Improving Student Learning and College Teaching

Howard Community College Improving Student Learning and College Teaching
	By Dr. James Bell, Professor of Psychology with help from the HCC Faculty October 1998

Active Learning

Ideas on Active Learning

Ideas from Chapter 7 "Promoting Active Learning In Psychology Courses" (McGovern, 1993, pp. 83-214)

"Instructors must also help students in all disciplines in higher education to develop skills to adapt to a rapidly changing, inter-dependent world. Individuals are required to think critically and to synthesize large quantities of new information, to be sensitive to diversity, and to develop attitudes and skills that promote lifelong learning (National Institute of Education [NIE], 1984). However, reports on the quality of education in the United States [4 reports are cited] point out that there is too much information being offered to students and too little attention being paid to the strategies for learning, inquiry, and problem solving. To enhance the quality of education, instructors must broaden their repertoire of pedagogical techniques to include strategies that foster critical thinking and problem-solving skills and that instill a willingness and motivation to continue learning beyond the classroom (AAC, 1985). . .

"To meet these challenges for enhancing the quality of education, advocates for educational reform have included among their recommendations the need for teaching that stimulates active learning. The NIE's 1984 report, Involvement in Learning: Realizing the Potential of American Higher Education, promoted active learning as the number one priority in American higher education, noting that it is crucial for the development of higher cognitive abilities. It is possible to integrate active pedagogical methods for teaching, learning, and assessment into all courses...active learning accounts for only a small part of the pedagogy in the typical college course (NIE, 1984). There is no indication that psychology teachers make any greater use of active learning than other instructors, although pedagogical resources exist for the psychology teacher and current psychological theories of learning and cognitive support its use. . . .

"Too often students play a passive role in college courses. Studies using in-class observers report that the lecture occupies as much as 80-95% of class time, regardless of class size (Eble, 1988, Lewis, 1982, Lewis and Woodward, 1984). . . an over reliance on the lecture method tends to foster passivity on the part of students. Using a variety of teaching styles can increase student involvement (NIE, 1984) and can accommodate the diverse learning styles [of] students . . . (Kolb, 1984)."

"Active learning exercises increase the cognitive demands on students. They produce intellectual discrepancies that motivate the development of improve cognitive abilities such as critical thinking (seven sources are cited)....In short, strong evidence supports the value of active learning for students and faculty. That evidence comes from studies investigating active learning methods such as writing to learn, critical thinking, and cooperative or collaborative learning. . . . Writing assignments are a traditional technique for active learning. . . . Group projects, exercises, or discussion groups are excellent opportunities for active learning."

Activities Discussed in the Above Sources

Audio visuals, brainstorming, class discussions, computer usage, cooperative learning, debates, demonstrations, discussions, feedback lecture, field experiences, field trips, games, group activities, jigsaw groups, laboratories, lectures/modified, library assignments, making visual aids, pair learning, question raising, research, role playing, self assessment surveys, simulations, small group discussions, student research, surveys, taking notes, tandem-quizzes, tandem-testing, think-pair-share, undergraduate teaching assistantships, use primary sources, visual aids, visual projects, writing exercises.

Active Learning: Ideas on Active Learning | Sources on Active Learning

Ideas to Improve Learning: Lecturing | Cooperative Learning |
Teaching Enrichment | Active Learning | Expectations of High School Graduates

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Last updated on 28 Aug 2003
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