Active Learning Strategies: Innovative Techniques for Enhancing Understanding in the Classroom

In the modern era, active learning and technology have become important pillars in developing the educational process. Providing active learning strategies is also very important to enhance understanding in classrooms. The rapid advancement in technology provides new opportunities to increase student engagement, thus improving the learning experience and making it more interactive and effective. Using a variety of digital tools, teachers can create innovative learning environments that encourage student interaction and participation and improve understanding of academic content. This article explains how to integrate technology into your active learning strategy, the most important digital tools you can use to achieve this goal, and the challenges and opportunities that this integration brings to your educational environment.

Types of Active Learning Strategies

There are many active learning methods and strategies that are used in active learning to increase students' participation with the teacher and with each other and create interaction between them.

• Question and answer method

It is considered one of the most important active learning strategies that teachers can use with students in their classrooms. For example, you can ask questions related to the lesson, ask students about possible answers, and differentiate between answers to enhance the spirit of competition among students. You also need to change the way questions are asked so that students do not feel bored in the classroom and improve their communication skills .

• Cooperative projects

It is one of the most important active learning strategies , where the teacher divides the class into two or more groups and asks each group to work on a specific project or explore a specific idea. Each group presents its results to the other groups, compares the results, and evaluates each group accordingly.

• Discussion

Discussion is one of the most important active learning strategies . One of the most important roles of the teacher is to open the door to discussion with the students and allow each student to express his desires and ask questions about everything that comes to his mind and enter into a dialogue. You can also use this idea in groups or choose two students to discuss the topic together and present their conclusions at the end.

• Thinking and innovation

It is considered one of the most important active learning strategies, and there are many benefits to thinking, as it creates a creative space for each individual and allows the teacher to judge the level of students and know their cognitive level. For example, the teacher may give each student a question that requires research and thinking about the answer so that they can reach the answer later. Therefore, teachers can find appropriate ways to explain new lessons to students.

• Search and Discover

One of the most important active learning strategies is discovery research. This method helps develop students’ research skills and knowledge of how to access information sources. This skill is applied by assigning students the task of finding specific information, where the teacher helps the students and allows them the freedom to use their preferred research method.

• problem solving strategy

It is one of the most important active learning strategies , as this strategy depends on students and teachers working together, as the teacher identifies the problem and presents it to the students and asks everyone to find the appropriate solution. This includes helping students find the cause of the problem, collecting data about it, and solving the problem by hearing solutions from students and reaching a final solution to the problem with everyone’s approval.

• Games

Games are one of the most important active learning strategies , so teachers try to bring students closer together by playing together or competing individually or in pairs inside the classroom. In addition, the participation of all children in activities improves communication skills and enhances the spirit of cooperation.

• one minute paper

One-minute work is an active learning strategy that teachers use to determine a student's cognitive level by asking them questions about a particular idea, social issue, or anything else and giving them one minute to answer. Teachers can also do this activity at the end of the lesson, allowing students time to write down what they heard and learned while listening to the lesson.

• Self-learning

Self-learning depends on the student’s will, which is one of the most important active learning strategies because the focus of this process is the students themselves, and this indicates the extent of their love for science and knowledge and discovering more on their own without the help of others. Teachers can help students in this regard by directing them to good places to study and find what they want, such as the Internet or specific books.

Active learning objectives

• Promote the spirit of cooperation among students.
• Providing a good learning environment.
• Use modern teaching methods to correctly present information to students.
• Developing students' ability to communicate with others and the ability to discuss and present their ideas without embarrassment.
• Help students develop their personality and better understand their strengths and weaknesses.
• Develop students' thinking through thinking and suggestions.
• Developing students' research skills, passion for experimentation, discovery and love of learning.
• Providing multiple sources of information that students may need, such as the Internet, books, etc.
• This fosters a lifelong learning mindset in students because it never ends and there is plenty of time to learn more.
• It will save you a lot of time in studying and learning.
• There is no competition or hatred between students due to differences in grades, as it does not depend on memorization without understanding as in traditional methods.
• Understand the educational level of students and help them to continuously improve.
• Ability to solve problems correctly.
• Students learn to rely on themselves and believe in their abilities.
• To promote the spirit of active competition among students.

