Active learning strategies for todays learners

1. Active Learning Strategies -
A Pedagogical Perspective
Prof. A. K. Singh
FIE, FSPE, MISNT, MIIWB, MIIM, MBMA

2. Learn from the learner
Instruction begins when you, the
teacher, learn from the learner.
Put yourself in his place so that you
may understand what he learns and the
way he understands it”
---Kierkegard (1813-1855)
–r (1813-1855)

3. Why focus teaching on the learner?
People learn at different rates . . . .
Also students differ in their:
 Learning style
 Sensory/ Intuitive, Visual/ Auditory/ kinaesthetic
Inductive/Deductive, Active/Reflective
 Sequential/Global
 Approaches to learning, Pace of
intellectual development

4. Problems of slow learners
• Low Intelligence Quotient
• problem of language
• lack of prerequisite knowledge
• lack of motivation for learning in cognitive
domain
• Learning environment at home?
• Learning environment in hostel?
• Learning environment in the college?
• Lack of goal, Lack of self efficacy, Low
confidence levels
• Mismatch between teaching style of
lecturer and their learning style,

5. Deviations that influence most:
Facebook, Internet, Cell Phone, Watching T.V,
Gossip, Movies, Problems of adolescence
(Boy-Girl friendship/relationship), Negative
influence of peer group, enjoyment in peer
group, Bad habits like smoking and others,
family problems, Influence of social and
political issues, etc.
The deviations have profound influence on
students when intrinsic motivation toward
learning is lacking among them

6. • Highly heterogeneous Groups
• Large Classes
• Different Learning Styles

7. In order to facilitate the learning outcomes
among students as per the course objectives,
the teacher has to equip himself with
• Subject Knowledge(Mastery)
• Pedagogy(Appropriate teaching methods)
• Technology (Appropriate) in Teaching
Ultimately, the students have to achieve
the expected learning outcomes.

8. Course objectives/
Learning outcomes
Strategies for
active learning by
students
Assessment Methods
(Formative, Summative)

10. Active Learning Phase
Active Learning : Definition
‘Active learning is defined as any instructional
method that engages students in the learning
process. In short, active learning requires students to
do meaningful learning activities and think about
what they are doing’
(Ref: Bonwell, C.C and J. A. Eison, “ Active Learning: creating
excitement in the class room”, ASHEERIC Higher Education Report No.
1, George Washington University, Washington, DC, 1991)

11. ‘Active learning is any thing course- related
that all students in a class session are called
upon to do other than simply watching,
listening and taking notes’
Active Learning : Definition
(Ref: Richard M. Felder and Rebecca Brent, ‘Active
learning an introduction’, Pdf document from
website)

12. Lecture
Reading
Audio-Visual
Demonstration
Discussion Group
Practice by Doing
Teach Others/Immediate Use of
Learning
5%
10%
20%
30%
50%
75%
90%
The Learning
Pyramid
Average Retention Rate

13. Appropriate combination of different
teaching strategies promotes effective
learning among students

14. Appropriate use of Active Learning
Strategies is likely to promote learning
in all types of learners

15. Famous mathematician G. Polya in his book (1944),
”How to solve it - A new aspect of mathematical
method” wrote
“A great discovery solves a great problem. But, there
is a grain of discovery in the solution of ANY problem.
Your problem may be modest; but if it challenges
your curiosity and brings into play your inventive
faculties, and if you solve it by your own means, you
may experience the tension and enjoy the triumph of
discovery. Such experiences at a susceptible age may
create a taste for mental work and leave their imprint
on mind and character for a lifetime.”

