2.2 Active learning techniques
Active learning includes virtually any activity in which students reflect, discuss, write, draw, or solve problems. Active learning often involves collaborative group work, but also includes short activities in which students think or write independently. Some activities are straightforward and require just a few minutes (for example, draw or write a prediction), while more complex activities (such as simulations or case studies) may require an entire class session or more.
The scope of this set of notes does not allow for a detailed discussion of every possible active learning technique. Only a selection of common techniques are discussed below. These techniques are shown in Figure 1 below. There are many variants of active learning; be creative!
Figure 1: Examples of active learning techniques.
Note:
Should you wish to explore a more extensive database of active learning methods and examples, you are encouraged to visit Harvard University’s ABLConnect active learning resource.
As with all lesson planning, you should determine your learning objectives for a particular class before choosing any active learning techniques. What concepts are most important? What level of mastery is expected? What types of skills should students practice? Identify activities that will help students engage with essential concepts and build desired skills.
2.2.1 Concept maps
A concept map is a visual tool used to show the relationship between concepts. Typically, an instructor provides students with a list of terms or concepts. Students generate a concept map by arranging the terms on paper, drawing directional arrows between related concepts, and writing a phrase over each arrow to describe the relationship.
Figure 2: An example of a concept map. (Source: “concept_map_lrg” by Flikr user Jean-Louis Zimmerman used under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 license)
Through this process, students enhance their learning and develop, or strengthen, higher-order thinking skills. Without a firm understanding of the given concepts, students are unable to propose or identify possible relationships between them. Concept maps also give students an opportunity to make new connections between concepts that may not have been made explicit (Handelsman, Miller, & Pfund, 2007).
Ultimately, concept maps act as a spatial representation of a student’s cognitive framework. In many cases, there is not a single “right” answer to a concept map. Rather, the goal of creating a concept map is for students to become aware of, analyze, and depict their understanding of a topic, theory, or group of concepts.