Active learning principles

The principles of active learning are closely related to the student as:

• Students' participation in all decisions that the teacher wants to achieve in the classroom, such as teaching methods, setting goals, etc.

• Instead of relying entirely on the teacher to find out more information, students research independently until they find it themselves.

• Learn teamwork, as each team member has a specific role, and without it the team will not work.

• Teaching students to take responsibility and stick to their decisions.

• This shows students that not all students are equally intelligent and that there are individual differences that characterize each person.

• Multiple sources to obtain and search for information without waiting to receive it from the teacher.

Active learning elements

There are a set of basic elements of active learning, which are as follows:

Reading

Although students often learn through reading, there is a lack of effective reading instruction that improves their understanding of the texts they read through active learning activities . This is achieved by developing the ability to focus on important information through summarizing, writing notes, etc.

Writing

Writing is an important tool that helps students summarize information in their own way and this method is suitable for classes with large numbers of students who are difficult to divide into groups.

Listening and discussing

Listening is useful for learners when they are able to relate the information they receive with information they already know. Speaking, discussing and explaining with other learners is useful when answering questions and is one of the elements that forces the learner to extract and organize knowledge.

Meditation

Giving students a short time to reflect at the end of the lesson and before the next lesson begins is important to help them connect the new information explained during the lesson with the knowledge they had previously. At the end of the lesson, students should have a short time to discuss the new information with each other and answer questions about the topic of the lesson.

Self-assessment

When teachers encourage students to self-assess, they can identify their weaknesses and give them the goals they need to get the most out of what is being taught. This has a positive impact on students' independence, knowledge of their weaknesses and how to exploit them.

The role of both teacher and learner in active learning

The role of the teacher:

Active learning focuses on the effectiveness of the learner, so the teacher is no longer a lecturer or a sole source of information, but rather a guide, guide, motivator and facilitator of learning. Instead of controlling the learning situation, teachers manage the learning situation wisely and guide students smoothly towards their goals through:

• Ask the right questions.
• Designing stimulating and interesting learning situations.
• Choosing effective teaching methods.
• Diversifying teaching methods and ways to activate classrooms.
• Encourage and motivate students.

The role of the learner:

Active learning students actively and effectively participate in the learning process by:

• Initiative, interaction, discussion and questioning.
• Search for information from multiple sources.
• Practice self-assessment and peer assessment.
• Working in groups and collaborating with colleagues.
• Participate in lesson planning and implementation.

Improving and expanding the use of technology in active learning

In today’s digital age, integrating technology into education has become essential to improve the quality of education and expand learning horizons. Technology improves student engagement. Active learning and technology are a powerful combination to achieve outstanding educational outcomes. Using digital tools, teachers can increase student engagement and interest by helping students understand academic concepts in new and innovative ways. However, achieving this goal requires effective strategies and careful planning to properly integrate technology into the curriculum.

To get the most out of technology in active learning , you need to follow some guidelines that will help improve and expand the use of digital tools in the educational process. These recommendations include developing infrastructure, training teachers, enhancing security and privacy, and developing innovative educational strategies.

Schools and educational institutions must improve their technological infrastructure to ensure access to fast and stable internet and modern devices. Governments and educational institutions must invest in developing infrastructure and providing students and teachers with the necessary digital devices, including providing tablets and laptops and improving internet networks to meet the needs of digital learning .

Training teachers to use digital tools effectively is a top priority. Training courses and workshops should be conducted to help teachers develop skills in using technology and integrating it innovatively into the curriculum. It is also important to provide ongoing technical support to teachers so that they can solve any technical problems they may encounter during the teaching process.

To promote active learning using technology, we need to develop innovative teaching strategies based on digital tools. Educational games, interactive applications, virtual and augmented reality can be used to provide a unique learning experience. It is important to design educational activities that encourage problem solving and critical thinking and provide opportunities for students to interact and participate effectively.

Educational institutions must adopt a flexible and personalized learning approach that allows students to learn at their own pace and access educational resources anytime, anywhere. This can be achieved through the use of e-learning platforms and the provision of recorded lessons and digital educational materials. This approach increases student independence and motivation for lifelong learning.

