{"id":5021,"date":"2018-03-19T14:23:18","date_gmt":"2018-03-19T21:23:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/teachinginhighered.com\/?p=5021"},"modified":"2018-03-20T07:30:54","modified_gmt":"2018-03-20T14:30:54","slug":"active-learning-resources","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/teachinginhighered.com\/2018\/03\/19\/active-learning-resources\/","title":{"rendered":"Active Learning Resources"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Photo by Rick Mason on Unsplash<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Each time I have been able to talk with an expert about how they are making learning active in their classroom, I have walked away from the conversation inspired.<\/p>\n

I have been contemplating putting some guidebooks together that curate content from Teaching in Higher Ed<\/a> (past podcast episodes and blog posts), as well as from other sources. Rather than waiting until I take action on that, I put something together in a blog post.<\/p>\n

Here are some ways to leverage active learning in your teaching:<\/p>\n

Learn About Learning<\/h2>\n

Before attempting to modify how you teach, it is well worth spending time discovering what the research says about how we learn. When Saundra McGuire was on the show to share about her book: Teach Students How to Learn<\/a>, she reminded us that \u201cLearning is a process, not an activity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Episode #132 with Saundra McGuire: Teach Students How to Learn<\/a><\/p>\n

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Saundra Y. McGuire on Teaching in Higher Ed #121<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Saundra also stressed how important it is for us to believe in our students' capacity. When we believe that they are capable of great things, it translates into our teaching.<\/p>\n

Another resource that has been recommended many times on the show is:<\/p>\n

Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning<\/a>, by Peter C. Brown, Henry L. Roediger III, and Mark A. McDaniel<\/p>\n

Get Started<\/h2>\n

It can be overwhelming to think about completely altering how we teach. Instead, think small and start with a few approaches that can yield big results. In James Lang\u2019s Small Teaching, he provides ample techniques we can use. One of his many approaches that keeps rattling around in my brain involves prediction. I try to regularly ask in my classes now, “…and what do you think happened next?” – “…what do you think would happen if…” – “…when this company did that, what results do you think they saw?” and so on…<\/p>\n

Episode #92 with James Lang: Small Teaching<\/a><\/p>\n

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James Lang on Teaching in Higher Ed podcast #92<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

James also wrote a series for The Chronicle on the first five minutes of class<\/a> and the last five minutes of class<\/a> as other ways to do small teaching<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Cathy Davidson gives us even more ideas for getting started with her post:<\/p>\n

What I Wish I Knew When I Started Doing Active Learning<\/a><\/p>\n

Gather Your Tools<\/h2>\n

You don't have to use technology to get learning more active in your classroom. Even something as simple as a\u00a0sticky note offers plenty of opportunities to engage<\/a>. One approach often used in STEM classes (but one that works in any kind of class) is called peer instruction. Peter Newbury shares <\/a>about peer instruction on episode\u00a0#53<\/a>.\u00a0Another method is known as retrieval practice<\/a>. Pooja Agarwal recently came on Teaching in Higher Ed to share about the science behind retrieval practice<\/a>. Here are some tools I use for both peer instruction and retrieval practice in my teaching:<\/p>\n