Active Learning: Why It Works

The concept of active learning is very intriguing to me personally, seeing as I myself have evolved greatly through my education in ways that go beyond what was taught in my courses. According to the University of Minnesota's Center for Educational Innovation, active learning is "any approach to instruction in which all students are asked to engage in the learning process." This is done via a number of activities students may take part in such as journals, group projects, presentations and much more. Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario provides a number of effective strategies for active learning which I believe from personal experience. One simple example is asking and answering questions, as it has been shown to promote interaction between teachers and students. Another example is holding discussions, whether in the classroom or remotely, as they challenge students to think critically and share their own perspectives on matters pertaining to what they are learning.

Using Padlet, I mapped out an example of active learning that really peaked my interest. In 2015, Coonley Elementary School in Chicago did a project where students from 1st to 7th grade, ages six to 13, were asked to write six-word statements on one of four prompts, including something they love about the school, what activity they really enjoyed that year, something about themselves, or advice for others. The results were put on 470 Google slides and three memoirs would be posted daily on the school's Twitter.

Image Source: Padlet Screenshot

The initiative done by Coonley was an example of active learning because it was done entirely through the lenses of the students, giving them the chance to demonstrate what they had learned during their academic year while giving their teachers the opportunity to view their pupils feedback and learn from it themselves. That is why I believe wholeheartedly that it is a worthy concept which all teachers should apply in their lessons, no matter the level of education. Simply put, it allows students to learn through experience and grow as a result of it.

Image Source: European Commission 

I myself have never worked in any setting related to education, at least one that involves teaching. I have, however, been involved in groups and activities which I believe serve as examples of active learning and its benefits. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, I was a "student mentor" at an extracurricular organization called Committee Representing Our Young Adults (CROYA) in Lake Forest, something I myself had been part of when I was in high school. My job was essentially to encourage students younger than myself to take part in group activities and solve problems by working together, all the while developing leadership skills, both on their part and my own. As such, I believe active learning is not confined to the classroom but is also a feature of everyday life even if it isn't always obvious. I have also taken part in activities back in college where I mentored elementary school students. That entailed helping the students in their classes by encouraging participation and helping them find ways to work with one another in various activities.