5 Active learning strategies for use in the classroom

In this guide

• What are active learning strategies?
• What are the benefits of active learning strategies?
• Think-Pair-Share
• Peer teaching
• Problem-based learning
• International note taking
• Kinesthetic learning

What are active learning strategies?

Active learning strategies are strategies to educate students in a range of ways beyond simply listening, reading, and memorizing. The goal is to encourage students to engage with the material in a deeper manner to make the learning experience more meaningful. 

Most of us can probably think of a time when we really engaged in a topic on a level that made that information come to life and connect to other areas of our lives. For me, I remember talking about topics from my college Evolutionary Psychology course with my girlfriend (now wife) on the phone each night after class. I still cite some of those studies and concepts to this day. The simple act of explaining it to another person helped cement that knowledge into my long term memory.

Unfortunately, all of us also have multiple examples of times where we ‘learned’ something and then had little to no understanding or memory of it soon after. We are simply overloaded with information each day, so, if we passively approach new knowledge then it is much more difficult to make sense of it and retain it for later use.

Classrooms utilizing active learning methods focus on thinking, discussing, investigating, and creating. Students are asked to play an important role in the learning process rather than simply consuming information from an instructor. 

When students are given the opportunity to analyze, make decisions, and form unique opinions they are able to reason, experience and link how the information relates to their own identity and background. In this setting, the information adds value to their lives and they are able to add value back into that subject matter.

What are the benefits of active learning strategies?

Active learning strategies add energy and engagement into the classroom environment but also provide numerous academic and social advantages for students. This approach can help create an environment of learners who feel more empowered to take control over their own learning.

Prince (2004) found that active learning leads to deeper cognitive engagement which helps improve understanding. This, in turn, results in the ability to apply knowledge in a variety of contexts. He identified collaborative group work, problem-solving, and peer teaching as powerful ways to improve learning outcomes.

The Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning identified the following reasons for teachers to use active learning with their students:

• It helps students reflect on their own understanding of new information.
• Connecting new concepts to prior knowledge allows students to construct their own meaning.
• Increased collaboration among students promotes a sense of community and belonging that can support motivation levels.
• It reduces barriers for participation, especially for students who are less inclined to speak up or talk in class.
• It provides quick and clear feedback on student progress with new information.

It is hard, if not impossible, to learn most things when we are not actively engaged. Active learning strategies help make sure students are not passive recipients of information. These methods help students understand their critical role in effective learning.

1) Think-Pair-Share

This strategy is one of the many amazing thinking routines created by Project Zero at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education. I love this activity because it works for almost any age of student and in any subject. Plus, it takes relatively no time to set up, so it is easy to implement at any time.

After introducing a topic or new information, simply give each student a short period of time to think about what they just learned and write down some of the most critical points or ideas. Feel free to insert a more specific question related to the material if you want to guide students in a certain direction. Then, have each student find a partner and give them time so that each individual can share what they came up with during the ‘Think’ step.

Use this strategy when covering especially complex information or topics that are very open to interpretation. It helps students process information and form opinions in a fairly low stakes environment. In fact, I use this to prepare for full class discussions because I have found students are more comfortable participating in a large group if they have already had a ‘practice’ with a partner ahead of time. 

If you teach a government or civics class, Think-Pair-Share is perfect when covering landmark Supreme Court cases like the ones included in Bill of Rights: Homework Help. A great way to introduce this strategy, especially for younger students, is to explore some of the topics in the Celebrations, Commemorations, and Festivals since there are a ton of fun videos that make it easy to get them talking.

Just be careful not to overuse this strategy or it can lose some of its impact. You will know that your class is just going through the motions on this activity when all of the comments start sounding the same.

2) Peer teaching

Full disclosure: I love this activity because it takes some of the pressure and burden off of me in the classroom. 

There are a lot of different brains in the room so why should it only be mine explaining things? Plus, every time I use this I hear a novel way to explain concepts that I can steal to use in the future!

I use this every year in my U.S. History and Design course while covering the U.S. Constitution. Instead of a long, boring lecture about some really important yet complex aspects of American government, I put students in groups and assign them different parts of the Constitution to research and understand.

Each group member is then responsible for teaching the rest of the group about their assigned section as well as answering any questions that come up. Next, I ask each group to create a visual presentation to showcase to the rest of the class. Groups need to determine the 5-6 most important parts or aspects of the Constitution and then come up with a creative way to represent those using only visuals.

The beauty of this approach is that repetition is built into the process with multiple groups presenting, but also, each group brings a unique angle or flavor that keeps the subject matter fresh. Plus, the student voice is honored because we get to hear what they value the most about American democracy while seeing a bit of personality along the way.

