The way in which learners are asked to engage with the material that is being presented to them is often the focus of different active learning strategies. Pairing and other small group activities are common, and they allow students to collaborate and interact with one another. There are also methods for targeting each learner individually, such as activities that help them identify what they want to get out of a lesson. Case studies and other real-world data collection methods can be used as active learning strategies to make information more relevant and meaningful.
Small group activities are one of the most popular active learning strategies because they allow students to collaborate on new material. A “think-pair-share” activity is one of the most common methods for accomplishing this. This usually entails giving students new information through a lesson and then giving them time to reflect on a question or other topic related to what they’ve learned. Students form pairs and share their thoughts and ideas about the question; these active learning strategies allow students to teach each other as they learn.
Individual active learning strategies are also available to assist each student in engaging with what they are being presented with. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways, but one of the most common is creating a “Know-Want-Learn” (KWL) worksheet. Students are taught to fold a sheet of paper into thirds; larger paper may be provided to make this easier and allow for larger columns. Each third of the page is labeled “Know,” in which students write what they already know about the subject; “Want,” in which they write what they want to learn about the subject; and “Learn,” in which they describe how they want to be able to apply what they’ve learned.
Case studies and other “real-world” examples of information for students can also be included in active learning strategies. This demonstrates to students that the information being presented to them is not intended to be isolated and memorized, but rather to be useful and actionable. Students can participate in this process conducting their own research and case studies, allowing them to learn new skills and information. These active learning strategies can also help students prepare for the types of research and work that will be expected of them in higher education, particularly in college and graduate school.