Active Learning

Promoting active learning using ICTs

Karen Campbell, Memorial University of Newfoundland

Problem

Collaborative support, sharing, and communication among students and educators are necessary for success in active learning situations (Vonderwell & Turner, 2005). Instructors endeavor to deliver a full curriculum that may not leave time for students to develop an insightful understanding of the subject if there is no collaboration taking place (Pundak, Herscovitz, & Shacham, 2010). Pinheiro and Simões (2012) reported that active learning activities did not meet their potential for collaboration because students did not collaborate early and often enough. Instructors must be aware of the barriers that can inhibit collaboration and sharing in their classes or they risk reduced student motivation and initiative (Vonderwell & Turner, 2005). Collaborative groups require help with team skills, scheduling, audience engagement, and time management to be successful (Matveeva & Milter, 2010). Bodie and Powers (2010) recommend that educators, “identify the best way to prepare today’s students to become competent communicators” (Bodie & Powers, 2006, p. 121). While the students build working relationships in the construction phase of Kao, Lin, and Sun’s (2008) study, close monitoring of the participants is necessary to assure appropriate sharing occurs (Kao, Lin, & Sun, 2008).

Vonderwell and Turner (2005) found that teachers must offer feedback to their students in such a way that it fosters interaction between students and collaboration on the task at hand, “rather than giving the complete answer to a question requiring no further thought, which can itself be a barrier for active student learning” (Vonderwell & Turner, 2005, p. 82). Van den Bergh and Ros (2014) found that educators in their study believed in giving feedback during active learning, but in practice found it difficult to critique students during the process.