"Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do."
Goethe

Active learning promotes deep learning. Active learning can encompass anything from focused listening that helps students digest new information, to short writing exercises that helps students reflect and react, to group work where students collaborate and apply course content to real-life or new situations. Students who are active learners are more likely to prepare for class, make connections across topics, and carry what they’ve learned into the next courses they take.

Here are some simple strategies you can use to encourage active learning:

Wait time

When you introduce students to new content, give them enough time to think and reflect, and collect their thoughts. Research has shown that many faculty members give students less than a second to respond to a question. Some faculty members either rephrase the question or give an answer without student input. Next time you ask a question in class, try counting to 20 as you wait for your students to respond.

Focused listening

During a lecture students might not pay full attention. It is essential to help your students make the most of class time. If you are lecturing or using existing resources to present new information (e.g. by bringing a guest speaker, or watching an instructional video), try giving your students a few guiding questions in advance. Have students take notes individually as they listen, and then have them briefly review the material in pairs to identify questions and generate deeper understanding.

Check for understanding

Mid-way through class, or at any point that you complete the discussion of something complex, ask your students to jot down their ideas and summarize the main points up to that time. Then you can ask them to share with the rest of the class. Alternatively, you can use Poll Everywhere, display the students’ responses, and have a class discussion to reinforce the main concepts and clarify any points of confusion.

Boardroom technique

Allow students to demonstrate mastery by applying the new knowledge to a real-life problem or situation. Ask your students to generate a list of steps, create a pros and cons list on the topic, or develop a concept map. Students can also work on problems in small groups and then demonstrate a process to the rest of the class.

If you are seeing a theme here, it is this: Class time—time when everyone is in the same place—is limited. Giving students the material in advance frees up that valuable time for active learning—for creating opportunities for students to engage with each other, with you, and with the material.

If you are interested in delving deeper, please join your colleagues for a 10-day online extended conversation on ways to create A Flipped Classroom starting Wednesday, March 9th, 2016. We will use VoiceThread, an asynchronous discussion tool that is also available to all faculty for use in their courses. To register, please complete the form at http://tinyurl.com/flipped-nyit

Resources:

• Weekly Teaching Note: Educational Technology to Promote Student Engagement
• Weekly Teaching Note: Increase Student Engagement with PollEverywhere
• Weekly Teaching Note: Enhance student collaboration with Google Apps
• Teaching with Technology @ NYIT

Contributor:
Olena Zhadko, PhD
Center for Teaching and Learning
New York Institute of Technology
www.nyit.edu/ctl