.ac.uk/adq/document_uploads/teaching/181133.pdf
Capturing in-session activity and outputs
Smartphone/tablet photos and video summary
Audio summary
Collaborative Resource Creation
Google Drive
Padlet
Example Technologies for Active Learning
Online ‘Ideation’ and Brainstorming Popplet Answer Garden
Digital Whiteboarding Explain Everything (mobile) Paint, Photoshop, Visio, …
Checking Understanding Responseware Kahoot
Activity #5 - Whiteboarding
Visualising and scoping using concept mapping
Ideas for - ‘Active lectures’
Active Lectures
Map the discussion - then create a video commentary of key points
“Moving to an active learning paradigm”
e.g.
Active Learning Classrooms?
Whiteboarding?
Problem-based Learning?
The digital classroom?
Groupwork?
Institution and infrastructure?
Summary discussion
Top Related