Definition of Active Learning

Students involved in learning

Student engaged in the subject matter

Making students responsible for their own education

An environment, not a technique

Teaching orientated journals, interpreted the following teaching approaches, with a similar definition – active learning or problem-based learning or discovery learning or hands-on learning – same approach, difference in interpretation

“To implement active learning, is where active learning is a general term encompassing an teaching style that maximising student participation in the learning process” ~ (Johnson & Malinowski, 2001)

“Active learning is generally defined as any instructional method that engages students in the learning process.”

“The core elements of active learning are student activity and engagement in the learning process.”

“Active learning is often contrasted to the traditional lecture where student passively receive information from the instructor.”

 

“Active Learning is a more natural way for children to learn. It engages the children in their learning, because it allows them to learn from experience. What they are learning makes more sense. It is also easy to cater for all levels of ability."

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In today’s society there is no one meaning or interpretation on this teaching strategy. How you see, use and implement a teaching strategy relies on multiple elements; your personal teaching style and philosophy, your classroom and schools philosophy, the diversity of student in which you teach, school resources available, and the varied learning capabilities of your student learners all guides how we interprete the Active Learning strategy.  

Above lists multiple interpretations of defining the teaching strategy Active Learning.

This link below is a YouTube clip of another interpretation of Active learning.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsDI6hDx5uI

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My interpretation as an educator of active learning is to ensure that my teaching encourages student to put effort into their learning, to give opportunities for practice and to provide positive and constructive feedback on performance.  I believe that if these underlying fundamentals are implemented into my teaching, then I have made my first step to ensuring active learning is occurring within my classroom. 

Active learning is about engaging the learners with the curriculum material being learnt.  Active learning requires the students to take ownership for learning, not just the teacher.