Teachers Quick Guide

10 ideas you can

use tomorrow to promote
active learning

Cheri MacLeod
Background
What is active learning?
Active learning is a simple process.
In active learning students do activities
such as reading, writing, discussion, or
problem solvingbut this is not busy
work. Being busy is not the same as
actively learning.
Activities are planned to support
making connections, critical thinking,
and analysis of course content.
More definitions:
From Cornell University
From University of Minnesota
Why bother with active learning?
Research has proven it is effective and
supports and reinforces learning.
It increases engagement and
motivation.
It provides a chance for learners to
think, talk about and work with course
topics and materials.
It develops thinking and learning skills
needed in the workplace and for
lifelong learning.
It is flexible activities can be
included in any lesson and can be long
or short, fun or challenging.
Introduction
Who is this guide for?
This guide is for teachers of adults and
teens. Having said that, many of the
ideas can easily be used as is or adapted
for younger learners.
Who am I?
I am an educator and teacher trainer
with over 25 years of successful
experiences in four countries. Read
more about me on LinkedIn.

Why did I write this Quick Guide? Creative Commons License

I have been teaching and providing
teacher training and support for over 25
years. During this time teachers have
often asked me for practical and
effective ideas that they can use right
away. So, I wrote this.
Contents

1. Think-pair-share 6. Two-stage Quizzing

2. Guiding Questions 7. Gallery Walk

3. One Minute Writing 8. Learner Questions

4. Games 9. Quotes of Note

5. Jigsaw 10. Interactive Lectures

1 Think-pair-share
This is probably the most
popular and commonly used
active learning technique.
It encourages deep thinking,
and can be adapted to any
topic.
How to
1. Provide an issue, topic or
question worthy of
discussion.
2. Ask learners to spend one
minute thinking (and
perhaps making some quick
notes about their ideas).
3. Ask learners to share their
ideas and reasoning with a
partner.
4. Ask pairs to share ideas
from their discussion with
the class.
5. Comment briefly on the
ideas, or better yet, ask
students to do so.
Examples: Ask learners to
discuss the topic and
identify steps in a process
choose between options to
answer a question
identify 2-3 key ideas that
learners need to understand
write a one sentence
summary
2 Guiding Questions
Guiding questions can make the
difference between wasted time
and real learning.
It requires preparing questions
and giving them to learners
before starting a learning
activity. Questions help learners
focus on what is important.
How to
1. Review course video,
reading or presentation.
2. Prepare 3-5 questions
about key points.
3. Give learners time to
review the questions.
4. Ask learners to watch, read
or listen and to keep the
questions in mind.
5. Give learners time to write.
6. In small groups ask learners
to share answers and their
reasoning.
7. Ask volunteers to share
answers and reasoning.
Examples: Use questions that
ask for
important ideas
steps in a process
real world examples
ideas they can use further
Optional Online Tools
TodaysMeet, AnswerGarden
3 One Minute Writing
Providing quiet time to think
and write is a simple way to
encourage thinking.
It requires choosing a topic or
question, and writing materials
(paper and pen OR mobile
device).
How to
1. Create a good question for
use at any point in a lesson
before/during/after.
2. Ask learners to spend one
minute writing down their
ideas or creating a mind-
map.
3. Ask learners to share their
ideas and reasoning with a
partner.
4. Ask pairs to share ideas
from their discussion with
the class.
5. Option: collect and review
and use 1-2 points to
introduce the next lesson.
Examples: Ask learners to
write about
what they already know or
want to know about a topic
what they found useful,
interesting or surprising
solution(s) to a problem
the key points all learners
need to recognize
4 Games
Learners of all ages love games
and they are great for active
learning.
Games require planning but
almost any learning activity can
be adapted into a game.
How to
1. Prepare 10-20 questions
that require solving
problems, gathering
information or identifying
correct answers.
2. Create small teams (so
everyone must participate).
3. Set rules for gaining points
(who can/must answer,
time limit, who judges).
4. Give a question.
5. Keep score and have fun.
Examples: Ask learners to
answer multiple choice
questions
give short explanations
give definitions
draw or label diagrams
make calculations
explain the best solution
find information in notes,
readings or online
Optional Online Tools
Kahoot, Socrative, JeopardyLabs
5 Jigsaw
This active learning technique is
modelled on a jigsaw puzzle.
Information, in any format, is
divided among learners and all
must share what they know to
complete a task.
How to
