Active learning activities can be used to enhance critical thinking skills in both the online and F2F environment. Active learning activities can also occur in both sychronous and asynchronous formats. When listening to lectures and taking notes students don't typically learn as much about application of the information. Collaborative learning techniques are one type of active learning and can develop skills that the students will be able to use in real life situation such as learning to better communicate with others in their work environments.
Critical thinking is an advanced ability. It is important to aid students in finding their own ability to be critical thinkers. This is vital in active learning.
I like the analogy or idea of Jig Saw Puzzle and putting all the components together in online learning. I think this also aids in critical thinking.
Active learning is important for the student in a student based learning approach. This is a difference than old prior ways which it was instructor lecturing at the podium, but it is now in more recent years a promotion of active learning.
collaborative learning is essential in a class to help the student really understand the subject and elevate their learning experience whether is at a class room setup or online class.
The basic ideals of critical thinking skills is an active, continual thought process that accumulates relevant information to make a decision based on all facets of knowledge. "In the 21st century, businesses are looking for critical thinkers who can evaluate information, study complex situations, problem solve and understand they don’t always have to be right. Mistakes are inevitable, with learning occurring from the mistakes. Problem-solving critical thinkers are needed." We know the importance of group activities for digital natives, active learning methods are beneficial for skills mastery, short-term knowledge and critical thinking. Cooperative learning has students drawing upon their past experience/knowledge, developing technical and interpersonal skills, and resolving conflict. Collaborative learning students work together to adress a specific issue, explore a significant question, solve a problem, complete a task or create a product. Problem-based learning (PBL) facets include; students solve problems, not only one correct answer, multiple learning paths, integrated instruction, learn while doing, more than just facts, evaluate process/performance as well as outcome.
Critical thinking can be an incredible useful tool to engage with for active learning but it may take some direction to cultivate it. Using collaborative and cooperative learning can help engage critical thinking and lead to fruitful discussions. There are many activities that can be used sychronously and asychronously use active learning and in particular activce learning.
Critical is a great way to empower students to promote responsibility of learning. Discussion boards and group work is great but still lack the human interaction factor. I like the idea of group work but some how the online group discussion is lost on me. I feel that participation is not as productive as F2F. However, there are pros & cons to online discussion. By dictating specific parameters, online learners could have more freedom to complete the assignments assuming that time management is successful. Often time, online learners lack time management due to the fact the assumption of "too much" time left to complete an assignment. I feel for younger adults, the responsibilites of critical thinking and online discussion lack motivation vs the adult learners for the same subject matter.
Using active learning to enhance critical learning is so beneficial to both instructor and student. Not only are students learning through active learning, but instructors are learning as well. Students can learn without even realizing that they are learning through engagement and open communication with one another. Also, instructors can use open/ended questions rather than yes/no answers to allow the students to really think out of the box.
Problem based learning is particularly effective at getting students to think through a difficult concept.
I learned that:
Problem-based learning is defined as instruction which starts with a problem. The problem can be anything,
and scenarios that exist in the real world are quite rewarding to use. Students can delve into particular topics
and build their opinions, thoughts and ideas based on their prior knowledge and course resources, as well as
the direction of the online instructor.
We have really started to progress with problem based learning scenarios. It started with Covid and trying to replace our hands-on activities with activities they can do online. For example, our welding instructors had pictures of good and bad welds and had students identify which ones were bad, why/how the bad weld happened and how to fix it.
Problem based learing gets the students to avtively particpate in things that matter to them.
I learned that the professor needs to do that the students used critical thinking.
Critical thinking can be challenging to some students. Instructor has to guide and encourage the students to trust themselves
I have found teaching students to be critical thinkers and to fully undestand informatiion and systems to be the biggest challenge and am constantly trying new things. A good example is teaching how pressures try to equalize and how that knowledge is applied to industry and machinery. I have found that if you keep it simple, fun, and easy to assimulate, the better they understand it.
Learning all about different methods of engaging students and encouraging active learning has greatly shaped my efforts moving forward.
I found the mention of Second Life interesting since I used it in my doctoral degree program some 5-6 years ago. I didn't find it to be very relevant then or now, but it was interesting to consider how it might be used. I suppose were I a 'gamer' and into that sort of virtual reality stuff it might have been more applicable to my interests, but as it stood, all I took away was - 'been there and done that!"
Critical thinking can is essential for the students to learn and apply what they've learned to different problems.
A good balance integration of methods has a tremendous value which is also dependent on appropriate methods being applied to specific courses and course material. One additional benefit of students using technology to contribute to a class would be if that is guiding, the students would then know where trusted sources of information can be found.
