Teaching using active learning

Why should we use active learning? Students find it ‘engaging’ and ‘enjoyable’ The focus is on the students themselves rather than the teacher Students who actively engage with the material are more likely to be able to recall information (Bruner, 1961).

Active learning

Why don’t we use active learning? It takes more time to plan activities Some content must be taught the traditional ‘didactic’ way Too much active learning can become repetitive rather than a healthy balance of the two approaches As teachers, are we guilty of standing and talking for too long? Are we sometimes guilty of liking the sound of our own voices too much? 

Starters

The ‘1 minute’ brainstorm Students or pairs of students asked to write down everything they know on a topic in one minute Could award a prize for the student with the most points

What did you learn? Students to write down the learning objectives or what they can remember from the previous lesson

Guess the lesson objectives Students are told the nature of a topic and/ or given books and asked to summarise what they will be learning about. Could be extended so students pair up to discuss answers then several pairs selected to report back to class

Review Questions / Exam Style Give students a handout containing review questions and/or exam style questions (or have on desk) as they come into the classroom Encourage students to make a prompt start (Included as an example of a commonly used didactic approach)

Delivering new content

Didactic approach Even though this style is not active learning this approach is included because it is effective to combine the two styles. Could use to deliver some background content before an active learning approach, and always use to summarise the key points afterwards. Also effective to deliver some content in this style before mini plenaries Not all content can be taught through active learning Using this approach helps avoid repetition

Teach a partner Students put into pairs Students given two different paragraphs and given time to prepare Students teach each other the paragraphs (not just recall) Can extend by having a collaborative question or task and moving students. Teacher picks several students to summarise the two paragraphs back to class

Students to summarise to class Students to read a paragraph or section of the study pack Using a random name generator select a student to summarise the key points back to the class Ask another student to summarise what the first student said

Think-pair- share (paragraph) Students given the same paragraph and asked to highlight the key points Students then combine in pairs to discuss the key points Teacher then picks one or more students to report back

Jigsaw Set up ‘expert groups’ of information Assign pupils a number eg 1-4 All of the 1s will then go and work together, all of the 2s etc. After 10 minutes you will be told to return to your home group. Each member of the group takes it in turn to feedback what they have been doing as a ‘RoundRobin’ or ‘question the expert’ can extend by coming to a group decision about an agreed outcome

Question the Expert Class split into 4 or 5 groups Students select one student to be the ‘expert’. Other students are given a paragraph to read. The teacher then gives a short explanation to the ‘experts’ who go back to their groups and teach the same explanation. Extend by including a collaborative task

Exam Technique

Think – pair – share (Exam Q) Pairs of students given a different exam question to answer Students then explain to each other how they have answered the question Students then mark each others answer using mark scheme and explain to each other. Select one or two pairs to summarise back to class Could use same exam question

Reverse Questions Students are given the mark scheme and asked to come up with the question it was based on Students then pair up and discuss answers (or questions!) One or two students then selected to feedback to the class

Group work / Stations Students work as pairs or in groups of 4 Each table works on a different task. E.g. Cut up a mark scheme and students have to match up the questions to answers Students then move tables, or the activities are passed around.

Snowballing / Rainbowing Put students into pairs and ask them to discuss and complete a task e.g. What is the best exam question Then pair teams up with another pair to discuss the task Then students move into another group and discuss their findings or method e.g. What is required in a good exam answer. At this point ensure students are placed in different groups (use colours) Could extend by asking group to feedback to class

Leading Questions Students work as pairs, each student given a list of questions with model answers. Students take it in turns asking each other the questions and directing each other to the correct answer by giving clues. Could use model exam questions. Give a demonstration first.

Exam paper gallery Cut an exam paper up into sections Put different questions around the room with a mark scheme (or put mark scheme at the front) Students to move round independently and mark own work

Scaffolding Place several review questions (starter or plenaries) around the room – include a mark scheme Students to move around and practice answering the questions Students then pair up, and are given a set of the questions each to test each other

Timed Exam Questions Set a time limit on exam questions (one at a time) At the end of each question go through the mark scheme and allow students to self-mark

Mini Plenaries / Afl

Think-pair- share (Key points) Students to summarise the key points from the lesson or part of a lesson Students to pair up and discuss these key points One or two students then randomly selected to summarise this back to the class.

Think-pair- share (Questions) Students given a set of questions to think about independently (could be the learning objectives) Students to pair up and discuss their answers One or several students selected to summarise their answers to the rest of the class

Think-pair- share (Q + A) Students to come up with one question and one answer based on the lesson or part of the lesson Students to pair up and ask each other their question (could repeat) One or several students then selected to report back to class

True or False Students given a piece of text to read independently They then combine with a partner to decide on true or false statements. Then teacher takes feedback.

