Education life

1. Active Learning Methods
Training for School Supervisors and Inspectors
Addis Ababa City Administration
By: Wubante Mekonnen
Nov. 2020
KMU

2. Objectives of this training session
• Participants will be able to distinguish between
Teacher Center Learning (TCL) &Student Center
Learning (SCL)
• Identify the difference between Active Learning (AC)
& Active Learning Method (ALM)
• Analyze relationship between learners’ diversity &
curriculum
• Identify major challenges of effective use ALMs
• Forward suggestions to overcome the challenges
facing application of ALMs

3. Outline of the issue
• Brief Entry
• Major qualities Expected from teachers as professionals
• Categories of methods of Teaching and Learning
• Characteristics of TCL
• AL and ALM
• Philosophical foundation of Active learning
• Why ALMs ?
• Characteristics of SCL
• Types of ALMs

4. Brief Entry
• Paradigm shift from focus on instruction to
focus on student learning
(Ginnis,2002;Burnett,2002).
• Teachers should be more concerned with
how students learn as they traditionally have
been concerned with what & how to teach
(Bruer in Ginnis,2002;Bellanca,1994).

5. What are major qualities
expected from teachers as
professionals?

6. The major qualities expected from
teachers as professionals
• Knowledge of the subject-matter
• Skill of applying active learning strategies
• Preparedness /having plan of action
• Knowledge about the nature of learners
• Research skill/problem solving
• Have vision/farsightedness (Munroe,1973).

7. The major….
• Cooperating with others, respect others
• CPD (changing the gear)
• Commitment ,devote, perseverance
• Positive thinking, be courageous in
shouldering responsibility, be optimistic than
pessimistic(Khera,S.2002;Peale,N.,1990).

8. Categories of Methods of
Teaching and Learning
I. Teacher-centered methods
II. Student-centered methods

9. • What is teacher center
method?
• What are major characteristics
of TCL?

10. Teacher –centered methods
Encompass lecture, and teacher’s
demonstration.
Teacher is considered as the only source of
knowledge.

11. Characteristics of TCL
• Low level of student choices ;Students are
passive
• Power is primarily with the lecturer
• Assume students have little useful knowledge
• The course has specific objectives relating to
what students have to know for formal-
assessment
• Present facts to students.

12. Characteristics….
• Cover information that might be available
from textbook
• Structure the course to help students pass
formal assessment
• Provide information needed to pass formal
assessment
However, there are seasons when TC approach is even preferable to ALMs.

13. Active Learning & ALM
• Active learning is lifelong process ;learning
from environmental interaction through life
career.
• ALM is strategy of student- centered learning
with high learner’s commitment &
involvement(Melissa, et al,2012).

14. Philosophical foundation of AL
• Underlying philosophies of AL/SCL are
progressivism(Dewey,) reconsturctionism ,&
existentialism (Melissa, et al.,2012).
• These philosophies put basis for
Constructivism to emerge.
• Now a days, Constructivism is considered the
main spring board for AL/SCL.

15. •Why ALMs ?

16. Why ALMs ?
• ALMs are fit to raise student achievement
with strategies for every learner
(Ginnis,2002).
• One size does not fit to all.
• ALMs suit to students of d/t interest & d/t
pace of learning.
• ALMs contribute much to student’s deep
learning (critical thinking).

17. AL/SCL
• Students are expected to achieve 21st
century skills( life & career skills, active
learning & technology (ICT) skills(Melisa, et
al.,2012).
• This is possible through st’s engagement.
• Focus is on students’ learning &on enhancing
sts’ achievement than mere teaching.

18. Discuss the main
Characteristic of SCL

19. Characteristic of SCL
• High level of student choices;· Students are active
• responsibility to learn is primarily with the student
• STs develop communication with the
teacher ,&themselves
• Provide opportunity for students to reveal change
• Encourage students to restructure existing
knowledge with new knowledge(constructivism).

