The Active Learning Method

Summary

The video script delves into the concept of active learning, emphasizing its effectiveness in knowledge retention and transferability. It outlines the brain's retention process, highlighting the importance of foundational knowledge and relevance in memory storage. The script introduces Professor Carl Wieman's four-step active learning method in classrooms, illustrating how it enhances understanding and retention. Research findings underscore the significant advantage of active learning over passive methods, with active learners showing doubled comprehension and better long-term retention. The script concludes with a reflection on the ineffectiveness of passive teaching and an invitation for viewers to share their experiences with active learning.

Takeaways

• 🤔 Active learning involves participation, collaboration, and applying concepts to real-world situations, which enhances retention and transferability of knowledge.
• 🧠 The brain filters information based on understanding and necessity, building neural connections for new information that is deemed important.
• 📈 Active learning is more mentally demanding due to the need to create these foundational neural connections, which is crucial for effective learning.
• 🤓 Prof. Carl Wieman's teaching method includes four steps: pre-class reading, in-class questioning, peer discussion, and follow-up discussion with feedback.
• 📊 In-class questioning with clickers or worksheets allows for immediate feedback and engagement, helping gauge student understanding.
• 🗣️ Peer discussions after initial voting on problems encourage students to justify their answers and consider alternative viewpoints.
• 📉 The second vote on questions typically shows significant improvement in understanding due to peer discussions.
• 👨‍🏫 The instructor's explanation comes after students have formed their own thoughts, which helps in better comprehension and retention.
• 📚 Research indicates that active learning leads to a doubling of understanding compared to conventional teaching methods.
• 📈 Long-term retention is significantly better in active learning environments, with students retaining over 70% of material two years later.
• 💡 Active learning contrasts with passive learning where students may forget most of the material within six months due to lack of engagement and application.

Q & A

What is the definition of 'active learning' as described in the script?

Active learning is defined as a process where individuals participate, collaborate with others, and apply concepts to the real world. It requires hard mental effort and leads to better retention and an understanding of the material that can be transferred to other situations.

Why does the brain need to build foundational neuron connections for new information?

The brain needs to build foundational neuron connections for new information to have something to attach to. Without these connections, the brain doesn't know what to do with the new information and may discard it.

How does the brain decide what information to remember?

The brain decides what to remember by asking two fundamental questions: 'Can I understand?' and 'Do I need to know?'. It builds connections on existing knowledge and separates material worth remembering from what can be forgotten based on its perceived usefulness.

What are the four steps of active learning as taught by Prof Carl Wieman?

The four steps are: 1) Students read up on the lesson fundamentals before class. 2) The teacher starts with an introduction and gives questions to solve, using clickers or worksheets. 3) Students discuss their answers with peers, followed by a second vote and results reveal. 4) The teacher leads a follow-up discussion to provide feedback and explain the correct solution.

Why is it important for the initial question in active learning to be both challenging and interesting?

It's important because it helps the teacher gauge student understanding and focuses students on the question. They become invested in knowing if they were right, which enhances engagement and learning.

What is the Peer Instruction Method and how does it relate to active learning?

The Peer Instruction Method, involving questions, peer discussions, votes, and group discussions, is a technique used in active learning to facilitate understanding. It encourages students to reason and justify their answers, promoting deeper learning.

How does active learning enhance the retention of information?

Active learning enhances retention by making students work on interesting problems, engage in deep material exploration, and construct their own thoughts before receiving the teacher's explanation, which then makes more sense and has a solid foundation.

What are the three reasons why active learning is effective according to the script?

The three reasons are: 1) Students are actively working on interesting problems, making the information important to remember. 2) Problem-solving alone and in groups leads to the construction of new synaptic pathways in the brain. 3) The teacher's explanation comes after students have formed their own thoughts, making the new information more comprehensible.

What were the results of the experiment comparing passive and active learning in a physics course?

The experiment showed that on average, active learners doubled their understanding compared to those taught in a conventional style, even though the teachers and students were similar.

How does long-term retention differ between passive and active learning environments?

In a conventional lecture followed by a test, students forget around 90% of the material within 6 months. In contrast, in an active learning environment, students can retain more than 70% of what they have learned two years later.

Why is it ineffective for teachers to simply demonstrate problem-solving to transfer their thinking to students?

It's ineffective because a brain needs to actively construct new ideas within itself. Unless this happens, the material may as well have never been heard, as it won't be effectively learned or retained.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Active Learning: Enhancing Retention and Understanding

The first paragraph introduces the concept of active learning, emphasizing its importance for knowledge retention and application. It explains the brain's process of deciding what to remember by asking if the information is understandable and necessary. Active learning helps build foundational neuron connections, which is why it requires more mental effort but leads to better learning outcomes. The paragraph also outlines Prof. Carl Wieman's four-step active learning method used in classrooms, which includes pre-class preparation, in-class problem-solving with clickers or worksheets, peer discussions, and follow-up discussions led by the professor. The method aims to engage students actively in the learning process, leading to a deeper understanding and better retention of the material.

