Slac

Learning is more effective when it is an active rather than a passive process

• Kurt Lewin

• Benjamin Franklin

• Confucius

• Mahatma Ghandi

"Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn".

• Kurt Lewin

• Benjamin Franklin

• Aristotle

• Franklin Roosevelt

Which of the following definitions best reflects this module's definition of active learning?

Would each of the following classroom events qualify as a good active learning practice, a questionable active learning practice, or not active learning as defined in this module? (Some of these questions are matters of opinion — we'll just give you our take, and if it differs from yours, no worries.)

• Students taking notes on a lecture

• All students in class being asked to speak, write, or reflect on something

• All students in class working in groups on an assigned activity

• All students being physically active in class

Answer explanation

Correct! Make sure you understand why the other responses are incorrect, and if you're not sure about any, click on their letters. Go to Question 2.

Instructor asks a question and calls on a student to respond.

• good active learning practice

• questionable active learning practice

• not active learning

Answer explanation

Correct! To qualify as active learning, all students in the class must be called upon to think about something (and then possibly do something with what they have thought of). In this example, the students (including the one called on) have no time to think, and so they don't.

Instructor asks a question, gives the students 10 seconds to work on it individually, then has them form pairs and gives the pairs 30 seconds to try to reach consensus on the correct answer, and finally calls on a student to give the pair's response.

• good active learning practice

• questionable active learning practice

• not active learning