Active Learning

 

Active learning refers to the empirical fact that students learn more when they are actively involved in the classroom and not just listening and taking notes. The following lists some techniques that can be applied to the economics discussion section. An excellent article titled "Cooperative Learning in Technical Courses" is available on the web at http://www2.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/users/f/felder/public/Papers/Coopreport.html

 

Pause procedure: Take 2 minute breaks from lecturing every 15 to 20 minutes at natural break points in the lecture and ask students to review and consolidate their notes. Encourage them to compare notes with the student next to them if something is unclear. This technique appears to be useful in reducing the loss of attention that naturally occurs when sitting in a lecture and in some classes is likely to increase the number of questions that are raised.

 

Short class exercises: Ask students to spend a few minutes working out a problem (or portion of a problem) and then discuss the answer.

 

"Think, Pair, Share": Give a short class exercise and ask the students to compare their answers with a partner and then discuss the answer as a class. When students know that they are not alone in reaching an answer or having an unresolved question, they are usually more willing to discuss the issue in class.

 

Short group exercises: Separate students into groups of 3-4 students, assign each group a different question, give them several minutes to work out an answer and then have a member of each group present the answer to the class.