05:02

📈 Active Learning vs. Passive Learning: Comparative Outcomes

The second paragraph compares the effectiveness of active learning with traditional, passive learning methods. It presents evidence from experiments showing that active learners significantly outperform their passive counterparts in terms of understanding and long-term retention. The paragraph highlights that students in active learning environments can retain over 70% of the material two years later, compared to the 90%遗忘 experienced by those in conventional lectures. It also challenges the misconception that demonstrating problem-solving can transfer knowledge to students, stressing that the brain must actively construct ideas for effective learning. The paragraph concludes with a personal reflection question, inviting readers to consider their own experiences with active learning and how it compares to traditional methods.

Keywords

💡Active learning

Active learning is an educational approach that emphasizes student participation and collaboration. It is integral to the video's theme as it is presented as a method that enhances knowledge retention and understanding. In the script, active learning is described as requiring 'hard mental effort' and is contrasted with passive learning, showing its effectiveness in classroom settings through Prof. Carl Wieman's teaching method.

💡Retention

Retention refers to the ability to remember and recall information over time. The script highlights that active learning leads to 'better retention,' which is a key benefit of this educational strategy. It is mentioned in the context of how the brain processes new information and the importance of periodically reviewing material to ensure it moves to long-term memory.

💡Foundational neuron connections

This term is used to describe the neural pathways that form the basis for new information to be understood and remembered. In the script, it is explained that the brain needs to build these connections for effective learning, which is why active learning is more mentally demanding but also more effective.

💡Peer Instruction Method

The Peer Instruction Method is a teaching strategy developed by Eric Mazur, which is mentioned in the script as part of Prof. Wieman's active learning approach. It involves students discussing questions and their answers with peers, which helps in understanding different perspectives and reinforcing learning.

💡Clickers

Clickers are devices used in classrooms for students to answer multiple-choice questions, as described in the script. They are part of the active learning process, allowing for immediate feedback and engagement, which is crucial for understanding the material and gauging student comprehension.

💡Long-term memory

Long-term memory is the ability to store information for extended periods. In the script, it is mentioned that the brain stores information in long-term memory if it deems it valuable or necessary, such as information that could increase social status. Active learning aids in moving information to long-term memory by making it relevant and frequently used.

💡Synaptic pathways

Synaptic pathways refer to the neural connections that facilitate the transmission of signals in the brain. The script explains that active learning helps construct new synaptic pathways, which is vital for deep understanding and retention of material.

💡Mental effort

Mental effort is the cognitive work required to process and understand information. The script states that active learning requires 'hard mental effort,' indicating that it is a more engaging and challenging approach compared to passive learning.

💡Understanding

Understanding is the comprehension of concepts or ideas. The script explains that the brain asks 'Can I understand?' when processing new information, emphasizing the importance of foundational knowledge for effective learning and the role of active learning in facilitating this process.

💡Conventional learning

Conventional learning, often associated with traditional lectures, is contrasted with active learning in the script. It is described as less effective in terms of knowledge retention and understanding, with students forgetting a significant portion of the material within six months.

💡Nobel prize-winning physicist

This term refers to Prof. Carl Wieman, who is mentioned in the script as a leading advocate of active learning. His status as a Nobel laureate adds credibility to the effectiveness of the active learning method he promotes.

Highlights

Active learning involves participation, collaboration, and applying concepts to the real world, leading to better retention and transferable understanding.

Active learning is mentally demanding due to the need for foundational neuron connections for new information to attach to.

The brain decides what to remember based on understanding and necessity, affecting how information is stored and retrieved.

Prof Carl Wieman's four-step active learning method is introduced, emphasizing the importance of foundational knowledge and student engagement.

Step 1 of Wieman's method involves pre-class reading and in-class problem-solving with clickers or worksheets.

Step 2 uses clicker voting to gauge understanding and focus students' attention on challenging questions.

Step 3 incorporates peer discussions and a second vote to enhance understanding through collaborative learning.

Step 4 includes a follow-up discussion led by the professor to provide feedback and explore reasoning.

Active learning's effectiveness is supported by research showing improved understanding and long-term retention.

Active learners doubled their understanding compared to conventional learning in a study involving physics instruction.

Long-term retention studies show that active learning environments can help students retain over 70% of material two years later.

The brain must actively construct new ideas for effective learning, as passive explanations do not transfer knowledge.

Active learning engages students in interesting problems, making them more receptive to learning and memory formation.

Solving problems individually and in groups deepens material understanding and constructs new synaptic pathways in the brain.

