#ukedchat Archive
Join teachers and educationalists for #ukedchat each Thursday between 8-9 pm GMT for Edu chat. Education news, resources, and @UKEdSch website with @UKEdMag
Thursday July 7, 2016 3:00 PM EDT
Good evening, welcome to 's active learning session
Here's Q1 What are your examples of active learning within your subject?
Might be interesting for participants to say what they understand by 'active learning'.
Active learning. Just call it learning.
A1 / Q1 Unfortunately, not all teachers think like this! (some consider learning as sitting behind desks)
Not at all, unfortunately!
- that is what this chat is all about!
Are we talking about 'physical' active vs sitting and learning.
Is indeed one of the views this 's session will take: physically (& mentally!) active learning!
How do you use your classroom to support active learning?
Is "activating didactics / activating work forms / activating teaching style" a better term?
Does one augment the other?
For me, active learning means forcing students to do something that demonstrates their understanding.
A1 Active learning is when the child is allowed to be involved in designing and leading tasks, when voice valued.
Q1 again. https://t.co/gLidR1KTXO
Good evening, welcome to 's active learning session
Here's Q1 What are your examples of active learning within your subject?
Active learning is when the learner is engaged in an activity that captivates and motivates
To avoid misconceptions: imagine yourself as a teacher sitting in a congress ... Have you got everything they say? Q1, Q2 coming!
cause the need for thinking!
The most popular active learning strategy in large lectures probably clicker/quiz questions.
A1 It's probably easier to notice inactive learning
what is inactive learning?
yes and might be easier to measure?!?
Agree! More you can make students active participants in their learning the better.
https://t.co/cQTTcwTblJ
A1 Active learning is when the child is allowed to be involved in designing and leading tasks, when voice valued.
Please, inlcude in your reply. It'd be a pity when useful content went off because of fogetting the hashtag!
Q2 What do you consider / have
you experienced as disadvantages of active learning?
Active learning means that students move beyond being passive consumers of slide shows
In that case Q2 is kind of self-evident. "What are the disadvantages to not learning?" errm
If you are joining in with tonight, remember to use the hashtag so everyone can see your tweets.
A1 We do by making sure all students/participants take part in activities that require movement & thought combined
One would not be learning then
a1 when children's ideas drive what is being taught and learned, where teachers teach to enable full participation.
motivation is key. Life is about when the need to learn takes over from the need to disengage. Cos we want to!
A2 Some children find it very hard to work without routines and get stressed if things are different
Really like this way of looking at
A1: the difference between engagement and excitement for more versus disengagement + behaviour that challenges
kagan is brilliant for full participation and to build confidence in shy students
A2: Wouldn't say there are disadvantages of AL, rather challenges in reaching and integrating every student in the classroom
and challenge too. Students feel more motivation when they know they are being pushed
Do you think that is true of all audio stimulus, or just listening to voices? There must be research on this!
^DH#WW2 Hollywood movies: compiling a list for my class-any suggestions? Here are some I've found: https://t.co/3kPyhdhgIC
A2: you can't fear the unknown! Needs to be exploratory and learner led. Be prepare to learn yourself!
Q2 again. https://t.co/0N2367tCQn
Q2 What do you consider / have
you experienced as disadvantages of active learning?
a2 no disadvantages, just challenges. Not all teachers can teach this way effectively. Some need lots of support.
very true, changing the 'routine' can really put some students off. But when done smoothly & in their interests it works
a1 when students lead the learning whilst teachers more like facilitators- min input from us & Max output for them
and it is actually listening and not just hearing
A2 the only disadvantage I can think of is extra prep for the teacher.
Is that a binary separation or are there shades of grey? https://t.co/RjIkT6vE7J
A1: the difference between engagement and excitement for more versus disengagement + behaviour that challenges
Does mean the disadvantages when kids are involved in activity>
And how can that support happen? Is there an approach of helping as colleagues?
This confuses active learning with discovery learning, for which there is little empirical evidence. https://t.co/lpnBc7vGwM
a1 when students lead the learning whilst teachers more like facilitators- min input from us & Max output for them
help colleagues by letting them see lessons where it's successful and reflect on own practice
Please, inlude the hashtag in every reply. Here's Q3 What are the
differences (if any) in preparing lessons with active learning?
Would anyone disagree that to learn one has to think? Does one also have to be in some way active (other than thinking)?