20. Characteristic….
• Set aside some teaching time for students to
discuss among themselves
• Use examples to provoke debate
• Students generate own ideas & notes
• Student reflection is emphasized.

21. Summary of Characteristics ALMs
Adapted ;Melissa,et al.,2012)
Increased
responsibility &
Accountability of
learner
Emphasis on deep
learning
&understanding
, higher order
thinking
An increased sense
of
autonomy in the
learner
Active rather than
passive
learning ,needs
reflection
Interdependence &
mutual respect
between
Teacher & learner
Does not have one-
size-fit-solutions/dive
rsity
ALM/SCL

22. Contd
• ALMs have got emphasis in EHE
proclamation(2009).
• T-L process shall be student-centered
• Creation of in-class & on- campus student
enabling environments
• Curriculum design shall focus on students’
knowledge &skills to bring about attitudinal
changes

23. Advantages of ALMs
• SCL enhances students’ knowledge retention and motivation to learn
• Retention
Lecturing
Reading 10%
Hearing 20%
Seeing 30%
See &hear 50%
60%,70%,80%,90%
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24. Contd
• To make ALMs more effective to raise
students’ achievement :
There need to be proper assessment on
the basis of students’ learning
experiences,&
Assessment should be based on
planned, well-defined student
assessment techniques .

25. Examples of Active
Learning Methods

26. Mind Map
• Mind mapping involves writing down a central
idea and thinking up new and related ideas
which radiate from the central idea. It requires
thinking of an idea and looking for branches
out and connections between the ideas –
mapping knowledge in a manner which help
understand and remember new information.

27. Mind Map
SPORT
Athletics
Football
Volleyball
Gymnastic

28. Think-pair-share
• "Think-Pair-Share" is an active learning strategy that
engages students with material on an individual level, in
pairs, and finally as a large group. It consists of three
steps.
1. First, the instructor poses a prepared question and asks
individuals to think (or write) about it quietly.
2. Second, students pair up with someone sitting near
them and share their responses verbally.
3. Third, the lecturer chooses a few pairs to briefly
summarize their ideas for the benefit of the entire class.

29. THINK-PAIR-SHARE
Think of
what you
know about
professiona
l
enhanceme
nt
Turn to a
partner
and
reflect
what you
know
Do you
have
anything
to share
with the
class?

30. Think-pair-share(Contd.)
• When used at the beginning of a lecture, a
Think-Pair-Share strategy can help students
organize prior knowledge and brainstorm
questions.
• When used later in the session, the strategy
can help students summarize what they're
learning, apply it to novel situations, and
integrate new information with what they
already know.

31. Think-pair-share(Contd.)
• The strategy works well with groups of various
sizes and can be completed in as little as two
or three minutes, making it an ideal active
learning strategy for classes in which lecture is
the primary instructional method.

32. Focused Listing
Take out a sheet of paper and list as many impact
of COVID-19 on education as you can

33. Brainstorming
How different is COVID-19 affecting girls in urban
and rural setting?

34. Brainstorming (Contd.)
• Like focused listing, brainstorming is an active learning
strategy in which students are asked to recall what
they know about a subject by generating terms and
ideas related to it.
• In brainstorming, however, students are encouraged
to stretch what they know by forming creative
connections between prior knowledge and new
possibilities.
• To initiate the strategy, the instructor asks students,
via a PowerPoint slide, what they know about a topic.

35. Brainstorming (Contd.)
• Students are instructed to begin with those things
they know to be true and systematically work toward
formulating surprising relationships they hadn't
considered before.
• Brainstorming can work well at the beginning of a
lecture to gain students' attention and prepare them
to receive the day's material, or it can be used at the
end of a lecture to summarize and help students
formulate connections between what they've just
learned and the world outside the classroom.

36. Brainstorming (Contd.)
• Like the previous strategies we've discussed,
brainstorming can be adapted to large or small
classes and can be completed in as little as a
minute.