Technology has great potential to improve collaboration and interaction among students. Students should be encouraged to collaborate on group projects and use digital tools to communicate and share ideas. Online collaboration platforms can be used to facilitate teamwork and improve students’ social communication and teamwork skills.

The use of technology in active learning is a great opportunity to improve the quality of education and provide a better learning experience for students. Active learning and technology are an ideal combination to achieve effective and efficient educational outcomes. However, achieving this goal requires continuous efforts and thoughtful strategies, including improving infrastructure, training teachers, ensuring security and privacy, and developing innovative educational strategies.

Following these recommendations will help educational institutions improve and expand the use of technology in active learning, develop students’ academic and personal skills, and prepare them to face future challenges, as technology opens new horizons in education and increases opportunities to improve student interaction and participation, enable personalized and flexible learning, and make the learning process more effective and comprehensive.

Barriers to active learning

• Some or all students are unable to use higher order thinking skills.
• Short duration of training courses.
• The curriculum is not compatible with active learning strategies that focus on acquiring information, skills, values, tendencies and principles without paying attention to the learners’ ability to analyse, synthesize and develop their mental abilities.
• Student engagement is poor (below expected levels).
• Chaos, lack of discipline, and loss of control in the classroom (disorder with excessive chatter).
• Some teachers feel anxious and worried when using active learning, and this may be due to fear of being criticized by others for interfering with normal teaching and learning practices, or the lack of necessary and encouraging incentives for change, or for other reasons.

The impact of active learning strategies on academic achievement and the role of the Madrasa.com platform

Active learning is a modern educational approach that aims to actively engage students in the learning process, deepen their understanding, and improve their interaction with the material. The use of technology plays a major role in facilitating and implementing this approach. The Madrasa.com platform is one of the leading educational platforms that supports active learning by providing innovative educational tools and resources.

• Working to provide interactive educational resources: The Madrasa.com platform works to provide a very wide range of important interactive educational resources that support active learning. These resources include educational videos, interactive games, and practical exercises that give students opportunities to interact with the content in fun and engaging ways.

• Supporting Project-Based Learning: The Madrasa.com platform provides teachers who can develop educational projects that effectively engage students. The platform provides students with access to the information and resources they need to conduct research and develop projects, which increases their ability to apply theoretical concepts to real-world situations.

• Facilitating Collaborative Learning: The Madrasa.com platform promotes collaborative learning by providing tools for communication and collaboration between students. Students can collaborate on shared tasks and projects online, which improves their communication and teamwork skills.

• Facilitating problem-based learning: The platform provides realistic scenarios and challenging problems for students to work on. This activity develops critical and analytical thinking skills by challenging students to research, analyze, and come up with appropriate solutions.

• Promoting Blended Learning: The Madrasa.com platform encourages blended learning that combines traditional classroom learning with e-learning, allowing students to benefit from a diverse mix of educational activities that can be accessed anytime, anywhere.

How to apply active learning strategies using Madrasa.com in the classroom?

• Integrating interactive resources into daily lessons: Teachers can use educational videos and interactive games available on the Madrasa.com platform to explain concepts in an interesting way. This improves students’ understanding and makes learning more fun.

• Developing blended learning projects: Teachers can use the tools of the Madrasa.com platform to develop projects that include research, planning and implementation. Students can work on these projects inside and outside the classroom, which improves their ability to apply theoretical concepts to real-life situations.

• Host collaborative online courses: You can hold collaborative learning sessions where students collaborate with their peers on shared tasks through the platform. This gives students the opportunity to effectively exchange ideas and learn from each other.

• Use the platform to solve real problems: Through the Madrasa.com platform, teachers can present realistic and challenging problems and encourage students to investigate, collect information and suggest solutions. This improves students’ critical and analytical thinking skills.

• Integrating online learning and traditional classes: Teachers can use the Madrasa.com platform to provide supplementary materials and online learning to support traditional lessons. This approach increases flexibility in the educational process and provides students with opportunities for self-study.

In conclusion, active learning strategies require redefining the roles of both teachers and learners in the educational process, with the teacher taking the role of leader and organizer and the student taking the role of actor and participant. This new role enhances students’ understanding and interaction with educational materials, creating a rich and fruitful educational experience that qualifies them to face future challenges with confidence and efficiency.