Q1 Active learning challenges students, involves them & gets them thinking, an essential skill for today's generation of learners.
thru ethos of being in a school that encourages it, peer observations, mentoring, sharing ideas,
Just made a Kahoot for move up day tomorrow - Easy for your new class to learn everything about their new teacher! 👍🏻👌🏻
When it comes to research, definitions are crucial. can help with discovery learning... https://t.co/2AMNa8bKxu
never heard of discover learning 😂 it's all semantics really
a shift in mindset when planning from what the teacher is teaching to what/how students are learning
researchers. It's not about right and wrong, it's about scientific study of concepts
Taking part in ? Remember to use the hashtag!
it's about making sure you plan for the pupils' voice to be visible & part of learning journey.
Incorporating active learning techniques does not only mean to think about WHAT you teach, but also HOW you teach it.
What happens if you omit 'active' from your tweet?
We've talking about active/passive learning. What about active and passive teaching? Thoughts?
Much, you'll see in the upcoming questions!
= activating work forms
The topic is "active learning" - not "discovery learning" - how is this not relevant to teaching? https://t.co/A3a75IzUAs
sorry but I can't see the relevance of this thread to teaching but thanks for the info.
What the hell is passive teaching?
Yes, to adopt this approach you have to be prepaered to learn and let students lead. https://t.co/lkjIggjgQa
A2: you can't fear the unknown! Needs to be exploratory and learner led. Be prepare to learn yourself!
Once again - this is discovery learning, not active learning. https://t.co/Asv9qYGvy4
Yes, to adopt this approach you have to be prepaered to learn and let students lead. https://t.co/lkjIggjgQa
A2: you can't fear the unknown! Needs to be exploratory and learner led. Be prepare to learn yourself!
I think getting students to engage metacognitively is key. More so than student voice which can be problematic
Not wanting pupils to mimic the teacher but to cause deep thinking that can be clarified by teacher not mimic t.
"What the hell?" is a question you'll ask yourself when you see Ts do it! Unfortunately, it happens, Peter!
HELP! What are we talking about, what's active learning? https://t.co/fek4EukgW7
but I disagree with your definition of AL which is fine. Agree to disagree 😀
You mean 'hands-off' teaching? Projects etc?
OOOH hate it when a typo appears on my tweets!!! Prepared not 'prepaered' !
reading out pages from a course-book or textbook is, in my humble opinion, passive teaching.
where the sole purpose of the lesson is to repeat the steps the teacher modelled...unthinkingly.
And unfortunately, it happens ... https://t.co/z3JxJPPZgJ
reading out pages from a course-book or textbook is, in my humble opinion, passive teaching.
by 's definition, that would be active learning.
Giving students teacher/peer coach roles can be very effective. They see learning from another angle & engage with mark criteria
's Q4 is coming up: How can you avoid chaos in an active learning setting?
A4 Good question. "active learning" activities must be carefully controlled by the teacher - not the students.
I think what is worst is 'independent' learning where students don't benefit from the expert in the room
Was just putting it out there as a question for peeps to interpret for themselves. I was thinking about self discovery.
oh to free kids from 'mark criteria'
which is, of course, completely different when using .
thinking more carefully about your questions so they encourage deep thinking
agree, funnily enough we are working on metacognition at the moment!
ummmmm...teach? Active isn't unstructured it's about causing thinking.
but you can make your own which can be so much more powerful and understandable than exam board gobbledygook
Interesting - different perspective! What is your definition of active learning?
Q4 Time and persistence. Establish expectations/norms and provide students plenty of opportunities to practice them.
Okay , but when thinking is challenged, more replies, reactions, etc. may come. In some classrooms, this leads to chaos
Genuine question, who was the last Education Secretary that had been employed as a teacher previously?
that's why the teacher needs to be an expert. Subject knowledge of subject crucial.m
so powerful when students make conscious design choices in their writing. Open up a new door of understanding!
A4 Pre-plan & be open about the objectives of the exercises. Best learning takes place when they know what & why they're learning
getting all students to respond to questions, e.g. whole-class quizzing rather than students raising their hands
In some teacher training programmes, being an expert isn't important anymore. Thank you for praising this again!
and damaging to students' learning unfortunately
This chat is evidence-based, not a scientific discussion of methodology. Moreover, it's July!
