The Online Active Learning Resource
Over time the Active Learning Network has accumulated masses of resources that can help us as educators engage ourselves and our students in active learning. On this page we share some of those of the resources.
Assessing reflection
We enter into higher education to learn something new; deepen our understanding of a field of knowledge and research. However, learning is a skill in itself and in order to improve our capacity to learn we need to reflect on when and how we learn.
Our students’ ability to reflect on their learning is something we can assess. Through assessing it we can develop the skill of learning within our cohort.
Here are some useful links in assessing reflection:
Student guide to reflective writing (University of Salford)
The Reflection toolkit (University of Edinburgh)
Using Reflection for Assessment (The University of Iowa)
Assessing Reflection (Barbara Glesner Fines) 2014
Reflecting: journals and learning (b)logs (The University of Warwick)
Active Report Writing
How do we make the process of writing an academic report “active”? That has been a question bugging us for a while but we think we have something that works. We would welcome any feedback on this – its a project still very much in its infancy but the slides that we presented recently at Harper Adams University are here
Experiential Learning of the Embodied Kind
Handout for Experiential Learning of the Embodied Kind June 2018
Resources from Tess Lyons and her elementary school students: Please take a look! Thank you!
Tess Lyons has been working with her students on Digital Citizenship and wanted to pass on another source that they’ve been using a lot that they think https://activelearningnetwork.com visitors may enjoy as well:
https://www.quickbase.com/resources/articles/fun-educational-software-games-for-kids
A useful resource for active learning shared by Kenneth Nordvik from Tutank Active Learning in Norway
Even numbers are RED and Odd numbers are BLUE.
Square numbers are written in BLACK and the most challenging hard core of
the multiplication table is outlined in a YELLOW frame with the 7×6, 8×6,
8×7 and 6×7, 6×8, 7×8.
Download pdf for free and print out as large wall posters or on paper
sheets for the students. Parents with Kids in School are also welcome to
download The Tutank Multiplication Table for FREE for their children
Resources from the 2nd Active Learning Conference June 2018
2nd Active Learning Conference June 2018
Resources produced during ALN Sessions
Meeting 5 – Tuesday 6th March 12:00-13:30pm, Essex House 133, University of Sussex
Meeting 4 – Tuesday 6th February 12:00-13:30pm, Essex House 133, University of Sussex
Meeting 3 – Tuesday 5th December 4-5.30pm, Essex House 133, University of Sussex
Feedback: Exploring the transition from FE to HE and ways to improve and develop feedback mechanisms.
Google Hangouts Video Conference Link:
Key points from the discussion and relevant resources will be added to the Padlet wall, which can be viewed here:
Meeting 2 – Wednesday 15th November 2-3.30pm
Object based learning
Key points from the discussion and relevant resources will be added to the Padlet wall, which can be viewed here:
Padlet Wall for Object Based Learning
Meeting 1 – Tuesday 10th October 4-5.30pm
What makes for good teaching? Community Research into Pedagogy using Brookfield’s Critical Lenses.
“The most important aspect to excellent critical practice involves going beyond the collection of feedback (from self, student, peer or scholarly lenses) by altering teaching methods and goals, documenting those changes and any progress toward goals, and becoming a student-centred, flexible and innovative teacher” (Stephen Brookfield, 1995)
During the session, we discussed possibilities for conducting research on our own teaching practice. We discussed using Brookfield’s Critical Lenses as a framework for viewing our practice from a variety of perspectives. Key points from the discussion and relevant resources were added to the Padlet wall, which can be viewed here:
https://padlet.com/tabbetts/communityresearch
We also created a series of surveys in Google Forms which can be used for collecting data from self-reflection, peer feedback, student feedback and reflection on pedagogical literature. You can request access by contacting us.
