Activity-Based Learning
A. Cooperative Learning
• Cooperative learning is based on the premise that
learners work together and are responsible for not
only their own learning but also for the learning of
other group members.
Types of Cooperative Learning
Formal Groups
Purpose: To complete a specific learning task consisting
of concepts or skills.
Length od Existence: One class to many weeks.
Informal Groups
Purpose: To enhance understanding of a specific unit of
information, to make connections prior to learning.
Lenth of Existence: No more than one class and perhaps
for only a few minutes after during a class
Base Groups
Purpose:To provide encouragement and to monitor
progress throughout the learning experience.
Length of Existence: The length of learning experience
was usually long term.
Advantages of Cooperative Learning
1. Group members learn to function as part of a team
2. Working in a group for any length of time can
teach or enhance social and communication skills.
3. Can help to address individual learning needs and
learning styles
4. Critical thinking is promoted
Grading in Cooperative Learning
 Provide opportunities for self and peer evaluations
 Contract with each group as to which portions of
the work will be done by each individual
 Assign a group grade for the project
 Give bonus points to each group member if each
person's individual grade surpasses their grades
Research on Cooperative Learning
 Cooperative learning procedures higher
achievment levels than do individualistic or
competitive learning approaches
 Outcome measures of achievement are
knowledge gain, retention of knowledge, problem
solving, reading, mathematics, and procedural
tasks, all of which show increases with
cooperative learning.
 Other outcomes found are increased self-esteem,
improved attitude toward learning, social
competence, and decreased anxiety in learning
o in previous projects or exams.
• Cooperative learning has been found to ba a
cost-effective strategy
• Effectiveness of cooperative learning has been
found in all ages and levels of education, both
sexes, all nationalities studied, and all economic
groups.
• Effects have been equally good for learners at
all ability levels.
B. Simulations
• Simulations are controlled representaions of
reality. They are exercises that learners engage
in to learn about the real world without the risks
of the real world. They also can be a lot of fun.
• Four Types of Simulations
Simulation Exercise - a controlled representation of a
piece of reality that learners can manipulate to better
understand the corresponding real situation.
Simulation Game - a game represents real-life
situations in which learners compete according to a set
of rules in order to win o achieve an objective.
Role-playing - a form of drama in which learners
spontaneously act out roles in an interaction involving
problems or challenges in human relations
Case Study - an analysis of an incident or situation in
which characters and relationships are described,
factual or hypothetical events transpire, and problems
need to be resolved or solved.
Purpose and Uses of Simulations
 Help learners practice decision-making and
problem-solving skills, to develop human interaction
abilities, and to learn psychomotor skills in a safe
and controlled setting.
 Used to achieve many learning objectives
 An avenue for attitude change
 Decision-making skills can be fostered by simulation
 Can ba applied to the teaching of psychomotor skills
 Can be used to evaluate learning and competence
Role of the Educator
 Planning - begin with choosing or developing an
appropriate simulation that will meet learning
objectives
 Facilitator - the educator should function as a
facilitator during the actual progress of the
simulation.
 Defriebing Session - most important part of the role
of an educator is the final discussion or the
debriefing session.
1.Simulation Exercises
• Categorized by the degree of fidelity
• Fidelity is the degree to which the simulation
accurately mimics the real world situation that it is
supposed to represent.
• Simulation exercises primarily focus on learning
process
2.Simulation Games
• Focus either on content or on process learning.
• Content games - focus on teaching or reinforcing
factual information.
• Process games - are those that emphasize
problem solving or application of information
• Frame games - games that follow the format of
established board games,television games, and
word games
3. Role-playing
• Role-playing is a form of drama in which learners
spontaneously act out roles in an interaction involving
problems or challenges in human relations
 This teaching method is effective in helping people can
skill in interpersonal and therapeutic relationships and
in teaching them how to handle interpersonal conflicts
4. Case Study
 Case study is an analysis of an incident or situation in
which characters and relationships are described,
factual or hypothetical events transpire, and problems
need to be resolved or solved
 Can be used successfully to apply principles discussed
in class, to encourage independent study and critical
thinking, and to safely expose learners to real-world
situations they will encounter in the future.
 If you want to construct a case study for a group of
learners, you should follow these steps:
o Develop objectives
o Select a situation
o Develop the characters
o Develop the discussion questions
o Lead the group discussion
C. Problem-Based Learning
• Problem-based learning is an approach to learning
that involves confronting students with real-life
problems that provide a stimulus for critical thinking
and self-taught content.
D. Self-Learning Modules
• Self-learning modules are also called self-directed
learning modules, self-paced learning modules,
self-learning packets, and individualized learning
activity packages
Components of Self-learning Modules
• Introduction and instructions
• Behavioral Objectives - in a self-learning module
are no different from those you have already
learned about and written
• Pretest - is usually but not always included in
a module
• Learning Activities - make up the most
creative portion of the self-learning module.
• Self-Evaluations - usually included at the
end of every lesson or sub-concept. It is
generally some form of quiz, either multiple-
choice questions or short-answer questions.
• Posttest - used to determine whether
learners have mastered the module
objectives
Advantages and Disadvantages of Self-learning
Modules
Advantages
Ability to learn independently and at one's own pace
and in one's own time
Promote active learning and provide immediate
feedback on performance
Modules make it possible for a curriculum to be
standardized
Reach the same learning outcomes
Reduce the cost of in-service education
Disadvantages
Miss learning with other people
Miss the interactions that take place in a classroom
Lack of structure and deadlines
Less than honest about their results and thus forego
needed learning
Modules take many hours to design and test.
Research on Effectiveness
• A considerable amount of research has been
conducted on the effectiveness of self-
learning modules. Several researchers
compared the amount of knowledge gained
by nurses or medical staff using self-learning
modules to those taught by lectures and found
no significant differences.
• All the strategies discussed in this chapter
involve active learning on the part of the
learner. All have found ther place in the
teacher's portfolio of methods, and all have
received some research support. These are
powerful tools to help motivate learners, to
teach critical thinking, and to help learners
construct their own knowledge.