Active and Passive learning
It is important to understand the differences between passive and active learning when analyzing educational settings to better comprehend instructional styles. This week we discovered that passive learning involves receiving information in a manner that does not mandate the learner’s participation in the process. Examples of this are watching videos, reading a book, attending a lecture etc. Contrastingly, active learning entails the process where learners engage with the material being presented, such as problem-solving, group discussions, puzzles, etc. Active learning is generally considered more effective in promoting long-term learning retention since active engagement allows learners to develop a deeper understanding of the material (MIT OpenCourseWare, 2015).
Reflection
When thinking about my learning in this course, I will admit that the high amounts of active exercises have allowed me to not only grasp educative concepts but apply them within educational situations. For example, I would have surely obtained a less profound understanding of the SECTION and TPACK models if I had simply watched a lecture on these subjects instead of creating an educative video myself. Additionally, When I compare learning tactics between my courses, I notice that this course offers the most opportunity for active learning. My other classes consist primarily of lectures covering the course material, with some group discussions, but do not require students to apply the course content in an active manner. As a result, I tend to feel educated with the matter on paper but disconnected when trying to conceptualize it within the real world.Â
I believe there should be a greater push for active learning within school settings. I can understand that it may come naturally for teachers to conduct lectures when explaining information; however, they can significantly heighten the learning experience by creating room for organized interaction or scaffolding. An example of this is the benefits derived from the bi-weekly blog posts required within this course. When first introduced to the instructions for blog posts, I had the initial drive to write summaries and analyses of the weekly articles since this is often the case in my other courses. However, I later recognized that the goal is not so much summarizing the learning material but applying it within my life and explaining my experiences. Subsequently, not only does it permit me to learn new information, but it also allows me to apply these teachings within my own environments. Hence, the active learning opportunities presented within this course strengthen my comfortability towards teaching techniques by providing me with platforms where I can engage with course content and interact with my peers.
Application
This week we explored active and passive learning by engaging with interactive video editing. I had never used H5P prior to this week, but I was familiar with similar interactive platforms such as Quizlet and Prezi. To practice active learning and familiarize myself with H5P, I created a “drag and drop” exercise based on the Health Canada food groups (a common topic taught in the elementary curriculum). When creating the exercise, I understood how H5P could be a beneficial learning tool to help students understand and retain course material. Moreover, its interactive format makes learning seem more like a puzzling game than a mundane task. As a learner, I have experienced the dullness of passive learning, especially when required to study large amounts of new information; however, using tools like H5P to memorize material makes the learning process much more stimulating and attractive.
Bellow I have attached my H5P exercise:
Drag and Drop the items into the correct food group categories
2023-03-25 at 8:08 pm
Hey Maika! Awesome work with your blog post. I found it super organized and left feeling fulfilled and informed. I totally agree with you that there should be a greater push for active learning within school settings. I think a lot of teachers don’t realize how important it is to incorporate active learning, either they weren’t taught the importance of it or they’re unaware that it’s even a thing. I think we have it pretty good getting this opportunity now to learn about what active learning is and its importance of it. I had a great time trying your H5P exercise, it’s simple yet efficient in learning which foods belong in which category. This would be super handy to incorporate into your future classes for sure! Great job (:
2023-03-26 at 12:52 am
Hi Maika, I completely agree with your description of active learning. I also think that our course involves a lot of active learning, which has helped me to better understand the course material. I also believe that universities should promote active learning more strongly. Currently, the vast majority of courses still rely on passive learning, but active learning can make students more interested in the course content and more proactive in their learning. Your H5P project is also really nice, I chose to create a “Drag and Drop” activity just like you did. H5P can help us create more interesting learning tests instead of boring assignments.