Active learning and creativity in education.
Anna Douglas (Goldsmiths College, University of London) and
Adam Unwin (Institute of Education, University of London)
Active learning has been apart my approach to teaching in my career, before I started teaching professionally. I will upload my active learning power point, which helped me collaborate my thoughts and ideas around this methodology before researching more into the pedagogy itself.
“It can be described simply as teaching where the students are actively involved in, and contribute to the learning process. The key element here is that learning activities are designed to enable students to activate their existing ideas and perceptions, and through collaboration and social participation with other students, they move on to a higher level of conceptual knowledge and understanding.”
Brief understanding or takes from this article.
1. Communication is Key
2. Participation in needed in order of success
3. Peer to peer encouragement, generates stronger learning foundations.
4. Clarity of task /outcome at hand
5. Physical interaction (or tactile interactions)
– Physical interaction seems far to a masculine word to describe the nature of the learning environment I wish to hold, I prefer to use the word tactile, and in not just the sense of touch, but also vocally tactile in terminology/descriptors
This article also proposes ‘theoretical perspectives’ and mentions the work of Vygotsky’s concepts of scaffolds and the zone of proximal development. Which is interesting as I have found that paper to build a body of understanding around my position as a technical educator, and the importance of my value in teaching practices/scenarios and how I present myself to the students. In a focus, I think reflecting on using active learning before learning about scaffolds has really stabilized my beliefs in teaching and my career path.
“Learning involves an active reconstruction of the knowledge or skill that is presented, on the
basis of the learner’s existing internal model of the world. The process is therefore essentially
interactional in nature, both within the learner and between the learner and the teacher, and
calls for negotiation of meaning, not its unidirectional transmission. (Wells, 1986:118)“
Conclusion:
* Active learning teaching builds stronger relationships between student and teacher.
* Opens dialogue that encourages free thinking methods and risk taking
* It strengthens and builds confidences in student understanding and knowledge.
* It grants greater awareness of subject matter through open conversations between teacher and students and peer-to-peer interaction.
I wanted to relate this topic, to textiles in a futurism aspect, and understanding the passive textiles approach to smart textiles (or active textiles). Textiles built to be inclusive or aware and to teach the wearer about their environment or body. (Link)
