Creating a safe climate for active learning and student engagement: an example from an introductory social work module

Abstract

This article explores the experiences of students who participated in a series of seminars that employed active learning methodologies. The study on which the article is based involved two parts. First, students completed a questionnaire after each seminar, resulting in 468 questionnaires. Second, nine students participated in a focus group where the questionnaire findings were explored. The research findings suggest that the students were highly engaged and that the mix of 'doing', 'observing' and 'reflecting' contributed to their engagement. However, in addition, the students' perspectives suggested that the learning environment in which the seminars took place was of particular importance. Overall, the study highlights that while active learning methodologies contribute to student engagement, the atmosphere in which the methodologies are used is also of central importance. Therefore, as well as paying attention to the cognitive aspects of learning, teachers need to consider the affective domains.

Development and validation of an instrument to measure students’ perceptions of technology-enabled active learning

“…Moreover, active learning approaches are learner centred, as they engage students in learning, thus supporting a learning setting of immersion, exploration and reflection (Noteborn, Dailey-Hebert, Carbonell, & Gijselaers, 2014). Faculty who employ active learning approaches are able to give students an opportunity to plan, examine, justify and reflect upon their ideas, thus allowing students to learn to think for themselves, while also being able to critically evaluate the world around them (Ní Raghallaigh & Cunniffe, 2013). Hence, active-learning approaches engage students in learning and stimulate higher thinking processes (Kim, Sharma, Land, & Furlong, 2013).…”

“…(Ren et al, 2015, p. 6) Engineering According to Hung, Tan, and Koh (2006), active learning is the process of learning whereby learners are accountable for their own as well as one another's learning and by which the learners are "actively developing thinking/learning strategies and constantly formulating new ideas and refining them through their conversational exchanges with others" (p. 30). A key essential element of active learning is to actively engage students in deeper learning by fostering their ability to create new knowledge and apply the acquired knowledge and skills by demonstrating well-developed judgement and responsibility as learners (Ní Raghallaigh & Cunniffe, 2013). Moreover, research demonstrates that the use of an active learning methodology not only increases student engagement, but also improves student retention of material and subsequently develops students' critical thinking and problem-solving skills (Kvam, 2000;Mumtaz & Latif, 2017).…”

A Study in General Education: How a Field Trip for Chinese Tea Tasting Motivates Students’ Learning

“…The relationship between learning outcomes and environment has been confirmed in some studies [29,30]. The learning environment is important and active learning contributes to student engagement, the atmosphere in which the active learning approach used is also of central importance [31].…”

Active Learning via Problem-Based Collaborative Games in a Large Mathematics University Course in Hong Kong

“…Specifically, a key essential element of active learning is to actively engage students in deeper learning by fostering their ability to create new knowledge and apply the acquired knowledge and skills by demonstrating well-developed judgement and responsibility as learners [5,6]. Moreover, active learning strategies motivate student learning in the classroom, subsequently promoting students' initiative to take ownership of their own learning as stakeholders in their own learning trajectory [7].…”