Active Learning Across Three Dimensions: Integrating Classic Learning Theory with Modern Instructional Technology

Thaddeus Crews, Jr.

Abstract


Many educational researchers have proposed moving away from the traditional pedagogical model of long lectures with students as passive learners, listening and taking notes. There is over a century of pedagogical and cognition research that strongly suggests learning occurs best when students take an active role in the construction of their own knowledge. The call for change has only been accelerated by the increasing availability of computer-based educational technology and the exponential growth of digitally available information. This paper combines the long history of educational research with the rapid advancements of instructional technologies to build an Active Learning Model with three active dimensions (teachers, students, and technology). This model can help create an optimal space for authentic learning and can be applied to a wide range of academic disciplines and pedagogies. A Case Study is presented illustrating how the model helps improve student satisfaction as reported in standardized teaching evaluation metrics. 


Keywords


Constructivism, pedagogy, active learning, problem based learning, educational technology

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