Form 1: Self-reflection Form for Teaching – Google Forms Survey
Form 2: Peer Review Form for Teaching – Google Forms Survey
Form 3: Lesson Feedback from Students Form – Google Forms Survey
Form 4: Reflecting on Literature Form – Google Forms Survey
Approaches to Active Learning
Flipped Learning – an approach to teaching which ‘flips’ learning by delivering subject content outside the classroom (through videos, podcasts, reading, etc) and using in-class time to focus on teachers supporting students through active learning tasks which might traditionally have been thought of as homework to be done outside class.
Team-based Learning – Team-based Learning (TBL) is a form of flipped learning involving individual and team multiple choice tests, based around a three-step cycle: preparation, in-class readiness assurance testing, and application-focused exercise. For technologies which can help with this process, check out this link at the Learn TBL website. Twitter: @TBLearning
Object-based Learning – Object-Based Learning (OBL) is a student-centred learning approach that uses objects to facilitate deep learning. Objects may take many forms, small or large, but the method typically involves students handling or working at close quarters with and interrogating physical artefacts. The objects are brought into the learning environment for small group teaching or large group lectures. In this way, the use of objects can act as multi-sensory “thinking tools” to promote learning and engagement. (source: Object Based Learning, Teaching and Assessment Essentials at Sheffield Hallam)
Discovery Learning – an inductive approach to learning through guided discovery, in which students are given resources and/or an environment to explore, and with guidance from the teacher who observes, gives feedback and asks questions. Approaches vary from, on one end of the scale, giving students almost complete control to experiment freely, to, on the other end, scripting a series of carefully guided prompts to guide students through a desired sequence of learning experiences.
Just-in-time Teaching – Just-in-time teaching (often abbreviated as JiTT) is a form of flipped learning that uses feedback between classroom activities and work that students do at home, in preparation for the classroom meeting. The goals are to increase learning during classroom time, to enhance student motivation, to encourage students to prepare for class, and to allow the instructor to fine-tune the classroom activities to best meet students’ needs. (source: adapted from Wikipedia)
Peer Instruction – Peer instruction is an evidence-based, interactive form of flipped learning popularized by Harvard Professor Eric Mazur in the early 1990s. Originally used in many schools, including introductory undergraduate physics classes at Harvard University, peer instruction is used in various disciplines and institutions around the globe. It is a student-centered approach that involves flipping the traditional classroom by moving information transfer out and moving information assimilation, or application of learning, into the classroom. There is some research that supports the effectiveness of peer instruction over more traditional teaching methods, such as pure lecture. (source: adapted from Wikipedia)
Jigsaw Classroom Technique – The jigsaw technique is a method of organizing classroom activity that makes students dependent on each other to succeed. It breaks classes into groups and breaks assignments into pieces that the group assembles to complete the (jigsaw) puzzle. It was designed by social psychologist Elliot Aronson to help weaken racial cliques in forcibly integrated schools.(source: Wikipedia)
Problem-based Learning – Problem-based learning (PBL) is a student-centered pedagogy in which students learn about a subject through the experience of solving an open-ended problem found in trigger material. The PBL process does not focus on problem solving with a defined solution, but it allows for the development of other desirable skills and attributes. This includes knowledge acquisition, enhanced group collaboration and communication. The PBL process was developed for medical education and has since been broadened in applications for other programs of learning. (source: Wikipedia)
Activities
Active Learning Exercises on Wikipedia
Active Learning Strategies – UC Berkeley Center for Teaching and Learning
Tools
Below are some useful digital tools that I have been using with our Foundation Year students this term. If you know of any other apps that might prove useful, please do let me know and I will add to the list.
- Video: You can make a video of your group answering some questions, it could be a video of a member of faculty giving a two minute summary of their research (prior permission must be sought), it could be a video of some pictures of keywords with your group explaining the significance, etc. You can use You tube or Moovly (http://www.moovly.com) which allows you to use library images as well as your own images to create content. There is an interesting app called Vialogues (https://vialogues.com) which allows you to select from their bank of videos, a YouTube video or your own video and create a public or private dialogue around it. You could make a video with questions attached using Vizia: https://vizia.co/ or use an existing video and adapt it as an interactive learning tool using edpuzzle: https://edpuzzle.com/.