My colleague uses a similar approach when covering new math concepts in class. Each group is given a problem and then students try to initially solve it individually. Then, groups compare answers and processes before deciding which one they feel is the best. Finally, each group shares their experience with the rest of the class. He has found that student explanations are sometimes more powerful than the ‘expert’ ones he provides since it is easier for students to relate to their peers than their teacher.

3) Problem-based learning

No matter which subject I am teaching, I try to make sure authentic and actionable problems are at the heart of what students are working on. All too often, we ask students each year to solve the exact same problems that every student the year before was asked to solve. On top of that, they tend to be problems that are specific to the class content and do not relate to issues our students are encountering in their lives beyond school.

Most of us like to solve problems because it makes our lives easier or more enjoyable. At the same time, solving problems just to solve problems seems like an exercise in futility. If the content we are asking students to learn does not help them solve meaningful problems then can we really be surprised when they are disengaged at school?

Problem-based learning is similar to project based learning in that students work through a series of steps with multiple revisions to create a final product that has some value beyond a grade. The difference is that problem-based learning starts with the ‘problem’ and is not specifically identified by the teacher. The goal is to help students solve a relevant problem using the course curriculum.

In our new Algebra and Design program, my colleague and I are helping students create a budget for the future to ensure they can afford to live the life they want to live. Each student is on their own mission to identify a job and prioritize expenses to make sure they reach economic stability. Throughout the unit, I focus on job exploration and design skills while my partner covers the math and spreadsheet skills needed to create a clear and comprehensive plan.

Since it is the first project for the students in the year we include additional support and guidelines, but at the end of the day students get the chance to explore what they want to do and how they can make the numbers work. In my opinion, that is a pretty significant problem to focus on. This is our first year doing it but we are already seeing amazing levels of engagement. My colleague even got a standing ovation at Back to School Night from the parents of his class.

If you are new to problem-based learning, How to Plan and Facilitate Online Problem Based Learning Tasks offers some excellent advice and ideas on how to get started.

4) Intentional note taking

Note taking is one of those skills that many people take for granted. Because it seems fairly simple and straightforward we assume everyone knows how to do it. Just because students can write information down does not mean they are actually enhancing their learning.

Collaborative note taking is one way to make the experience more active and beneficial. This is where one or more students share a document to record their notes. Students can annotate and/or correct the notes of their partner to ensure the process involves more than simply regurgitating words onto a page.

A technique our school adopted years ago and is emphasized to all of our new 9th grade students is Cornell Notes. No student is required to use this system but we have found that teaching them this strategy sends a clear message that note taking should be a cognitively active experience. 

Cornell Notes: Active Learning provides a great overview of this method and the advantages that it offers. In addition, there is a helpful template included to help students get off on the right foot when learning this new skill.

5) Kinesthetic learning

My 11 year old son has a 2-hour class where they are not allowed to get out of their seat the entire time. Some kids abused the bathroom pass and now no one is allowed to even go to the bathroom during class. Unfortunately, my son is a rule follower so he does not want to stand up for his rights.

I know this is an extreme example but kids are sitting way too much at school. Although most active learning strategies refer to cognitive actions, including physical movement has immense academic and behavioral benefits. 

Research has shown that kinesthetic learning improves learning outcomes and on task behavior as well as increasing students’ positive perceptions of class (Sauro, 2022). These benefits tend to be even more pronounced for language learners and at-risk students.

Learning stations are a really common way to designate different parts of the room for different activities. This approach ensures students are not stuck in one place the entire day and also helps them associate specific tasks with different locations.

Vertical whiteboards get students on their feet and also helps make learning more visible. Ask students to work on a problem or share their opinions on whiteboards around the room to inject some movement into the learning experience. Then have students walk around the room to check out what their classmates came up with. 

Another fun way to increase energy and physical activity is to play a game of charades. This is great for covering vocabulary but also works well in history classes to review important figures. Again, the individual touches and ideas students come up with make this one not only physically active but also cognitively.

There are a lot of great reasons to use active learning strategies but perhaps the most important one is that kids like them. If you are getting an academic benefit along with a behavioral one it feels like a win-win situation!

Remember, these methods do not require an entire class period or day in order to see an impact. Quick little 5 minute activities can provide major improvement to the learning experience and outcomes. 

References

1. Active Learning. (n.d.). Derek Bok Center, Harvard University. Retrieved October 14, 2024, from https://bokcenter.harvard.edu/active-learning
2. Prince, M. (2004, July 1). Does Active Learning Work? A Review of the Research. College of Engineering. Retrieved October 14, 2024, from https://engr.ncsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/drive/1smSpn4AiHSh8z7a0MHDBwhb_JhcoLQmI/2004-Prince_AL.pdf
3. Sauro, K. (2022, June 23). The effects of incorporating kinesthetic learning on learning outcomes and on-task behavior. Digital Commons @ Cortland. Retrieved October 13, 2024, from https://digitalcommons.cortland.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1154&context=theses