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Creating a Dynamic Active Learning Environment

The active learning classroom can be likened to a chameleon, constantly adapting and transforming. What you observe at 9 a.m. may appear entirely different in a matter of minutes, and this transformation is not chaotic. It is the result of teachers and students customizing their environment to align with the active learning approach being employed.

This ability to swiftly adapt is a fundamental aspect of fostering active learning environments in K–12 classrooms. The importance of recognizing that active learning pedagogy matters and how designing a fun, flexible educational space using school classroom furniture helps teachers integrate active learning strategies (ALS).

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What Is Active Learning?

In simple terms, active learning employs student engagement as a method of instruction. It is an instructional approach that prioritizes students’ involvement in both practical tasks and critical thinking.

According to Professors Charles Bonwell and James Eison, who coined the term “active learning” in their 1991 book, “Active Learning: Creating Excitement in the Classroom,” this approach emphasizes the importance of students actively participating in their learning experiences.

The professors accurately articulated what subsequent research has confirmed: students who are enthusiastic about learning and engage in a variety of activities are more actively involved in their learning process. Consequently, these engaged learners tend to acquire knowledge and skills more effectively. This approach contrasts with merely providing instructions on how to bake a cake; instead, it involves demonstrating the process and allowing the student to attempt it independently or collaboratively with classmates, simulating the operation of a real-life bakery.

The Actions of Active Learning Classrooms

Take a glance inside a classroom. Are the students visibly engaged? Have they rearranged their desks, tables, chairs, and tools to collaboratively tackle an assignment? Are they actively involved in the learning process? Alternatively, do they sit passively in rigid desks, absorbing knowledge without active participation for prolonged periods?

Extensive research indicates that learning should not be a passive observation. Both students and teachers thrive in classrooms that embrace an active, student-centered approach grounded in constructivism. In this approach, students take an active role in constructing knowledge while teachers guide and facilitate the learning journey. Upgraded_classroom

Active learning strategies involve students in activities that go beyond passive listening, reading, or watching. The objective is to facilitate a deeper understanding of the subject matter and foster connections both with the material itself and with their peers. These strategies emphasize the engagement of students in real-life tasks to enhance their learning experience.

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Students engaged in ALS might be:

  • Talking with each other in small groups or having large-group debates
  • Doing think-pair-share activities or peer teaching
  • Role-playing
  • Involved in game-based learning
  • Conducting experiments and demonstrations
  • Creating in a makerspace classroom or a STEM classroom
  • Doing something physical and moving around the room

What is critical in all of this, is what they’re not doing, which is sitting in uncomfortable desks and chairs, facing forward and listening to the “sage on the stage”.

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Active Learning Benefits

Educators are increasingly recognizing the favorable impacts of active learning compared to traditional methods such as lectures, particularly as they address the learning gaps resulting from the post-pandemic period. There is a consensus that active learning not only fosters the development of the “4 C’s” (critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity) but also encompasses additional benefits.

ALS Helps increase:

  • Critical thinking, higher learning and problem-solving skills
  • Learning retention
  • Collaborative learning and interpersonal communication
  • Creativity and innovation
  • Self-confidence and adaptability
  • Enthusiasm in both students and teachers
  • Motivation to learn
  • Instant feedback and improvement