Gallery Several questions posted around the room e.g. 6-8 Students asked to walk round and stop on a question of their choice (need at least one student on each question) Students asked to summarise answers

Post it! (Questions) Students write down one or several questions on post its All the post its put on the whiteboard Students then select a post it and answer the question

Split Group Questions Display several questions to the class and ask students to choose only one to answer Select students to summarise their answers back to the class

Learning Activities

Discussion Students given time during a presentation to discuss their opinion or knowledge with each other Can give points to discuss on slides One or two students randomly selected to feedback

Role Play Ask students to come up with their own role play or perform a set role play to model a process.

Practical Work Practical work in Biology allows students to get ‘hands on’ and engage with the material Demonstrations can also be used to illustrate key points

Modelling Modelling is another ‘hands on approach’. E.g. Students to build the structure of a protein using a modelling kit

Memory Students get into groups of 3’s Make two student’s the ‘architects’ and one student the ‘team leader’. The leader’s have to view a diagram under a time limit and return to the group explaining how to draw the diagram. Only the architects can draw.

Students to present (groups) Students put into groups and asked to prepare a short presentation on a topic Ask each student to speak for at least 30 seconds Allow time for students to ask questions

Peer or Self Marking Students take more responsibility for their work Helps students to become more familiar with mark schemes Allows teacher to set more work (as marking is reduced)

Group Brainstorming Class of students shown several different questions or themes to brainstorm. Group of students brainstorm one of the questions on a piece of A3 Brainstorm posters passed around different groups with chances to add to or disagree with other groups brainstorms

Discussion Ladders (Debate) Select a controversial topic Put students into two lines facing each other Give them a set amount to time to argue in favour of one side then swap – students must listen when not their turn Then students move down a place and argue again Then students move down a place and argue the opposite way

Ceph method Students given questions to ask based on a powerpoint lecture Could have question ‘points’ in the powerpoint labelled Students have to ask the question in the correct place during the presentation.

Home and Away Students put into pairs and given 5 paragraphs each (different) Students work independently and draw a picture based on one of the paragraphs Students then have to guess each others picture and explain why they have drawn what they have drawn, allow students to see other paragraphs Then students move to another pair and repeat

Post it! (Points) Students write down several points on post its. All the post its put on the whiteboard Students then view group answers

Scenario Students given a role e.g. Doctor and have to decide on the best strategy Give students a range of options to discuss

Feedback Have three posters of A3 around the room, entitled What helps me learn What I have enjoyed What I would like to be different / improved Ask students to go around and write answers on them.

Games

Splat! Students put into two teams Students go up against each other to answer a question First student to splat the whiteboard is able to answer 2 points for a correct answer, 1 if its passed across

Jeopardy Students answer questions in teams to score points Use mini whiteboards http://www.superteachertools.com/jeopardy /

Quiz Busters Two teams answer questions to win squares. The aim is to make a line across. All students answer on mini whiteboards with two team captains making the decisions http://www.teachers-direct.co.uk/resources/quiz-busters/

Bingo Students given cards with different key terms on Only one card can win Teacher reads out descriptions

Speed Dating Give students set questions and answers, and move along the line to a timer Students have to ask each other questions to build up a tally The ‘couple’ with the highest tally wins

Hangman Students put into two teams (boys and girls) Leader from one team plays other team Turn is passed over when students cant get an answer

Who am I? Students work in pairs Each student is given a name or description that they have to guess. Questions include ‘I’m I found in the nucleus?’ The other student can only answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’. The first student to guess their name wins. Can be played in small groups

Plenaries

Quiz 1- 10 Students to number 1 – 10 Students answer questions read by teacher Students give themselves a mark out of ten and teacher asks for a show of hands who got 5 or more, 6 or more etc.

Mini Whiteboards Students answer plenary questions using mini whiteboards

Answer the learning objectives Students to ‘answer’ the learning objectives at the end of a lesson Could then pair up to compare answers (optional) Several students selected to summarise answers

Questioning Technique

Questioning Use a random name generator Ask students who don’t have their hands up! Once a student has given an answer, ask another student to summarise what they have just said. Questions can be used as a behaviour management technique

Teaching Tools

Random Name Generator http://classtools.net/education-games-php/fruit_machine

Shuffle! Every other student (or students who you want separating) is asked to stand up Students then told to walk round and count 4 seats and sit down Effective for ‘think – pair – share’ as students have chance to talk with ‘new friend’ and ‘old friend’

Youtube Countdown Clock 30 Second countdown - useful for quickly directing students to collect/ put away mini whiteboards or put lab coats on.

http://www.vickiblackwell.com/timer.html