Research shows that student-centered, active learning experiences increase engagement and improve learning.
But, many college professors aren’t taught how to successfully design and facilitate these types of dynamic and interactive learning experiences.
So, we teach the way we were taught...by lecturing.
The lecture has its place and purpose, but it shouldn't be the only way you teach if you want to engage students and improve learning.
It takes a different set of skills to move from lecturing to teaching using active learning strategies.
Active learning classrooms are dynamic and interactive. There are many moving pieces to consider such as:
How do you decide when and where to use active learning strategies in your course?
How do you get students on board with active learning?
How do you facilitate an active learning experience so it doesn't feel chaotic or out of control?
Where do you get new ideas and active learning strategies to add to your course to keep things fresh?
How do you cover the content and still have time for active learning experiences?
The good news is you don't have to re-design the whole course or change everything about the way you teach.
You can "break up" your lecture by integrating simple, yet effective, active learning strategies.
When you know where to integrate active learning into your lectures, how to organize and facilitate the active learning experience, and what types of active learning strategies to use, you will create a successful learning experience for you and your students.
In the Designing and Facilitating Successful Active Learning Experiences online course, you will learn how to design and facilitate successful active learning experiences to engage students and improve learning.
You'll design a lesson (or update an existing lesson) to include a new active learning strategy. And, when you learn how to use the 4-step "Lesson Planning Made Easy Framework," you can quickly and efficiently design any activity for any lesson in any course in any format. Use it to plan a quick 3-minute activity or a 3-hour interactive learning experience!
The "Core Lessons"
Introduction to Active Learning & Clarifying Your Learning Outcomes
In lesson 1, you will explore what active learning is and articulate what it means to you. You will revise and clarifying your learning outcomes using the FLIP model which will show you how to "Focus on your Learners by Involving them in the Process."
When you know what kind of learning experience you want to create, you can choose the active learning strategies that align with your learning outcomes, your goals as an educator, and your students' needs.
Not All Active Learning Strategies are Created Equal
In lesson 2, you will learn how to use "levels of intensity" to choose active learning strategies that work best for you.
When you use the "levels of intensity" as your guide, you can confidently select active learning strategies that align with your learning outcomes, fit into the length of your lesson, and work with the amount of preparation time you have.
Lesson Planning Made Easy
In lesson 3, you’ll learn how to use the P.L.A.N. framework, a 4-step process that makes lesson planning easy!
Once you know the 4 steps, you will be able to quickly and efficiently apply it to any activity in any lesson in any course in any format. The 4-steps are flexible and adaptable and can be used to plan a quick 3-minute activity or an in-depth 3-hour activity!
Student Success, Motivation, and Support
Active learning experiences work best when students see the value of this type of teaching and learning experience.
In lesson 4, you'll explore ways to support students and encourage them to come to class prepared so they feel ready and motivated to participate. You'll explore why students might not be prepared and what you can do in your course to help students succeed.
Tips for Facilitating Active Learning Experiences
In lesson 5, you'll get tips to help you adjust to your new role in the active learning classroom. (This lesson is recommended for instructors who are new to using active learning.)
You'll get advice to help you facilitate your lesson, manage your time, and focus your energy so you don't feel overwhelmed or rushed.
The "Choose Your Own Adventure" Lessons
Choose the lessons that align with your interests and goals.
Activities to Start Class and Focus Students' Attention
In lesson 6, you'll explore different types of "focusing activities" to help students focus their attention, engage with others, and connect prior course material with the active learning experience you have planned.
These activities can be done in 5 minutes or less, and you can integrate them into different parts of your lesson to help students focus (or re-focus) their attention and get back on task.
Activities to Tap Into Students' Prior Knowledge and Experience
In lesson 7, you'll explore different types of active learning strategies that encourage students to draw upon their existing knowledge and use their prior experiences as a foundation for deeper, more meaningful learning.
These activities work really well for instructors who teach students with different backgrounds and levels of experience because everyone has something valuable to bring to the conversation.
Activities to Promote Critical Thinking Skills
In lesson 8, you'll look deeper into each of the 4 parts of the Lesson Planning Made Easy framework.
Learn how to integrate problem-solving, authentic practice, and multisensory activities to promote critical thinking skills and take active learning experiences to the next level.
Activities to Assess Learning
In lesson 9, you'll learn how to integrate activities that allow you to assess students' learning, identify knowledge gaps, and clarify confusion so you can provide additional support and resources to enhance students' success.
This lesson focuses more on formative assessment strategies, but does remind you to align your formative and summative assessment processes to create a cohesive learning experience for students.
Activities to Encourage Reflection and Debriefing
Some active learning experiences need to include time for reflection.
In lesson 10, you'll explore a variety of reflection and debriefing activities to help students connect the active learning experience with the learning outcomes while also fostering the growth mindset needed for lifelong learning.
Sign up and press play!
Watch the videos or listen to the audio lessons in the private podcast using any device!
Go step by step and apply it!
Follow along in your workbook, take notes, and apply the teaching strategies in your course!
Create engaging lessons!
Increase student engagement improve learning (without redesigning your whole course!)
The Designing and Facilitating Successful Active Learning Experiences online course is for faculty, instructors, and educators who:
-know the importance of actively engaging students, but struggle to find a balance between lecturing and active learning.
-are looking for low prep, high engagement activities they can easily add to a lesson without needing to redesign a whole course.
-want to re-energize their lectures and confidently integrate active learning, but worry about how to get started without feeling overwhelmed or creating a chaotic learning environment.
"I have been teaching for ten years and I was your typical Power Point lecture instructor until I met you. You changed my way of thinking about lectures and how to get students actively involved in their learning. Thank you!" --A. Arocho, Assistant Professor
The Designing and Facilitating Successful Active Learning Experiences online course includes:
-instant access to all 10 lessons
-video and audio lessons (available on any device)
-a digital workbook
-planning worksheets, templates, and articles
-20+ active learning strategies you can apply immediately to your course
-1-year access to all course materials
-live Q&A sessions (recorded)
Groups can add a private discussion forum, Q&A session, a custom website, and a custom registration page to make the sign-up and payment process easy.
Dr. Barbi Honeycutt is the founder of her own educational consulting company based in Raleigh, North Carolina. She is a speaker, author, consultant, and host of the popular Lecture Breakers podcast.
She is on a mission to inspire educators to transform their teaching by “breaking up” their lectures and creating active learning experiences to engage students and improve learning.
For the past 22 years, Dr. Honeycutt has facilitated thousands of in-person and online professional development workshops and programs for educators from around the world representing nearly every academic discipline and profession within industry, education, government, and nonprofit settings. More info: barbihoneycutt.com
