5.1 What is active learning?[EN]SM2

THE SYLLABUS DESIGN CONSTRUCTION

WHAT IS ACTIVE LEARNING?

INNOVATION IN TEACHING

What is active learning?

Definition

The term "active learning" was coined in the 1980s by Revans (1983). It is defined as a dynamic learning methodology that exchanges knowledge and its diffusion among community members to solve real problems. It is sometimes referred to as action learning.

From its first appearance, the concept has evolved in the following ways:

Info

In this video, we summarize the six key points of active learning, focusing on the experience and what it should provoke in the recipients.

To summarize, active learning is an approach of how "to learn by interacting with others, mobilizing personal resources as well as defined and complex knowledge, under contextualized and challenging conditions" (Jerez et al., 2017). This requires:

Designing class objectives and activities (i.e., the ways in which teachers instill competencies in students)

Learning actions that are focused on what the student must do to learn

Assessment activities (i.e., learning outcomes and effects)

Carrying out actions that impact student learning

Making small changes to generate big impact

Any activity or methodology that meets these six criteria described follows this approach.

Evolution of the concept of active learning

Author

Definition/Implications

• Bonwell, C. & Eison, E. (1991)

• Active learning involves students taking actions and reflecting on what they are doing. For its development, the subjects are expected to go from simpler tasks to more complex tasks.

• Prince, M. (2004)

• An instructional method that engages students in the learning process.

• Vos, H. & de Graaff, E. (2004)

• Occurs when the students is an active participant. Requires a lot of physical and mental activity and is encouraged by an educational environment that promotes the development of students' cognition and metacognition development.

• Stark, S. (2006)

• Freeman, S., Eddy, S., McDonough, M., Smith, M., Okoroafor, N., Jordt, H., Wenderoth, M. P. (2014)

• Used when there is a need to find solutions to real problems.

• Canu, M. Duque, M. & de Hosson, C (2016)

• As opposed to an expository class, active learning integrates a wide and diverse range of student-centered activities.

• An instructional method that involve students in their learning process and allows them to build knowledge.

• A pedagogical method that encourages and engages students to actively participate in learning.

• Ito, H. (2017)