All the evidence points to the critical need for subject expertise
that's how kagan strategies can help as can lolly sticks so it's controlled chaos
I am so happy to hear this! . So true. I completely agree!
or why not just learn the stuff you're being taught?
Sorry, what? Scientists don't stop thinking scientifically in July. And what's evidence without science? https://t.co/4ddmLMCjHC
This chat is evidence-based, not a scientific discussion of methodology. Moreover, it's July!
Q4:Have never experienced chaos in the lecture hall when running active learning strategies. Often wish there was more enthusiasm.
allowing time for the learners to hypothesise, plan and try out what they are learning. Experiencing learning. I do ther4 I am!
not where we're from. Deep subject knowledge = freedom to teach https://t.co/98WnWWN64b
In some teacher training programmes, being an expert isn't important anymore. Thank you for praising this again!
You want learning to be in chaotic conditions?
great point - train them to do this well and the benefits can be huge
but as long as that doesn't mean elitism, our primary teachers love increasing their subject expertise. https://t.co/qdXFI0djK6
All the evidence points to the critical need for subject expertise
Yes, involving in thinking, engaging and being active.
I don't understand? What's the problem that it is July?
no! But! Sometimes the most successful ideas come from an open and free environment
Just say thinking. That does it.
Our research is now being used by ITT providers.
I think the latest Sutton trust doc on t&l puts subject knowledge 1st now
Would love to speak with someone who has been involved in creating their own MAT after operating as an independent academy?
and of course it depends what you design, put out and scaffold as your learning activity!
's Q5 How can you integrate differentiation into active learning?
Scaffold does not seem to match with chaos
Or, just, how can you integrate differentiation into learning.
Whar do you mean by differentiation?
Teaching jargon... Catering for the needs of pupils to maximise learning (in theory!)
of course u should. But it doesn't mean total control is the only way a classroom works and that's my point!
Differentiation= What's needed to access and what's needed to challenge more deeply? https://t.co/2JtjyQ0Z7L
's Q5 How can you integrate differentiation into active learning?
i will post an example tomorrow! Students def shouldn't be boxed in by Mark criteria but empowered
Where is that chaos/control line in your own teaching?
No. Not Learning Styles.There is no scientific evidence supporting the learning styles theory.
strategic pairing can work well to upskill weaker students during activities
just of the opinion that it is our job to be in control of leaning ...not same as controlling pupils thought
Q6 What's the role of technology and other teaching materials / aids in active learning?
there's a lot to be said for cil and experiential learning, immersive and fun
and getting all students to verbalize their learning with sentence stems/word banks if needed
Thank you for giving a scientific explanation
quite right please no more of this...diversion https://t.co/kTqsn5yFnf
No. Not Learning Styles.There is no scientific evidence supporting the learning styles theory.
or controlling the classroom. We get so focussed on that -we can forget the nature of a child
Not at all! I welcome this!
interactive displays are great scaffolds and extensions to frame thinking or writing
Q6 again
https://t.co/jS6KokvYXW
Q6 What's the role of technology and other teaching materials / aids in active learning?
agreed as those that work with us know but need to focus ps attention on what is available 2be learnt
Agree but also think that teachers can lead, explore guide and learn along with students too sometimes.
We'd love you to see your fave display - we're running a classroom display comp. Follow & tweet to win https://t.co/Y9QQRkTotP
interactive displays are great scaffolds and extensions to frame thinking or writing
Q6 - technology plays a critical role in allowing teachers to make stunning resources to promote active learning
RT dursonj: RT scatti1: Exe_Head motivation is key. Life is about when the need to learn takes over from the need to disengage. C…
The role of technology in learning should simply be to support it, and never to control, dominate, or distract from it
goes without saying, but isn't that our job? To design activities that promote 'active' learning!
what is kagan? If anything to do with Learning Styles, should be very careful in promoting this fad.
of course! But having the subject knowledge to be able to stretch & challenge at all levels is essential
I've got the same question
So true https://t.co/45xG3i9mro
of course! But having the subject knowledge to be able to stretch & challenge at all levels is essential
active learning, causing deep thinking. That's it. Just trying to make the point it can be simple.
It really empowers students and builds positive relationships. Last year my bottom set yr8 did amazing things!
Yes agreed, however in technology driven learning we also have to be prepared to learn from students too!
of course, and there are many ways for it to happen! Worth trying anything for some!