K2P 10 Active Learning

Overview of Active Learning in University STEM Teaching

• Lectures can serve various functions, including:

  • Inspiring interest in the subject matter.

  • Providing an overview of specific topics.

  • Assisting experts in deepening their understanding.

• However, passive listening in lectures can overwhelm students' working memory and does not facilitate lasting comprehension.

Active Learning Tasks

• Active learning methods are essential to simulate expert reasoning and provide timely feedback. Examples of tasks include:

  • Recalling Material: Have students reflect on previous class content.

  • Problem Solving: Start working on a problem or derivation step.

  • Visual Diagrams: Create free-body diagrams, circuit diagrams, or flow charts.

  • Real-World Applications: Connect the concepts taught to real-life applications.

  • Diagnostics: Diagnose real or hypothetical problems.

  • Predict Outcomes: Anticipate the results of experiments or system changes.

  • Sketching: Illustrate mathematical functions or solutions without calculations.

  • Critiquing: Analyze writing samples, data interpretations, or designs.

  • Quality Checking: Investigate discrepancies between theoretical and measured values.

  • Brainstorming: Generate a list of methods to approach a task.

Arguments for Active Learning

• This brief aims to:

  • Promote a shift from traditional lectures to more engaging teaching methods.

  • Offer classroom activities to increase student engagement and cognitive effort.

  • Discuss problem-based learning (PBL) methodology with an illustrative example.

• Rationale: Degree completion rates in STEM are significantly lower than in other fields. Emphasis on active learning has been shown to improve test scores and decrease failure rates across all levels (introductory, advanced, majors, and non-majors).

• Commitment to evidence-based teaching practices is essential for effective science education.

Implementation of Problem-Based Learning (PBL)

• PBL begins with a real-life case, motivating students to identify what they need to learn to resolve the problem.

• Steps involved in PBL:

  1. Read the Case: Discuss vocabulary and foundational concepts.

  2. Brainstorm Issues: Encourage free idea generation without judgment.

  3. Compile Ideas: Systematically inventory explanations from brainstorming.

  4. Formulate Questions: Identify questions for further research.

  5. Conduct Research: Individually research to answer the formulated questions.

  6. Present Findings: Share research insights and evaluate individual and group progress.

• Optimal group size is up to 8 students, with designated roles like leader and scribe.

• Effective PBL requires well-structured cases, accessible from established databases (e.g., sciencecases.lib.buffalo.edu).

PBL Structure and Duration

• A typical PBL cycle can span:

  • Initial Phase: 2-4 hours for discussions and case readings.

  • Independent Research: Few days allocated per case.

  • Conclusion Phase: 1-2 hours for reporting and evaluations.

• A colleague implemented PBL alongside lectures in a 5-week developmental biology course, providing real-world context to theoretical concepts.

Evidence Supporting Active Learning

• Research overwhelmingly indicates that active learning results in superior outcomes compared to traditional lectures across various learning domains.

• Recommendations for immediate integration:

  • Utilize discussion groups to enhance understanding, as shown in studies (e.g., Smith et al., 2009).

  • Inform students about the benefits of active learning to mitigate resistance to change from lecture-based formats.

• Data highlights: Freeman et al. (2014) found that active learning raised test scores by 6% and decreased failure rates by 33% in STEM courses.

Example Schedule for PBL Implementation

• Day 1: Introduction to PBL, Case 1 (steps 1-4)

• Day 2: Lectures, Case 1 (steps 5-6); wrap up

• Day 3: Start Case 2 (steps 1-4), lectures

• Weekend: Student research for Case 2 (step 5)

• Repeat for additional cases, culminating in a course review and exam reflections.