Teachers' explanations are most effective when students have already formed their own thoughts, allowing for better information integration.

The transcript invites reflection on personal experiences with active learning and its comparison to conventional learning methods.

Transcripts

"Active learning" means you participate,  collaborate with others, and apply  

concepts to the real world. It requires hard  mental effort but leads to better retention  

and an understanding of the material that  can be transferred to other situations.  

To understand why active learning  works so well, it helps to know  

that when our brain decides what to remember,  it asks itself two fundamental questions: 

Can I understand? And do I need to know?

When you ask “Can I understand?” your  brain always puts the new information  

on the foundation of existing knowledge.  If the foundation is missing the brain  

has no idea what to do with it and  as a result, it throws it away.

In other words, your brain needs to build  foundational neuron connections for new  

information to attach to - which is both  why active learning is more mental work,  

but also essential for learning.

When we ask ourselves: Do I need to know? Our  brain separates between the material it finds  

worth to remember and the one it can forget. If  it’s unlikely that new information will ever be  

used again, the brain is smart enough to throw it  away. If your brain finds that the information is  

needed again, say it could increase your social  status, the brain will store it in long-term  

memory. To stay there and be easily recalled,  you just have to periodically use or think of it.

To understand how active learning  is applied in classrooms,  

let’s look at the teachings of Prof  Carl Wieman, a Nobel prize-winning  

physicist and a leading proponent of  the method. There are four steps to it.

Step 1: Prior to class, the students read up  

on the fundamentals of the lesson, so they get an  idea of the terms and basic phenomena. In class,  

Professor Wieman starts with a brief introduction  and then gives questions to solve. He will have  

students use clickers, a little device on which  students can answer multiple-choice questions.  

Alternatively or for more complex  problems, worksheets can be handed out.

Step 2: Wieman projects a problem and  

asks all the students to select one of three  possible answers using their clicker. This has two  

benefits: First, the teacher gets an idea of how  many of his students already understand the topic,  

and second, the students are now focused  on the question. They want to know if they  

were right! It is important though that the  question is both challenging and interesting.

All this takes less than 5 minutes.  

Step 3 Without telling the students  

how they voted and following Eric Mazur’s Peer  Instruction Method — which involves questions,  

peer discussions, votes and group discussions —  the students then discuss the question and their  

answers with one or two classmates, ideally with  someone who disagrees with their own opinion.  

During the discussion, the students have to come  

up with a reason for their answer  and why the others may be wrong.

Meanwhile, the instructor is circling around,  

listening in to gauge student thinking,  and answering brief questions.

Then there will be a second clicker vote.  And only now the results will be shown.

Typically the second vote will be much better  

than the first as students learn a  great deal from their discussions.

An ideal question will have about ⅓ correct on  the first vote and 85% correct on the second.

All this takes around 7 minutes.

Step 4 Now the professor  

leads a follow-up discussion with all the  students to provide feedback, exploring  

the different reasoning, which one is correct,  and importantly, which is incorrect and why?  

Only at the very end, professor  Wieman will explain the correct  

solution and answer follow-up questions.

Ascertaining the students' understanding  from the questions they ask,  

he decides if it is time to move on.

All of which takes around 10 minutes.  

There are three reasons why  active learning works so well.

First: The students are actively  

working on interesting problems. And as they  all voted for an answer right at the beginning,  

they have a stake in the outcome. That means  their brains decide that the information  

covered is important to be remembered and  are hence more receptive for learning.  

Second: By solving problems  

alone and in groups they dive deeply into the  material. Explaining to a peer engages novel  

mental processes. As a result they construct  new synaptic pathways inside their brains.

Third: The explanation from the  

teacher comes only once the students already  formed their own thoughts about the concept.

At this point, the explanation  makes more sense as the brain  

can connect the new information to  all the thought it had just built.

The correct answers have a solid foundation. A large body of research has shown big  

differences in the outcomes between  passive and active learning.

In one carefully executed experiment, physics  instructors taught their course in two ways:  

some classes were taught in a conventional  style and others using active learning.

Even though the teachers were the same and the  students were similar, on average the active  

learners doubled their understanding when  they were tested at the end of the course.  

Other experiments have shown that  long term retention is higher as well.  

Students that take a conventional  lecture that is followed by a test,  

forget around 90% of the material within 6  months. In an active learning environment  

students can retain more than 70% of  what they have learned two years later.

Sometimes teachers show a problem and then  demonstrate to the class how to solve it. 

They believe that they can just transfer their own  

thinking into the student’s  head through an explanation.

Unfortunately, for new ideas,  a brain doesn’t work that way.  

Unless the brain actively constructs those ideas  within, it is as if the material was never heard.

How about you? 

Have you ever learned in an  active learning environment? 

And if so, how does it compare  to learning the conventional way?