16. Some of the active learning strategies
• Learning by doing
• Learning through discussion among the
peer group
• Learning through analysing Case Studies
• Group Projects, Projects in Community
Service

17. • Experiential Learning
• Reflective Learning
• One Minute Paper during the
classroom interaction
• Open ended questions by
teacher
• Open ended questions from
students

18. • Question Bowl taken around the
class by the teacher or one of the
students
• Preparation of question bank by
students at various cognitive levels

19. • Use of Free and Open Source
Software (FOSS)
Spoken Tutorials of IIT Bombay(Web
site: www.spoken-tutorial.org)
• R-Programming
Learning by Doing

20. For 3D modeling: FreeCAD is the most important free
and open source alternative in place of commercial
softwares (ref.: University of Alaska, MIT,Virginia Tech,
Harward university, California Institute of Technology etc.)
• Octave is the Linux-community solution for MATLAB.
• SciLab is another alternative for MATLAB, very
strongly advocated by IIT Bombay and other
Institutions.
• FreeMat Provides environment similar to MATLAB
for data processing and analysis

21. Blender
An industrial design tool that is better suited to quick
ideation and rendering, Blender is free design
software for any purpose. Blender is an open
source project that aids industrial designers in
visualization.
Key Features:
• It includes a new, unbiased rendering engine, Cycles,
that offers ultra-realistic rendering.
• Comprehensive array of modeling tools for creating,
transforming, and editing models, including keyboard
shortcuts for a fast workflow, N-Gon support, edge
slide, collapse, dissolve, grid and bridge ll, and
Python scripting for custom tools and add-ons

22. Case Study as Active learning
Strategy
• Can be used in all subjects
• Social sciences, management,
Sciences, Engineering
• For learning at higher cognitive
levels

23. Small Group Projects
for Cooperative Learning
• Such projects done by the students
promote active learning and many other
inter personal skills.
• Scaffolding of the slow learners by the
peers is also possible.
• Interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary
projects related to real time problems lead
to innovations.

24. Q1 : Unknown Problem on a topic in the given
course is to be given by the teacher
Learning through discussion
1.Think- Pair- Share Activity (TPS)

25. Think Phase: Suggested duration -3 minutes
 Teacher’s activity: Teacher will pose the above
problem and ask every student to think and
analyse the problem.
 Students’ activity: Every student thinks,
analyses the problem.

26. Pair phase: suggested duration -5 min.
 Teacher’s activity:Teacher will ask the
students to pair up and have exchange
of their ideas and finally write their
analysis of the problem and also
plausible solution.
 Students’ activity: Students discuss in
pairs and each pair writes the analysis
of the problem and the possible
solution.

27. Share Phase: Suggested duration - 10 min.
 Teacher’s activity: The teacher will ask
each pair to present the solutions. He/she
will write different answers in brief on the
board, encourages further questions from
the students, facilitates discussion and
leads the students toward deep learning.
 Students’ activity: Students share their
ideas, ask challenging questions, come
out with original ideas and lead the entire
class toward deep learning.

28. At the end of this strategy,
 teacher and students experience
that new knowledge is constructed
in the class room by the students.
 Teacher plays the role of motivator
and facilitator toward deep learning.

29. How to promote learning
in slow learners ?

30. Variety of assignments of three different
categories, A, B and C.
Category A for every body in the class
(knowledge level only)
Category B also for every body in the
class (Understand level),
Category C (Apply level).
The students who are thorough with the
Category A and B should be able to
definitely pass.
A,B and at least 50% of C should be able
to get first division.

31. • Filling the gaps in pre requisite
knowledge by conducting a pre-test
before the beginning of teaching the
course and
• organizing peer-group instruction for
one or two classes to fill the pre-
requisite knowledge gap
• Tutorials in small groups(20 or less in
a group)

32. Guidance, Counselling and Mentoring

33. Active Learning Strategies for Subjects
in Social Sciences
Active Learning Strategies for Subjects
in Languages
Active Learning Strategies for Subjects
in Science and Engineering

34. Conclusion
A Teacher, who facilitates active
learning among students, becomes an
active learner himself. He experiences
grains of discoveries in many projects.
He mentors generations of students,
who can become innovators,
entrepreneurs, leaders, administrators
and teachers.
My tributes are to such great teachers.