- Animation: Videoscribe anywhere is a free app that enables you to produce little animations to illustrate key points or to summarise the main points of the paper. It could also be used to illustrate the word of the week/terminology/theory of the week. You can subscribe for a free trial on the web too but the app is free forever more (http://videoscribe.co). There is also the Powtoon app (https://powtoon.com) that allows you to make animations from a template. These can be exported to Youtube or as a powerpoint file.
- Podcast: Answer some guidance questions and record your answers, post an opinion, discuss as a group, one of the more controversial aspects of the topic and record your discussion, explain a key concept. Audioboom is an app that is free to download and will allow you to record and upload your podcast with ease.
- Screencasting – use chrome to make a screencast (https://www.screencastify.com). You can download the basic software for free and it allows you to record what is happening on your screen with an audio explanation. You can also use an app called Jing (http://www.techsmith.com/jing.html). This will allow you to capture videos up to five minutes long. Why not make a tutorial for others to learn about the seminar content?
- Make a poll – particularly useful if you want to gauge opinions on a relevant issue. You could try Poll Everywhere (http://www.polleverywhere.com) or Google Forms. Both are free. You could then make your post the following week, the results of the poll. You could also use Plickers (https://plickers.com) which is a quizzing or polling tool that will allow you to ask multiple choice questions to groups of up to 63 at a time. Try using Answer Garden to get feedback on an issue or question you have: https://answergarden.ch/.
- Quizzes – try online quiz creator to make a short multiple choice quiz. Fantastic for exam revision as long as you make the questions tricky. You could also try Kahoot (https://kahoot.it). It again is free and you can make quizzes that people can play together using their mobile phones. You had a taste of this with Megan Hurst in her guest lecture last term. Alternatively you could make a flashcard quiz using Quizlet (http://quizlet.com). You could construct your own multiple choice questions using Synap: https://synap.ac/.
- Online mind maps– Mindmeister (http://www.mindmeister.com) and Bubbl.us (https://bubbl.us) are both free apps that will allow you to make snazzy looking mind maps- how about selecting some of the essential reading and making a mind map to summarise the key points? You could do the same for the lecture or for the seminar reading.
- Infographics– If you are feeling adventurous, how about making an infographic? The app Easel.ly (easel.ly) is a free app that will allow you to quickly and easily create your own infographic. Why not summarise the main points of the paper or make an infographic to show how the story of the lecture unfolded? You could also use Piktochart (http://piktochart.com) which has lots of templates and easy drag and drop, point and click features.
- Make a magazine– using the app Flipboard (https://flipboard.com), why not create a magazine to post on the padlet wall? You can select relevant news stories and just click on the + button to add to your magazine.
- Find a photo that relates to the current topic and either explain why you chose it or ask people to comment on how it might relate to the topic- get people thinking. You could create a digital story using photos or try out some photojournalism! You can use Flickr (https://www.flickr.com) or Photos for Class (http://www.photosforclass.com) or Pexel (https://www.pexels.com) or Instagram (http://instagram.com) to source your photo or perhaps you have one of your own.
- Make a tagboard using an app of the same name (https://tagboard.com). This allows you to search a hashtag and create a board of the results from across different social media. You can then embed your board into the padlet wall.
- Make a Thinglink: For the ambitious, why not try making a Thinglink? This is an interactive visual resource which allows you to add links, YouTube clips, pictures, videos, and embed them into one image. Give it a try: https://www.thinglink.com).
- Make an online story: Use https://www.sutori.com to make an online story relating to the week’s topic.
This list will continue to grow- if you know of a useful app, let me know and I will add it to the list.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Links:
Georgia Tech – Active Learning Workshop – Lots of ideas for how active learning tasks can link to different levels of thinking skills based on Bloom’s taxonomy.
Learn TBL – A great introduction to Team-based Learning (TBL) with a wealth of ideas for technologies which can help with implementing TBL pedagogy.
The Active Learning Network 