37. Round Robin
• Students are asked to take turns responding to
a question or concept. All students must
answer.
• Use this method as alternative to brain
storming.
• Example: What should be done to help
students to reintegrate with schooling after re-
opening?

38. One Minute Paper
• One Minute Paper: Ask students to take out a
piece of paper and write answers to a
question within one minute. The question
could be about summary of previous lesson.
Example: What was the main point of
yesterday’s lesson?

39. Reading Quiz
• This is a way of forcing students to read
assigned material. This can be used as an
effective measure of student comprehension.
If you continue asking similar questions in
subsequent reading quizzes, students will get
a clue as to what information to look for in a
written material. The questions that appear in
the quiz might be asked to know which
student has read the material and/or

40. Action Research
Self-reflective enquiry (self & team learning
approach).
Directed to solve problems & improve
practice
Conducted individually or in groups
Helps to develop students’ reflective
capability

41. Balloon Game
 Sort of novel game through which sts can learn
 Students differentiate what are in the imaginary
balloon.
 Students discuss & decide what is to be thrown out
first from the balloon to keep the balloon from
falling.
 It contributes to the development of students’
discussion & decision making skills.

42. Buzz group
• Small clusters of students.
A teacher puts a question to generate many
ideas on an issue
Sts discuss within short period of time
(about 2minutes) & quickly respond.
This can be used integrated with lecture.
This can be used to students feel alert when
they are tired.

43. Case Study
A teacher provides a problem or
situation
Students search solution by
themselves.
Sts learn how to deal with a situation.
Enables students to develop problem
solving skills

44. Competitions
Students compete with each other
to complete a task to win & get
prize.
This can be a debate, problem-
solving contest
It initiates students to participate.

45. Comprehension Activities
• A teacher provides a material to
students.
• Students read or work on the
material and demonstrate that they
understood the material.
• It can take form of assignment,
homework, research , etc

46. Debate
• Discussion on controversial issue.
• The class is divided into 2 groups
supporting a side of the issue
• It has chairperson to keep order &
decide the winner group.
• Helps students develop skills of
speaking & reasoning .

47. Demonstration by students
• After the teacher has shown &
explained how to do something,
students demonstrate .
• Students are provided with
written instruction and materials
to demonstrate

48. Experiment
Taking a theory or idea and testing it.
It involves a very specific &controlled
method of procedure .
Students learn from what they carryout,
read, see ,and record.
From the recorded result, conclusion is made.

49. Fieldwork
• Students visit physical & historical sites.
• They are engaged in data collection.
• Sts write and present report.
• Discussion follows.
• Sts learn from the environment &each
other

50. Games
Ways of student learning & reviewing .
Games help students be alert participant in
case of explanation or action.
Teachers adapt games with the materials the
students learn or activities students perform.
Eg. Bingo ,group ‘pub’ competition quiz,
computer game, board game , etc

51. Gapped lecture
Combination of quick active learning
techniques with lecture method.
This breaks the monotonous lecture and
gives chance to students to participate.
After say 15 minutes lecture, students
continue with discussion, bubble
thought, questioning ,etc

52. Goldfish Bowl
• Select two students to sit back to back in the
center of the room with other students grouped
around.
• Each student is assigned a particular view to
carryout debate.
• If an other student wants to join in, he/she
replaces the one in the center.
• Each student should be replaced in turn.
• It is useful to discuss hot topic.

53. Hot Seating
A student is placed in the center of a group to
role play the character of famous persons.
Other group members direct questions to
the student in the center; he/she has to
respond.
After some 2 minutes change of student in
the center and the character is undertaken.

54. Icebreaker
• Is a quick activity for some 5 minutes at the
beginning
• It is intended to make students know each other,
come together, & create relationship.
• It is to break the ‘ice’ and create warmth.
• It has role in facilitating conditions for learning.
• It can be in the form of name games,
snowballing,& different games produced by
teacher

55. Independent work
• Takes forms of class activity, homework,
essay, research, experiment ,etc.
• Useful to discover things independently
• A student completes activity without
help from others.

