One book review didn't involve any writer's block. In 4th grade, I'd reviewed one of my favorite books at the time - Double Fudge by Judy Blume. Over twenty years later, I don't remember anything about the book. However, I do remember that the book review assignment involved creating a poster on that book, then presenting my poster to the class. I remember how fun it was to not only make and present the poster, but also seeing other students' posters and presentations. After the presentations, we had the opportunity to meet in groups, discussing our posters and sharing feedback on each other's presentations.
Over twenty years later, I can see that my book review poster presentation gave me a small taste of active learning. Rather than passively engaging in the learning process, students can play a more active role in what they learn and how they learn it. For a quick overview of active learning, I recommend checking out this brief Active Learning article, featuring active learning strategies ranging from simple to complex.
Although I initially had trouble understanding the concept of active learning, I think that active learning makes the process of learning engaging, while passive learning prioritizes the content of learning. Far too often, teachers may deliver long lectures, presuming that the content is enough to keep students engaged. Active learning calls for a revamp in pedagogy to better meet the needs of students who have content at their fingertips with technology in their hands. Active learning may use diverse tools, including technology tools, for diverse learning styles. Active learning provides opportunities for collaboration between students and fellow students, between students and professors, and between students and the wider world. For students craving that level of engagement, passive learning feels more like this:
Image Source: tenor.com
Meanwhile, active learning feels more like this! (P.S. Waku Waku, a Japanese expression, roughly translates to...I'm excited!)
Image Source: giphy.com
My book review assignment was a simpler form of active learning. However, book posters are far from the only way to engage students in active learning. Why not use PicCollage to make a digital book review poster? Better yet, why not use Audioboom to make an audio review, then use QR codes to link to those reviews? Professor Nicole Zumpano and teacher Ms. Foreman did just that with 5th Grade students. To check out the full story and amazing book review covers, be sure to read Nicole Zumpano's blog Technology in Education: Notes from the Closet. For my own thoughts on this blog, you can check out my Padlet Active Learning: Multimedia Book Reviews in a 5th Grade Classroom. I've also included a screenshot below for easy reference.
Image Source: padlet.com/arondanteryan
In this assignment, students may have written a book review in preparation for their audio book review. However, the assignment doesn't involve a student passively handing over a sheet of paper, getting a grade, and forgetting all about the book. Instead, students actively engaged with tech tools, including Audioboom and PicCollage, to create a transformative book review. Just as importantly, students had the chance to collaborate in the feedback process. In addition to giving that feedback through another tech tool, students had the chance to physically sort this feedback into different categories, engaging students in tactile learning. This assignment had a high degree of interactivity by integrating diverse learning styles and diverse tech tools. Since book reviews are often a staple of elementary education, the classic pen & paper format can quickly become tedious, making it all the more impactful to use active learning strategies, turning an assignment from boring to waku waku.
When developing lessons, active learning can be an invaluable resource for many different fields of educators. Although the example above ties into a 5th grade classroom, active learning also applies to my own job as a Library Associate in a youth department. As I plan my library programs, I'd like to brainstorm new ways to keep students engaged. For example, in my recent Writing Club: Alebrijes program, I included experiential learning by leading the students on an alebrijes scavenger hunt. After finding alebrije sculptures in the library, students wrote and drew the alebrijes we discovered (or created their own alebrijes). Overall, this program was a success. Students expressed that they had "so much fun!"
In addition to positive feedback, I received helpful feedback from a parent. They kindly let me know that their child had enjoyed the program, but had been a bit thrown off by taking a surprise field trip at the start of class. It was a great reminder that some students may thrive on routine, rather than spontaneity. Some students may be more introverted or nonverbal, meaning that collaboration can sometimes be a form of stress and disengagement, rather than success and engagement. The typical classroom experience, which often takes the form of individualized passive learning, may be a comfort to many students. I think that teachers and library professionals can use passive learning and active learning, but must keep in mind the needs of their particular students, as well as the resources of their given institutions. Although I'd love to give my students all the tech tools in the world, I know that budgets can be tight, and any expenditure must be proved to be a worthwhile investment. With these variables in mind, active learning strategies can be incredibly helpful tools, empowering educators to make the best use of those tools for their given school, library, or other learning space.
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Thanks for sharing how you've incorporated active learning in your library space and for the reminder that we need to check in with our learners to understand what they are comfortable with.
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you for reading!
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