This document discusses active learning and different types of thought-stimulating activities that can produce meaningful learning, including direct learning, learning by discovery, and problem solving. It also discusses exploratory research, noting that its principal use is to increase understanding of a subject, though not draw definite conclusions. Exploratory research provides flexibility in sources and can help direct subsequent research approaches.

2. Whenever experiences stimulate mental
activities that lead to meaningful
learning, this is active learning. Mentally
active learning of ideas-and-skills can
occur in a wide variety of thought-stimulating
activities, ranging from direct
learning (of ideas that are explained in a
web-page, book, lecture, video, tv or radio
show,...) to learning by discovery (as in
doing an experiment and then trying to
discover your own explanations for what
has been observed), or in design projects
and other kinds of problem solving where
the learning cannot be defined as either
direct or discovery.

3. All of these thought-stimulating
activities can produce active
learning, because educationally
productive mental activity can occur
— with or without physical activity in
which you “do” something — during
a wide variety of mentally-active
experiences.

4. ADVANTAGE AND
DISADVANTAGE

5. Explanatory talks involve the teacher
lecturing the students. The students
either sit passively or take notes.
They are expected to absorb the
information given to them.

6. ADVANTAGES
Increasing Understanding
According to DJS Research Limited, the
principal use of exploratory research is to
increase a researcher's understanding of a
subject. It should not be used to draw
definite conclusions, due to its lack of
statistical strength, but it can help a
researcher begin to determine why and how
things happen.

7. Flexibility of Sources
Secondary sources, such as published literature
or data, are commonly used in exploratory
research. Other sources of information used in
exploratory studies include informal
discussions, formal structured interviews, pilot
studies or case studies. These might involve
customers, colleagues, patients or clients. Care
should be taken to select a range of unbiased
sources to give a broad and well-rounded
understanding of the subject.

8. Better Conclusions
Exploratory research can be very
advantageous in directing subsequent
research approaches. A greater
understanding of a subject helps hone
subsequent research questions and can
greatly increase the usefulness of a
study's conclusions

9. Strategic Planning
Exploratory research in some cases can
save a great deal of time and money by
flagging dead ends early. For example,
in drug development, exploratory Phase
II clinical trials give the expected
treatment effect and adverse reaction
profile of a drug in a small groups of
patients before moving into larger scale
trials.

10. Class Size
Class discussions become less effective
with a class size greater than 20 students.
As the class size grows beyond this point,
individual voices become unheard and the
opportunity for the class to get off topic
increases. Skilled teachers begin to notice
this problem with fewer than 20 students,
but with effective class management you
can hold your class together.

11. Few Dominate
The class discussion environment allows a few
individual students to dominate the class
conversation. This tendency benefits your
strongest students, the individuals already
most familiar with the subject. Other students
are able to relax into the background and
participate less often in the class discussion.
This freedom leads to a relaxation of their
student responsibilities. They are free to
assume that they can avoid studying, reading
assignments or individual contemplation of the
subject. This problem escalates as the class
size increases.

12. Time Consuming
The nature of class discussion makes
the process very time consuming.
The process of exploring a subject,
while keeping students on task in the
discussion, requires far more time
than classic lecture style instruction.

13. Off Track
Classroom discussions naturally open
avenues for discussion between
instructors and students but also
between students and other students.
While these discussions are the focus of
the class, they can turn toward areas
you do not intend and even move
entirely away from the point of the
discussion.

14. STEP
•Using the guide
Is to be used in interactive, ways to
promote in dept conversation and
thinking over a sustained period
about the concepts which build he
framework

15. •BELONGING& BECOMING
Both the framework and he guide are
design to engage educators in
critical thinking
•Think about
Explanatory information about the
section
•Talk and reflect about
Includes reflective question and
suggestion for going deeper

16. • TRY OUT
Possible entry points
• HEAR ABOUT
Stories and models practice
• FIND MORE ABOUT
Link to other resources. Photos are
included to illustrate the link
between the principle practice and
learning outcome

17. Writing Strategies
Objectives
Students will
Learn how descriptive words make stories
clearer and more interesting.
Write stories using descriptive words

18. Procedures
Have your students close their eyes and listen as you
describe a familiar object in the classroom. Ask students
to raise their hands if they think they know what the
object is. Ask students to list the descriptive words that
helped them identify the object.
Evaluation
Use the following three-point rubric to evaluate students'
work during this lesson.Three points: Students were
highly engaged in class discussions and partner readings;
demonstrated a clear understanding of the importance of
using descriptive words in writing; and wrote creative,
unique, and descriptive paragraphs that contained no
grammatical or spelling errors, and clearly identified a
particular item

19. Two points: Students participated in class
discussions and partner readings; demonstrated
a general understanding of the importance of
using descriptive words in writing; and wrote
somewhat creative
One point: Students participated minimally in
class discussions and partner readings; were
unable to demonstrate a basic understanding of
the importance of using descriptive words in
writing; and wrote incomplete or inaccurate
paragraphs that contained multiple grammatical
or spelling errors and did not clearly identify a
particular item or revealed the name of the item.

20. Academic Standards
Mid-continent Research for Education and
Learning (McREL)
McREL's Content Knowledge: A Compendium
of Standards and Benchmarks for K-12
Education addresses 14 content areas