56. Interview
• Invite other expert in your field as
guest speaker.
• Help students carryout interviews
with the guest.
• They exchange experiences and
learn more.

57. Jigsaw Groups
Divide students in small groups.
Provide an issue to work on.
Identify ‘specialist’ from each group.
Take one specialist from each group to
form new group of ‘specialist’ group.
This will create fit (jigsaw) of specialists.

58. Making model & Resources
Two ways of making models-by
students & by teacher.
Eg. Sts can be assigned to make
model of a globe or part of a body.
Teacher also produces models of
reality to show to students as
teaching resource.

59. Microteaching
This is when students try out d/t teaching
methods with a small group for 10-15
minutes for 1 student.
Sts give feedback on the mini lesson &
the method used.
It contributes to students’ skill of
planning & managing T-L.

60. Newspaper or Radio Reporting
Students are assigned to write a
newspaper report or design radio
program on a given topic
Sts should address who, what, where,
why, when ,& how ? of the report or the
program
Sts should follow format of news reports
& broadcasts; the report be informative.

61. Pair Discussion
Can be done with the student sitting
beside or pairs can work with students
they haven’t worked with before
Includes completing a task,& discussion.
This gives the chance to shy students to
voice ideas.
It also leads into a pyramiding activity.

62. Presentation
• Students will be assigned to prepare what they
present
• Sts present a topic in front of their class
individually or as a group.
• The teacher has to make clear the criteria
needed to develop &deliver effective
presentation.
• This helps students to develop skills of writing
& explanation.

63. Problem-solving or Project Work
Students are encouraged to find solutions
to problems by themselves under the
supervision of the teacher.
Sts do this individually or in groups.
Takes form of assignments, essays,&
research.
Helps students to understand &
demonstrate what they have dealt with.

64. In applying project
Teacher & students identify the component of
the project
Teacher outline marking scheme of the project
Teacher outlines what is expected from
students.
Teacher supervises & evaluates studens’
project plan & its implementation.

65. Questioning
Teacher puts provoking questions to revise
& to know whether or not students
understood what they have carried out.
Sts also ask questions.
This stimulates minds.
Questioning should target the lesson
objectives
Takes about 5-10 minutes.

66. Reflection
Is an activity that allows students to
take time ,think over, and respond to
what they have learned or done.
Reflection can be described using
thought bubbles ,or mind map.
This addresses strengths & weaknesses
of students, & area learned.

67. Spider Diagram
Is a visual representation of mind map.
Teacher divides a class into groups
Gives each group piece of paper & marker.
Gives topic to students ,& they write the topic in
the middle of the paper.
Students think as many ideas as possible related
to the topic,& write in circles around the topic .
Students join the ideas using lines to the central
topic.

68. Thought bubbles
Is a reflective activity.
A teacher asks a question
students write down a thought they have
regarding the issue
They stick it on a picture of a bubble, as if it was
coming out of their mind.
Teachers can use this as an introductory activity
telling students to write what they think they
want to learn.

69. Summary
• Identifying what TC and SC methods are &
distinguishing the difference b/n them is
important to make decision on what type of
methods to use.
• No single method is the best of all others; all
methods of teaching & learning methods are
good in seasons.

70. Summary ….
• On top of this , ALMs are suit to student’s
pace & capability of learning and they help to
develop students’ critical or reflective
thinking.
• But as the demand of raising students’
achievement with different strategies, ALMs
are preferable.

71. To support student’s work
• Encourage students to find things out &work
things out for themselves
• Encourage students to articulate ideas &
derive meanings
• Provide interactive feedback that is specific &
immediate
• Punctuate the learning (Jensen,1995 in
Ginnis,2002)

72. Cooperation for common goals ! Key to success

73. Think of the time mgt

74. Is it Buzz group discussion ?

75. Be Successful