1. Choose a reading, set of
short audio recordings or
videos. Divide information
into 2-5 pieces.
2. Group 2-5 learners and give
each person a different
piece of information to
review.
3.
4.
Give learners a task.
Ask learners to share their
information with their
group to complete the task.
5. Ask groups to share ideas
with the class or collect
items for review.
6. Review learners ideas at
the start of the next lesson.
Examples: Ask learners to
complete a task
list steps in a process
draw a timeline
fill in a table of features,
benefits/challenges or
advantages/disadvantages
write a short summary
6 Two-stage Quizzing
This technique generates real
debate and discussion.
It requires preparing the
questions and giving learners
two opportunities to complete
the quiz.
How to
1. Prepare a quiz.
2. Explain learners will do the
quiz twice, once alone and
once with a group and that
they will get two marks.
3. Ask each learner to
complete the quiz (within a
suitable time limit).
4.
5.
Collect the quizzes.
Form small groups of 2-4.
Consider the best way to do
this (assigned, self-chosen).
3. Give groups one copy of the
same quiz. Ask groups to
discuss and complete the
quiz together.
4. Collect the group quizzes.
Suggestions:
explain group quiz scores are
usually higher for everyone
include a few challenging
questions
encourage discussion during
the group quiz
give 70/30% or 80/20% for
individual/group quizzes
7 Gallery Walk
This is a great way to get
learners out of their seats,
encourage thinking and
generate discussion.
It requires selecting and
displaying appropriate images,
documents or objects.
How to
1. Choose images, documents
or objects that learners will
examine, discuss, analyze,
compare, evaluate or
comment on. Display these
around the room or in a
hallway.
2. Ask learners to tour the
gallery (in pairs or groups)
and to complete a task.
3. Ask learners to discuss and
to share their ideas and
reasoning in their group.
4. Ask learners to share ideas
with the class.
5. Comment briefly on the
ideas, or even better, ask
students to do so.
Examples: Ask learners to
complete a task
identify differences
evaluate quality/features
discuss meaning
write ideas/comments on
chart paper beside items
8 Learner Questions
Creating great questions is a
good way to review and
encourages deep thinking
It requires only identification of
the topic.
How to
1. Identify an issue, topic,
reading, video or learning
material.
2. Ask learners to work alone
or with a partner, to review
the topic and to generate 3
questions that require
thinking and prepare a
model answer.
3. Ask learners to form groups
of 2-3, challenge others
with their questions and
review possible answers.
4. Ask volunteers to share
their best question and
answer with the class.
5. Ask students to comment
briefly on the ideas.
Examples: Ask learners to
create questions that
highlight important ideas
might be used on a test
promote thinking rather than
just remembering facts
require forming an opinion
or evaluating the quality of
an idea or practice
9 Quotes of Note
This is a quick and easy active
learning technique.
It requires learners to review
materials and to identify a
quote they find interesting or
important or that they would
like to challenge.
How to
1. Identify your source
material (e.g. lecture, video,
reading, listening).
2. Ask learners to review
materials and to identify 1-
3 short quotes.
3. Ask learners to share their
quotes with a partner and
explain their selections.
4. Ask pairs to share quotes
with the class.
5. Ask students to explain why
the most commonly chosen
quotes were selected.
Examples: Ask learners to
Read or listen and identify a
quote that is
important or interesting
insightful or useful
surprising
confusing or unclear
wrong or worth arguing
related to other topics
or current events
10 Interactive Lectures
Learners are better able to focus
and pay attention in short
blocks of time.
This requires reviewing the
material in advance, deciding on
how to chunk it and what to do
between chunks.
How to
1. Review the material and
identify how to group it into
chunks.
2. Decide on what to do in
breaks between chunks.
3. Put a note to yourself or a
special slide at each break.
4. Ask learners to do an active
learning activity at each
break (1-5 minutes).
5. Follow up or comment
briefly on the ideas
generated during the break,
or better yet, ask students
to do so.
Suggestions
break every 10 minutes
use slides as reminders
tie all activities to important
ideas, issues or chances to
do a task: calculate/draw/
write/list/read/find facts
choose any active learning
activity from this document
or look for more ideas online
Resources for busy teachers
Quick Guide: 10 ideas you can use tomorrow to
promote active learning

Mobile and Blended Learning which includes

Managing Mobiles
Classroom Ideas
Tech Tools
Quick Guide: Get started with mobile learning
tomorrow
Links (to more resources)
Images

All images are CC no attribution from Pixabay.com.