Powerful Active Learning with Tact

 

So, what exactly is active learning, and how does it differ from passive learning? The teaching techniques used in active learning are learner-centered rather than teacher-centred: the emphasis is on nudging students’ thinking processes in class rather than simply allowing them to absorb the presented information. In other words, active learning is a learner-centred instructional approach in which students participate or interact with the learning process rather than passively taking in information. Furthermore, teachers serve as facilitators of learning rather than knowledge distributors.

 

Active learning approaches place a greater degree of responsibility on the learner than passive approaches such as lectures, but in an active learning setting, instructor guidance is still essential. Active learning activities can last anywhere from a few minutes to an entire class period, or they can span multiple class periods. Active learning differs from “traditional” modes of instruction in which students are passive recipients of expert knowledge.”

WHY IS ACTIVE LEARNING SO POWERFUL?

1- Develops collaborative skills

The majority of active learning strategies are built on collaboration. Students with only exam and essay writing experience will be at a disadvantage in today’s increasingly team-oriented workplaces. The skills are necessary for collaboration in the workplace are developed by students as they work together in breakout groups.

2- Encourages risk-taking

Since it’s simple to take notes in class or to zone out until the talking is over, students may at first resist the shift to active learning. By encouraging risk-taking, active learning forces students to step outside of their comfort zones. They will develop confidence and self-possession as they become more at ease discussing their ideas, defending their conclusions, and building on each other’s thoughts.

3- Requires student preparation

There were probably classes in college that didn’t require much daily effort beyond simply showing up to class. If you hid in the lecture hall’s back rows, the professor probably should have noticed if you were sleepy or uninterested. And it’s even simpler to tune out now that many classes are offered partially or entirely online. No one is invisible in an active learning environment, though. Students are more motivated to arrive in both mind and body when they haven’t taken the time to prepare because it is obvious when they haven’t.

 

4- Improves critical thinking

The capacity to recognize a reliable source or spot a flawed argument is only becoming more crucial in a world where fake news has entered our daily discourse. By actively engaging with sources and perspectives, active learning shifts the emphasis of learning away from passively (and possibly uncritically) absorbing information. Additionally, when students exchange ideas, they develop stronger arguments, challenge assumptions, and develop the ability to spot logical fallacies.

 

5- Information Retention

Students recall approximately 10% of what they read, 20% of what they hear, and 90% of what they do. Active learning classrooms, well, they’re more active. To solidify their learning, students frequently apply their ideas, work on collaborative projects, or use approaches such as design thinking or the agile process.

 

6- Increases the power of technology

Many active learning classrooms are equipped with tools and systems that put students at the center, in contrast to lecture halls, which frequently have displays that students don’t get to use and audio systems that only pick up a presenter’s voice. Check out Tact Device for more information on the technology you can include in your active learning space.

 

7- Sparks creative thinking

Creativity is one of the most essential skills required for the future workplace, but it is also one of the most difficult to teach using traditional methods. Active learning teaches students that creativity develops through effort and hard work, rather than the Eureka moment. Students gain a better understanding of how individual reflection and collaborative exchange can lead to better ideas and more novel solutions to problems as they practice flexing their creative muscles.

 

 

Thankfully technology has made Active Learning methods more robust and powerful. Introducing Tact Device to the Active Learning process boosted the idea of being interactive. This is the reason why Interact Labs invented and developed the Tact device, it helps students interact with the lecture and the instructor through the scientific material that is subject to learn. This is possible because the device can transform any display space into an interactive smart display that allows students to access the web and interact with each other within the lessons/lecture introduction in a way that fosters all Active Learning methods and claims all benefits. You can learn more about the Tact Device by visiting our website